Past Shadows

by ChaosDragoon

Chapter Sixteen

“Where in Equestria am I,” she said before she noticed two ponies standing in front of a large glass. One was a lime green mare earth pony with a grey mane and standing next to her was a brown unicorn with a black mane. She noticed a small tan unicorn with a black mane trying to see inside the glass.

“I can’t see daddy,” he said. The father smiled before his horn glowed and a silver aura appeared around the small unicorn and lifted him onto his father’s back. He looked into the room before he turned to his mother and added, “Which one is it?”

“You see the yellow filly with the blond mane. The one in the middle,” his mother said. He scanned the room before he saw the small filly as his mother added, “That’s your new baby sister, Artemis” the tan unicorn looked at his mother then back as the filly as he placed his front hooves on the glass.

“Hi Artemis, I’m your big brother Weaponry,” the colt said.

Twilight looked into the room before she turned her attention to the three ponies to find they had vanished. She looked into the room where the colts and fillies were and saw nothing but empty cribs. She saw the reflection of an oak door behind her. She turned towards the door and walked towards it. When she placed her hoof onto the door she felt a chill run down her spin as a dark aura emanated from the door. She stepped back before proceeding through the door.

She found herself in a damp, dark hallway. The lights hanging from the ceiling did little to light the way. Her horn lit up to illuminate the hallway and she saw that it stretched into what seemed like an endless abyss of darkness. She also noticed that on each side of the hallway where doors. She suddenly jumped when the door behind her slammed shut. She turned to see that it had a number inscribed into it and a clipboard hanging on the right side of it. She levitated the clipboard from the nail in the wall and examined it. On it was a date, a time and a small description that read: Day Artemis was born. As she placed the clipboard back on the wall as a small blue glowing orb flew past her. It stopped and seemed to turn towards her and giggled before flying toward a door and going through it. Twilight walked over to the door and then examined the clipboard next to it.

“Maybe if I follow it, it will show me where Weaponry is,” she said to herself before she pushed the door opened. She looked around at the small living room and found that the orb was hovering over Artemis who was dressed up like a princess with books and blocks around her like a castle. She saw a small Weaponry pace back and forth like a guard.

“Don’t worry princess, no monsters will harm you,” he said. Artemis just giggled as she hugged a teddy bear next to her. Weaponry’s horn glowed as a tan aura formed around it and stuffed animals lifted up and began to charge towards them. Twilight looked at the event in confusion, why does he have a tan aura and not a black aura?

“You will not get to the princess,” he said as he charged towards the stuffed animals. As each one got close to him he gently tapped them to knock them down. Twilight herd Weaponry’s voice in her head as though she could hear his thoughts. As long as I don’t rip them like last time, we should be fine. Weaponry thought before a plush squid came from behind him and wrapped its tentacles around his neck. He pretended to struggle with it as he fell to the ground grunting.

“Run princess, they’re too strong!” Weaponry shouted. Artemis didn’t answer. He looked over towards her to see she had fallen asleep clutching the teddy bear. Weaponry smiled as he lifted the squid from him and placed all the stuffed animals back into the toy chest. He levitated Artemis from the floor and placed her onto the sofa. He levitated a small blanket from the back of the sofa and placed it over her.

“Sweet dreams princess,” Weaponry said before he began to pick up all the blocks and books and place them back onto the self. Twilight smiled as she remembered all the times she played knights and princesses with her older brother. The orb floated above Weaponry as he walked into the next room. Twilight followed as she saw his Mother and Father standing at the door, his Father getting ready to leave.

“Don’t worry honey, I’ll be fine. It’s just an investigation of a possible changeling hive. Nine times out of ten they turn up to be nothing more than rumors,” his father said.

“Yes, but please be careful,” Weaponry’s mother said.

“Are you going on another missing?” Weaponry asked as he trotted over. A smile formed on his face as he added, “Can I come with you?”

“Sorry Weaponry, but I can’t,” his father said. Weaponry sighed as he lowered his head. His father placed a hoof on Weaponry’s head and added, “I can’t take you because you have a mission of your own.”

“I do,” Weaponry asked as he lifted his head up.

