For a moment, the ponies and dragon were left in a state of stunned silence. This mysterious cat creature calling himself Capper had apparently saved them from what could've been a very nasty fate. And none of them knew why.
Capper smiled, twiddling his whiskers with one of his claws. He then bowed to the ponies. "I know what you must be thinking: Just who is this tall, handsome stranger who saved our lives? Well it's none other than Capper Dapperpaws, at your service!"
"Well... Mr. Capper." Rarity was the first to find the courage to speak up.
Capper replied with curotesy. "Just Capper, please. After all," He flashed a knowing wink. "We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Friends?" The ponies all blinked in unison.
The bipedal cat nodded. "I didn't stutter, did I? You ponies certainy looked like you were in need. And a friend in need is a friend indeed."
Twilight cleared her throat, eyeing the newcomer with suspicion. "Well, Capper, thank you. But we didn't need your help. We could've easily gotten out of that situation by ourselves. We're not helpless damasels."
"Whatever you say, ladies," Capper purred. "If it wasn't for me, you'd have all been sold off to the highest bidder, along with that little dragon friend of yours."
Spike snorted, blowing smoke out of his nostrils. "For your information, Capper, I am not just a 'little dragon'. I'm these ponies' best friend! And I'm also Twilight's son."
Twilight nodded. "I was just about to mention that," She turned to Capper. "So if it's all the same to you, I think we'll just be leaving now. I think we've seen enough of Klugetown to know that it's not a friendly place, especially for outsiders."
Capper chuckled. "Oh, leaving so soon? At the least tell me what brings nice ladies like you all the way out here."
The young alicorn firmly and sternly replied. "That's none of your business."
But Rarity spoke up, not so secretly shoving Twilight aside. "You'll have to forgive Twilight, Capper, she takes a bit longer than the rest of us to warm up to strangers like you."
Twilight's mouth dropped open in shock! She couldn't believe how naive Rarity was being right now! And it seemed like almost all of the rest of her friends were being taken in by his charm, despite the fact that they knew nothing about him.
Capper just grinned. "Oh, I don't blame her. In a place like this, it can be hard knowing who to trust. Luckily for you, I'm just the sort of gentleman you can trust."
"Is that so?" Fluttershy asked in a hopeful tone of voice.
Capper nodded. "Yes indeed. After all," He cleared his throat and began to sing:
This town is not a nice place,
For little ponies all alone.
There are lots of twists and corners,
That could lead to the unknown.
As Capper was singing, he repeatedly sought to show just what he meant. He was even emphasizing how many dark alleyways Klugetown seemed to have. Yet he kept on singing, quite unconcerned about anyone overhearing:
Let me guide your way,
And I'll be sure to help you through.
You could really use a friend out here,
And luckily for you...
Pausing only for a moment to catch his breath (and to build dramatic effect), the cat continued to sing:
I'm the friend that you need,
When you're lost and don't know what to do.
I'm your pal, your amigo,
Useful and resourceful, too.
And my help, you'll concede,
Is a plus guaranteed.
You can call and I'll come running!
Just follow my lead,
'Cause I'm the friend you need!
As the singing continued, Capper began leading Spike and the ponies (including a very reluctant Twilight) along. And as he did so, he occasionally gestured to some of the merchants he had earlier scared off. They seemed to be in on his muscial act, as they were singing their sentiments:
He's a friend.
Quite a friend.
He's a friend indeed!
The bipedal cat paused only on occasion while singing to show his new friends where to go and where to stay away from. And as he did so, he visualized himself not unlike a hero performing heroic feats of bravery and strength, singing loudly:
You need a bud to spot the danger.
A pal to stop the creep.
A chum and not a stranger to assist.
You need a bro who is cunning,
That can help you take the leap!
A friend who knows what's lying in the mist.
He continued singing, tayloring his lyrics to appeal to the likes of Fluttershy and Rarity:
Don't fear these darkened alleys.
They're scary, yes, I know.
Why, you could use a friend,
To protect you wherever you go.
And such a dazzling beauty,
Covered in dirt and muck.
But now your fate is changing.
Now you are in luck!
Literally rolling out a red carpet for the ponies, Capper sang proudly once again:
'Cause I'm the friend that you need,
When you're lost and don't know what to do.
I'm your pal, your amigo.
Lookin' out for friends like you!
As the singing continued, Capper led the ponies to a large windmill like structure. And as they and Spike all climbed into a lift to take them up to the top of said tower, the cat sang:
And my help, you'll concede,
Is a plus guaranteed.
Just call and I'll come running!
We'll say it's agreed...
