Two Weeks Ago...

“It’s just like you to always be prepared, dad...” Jessica sighed to herself, walking a step behind her brother Walter as they closed in on the train station. The train dock crowd was dense with faces, both foreign and native. All of them were in the station for the same purpose as Jessica and her little brother: to escape, one way or another, for one reason or another.

War between the Crown and the Legion has begun to bleed out across the nation, resulting in a growing chaos among every facet of Imperial life. Thinking quickly, the father of the two siblings had made preparations, purchasing two tickets to Equestria in hopes of using the chaos to his advantage. He had to stay behind, despite the protest of Walter; somebody had to stay behind to fight in their place.

Walter lead the way but kept within arm’s reach of his sister. He’s a big kid, so naturally he was assigned to be the eyes above the crowd for Jessica.

“Did you say something?” Walter asked as he turned his head slightly toward his smaller sister; his eyes continued to comb his surroundings thoroughly, continuously on the lookout for trouble. .

“Hmm? Oh, no. Just talking to myself, Little Bear, keep on moving” Jessica replied as she pinched Walter’s backside, causing him to jump a bit and shoot a glare back at her.

“Stop that!” Walter hissed in irritation as he rubbed his abused cheek, “That’s been like four times now!”

“Eyes front, soldier boy, we need dock fifteen” Jessica spoke through a laugh, while shooting Walter a mischievous smile. Walter simply scowled at her for a brief few seconds before returning his eyes forward to navigate the crowd.

Walter, the child who inherited their mother’s size and strength, has always been a head taller than most humans his age, and when he’d hit puberty he shot up even higher. It’s scary to think that he still has at least five years of growing left. Jessica on the other hand, she inherited a bit more of their father’s traits: short, scary, and intelligent.

“Do you see our dock yet?” Jessica asked, craning her neck up at Walter as she followed in the wake his bulk made through the tightly packed station crowd.

“What?” Walter called back over the din of several dozen conversations, his eyes still scanning the area for their dock. With the combined ruckus of the crowd it was rather difficult to communicate without shouting back and forth. Letting out an annoyed sigh, Jessica clambered up onto Walter’s back, climbing up until her breasts were resting on top of his head. She firmly wrapped her thick muscular legs around Walter’s pectorals, causing the large man to blush in embarrassment. “The fuck, Jess?” Walter hissed.

“Shaddup ya’ big bastard, can’t even hear me all the way down there. Just keep looking!” Jessica barked in response, hooking her arm around Walter’s thick neck to keep herself balanced while they both continued their search for their dock.

“There!” Walter sighed in relief, pointing over at dock fifteen, which was currently boarding passengers onto two different trains. One was heading to Appleloosa, the other to Ponyville.

Just like their dad said it would be, or at least, that’s what Jessica had been told.

“The hell? Two trains? My ticket says Appleloosa. What does yours say?” Walter asked nervously as he gestured towards his ticket.

“Ponyville” Jessica replied, earning a frown of confusion and concern from her younger brother as he craned his neck to look at her.

“That doesn’t make sense... Did dad mess up?” Walter asked, as he tried to keep his emotions out of his voice..

Things began to click into place in Jessica’s mind as she threw herself into deep thought, but before she could ask herself anymore questions, she spotted something interesting from the corner of her eyes: three griffon soldiers trying desperately to blend in with the crowd, probably armed, on the Crown’s payroll most likely. They must be there for Walter. Jessica thought to herself, as if they’d been there for her, there’d be far more of them, and they wouldn’t bother trying to blend in.The griffons were dressed in summer apparel, pretending to be on their phones, standing by the platform waiting to follow Walter onto the Appleloosa train.

“Walter, wait on the platform will you?” Jessica says as she hopped down off of Walter’s back. Before he could say anything to her, she’d already slipped into the crowd and disappeared. Maneuvering her way through the crowd, she wove her way over to one of the pillars that supported the second story of the station, where a security officer was standing. Jessica approached the uniformed griffon and waved a hand to catch her attention.

“What is it, citizen?” the guard inquired nonchalantly, staring down at Jessica with disinterest.

“See those three over there near dock fifteen dressed like they got lost on their way to the nineties?” Jessica asks as she pointed to the group of griffons. “Those goons belong to my friend’s ex boyfriend, they were harassing her earlier before we got to the station. That’s her over there next to my brother” Jessica explained, pointing to Walter who just so happened to be standing next to a young griffon woman who seemed to be asking Walter questions about the train. Jessica then pointed over to the three mercenaries who obviously had their eyes locked in the direction of Walter and the griffon woman, making Jessica’s lie all the more convincing. “I think they’re waiting for her to board so they snatch her and exit through the other train” Jessica explained with forced nervous strain. Since the large boarding platform on each of the trains were just close enough for people on either side to travel between the trains quite easily, she hoped that her bullshit story would hold water.

