Chapter 1

Unexpected Sanctuary

The sea: An endless blanket of saltwater that has been crossed by several boats for the longest time. However, with the passing centuries, it has been tainted by the villainous scum known as pirates. As far as the world goes, pirates have known to have been lawless, odious, and detrimental throughout each of their lives and towards those they have come into contact with. They were considered an obstacle, if not an existing factor that cannot be condoned by those who follow the path of justice. But right now, some followers of justice are being hunted down by their former subordinates.

On a stolen marine boat rested a group of experienced agents that have broke ties with their superiors; steering the boat was a tall man with black hair that resembled the horns seen on a bull, his beard consisting of a triangle pattern along his chin; His clothes included a black shirt, camoflauge pants, and brown sandals. He wore a stoic face as he looked ahead of the endless blue horizon, thinking to himself as he continued to steer 'So this is where we end up? The same World Government we served for years happens to have turned their backs on us? Then again, at least we'll be able to give Spandam his comeuppance once we cross paths again...'

At a table on the base deck of the boat sat a man with a long rectangular nose and big black eyes; his orange hair was covered by a black cap; He wore an orange and white striped shirt with his short sleeves, breast pocket, and collar all colored red, as well as black pants and shoes. He was busy studying a map that was found in the boat's supply room, a thin frown on his face "Where to go..." He muttered to himself as he looked at each location shown "We could easily sail back to where Spandam is hiding, but he would expect us to come with tight security..." He heaved a sigh "This wouldn't have happened if the Straw Hat crew hadn't been victorious. I wish there could be a way to escape this."

"We cannot run away from a problem so easily, Kaku. You know that." The horn-haired man replied in a deep voice without looking down at him "I'm not fond of the fact that we're now fugitives myself, but we just have to press on. We've been trained to endure such situations, haven't we?"

Kaku stared up at the man blankly before he ended up chuckling lightly "Perhaps you're right, Blueno. I suppose Lucci wouldn't be happy to hear me complain either." He said, sporting a thin smile on his face. He looked over at the door leading to the boat's cabin "I wonder if he has a plan of his own for this situation."

Blueno's brow furrowed "You already heard him on the Den-Den Mushi. No matter how long it takes, he's gonna find Spandam and make him suffer for his actions. I don't blame him, actually; that guy has no spine whatsoever, always hiding behind his own resources...Time will only tell when we get the chance to catch up with him."

"Like we'll let Lucci have that bastard all to himself!"

Kaku looked away from the cabin across his table to see a dark-skinned man with pointed sunglasses over his forehead, a vertically trailing scar over his left eye, a pointed goatee on his chin, and a predatory grin on his face. He wore an open black shirt with a blue flower pattern that was covered by his scorpion-like ponytail and black slippers on his feet; his Fu Manchu moustache and the red sash on his black shorts were carried in a small gust while he approached Kaku "Don't forget that we all have a score to settle with Spandam once we get a hold of him. I say we just find him and take care of business once and for all! The sooner we take him down, the better."

Kaku frowned "Jabra, You forget that he still has power over some of the World Government's forces." He looked up at the afternoon sky and the slowly drifting clouds covering the sun "Besides...Once we've settled our issues, where will we go? The Marines will not stop until we're captured, so we're without a place to call home until we're out of their reach."

Jabra scowled at the mention of him being a fugitive "Don't remind me..." His face quickly contorted into his former grin "As for those traitorous dogs, let them come. We can wipe them out in droves before they can even approach our ship!" He crossed his arms as he continued "They have no one to blame but themselves if they choose to come after us right now."

Kaku stared at Jabra after his boastful remark 'At least he's in good spirits about the situation, as with everyone else.' He sighed wistfully to himself as he went back to studying his map 'Personally, I wouldn't mind to turn back time to five years prior to this day...'

Jabra looked down at Kaku and grunted "Hey, what's with the silent treatment? Nothing to add, Giraffe?" He asked, using his favorite nickname towards his long-nosed comrade.

Kaku's eyes narrowed at the small insult, though he did not face Jabra "I'm busy trying to find another island for us to lay low in. I don't need you egging me on when we have to focus on bigger matters."

While Jabra wished to poke more fun at Kaku, he admitted that it was a good point to determine their next destination. With a shrug, he scoffed "Whatever." He looked around at the endless sea surrounding the ship "Where are we, anyways? We've sailed for so long that there should be a sign of land by now." Jabra said as he turned back to face Kaku with a gruff, but curious glance.

Kaku considered Jabra's question and looked down at the map, pointing at a body of water north of a large island "As I recall, we traveled due north after Lucci's conversation with Spandam. We were lucky to cross the Calm Belt safely thanks to the bottom our ship being covered in seastone, but as you already know, we've yet to decide on a concrete destination." He closed his eyes "I'm surprised none of us have even suggested a good area to go other than the places we're most familiar with. We cannot go back to St. Poplar after the horrible impact made on our end, and our homeland is off-limits as well. Where else could we go unless we're to travel on the sea for the rest of our lives?"

"Yoyoi~! Perhaps I could be of assistance~?"

Jabra's face fell into an aggravated scowl at the new sound, not turning to acknowledge the large figure behind him. Towering over Jabra was a pale-skinned man wearing a black shirt and a strapped blue vest over it, with dark blue pants covering his legs; a bronze shakujo was in his left hand while he held his right out in a pose that involved him standing on one foot, both of which were covered by black and green sneakers; both hands were covered by green glovelike straps. His pinkish hair flowed in a style similar to that of a lion, and purple makeup was seen on his face as he bared his teeth and kept his right eye shut, resembling a kabuki actor.

The large man gave one hop with the leg he stood on before he continued "Though a loosed arrow flies straight and true, our arrow flies, flies at an undetermined direction~!" He said in a dramatic vocal inflection.

Jabra growled irritably while he remained frozen "No shit, Kumadori. We were just talking about it." He spat, not fond of Kumadori's company or his loud and bothersome speech pattern.

Kaku looked up at Kumadori "Do you have a suggestion for our next destination?" He asked curiously.

Kumadori spun his shakujo before gripping it with his right hand, striking another similar pose "Yoyoi~! As we travel ever northward, perhaps we should seek refuge towards, towards, towards, towards~-"

Jabra quickly turned to leer angrily at Kumadori "Out with it, already!" He snapped.

Kumadori continued despite Jabra's anger "towaaaards~ the island known as Mock Town~!" He gripped his shakujo with both hands as he slammed it onto the floor, though was careful not to puncture it "We shall blend in with the sa-sa-savage scum that make up its populace~, like dedicated shinobi performing their duties~!"

Kaku stared at Kumadori before he sweatdropped "You do realize that Mock Town was far west from where we left off, right, Kumadori?"

Kumadori froze in his encouraged pose before instantly falling to his knees with his arms slumped, hanging his head as he uttered a defeated 'Yoyoi~' from his slip-up in his worldly knowledge.

Jabra scoffed "Even if that was a suggestion, I'd sure as hell decide against it." He pointed a thumb towards himself "We were trained to put pirates in their place, and it'd be foolish to just blend in with them while we're on the run." He looked at the map with a critical glance "We traveled north, right? So we must be in the East Blue right now." He pointed a finger towards a small island far north by northwest "Why don't we travel to Syrup Village?"

Hearing his friends below deck, Blueno frowned while he steered "A trip like that could take days. As far as our current location goes, this ship is our new home for the time being..." He looked up at the crow's nest of the ship, where an enormous and round figure was perched "I'm surprised we haven't heard anything from Fukuro yet, since he's the most talkative out of all of us..."

"Chapapa!! I have an idea for our next location, chapapa!"

'Speak of the devil...' Blueno twitched an eyebrow after hearing the invigorated high voice from above; Between Fukuro and Kumadori, he found a kindred spirit in Jabra for considering their vocal patterns to be nearly intolerable. He looked up at the crow's nest to see the mass instantly wink out of existence.

After the next second, a round figure around the same height as Kumadori stood beside Blueno with an unzipped mouth curled up in a smile; His eyes were far apart on his face, and purple dimples were right under them. Some strands of his green and well-groomed hair blew in another small breeze while the small hairs on his chin remained still; He wore a short sleeve shirt that was covered in yellow, red, and black stripes, red wristbands on both of his arms, and black pants and shoes like Kaku's. He pointed northwest of the ship while staring at Blueno with his eager eyes "I saw something up ahead towards the left! It looked very interesting, chapapa!"

Blueno shifted his eyes to Fukuro "An unnamed island, I hope?" He asked calmly.

Fukuro stood still and stared blankly before speaking up "Actually, it looked like nothing was there, but I saw some waves in the air shaped like a ball. Maybe it could be some kind of invisible forcefield, chapapa!"

Blueno cast a deadpan stare at the loud mass "If it were a forcefield, then it would be unwise to just sail right towards it." He stated matter-of-factly.

Fukuro waved his hands frantically "But it could possibly let Marine boats in and keep pirates out, chapapa!"

Kaku perked up at the information shared by Fukuro "Wait...Since when has there been some kind of invisible anomaly in the middle of the East Blue that hasn't been recorded on modern-day maps?" The long-nosed man scanned the map diligently "There's absolutely nothing there, save for the Baratie farther northwest in the Sambas Region...Could it be some sort of hidden refuge unseen by the World Government?"

