Twilight and Platinum each looked the opposite way of their fellow passengers, electing to observe the trip from a sideways glance while Spike simply read over the instructions that Princess Celestia had left for him and his older sister.

"Okay, Twilight," Spike said to break the silence, "we need to check out the catering in town from a place called, 'Sweet Apple Acres,' then check on weather with somepony called, 'Rainbow Dash,' then..."

As Spike went on, Platinum glanced over to the side to see their approach into the town. He smiled as he watched the ponies below mill about their usual daily lives and look up to see him and the chariot.

"Right, well then, let's get this started as soon as possible," Twilight said. "I want to get to the library to see what they might have on Nightmare Moon."

That was the point where Platinum weighed in.

"Why do you need books about Nightmare Moon? Planning on some kind of costume or something?" Platinum asked.

"I need them because there might be a chance that she could come back, if you must know."

Platinum raised an eyebrow at the unicorn.

"Really? You don't even believe that my powers exist without magical assistance and you're on board the Nightmare Moon crazy train now too?"

Twilight cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean 'crazy train too'?"

"Sunset was going on about that before she left for the borders, same as Moondancer. By the way, did you two leave her a gift before you left?"

Spike's eyes widened as he smacked himself in the forehead.

"Aw nuts! I knew I forgot something!" he panicked.

"Hey, don't worry, I made sure to write your names on my gift too," Platinum assured Spike as he held down a fist.

Spike smiled as he bumped it while Twilight looked about the landing of the chariot.

"Well, we're here."

Platinum smiled as he hopped off of the chariot and stretched in the opening in the middle of the field. He looked around and examined the rustic scenery of Ponyville as the locals eyed him carefully. Being used to the stares, he simply smiled and waved to them.

"Morning everypony, doing alright?" he said casually.

Twilight disembarked shortly after along with Spike before the chariot pulled back into the air. When it did, the local ponies slowly began to return to their routines, a few eyes lingering on Platinum.

"So, first stop?"

"Sweet Apple Acres," Spike answered. "Do you have a map?"

"This place is small, so it should be a tightly knit community. Just ask somepony nearby, they'll probably know."

Twilight and co. waited for a pony to approach, which one did. A pink mare with a darker pink mane and tail that were fluffy like cotton candy. As she approached, she hummed a tune and gasped when she saw the three. Then, without warning, she immediately dashed off in a cloud of dust and a flash of pink. The group stared at where she had been, Twilight sighing in frustration as Platinum smirked.

"Maybe we should ask somepony else," Spike suggested.

\\\\\\//////

It had taken little time for them to find somepony that could give them directions and within minutes, they were at the gates of Sweet Apple Acres. It was a nice farm with rows upon rows of apple trees, all lush with green leaves and ripe fruit of varying kinds of apples. As the three approached, they watched an orange mare with a cowpony hat charge up to a tree before turning around and bucking straight into it.

"Guess that must be Applejack," Spike said.

"Great, let's get this over with," Twilight said.

The three approached the cowpony, and when she turned to see them approaching, her warm smile dropped and she looked quizzically at the tallest of the three.

"What in tarnation is that? Some kinda monkey in a business suit?"

Platinum chuckled as he approached her.

"Afraid not, though I would pay good bits to see one," he said before bowing his head to her. "Platinum Bluestar of the Ordos Vigilo of Celestia."

The pony's eyes widened before she bowed, almost smashing her face into the dirt.

"Ah'm sorry, sir, Ah didn't know-"

"Exactly, you didn't," Platinum interrupted. "Now stop that... bowing thing, I hate it when ponies do that to me."

The pony stood up quickly, a look of regret and confusion on her freckled face.

"Um... Ah-Ah didn't-"

"Shhhh," Platinum shushed as he knelt down to put a finger on her lips. "Stop. That. Everypony I've met has made that joke at least once, it's fine. Now," he said while standing up and taking a step back, "why don't you introduce yourself and we can put this behind us?"

The mare gave him a thankful look before nodding.

"Alright. My name's Applejack, and this here is Sweet Apple Acres. Home of the finest apples this side of Equestria."

Platinum looked around the farmland as Twilight and Spike introduced themselves.

"Well shucks, no wonder there's a Knight here," Applejack said. "The personal student of Princess Celestia, at our farm coming to taste our home-cooked food!"

"Well, I wouldn't say-" Twilight started.

"Actually," Platinum interjected, "I think we'd love to try some cuisine of your wonderful clan, Applejack. Why don't you set Twilight up for some sampling?"

Twilight shot him a glare as he smirked.

\\\\\\//////

"Ugh... I don't feel so good," Twilight groaned as she hefted about her bloated barrel.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have asked for thirds on those cobblers," Platinum stated. "I mean, I may have forced you into the situation, but don't think you can blame your own decisions on me."

Twilight whipped the back of his knee with her tail as he chuckled a bit. The three were back in the town as Spike checked the list and a map that he had found near the town's limit.

"Let's see... I think now we should look for Rainbow Dash," he concluded.

"How exactly are we supposed to find a pegasus with these kinds of skies?" Twilight asked, eying the cloudy mess that should have been cleaned.

Platinum looked to his left to see a blue blur approaching fast, spiraling out of control.

"Incoming!" the pegasus shouted.

In that moment, Twilight looked to the side to see Platinum standing next to her one second, and then she was suddenly in his place next to a puddle of mud. The blur slammed into her side, sending her and the blue shape into the soggy earth.

"Ah hahahahahaha!" Platinum laughed as he held his sides.

Twilight growled in anger and disbelief of his ability, glaring at him through her soaked mane.

"Platinum!"

"Actually, the name's 'Rainbow Dash'," the pony atop her said.