“Right... Thank you for your assistance, human.” the security guard said, before speaking into her radio, calling for backup. Jessica quickly disappeared into the crowd, silently creeping her way back over to Walter while a group of security guards made their way to the men. Of course the griffon guard had believed her, humans in Imperial territory had been conditioned and groomed over generations to be utterly loyal dogs. It helped that the three griffon men stuck out like sore thumbs, and more than likely were a pack of would be kidnappers.. It also helped that Jessica was quite attractive, and the guard had been eyeing her up the whole time like a tasty little morsel to drag off to the nearest supply closet. Everybody wanted to take the pretty girl’s word, in hopes it would lead them somewhere.

As the altercation between the security guards and the hired guns broke out on the dock, Jessica appeared next to Walter and swiped his ticket, exchanging it for hers.

“You’re going to Ponyville” Jessica instructed, clasping Walter’s large hands around her ticket.

“Huh? But what about you?” Walter asked as he gave his sister a confused stare, the very idea of splitting from her side drawing pained lines on his face.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to find you faster than if it were the other way around” Jessica said, smiling softly as she shoved Walter into the train to Ponyville without waiting for his rebuttal. She had to make sure he would make it to his booth safely. Once he was out of her line of sight she quickly dashed into her own train, making her way to her cabin to avoid being spotted by either guard or goon. Her journey was gonna be a bumpy, but she could handle it, after all this was all a part of their father’s plan. A plan she prayed would work out in the end...

Present Day...

“Hold still you big oaf.” Sweetie Belle hisses as she fumbles with my bowtie, yanking me down so I was at eye level with the teenaged mare.

“Sorry” I grumble in response as the small mare fiddles with my bowtie, an accessory woven by dark red silk materials.

“I understand the suit is likely a bit tight, but I had to work with what materials I had left, our next shipment comes tomorrow and we both know we don’t have time for that.” Sweetie Belle says as she finishes fiddling with my bowtie, a satisfied smirk on her muzzle.

“Right, right” I nod, sighing quietly to myself as she continues to make the final adjustments to my suit.

I stand clad in firm yet smooth tuxedo, beautifully embroidered with dark gray velvety designs that stretch tastefully along the fringe of my coat and below my cufflinks. The design also spans across my upper back, perfectly aligned along my shoulder blades. My outfit is complete with matching slacks and dress shoes, along with a custom made pair of white cotton gloves to fit my meteor sized fists.

“I wouldn’t exactly compare it to the best of my sister’s work, but I’m pretty confident she would be proud of this suit, given the shortage of materials I had to work with.” Sweetie Belle says as she takes a lint roller, brushing it across the entirety of my tux, taking precaution to assure that this suit will be in its highest state of elegance when I finally do arrive at the Gala.

“I haven’t worn a suit like this in years… Ever since I was discharged from the Imperial Guardsmen.” I mutter as I look myself over, mentally comparing the elegantly tailored suit to my old ill-fitting dress uniform. For a scant moment, I envisioned my father standing beside me, wielding that warm and welcoming smile he always carries about. I could almost hear him cracking jokes with my sister about how fancy I looked, just like my first day of Academy.

“Walter, are you alright?” Sweetie Belle’s concerned voice drifts to my senses, causing me to turn her direction. She must’ve seen the look on my face, the look I was too distracted to notice since my mind was elsewhere. “Your eyes are all red and…” she paused, trailing off as I tried using my thumb to wipe the budding tears in the corner of my eyes, forcing a smile to my lips.

“I’m… I’m okay, just thinking about… My family” I replied honestly; I’m a horrible liar after all, and lying to Sweetie feels as if it would be like kicking an adorable puppy. Sweetie Belle’s features turned conflicted, likely as she pondered if she should press on or leave it be. Without speaking another word she plucked a lovely smelling rose and clipped it onto the chest pocket of my jacket.

“There we go, not many stallions wear boutonnieres nowadays, this will give you a bit more of a unique style.” she says warmly, gently patting my shoulders before looking up at me, brushing some of my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ears. “I pray to the stars that you may soon see your family again soon, Walter.” She murmured softly to me, before hopping down off her stepping stool.

“Thank you, I hope I do too.” I respond with an admittedly weak smile as I return to checking myself over in the mirror once more. The suit isn’t exactly as comfortable as my usual baggy apparel, but it hugs my bulky frame and gave huge emphasis on my musculature. It also made my ass look more toned than it probably is, but then again I don’t look at my own ass that much. Certainly explains what Sweetie was doing back there all that time... I just hope nobody else adopts the habit of doing so. I silently wish for everybody at this Gala to be a herd of dusty prudes who haven't seen their own junks in over a decade. Old rich people I could handle. However, on the other side of the spectrum… Eugh.

“Walter, are you ready?” Fluttershy calls out as she enters the room. She had acquired a formal attire for the Gala as well it seems; a sparkling blue cocktail dress that hugs around her waist enough to compliment her curves and bust while also adding emphasis to her natural beauty and modesty. She looked as if she were prepared to sing O’riordan’s ‘Linger’ on a stage under a spotlight. Needless to say I was at a loss of words, luckily I didn’t have to say anything since Fluttershy spoke up once more. “I take it that you like my dress?” Fluttershy inquires, a smirk creeping to her lips.

