“Hex is an odd pony, always looking for approval, but never seems to know when he got it, or just he was after his grandfathers approval” Grey said the group as they sat up camp on the cloud, Twilight, Rarity and Vinyl had just finished the spell making it so that everyone could walk on the cloud surface as Hex stayed in some sort of deep sleep, only to move and wrap the cloud up around him. When the group had finally finished setting up camp, they surrounded the small fire at the back of the coach, eating some dinner and looking closer at Apple Jacks new wings. “So Hex is a Grandchild of Ironhoof? Explains his size really” Twilight said to Grey “Yea, which explains a lot when you truly get to ‘know’ Hex” “What you mean?” Rarity popped in with “Yea? and if Ol’Ironhoof is his grandfather, why isn’t he in the Guards?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “Ironhoof forbid his family to join the Guards” Grey saw Seralth smiling and hinting which Grey accepted “Tell you what ponies, I’ll tell you Hex’s Story before we go to sleep, since Luna has given us a beautiful night sky and Hex, Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack gave us the best place to watch it from” The group approved this idea and settled down for the large off white pegasus’ story. **** This day only came once a year, just after the summer solstice the ‘Choosing of the new guards’, where the best the schools had to offer stood in the Garden of the Guard Tower for the Paleness in Canterlot to be recruited in Equestria’s army. Hex knew some faces from last time, but more than two thirds were new, and all that he knew were new last time, he was the only one to come back for the third time. All the recruits should in lines of ten, in ten rows. Hex stood in the same spot he had for the last two years. 'This year!' 'You really think? Third time lucky? You weren't even at the top of any classes this year' "This Year!" he gritted through his teeth, obtaining an odd look from the two at his sides, both Earth Ponies, one having a blinding white coat and mane showing off how Hex was just slightly off white, while the other one was a spotless grey, the recruitment armour shining like a mirror, 'First year' Noted Hex as he stared at his own armour, the 3 years had not been kind to it, having become dull, to show he wasn't good enough last time, he checked the white earth ponies’ armour to see if his had dulled as well, but not by much showing a 2nd year status. 100 recruits, each with a one in four chance of getting into the guards. Hex waited with the rest, his coat perfect, his mane and tail at its best, his wings, freakishly large and well groomed wings prefect, he was ready this time! The name calling began for the 25, and Hex didn't breath once for each name becoming lost in his own world of thought. "Steelion Ferrous" Ironhoof bellowed out to the recruits the lucky ponies name bring Hex out of his little world, and as he remembered what was going on, he did quick a head count and could see that Steelion was number 18 and looking at the rest, could see that few were second tries, his hopes sat high still causing him to become lost again in his imagination of being one of the guards. "Testyal Srpshaka" His Grandfather's voice bellowed out the final name as an Unicorn joined the already lucky 24. Hex stood there, he did the head count and again, 'NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO' He remained stood and fixed as his mind screamed in horror 'That's it, game over, no 4th try' He stared at the stage where the lucky 25 stood, his Grandfather shaking all their hooves as they passed to their barracks to be trained and become guards for the Princess "Thank you for trying, Please Return Next Year" the voice bellowed out again, after this many of the ponies departed some never to return to this place, others would but one could not longer return "Sorry, Hex Diamond Hoof" the voice bellowed out again. Everypony froze and scanned the court for the pegasus who stood still, a statue. It was well known that Hex could never try again for being a Guard and the fact the great Iron Hoofs himself was his Grandfather. Some laughed, others felt sorry, but all left the pegasus to stand in the court to take in what had happened. Two days had passed and Hex still stood, in formation as if the other 99 were there waiting to hear their names. Many had tried to move him, even his Grandfather but there he stood under the Guard towers haunting reminder that he was not good enough to seek the approval he so badly wanted. The two days had caused the armour to dull more due to the weather, the mane had become knotted, and his coat became more grey. One of his wings hadn't folded back into place after some guards had tried to move him from the court. 