On the way to town, an idea crossed Bet's mind. “Hey, Simon... should I refresh your Japanese so we can have privacy among others?”

Simon considered it, “Hmm, I think so. It would make it easier to hide secrets... why not? Let's go for it.”

Bet then sighed, and began his lesson. “Alright, now since we're not going to be reading or writing this anytime soon, I don't think that will be the first thing I'll teach you. Lets jump straight into vocabulary, so you'll have things to talk about. Ready? Here we go. 'uma' is horse, 'inu' is dog, 'neko' is cat...”

They continued with the lesson as they walked, though they slowed down their pace considerably.

Simon took notes as he said, “There's no way in Tartarus I'm soul-melding with you over a small thing like a language.”

Bet's expression morphed into one of great relief, “Thank Celestia! That would be creepier than the time... better not finish that thought.”

”He can be taught...” Simon muttered

“I still have sharp hearing, you know” Bet replied, with another smack to his head.

”Ow.” Simon raised an eyebrow and thought. 'can you hear this, sahib?' sarcastically.

Bet smacked him again, “Yes.”

”Za?” Simon jotted down some notes. “Infusion of telepath soul success. Will wait for cryomancer soul.”

“What are you talking about? I didn't read your mind, idiot. I read your body language. Druid, remember?” Bet tripped him, this time. “There's also that we've been traveling together for longer than both of us could remember otherwise.”

Simon caught himself, and flipped back upright with one hand. “Hmm, pity. I was hoping that one would stick.”

“It probably did, but with the way my skills work, It's hard for them to randomly happen. And it's not like I can practice telepathy...”

“That's what makes these experiments fun. The thrill of not being caught and all that.”

“Nice form on the flip by the way. You should probably watch out for the-” Bet was too late.

Simon walked into a tree.

“Great, now you did it. You just bumped into Fluttershy. Now apologize.”

“I would, except she seems to have fainted. Cute.”

Bet picked her up gently, being careful of the wings. He then brought her inside, and with a little coaxing (and maybe a little bribery) he got Angel to hush up about the ordeal. That bunny really does love carrots.

They then left and continued their way towards Ponyville.

“So, any idea when we are?” Simon asked

“It has to be before Zecora's visit, before Bridle Gossip; she said so herself. At least, that she's not visited the town. She's also not rhyming yet, which means she's probably not been around a significant number of ponies for a while.” He put on a thoughtful expression. “Hmm... So... it depends on Trixie's appearance, and a few other factors. Perhaps if there's been strange magic from Twi?”

”There's always strange magic from Twi.” Simon cheekily commented.

Bet conceded his point, “True, but you know what I mean. Let me think on the order...” He stopped walking. “It was before Look Before You Sleep, the sleepover episode, before Bridle Gossip, wasn't it? And before that... the one with the dragon?”

Simon summoned a golem and a giant shadow, with a palanquin to ride. “Any idea how to blend in, nature boy?”

Bet turned, “Blend in with what..?”

“The scenery, the residents. Pinkie, if you have to.”

“Well, I don't know enough about...” Bet then turned and kicked the golem back into dust, and then blasted the shadow with a burst of flame, banishing it. “Don't do that, they could probably detect us now that we're out of Everfree.”

“We are two bipeds in a world of quadrupeds. The residents of Ponyville are always two steps away from torch mode. Relax, I can be stealthy if I need to be.”

“Well, you can be dead silent when you want to... hehehe.”

Simon smacked the back of his head. Or rather, would have if it weren't for the magical contract. So he settled for a deadpan.

“Yeah, I know. Best get it out of the way now, eh? Besides... you're just jealous I thought of it first.” He announced with a victorious grin.

Simon sighed, “Yup.” He then turned to the palanquin, “I notice you left the carriage.”

Bet's expression turned contemplative. “Hmm... the carriage... could have it's uses in a few moments, but we're not going to use it to right into town. From what we've seen, the ponies are quite small. Fluttershy is proof of this; you yourself could probably carry her as if she weighed no more than your pack.”

Simon's face fell. “Yeah, I know... small ponies, large carriage.” His face then brightened, “I know! We could claim to be foreign dignitaries!”

“We need to be stealthy until we can actually meet the mane six, or the princesses. So we're not going to use it after all.” His face then formed a grin, “We can, however, spend some time now to design it. We have the time, and it's not like we're in a real hurry.”

Simon paused, a worried look on his face. “...You think the princesses have noticed us yet?”

Bet's expression then morphed into one of not so little fear, similar to Simon's. “Banish it... now.” Simon did so, snapping his fingers as the apparition returned to it's normal form; a small bone.