“Uh… Yeah, y-yeah, I do. It’s very lovely.” I reply stiff and awkward, spilling my words out like a broken water faucet, or at least that’s how I thought I sounded like.

“You look quite strapping yourself, Walter. The suit looks good on you.” Fluttershy says as she approaches, looking me over while Sweetie Belle beamed at her impressive handiwork.

“Thanks.” I reply, a small smile touching my lips as I looked myself over in the mirror. “I think it hugs me a bit too tightly though… It shows off more of my… Assets… Than I’d like it to.”

“If I’m gonna show off, then so are you.” Fluttershy says as she playfully bumps my shoulder with her fist.

“Fair enough...”

“Oh Fluttershy, don’t forget to grab Pinky and Dash’s outfits too!” Sweetie Belle says as she darts over to a table, lifting up two ornately designed packages wrapped in a smooth silky fabric, each fabric consisting of the color pertaining to either of the two mares back home; one being pink, and the other being cyan blue. “My sister made a few adjustments to their dresses since the last Gala.”

“Thank you” Fluttershy replies sweetly, taking the packages as Sweetie Belle handed them over.

“Are we ready to head out? What time do you think we should get there?” I ask as Fluttershy turns to me with the packages held before her bust.

“We should probably get there early to meet up with the other girls. We’ll have to run by the house real quick though to pick up Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.” Fluttershy replies, saying her goodbyes to Sweetie Belle before heading out of the boutique with me.

One Week Ago...

The skies were dyed an obnoxious blue, the most heavily saturated color in the midst of the scorched earth of the western frontier. The hue of the sky reflected off of Jessica’s aviators, which barely protected her hazel brown eyes from the biting sting of direct sunlight. Her voice hums softly along with the rhythm of Cage The Elephant blasting over her earbuds that were plugged into the MP3 player tucked neatly within her cleavage.

Sweat glistened off of her fair, slightly tanned skin, mixed in with dried splotches of blood which was scattered across her features. The groddy mix slowly ran ugly black rivulets down her body, sticking to the tone of her muscles. She sways her hips to the melody of guitar riffs; subtle drum strikes blending with a steady rhythm of bass guitar.

She sways her hips, skipping in her steps while she treks along the hardened dirt surface of the earth beneath her. This wasn’t the worst situation she’d been thrown into before; the skin-peeling, boot melting heat of the Saddle Arabian desert was far less tolerable than the west frontier. At least there were clouds to block the sun, and on occasion a lonely joshua tree to pause under.

Three days ago, Jessica had a run in with the goons sent after Walter by the Crown. Her little escapade at the train station had worked flawlessly and allowed a safe exit for her younger brother, Walter, who had been all but ignorant to the situation. The goons had been underwhelmingly easy to handle, as predicted, and clearly weren’t prepared whatsoever to face off with former Special Forces in the slightest.

Upon interrogating them, through the muffled cries for mercy, Jessica had managed to extract what information she could from the Griffons. It’s quite funny, the avian felines always acted all serious, strong, and superior; but when you start to pluck them like a christmas turkey, their tones changed rather quickly. Jessica had learned a few things from her little session. Number one being it wasn’t the Crown that had ordered Walter’s capture. The only name she was able to pry out of them was Hamilton. they explained that whoever hired them for this job sent some man named Hamilton to act as middleman.

She’d have to find a settlement of some sort soon, preferably one with a radio tower close by so she can relay her report back to her father. And get some fresh water. Her hot canteen bounced off her hip, sloshing with the final vestiges of her water.

As Cage The Elephant transitioned The Offspring, a twinkle of luck sparkled from the edge of her peripheral vision. An oasis sat far off in the distance, a splotch of green among the grilled orange landscape and cracked earth. Kicking up some dust as she turned on her heel, Jessica spun around and made a B-line straight towards the oasis, where hopefully she would be able to replenish her water supply but also set up camp. The wood from the trees would be able to provide ample wood for a campfire, because once night came it would get colder than a witch’s tit.

As dusk approached, Jessica had set up a moderately sized campsite complete with a petite hut crafted out of branches and leaves woven together with tree sap and supported by twigs. It didn’t have to be too large, considering the soil surrounding the oasis was soft enough for her to dig using the wooden spade she carved using her seven inch ka-bar. She had a nice little fox hole dug in, a rudimentary roof built over her head, and plenty of water in the small pond surrounded by lush green foliage.

Now all that was left was to get some shut eye, she has a long journey ahead of her if she’s to reunite with her brother. The thought of Walter bounced around inside her mind as she drifted off into sleep.

Present Day…

“Hnnh… This party is about as lively as it always is.” Ashfall mutters under his breath, his gritty voice dripping with sarcasm meant for nobody but himself. The old unicorn stallion is currently hidden away on a balcony, outside the large gathering of influential nobles and successful business owners. He chews idly on a stick of nicotine gum, his harrowed hues gazing up at the sky as Luna’s night began to bleed across the horizon. Whilst admiring the handiwork of the lunar princess, Ashfall feels a presence approach him from behind.

“Hello, Captain Venture” Twilight Sparkle says as she makes her way next to Ashfall, leaning up against the balcony railing.