'Now what?' he thought as he pulled the wing in and dropped his head. The weather had been harsh for the height of summer as he left, the rain was coming down and the wind was blowing his mane and tail about everywhere. He knew to get away he could just go above the clouds and walk across them, but he felt like he should stay and endure the weather as it was the final idea to get him to leave the courtyard. He walked in a general direction with his head hung low, the wings had popped out of place and dragged on the floor mixing with the grit and grime that the rain brought up off the floor. The rain finally stopped when he got to the road out of Canterlot, where sat a small shop and a few carts. He looked up at the shop lifting his head, the mane covering one eye but he could still read the shop’s name. 'Gritstone's Trans' before moving his wings and picking himself up to the fly up to the 2nd level and through a window to his room. He sat in his room above his mates shop, staring into the mirror that he had looked into two days prior with his armour just polished, his mane, tail and wings groomed, but now stared back a broken pegasus, his dreams never to be fulfilled, the approval he wanted never to be got. He let the armour fall to the floor as he took it off, causing it to scratch and dent and with his head still low he walked to the bathroom. As he headed there he could hear Gritstone giving his talk to the workers with Babyblade giving her word every now and then like a normal partner does. "Crimson, Yam and Napalm, your carts are ready and the locations on them, I'll send the orders to the post offices for whats to be collected while your heading there" Hex heard Gritstone say as he started the day as his heavy hooves hit the wooden floor and he slammed the bathrooms door shut. "Do you think that was Hex, Grit?" a female voice asked "Go and check could you Blade? Please?" Grit said before leaving with the other three ponies. "sigh, ok" the dark red unicorn said as she walked up and pushed open to see the grey pegasus looking in the bathroom’s mirror, thinking of where to start on his mess of a body. "We thought you weren't coming back for your stuff?" She said as she saw Hex’ state "Oh, didn't make it " she paused, as this was not only stabbing the knife in but twisting it "again?" "Babyblade? Can you help me sort this mess out" He stared at his two tone grey mane and tail, his messed up wings and his dirty coat, she said nothing as she used her magic and set to work to remove the knots, changing the mane and tail style, helping Hex remove the muck he had collected from the ground on his return and try and improve his emotional state. Gritstone returned at the end of the working day after collecting and sending his businesses collections orders and pulling a cart that needed to be on tomorrows moving list, 'Least Superdream and Fourfifty should be back, but that would be a waste of a pegasus' he thought as he neared his shop, seeing that there was a new Recruitment armour sitting on top of the shop door by the rest. 'Hex didn't make it then' he guessed as he rolled the cart to the back of the shop to be with the others, finding that the 8 knackered ones had gone, and 6 newish ones sat ready to be used for deliveries and Hex sitting at the back of the yard with a dead cart and parts. "Hex!" Grit called out to his friend, causing Hex to get up and face him. He saw that Babyblade, and probably his filly Madass had as well, have given Hex a make over, his mane had become more free flowing, far from the Guards requirement, and his tail had become more spiked and hung up in the air to give a speeding like effect. “This one is firewood” The pegasus said as he kicked the cart, causing it to fall apart where it stood “and so are the parts” Hex’ head still hung low as he trotted back to the shop. “Hex?” “Mmmm?” “Sorry, I know what it meant to you” “Thanks” Hex looked up at Grit, then to the cart “Guess that ones not going anywhere for a while till the guys return, hey Grit” “Yeah, shame there is a bonus if it gets there on time” Grit stared at the cart as well, till a