Twilight Sparkle came running after him calling out, "Forgemaster, you can breathe fire?"

Still walking through town, he ignored the question, "Twilight Sparkle, in order to teach you the wrongness of thievery, you are no longer allowed to ask me questions about humans or magic."

"WHAT? Why?" Twilight was P.O.

"I already told you why, Twilight Sparkle."

"Ugh… fine. And you don't have to call me Twilight Sparkle; you can just call me Twilight."

"You were introduced to me, by you, as Twilight Sparkle, and that is what I will call you." He stopped his walking and turned to Twilight, "However, there is something you can do for me to remedy your punishment."

"What is it? I'll do anything!" Twilight's hopes soared.

"I need a quill, some ink, and several pieces of parchment. I need a gem. I also need food. I've been here for 4 days now and haven't eaten anything." The Forgemaster explained.

"Alright, the parchment and things for writing we can find at my house, the gem we'll find at Rarity's, and we can go for food pretty much anywhere." Twilight then smiled immensely, "Hey, I know! I can give you a tour of Ponyville while we collect your things!"

"That is acceptable. We will go to Rarity's first, the gem is very important."

With that, they set off to Rarity's Boutique. They walked through the main streets of Ponyville and through the market. As they were walking, Twilight never stopped asking him questions about humans and his magic.

He replied with, "Punishment starts immediately and lasts a month, Twilight Sparkle. Stop talking."

But they were still in the market. Twilight Sparkle looked around frantically, searching for something to alleviate at least one of his concerns: she thought that if she helped him a little now, he would answer some of her questions. She found relief in the form of Applejack and her stall. She took him over and bought him an Apple Fritter out of her own pocket. While they were still within Applejack's ear-shot, Twilight asked how it was. Applejack listened closely, eager to hear the praises of yet another satisfied customer. What she got, however, was far from what she expected, and angered her immensely.

He replied to Twilight's question with, "It's fine."

Shouts exploded from the stall they had just left, "Fine? FINE? That's all you think it was, fine? That's darn right the best Apple fritter in all Equestria!"

Twilight and The Forgemaster turned to see a very, VERY, irate Applejack.

The Forgemaster did not help smooth the situation over any when he said, "If I lied, you could tell if I was lying. If I wasn't lying before, than I would be doing so if I said anything else. I said it was fine, I meant it."

Applejack snorted steam and started pawing the ground.

He noticed this, with a very low and dark voice he said, "Applejack, your attitude and anger will be the death of you. One day, you will bite off more than you can chew and. You. Will. Fall."

She became even angrier at this and charged straight at him. He sighed; these ponies only seemed to run straight at him, no imagination in an attack. He just stood there as she charged. He wasn't even trying to get out of the way. As she reached him, she jumped up and aimed at his stomach with her head. She impacted, but it was like hitting a brick wall: even with all her strength, she hadn't driven the giant back an inch. He grabbed her as she was still in his stomach and lifted her till she was even with his head.

As he held her, he whispered to her, "This is why you fail." Then just dropped her on the ground and walked away.

Both Twilight and Applejack were confused. Applejack mostly because of what he had said and done. Twilight mostly because of the way he acted. Now they had to deal with the giant before he provoked any-pony else.

*Rarity's Boutique*

"…. And then I just dropped her and came straight here." The Forgemaster was saying to Rarity as they enjoyed tea and crumpets.

"Oh, that's just dreadful dear. I cannot believe that Applejack would just attack you on the street; it's most unbecoming of her. Though, knowing Applejack, that's the exact reaction I would expect. So why exactly did you come here, dear?"

"I wanted to borrow a gem, if you could spare any, it would be appreciated. I also wished to speak of a matter with you that related to business. I thought that you were a business-pony and I would appreciate your input."

"Oh, really?" she asked with a slight blush from the compliment, "Well, I suppose I could spare a gem or two, Spike helped me retrieve some gems yesterday, afternoon. But if you want my input, I'll need to know your idea." Rarity rummaged through a small pouch before handing over 2 gems to him.

"Thank you for your generosity, I'll pay you back as soon as I raise capital. I needed to know some things, too. First off, I would like your help in selling some of my precious metals from back home. Secondly, I need your opinion relating to an idea I had. But first some questions, I noticed that your shower is only one temperature; cold. Is that the case everywhere?"

"I would be glad to help you with the metals. With some of my contacts, I could probably get you top-dollar for the metals. And yes, dear, all ponies have to have room-temperature water in the shower, unless they are unicorns who heat the water with their magic."

"Interesting, so if I made a water tank with heating runes inscribed on them which heats the water inside… how much would a non-unicorn pony pay for that?"