Ashfall shifts his gaze over to the lavender hued unicorn, his aged eyes taking in the sight of the mare’s elegant appearance. Twilight is clad in a silky black cocktail dress with a slit reaching down the center of her chest, exposing the small gap between her cleavage through the small ribbon straps keeping each adjacent side of the slit’s edge close together. The edge of her skirt reached just a few inches below her mid thigh, leading down to her high-heeled black shoes that looked like they could cause some serious harm if she accidentally stepped her heel on somebody’s foot.

“Miss Sparkle” Ashfall greeted while keeping his personal opinion about her dress to himself. Giving a small nod in her direction, he returned to staring blankly out over the many lights decorating the town’s nightlife.

“I read your files after I heard about your posting. I knew I recognized your name from my father’s stories. He served in the Changeling Wars, just like you did” Twilight says as Ashfall gave a small mumble, internally cringing at the thought of that past conflict. His leading opinion was ‘Clusterfuck’, though he wasn’t about to blurt it out. “Only he wasn’t a SOG Operative, like you were.”

“Mhmm” Ashfall rumbled as she stated the obvious, watching as ponies of the night began to go about their business in the town below. Thestrals and normal ponies mingling together, hitting dive bars and clubs with long waiting lists. Regardless of standing, the Gala always brought out a huge crowd. The City was more than happy to take them when the Gala wouldn’t.

“Captain, I take it you’re aware of the position you’ve taken up, yes?” Twilight inquired. He’d known exactly why the slim little thing had come to him. She wasn’t the only one who liked to be prepared.

“Fully.” Ashfall muttered in response.

“Did Snowdrop fill you in on any sensitive information?” Twilight inquired quietly, trepidation clear in her voice.

“She only told me what I needed to know.” Ashfall says, neither confirming nor denying Twilight’s inquiry.

“Good” Twilight nodded, adjusting her glasses as she shifted her weight around. She knew he was hardly someone ponies enjoyed spending much time around. He preferred it that way.

“So where exactly is this kid I’m in charge of?” Ashfall inquired, turning his gaze to Twilight.

“I contacted my friend earlier, she says that they’re on their way here. You know what he looks like?” Twilight asked as she observed the older stallion’s visage, but only found well calculated blankness.

“Tall mountain of flesh with a baby face” Ashfall replies, earning a small chuckle from Twilight.

“Close enough” she smiles as she turns her attention back towards the party going on inside the large community facility. “Keep an eye out for him, he should be here any minute” she says as she returns to the party.

“Mm.” Ashfall nods, glancing down at the entrance to the large community center’s entrance, where he could see guests of the Gala arriving still. As the minutes pass his eyes find focus on a certain chariot pulling up to meet with the valet. Stepping out is a gorgeous yellow colored pegasus with flowing pink hair and deep teal blue eyes, the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy. Clad in an astonishing sparkling blue dress that hugged her perfectly, Little Miss Kindness really had it going for her. Ashfall’s attention is quickly redirected as the small compact vehicle shakes and sways side to side before a giant hairless yeti crawls out from the passenger side of the vehicle.

“Shitfire… He looks bigger in person. The kid’s a damn three-hundred pound wall of flesh.” Ashfall spat, accidentally losing his nicotine gum in the process. The gum would drop downward and land in the beehive hairdo of an middle-aged mare and her husband, both recently arrived guests as well. Pausing with his hand outstretched, Ashfall clenched his fingers and pursed his lips, before about-facing, and marching away as he whistled innocently.

“Walter, can you help me out here?” Dash called out, grunting as she tried to maneuver her way out of the chariot without harming her dress while Pinkie just watched in mild amusement.

“Sure” I reply, approaching the opened back side door of the vehicle. I reach down and scoop my arms beneath her legs, reaching my other arm in to reach around her back and grasp her waist. Once I had a firm grasp of her, I lifted Rainbow Dash from the back of the vehicle, carrying her like a damsel in a fairy tail. I quickly placed her back down on her feet, brushing her off for a few seconds before noticing the dark red hues on her cheeks.

“Oh, uh, sorry. You probably meant like… Offering a hand or something” I say, smiling sheepishly.

“No, no it’s um… Fine. I’m gonna go ahead and head inside, there’s way too much makeup on my face for me to be comfortable with” Rainbow Dash says with an awkward smile before scampering off inside the building.

“Me next! Me next!” Pinkie Pie chirped gleefully as she outstretched her arms.

“I’ll just meet you inside, Walter. Feel free to explore around the building and get yourself comfortable” Fluttershy chuckled in amusement, turning and heading inside the building after Rainbow Dash.

“Right, see ya inside then” I say with an awkward smile, peering down at the giddy Pinkie Pie who was looking up at me with an ear-to-ear grin. I let out a sigh and lifted her out of the car as well despite her being more than capable of getting out of the car herself.

Pinkie Pie’s dress is a red-laced party dress, the skirt reaching down just past her knees leading to her equally red high heels. The top part of her dress is double layered, the outer layer being an ornately embroidered transparent fabric, and the inner layer being the same material as the skirt, hugging her chest like a strapless bra, emphasizing the hell out of her cleavage.