Simon chuckled, the fear replaced with a bit of mirth. “Just in case be have to bribe Winona, too.”

Bet chuckled as well, before he tapped the ground lightly. A bit of the dirt under the bone popped up, launching the bone into the air to be caught in Bet's left hand. He then turned and tossed it to Simon, “And this is yours, I believe?” The patch of dirt fell back into the flat earth, evidence of the disturbance all but gone.

Simon slid the bone up the sleeve of his tunic, “Do be careful. I have no idea just what the effects of the realm will have on my art. Besides, you don't see me plucking flowers so if you would be so kind, handle my components gently.”

Bet held a straight face. “Noted.” It then turned into a large grin, “But if you really believe your creations are so flimsy as to not be able to take but a small tap...”

Simon deadpanned, “Touche.” He then continued, “Golem and shadow bone construction I figure won't cause anything too massive. That was a test run, and you know it!”

“That may be true, but the strange magics we use could end up being vastly different and easily noticeable to the unicorns in Ponyville, as comparably few as there are.” Bet then hardened his expression. “Not to mention... our simplest spells can be very, very destructive. Remember that time you accidentally overcharged that Teeth spell?”

They both shivered at the memory. “Good times.”

Bet sighed, again, “Back to what I was saying... I think we're some time before Boast Busters, if we don't see anything involving Trixie for a while.”

Simon only said “All I need to know for when is whether or not the CMC has been formed.” Simon then had an idea, “Maybe we can get Trixie to stick around? Though, you'll probably be the one performing that manipulation... I'm not a people person.”

Bet nodded, “I'll see what I can do.”

They continued on to the town, somehow still not actually there. Bet commented offhandedly, “You know... I can't really say which memories belong to whom, now that I think about it. If we're lucky, we'll-” He fell to a knee, clutching his head.

Simon spoke, “Beary? What are you do-” He stopped, grabbing his own.

After a moment, Bet stood, panting. “What..? Where are we?”

Simon shook his head, “Don't know. But I have a feeling we'll find out soon.”

In the back of their minds, they both heard a voice. Not the same voice, mind you, but a voice nonetheless. The voices introduced themselves, to a degree, and provided a bit of information on where they were.

Simon sighed, “Did you catch... any of that?”

Bet shook his head, “Not much. One moment.” He closed his eyes, to open them a little bit later. “I think I've got most of it; sharing those memories hurts...”

Simon grinned, “Hey! Maybe we can talk to them as we go?”

Bet nodded, “It's the best we can do. They're the ones with the plan, anyway...”

Simon chuckled, “Yours is, at least.”

They continued their walk towards Ponyville, as the voices in their heads guided them along the way. They're not crazy yet.

As they finally reached the town, they so happened to have the great luck of being sighted by Pinkie Pie. Or the horrible luck, depending on who you are.

Nonetheless, once she caught sight of the two of them, she (teleported) ran over to them and began with the breathless greeting of those who need not breathe. “GAAAAAAAAAAAASP! You must be new here, because I've never seen anything like you! And I know EVERYPONY here in Ponyville!”

She gasped again, somehow deeper. Bet assumed it was really just a deep breath. She then continued with her unusual greeting, “and THAT means we get to have a PARTAY!”

Fortunately, we were only just out of earshot of the actual square, so only Pinkie had actually noticed us. She suddenly got a weird look on her face, before she went still.

Simon only whispered to himself, “I swear, I didn't do it...”

Pinkie then moved a hoof to her chin, a thoughtful expression forming as she puzzled out the answer to the latest riddle only she heard. Her eyes then bulged out, before she exclaimed, “Ooh! Are you friends of Wade? You look a bit like Wade. But you aren't wearing the jumpsuit! What's your favorite color? Season? Pastry!?”

Simon mirrored what used to be Pinkie's thoughtful expression, before answering, “Grey, Winter, and Danish... but muffins are good too. Ooh! And...” The world seemed to slow in it's spinning, time screeching to a silent halt, as the next word left his lips. “Cupcakes.”

Pinkie's hair fell flat. This caused a start from Bet in the form of him kicking Simon - Hard - back the way they came. Pinkie's hair then poofed back up into the unkempt puffball she's known for. As soon as she grinned, they could all hear “Like a boss!” from somewhere. After Simon's crash landing, causing yet another phrase to be heard, “My cabbages!” he then ran back to the group.

He then knelt at the Pink pony's hooves, arms fully outstretched. She had mixed feelings, somewhere between giddy and confused.

Simon then glared with one eye up at Bet, “Beary, don't be rude. Answer the kind pony's questions.”