“Yep, you have to guard mommy and Artemis from any nasty creatures that might want to hurt them while I’m gone. Can you do that?” his father said.

“Yes sir!” Weaponry shouted as a smile formed on his face before he added, “I’ll get the power ponies to help me.” He quickly ran towards his room to grab his action figures.

“That should keep him busy for a while,” Weaponry’s mother said before she turned to her husband and added, “You’ll be careful?”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I’ll be back within a week,” he said before he kissed her goodbye and walked out of the house. Twilight watched as the world around her seemed to speed up. A day turned to two, then three, then four. Then a week had past, then two, then three. The world started to slow down on the fifth week as Weaponry’s father walked through the door and sighed.

Weaponry’s mother hugged him as she said, “I was getting worried. You said you’d be back within a week. What happened?”

“It turned out that the hive rumors where true. We had to take down the hive and where attacked by changelings. We managed to destroy the hive but it took longer than we thought,” he explained. Weaponry trotted over to his father with a beaming smile on his face.

“My mission was a success. Artemis and mommy weren’t harmed by anything. We found a spider in Artemis’s room but I took care of it,” Weaponry cheerfully said.

“Mission?” Weaponry’s father asked.

“Yeah, my mission to protect Artemis and mommy from any nasty creatures that might want to hurt them while you were gone,” Weaponry said, a little confused.

“Oh, right. Good job kido,” Weaponry’s father said as he placed his hoof onto Weaponry’s head and ruffled up his mane. Artemis started crying from the other room before Weaponry’s mother quickly ran into the other room with Weaponry following her. Twilight watched them before she turned back to Weaponry’s father who looked around at the home before a sly smile formed on his face and he followed them into the other room. The orb did the same a few seconds later.

Twilight followed the orb to find the oak door standing in the middle of the living room. She walked through it and found herself in a dark room. Her horn glowed to show the room was filled with movie posters, comic books, and action figures. She picked up one of the power pony action figures before a muffled scream was herd outside the room, then crying. She quickly ran towards the door, dropping the action figure. When she ran out of the room she saw Weaponry’s father levitating a knife in front of him as he walked towards Weaponry’s mother holding a crying Artemis.

“Stay away from us,” she yelled as she began to pick up items and throw them at him. Weaponry standing in front of his mother shocked.

“Daddy, why are you doing this?” he cried.

“Out of the way you brat,” Weaponry’s father said before Weaponry felt his body be lifted up and flung across the kitchen. He was slammed against the wall and slid down to the floor. He slowly started to get up as he winced. Sparks started to shot from his horn. Please, please make anything to stop him from hurting them! Weaponry thought. A tan orb formed from his horn and took the shape of a small dagger. It flung towards his father and whizzed past him and pierced into the wall. His father stopped, his eyes widened as green blood started to ooze from his neck before it started to flow out like a river. His father placed his hooves over his neck trying to stop the bleeding. His hooves were covered in green blood before he suddenly changed into a changeling and began to franticly knock objects over trying to stop the blood.

He fell to the ground and started to convulse before suddenly stopping and lying lifeless on the ground. The tan dagger disappeared before Weaponry ran to him mother and Artemis. Twilight noticed that a mark of two swords in a crossed formation with a halberd going vertically while a spear went horizontally through them appeared on his flank.

She watched as fog started to pour into the kitchen and engulf the three. When the fog dissipated, she saw a large group of ponies around a grave site as a casket was lowered into the ground. There was an elderly pony that stood behind the tombstone and as the casket was lowered into the ground he said, “We ask that Celestia’s light guide this brave soul to the promise land. Were his forefathers are waiting for him with open arms.” Twilight looked up at the orb and it seemed that it was saddened by the events unfolding in front of it. When she turned back she saw that everypony was gone. The grave had been filled with dirt and grass lay over it. Standing next to the grave was another door.

Twilight watched as the orb quickly flew into the door. She walked over to the door and noticed that there was a group of action figures leaning against the tombstone. She turned towards the door and walked through it to find herself back in the dimly lit hallway. Twilight looked around for the orb and saw it fly through another door. Further down the hallway. She trotted towards the door and without looking at the clipboard walked through it. She stood in a group of ponies. She looked to her left to see a much older Weaponry standing next to her. Her attention then turned to a sliver earth pony pacing back in froth in front of the group.