"Oh my! What a simply fabulous idea! Ponies would probably pay 500 bits for 1 of them, well, that's what I would pay for one anyway."

"This is my proposal Rarity: In exchange for 20% of the profits I make from selling my warm water tanks, you supply me with metals and gems needed for construction. Sound like a deal?"

"Make it 30% and we'll call it even." She said, putting out a hoof.

"Deal." He said, shaking her hoof.

He stood and went to the door, as he opened it; he looked back and said, "It was nice meeting with you Rarity. I'll contact you soon with details on what I'll need to manufacture the tanks. Keep the metals in my bag and sell them for me, I'll let you keep half of what that brings in."

He walked away, and made for Twilight Sparkle's library. He arrived and was greeted at the door by a small, purple dragon. A dragon Celestia's memory identified as Spike, Twilight's assistant. He spoke first, without really looking at him.

"Sorry, Twilight's not here right now, she's off looking for the…" he noticed who The Forgemaster was now and trailed off.

"Yes, I know she's looking for me. I came by to pick up some stationery."

"Some what?" Spike stammered.

"Parchment, quills, ink… Stationery."

"Oh right… There's sure to be some lying around here, somewhere."

After a few minutes of looking Spike found what he needed.

"I can't pay for these, but I'll trade you." He held up one of his 2 gems.

"Okay, I'll trade, thank you!" he said through a mouth-full of crushed gem.

"Do you mind if I stayed here and wrote a letter?"

"That'll be fine, there's a table over there you can use." He pointed to a small table in the corner.

"Thank you."

He sat down at the table, and wrote one of the most important letters of his life. And so doing, happily signed away his loyalty to a Princess he only met once, but knew everything about.

The letter read thus:

Princess Celestia,

Twilight Sparkle told me of your offer of a job.

I gladly accept.

I, an immortal being, swear my undying loyalty to the royal family of Equestria.

I make this pact with my blood, so that the gods themselves might know its significance.

I will come to Canterlot soon to make this oath official, publicly.

But first; an admission.

When you looked through my mind,

I know you found nothing.

This was by my own work, and I apologize.

But I committed an even greater sin:

When you were in my mind, I was in yours.

To make up for this deceitful action,

I give you the enclosed gem,

Inside this gem, you will find all of my memories,

None of them barred, no matter the significance.

I hope this serves to inspire trust between us.

Congratulations.

Your undying servant,

The Forgemaster

He looked the writing twice over to look for mistakes and, finding none, put the gem he had been feeding his memories since he had gotten it into the scroll and rolled it up. It was at that moment that Twilight Sparkle and her friends came in through the door. He heard the last snippets of their conversation before they saw him.

"…. Could he have gotten off to?"

He stood with his scroll in one hand, grasping his coat with the other and said, "Twilight Sparkle, this letter is for the princess, please let Spike send it."

Rainbow Dash hung her head and muttered, "Told you, we should checked here first."

Applejack glared at him, but Twilight said, "How do you know Spike can send messages to the Princess?"

"I know a great many things, Twilight Sparkle. Now just let him send it."

She called Spike down and he handed the letter to Twilight. However, the second it came within range, she began to unfurl it and read.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! That message is private, fool! It seems everything you do makes me lower my opinion of you! In my homeland, interfering with royal postage is considered high treason and the perpetrator is executed! I do not want to have to do that now so stop reading things that don't belong to you!" The Forgemaster practically thundered at the curious equine.

He immediately ran over to her, while she stood there, shocked at his fury, he took the letter from her, picked the gem off of the floor and fix the letter and its contents to the way they were before.

He handed the letter to Spike and said in the most threatening voice he could muster without shouting, "Send it."

And he did so, without a moment's hesitation.

The Forgemaster glared at Twilight and proceeded to take her apart, piece-by-piece. "Twilight Sparkle, since I met you 4 days ago you have stolen my clothes, attempted to steal the techniques I have developed over many decades of research, and now you read my private correspondence. Is there no end to your foolishness? I've met children with more sense than you! I had an apprentice like you once, brilliant man, but had no common social graces. One day he went to the local inn and accidentally insulted a traveler. Long story short, he can't speak anymore and neither does he enjoy food, mostly due to lack of a tongue. Do you understand me Twilight Sparkle? Am I as clear as I can possibly be?" He shouted the last few sentences.

By the end of his tirade, Twilight Sparkle was on the floor in front of him with her head in her knees, trembling.

He just glared at her and left, stepping over 5 very shocked ponies.

He left to find his new forge and, hopefully, peace.