When Capper was certain the ponies weren't looking, he paused briefly in his singing to talk to a mole like creature. He gave the mole a card and whispered. "Here. Give this to Verko and tell him: My place, twenty minutes. Let's just say I've got something that'll 'magically' erase all my debt." He delivered that last part of the sentence with a knowing wink.
"Hey, Capper, you comin'?!" Rainbow Dash hollered from above!
Capper hollered back. "Yeah! Just a moment! Just had somethin' to take care of." He then pulled a lever and climbed into the lift basket that would take the ponies up to the top of the windmill. And as loud as he could he sang:
'Cause I'm the friend you need!
With the exception of Twilight and Spike, everyone seemed to be won over by Capper's charm. And they started singing his praises (Rarity especially):
He's a friend.
Quite a friend!
He's a friend indeed!
When the singing had ended, Capper brought his guests up to a small room on the upper levels of the windmill. It was a bit drab looking and full of dust, but it also looked surprisingly inviting. Rich colors of red, yellow, and orange stood out in bold detail, a far cry from the drab, faded colors of other buildings throughout Klugetown.
Capper bowed and cleared his throat. "Welcome to my crib, ponies. Me casa 'es sue casa and all that humble jazz."
Rarity was immediately impressed by such an expression! "Ooh! I never would've imagined a creature like you could be so fluent in other languages, Capper."
The cat smiled, ignoring the harsh glare Spike was shooting him. "Well, I dabble a little bit. Cat's gotta make a living, right?" He chuckled and went on speaking. "Apologies for the state of my litter box, but I wasn't exactly expecting company."
Applejack's eyes were drawn to the many vases scattered throughout the room. "Are all these things yours?" She asked Capper.
Capper nodded. "Uh-huh. Practically took me a lifetime to get my paws on them."
"So, what exactly do you do for a livin' around here?" Applejack questioned the cat. "You some kind of peddler?"
Capper vaguely replied. "You could say that. I prefer the term 'Influencer'. You saw my talents back there. And that was some of my finest work."
"Wow!" Everyone except Spike and Twilight exclaimed in unison, apparently quite impressed!
Fluttershy then trotted towards one of the vases. Curiously, she touched a hoof to it, only to let out a gasp as she saw it start to wobble!
Capper quickly rushed over and righted the vase before it could fall. "Ah ah, look but don't touch. Those things are extremely valueable, not to mention fragile," Then he turned his attention to the one pony he had yet to win over. "Say, is there something different about you? I don't know what it is, but you seem important."
"Not that it's any of your concern, but I'm a princess," Twilight replied in a netural tone of voice. "I appreciate your hospitality, Capper. But we really must be going."
"Oh, what's the hurry?" Capper questioned in what sounded like concern (and not the genuine kind either). "Got somewhere you need to be?"
Pinkie Pie spoke up and bluttered out! "We're trying to find Novo, queen of the hippos! Twilight was hoping we might find someone here who knows something about that!"
The cat put a paw to his chin, apparently considering something. "Novo. Can't say that rings any bells for me."
"Just as I thought," Twilight frowned. "You don't know anything. Further proof that we've wasted enough time here," She flicked her tail. "Come on, girls! Let's get out of here! We'll just have to try our luck somewhere else. Hopefully, somewhere far more friendly."
But Rainbow Dash swooped over and landed in front of Twilight! "Hey, you can't just up and leave like this! What's your deal with Capper, anyway?! You don't trust him?!"
The young alicorn reluctantly replied. "Forgive me if I'm not convinced of his sincerity. He's acting like he knows more than he lets on."
"Ah, you're thinking too much, Twilight," Rainbow insisted with a wave of her hoof. "He saved our rumps back there, and you know it. Besides, some of us," She gestured to Rarity and Fluttershy. "Seem quite convinced he's for real. And so what if he doesn't know how to find this Queen Novo character? Maybe he knows someone who does. Ever think of that?"
"W-well... no... but..." Twilight trailed off, unable to gather her thoughts.
"Then it looks like you're outvoted, Twi!" Rainbow snorted as she swished her tail against the alicorn. "You do whatever you feel like doing. The rest of us are gonna use this opportunity to relax. We're not gonna save Equestria if we constantly worry and rush ahead. Plus, we've always got the Elements of Harmony to fall back on."
The alicorn princess could only sigh, looking down at the ground in dismay and disbelief. Much as she didn't want to admit it, Rainbow's words had stung.
As if he sensed the feelings swelling up inside her, Spike not so secretly made his way over to Twilight. "What's wrong, Twilight?" He asked her.