Jabra stroked his goatee with his right hand as he thought about the news himself. If what Kaku is saying was true, then this anomaly could be an ideal spot to not only hide from the World Government, but possibly plan their next move. He grinned exuberantly and looked up at his comrades "I say we go for it. For all we know, it could be the escape we're looking for if we want to lay low."

Kumadori instantly rose up and struck another signature pose as if he were injected with adrenaline "Yoyoi~! An excellent idea~! We can u-use this mysterious island as a bulwark for our current predicament~!"

Blueno hummed pensively to himself before he spoke up "If we're all going to go through with this, we should at least let Lucci and Kalifa in on Fukuro's latest find."

Jabra scowled up at Blueno "He doesn't need to know that. In fact, he should be grateful that we even found another place to hide without his help!"

Fukuro looked down at Jabra with a frown "But he's also our nakama. We're in this together, chapapa."

Kaku stared at Jabra, who bared his teeth angrily at Fukuro "He's right, you know; there's no need to act dominant on a situation we're all a part of, Jabra."

Jabra snarled at Kaku "All I'm saying is that it's dumb to just ask permission from one of our subordinates. He's not our damn leader, you know."

Kaku closed his eyes "Be that as it may, he still overpowers us both, and for all we know, he could have a different suggestion for us if ours does not seem to be the best one."

Jabra scoffed as he crossed his arms, looking down at Kaku in disappointment "Listen to yourself; it's like you're his bitch or something..."

Kaku narrowed his eyes at Jabra "Now isn't the time to bicker. Let's just run this suggestion by Lucci and Kalifa and see if they will agree or not." He said firmly, slightly irritated by Jabra's tendency to run at the mouth.

Fukuro raised an arm "I'll go tell them, chapapa!" He hopped down from the stern and landed next to the door leading to the boat's cabin. When he went to go reach for the doorknob, he noticed how the door was smaller than him, then froze in embarrassment "Chapa..."

Kaku smiled awkwardly as he rose form his chair "Don't worry, Fukuro, I'll go get them." He walked towards the door, though he could've sworn he heard Jabra murmur something along the lines of 'kiss-ass' or 'bitch' while he opened the door and went inside the cabin.

Kumadori saw this moment to gaze over at what Fukuro was talking about by jumping up and walking on the air as if it were the boat's floor. Using his geppou, he quickly shot upwards to land onto the crow's nest and squinted his open eye to make out the sight Fukuro saw for himself. After catching a brief glimpse of a ripple in the air far from his current location, his eye widened "Yoyoi~! That really is an in-in-invisible barrier~!" He said, recoiling in dramatic shock.

Fukuro looked up at Kumadori "So you see it, too? Then I was right, chapapa!" He smiled to himself for his demonstration of clairvoyance. He then heard the door open to see Kaku exit the cabin with two more people, one male and one female.

The female was blonde, wearing glasses that covered her blue eyes, and a black suit that went down to her exposed legs. Her feet were covered by long socks and purple heels that clicked each time they touched the hardwood floor.

Following behind her was a man with flowing black hair, a close-shaved goatee, and bandages seen on his forehead and left cheek, bearing a cold and calculating expression on his face that was further punctuated by his arched eyebrows. He wore a yellow shirt with black dots similar to that of a leopard with a black jacket that acted as a cape. Much like Kaku and Fukuro, he also wore black pants and shoes; perched on his right shoulder was a white pigeon wearing a red neck tie.

After the three exited the cabin, Kaku turned to Fukuro "Go on. You wanted to tell them, right?"

Fukuro perked up and quickly nodded before turning to the new male and female "Lucci! Kalifa! I think I found a place we can hide for a bit, chapapa!" He sounded to the two vigorously.

Kalifa pushed her glasses towards her eyes with her fingers as she retained a neutral expression "You don't have to shout, Fukuro. Can you show us where?" She asked curiously.

From the crow's nest, Kumadori called down to the entire group "Yoyoi~! North by north-northwest rests an invisible area that would serve as excellent camoflauge~!"

Fukuro looked up at Kumadori with a miffed expression "Chapa! I was gonna tell them that!" He called up to the kabuki performer crossly.

Jabra groaned "Both of you are too damn loud. It's a wonder you two are even agents!"

Lucci shifted his eyes towards Jabra "Have you forgotten that we have no affiliation with the World Government at the moment, Jabra?" He said in a calm, but indifferent tone "We're agents no more."

Jabra frowned at Lucci "Well, if it weren't for that bastard Spandam cutting us loose for something that was HIS fault, we would've kept our positions and wouldn't end up running away from him!"

Lucci narrowed his eyes "We're only falling back until we find a suitable moment to exact proper justice on that spineless cur..." He said as he looked away "Although we're agents of CP9 no longer, we're still envoys of justice, even if the World Government does not see it for themselves..."

The boisterous man scoffed before grinning at Lucci "Preaching to the choir on that one, kitten."

Lucci regarded Jabra with a piercing glare after the small insult; if looks could kill, Jabra wouldn't be standing anymore. However, like any other time they butted heads, Lucci's glare had no effect on Jabra whatsoever. He decided to turn to Fukuro as his expression softened "You said you've found something invisible northwest, correct?" He asked dispassionately. The pigeon on his right shoulder cooed at the loud mass after Lucci's question.

Fukuro smiled "Yeah! I think we could hide there if we can see what's inside of the forcefield, chapapa!"

Lucci stared at Fukuro after his self-excitable discovery. He was skeptical on the fact that there existed something invisible in the middle of the East Blue, let alone something that could be considered easy to access just because they're on a Marine ship. He decided to give a faint amount of trust in Fukuro's direction for the time being. It was a gamble, but even he could not decide where to go in order to keep a low profile from their current destination just past the Calm Belt; the silver lining to his action is that if his fellow nakama's assumption was wrong, he could beat him within an inch of his life.

With his decision final, Lucci distanced himself from his comrades to get a good view of Blueno up on the ship's wheel "Blueno." He called to him "Sail northwest towards the field."

While his face didn't show it, Blueno was shocked to hear Lucci agree to traveling where Fukuro wished to go "Are you sure about this?" After receiving a curt nod, Blueno wordlessly complied and steered to the left, directing the ship towards the strange anomaly up ahead in the distance.

At the sight of the ripples growing larger in size, they were getting closer towards the invisible field in little time. Kalifa looked ahead, feeling slightly nervous "Lucci...can we really trust Fukuro's sense of direction? For all we know, this could be a trap."

Lucci's expression did not change as he looked ahead "Not even the World Government has knowledge over this particular field, and for all we know, this could possible serve our benefit if it leads to another island unbeknownst to them..."

Jabra stared ahead until he frowned "Hey...How do we know if we even touched this th-" A flash of light that had started from the ship's bow had interrupted him. The light had engulfed the entire ship, blinding the group as they shielded their eyes from the intensity "What the hell!?" Jabra shouted in surprise.

"Yoyoi~! We're in the presence of divine light~!" Kumadori shouted while covering his eyes.

Blueno grunted while he clenched his eyes shut and tried to keep his hands on the wheel. If he let go, it could mean the end of him and his friends. Hopefully, the light would die down shortly while he maintained control of the ship.

Much to his satisfaction, the light had subsided, and the former agents opened their eyes and scanned their surroundings. Around them appeared to be the same blue sea they had sailed upon. Kaku could not comprehend what had happened while he looked "I-...What just happened?"

Lucci was just as confused, though was also vehement about actually trusting Fukuro to guide him and the others towards a safe haven. He turned towards the loud mass with a murderous glint in his eyes, easily striking fear towards his target.

Kumadori looked down at the beginning of a possible blood bath and turned his head away, tears streaming in his eyes "Fukuro~! It wasn't your fault that this had happened~!" The kabuki performer was found with a sharp knife in his hands, the blade pointing downward "I shall shoulder the blame and uphold your honor~!" He opened his right eye to look at the blade, only to notice a small image of a distant city behind it "Yoyoi~?"

Down below, Fukuro frightfully backed away from Lucci as he slowly advanced on him "P-P-Please forgive me! I thought I was right about going northwest, chapapa!" He said as he waved his arms in front of him.

Lucci stared down Fukuro as the pigeon on his shoulder flew off "You were wrong...and now you shall suffer for it..." He uttered venomously.

"I see a city~!"

Lucci halted his advance to look up at the crow's nest "You're in no position to defend Fukuro, Kumadori. Stay out of this..." He called up to him in warning.

Kumadori looked down and pointed the blade in his hands west of the ship, the pigeon hovering next to him "Yoyoi~! I speak profound truth~! Over the vast ho-horizon lies the sanctuary we've longed for~!"

Lucci narrowed his eyebrows "Now you're acting foolish..." He noticed the pigeon fly down from the crow's nest down to to his shoulder once more, cooing at him and pointing a wing in the same direction as Kumadori. Lucci decided to follow the wing of his pet and noticed the microscopic image far away from their ship. He stared for a moment until he hummed to himself "So it's true then..." Lucci then turned to Fukuro with his former expression "Perhaps I've acted rashly...Well done, Fukuro..."

Fukuro calmed himself and blinked at Lucci in confusion "Chapa?"

Lucci looked up at Blueno "Steer the ship west. It would seem that Kumadori and Hattori have found an island..."