Rainbow Dash’s dress is a longer party dress, not laced like Pinkie Pie’s, and made more of smooth silky fabrics. The straps of her light blue dress are criss-crossed, overlapping one another and reaching over her shoulders to the back part of her dress. The front part of the overlapping straps are connected to wider fabric that cover just enough of her breasts to appear modest, but showed off enough of her assets to look interesting. The skirt reached down past her knees, leading down to her teal blue high heels.

As I set Pinkie Pie down she scampers off into the building as well, most likely to see how she can improve upon the party, if the Gala can even be called that from how much I’ve been told about it. I give a quick glance around, taking in the exterior sights of the community center. It’s a vast three story building, designed to look more like a giant castle repurposed for the use of the public with similar architecture to Rarity’s Boutique, only somewhat more modernized.

Figuring that I had enough of taking in the sights, I make my way towards the entrance while the valet pulled away to park our chariot. Once inside the faint smell of cleaning chemicals lacing the pristine and practically spotless marble hallways filled my nostrils. The Gala seems to be located on the second floor based on all the muffled voices and music coming from above. Taking in a deep sigh, I steel my nerves and begin my ascent up the staircase leading to the second floor.

Two Days Ago…

It’s been roughly two weeks since Jessica had last seen her brother, and roughly two weeks that she has been trekking across this grilled frontier. She had left the comfort of her oasis campsite a few days ago, she managed to gather up plenty of resources in preparation for the second part of her voyage across the frontier.

Her already worn and dirtied tank top and combat pants were even more tattered and torn into worse condition. Her former apparel had become the mere base of a new attire, crafted with the pelt of mountain lions who felt it would be a good idea to try to make a meal out of her. Needless to say she looked like a close relative to Tarzan, the pelts wrapped around her curved athletic physique, protecting her vitals. To top it all off, she had a pretty sweet hood made from the head of one of said mountain lions.

Strung to her back is a short bow made from tree saplings and twine. It wasn’t exactly like her dad’s compound bow back home, but it was better than nothing, she had about six arrows kept secure within a pelt quiver on her hip.

Jessica came to a pause once she came across a lonely joshua tree standing among some dead grass and a small murky pond. She slid down the tree and took a seat on the shady earth below, a sigh of relief escaping her dry lips as the shade provided a pleasant escape from the rays of the sun.

While drawing her canteen to her dry lips, the sound of a distant engine approaching caught her attention. Taking a fast swig of her water, she tucked the canteen into her bag and brought her eyes forward to meet with the sight of a large offroad chariot heading straight for her.

Jessica calmly grabbed a handful of dirt and sand from the ground, crushing it up as small as she could manage before tucking them in her pocket. One the chariot finally came to a stop before her, she stood up and stretched her limbs out, popping her neck and spine while two large buffalo men emerged from the offroad, neither of them had a friendly look on their faces.

“I take it that you’re not the search party?” Jessica remarked as her eyes quickly scanned over each of the two buffalo men. They are both around the same height, six feet at most, roughly two-hundred pounds each. The one on the left is wearing only a red button-up shirt and nothing else, exposing his well sculpted pectorals and abdominals. His denim shorts reached down to his knees, leading to his black combat boots. The one on the right has a similar get up, only he has a white tank top and blue sneakers.

“This is private property” the one on the left says, crossing his arms, obviously wanting to show off the 357 holstered on his hip as a subtle threat.

“Well pardon me for not noticing the keep out signs Jim Bob” Jessica replied without batting an eyelash, obviously stepping on the buffalo’s nerve.

“We don’t take kindly to strangers around here, especially your kind” the buffalo on the right says as he rests his hand on the grip of his holstered pistol, a Colt 1911 from the looks of it.

“Who taught you that one, Uncle Doyle?” Jessica retorted, causing the buffalo on the right to growl lowly.

“Now you listen he-” as the left buffalo made an attempt to reach out and grab Jessica, she pulled the sand from her pocket and threw it at the two buffalo's faces, causing them each to shout out in surprise and hold their eyes in pain. Quickly, Jessica lined her fist with the center mass of the buffalo on her left, driving her balled of hand into his abdomen, sending him flying back several steps into his car gasping for the air that she had just punched out of him.

Without wasting time, she relieved the buffalo of his revolver and held it firmly like a small club. She then swung over and struck the buffalo on the right upside the head, sending him toppling to the ground unconscious. She reached down and grabbed his colt, shoving both of the firearms into her back before walking over and striking the other buffalo straight across the chin, knocking him out cold, sending him to the dirt snoring.

“I don’t have time for this shit” Jessica sighed, shaking her head as she hopped into their roofless offroad chariot, digging around until she found some rope. She tied each of the buffalo up quite thoroughly before hoisting them into the back seat of the vehicle. She then climbed in the driver’s seat, where she discovered the keys were still in the ignition. Kind of stupid of them to do if they planned on intimidating a stranger out in the middle of nowhere.

