Shisno Chronicles: Friendship is Magic

by nightelf37

(NOT) Chapter 23: The Cutie Mark Chronicles

Author's Note:

"Tell me again why are you skipping this?"

Because the story's mainly flashback on the fillyhood of the Mane Six, not to mention my character's name being in the title in a way.

"Why did you even choose that name for him anyway, then?"

It's the first thing that came to mind as MLP's Story Crew representative. To be honest, until "On a Cross and Arrow", "Transdimensional Zoology", and the Lunaverse, I didn't plan on adding relatives for Chronicle.

Disclaimer: I own only the following: My originally designed OCs, and anything that doesn't happen in the show proper.

Finally, we're back on track. This takes place sometime after "Stare Master".

The sword of pure magic wielded by Sunny Skies is derived from Chapter 13 of Past Sins.

Yeah. Not much I could think of. MAYBE I could make more if I get suggestions on combatant characters. Just give me their weapons, armor, and skills and I MAY make another duel (NOT Death Battle).

Special 3: Chronicle's Duels

Duel 1: Sunset Key

Morning in Ponyville…

Chronicle was in his 'training range', facing an earth pony stallion with a very pale amber coat, golden-blond spiky hair, blue eyes, and a strange cutie mark that looked like a cross of sorts. It was difficult to determine what talent he would have, but then the same could be said for the Story Crew emblem. Chronicle had no talents related to books or anything concerning literature. The earth pony's name was Sunset Key.

In his mouth was a strange-looking sword. It seemed to have a skeleton key mix with it. The blade was curved and notched with a noticeably sharp edge. The whole thing was a mix of white and black. A certain word popped in his head, but he couldn't quite place where it was familiar.

Chronicle decided to humor Key by taking out hs little-used sword hilt and formed his "magic blade" from it. It's only called "magic horn blade" when its formed from his horn.

"You up for this?" asked the earth pony through his teeth.

"I should be the one asking you that," retorted the unicorn.

"Heheh, true." He then swung, and while Chronicle parried the blade with ease, he was surprised at what Key pulled off. No pony—save perhaps Pinkie Pie—was this nimble. He seemed to replicate the sword's movements as if a tall bipedal being were swinging it with their hands.

"What the █—" He didn't get to finish as Key went for another swing, this time it was downward. That attack was parried as well, then Chronicle flash-stepped (been quite some time since he's done that) past the earth pony, quickly turned around, and launched a salvo of magic shots.

Key instantly turned around as well and—against all logic—made his sword spin to deflect the attacks. The double ████?! Chronicle thought as he kept his horn glowing, continued the assault, and summoned a magical clone to where he was a while ago to do the same.

The two way attack worked and as a result the sword was sent flying out of his mouth and into a bale of hay as Key continued to be pounded with shots. His 'sword' still levitating, Chronicle 'swung' it at Key's belly, drawing a minor wound—and ending the fight.

That ended too quickly. "I don't know how an earth pony can swing a sword like that, but it will take more than flashy moves to win a fight," he told his challenger.

"Yeah, I guess," replied Key as he went to retrieve his sword.

"You put up a interesting fight nonetheless. Here's your reward." He procured a pouch of bits and passed it to the earth pony, who seemed to be surprised for some reason.

"But I—"

"The only thing you get from winning is a bonus. Even if you lose, you still earn something. I'm not trying to challenge anybody (even non-ponies can take the request), just trying to hone my skills. Besides, I can fetch more challengers this way. If I were to put a reward ONLY on beating me, my chances of getting a challenge and their difficulty will be completely dependent on my reputation. I can't have that."

By this point, Key accepted the bits and retrieved his sword. "Don't you have friends to help?"

"While all of them can hold their own, none of them are as well-trained as I am."

"Is it possible for me to challenge you again," asked Key.

"Get yourself patched up before that. And unfortunately, due to my job, I won't always be available. Also, I have the privilege to refuse you until you have improved. You got me?"

"Yes, Chronicle."