“My name is Metal Jacket! I’m not your mother, your friend, or your foalsitter. You’re all here to be part of the royal guard. You will be trained to the very braking point and in that time, I’ll build you back up to become the greatest guards this kingdom has ever seen. Is that clear!?” he roared.

“Sir, yes sir!” the entire group said in unison.

“Then give me twenty laps around the complex. Pegasi will fly while caring a metal pole. Earth ponies will carry satchels filled with iron, and unicorns will levitate boulders while you run. Is that clear?” Metal jack roared again.

“Sir, yes sir!” the entire group said in unison again. The group suddenly raced towards another group of ponies. Pegasi where given metal poles, satchels filled with iron were placed on the backs of earth ponies, and unicorns levitated boulders as they began running laps around the complex. As they disappeared from sight she watched as an oak door rose up from the ground. So that’s how they keep appearing. Twilight thought as she watched the orb fly through the door. She walked through the door and immediately ducked down as streams of magical energy flew past her.

She crawled until she felt she was out of range from the barrage. She got up and looked back to see unicorns firing magical energy at dummies.

“Again, do it again!” Metal Jacket’s voice screamed. Twilight ran over to where she heard his voice and looked over a railing. She saw Weaponry with three tan swords around him and five ponies around him, each with a sword clutched in their teeth. Weaponry was breathing heavily before he took a deep breath before the ponies around him charged.

One of the swords collided with a pony’s sword as another fought off another pony. The third was able to knock a sword from a pony’s mouth and collided with a forth pony but the fifth was able to flank Weaponry and knocked him to the ground before pointing his sword towards Weaponry.

“Is that it?” Metal Jacket sighed before he added, “The enemy won’t attack you in groups of three but a massive wave. If you’re going to fight them off you need to either learn to fight them off with three weapons, or learn to create more.” The pony pointing his sword towards Weaponry sheathed his sword and extended his hoof. Weaponry took his hoof and was helped up. Before he turned to Metal Jacket.

“Understood sir,” Weaponry said.

“I think that will be enough for today. You’re dismissed,” Metal jack said before he walked away. The pony next to Weaponry took off his helmet and placed it under his arm.

“He’s right you know,” Flash Sentry said.

“I know, but right now I’m only able to create three weapons. If I try to create a fourth,” Weaponry said as he winced and tried to create a fourth. Another orb floated from his horn and created a weapon. Suddenly the four weapons started to tremble and they all suddenly imploded into themselves as sparks fell to the ground before Weaponry added, “See”

“That was awesome,” a voice said behind them as a bright blue unicorn with a silver mane ran up to them.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with the Archery group Sacred Arrow?” Flash questioned.

“We got out early on account of one of the archers froze the commanders front hooves,” Sacred Arrow laughed. Both Weaponry and Flash looked at her as she said, “What? I didn’t do it. I’ve gotten better!” The two stared suspiciously ay Sacred Arrow before Flash’s stomach rumbled.

“Can we please get something to eat, I had to skip breakfast on account of I woke up late,” Flash said clutching his stomach. Weaponry and Sacred Arrow just laughed at his sudden outburst before the three headed towards the mess hall as Flash added, “I hope there’s still apple fritters there.” His mouth watering at the thought of the pastries as Twilight followed them towards the massive building.

“Hey Weaponry,” Sacred Arrow said as she walked next to him. He looked over at her as she added, “Can I ask you something?” Twilight quickened her pace to keep up with them.

“The answer is still no,” Weaponry said his ears bending back as he thought, again with this?

“Hey!” Sacred Arrow protested before she added, “How can you say no when you don’t know the question?” Weaponry just shook his head and sighed.

“Because I know what you’re going to ask me,” Weaponry said.

“Oh really,” Sacred Arrow said.

“Yes, you’re going to ask me to teach you how to mold your magic into weapons,” Weaponry said.