idea formed “Say, Hex? Not to...” “Sure Grit, I’ll take it, you’ve stood by and helped me out, about time I returned the favour to you” Hex smiled back, first time in weeks he thought, “let me get my stuff for the trip, prob help me think what to do next” It was closing to nightfall as the cart become packed with Hex’ stuff ready for the trip, Grit help hitch Hex, now just wearing his only belongings, a traty leather flight jack and set of goggles hanging from his next, in the cart sat his tool boxes and Grits Company Camping gear. “Thanks Hex, for all your help” Gritstone said as he and Hex shook hooves “Hope you find what you want out there, and be careful” Babyblade added as she kissed him goodbye Madass just hided behind her mother “You” Hex directed at the little black filly “look after my grooming gear” He winked and started off on his way, leaving his old world behind and heading into the future. ‘Its a 12 day trip to Ponyville’ He started mapping the trip out in his head ‘3 days to the Crossroads, then 9 too the village itself’ He took the lamp out of the camping gear bag hanging from his harness and lighted it to see the path ahead. ‘If I push it, I believe I can get to the Crossroads by tomorrow night, rest,the try and break it in 8 days for Grit’s sake’ Hex broke in a trot to an almost dash, knowing that the cart could take it and he had the tools to repair it if it couldn’t as he followed the path ‘Shame it wasn’t a pegasus cart, but they didn’t order that so ground it was’ he thought as the cart chatted along with his hooves as they hit the paved road with the lamp bouncing and spraying the light into the night Hex ran towards. He was impressed the cart was taking the abuse he gave it over the past few days and the road to Ponyville wasn’t that great either. There were times he was in mid flight with the cart just keeping on the ground to improve his time, but night was coming fast and the cart had suffered from the last pothole, he needed a place to stop, to rest and repair the cart before it got worse. Up ahead to one side of the road sat a cart which had set up a camp for the night. ‘Brilliant’ Hex got what he needed ‘Just a little longer cart, alright?’ He picked up the speed to save what daylight was left. The Unicorn poked the fire to keep it going as he noticed something coming towards his camp at a good speed, a closer look showed him it was a pegasus pulling a earth bound cart while in mid flight meaning they were in a hurry but to his surprise, the pegasus went into a trot and pulled into the camp with the cart squealing from the punishment it just gone though. “Hi?” The Pegasus stood at its full height and addressed the unicorn “Mind if i join your camp for the night?” The off white pegasus smiled and asked. “Eerr....” the unicorn realised why he had been going at that speed, to get here and save what was left of the daylight to set camp “Sure...Mister?” “Please, just Hex” “i’m known as Hoverhoof” the dark blue coated stallion said as he offered his hoof to the large pegasus “But I’m known as Nihilus Fextor Almocrass by a few” Having introduced themselves properly and shaking hooves, Hex unhitched and joined Hoverhoof’s little camp. In the last of the day light Hex checked over the cart and gave it some maintenance before anything failed on him in he last leg of the journey. Hoverhoof watched the pegasus while pulling a few carrots from his own cart “so! what brings you to travel along this road?” “a favour for a friend” Hex said as he poked though the carts insides “i see” Hoverhoof added as he thoughtful ate one of his carrot while Hex pulled out his tool boxes and bedding out of the cart “i'm going to ponyville to meet with my brother, a great wizard” Hoverhoof said hoping to see who this stranger was “he's going to teach me how to focus my spells better” “Hrmm, mrrm” Hex rolled out his bed roll and knocked open one of the tools boxes” Oh, so what kind of magic?” asking as he picked up a ranch “Now any good spells?” “you know” munches on his carrot “teleporting, congjuding, the usual” “Mind if i just sort out my cart, while we talk? So what is your brother going to help you with?” Hex got under the cart and adjusted the suspension in hopes of reducing the stresses it was under. Hoverhoof swallowed “my problem is not casting them, its making them perfect” “oh? know that feeling” said Hex said from under the cart “she’ll be ok for the last part of the trip, so what do