Duel 2: Gusty

Daytime…

Gusty was a white unicorn with green eyes, Dark turquoise hair with a red streak, and a cutie mark of five red maple leaves. Her special talent though was of aerokinesis. Right now, her horn glowing green, she was blowing up a storm that was trying to blow him away. Luckily, due to an earlier incident, the things in his range were protected from bring blown away thanks to a spell by Twilight Sparkle. He was also protecting himself with his little-used river serpent-scale shield.

"Wind doesn't have much in terms of damaging power, you know," he told his opponent. "Also, knocking me out of the range is not a victory condition."

"Oh?" The wind then stopped. "Whoopsie." Gusty then made a devious grin before casting her magic again. It hit the shield, and Chronicle knew from the impact that she had launched a razor wind.

She then started to move, trying to get around the shield, which he kept between the two of them while firing 'shurikens'. Gusty couldn't blow these off course since they were not made out of solid matter and thus had to dodge. However, she was quick on her hooves and a few times already her razor winds nicked the ground inches next to where Chronicle was standing.

"Watch it," he warned. "A wound is all I need to lose. Nothing more." He then made a quick move to 'shove' his shield straight at Gusty, but she 'grabbed' it, 'wrested' it from his 'grip', 'tossed' it aside, and launched another razor wind, all in the span of one second. It was too quick for him to make a strong enough barrier to stop it in time.

The wind smashed through and got him in the front legs, making two cuts as it pushed him back an inch. He winced from the pain, then flash-stepped away from a second that had been launched at the heat of the moment.

"Stop. You win, Gusty." The unicorn mare stopped and gave a smile as Chronicle 'gave' her a large pouch of bits. "I should really work on my reaction time," he grumbled.

Duel 3: Scorchwheel

Afternoon…

"Can't handle the heat?" Chronicle's opponent taunted as he hurled a burning wheel.

The unicorn just whacked it back with his shield and the wheel made it back to his opponent. "I'm not impressed with your puns, Scorchwheel. What's next? Burning rubber?"

His opponent, Scorchwheel, was a pegasus with a gamboge coat, thick bright red hair styled into slicked-back spikes, a widow's peak, purple reverse-teardrop shaped markings below his green eyes, and a blazing wheel cutie mark. Chronicle did not want to find out how he got that.

On the pegasus's forelegs were two launchers that held two silver wheels with four spikes protruding from them, four half-circle recessions between those, a blue-gray cross 'handle' connecting them, and some mysterious component that set them on fire when…fired. They also got a homing system that calls them back to the launcher after colliding with a target.

Right now, Scorchwheel was in the air, trying to get through Chronicle's defenses. "Sunset Key's told me a bit about you. He said you're a skilled fighter. Show me what you got!"

"You're the challenger, not me." Chronicle was answered by another thrown wheel, which he deflected. He then shot a flurry of 'shurikens', which Scorchwheel deftly evaded. Dammit, it's no good. Especially after he incinerated my Glimmer Wings. "You're gonna have to try something else, Scorchwheel. I haven't got all day."

"Very well, then." The pegasus began to fly fast in circles around Chronicle, then hurl his wheels at him. The unicorn just rolled his eyes as he deflected the attacks with his shield. He had some practice against this tactic before with Rainbow Dash, even though she doesn't throw stuff at him like Scorchwheel does.

Deflecting sure wasn't going to work; he'd just catch it again. Maybe if… well, he'll need a lot of focus for that. As he sensed a wheel come right at him, he focused his magic on it, and successfully 'grabbed' it just before it could graze his face, completely arresting its motion.

Scorchweel was apparently offended from this maneuver. "Hey! Give that back!"

"Come and take it!" Chronicle dared. The pegasus took it and charged with his remaining wheel poised to strike in melee range. As Scorchwheel neared the ground, Chronicle made his move; he flash-stepped back, drew his "magic horn blade", then flash-stepped forward again, slashing through Scorchwheel as he passed him. The redhead pegasus stumbled into the ground from the pain as the unicorn went forward and made a cut in his body, scoring victory.

"Rats!" swore Scorchwheel as he turned to see his wound. "You're not as good as I hoped, but you seem skilled enough."