Blueno nodded down to Lucci and steered the ship, equally curious to what was in store for him and his friends. Each of the former agents looked ahead at what would hopefully be their temporary sanctuary from their current status as fugitives.
_____

The sun shined brightly in the land of Equestria, namely over the towering royal city of Canterlot that rested on the side of a mountain. Inside of the majestic castle, many of its occupants were busy, from the stalwart guards to the highly-regarded nobles. But nopony was more busy than the two princesses that rule Equestria together, one of which sat at her throne as the day passed.

Princess Celestia was busy signing paperwork presented to her by one of her aides that ranged from royal business from neighboring nations to appointments from her subjects, quickly moving through each signature so she could at least enjoy a small break afterwards. After enjoying some time to herself, she could move on to bigger business, including what tasks she should give to her student-turned-princess Twilight Sparkle to better her knowledge for the future.

She smiled to herself when she thought about how she had managed to guide her faithful student in the right direction and helped her fulfill her destiny. Like a mother to her child, she saw something great in Twilight that would give her the drive to achieve her goals.

...That is, if she manages to not stress over any problems along the way.

Thankfully, she had nothing to worry about between her new princess and what was currently going on in Equestria. Princess Celestia had finished the last of her paperwork and nodded to her aide, signaling her to leave the throne room and take care of the signed papers. With a sigh, she tried to relax in her throne, closing her eyes to think about where to get her student started out. Little did she know that a serpentine shadow towered over her throne with a sinister grin, slowly advancing down on her with sharp claws reaching out. The head of the shadow carefully neared Celestia's ear.

Before the shadow's mouth could open, Celestia narrowed her eyebrows while they were closed "Don't even think about it..." She said firmly.

The shadow quickly vanished to reveal a pouting Discord, who glided around Celestia until he hovered next to her "And here I thought you'd be distracted with all of this work piling on your shoulders." He stated dryly.

Celestia opened one eye towards Discord "Even though I'm busy, I'm always vigilant, Discord. Shouldn't you have business of your own?"

Discord turned his head away and waved a dismissive paw "Oh please, like I'd even deign to lift a claw to jot down my name in black ink countless times. I have my standards, thank you very much." He smirked at Celestia "But I can see you're already wrapped up in the same old song and dance at the moment. What say I whisk you away from all of this so you can take a load off of your shoulders for a bit? You've obviously got a lot on your plate right now."

Celestia smiled gently "It would be nice to have a little vacation, but I'm not one to turn away from my little ponies." She turned to Discord "But I'm serious about you, Discord. Equestria needs our help, and for all we know, there could be tasks that only you can handle."

Discord rolled his eyes "Well, I'm not one to go about a boring lifestyle on a daily basis unlike yourself. I have my own schedule, mind you."

Celestia frowned "Oh really? Care to elaborate on your so-called schedule?" She asked inquisitively.

Discord inched himself away from Celestia with an arched eyebrow "Hey now. Do you see me trying to invade on your personal life?" He shrugged "Besides, it's nothing of dire concern, really. I've just dropped by certain spots around Equestria and viewed some sights. You know I wouldn't go so far as to cause any notable disturbances."

Celestia stared at Discord, unamused by his explanation. While she was aware of his reformation thanks to Fluttershy, she was still aware of his penchant for mischief and his tendencies to use his chaos magic for the sake of escaping his boredom for a short time. She had asked him nicely at first to take it down a notch, but when she had received several complaints from when Discord turned a vacant house in Canterlot into jello under the reason of 'appealing to the children', she cracked down on him and asserted him into keeping his mischievous acts to a minimum.

Her stare managed to make Discord waver and hold up his paws in a placating motion "Oh, come on. Don't give me that look. I said I haven't caused any notable disturbances. I'd say I'm in the clear, wouldn't you?" Celestia raised an eyebrow, obviously unconvinced by his explanation, and he gave a sigh "Okay, fine. You gave me the opportunity to make a friend, so I suppose I owe you a small explanation." He moved his arms, making gestures as he began his explanation "After you had 'reformed' me..." Discord twitched his talons for emphasis "I was going through a period of withdrawal that had taken a huge toll on me lately."

"Withdrawal?" Celestia parroted in deadpan.

Discord simply nodded in response "Yes indeed. And let me tell you that the symptoms are just awful!" He began to twist and turn and stood on the marble floor with his talons giving him balance "My body gets all twisted and I do handstands; it's not pretty!"

Celestia knew there was more to his explanation despite his comical background "Go on..." She said, wanting him to get to the point.

Discord ceased his humor and stood upright "Well, you know how my love for chaos is only outmatched by my own power, right? Oddly enough, it had been growing recently since I've been released, and I've managed to use most of it up before you went Mother Hen on my poor tail." He looked back at his tail, which appeared to be wrinkled and bruised, and his lips curled in a pout "The poor thing has seen better days..." He said in mock sadness.

Knowing that Celestia had given him his full attention after the mention of his power, Discord continued "Well, after you asserted your dominance and threatened to use your precious elements on me, I tried to listen and be a good boy, but there was nothing I can do about this growing power within me, and I just couldn't let you see me in a state of unrest today, so I decided to - for lack of a better word - let it all out."

Celestia stared blankly after Discord concluded his explanation "...May I ask where?"

Discord chuckled awkwardly "Oh, you know, not anywhere important in Equestria, just Baltimare..." He muttered at an inaudible volume as he looked away awkwardly.

Celestia narrowed her eyes "Repeat that, please?"

Discord feigned innocence as he quickly stared back at Celestia with the best poker face he could manage "You heard it from me, Celly, I said Baltimare..." He muttered again, repeating the same gesture of breaking eye contact afterwards.

Celestia was now growing both annoyed and impatient with Discord's stalling. She leered at him "Discord...where did you release your magic?" She asked authoritively.

Discord flinched at her raised volume before groaning "It was Baltimare; the ocean far outside of Horseshoe Bay, to be precise. We've barely had any ships sail onto port as of late ever since the airships took off, and it was an ideal location since absolutely nopony would notice."

Celestia was now both wary and curious as to what Discord would possibly do in the middle of the ocean "May I ask how you've released said magic? Please tell me none of the sea life have been mutated..."

Discord closed his eyes held up his paw and claw with a smug smile "Trust me when I say that I've done nothing of the sort. What I've done was release my magic in the form of an intangible collective capable of unpredictable results." He opened them when he paused "Of course, I say unpredictable in the sense that even I don't know what would happen; the whole release around that area was last minute, and my mind was hazy at the time."

Celestia widened her eyes. An invisible mass of chaotic magic sitting in the middle of the ocean could mean all sorts of trouble if it were left unattended. Any ships out there that would come into contact with it could either sprout wings or warp the minds of the sailors and passengers on board. Her look of shock slowly turned into anger towards Discord as she cast a burning glare in his general direction.

The draconequus stared back before grinning at her "Oh, don't tell me..." He said in amusement before he distanced himself away from Celestia and cleared his throat. Discord held an expression of displeasure similar to the princess in front of him, shaking a pointed talon at her "This action is unacceptable and you know it! This magic could have horrible effects on whoever or whatever comes across it! Head on over to Balitmare and resolve this situation at once before something goes wrong!" He said in a horrible impression of her voice.

Celestia closed her eyes and placed a hoof to her temple in an attempt to calm herself "While the impression of me was unnecessary, you're correct. Please hurry and correct this problem, Discord." She replied in an even tone, though was nearly drained of her tolerance of Discord's antics.

Discord huffed "Well, maybe if you'd let me have my fun in more discrete areas, this wouldn't have happened." He defended before he noticed Celestia levitating a parchment and quill next to her with an expectant glance towards him. The draconequus stared with wide eyes before grinning nervously "One chaotic correction coming up!" He chirped quickly before snapping his talon and winking out of existence.

Celestia set down the quill and parchment and heaved a sigh to herself "It may have been a mistake to trust that he would behave properly now that he's on our side..." She murmured to herself as she rose from her throne and trotted down the red carpet, making for the doors. If there was anything she needed right now, it was a walk to sort herself out and keep her mind in check.

Surprisingly, the doors to the throne room opened to reveal Celestia's younger sister, Princess Luna, who seemed to be in good spirits until she got a good look at her older sister's weary appearance "Sister, are you well? What happened to you?" She asked in mild concern.

Celestia stared at her sister before taking a deep breath "Discord..." She replied, her voice laced with fatigue and disdain. There were times when she regretted coming up with the idea of reforming an untamed spirit of chaos and disharmony for the greater good.
_____

The city of Baltimare, on the eastern edge of Equestria, was a city that was reknown for the many ships that have been made there, as well as its bustling commerce along the harbor. Most of its residents could easily learn the basics of sea travel if they were ever interested, and city itself is active each day.

Around the harbor rested some ships in the water and ponies running stands that sold fishing gear and items seen from faraway places that sold for varying prices. What stopped the harbor's current activity was a certain draconequus appearing in a flash of light from his teleportation spell. He looked around, ignoring the many eyes that were locked on him "Alright, now if I can just try to remember where I went from here, I can hurry up and stop this before Celestia thinks to sic Twilight and her friends at me." He stroked his goatee as he looked down deep in thought "Now I remember traveling out far in the ocean, but since it's invisible..."

Discord stopped to noticed that several eyes were on him, some of which where frightened at his sudden appearance. He stared back before smiling in a cheerful manner "Don't mind me folks, I got places to go and people to see!" He quipped before he flew out of the harbor and over Horseshoe Bay, looking around frantically 'Normally, I'd pat myself on the back or toot my own horn when stuff like this happens...Usually both...But now I feel like tearing myself apart! Where is it!?'