you mean with not 'perfect'?” Hex made his way back to the fire and the put the tools back in their home. “once, i tried to teleport to my house from a bar” Hoverhoof showed signs of being nervous about this “i appeared in a couple’s bedroom while they were asleep” “whoa, how you get out of that one?” Hex sounded impressed by that as he took his rations out to eat “i didn’t, the stallion bucked me hard” “That couldn't of effected you that bad, a stallion of your size” “yeah, but i was younger then, and he kicked me on the snout” Hex munched on his food “oh, but still, just a playground fight?” Hex eyed up what was left over day light “fortunately my bro used his magic to get me out of the mess I made” “good save by big bro then, what magic that you can do?” Hex gingerly add “that turns out right? we're not going to turn into bunnies during the night are we? he asked while breaking into a small giggle ‘Oh! i actually know a spell which helps me find the fastest way on the roads” added Hoverhoof, ignoring the comment Hex made “it also helps me find lost stuff” Hex looked at the unicorn, taking in the idea “Fastest way, you say?” He had taken the 3 days down to 1 and a half by travelling at night and the 9 to Ponyville, he guessed was nearing 7 at his current rate, more time saved couldn’t hurt “You in a hurry to get to Ponyville, then?” “Not really, but at the speeds you were going to get here” Hoverhoof nodded the cart “I guess you are?” “Yea, a bonus payment hangs over this cart for my friends business if it gets there on time” Hex said using his head to point to the packed up cart “That’s why I was going like the clappers, trying to gain extra time for the worse to happen. Plan for the best, prepare for the worse as they say” Hex closed his eyes and brought his hoof to his chest, while grinning as if some inside, a happy memory had been remembered “i see...” Hoverhoof wondered what the pegasus was thinking “Yea, and any way to get there faster would be a great deal of help” “Well, to cast the spell i need a durable light source...” Hoverhoof said as he flexed his limbs to get ready to preform “like a lamp?” “i guess that works, if you are going to take it with you” “normally the light source comes from my horn” “the damn thing been bouncing at my side since i left Canterlot few 5 days ago” “bring it to me then” Hoverhoof requested as he pulled out a small spell book As requested, Hex got up and went over the cart, pulling off the small lamp that had burned brightly for most of the trip, then placing it near Hoverhoof who was flipping through the pages “lets see... aha! found it” he said as he faced the small lamp. Screwing his face up as he puts all his energy into the spell, causing his horn to glow and fire out sparks causing Hex to stare with interest. The spell leaved the horn and floated into the lamp causing it to lift from the ground and the light to change from the warm yellow to a pure white as the spell enchanted the lamp leaving Hoverhoof to catch his breath. “There” he breathed heavily “done” “now what?” Hex stared at his glowing lamp The unicorn kicked the lamp causing it to glow in the sunset dusk “You give it a knock or kick and...” He picked up the glowing lamp with his mouth, as he brought it higher, the lamp started to pull towards their desired location, Ponyville “See, it will want to be taken to where ever you want to go” he said through his teeth. “Ok” Hex watches Hoverhoof place the lamp back down and its glow return to a warm yellow. "That would be a great help to me, is there a way I can repay you? “huh, now that i think of it, i don't know. i just like to help when i can” Hoverhoof replied smiling Hex was left there looking a bit stunned, 'Was everypony like this outside of Canterlot?' he thought, he also noticed the last of the day was over and the night had begun. “We better get some shut eye, places be both, and its still a long trip, for both of us” Hex guessed that the helpful unicorn had at least 7 days journey ahead of him while Hex himself was just hopefully closing in on making it 5 till reaching ponyville. Hoverhoof looked at the dusk. “I guess you're right” said he as he pulled out a small cloth to lay on the grass with Hex following suit. As the dawn broke Hex woke up with it, still seeing Hoverhoof fast asleep. Quietly he got up, packed up his camp and checked his cart for the journey ahead. Picking up the lamp with its spell, he wondered what he could do for Hoverhoof and decided to check over the unicorns cart seeing if it would get him to Ponyville. Half an hour later, Hex felt that the cart would get to Ponyville and back to Canterlot for the helpful unicorn. Picking up the lamp and leaving a note wishing good luck for the Unicorn with his travels, Hex set off to Ponyville and true to Hoverhoof's words, the lamp showing the fastest routes and even showing Hex an old abandoned cart being eaten by the hedges. 