Twilight glumly confessed. "You know what's wrong. All our friends seem quite convinced Capper can be trusted. But for some reason, I can't bring myself to do the same. And I'm supposed to be the princess of friendship."
"Hey, you're not perfect," Spike pointed out. "It's hard to trust strangers, even ones that seem nice."
The young alicorn unhappily sighed. "Maybe."
Spike then questioned. "So, what, you're gonna just leave our friends behind and go off alone?"
Twilight shook her head from side to side. "I can't do that, Spike. They all came on this journey specifically to be with me. I didn't get to where I was by turning my back on them."
"Twilight, you remember what happened the last time you constantly put the needs of others before yourself?!" The little dragon nervously sought to remind her. "If you're really so worried about all the friends we left behind, no one will blame you if you decide to carry on by yourself. Maybe it's better this way: They can all stay here with Capper, and you can search for Queen Novo without distraction."
"I'm not gonna do it, Spike!" Twilight protested. "For better or for worse, Capper seems to have them won over. I owe it to them to give him the same benefit of the doubt they're showing him. I couldn't call myself the princess of friendship or a good friend if I wasn't willing to do that," She sighed, taking a deep breath. "We'll stay here, for now. At least we can take comfort in the fact that we've given the Storm King's army the slip."
But Twilight had no way to know that she was wrong. The Storm King's army was already in pursuit of her and her friends. It hadn't taken long for Tempest to give the order to track down her prey. And with the aid of the same zeppelins that had brought her to Ponyville, she had followed the tracks of Princess Twilight and her friends until at last they led her to Klugetown.
The zeppelins landed on the outskirts of the city, and Tempest departed soon afterward with Grubber by her side, much to her annoyance. "I don't need to be babysitting you, Grubber! And you don't need to be by my side! I can handle this by myself, thank you very much!"
Grubber was not one to take no for an answer. "Aw come on, Tempest. You know I'm your only friend. And you're my friend too. That means we gotta look out for each other."
Tempest scoffed. "Whatever." And she trotted into town.
Grubber gave off a nervous gulp as he followed Tempest closely behind. "Are you sure the ponies even came here, Tempest? I mean, they could easily be long gone by now."
But the hornless unicorn soon spotted something near one of the stalls. It was a strand of mane hair. Not just any mane hair either, it was a mane hair a shade of bright pink. She knew instantly who that hair probably came from, and a smile spread across her face at the realization. "No, they're here. I can feel it. And I'll bet someone in this... town," She rolled her eyes. "Will know where to find them."
As if the very universe itself had heard the unicorn's remarks, at that very moment a fish-shaped merchant happened to come walking past Tempest and Grubber. The merchant was muttering to himself without a care in the world. "Stupid Capper! I can't believe I actually fell for that! 'Rainbowanitis Coloritis', even a five year old could come up with a better name! There's nothing contagious about those ponies! Knowing him, he's gonna sell them off to Verto to make a fast storm buck or two."
Tempest spun around, trotting up to the merchant and tapping him on the back with a hoof. "Beg your pardon," She spoke in a slow, ominous tone. "Did any of those ponies happen to be a princess? Did they say anything about where they were going?"
The merchant snarled, his foul smelling breath filling the air as he glared at Tempest. "And what if they did? Why should I tell you anything?" He snarled. "I think I'm gonna keep you as my pet. No, my glorified pack mule!"
"I wouldn't recommend it if I were you," Tempest warned. "I'm not a pony to be triflied with."
"Ooh, big talk from a freak like you!" The merchant remarked with fake worry.
The rude remark seemed to stir something deep inside Tempest as her eyes narrowed. "What did you just call me?" She questioned the merchant.
The fish-like merchant replied in an unconcerned tone of voice. "You heard me! You're a freak! At least two of those other ponies had horns. You've got only a tiny little stub. And with that's mark on your face? You trying to make yourself look tough? Well you're not! You're just a freak!"
Tempest's response was to admit a low growl as the stub on her head began to sizzle and crackle ominously.
Grubber rubbed his paws together as he emitted a wicked laugh. "Oh, you're in for it now, bud! You shouldn't have made Tempest angry, because trust me when I say: You won't like her when she's angry."
"You think that scares me?!" The fish-like merchant growled in response, apparently not intimidated in the least.
Tempest just replied in a low tone of voice. "It should." Then she quickly raced around the merchant, grabbing him by the tail and hoisting him into the air! She subsequently brought him back down, causing him to impact the ground with a thud and kick up dust!
Grubber winced, shielding his eyes with his paws. "Ooh! That was harsh!"
Tempest then trotted up to the merchant as he lay face down in the dirt. "Now, let's try that again, shall we?"