Starting up the offroad, she turned around and followed their tire tracks. They had to come from somewhere, and from there she can hopefully find a way back to her little brother. As she drove, she pulled out her phone from between her breasts, turning it on to look at the background picture on the device. It was of her, Walter, and their father Frank-- back when Walter was smaller than her.

“I’m coming Little Bear, I’m coming…” Jessica says softly to herself before shutting off her phone and tucking it back within the comfort of her cleavage.

Present Day...

My worst fears have been made reality. My hope for the party consisting of modest old people was only partially granted, sure there were a handful of geezers scattered throughout the crowd, but for the most part every other face I see is young and they’ve all been eyeing me down like a piece of meat thrown into a group of hungry wolves.

So many people have been looking at my ass that I’m surprised it hasn’t caught on fire at this point. Feeling rather put out, I quickly shuffled my way toward the direction of the closest food and beverages. One of the pros of being over six feet tall is that you can see over the heads of a crowd of average sized ponies.

Darting over to tables on the far side of the room, I quickly make a plate full of finger foods as if I were at a buffet. After that I grabbed one of the half empty looking wine bottles and slithered my way to the far corner of the room, taking a seat at an unoccupied table far away from everybody else.

“Fuck…” I sighed,tossing a small handful of finger foods into my open maw, chewing on them before washing it all down with a swig of wine.

“Well I’ll be, if it ain’t Mr. Stranger” came a familiar southern drawl, drawing my attention from my plate and towards the same orange colored mare that I met at that club with Storm. My cheeks flush red at the memory of her thick well rounded butt grinding up against me while I drunkenly sang along to Trace Adkins.

“O-Oh, um, hi” I reply, tripping over my words a bit. She wears a bright red dress, which hugged her athletic curvy frame in all the right ways. It’s a strapless dress, and unlike the other dresses I’ve seen this one seems to be putting emphasis on her ass more than her breasts. Her skirt reached up a few inches above her knees, which made me sweat nervously since she took a seat next to me, allowing me a good view of her toned yet smooth lower thighs.

“I believe we haven’t properly introduced ourselves, the name’s Applejack” she greeted, her southern accent caressing my ears like an invisible seductress trying to charm me into a trap. Clearing my throat and bringing my eyes back to my plate of food, I force myself to speak up.

“Walter Barnes, you can just call me Walter.” I reply, earning a look of surprise from Applejack.

“So you’re Walter? Hah, you’re bigger than I thought y’all were gonna be.” Applejack says, while I just stared at her with confusion. “Ah right, you probably didn’t know. I’m friends with Flutters, Pinky, and Dash. In fact, I live in the same house as they do, along with Rarity and Twilight” she explained, causing my face to light up in realization.

“Oh, so you’re with them then? Jesus, living with six women sounds… Taxing” I muttered, a sheepish smile on my face.

“Maybe that’s a good thing?” Applejack inquired with a playful grin, causing my cheeks to heat up even more.

“Hah, you know, my entire living situation with you guys sounds like the start of a very crappy harem anime.” I say with a laugh.

“I’m surprised you know what anime is, considering how strict the Griffon Kingdom is with foreign media” Applejack says as she swipes the wine bottle I grabbed from the beverage table, taking a swig straight from it.

“Well, a lot of first class citizens have free access to foreign media so long as it doesn’t have what they’d call, ‘Propaganda’ in it. And considering first class citizens had free access to foreign media it wasn’t all that hard for second class citizens to get their hands on it through unorthodox means.” I explained with a roll of my wrist. “Also, how’d you know where I was from?”

“Twi told me” Applejack shrugged as she crossed her legs and stared up at me with curious eyes.

“Ah, right, I figured as much” I nodded with a shrug. “When will I be able to meet her and that Rarity mare I spoke to over the phone?” I inquired.

“Later on after Twilight gives the introduction speech for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna” Applejack explained. “In the meantime, try not to get too wasted, first impressions are important, especially at the Gala” Applejack explained, making me a bit self conscious about how I just nabbed half a bottle of wine for myself.

“Try not to have too much fun, save that for when we can all meet up and hang out later after the Gala” Applejack says as she leans in closely to my ear, “And maybe I can teach you how to dance~” she whispers before pulling away and standing up. “I’ve got some more business to attend to, I’ll see you around cowboy” Applejack says as she walks off, leaving me a flustered mess.

“I wasn’t even drinking that much...” I mutter softly to myself, running my fingers idly over the edge of my plate before tossing another finger food in my mouth.

"Don't let the lady chew your ass too hard, Kid. High functioning alcoholics make the world go round. Hell, just look at me. All it cost me was my marriage." came a gruff voice from across the table.

Standing across the table is a tall and steely looking unicorn, a bit into his older years by the look of his grizzled face and tired eyes. He stands roughly six feet tall, half a foot shorter than me, packing a lean frame similar to an athletic runner under a plain tux.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I replied a bit awkwardly, giving a small smile as the older stallion pulled up a seat across from me.

“Mm. The name’s Ashfall Venture, I was assigned to be your new guardian.” he says while leaning back in his chair. Seems he didn’t feel like wasting words on an introduction.