"Hehe... hey, that was some neat trick, Rainbow," Platinum said as he approached the mares. "But I suppose that the ending was a bit of improvisation."

"Hey, I did warn you, didn't I?"

"And I'm glad you did. I just so happened to put her there in favor of actually warning her."

"Ha! I like your style, buddy. What's your name?"

"Platinum Bluestar of the Ordos Vigilo of Celestia. That's Twilight Sparkle, mom's student, and that's Spike, the single greatest dragon in history."

Spike waved to the mare as she flew into the air.

"Cool! Wait one second, I can fix this."

As she flew off, Platinum chuckled.

"Don't rush yourself."

\\\\\\//////

Platinum grinned as he hefted Spike onto his left shoulder, the dragon sitting comfortably on his arm as he read the list. Behind them, Twilight did her best to use her ridiculous new mane and tail style to hide her embarrassment.

"And next is... Decorations at Town Hall!"

The Knight and Student followed Spike's directions and were soon greeted with a tall circular building in the middle of town. Platinum put Spike down and opened the door for the two. Once inside, Spike gasped as his eyes widened.

"Beautiful."

Platinum ducked to fit in the doorway and nodded. He had to admit, even after growing up in the gold-clad capital of Canterlot, this decor was impressive. The rustic style of the Town Hall mixed with the careful elegance of the bright colors gave it a soothing, enriched feel.

"It does look impressive," Twilight admitted.

"Not the decorations! Her~..." Spike said dreamily.

Platinum looked down to see an alabaster unicorn with a highly stylized purple mane. She went through several ribbons before hanging one up.

"How do my fins look? Are my scales shiny enough? How's my breath?" Spike asked in a barrage.

"You look fine, Spike," Twilight said. "Excuse me!" Twilight called out to the mare.

"Hello, how can I heeeeeeeAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the mare shrieked when she turned around.

Platinum tensed as he sighed. 'Here we go.'

"Goodness, what happened to your mane!?" the pony cried out while rushing up to Twilight.

As Twilight struggled to convince the mare she was fine, Platinum gave chuckle of relief.

'Thank mom, I thought she was freaking out about me or Spike.'

The unicorn pushed Twilight out of the building, leaving Spike and Platinum to follow.

\\\\\\//////

"And you simply must watch for puddles, darling, you don't want your hooves to dry up and crack," the mare said as she filed away at Twilight's hoof, her magic running five brushes through the lavender unicorn's mane.

"Really, I'm alright now, thank you," Twilight said on repeat.

"Oh don't thank me, dear, it's the least I could have done for a pony in a state such as yourself," she said. "My name is Rarity, by the way. Rarity Belle."

"Twilight Sparkle," Twilight greeted.

"And who are your... unique, companions, darling?" she asked, looking at the bipedal duo in the boutique.

Platinum examined a white suit jacket closely, kneeling down to the level of the ponnequin while Spike simply watched Rarity with a dopey smile. He looked up and gave a small wave.

"That little dragon over there is Spike, Twilight's little brother and assistant, and I'm Platinum Bluestar of-"

"The Ordos Vigilo of Celestia!" Rarity gasped, abandoning Twilight to move to the Knight's side. "You're the newly ranked member of that elite unit of the Royal Guard! I thought for certain that it was an earth pony, but to see that you truly are such a unique specimen is astounding!"

"I prefer bizarre, adds more flare," he added with a smirk. "We're currently examining the town before the Summer Sun Celebration to make sure everything is in order before mo-Princess Celestia," Platinum corrected, "can come here safely and not be worried about anything."

"Well then, I suppose I should have asked your agenda before dragging you all here, terribly sorry."

"Oh, no need to apologize, ma'am. In fact, I think you could help us locate our next stop."

\\\\\\//////

"That pony is crazy," Twilight muttered.

"You just hate that she knows your style better than you do," Platinum said.

"Well I'm not obsessed with my look, unlike somepony."

"Hey, you either take pride in what you do, or look like you don't belong," Platinum said as he struck a pose, his left leg extended out to his side while he flexed his hand in front of his face, his eyes peering through his fingers.

Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Let's just find this pony and call it a day."

The three continued on the path that Rarity had outlined for them and eventually came up on a cottage near the border of the Everfree Forest. As they approached, Platinum looked into the darkness and felt something... staring at him. He reflexively clenched his fists, his eyes beginning to burn like fiery emeralds as he willed his spirit forth.

The sounds of songbirds broke his concentration.

Releasing the spirit, Platinum looked to see a yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane and tail waving her hoof in front of some birds.

"Excuse me," Twilight said.

The noise startled the birds and the mare, as she jumped back as the flock flew away.

"Hello, I'm Twilight Sparkle. I'm here about the Summer Sun Celebration?"

The pegasus looked down and hoofed at the dirt as she cowered behind her mane.

"Um... hello?"

"Twilight, you're scaring her," Spike said.

"A baby dragon!" the mare half-shouted as she body-checked Twilight out of the way.

'I know I'm supposed to be her bodyguard, but this is too fun,' Platinum thought to himself with a smirk.

"Oh my gosh, he's sooooooooo cute!"

Spike struck a pose with his arms at his sides as he was praised by the mare.

"Hello there," Platinum said as he crouched down. "I'm Platinum Bluestar. We're here about the bird choir? It sounded great."

"Oh, um... th-thank you?" the mare said, examining him. "I don't mean to be rude, but, I've never seen somepony like... you, before."

"I like to think of myself as somepony rather bizarre. What's your name?"

"Fluttershy."

"Well it was nice to meet you Fluttershy, we'll let you get back to rehearsal. Have a lovely day."

With that, Platinum picked up Twilight and slung her over his shoulder, Spike hopping onto his other one before he carried them away. Taking a look back at the forest, he felt the same eyes on him, glaring.