He was growing more nervous until he froze in the sky "Oh wait...I can just sniff it out." Discord smirked until he began to sniff at the air at different directions. He caught a scent east of him "Hrrm, peanut butter and guacamole...Now I know where!" He cheered as he flew towards his acquired scent.

Discord was pleased to know he could manage to track down the source of his stress, but his cheer was replaced with shock when a bright light had spontaneously flashed in front of him, causing him to retreat as he bared his teeth in a mixture of surprise and anxiety. He decided to teleport back towards Baltimare's harbor to wait for the light to die down.

Unfortunately for him, the many citizens of the city had caught the flash of light themselves and began to murmur to one another over the sudden happening.

From what he caught in his vision, there was a green ship with white sails that had the word 'Marine' written in blue on the upper ones with blue birdlike symbols on the lower ones.

Discord lowered the telescope and blinked to himself "Strange...I'd never think for a ship to just randomly appear out of nowhere." He looked in his telescope again, this time zooming in further to see who was on it. Upon further inspection, he found what appeared to be bipedal creatures that were almost as freaky as him in appearance. There appeared to be a balloon with a zipper looking frightened for a short time backing away from an angry man with a bird on his shoulder that flew off.

...Bird on his shoulder...

Discord yelped as he fumbled with his telescope 'Oh Faust help me, I've possibly given birth to a band of chaotic pirates!' He momentarily smirked to himself 'If I hadn't been reformed, I would've undoubtedly patted myself on the back...' He quickly thought before looking nervous again 'But oh no~! Pirates~!'

After thinking to himself, he looked back at the ponies that have been staring at him "Oh...right..." He donned another chipper smile and waved a claw "Nothing to worry about folks, this is just my doing, after all. You know how I am with chaos." He announced reassuringly. After receiving several voices on confirmation, though some had sounded annoyed, he sighed in relief and focused back on the faraway image of the ship 'Okay, at least I've diverted their attention from the ship...Now's the time to go over there and sort things out...' Discord snapped his talons and winked out of existence.
_____

Blueno got a better look at the city in the distance, humming in intrigue "This really is unlike any island we've seen on the Grand Line or anywhere else in the world..."

On the deck, Lucci looked as well with Hattori on his shoulder "Indeed...When would such a place on the East Blue reveal itself to this day if it had remained hidden for so long?"

Kaku frowned, thinking that the image of the city was too good to be true "Everyone, I'm beginning to agree with Kalifa that this could very well be a trap."

Jabra grinned while looking at the far city "Somebody's scared..." He taunted without looking at Kaku.

Lucci shifted his glance towards Kaku "What changed your opinion about our arrival in this field?" He asked inquisitively as Hattori cooed.

Kaku stared back at Lucci briefly before looking ahead at the growing city "Well, the invisible field we've entered in seemed quite ominous, and right now we appear to be in good condition after that blinding light earlier..."

"You feel that we would be surprised by any defenses now that we're inside, correct?" Lucci asked before looking ahead as well "Your feeling is justified; we have to be ready for anything..."

Kalifa pushed her glasses in front of her eyes "All we can do is hope that this island would be willing to take us in. I don't think we have much to worry about as long as we blend in with the crowd."

While the ship was sailing, the group was caught by surprise when another flash of light appeared in front of them, only it had quickly subsided to reveal a floating creature unlike anything seen back on the Grand Line. It appeared to be a serpentine creature with several body parts of different animals including a lion, an eagle, a horse, a dragon, a bat, and a goat. Red mismatched eyes stared at each of them as they easily felt threatened by its sudden appearance and got in their own defensive stances, readying themselves for a fight.

The creature stared before holding up its arms in a defensive motion "Easy now, folks; there's no need for violence." It spoke in a sophisticated male voice "What say we just stop what we're doing and talk this out?"

Lucci narrowed his eyes at the creature "Are you the ruler of the island behind you?"

The creature stared blankly "Island? Wait, are you referring to Baltimare back there?" He said as he pointed a talon behind him. He then chuckled in a friendly manner "Oh no no no, my good man. If I was the ruler of that place, It'd be small potatoes compared to the rest of Equestria."

Kaku piped up with curiosity "Equestria? Is that the name of this area?"

The creature nodded with a smile "He catches on fast!" He quipped before he cleared his throat and took a proper bow while he hovered in front of them "Allow me to introduce myself, my pirate friends; my name is Discord, spirit of Chaos and Disharmony at your service."

Lucci felt insulted to hear that Discord would label him and his allies as the very thing they wished to vanquish before they were cut off from the World Government "We're not pirates..." He stated with hatred clear in his voice.

Discord blinked at Lucci "You're not?" He pointed a claw at Hattori "Then how do you explain the bird on your shoulder? It might not be a parrot, but I know several pirates back then who would own such a pet!"

The silent killer was beginning to lose his patience with Discord and his nonsensical rambling. It was one thing to be taunted by those weaker than him, but to be labeled as a pirate because of the fact that Hattori rested on his shoulder was utterly idiotic. He kept calm as he clarified his point "Be that as it may, none of us are pirates...If you're not the ruler of this area, we'll kindly ask you not to get in our way."

Discord craned his head back "Your way? And just what exactly are you here for, if you don't mind me asking?"

From behind Lucci, Fukuro spoke up impulsively "We're fugitives on the run, chapapa!" He said absentmindedly.

Jabra quickly darted his head to Fukuro with anger plastered on his face "Dammit, Fukuro! The last thing we need is for you to keep flabbing your gums to complete strangers at a time like this!"

Discord chuckled at Fukuro "He seems nice." He said as he lounged in the air, resting his chin on his lion paw and eagle claw "So now that I've introduced myself, what say you do the same? Common etiquette, wouldn't you agree?"

Jabra diverted his attention from Fukuro to stare at Discord defensively "What if we don't want to?" He snapped.

Discord smirked playfully "Well, I already know that all of you are fugitives, so perhaps I'll be willing to help you out after I hear of both your names and your stories..." he said as he raised an eyebrow "That is, unless you'll actually prove my point that you're all-"

"Rob Lucci..." Lucci interrupted tersely. He could not handle being called a pirate again by a random creature who hindered his trail. Moreso, if he was telling the truth, the least he could do was grant him the small courtesy of his name; although, he knew that Discord had no reason whatsoever to know of his past.

Discord smiled down at the silent killer "A nice name, if I've ever heard one..." He looked over at the group behind him "How about the rest of you?"

Fukuro instantly spoke up again "I'm the gossip-loving silent owl, Fukuro, chapapa!" He grunted when he felt his mouth being forcefully zipped shut by an angry Jabra. To Discord, his name seemed more than contradictory than it sounded.

Kaku hummed before he donned a thin smile "A pleasure to meet you; my name is Kaku."

From the crow's nest, Kumadori hopped down and landed next to Fukuro as he struck a pose while holding his shakujo "Yoyoi~! My name is~..."

Discord stared at Kumadori blankly "What?"

Kumadori waved his free hand "My name is~..."

Discord tilted his head "Who?"

Kumadori focused his open eye as he bared his teeth "My name is~..."

Found in Discord's lion paw was a fine gramophone with the needle on the record. He used his eagle claw to move the record a couple of times, making a scratching sound with an amused smile on his face. He then earned the confused expressions of the fugitives in front of him, grinning sheepishly as he snapped his talons and made the gramophone vanish "Sorry, force of habit." He chirped before turning to Kumadori "Continue."

The kabuki performer spun his shaukjo and struck another pose, hopping backward on the leg he stood on "Kumadori~!" Discord smiled at Kumadori after his introduction. He seemed to be quite the character out of the group he was in.

Blueno stared at Discord and gave a curt nod "My name is Blueno. Nice to meet you." He greeted halfheartedly. Blueno felt inwardly awkward to converse with a random creature in the middle of the ocean capable of all sorts of feats. That, and he on the verge of siding with Kaku and Kalifa into thinking this was some kind of trap.

Kalifa stared up at Discord "My name Kalifa; that's all you need to know." She stated firmly.

Discord eyed to Kalifa curiously "Oh? And what if I wished to know more about you?"

Kalifa stared before turning away, pushing her glasses in front of her eyes "That's sexual harassment..." She said dryly.

Discord flinched before staring awkwardly at Kalifa 'Oh dear...We got a feminist on board...'

Jabra grumbled at how everyone else was willing to get introductions out of the way before he sighed and crossed his arms, staring at Discord "I'm Jabra." He grinned briefly "And I must say you look pretty goofy; Even more goofy than the giraffe and the cat!"

Discord shrugged nonchalantly "Well, it wouldn't be the first time a draconequus like myself has received negative feedback about my appearance." He then pointed at the rest of the group "But I'm more worried about the lot of you if everypony ever caught a glimpse of your faces. Let me tell you, you'll be met with all sorts of reactions once you reach Baltimare's harbor."

Kaku blinked "Wait a minute...Everypony? What are you getting at?"

Discord frowned "What's not to get? Everypony would be surprised to see a bunch of...of..." He stroked his goatee "Mind informing me of your species, please? Unless you're all just animal hybrids of sorts."

Kaku held up his hands "We're known as humans. When you say 'everypony', are you referring to ponies as if they were a race here?"

Discord nodded "But of course. Do you not have ponies where you come from?"