"I'm better at going easy enough to maim, not so much when it comes to just drawing blood. And I don't often try to break a bone. Here." He procured a pouch of bits and passed it and the wheel he took to Scorchwheel. The pegasus put the wheel back into his launcher and stowed the bits into his personal hammerspace.

"Thanks. Hope to duel you again."

'Duel' 4: Twilight Sparkle

The next day, late morning…

"Chronicle, could you tell me if I'm doing this right?"

"Doing what right, Twilight?"

The two of them were facing each other in the training range. It wasn't an 'official' duel.

"That spell you often use whenever you fight."

"Oh that? You mean the magic horn blade."

"Yes, that." She then cast the spell the way she remembered him casting it.
Energy seemed to form around her horn as it then seemed to take in a shape akin to Chronicle's own. However, he did notice that the blade she made was significantly longer than his. He did did best not to feel the slightest bit envious from the size.

"Okay," he said as he stepped aside, then levitated over an old equinequin. "Now, bring your blade down on that."

She complied and successfully did so, but also managed to dig her blade a bit deep into the ground.

"All right." He then levitated a couple of busted pillows in front of her, spacing them evenly so that she can't take them all in one blow. "Now use that blade to cut these up."

As she did as he instructed, he noted that she was 'hefting' it around like it was a heavy sword. Once she was done, she turned to face him and said, "You never told me the magic horn blade holds weight."

He resisted the urge to say, "You never asked."

Twilight dismissed her "horn blade" and continued, "I mean, being made of unicorn magic, shouldn't it technically be weightless?"

"Technically, that spell is meant to be used on objects and then levitated like you probably would a sword."

"What made you decide to implement it on your horn?"

"I can't quite remember why, but it felt good." He then realized something as he put away the destroyed pillows. "Wait, what do you know about Magic Sickness?"

"Magic Sickness occurs on a unicorn if they were to cast more advanced and concentrated spells on themselves." she continued to talk as her friend 'picked up' a wet broom and started straightening the dirt scattered from her practice. "Symptoms vary from violent coughing, vomiting for a week, headaches, and stomach aches. If the spell is too extreme, it can prove lethal. Teleportation is the only spell unicorns can perform without succumbing to magic sickness because of its mild nature."

"I see. Do you happen to have some sort of natural immunity like I do, or have you used some other method to alleviate it for a while?"

"From what Princess Celestia told me, I'm one of those few unicorns who are immune to Magic Sickness."

"Ah."

Twiight then changed the subject. "So…how did I do? With the magic horn blade, I mean."

"As Mystic Shield had stated lots of times, you don't seem to know how to go easy. Too much power will render the blade too 'heavy'. And thus your movements are slow. I could easily parry that blow. Also, there're a couple more things thatI have that you don't. One, I've had constant, constant practice. Two, you also have to practise your body to swing this thing properly. Three, self-restraint is important with this spell, else you could break something or even kill someone." His last point shocked Twilight, which he noted. "Don't look at me like that. You should know by now that I don't skirt around 'death' words."

Duel 5: Sunny Skies

Noon…

"Are you sure about this, Chronicle?" the challenger asked.

"Don't worry, princess," the unicorn replied, the last word spoken rather teasingly. "You can just pass it off as the weapon being magical. Magical artifacts do exist, right?"

Floating next to his opponent was a pristine white blade that shone like steel, but was really composed of pure, compressed mystic energy. Said opponent was a pegasus named Sunny Skies. White coat, pink mane that almost seemed to flow, and a cutie mark depicting a simple sun flanked by a few tiny clouds. She was no ordinary pegasus however. In reality, she was Princess Celestia in disguise, who was here to take a break from the royal life in Canterlot.

As to how he knows who she was, just a day after the "Philomena incident", Celestia had come to Ponyville as Sunny to interact with Twilight and her friends. The disguise worked effectively, though Chronicle did sense something unusual about her when they met. One skill of his is that he can sense if someone is disguising themselves via means outside clothes, posture, and mannerisms, but cannot tell who is behind it. She was busted when Spike sent a letter by fire, which went straight for her in front of Twilight and the rest. ('Naturally', Pinkie Pie knew all along but didn't tell because she thought everypony else did.)

