Author's Notes:
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Also sorry for the lateness of this chapter, I actually forgot to post it
Post Common Era Chapter Twenty-one/War of Stars Chapter Seventeen: Bits of Time
“So this is where I am staying?” asked Shadow Eyes as she eyed the room, it was comfortable, she had cleaned in here a few times, but it never had been used, now she knew why, when she accepted to be Prince Masao’s apprentice she didn’t realize she was going to be getting a room in the castle, this was going to take some getting used to…
- - -
“You said you did this for me… Why would you think that I would want you to hurt yourself for me?”
“You wouldn’t want me to, but if I didn’t do this I would die eventually, I don’t want you to go through the pain of losing me” said Willow Leaf defensively as she glared at Masao, hurt obvious in her voice.
- - -
“And these are your fellow apprentices” said Masao as he motioned towards the three mares who were studying Dream Seer looked up in surprise, Prince Masao had an apprentice now?
“Wow! I know you! You were the top of the dark magic classes!” she said to Shadow Eyes and the mare in question shifted uncomfortably at the attention she suddenly gained because as soon as Dream Seer spoke up Golden Daisy and Sunrise Lily looked up and stared at Shadow Eyes.
“Now you three, I am sure the princesses gave you enough work that you don’t have time to stare at my apprentice, or would you rather see how upset they will be because you didn’t finish?” asked Masao and the trio went back to work. Masao turned to Shadow Eyes and smiled, “Dream Seer is a good mare, she doesn’t mean to cause you any uncomfort.”
“Then why did she?” challenged Shadow Eyes and Masao chuckled, he would have to get on to her about being so confrontational with him sooner or later, but for now…
“She has known me for a while, my wife is her teacher as you should know, so at least the two of you will spend a lot of time together”
- - -
“Sweetie, you can’t be upset at her, this is no different than what you did for me” said Luna as she got herself ready for bed, stopping only to give Masao a kiss on the cheek.
“It is on a whole other level compared to what I had done! I corrupted my soul, she sold hers, hell if it had been Nurgle or Tzeentch I would not be so upset!”
“A̵s i̴f ͜I͠ w̸o͠ul͘d̷ wan͟t he͠r, ̷s̀he͡ h̛a͝s no͡ s͘k͘i̧l̵l͏ ̀I̵ c̢ou̶l͝d͞ u̕s͞e̵,̷ ̕savę ͠if҉ s͏h̸e s̛p͞e̡nt ͏he͡ŕ li͠fé ͜br͏e̢aķįng͡ int̀ǫ pl҉a͜c̀e̕s͡ ͞of l̛ea͟rni͠nǵ ̡an͠d́ s͠t͟ole ͞k͞ńo͡w̧le͘dg̶e̶, b̴uţ şh̸e ̡d҉i̧d͡ n͟ot͏”
- - -
“Good, but you leave yourself open when you focus too much on power, sometimes a quick—
Masao shot a blast of dark magic at Shadow Eyes who dodged it a look of surprise on her face, “—blast is better than an overpowering attack” Masao was doing his best to show her that she was not as good as she was saying, and it was working. Every dark spell she used was powerful, yes, but she was spending too much time on powering it up, something he used to do before Tirek.
- - -
“It’s so awesome that you accepted Prince Masao’s offer! I saw how skilled you were in school, you deserve this!” said Dream Seer in her upbeat attitude and Shadow Eyes smiled weakly attempting not to be rude.
“Dream Seer you are supposed to be practicing your dream magic!” said Luna and Dream Seer giggled in embarrassment before getting right to it.
- - -
“So you want to sent troops to Equestria? Why?” asked Minder Three his eye narrow and the council sat comfortably as one spoke up while another one just grumbled about not liking this idea.
“Because if you are going to be sending troops here for us to use, then it is only proper that we do the same”
- - -
Masao kissed Willow Leaf hard, the mare was surprised but did not complain as she returned the kiss eagerly. She missed this so much, he had all but banished her from the bed when he learned what she had done, it was almost as if he took the fact he was the one in control of the relationship in stride.
“I haven’t forgiven you, but I need you” he whispered as he pulled away slightly and Willow Leaf pushed away.
“I don’t want empty sex, Masao, I want you so much, but I—”
“I still love you Willow, I love you so much that it hurts that you did this to yourself, and there is nothing I can do to save you from an eternity of servitude. I don’t—” he was silenced by a kiss Willow Leaf who had tears in her eyes, all the pain she had felt over the past few weeks, weeks full of arguments and fight, poured out.
“How do you think I felt?” asked Luna as she stood at the doorway behind Masao, “You corrupted your very soul for what? Immortality? Just so you could be with me longer? You and I both saw how that went, you lost Evening Star, and from what I heard you were in mourning for several years, almost until I returned. Now she decides she isn’t going to put you through that again, perhaps it is time you forgave her like I did all those millennia ago?” So he did, he forgave her all night, Luna joining them in bed feelings long held in check by anger and hurt released, and they slept well into the next day…
- - -
“Ah I was waiting for you Shadow Eyes” said Masao as he sat behind his desk, Shadow Eyes walking in groggy and tired, “I heard about last night” the mare flinched, “I have no problem with it myself, but be careful when you broach the topic with Luna, it is her personal student after all”
“It was just a one time thing” said Shadow Eyes looking away blushing deeply and Masao nodded before standing.
“As long as that was understood between you and Dream Seer, that’s fine, if not, you had better explain it to her, I don’t need that mare pining after you if all it was to you was a fling”
“You aren’t my—”
“I am your teacher, and she is the student of my wife, anything that affects you two affects me. So it does matter”
“Yes master” Masao quirked an eyebrow before shaking his head.
“Anyway, you are one of the best in combat magic I have trained in a long time, but now it’s time that you learned how to use it in a combat situation, the soldiers that the UEC sent will be aiding us in this” said Masao and as he mentioned them the team that he had captured, minus one private that filed for early rotation out due to conflicting opinions with his commanding officer, stepped into the room
“Sergeant Greelo reporting” said the sarg and Masao nodded before sighing slightly.
“I know this isn’t what you signed up to do, Ms. Greelo—”
“Sergeant, please, I earned my rank”
“Sorry, Sergeant, but our forces need to know how to fight humans because of the Terrans and I will not risk my own apprentice so she can learn how to defend herself against the Terrans in actual combat”
“You think they can keep up?” asked Shadow Eyes a smirk growing on her face and Masao chuckled as he levitated the mare over to the group of humans.
“I am more than certain they will give you a run for your bits, now go, all of you”