Bet kicked Simon again, though nowhere near as hard, and did so. “Hmm, I guess it would probably be green, or blue as my favorite color. I love the late fall/early winter time. And... I'm actually not one for pastries. Maybe chocolate cornets?” He then grabbed Simon by his tunic's collar, tossed him over his shoulder and pony-napped Pinkie away onto his other. Bet ran out of the open, wondering how nopony had seen them yet.

As Pinkie cheered at the ride, and Simon only tried to strike a pose (he wasn't all that successful) Bet then found a decent enough place to 'hide' for the moment. He unceremoniously dropped Simon, complete with annoyed protests, “Hey!” and set down Pinkie a little gentler.

Bet took the attention of Pinkie and Simon, as difficult as it was, and forced them to calm down. “Alright, Pinkie Pie, we need-”

“Just Pinkie, please.”

“Alright... Pinkie, we need to-

“Why not go with 'Pi'?”

“Shut up, Simon. Don't give her ideas. Not yet, anyway.”

Pinkie giggled.

“Alright, I'm Simon,” He touched his nose with his index finger, “And he's Beary.”

“...I'm tempted to give up. At least you got the introduction thing right...” Bet then turned to face Pinkie. “My name's Bet, but you'll probably end up with a nickname for me sooner or later, and I really don't care at this point.”

Simon whispered in her ear, “Call him teddy, or ted. I'll bake you a cake?”

“There's been enough crazy lately. Anyways, I've just been wanting to ask you something- or rather, we've been wanting to ask. Do you know where Carousel Boutique is, by any chance? And no, we can't have a party as much as both of you want one.”

Both Pinkie and Simon's faces fell in near-perfect unison, before Pinkie brightened again. “Oh, that's easy, you just go around the corner here, take another left and it's across the street!”

Bet then consoled Pinkie. “Don't worry, after we meet everypony, we can have a party. If you're quiet for now. Pinkie Promise.”

Pinkie then did the little ritual, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

Simon and Bet then said their momentary sayonaras, and left to find Carousel Boutique. With help from Simon to keep them more or less invisible. The proverbial back alleys and shadowy shortcuts, of course, helped.

Along the way, however, they were having a most interesting of conversations. It began with Bet's question, “How do you think we should approach this? Pinkie was pretty straightforward... for Pinkie. I don't know how exactly Rarity will take this.”

“What about Sweetie Belle? We're before the CMC is formed, so...”

“You have a point. If she's at home, we'll probably have to deal with a super overprotective Rar. That doesn't leave me with a pretty picture.”

“What about... well, Rar is the element of Generosity, so maybe that nature will have her not buck first ask questions later?”

“...”

“Just as I said it, yup.”

“Hmm... well... one look at your outfit, and she'll probably forget we're the rough equivalent to aliens”

“What's wrong with the way I look!?”

“...you know, I've just realized.”

“Hmm?”

“We're wearing animal skin.”

Simon's answer was to take the bone he had up his sleeve, morph it into a plank and slam his head against it. “Nature boy just now realized we're wearing animal skin.”

“I guess you don't get it, Simon. Ponies are herbivores; the only thing remotely carnivore here would be Opal, Owlicious or maybe Spike.”

“Oh, no, I realize it. I'm just stunned that it took you so long.”

“Let me put this in simple terms. We're wearing animal skin. We're going to interact with children's show level ponies. I don't think this will be well received.”

“I'm still shocked that the 'one with nature' just now realized he's wearing nature. And the nature of that nature.”

“I've long known that leather is animal skin, you idiot! That's not my realization! You're thicker than... than... Applejack's Accent!”

Long in the distance, the words could be heard, “Ah Ain't Got No Accent!”

“...How do they bloody do that?”

“...I think we should really have payed more attention to our surroundings. We've been hiding out behind the Boutique for a while now. I think we've been noticed.”

Simon closed his eyes, “Please let it be Pinkie again, please let it be Pinkie...” He turned, opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Sweetie Belle, in stunned silence. “Crud.”

Thinking quickly, Simon waved his hand, “This is just a daydream...”

She screamed.

Bet quickly opened his palm, glowing a bright green, and turned it towards Sweetie Belle. Her mane then grew and wrapped around her muzzle, silencing her. He turned to Simon, “Did you really think the hand-waving would work?”

“Was worth a shot.”

Sweetie's eyes were still fraught with fear, she turned and tried to run, only for vines and roots to come out of the ground and catch her.

Bet's eyes glowed a deep blue, as he stared into hers. It seemed to calm her enough so that she wasn't thrashing, but she was still scared, as evident from her eyes trying to dart back and forth.

“Huh. Wind-telepathy. Thoughts flowing from one mind to another... cool.”