“Oh, so you’re Ashfall? It’s nice to meet you sir” I replied with a friendly smile, but didn’t have it returned.

“Mhm… So, kid I looked into your file. Imperial Guardsmen, Private First Class. Those avians take pride in bragging about how even a low ranking IG is superior to a higher ranking Royal Guards. You buy into that?” Ashfall asks as he pops another nicotine gum into his mouth.

“Those birds are just blowing smoke out their asses; they train us to kill and use fear as a tool to control others. That’s basically the law enforcement in the Kingdom, everybody knows that military and law enforcement are trained to kill, to encourage citizens not to break the law. It’s more of an intimidation factor than anything else. Although it may make griffon soldiers more deadly, I would consider the Royal Guards to be more superior than the Imperial Guard.” I explain, earning a bit of an appreciative brow quirk from Ashfall, who just gave a small grin and crossed his arms.

“Glad to hear you didn’t buy into the propaganda. Makes my job easier, I suppose.” Ashfall watched me with eyes that put my old drill instructors to shame.

“Well, it really doesn’t take that much effort to kill somebody; if you know how to use a gun or throw a punch you can kill people easily… It takes far more strength, training, and patience to overcome your enemy nonlethally. Just because you’re good at killing doesn’t really make you a superior soldier, but if you’re good at winning the fight without killing your enemy then that shows far more strength than that of a soldier groomed to kill and spread fear.” I explained, taking a swig of wine. “At least in my opinion, anyways.”

“A good opinion to have” Ashfall rumbled quietly, “I also heard that you had a sister, and that she was supposed to be here with you?” the older unicorn inquires while pouring himself a glass of wine, however rather than drinking from it he just stared it down quietly, waiting for me to respond.

“Well, it’s a bit complicated… We were supposed to meet at the same place, but her train never showed… Do you… know anything about it, Sir?” I ask quietly, feeling that helpless nervousness seep into my veins.

“Not yet.” A quiet answer, well calculated.

“Ah, I understand. So, anything else you’re curious about? I’m not sure what all my files detailed” I say while taking a bite from the gourmet cheese and crackers splayed out among the other finger foods on my plate.

“Don’t think it fully covered why you’re here. In Equestria.” His eyes continued to bore into me, as if he could cut his truth out by sheer will alone.

“Well… War, I guess. War broke out, and before me or my sister could really process everything my dad threw us some duffel bags and told us to pack up everything we needed. He got us train tickets, and sent us off so we… So we wouldn’t have to fight… But he has to… I still don’t feel good about it…”

A long period of silence passed between the two of us as he slowly turned his gaze to his untouched glass of wine, as if considering it. “Alright then. How are you settling?” With the innocent question posed, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, somehow.

“I...I’m settling relatively good. I’ve run into a bit of… Interesting obstacles, but nothing too difficult or unpleasant.” I reply while scratching my jawline absentmindedly. “This place is… So different than what I’m used too… People stare at me, but It’s not as bad as it was in the Kingdom… I’d rather be looked at with curiosity rather than disgust.”

“Hrn, right…” For a brief second, a sneer spread across Ashfall’s lips as he looked to the crowd, before he turned his attentions back to me. “Anything else I should know?”

“Well… Nothing that I think would interest you. But there is one thing that seems to be rather… Concerning.” I paused, glancing over at the crowd, noticing how many of the younger noble folk were stealing glances my way. “I feel like a piece of meat in this suit…”

“Because you are.” He grunted out gruffly, his eyes going back to the crowd at large. “Nobility. I’d prefer being in the field in the rain, muck, and filth than be surrounded by degenerates.”

“I feel the same… It feels peaceful sometimes, being out there at an outpost somewhere in the mountains, nothing but cool air and the smell of pine trees. It was nice… The only thing that ruined it for me were rich asshole kids that wanted to play soldier…” I mutter, taking a sip of wine. “So far I haven’t been given a reason to hate the nobility here, but I assume I’ll find one pretty quick”

“Hrm. Just stick with me, kid. Even the ballsiest lion won’t fuck with an angry badger.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’d rather not get involved with conflict… As I’ve said before, IG’s are programmed to kill, and I don’t want to harm anybody even if I feel like they deserve it…” I explain with a sheepish smile.

Casting another glance around the room, Ashfall swirled his wine slightly, as if going to drink. “Just focus on enjoying your night and ogling pretty girls.” It may have sounded like a suggestion, but somehow, the old unicorn managed to make it feel like an order.

“Understood, Sir” I nodded, responding as if I were following an order from a superior officer. “I don’t see any of my friends around yet, I think they went to the bathroom to freshen up. Anything we can do to pass time until Twilight introduces the princesses?”

Sighing wistfully, Ashfall set his glass upon a nearby table, leaving it swirled and utterly untouched. “Last time I had fun was Da Nang, Oh-Seven. Not gonna get any hints here.”

“Da Nang? You were in the Changeling Wars? My dad fought in them too, only in a different region than you, most likely. I remember he was gone a lot and he seemed very paranoid… Sometimes I think he suspected that me and my sis were changelings” I say with a sigh. “That war was hell, a lot of mistrust, confusion, and friendly fire… What branch were you in?”