“Well why not?” Sacred Arrow wined

“Because A: my talent can’t be learned, it’s something I was born with,” Weaponry said before he added, “And B: why in Equestria would you want to learn something like this from me even though I can only conger up three weapons?”

“Because it looks so cool and,” Sacred Arrow said before she looked away from him and added, “I think you’d make a great teacher.” Weaponry looked at her, his right eyebrow raised.

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere with me,” Weaponry said.

“Look, I think you’re the only one who can help me,” Sacred Arrow said.

“Well yeah, I’m the only one who can create weapons from my magic,” Weaponry said.

“it’s not just that,” Sacred Arrow said as she shook her head. She sighed and added, “Whenever I use my magic to hold a weapon, my magic dissipates like it doesn’t want to hold a device for war and death. I was hoping you could help me overcome it.”

“What makes you think learning this kind of magic will help you? Even if you could, wouldn’t your magic reject anything you make?” Weaponry questioned.

“Because I think if I’m able to make the weapons out of my magic, then it won’t dissipate,” Sacred Arrow said.

“It won’t work,” Weaponry sighed as he shook his head.

“Why not?” Sacred Arrow asked.

“Because it’s not a matter of your magic, but your conscience,” Weaponry said.

“My conscience?” Sacred Arrow questioned.

“Yes, whenever you pick up a weapon, your conscience only sees a weapon for death and war and no matter how hard you try. You’ll never be able to pick up a weapon or create a weapon,” Weaponry said.

“So I’ll never be a royal guard then,” Sacred Arrow said.

“Not if you continue to see your weapons as tools for death and war, but we’ll talk more about that tomorrow,” Weaponry said. Sacred Arrow looked up at him eyes widened as Weaponry sighed and added, “I’ll try and teach you how to create weapons from your magic, but first I have to show you that not all weapons are tools for death and war.” Sacred Arrow quickly hugged him and repeatedly thanked him.

“Come on you two, all the apple fritters might be taken!” Flash wined before he rounded the corner. The two quickly followed after him. Twilight ran around the corner and slammed into an oak door.

“Celestia damn it,” Twilight said a she rubbed her head. She looked at the door before she walked through it. She suddenly fell flat on her face as she stepped through the door and fell to the ground. She groaned as she looked up at the door. It was floating a few feet in the air and it began to shack like it was laughing at her before it scattered into brown sparks. She grunted again and stood up before looking around and seeing Weaponry standing in front of Sacred Arrow.

“Before I can teach you to create magical weapons, I need to address the reason why you can’t hold a weapon,” Weaponry said before he gently kicked a sword towards her and added, “Use your magic to lift this up.” Sacred Arrow nodded and a blue aura formed around her horn and then around the sword.

The sword began to lift up before suddenly the aura disappeared and the sword fell with a loud clang. Sacred Arrow sighed before saying, “See, this is what always happens when I try to hold a weapon.”

“That’s because you’re only seeing them as tools for death and war, when you should see them as tools for peace and harmony,” Weaponry said.

“Peace and harmony?” Sacred Arrow said before she added, “How? These are used to kill creatures threatening all of pony kind. We wage wars with them and spill countless blood with them.”

“I know, but we also use them as peace makers and to sustain harmony,” Weaponry said. Sacred Arrow cocked her had in confusion before Weaponry continued, “We may use these in war and they may be tools for death but, we also use them for peace and also to keep harmony throughout the land. So think of these as peace keepers not means to kill. Think of these as a way to keep harmony, not to continue with war.”

Sacred Arrow nodded before she stared at the sword that lay on the floor. She shook all thoughts of death and war from her mind and saw a heroic pony standing with the millions he saved as he held up his sword declaring peace and tranquility. Her aura wrapped around the sword and lifted it up. The sword stayed afloat before a smile formed on her face.

“I did it!” Sacred Arrow screamed not realizing her magic was swinging the sword around. Weaponry quickly ducked as it swung back and forth. She quickly realized what she was doing and let the sword float down to the ground.

“Now that we’ve got that out of your head, I think we can focuses making your magic take the shape of weapons,” Weaponry said. Sacred Arrow nodded before Weaponry added; “To do this, you must picture a weapon in your mind to create, and then use your magic to create it.” A tan orb floated from his horn and created a sword.