Fukuro unzipped his mouth to speak up "Not the ones you're referring to. We only have the ones we use for transportation, chapapa."

Discord winced "Now I know you'll earn some instant notoriety..." He offered another smile shortly after "What say I help you out of your little conundrum? You were obviously born from my chaos magic, so all I have to do is hide you back at Canterlot and Celestia won't have to know until one of you decides to reveal yourselves to her."

Jabra pointed a thumb to Fukuro, a deadpan expression on his face "Then you're shit out of luck with him around..."

Blueno arched an eyebrow at Discord "Born from your chaos magic? We crossed an invisible field leading to this place."

Discord perked up at Blueno's small explanation and held out a claw in a stopping motion "Hang on a moment there. Did you say you 'crossed an invisible field'? As in you sailed into my hidden pile of chaos magic as if it were some kind of portal?" He leaned into Lucci's face "Where are you from?"

Lucci was irritated by Discord feeling the need to breach his personal space; it had almost reminded the silent killer of him "That is none of your concern...All you need to know is that we're fugitives..." Hattori glared at Discord along with his owner.

Fukuro went to speak, only to be tackled and have his mouth forcibly zipped shut by Jabra "No you fucking don't!" He shouted as he held Fukuro down

Discord frowned at Lucci's indifferent attitude, but then smiled mischievously "Well, if you're gonna be like that, then I'll have you know that while I'm not the ruler of Equestria, I basically have as much, if not more power than the current ones." He smugly turned his back on him "In fact, seeing as how you trespassed here in our sacred land, it's only proper that you state your business so that I could do my best to help you out." He looked back at Lucci with a smirk "It's only proper, wouldn't you say?"

Kumadori hopped up next to Lucci and Kaku "Yoyoi~! We're at the mercy of a for-foreign demon~!"

"Meh, I've been called worse..." Discord muttered under his breath.

"There is no other option than to either retreat to the beaten path behind us~, or heed his words lest we seek oblivion~!" Kumadori explained as he shed a tear from his closed eye.

Lucci leered at Kumadori, but then scoffed, realizing that he had a small point to his explanation; by leaving Equestria, it would mean going back to the East Blue where he and his friends could be easily tracked at sea and be forced to fight any Marine ship that would dare to cross them until they were out of energy. He looked up at Discord "You already know we're fugitives...We're being tracked down by those whom we've formerly considered to be our subordinates. After a break-in we were unable to stop, our superiors have acted unaccordingly and chose to pin the blame on us...All of us are avoiding them for the time being while simultaneously swearing revenge on the one responsible for our situation..."

Fukuro managed to open part of his mouth while Jabra was tussling with him "His name is Spandam, chapa-" He grunted when the boisterous man was forcing the zipper over his lips.

Discord nodded in confirmation "I see, so you've all been unfairly laid off by your superiors and are now pegged as wanted criminals." He beamed "That's excellent!" He spread his arms "You're not just a group of misfits; you're a group of misunderstood misfits!" Discord shook a talon "I'm willing to offer you folks a chance to keep a low profile if you're willing to accept."

Kaku glanced up at Discord hopefully "You would do that for us?"

Discord crossed his arms "It's just the kind of guy I am. For a group of folks on the lamb, you're all quite the animated bunch." He smirked "So here's what I'm going to do: I'll take you back to Canterlot with me, where you'll have to be on your best behavior while resting under my wing. In other words, just listen to what I say for the time being and everything will be fine." He cupped his claws together "Rest assured, you'll be properly nourished and shall have a roof over your heads so long as each of you act accordingly."

Jabra ceased his tussling to look over at Discord with disbelief "You're actually gonna do that for us? We're in your debt if you're gonna take us in!"

While Discord's offer was uplifting for the former agents, Lucci's expression remained unchanged "We'll agree to your offer for now; I say this because we don't intend on staying here for long." He stated in a leveled tone.

Discord stared at Lucci before snickering "Honestly, you'd make for a good actor in a movie; a real mare's stallion, let me tell you."

Jabra snickered as well "That's implying that this little cat would be willing to get with a pony!" He said as he burst out laughing at his own joke.

Kalifa sighed at Jabra's jabbering and spoke up "Will you lead us to this Canterlot then? We're willing to walk if it's anywhere near Baltimare."

Discord chuckled "Oh naive little lady..."

"That's sexual harassment..."

"Canterlot is very far from your current destination, but why walk when we can just wink our way there?" Discord asked rhetorically.

Blueno stared at Discord "...Wink?" He asked cautiously.

Discord nodded "Yes, wink. There's no point in parking your ship when we can just teleport there at the blink of an eye." He pointed a claw "Metaphorically speaking, of course. I'll be providing the transport while the rest of you must join hands."

Trading glances amongst themselves, the former agents nodded and complied to Discord's request, wondering how Discord would handle the matter of transportation. With a grin on his face, the draconequus hovered above the group and snapped his talons, and everyone disappeared in a flash of light, leaving the Marine ship floating out at sea.
_____

Celestia trotted by herself through the halls of her castle, enjoying a nice walk to compose herself before going back to her royal duties. She should remember to contact Twilight as well, knowing that she needs to let her know about what responsibilities she will take as a princess.

The solar princess let out a sigh when she thought about Discord and his chaotic debacle, but then realized that when he mentioned his growing power needing to be released in order to maintain stability within himself, she felt that maybe she should try and consider to allow him access to some areas where he could have some fun without causing problems around anypony.

After her small talk with her sister earlier, Luna was just as annoyed about Discord and his tomfoolery despite his reason for causing so much chaos recently. Celestia smiled to herself at the thought of him actually sorting something out again by himself, even if she had to coax him into doing so; perhaps she needs to pay more attention to him and show him where to use his powers for good in order to ensure that his reformation is absolute.

As she reached the doors to the ballroom, she decided to go inside and view the architecture and think to herself before resuming her walk. She activated her horn and enveloped the door handles with her glorious golden magic to which she gently pushed them open to show the ballroom's interior.

What she did not expect was finding Discord with a group of misfits that stared back at her; some stared blankly while others stared in shock; two of them just stared. Out of all of the random acts she had seen Discord commit, this one had topped them all. Though they varied in height, all of them were much taller than the average pony. While the sight was interesting, she wasn't fond of it, and she could easily tell that the others felt the same way. One word coursed through the minds of each individual inside of the ballroom.

"...What?"

"...Yoyoi~..."
"...Chapapa..."

To be continued...

Chapter 2

View Online

Chapter 2

To Live in a Land of Justice

Everyone present in the ballroom continued to stare; Discord and his new associates stared at Princess Celestia while she returned it with the same strength of all of them combined. Between them grew a faint sense of tension that began to increase in the first party, and Discord finally felt obligated to break the ice as he floated between them, his arms spread in a halting motion "Okay, okay, I know what everyone's thinking, and I'm willing to not only elaborate on that, but sort out this little conundrum."

He glided towards Celestia, floating next to her while looking away innocenty "Discord, what's with the strange and possibly not-so-good company?" The draconequus then quickly flew towards Lucci's side with the same expression, holding out an eagle claw "Discord, why is there a white alicorn with a wavy mane and a sun all over her round flank?" Discord ignored the dirty glare he received from Celestia for his remark as he continued with a smile "Well, allow me to give you both the 411 right after we go over another introduction session!"

Discord glided back to the solar princess' side and motioned a lion paw towards her "Well, friends, allow me to introduce you to one of the rulers of Equestria. She's often revered as a goddess by her subjects, and is responsible for monitoring the sun in the sky."

Kumadori processed the information that was passed on to him and his comrades; a ruler; a goddess; a controller of the sun; each key point made the kabuki performer's opened eye grow wider as his jaw gradually dropped.

Discord continued despite Kumadori's growing shock "I'd like for all of you to meet Equestria's very own-"

"Amaterasu~!"

Everyone, including Discord and Celestia did not expect the loud interruption that was caused by Kumadori, who quickly knelt and bowed his head in front of Celestia without hesitation "Yoyoyoyoi~! Oh, great, great Amaterasu~! We're not worthy to be in your he-heavenly presence~!" He bellowed submissively.

Celestia and Discord stared at Kumadori's gesture with their own respective gazes of befuddlement before glancing towards each other, the latter of which shrugged after a moment of pause. Celestia looked back down at the pink-haired giant in front of her and smiled awkwardly "Your kind words are appreciated, but I'm not exactly who you think I am." She said gently.

Kumadori lifted his head, his eyebrows furrowed "What~? But how can you not be she who provides us with the precious sunlight from her gracious throne above all~!?"

Celestia tried not to laugh at how Kumadori asked his question and regained her composure "I have a throne, but I wouldn't think myself as a goddess, even if I have an immortal lifespan." She smiled warmly at Kumadori "I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. It's nice to see that you're not one to skip formalities."

Kumadori rose from his kneeling position and held out one hand while gripping his shakujo with the other "It is always customary to show courtesy towards those you meet~! Es-es-es-especially when it is one of royal status~!"

Jabra facepalmed "Every damned time with this guy, I swear..." He muttered irritably.

Discord smiled "Not to worry, my boy, I'll save you all the trouble of speaking and address you to Celestia as well." He winked out and reappeared next to Kalifa "In an effort to avoid inaccurate judgement, allow me to introduce you to the token female of the bunch. Her name is Kalifa, and she can be very...erm..." He stroked his goatee while looking up pensively "What's the word I'm looking for?"