Despite this, everything went all right and—under threat of Pinkie Promise—the whole thing was kept a secret. Princess Luna is the only other pony who knows, having suggested the idea in the first place.

"True, but…it's been a very long while since I used this."

"How long? A thousand years?" he grinned as if to jest, but he had a tone of seriousness.

"Longer. I couldn't bring myself to strike down my sister with this blade of magic. And while I've had to fight off the occasional threat my little ponies couldn't deal with, I've never needed to conjure it."

"Oh. This may prove to be a refresher, then. Don't go easy on me, but try not to maim me. And an extra rule, just to minimize suspicion; don't dismiss and re-summon your sword."

"All right," Celestia replied somewhat shakily. She 'swung' the sword in a wide arc, which Chronicle stopped with a panel force field. Celestia followed up with a thrust, which went below the panel, but the unicorn side-stepped and swung down his own blade to parry and pin it down. The incognito princess 'drew' her blade back and made another thrust, which Chronicle dodged by flash-stepping out of reach.

Celestia had her blade follow him and perform sideward swings, which he parried with his own blade. To minimize suspicion, she kept close to her conjured sword. From what Chronicle told her, magical artifacts that can operate from such a great distance are so far unheard of unless they bear sentience, and even then those were rare.

The two magic blades clashed as they attempted to break through the other with sheer force. Chronicle buckled momentarily under the weight of Celestia's attack, but he would not be so easily defeated, not even by an alicorn. A careful turn of his blade sent Celestia's down into the ground. As she struggled to bring it back up, the unicorn used the force she 'exerted' to flip and try to buck her in the face. She pulled away just in time, then before he could complete the turn to wound her with his blade and end the battle, she had her sword back up to attempt to do that to him.

Chronicle flash-stepped to Celestia's side, though her sword managed to nick off part of his tail. As he positioned himself to poke her side, as he thrust forward, Celestia had her sword parry it and turn it upward. She followed up with a buck to his chest, sending him stumbling to the ground.

Before he could think of getting up, Celestia 'drove' her sword's pommel right into his barrel, knocking the wind out of him, then 'slid' the blade gently across it as he recovered from the blow.

"Looks like I win," Celestia said as Chronicle got up to his feet.

"Wow. I didn't expect you to fight like that, Pri—uh, Sunny," he replied. "I took you for the type who would attack from a distance."

The incognito princess gave a short laugh. "If I were in my true form, I would've done just that. But given that I had to dampen my magic to maintain this form…"

"You had to resort to alternate measures, right?"

Celestia nodded in rseponse. "My sister and I have had to battle various creatures over the centuries, some you might have been able to handle with difficulty, to some more powerful and dangerous than an Ursa Major."

"I'm not gonna ask what situations forced you to resort to that kind of spell. Thanks for the fight." He procured a pouch of bits and was about to pass it to Celestia when she—subtly using her magic—forced it back in.

"That won't be necessary."

"Oh, right."

Comments

[SCP Pinkamena]

2967386 All the chapter are outta whack yo... What with that?
(lol imma gangster)

[nightelf37]

3021725
Whoopsie. I can't believe you were stalking my story.

[SCP Pinkamena]

3021852 It's like... 1, 2, 6, 5.... I DON'T UNDERSTAND

[Warrior Kitten]

I would have Warrior Kitten fight Chronicle. But he adapts too fast and I made him a little overpowered.

Anyway, when are you getting back to the story? Too many chronicle-only chapters. (I know, there's only been 2 lol)

[nightelf37]

3022138
Next chapter will cover what he does during "Party Of One". Due to his sensibility and the fact I don't want to deviate too much on canon events, the party planners for Pinkie Pie's birthday would leave him out for "reasons unknown". I know some of us have some bad taste from the episodes events and Chronicle will fulfill my true purpose for him; chewing out the characters for doing such stupid ideas.

[nightelf37]

3021855
Due to the fact that Winter Wrap Up is Episode 12 and Fall Weather Friends is Episode 13, I decided to mix up the chronological order of the 'episodes'.