Sacred Arrow nodded and winced as sparks started to form out of her horn, but nothing happened. She took a deep breath and tried again. The world around Twilight suddenly sped up again. Day turned to night in a second then into day again. She watched as Weaponry and Sacred Arrow day in and day out stood in the same spot as Sacred Arrow tried to create a magical weapon. The world started to slow down and stopped as Twilight felt the urge to puke but fought it back. Sacred Arrow grunted as sparks flew from her horn and suddenly disappeared as she collapsed to the floor.

“This is never going to work!” She cried before she stood up and added, “We’ve been at this for three weeks and nothing has happened.” Weaponry rubbed his chin as he thought.

“Maybe we’re going about this all wrong,” he said.

“What do you mean,” Sacred Arrow asked.

“Well: I’ve been asking you to create mid-rage and short range weapons like daggers, swords, and axes but, what if you’re not comfortable with those types of weapons. What if you’re more of a long rage wielder? You’re part of the archery group so maybe if you tried to create a bow and arrow something might happen,” Weaponry explained.

Sacred Arrow nodded and took a deep breath before sparks started to form from her horn. Twilight watched as Weaponry’s tan aura mixed with Sacred Arrow’s blue aura. There was a massive beam of light before a golden bow hovered above Sacred Arrow. Her eyes widened as she shouted, “I did it!”

“Yes you did, but can you use it?” Weaponry questioned.

Sacred Arrow looked around and found an arrow on the floor. She placed it against the string and it instantly disintegrated.

“What the?” Sacred Arrow said in confusion.

“Come on, I want to try something,” Weaponry said as he lead her towards the shooting range. Twilight followed. Weaponry placed Sacred Arrow in front of three dummies and pointed to the first one and said, “Now pull the string of the bow and picture an arrow.”

Sacred Arrow nodded and with her magic pilled the string of the bow. A green arrow formed in the bow and when she released it, the arrow flew through the air and hit the target a few inches from the middle.

“Ok, now move on to the next dummy and picture an arrow that freezes the enemy,” Weaponry said. Sacred Arrow did what he told her and as she pulled back the bow a blue arrow formed and when she let it go. The arrow stuck into the middle of the dummy and was instantly frozen in a block of ice.

“Wow, it has a greater affect then the normal frozen arrow,” Weaponry said before he looked at the last dummy and said, “I wonder.” He turned to Sacred Arrow and added, “With the last dummy, picture an arrow with any effect you chose. Picture what the arrow will do when it hits the dummy or even before.”

Sacred Arrow walked over in front of the final dummy and aimed the bow. She pictured the arrow and its effects and pulled the bow’s strings. A golden arrow formed and when she let the string go, the arrow shot like a lightning bolt into the middle of the dummy.

“I think with this bow,” Weaponry was about to say when he was cut off by the dummy exploding behind him. chunks of wood and hay flew through the air. It made him and Twilight jump as he yelled, “Holy shit!” Sacred Arrow fell to the ground laughing.

“Your face,” Sacred Arrow wheezed between laughing as tears rolled down her cheeks. Weaponry just rolled his eyes before he noticed a mark appearing on her flank.

“I guess I was wrong,” Weaponry said.

“W-what do you mean?” Sacred Arrow asked after she had gotten back up and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

“I had thought creating magical weapons was only my talent but it seems I was wrong,” Weaponry said as he pointed to her flank. She turned and her eyes widened as she stared at glistening arrow that had appeared on her flank. She suddenly hugged Weaponry nearly tackling him to the ground.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Sacred Arrow repeated.

“I thought you two where training?” Flash questioned. Weaponry and Sacred Arrow both looked at him then each other before she quickly let go of Weaponry. Both ponies faces were beat red.

“Look Flash,” Sacred Arrow said as she pointed to the mark on her flank.

“We’ll I’ll be, looks like you got your cutie mark sis,” Flash said as he noogied the top of her head.