"Beautiful?" Kalifa offered while looking up at Discord.

Discord rolled the wrist of his lion paw "Something along the lines of ladylike."

"That's sexual harassment..."

Discord pointed at Kalifa while looking at Celestia innocently "Yeah, something like that." He glided back towards Kumadori and motioned both arms towards him with an amused smile "This gentle giant here is Kumadori, who I believe has quite the flair for the dramatic."

Kumadori turned his head to leer at Discord with his one eye before turning his body and facing him, striking another kabuki pose "Yoyoi~! How rude~! The path I follow would be that of the Sennin~, if not the Ronin~!"

Celestia gave a knowing nod "I see; so you're lifestyle's similar to that of Neighponese culture." She smiled "I should've known by your facial appearance and body movements; I'm honored to meet you."

Kumadori instantly knelt and bowed to Celestia again "Your grace and serenity knows no bounds~! You are most, most definitely like that of the great Amaterasu~!"

Jabra growled "Would you cut the crap already, Kumadori? You're tossing what's left of your pride in the garbage. I already told you that a real man shouldn't bow his head to anybody!" He chided.

Celestia looked behind Kumadori to examine Jabra, feeling mildly entertained by his words "I see we have somepony who favors their masculinity." She quipped playfully.

Discord rolled his eyes "I'll say. He'd fit right in at Canterlot's tavern if he ever saw fit to go there." He motioned a paw towards Jabra "But I digress; that fellow over there would be Jabra, and he has a tendency to call it like he sees it."

Jabra grinned at Discord "Damn straight. I can't say I'm all too engrossed by this place, but it doesn't look bad so far."

Celestia placed a hoof over her muzzle, chuckling into it "Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest of the castle once Discord feels the need to show you around." She looked at the rest of the group until her eyes fell on Lucci, who stared back at her dispassionately. Something seemed off to her as she looked into his cold eyes.

Discord mulled over on who to introduce next until he followed Celestia's gaze "Ah, you're curious about pigeon man over here?" He pointed an eagle claw "His name is Rob Lucci, a.k.a. Mr. Personality. He likes to keep to himself." He tilted his head "Say, Robby, does your pigeon have a name as well?"

"Hattori..." Lucci replied curtly until he narrowed his eyes "And don't call me that again..." He uttered coldly.

Discord waved a dismissive paw "Alright, alright, I get it. Not one for nicknames." He smiled shortly after "Anywho, that man next to him with the hat and the long beak is Kaku, who I find to be the most polite of the group." He complimented.

Kaku gave an embarrassed smile "Well, you took us by surprise back there, but at least you meant well." He paused before pointing at his nose with a frown "Also, this isn't a beak; it's a nose..." Kaku corrected firmly.

Discord nodded in confirmation before pointing to Blueno "Here's another who's almost similar to Rob, only he looks almost like a minotaur. His name is Blueno, which rhymes with uno." He grinned "I'd say he would have a personality as colorful as his name if one got to know him better." The draconequus chortled at his own joke.

Blueno merely shifted his eyes away and sweatdropped 'That joke was bad, even for him...'

Discord motioned his arms to Fukuro, whose mouth was currently zipped up "And last but not least, we have Mr. Chatterbox over here who claims to be a 'silent owl' of sorts. His name is Fukuro."

"That's a God-awful lie, and you know it." Jabra spat tersely.

Discord smirked "I do, but SHE doesn't..." He said before turning to Celestia, amusement clear on his face "Go on, Celly. Try him out." He said with an encouraging grin.

Celestia was skeptical at first before she focused her attention on the loud mass "It's nice to meet you." She said politely.

Fukuro unzipped his mouth and spoke "I don't think some of my friends feel the same way about you, chapapa." He said absentmindedly.

Celestia craned her head back with a quizzical glance, and her confusion intensified when she saw Jabra twitching an irritated eye at Fukuro while he bared his teeth, then saw how Blueno, Kalifa, and Kaku each looked away awkwardly. Kumadori simply got up and hopped back to stand beside his subordinates with his legs arched 'They really are a group unlike anything seen in my time...' Once again, her eyes fell on Lucci as he remained frozen in his position.

Discord shrugged "Well, that's everybody, which only leaves the explanation as to why they're here with me." He hovered in front of Celestia "You see, these ragtag group of..." He looked back at the former agents "Humans?" He received a simultaneous nod from each of them before turning back to the solar princess "These humans are seeking refuge and just so happened to have stumbled upon the same pile of chaos magic you wanted me to get rid of. Isn't that funny?" He grinned.

"What are you getting at, Discord? Are you saying that they were born from your magic?" Celestia inquired.

Discord grinned "Even better. It turns out my field of chaos magic happened to be an interdimensional portal, and these folks just crossed into it from their world!" He flexed an arm and made a muscle "I knew my magic was strong, but I never thought I was capable of that much chaotic potential."

Celestia stood dumbfounded after Discord's explanation. It had drawn out the reason that the group before her appeared to be so different to what was commonly seen around Equestria, let alone the entire world. She looked up at him while he pecked admirably at his muscle "And you're saying they're seeking refuge? From what?"

Discord ceased his self-admiration and pointed a claw at the former agents, a look of sympathy on his face "These poor souls were part of something big that I have no knowledge of, and their boss happened to cut them loose AND tried to pin the blame on them. Isn't that just unfair?" He turned to the agents, namely Lucci, and tilted his head "I know mum's the word with you, but could you possibly give me a hint towards your former occupation?"

Lucci stared at Discord, Hattori giving off a neutral coo on his shoulder, then turned to Celestia, who also gazed upon him intently. He paused before speaking "We're envoys of justice...Each and every one of us. Our purprose is to ensure that evil does not flourish in our world." He stated monotonously.

Discord smiled "Well, what do you know? It seems we have a group of kindred spirits that could possibly follow the same path we do." He said as he looked at Celestia "I'll bet they used to be guards that help keep the peace of their beloved nation..."

"Actually, we're assassins, chapapa." Fukuro said impulsively. The entire ballroom went silent after the sudden confession, and Jabra and Blueno both felt obligated to knock the loud mass in the face at the same time, making him fall to the floor.

Discord tilted his head at Fukuro while he laid down "They still make those?" He said incredulously.

Celestia blinked "Did I hear him correctly? All of you are assassins?" She asked inquisitively.

Kaku sighed in disappointment over Fukuro's habit of giving off information at the drop of a hat. He regarded Celestia with a frown that betrayed no nonsense, knowing their cover had been blown "I'm afraid that Fukuro speaks the truth. We used to be assassins, but now we're nothing more than wandering fugitives with no place to call home."

"Note that we have no intention of making a home here." Lucci added, no change in his tone "We have personal issues of our own to tend to once we leave, but until then we're under the care of Discord."

Discord nodded with a smirk "And they know that my word is law." He turned to the assassins "Not that I'm gonna act like one of those snobby nobles; consider me as one of those connectable leaders." He said as his body parts fell apart into a pile on the floor, then reconnected themselves as the draconequus grinned "See? Easy as pie!" He looked over at Celestia, who gazed at him with a firm glance "...What?" He said as he blinked at her.

Celestia's eyes narrowed slightly "A word, Discord? In private, please?" She requested in a leveled tone.

Discord knew exactly what was coming: He was going to get both of his ears - and possibly his horns - chewed off by an angry goddess over the fact that he brought in a group of killers with his magic. Smiling confidently, he held up a paw "Of course, Celly." He turned to Lucci and the others, pointing up a talon "Okay, folks, I'm gonna have a little chat with this one for a split second. I want you all to stand still until I get back."

Kaku bowed properly "Of course. Take your time." He replied politely.

Discord smiled at the compliance towards his request and nonchalantly floated out of the ballroom with Celestia, making sure to shut the doors. Once they were in the halls, they distanced themselves a few feet before coming to a stop. The draconequus was ready to defend himself "Before you feel the need to turn me back into stone, let it be known that I had no knowledge of this myself. Moreso, they don't seem the type to just kill anything without reason."

Celestia frowned "It's not just that. Not only do we know the capability behind your magic, we're under the possibility that their pursuers could follow them here and cause unrest around Baltimare."

Discord gave a knowing nod "Your concern is noted." He frown shortly after "But you realize that the situation's out of my grasp. I can't just get rid of the magic field now since they wish to leave after they've laid low long enough, and even if I did, I'm not certain if I can make another portal just like that considering it was a last ditch effort to relieve my towering surplus at the time."

Celestia leered at Discord "You realize that you'll not only be responsible for the actions of your new associates, but with whatever might come out of your field next. This is no laughing matter." She paused when Discord chuckled defiantly, as if trying to lighten the mood. Sadly, he only succeeded in further infuriating Celestia "This is serious!" She raised her voice, causing the draconequus to flinch "Listen, Discord, as far as this situation goes, I'm unable to lend much assistance to the matter myself."

Discord smirked "So you ARE willing to help me despite the fact I welcomed a band of deadly assassins into our peaceful home? I'm happy you'd do that for me."

Celestia sighed "Well, they carry a heavy burden thrust upon themselves against their will, and they said they would only be here for a short time until they see fit to leave Equestria. I cannot think of a reason to brush them off in their time of need." She admitted, much to her chagrin over Discord's slight folly. Celestia looked up at him, her irritation lowered "Also, I'd like for you to know that I'm considering to offer you places to where you can release your magic without any consequences or dreading causalities once this is over."