4 days after Hoverhoof's and Hex's meeting, Hex makes it to Ponyville ‘6 days all in all’ Hex thinks as he looks for a bar ‘hope the bonus is worth it Gritstone, where is the bar, The Black somethi-’ He looked down on of the small villages side roads from the main road to see a small bar, almost a derlic in fact, with a temp sign saying ‘The BLACK LIGHTING BAR - OPENING SOON’ Hex pulled up to the bar, unhitched and went inside, where a white pegasus with a cream and pink mane tried to make Hex go back outside again. After a few words, Hex found out the pegasus went by the name R and was so happy that he got the cart in half the time he was told and invited Hex back to the bar opening in a few weeks time. ‘Now what, I'm here, and still lost on what to do’ Hex stared at Ponyville from the cart ‘Guess back to the road and back to Grandfathers to help with anything’ Hex unpacked his stuff from the cart, again donning the tatty flight jacket and goggles, and put the lamp in his saddle packs before launching into the sky and back to the road out of Ponyville. This cause a sight as Ponyville rarely saw as the ponies saw the large wing span of the pegasus in the sky leaving their little village to return home. On the return journey Hex saw Hovehoof pulling his cart and wave at the pegasus as he flew past. Almost nearing the crossroads Hex found a cart on the road side with three Ponies near it who looked in trouble. Thinking of Hovehoof’s helpfulness, Hex felt he should see if he could help out. “Hi there” Hex says as he lands “Everything ok?” A large grey unicorn looks at Hex followed by a small white one and a brownish earth pony. “Something is up with the cart” the grey unicorn replied “Mind if I look?” and without an answer, Hex was under the cart, saw the problem and remembered that old cart he found, knowing he could fix this. The three ponies stared at the pegasus very confused, more so when he shot out and flew off only saying “I’ll be back by nightfall” True to Hex’s word, at nightfall he returned and had the cart fixed in an hour, including hitching himself up to it and testing it to make sure everything was okay. “Yep” he called out to the three ponies as they walked along side “She is all good now, so who are you and where you going? Mind if i tag along?” “We’re EPR! I’m Grey Nightmare and they are Vinyl Scatch and Oatmeal” pointed to the white unicorn and brownish earth pony “Who are you!?” “Hey, I’m Hex, well Hex Diamond Hoof, EPR? So you guys are that travelling music group?” Hex stared at the cart seeing EPR painted on its side. “So? Need a helping hand then?” Hex smiled at Grey as all four trotted down the road to the crossroad of Equestria. **** Grey looked at the dying fire “Guess the fire knows its the end of the story.” He said as he gave it a poke “What?” Dash called out “That's its?” “Well” Grey pulled a face “We couldn’t get rid of him, and he came so useful, fixing stuff, moving, we had cut the travel times down with him helping. Me and him would have the night shift, fearing the night, till Luna came back then we would enjoy the night walks and the beautiful moon she gave us” Grey pointed up to the large moon showering down on the cloud they had made camp on. “But today, I think he got what hes wanted, defernly with getting the EPR cart to fly” The group agreed in approval that Hex had done well and if they could get back off the cloud, they’ll be in Ponyville tomorrow afternoon. The fire finally gave out. “Guess we better go to bed them” Twilight started “We’ll think of a way off this cloud tomorrow” she said looking over at the large pegasus who had wrapped himself up in the cloud sound a sleep with a big smile on his face, then to the others saying their good nights as they found a good place to sleep in the cart. Dash and Fluttershy stayed out on the cloud to keep an eye on everything, where as AppleJack stayed in the cart not trusting her new powers that came with the wings. End of Chapter 4 A Roadies Tall Tale