Bet glared at him, before correcting him. “No, just Empathy. Telepathy is a lot more difficult.”

“Same concept for you.”

Bet sighed, before asking Simon a quick question. “Do you still remember the lessons I gave you earlier?”

Simon replied, “Ossu.” (yes sir)

Bet then switched to the language that he had been teaching Simon, as the man in question distracted Sweetie with finger and shadow puppets. “I think we should give her a quick explanation, don't you?”

Simon's brow knotted, “Slow down. I'm not good at this you are. But yes, soon we figure one out.”

Bet then said, “How about an abridged, cut-to-the-chase version of what really happened?”

Simon thought on it a moment, before nodding. “Go for it. Maybe better off telling her we know Pinkie?”

Bet's reply was simple, “But does she know Pinkie?”

Simon paused, “Eh, everyone knows Pink One... if the pink one has to say. Maybe not as good as us, so probably won't work, but... you know.”

“You should practice more. You suck at this.” Bet signed, returning to English. “Alright, Sweetie Belle. Yes, we know who you are... wow, that sounded a lot less creepy in my head.”

“You think?”

Bet shook his head, “Anyway... We're kinda lost here ourselves, and we're looking for help. We don't really mean to hurt you, or anyone else, in any way, shape, or form. Unless we really need to, and Simon isn't included in this.”

Simon nodded throughout the explanation, before he caught himself, “Hay!”

Sweetie tried to giggle, but the mane-muzzle stopped her.

“Hehe, the puppets sold it!” Simon muttered to himself with a small smirk.

“Anyway... we were kinda dropped into the Everfree Forest a while ago, and we've only just come to town. We met with Pinkie on the way in, and had an... interesting conversation. Anyways, we're not really here to cause trouble. I'm Bet, and he's Simon, by the way.”

Simon then took the initiative, “Now, if you promise not to scream, I'll get Beary here to undo his magic.” At her nod, Simon's fingers glowed a dark, churning green. “It'll shorten your mane, but hopefully nothing too bad.”

Before he could act, however, Bet beat him to the punch. And punched him in the face. “Don't you know a girl's-or in this case, a pony's mane is their life?”

“How you know that with such fierce pride, I'll never know.”

Bet deadpanned. “I'm sure you won't, you blind little-”

“..But with it this long, she'll end up tripping herself, the poor thing.”

“Allow me to fix that,” Bet answered, his hands glowing the same green as before. With a wave of his hands, the part of her mane that kept her silent unraveled and shrunk back into place, just as it were before his manipulations. Following suit, the vines and roots fell back into the ground, leaving no trace that they were there at all. Bet then turned back to Simon, “And that's how you do it.”

Simon's disbelief was almost palpable. “You made it grow... in reverse. Reaper, you love screwing with the natural order.”

“No, I just bend the rules. It was his idea.”

Now that Sweetie had been released, and all forms of distraction removed, it occurred to her once more what happened. So she took the only path left.

Once more, she screamed.

Bet only looked to Simon, “We're boned, aren't we?”

Simon glared back, “What's that supposed to mean?

Unfortunately, Bet's answer was cut off by a flying kick to Simon's skull, knocking him hard into the side of the Boutique.

Simon could only mutter a low “Ow...”

Bet turned to see what happened, only to see Rarity's cutie mark - three blue diamonds - before he too was bucked. He didn't really fly, but it did knock him off his feet.

Bet grimaced and muttered a small apology before both his hands began to glow the light green seen before. All of a sudden, vines appeared from a small pocket in Bet's gear, before morphing into a tight seaweed wrap, covering Rarity from head to hoof. The only things left uncovered were her eyes.

Bet then moved his attention to Sweetie, following a similar process of wrapping her in vines, once more leaving just her head uncovered, but still muzzled.

Simon then pried his face from the wall of the Boutique, there being a bit of structural damage done due to the impact. As he fell from the wall back onto his feet, he turned to Bet. “Oi, Beary, want me to fix the hole?”

“We'll worry about that later. Summon your prison, add the runes. I can't hold her magic back like this much longer...” He grit his teeth, “Hurry! This isn't easy, you know!”

Simon sighed, hands glowing gray, “As you wish.” Spectral bones appeared from the ground around Rarity, covered in dimly glowing runes. “There, done.”

Bet relaxed, allowing the vines to climb out of his pocket and embed themselves in the ground, keeping the two unicorns still. He then stood up again, this time to his full back-straight height rather than his hunch from earlier. The fear in both ponies' eyes was easily visible, Rarity more so than Sweetie.

Simon sighed, then facepalmed, “Well... This first impression is down the hole.”

Next Chapter: Prelude To A Quest Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 42 Minutes