Discord grinned before trapping Celestia in a hug "Now you've gone and brightened my day, Celly! You won't regret this at all, I swear it!" He proclaimed cheerfully.

Celestia grunted before she offered a serious gaze "Just remember, you're responsible for every action caused by those assassins."

Discord released his grip and held up his arms, eyes closed in confidence "Don't worry about a thing. I'll make sure that they won't need to practice their profession willy nilly without reason." He opened his eyes after his words and grinned sheepishly "That is...make sure they won't kill anypony." He paused before scoffing "Oh, what am I saying? Equestria's the most peaceful country the world has ever known! There isn't much to worry about, is there?"

Celestia rubbed her chin with a hoof "Perhaps we can discuss this with them, and convince them to behave properly during their stay."

"Excuse me..."

Discord and Celestia stared blankly at each other before they noticed a curious Luna standing behind them "Can you two fill me in on whatever it is you're talking about? What's all this business about assassins?"

Luna inwardly regretted asking her question once she caught Discord giving her a toothy grin; an unnerving sight to her eyes.
_____

Jabra continuously stomped on Fukuro's face angrily while Blueno watched the loud mass writhe in agony on his back "No matter the distance, you'll always flab those stupid gums of yours to everybody you see! We'd be lucky not to be thrown out of here had you just KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" He shouted at Fukuro's bruised face.

Fukuro moaned in pain "But we're not agents anymore, so we don't have much secrets to keep, chapapa..."

"That isn't the point, you dolt!" Jabra snapped as he continued to pummel Fukuro.

Kaku watched the merciless beating and hung his head with a frown "This ordeal could've gone better than expected, but I suppose we can't really do much in our current status." He looked over at Lucci, who had his eyes closed while standing around "What are your thoughts about this place, Lucci?"

Lucci opened his eyes towards Kaku "Even if I haven't had the full tour yet, I don't really care much for this place." He looked away "My thoughts are on vanquishing Spandam once we get the chance and nothing else..."

Kaku placed his hands on his hips, disappointment in his eyes "You really have a one-track mind sometimes." He looked over at Kalifa, who was far from the group and staring out the window "I wonder how Kalifa is taking this turn of events."

"Leave her be." Lucci said "She's possibly torn about ending up in this place, and I don't blame her..." He squinted his eyes "Whoever heard of a world populated by talking horses? It's utter nonsense..."

Kaku raised an eyebrow at Lucci "With all due respect, we've witnessed similar feats back in our world."

Lucci frowned "This is nothing compatible with what we've been faced with throughout the duration of our lives before our arrival. Unless this world has an abundance of Zoan Devil fruit, it's nothing more than a colorful farce." He stated abrasively. Hattori cooed with an uncertain look in his eyes.

Jabra hopped off of Fukuro and grunted "Guess that makes two of us. Those two creatures we just saw back there were beyond freaky; It makes me wonder how the rest of this world works."

Fukuro, who had survived Jabra stomping his face, lifted himself up to a sitting position "I kind of like it here so far, and we haven't seen it all yet, chapapa."

Blueno crossed his arms "I'm curious to see what this Equestria is like. Would pirates actually exist in a place like this?"

Kumadori continuously prodded the floor with the end of his shakujo, gripped with both hands as he sat down with his legs crossed "Yoyoi~! If the odious scum do exist here, we shall not show no mer-mercy towards them whatsoever~!" His prodding increased in speed "Heaven's net is wide~, but let's nothing through~!"

Jabra grinned eagerly at Kumadori "I hear ya. I'd say it would make for good exercise if we actually found some pirates skulking about in this place."

Kaku looked over at Kalifa, who still had her eyes glued to the window. He was curious to see what she was looking at outside, and chose to meet up with her to catch a glimpse of the view himself. Outside was a vast and lush garden similar to that of a rainforest, teeming with peaceful wildlife of different kinds. Kaku found the sight to be breathtaking 'Perhaps this was what drove Kalifa to silence...Amazing...'

Unbeknownst to Kaku, Kalifa was thinking to herself over what could be seen in Equestria other than just Baltimare and Canterlot. It was nearly maddening to think that this would grasp her attention more than the ambition of exacting revenge on Spandam with her friends. She pressed her glasses in front of her eyes and hummed "I wonder how long Discord and Celestia will be until we take our little tour..."

Kaku, mildly surprised by Kalifa speaking, looked over at her "Well, I'm certain they wouldn't take too long, since Discord is likely to take care of us and show us around."

Suddenly, the ballroom doors burst open to reveal a grinning Discord holding what appeared to be a midnight blue version of Celestia, a look of shock on her face "Surprise~!" He shouted. Celestia herself followed shortly after, a hoof seen covering her face.

Blueno looked over at the new pony and arched an eyebrow "This is unexpected..."

The new pony held her look of shock before turning her head at Discord with an aggravated gaze "Put me down, please..."

Discord did as he was told and motioned a paw towards the alicorn "Well, we're back, everyone, and we've brought a new occupant who happens to be curious about your background. Meet Princess Luna, Celestia's younger sister. As opposed to her sister, Luna is responsible for monitoring the moon."

Kalifa looked over at Luna, then walked towards her with an observing glance "I see. So if you both are princesses, then where are the-" Out of nowhere, a zipper appeared on Kalifa's lips that sealed her mouth shut, causing her to muffle a startled yelp of confusion.

Jabra and Fukuro themselves were amazed by it "Ah! She's just like me now, chapapa!" The latter blurted out. Jabra wondered if he would possibly request Discord to remove Fukuro's mouth for his sake.

Discord grinned sheepishly "Forgive the gesture, Kalifa, but it's a bit of a touchy subject between Celestia and Luna; they don't really wish to talk about it."

Luna looked up at Discord "Your care is appreciated, but the action was unneeded, Discord." She said calmly as she hung her head with a solemn frown "Everypony would ask us the same question from time to time, and it's not like they would ignore the concept of their land being ruled by just princesses alone." She stated morosely.

Discord snapped his talons and relinquished the zipper from Kalifa's mouth. She tentatively felt her lips while Celestia spoke up "Your question can easily be answered as far as our rule. Luna and I are co-rulers of Equestria, working as a diarchy among the land."

Kalifa regained her composure and looked at Celestia "Has your rule proven to be stable as of late?"

Celestia rolled her eyes "Admittedly, there had been some obstacles before your arrival, but they've been taken care of." She pointed a hoof with a mischievous smile "Your current caretaker happened to be one of those obstacles."

Discord crossed his arms and looked away with a mock scowl "Sure, blame the draconequus..."

Celestia smiled genuinely as she continued "Essentially, our land proves to be quite peaceful. You're in good hooves as long as you stay here."

"I disagree to that statement..."

Everyone present in the room turned to Lucci, whose narrowed eyes bristled with profound skepticism "There is no such thing as an entirely peaceful area; there will always be one individual or thing that would oppose the ideals you stand by, and they wouldn't rest until their own goals have been met. Those are the same threatening iota of scum that we seek to rid of until there are none left..."

Celestia stared back at Lucci after his harsh statement. It was nice to see him open up, but she found his mindset to be questionable "I see that you're adamant on your goals, but I assure you that there is not much to worry about in Equestria. If there was, then we would be ready for it."

Discord coughed into his eagle talon, the word 'changeling invasion' murmured in between his coughs. Celestia glared up at him, and he simply looked away while whistling innocently.

Lucci huffed "So I was correct...This world of yours may appear peaceful, but there are always certain eyesores that need to be wiped from existence. If you give us the order, we shall terminate them immediately, and consider it a gesture of gratitude for offering us a place to stay..."

Celestia was unsettled by Lucci's offer, but at the same time curious of his background more than the rest of his friends. To her, Lucci held the virtue and valor seen in her guards, but what was said by him made it appear to be more extreme. The worst part was that she knew he was serious just by looking into his cold and calculating eyes "Lucci, I'm aware of your path to ensure justice, but your offer doesn't sound virtuous at all. It sounds as if you wish to-"

"Kill them?" Lucci assumed in deadpan "I don't believe you're fully aware of the path that I follow, so allow me to enlighten you, your majesty." He held out a hand, his fingers clenched to resemble a claw "The path that I follow, the very belief that I practice through my life is known as Dark Justice. Whenever a foul-minded being shows themselves to me, they shall be met with swift execution." The former agent balled his fingers into a fist "I kill for the sake of upholding peace and making sure that evil will not hold sway; I joined my former colleagues so that I could legally kill those that are a threat to justice."

He ignored the troubled looks Discord, Celestia, and Luna showed him as he continued without missing a beat "I'm unaware of how you handle problems here, but I spare no criminal their life." Lucci's eyes narrowed to slits "The same can be said for those who would have the sheer audacity to surrender to evil themselves, willingly or otherwise. All of those people do not even deserve to live...That is my way of Dark Justice." His subordinates all looked away with their own respective expressions of indifference.

Celestia couldn't believe what she heard. She was aware of the fact that Lucci and his friends were assassins, but he confirmed that he held no remorse for any of his actions. She stared back with resolve "Do you not realize the hypocrisy in your statement? That you would kill for the sake of peace?"

Lucci drew back his arm and stared back "What of it? I care not for the thoughts of others, but I believe it to be necessary if it means maintaining order and peace in the world. You would actually go so far as to sparing the lives of the wicked?"

Discord stared blankly before looking away innocently 'Awkwaaaard~...'