“Come on Flash, I’m not a little filly anymore,” She said as she pushed him away from her before she said, “I have to show my friends. I’ll be back.” She quickly ran towards the barracks as Flash walked over to Weaponry and nudged him with his hoof.

“Seems like you two are hitting it off rather well,” Flash chuckled.

“Yeah,” Weaponry said before he realized what he just said and his face blushed again before he blurted out, “Wait! What?” Flash just shook his head and chuckled.

“Don’t play dumb with me, I can see it and trust me I get an ear full as well,” Flash said.

“What do you mean?” Weaponry questioned.

“Day in and day out she talks about how your helping her learn to manifest magical weapons,” Flash said before he cleared his throat and did his best impression of his sister, “He’s so awesome! How he’s able to create those weapons now he’s going to teach me. He’s so awesome!”

“Flash!” Sacred Arrow yelled. Her face flushed and an irritated expression on her face. Twilight looked towards Sacred Arrow before she looked back at Weaponry and Flash and smacked into the oak door. She shook her head and sighed at the sight of the door before she walked through it. She walked into the dark hallway before the door slammed shut behind her. She walked down the hallway looking at each door she passed before her ears bent back as a door behind her squeaked open. She quickly turned and saw, what seemed like a tail dart into the door. She quickly followed suit and as she ran through the door she was attacked by a massive flash that left her seeing small orbs.

Twilight shook her head and as the orbs dissipated she saw a camera standing in front of her. She turned and looked behind her to see Flash who had a large grin on his face, his eyes closed and wings extended. Weaponry looked annoyed as the picture was being taken and in the middle was Sacred Arrow who had her two front hooves on the corners of Weaponry’s mouth making him smile. She laughed as the picture was taken. She removed her hooves from the corners of Weaponry’s mouth and wiped them on the ground.

“You know I didn’t need your help smiling,” Weaponry said before he spat out small pieces of dirt to the ground.

“Oh, you don’t like my hooves in your mouth?” Sacred Arrow playfully asked. Weaponry’s left eye twitched and was about to respond when a guard called out to open the gates. The three walked over to the railing and watched as the group of guards walked through the gates. Twilight walked over and watched as she gasped at the sight of the guards. Their armor was broken, chipped, and covered in green ooze. Many limped through the gate while others were being carried in by other guards.

“Which group it that?” Sacred Arrow asked.

“That’s group eighteen. They’re the ones that go out and attack any changeling hives that pop up in Equestria. They’re numbers diminish every time they leave for battle,” Flash said.

“Why would anypony want to join them?” Sacred Arrow asked.

“Mainly because the changelings are our biggest threat right now. Many of those guards want to wipe them out to end the violence. Others join because they have a hatred for changelings,” Weaponry said.

“Yeah, but they’re just throwing their lives away. Shouldn’t Celestia order more guards into the group,” Sacred Arrow asked.

“No, I don’t think Celestia would throw her royal guards into the flames like that. Every group gives ponies a choice to join or not,” Weaponry said.

“Speaking of which: what group are you going to join,” Flash asked his sister.

“The archery group, my drill instructor suggested it since I can create various arrows,” Sacred Arrow said before she asked, “What about you?”

“Probably the air force. I’m one of the fastest flyers to graduate according to Metal Jacket,” Flash gloated

“What about you Weaponry,” Sacred Arrow asked. Weaponry stared at the group that had entered before he realized Sacred Arrow was talking to him. He was broken out of his trance when she asked again and nudged him.

“I-I’m not sure but I have a few groups in mind,” Weaponry said before turned back towards the group as the gates closed. Twilight watched the three before the blue orb appeared in front of her and giggled. She jumped back as the orb floated in front of her and flew into the ground before an oak door rose up from the ground.

“So that’s where you keep coming from,” Twilight said before the door opened and Twilight walked through it.

She found herself in a locker-room where Weaponry was placing his armor on. He had placed his hoof plates on and placed his helmet on the bench behind him before he closed the locker and placed the helmet on before walking towards the door. Suddenly Sacred Arrow blasted through the door he eyes filled with worry and anger. A few seconds later Flash followed trying to catch his breath.

“What are you thinking!?” Sacred Arrow yelled.