“Classified. Don’t worry about it.”

“Hah, same answer my dad gave me” I chuckled slightly, staring blankly at my glass of wine before setting it down. “I miss him a lot… He only has one arm, I don’t know how much use he’s gonna be to the Empire… I just hope he’s stuck at a desk job or helping provide strategies…” Ash glanced back toward me with a look that I couldn’t quite decipher… Regardless, it made me uncomfortable. Before long, he looked away, and simply shrugged.

As an awkward silence consumed the air around me and Ash, my eyes would begin to wander across the room in absent minded curiosity. My eyes quickly locked onto a fully armored royal guard who’s making a beeline straight towards our table. She wasn’t local police, considering they wear a navy blue uniform and not much else. She’s a thestral, or a bat pony in layman's terms, her fur coat is a faded dark maroon shade and her eyes are a slitted gray hue. She wears the armor of the Night Guard, soldiers under the jurisdiction of Princess Luna I believe. The thestral mare made her approach swiftly and calmly, stopping beside me while offering a rather curious yet cautious gaze.
“Can I… Help you?” I asked calmly, staring up at her in confusion.

“Yes, you can. Miss Sparkle has ordered me to retrieve you” the thestral guard responded, crossing her arms behind her back and stepping to the side to allow me room to move. “Please, come with me” she instructed.

I pay a glance over at Ash, who simply just shrugged quietly and carried on with his idle people watching. I gave a small sigh and nodded, standing up, causing the thestral to crane her neck up in surprise.

“I heard you were tall, but damn…” she muttered quietly before clearing her throat, gesturing me to follow her as she lead the way. Unlike most of the ponies in the room, this thestral was a bit shorter than normal, probably about five feet even or a little bit above. I could barely make out her cool dark blue mane hanging out the back of her silver helmet. Her armor is basically a mirrored design of Celestia’s RG, but forged with steel and ebony from the looks of it, or some other similar material.

“I thought Twilight was gonna meet up with me after she introduced the princesses?” I inquired as I followed behind the mare, who simply paid a brief glance back at me before shrugging and resuming onwards. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my new guardian, shadowing me silently.

“I’m just doing what I was told” she shrugged. “And I wasn’t told much.”

“Fair enough” I mumbled, occasionally glancing back before just keeping my gaze forward. I guess this was a part of a guardian’s job but I never expected to be shadowed as if I were some VIP. Are humans really that important here in Equestria?

“Up here, to the left” the thestral instructed, gesturing to the large twin doors at the end of the hall which probably led into a repurposed conference room or something. Once we had approached, the thestral knocked on the twin doors, I could hear a gentle feminine voice speak up from within the room.

“Come in” the voice called out, prompting the guard to open the twin doors and lead me into the room. Once inside, I was introduced to the sight of an ornately designed room, as predicted, repurposed for the leisure of presumably VIP guests… I just wasn’t exactly expecting to see both of Equestria’s leaders sitting in wait, along with who I presume must be Twilight Sparkle.

“I’ve brought Mr. Barnes, your highness” the guard spoke as she gave a bow.

“Thank you kindly, Sergeant Grey. You are excused” Princess Luna responds in a calm and gentle voice. The thestral nodded and obediently left the room, leaving me standing before two of the most powerful ponies in all of Equestria… Not gonna lie, my mouth felt pretty fuckin’ dry right about now.

The two alicorns are posted comfortably upon thrones, Celestia’s throne consisting of gold and ivory, and Luna’s consisting of silver and ebony. They sit next to each other, a large red carpet outstretching from beneath their thrones all the way towards the entrance to the room. Lined up along the walls adjacent from each other are a row of chairs, neatly aligned and out of the way. The rest of the room is constructed of pure white marble with milky gray designs etched into the smooth surface.

“Greetings, Mr. Barnes. Please, have a seat” Celestia spoke, her voice tender and motherly. Using her magic, she surrounds a chair lined up against one of the walls of the room in her golden aura, hovering it over before her and her sister.

“It’s nice to meet you, your highnesses. Is there anything you needed from me?” I asked nervously.

“Yes, but don’t worry… It won’t take long” Celestia spoke, before glancing over at Twilight, giving her a short nod as her motherly smile faded to that of a stern visage. Nodding back at Celestia, Twilight calmly approached me and cleared her throat.

“Initiate STASIS Protocol, Passcode: Alpha Kilo Sigma Indigo Sector”

And just like that, everything went quiet, and my vision slowly faded to black. I was confused, not quite sure as to what was going on. I didn’t feel panic, I didn’t feel fear, I felt… Nothing. But, I swear, as I faded out of conscious… I swore I could hear my sister’s voice calling my name.

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long! Life has been a bit rough with job hunting and other personal issues. I'll still be pumping out as many chapters as I can because I have an end game for this story and I wont stop until it's reached! It just might take a while getting there... I'd like to thank Ironwolves24 for helping me with this chapter, be sure to go visit The Ballad of Nasty Jack when you can!