Celestia frowned "I won't lie when I wished for certain criminals to disappear from my beloved country earlier in my time, but killing them off would solve nothing." She closed her eyes "Murder would only breed despair and sorrow that would spread like wildfire, and possibly force others to imitate your actions for the sake of getting even or for personal enjoyment."

She opened her eyes, a serene glimmer and centuries of knowledge behind them "Here in our world, we practice the Magic of Friendship and prosper from the lessons learned through each of our days; we extend a hoof to those that wish to see the Magic of Friendship for themselves. You may not see it our way, but we can confirm that our efforts have been successful in the past. We haven't seen much ill activity recently, and it has remained that way through most of Equestria's history."

Lucci stared at Celestia before he scoffed "You expect me to believe such a thing?" He got no reaction from his question "Friendship? Camaraderie? That is the key to prosperity in this world?" He asked condescendingly.

Celestia's resolve did not waver "It may sound ludicrous to you, but it has kept peace not only in Equestria, but between other nations as well. True, there are those that don't carry the same beliefs that I'm sharing with you, but even they know not to take away one's life just because they've committed crimes."

Lucci sneered at the answer he received "That is unbelievably naive for anyone to follow. I fail to see how the aspect of friendship can even maintain order in your world. Relying on others is nothing but a sign of weakness, and weakness itself is an unforgivable sin..."

Luna stepped in with narrowed eyes "I believe you've said enough of your personal ideals. Just who are you to decide who lives and who doesn't?"

Lucci shifted his eyes to Luna "Of course...We haven't properly met yet. My name is Rob Lucci." He replied nonchalantly, brushing off Luna's anger.

Discord could cut the tension between Lucci and the royal sisters with a knife. He fidgeted his claws before he came between them "Look, I love to talk philosophy as much as the next pony, but why don't we have ourselves that tour we mentioned before we talk more?" He said with a hopeful smile as he looked between the three.

Lucci stared up at Discord, then turned his back on him and the two ponies "Fine by me. This whole conversation proved to be meaningless in hindsight..."

Luna glared at Lucci "How dare you-" Discord quickly hovered in front of her and frantically waved his arms while shaking his head.

Celestia sighed to herself before she nodded to the former agents "I'll leave you all with Discord while I go clear my mind and get back to my duties." She looked over at Lucci, who still had his back turned on her "Hopefully, we can discuss our views on better terms." Celestia said in a neutral tone.

Lucci cast a sideways glance at Celestia "Don't count on it. Your views on justice and friendship mean nothing to me..." Hattori stared at Lucci before cooing at Celestia.

Celestia frowned in response, unhappy with both the harshness in Lucci's statement and what he had been through to accumulate such foreboding thoughts in his mind. She turned away without another word and trotted off into the halls of the castle.

Luna, while angry with Lucci over him talking down on her sister's views, was curious about the rest of his group. She looked at each one and frowned "Am I to believe you all think the same as your friend?"

Jabra chuckled "It's a bit of a grey area for us." He then grunted disapprovingly "As for the whole 'friend' thing, I'd drop that. That kitten over there's lucky to be my rival." As expected from his insult, he and Lucci shared another piercing glare against each other.

Discord placed a paw on his forehead "Wow...All the chaos I could ask for and it wasn't the kind I'd hope to see." He looked over at Lucci "I think we should work on your people skills while you stay here..." Discord received no response as Lucci and Jabra continued to leer at each other.

Kaku walked up to Discord and held up his arms "I apologize for Lucci's behavior on his behalf. We all have been trained under extreme circumstances, and he took his training seriously."

Discord smirked at Kaku "Polite as ever, I see." He held up a paw "Nothing to worry about, since this would end up being a trivial matter anyhow. Why don't I show you folks around the castle?"

Luna turned to Discord "I'd like to join you and get better acquainted with our new guests." She gave the draconequus a quizzical glance "How did they even get here?"

Discord shrugged "I'll fill you in on the details while we walk and talk." He turned to the assassins "Everyone, up and at 'em! You'll get to stretch your legs once more."

Kumadori jumped onto one foot and struck a pose "Yoyoi~! So we're to be gui-gui-guided around~? And we shall travel with a princess as retainers to the throne~?" He stood on both feet and spun his shakujo before slinging it across his shoulders with his left hand, his right hand stuck out "We promise to abide by your every command, Chief Discord~!" He said as he moved his head around in a circle.

Discord hummed to himself "Chief Discord...I like the sound of that!" He then motioned a paw "Come along now. We've got plenty of ground to cover and little time to do so." He hovered out of the room with an eager smile on his face while Luna trotted behind him. She looked back to see Lucci and the others follow after. Lucky for Kumadori and Fukuro, the doors were big enough for them to walk out of without having to crouch down or squeeze through any narrow passages.

The group wandered the halls with Discord and Luna taking point, the assassins briefly introducing themselves to the princess of the night. Luna looked over at Discord "I believe you were going to tell me about their arrival?"

Discord shrugged as he hovered ahead "Long story short, a period of withdrawal, followed by an inadvertently created interdimensional portal. Put it together, and you got those guys behind you...Oh, and one girl."

"That's sexual harrassment..."

"Love ya, too, babe!"

Through their trail, the former agents happened to stumble upon ponies wearing golden armor, some of which were holding spears. The draconequus enjoyed himself upon seeing the gaping faces of the guards he passed.

Jabra looked at each armored pony he passed and growled to himself 'Damn, I know they have guards and stuff, but this place is starting to bug me...' He looked up at Discord and thought of a question "Hey, Discord." The spirit of chaos floated upside down as he looked at Jabra "You're not exactly a pony, and I heard you mentioned of things other than ponies. What else lives in this place?" He asked curiously, albeit gruffly.

Discord flipped himself to float right side up as he pointed a learning talon "An excellent question, friend. You're right that I'm not a pony, but I'm PART pony if that counts. As for what else lives in Equestria, a great number of different creatures and species reside here; some are wild, and some aren't. For those that aren't, you have minotaurs, griffons, zebras, changelings, and much more." He crossed his arms "But I find elaborating on that is kind of boring, so maybe I can trust you all to explore and discover the rest of Equestria once I feel you're ready to go out."

Kalifa directed her gaze towards Discord "I would like that very much. As much as I'd love to live in a castle, this world has me rather curious..."

Blueno nodded in agreement "Likewise." He looked over at Luna "Seeing as this is a castle, do you have a dungeon?"

Luna looked over at Blueno "Yes, but we really don't have much of a use for it nowadays. We were thinking about refurbishing it into a line of guest rooms for weary travelers." She looked away "As far as what I've seen with my sister, we haven't been met with criminal activity of any sort recently."

Lucci's eyes narrowed at the idea; turning a room meant for criminal containment into another set of living quarters. He was in no position to judge how the princesses would handle their problems, but the fact that he was in a world that could possibly be a cathartic children's story beckoned for him to leave and pursue Spandam again.

Hattori tilted his head at Lucci and cooed at him, grabbing his attention. The pigeon regarded his owner with a look of concern, to which he merely stared back until choosing to look ahead again. Hattori heaved a birdlike equivalent to a sigh when Lucci refused to talk to him.

At the end of the group, Fukuro was skipping along the halls with a smile "This is great! I've never been in a castle before, chapapa!" He chirped, almost feeling the need to dance and sing.

Kumadori, who walked alongside Fukuro, gripped his shakujo with his hands as he looked up at the ceiling "Yoyoi~! I, too, feel invigorated just being inside such a glorious building~!"

Luna smiled back at Fukuro and Kumadori "I'm glad you're enjoying the tour so far. Is there anywhere else you wish to go next?"

Jabra thought on the decision until his stomach rumbled. Placing a hand to his chest, he looked down at it with a frown "There's a thought. We haven't had much to eat on our ship."

Discord clasped his paw and claw together "Very well, I can fix you all up a meal if your interested." He then stared off into space before leaning his head towards Kaku, an eyebrow raised "Are humans perhaps similar to ponies in eating habits?"

Kaku shook his head "Sadly, no. We're omnivorous in nature."

After hearing Kaku, Jabra stopped dead in his tracks, earning the attention of the others. His jaw dropped at the realization of where he is "Wait a minute...Does that mean..." He grasped his head with both of his hands as his eyes widened "We can't eat meat here!?" Jabra shouted in worry. He ignored the small amount of guards that stared apprehensively at him.

Kalifa pressed her glasses towards her face "I'm nearly speechless that you haven't pieced it together that we're in a world of ponies until now..."

Fukuro stood behind Kalifa with a blank stare "Does this mean we have to start eating hay now, chapapa?"

Jabra instantly turned to glare at Fukuro "Like hell I am!"

While Fukuro and Jabra continued their banter, Luna stared at them before turning to Discord with a dull expression "I supposed you haven't figured that out yet either, have you?"

Discord merely scratched one of his horns as he stared at the quarreling assassins "Nope, did not think that one through..." He replied in a straight tone.

Luna placed a hoof on her temple "Between your shenanigans and your current responsibility, I worry about you sometimes, Discord..."

Discord smiled at Luna "At least I know that you and your sister still care about my well-being." He clapped his paw and claw to grab the group's attention "Simmer down, friends. We can work something out. I'm sure that there could be certain dishes that can tickle your fancy."

Jabra ceased his ranting and crossed his arms "Well, if you don't have meat, do you at least have some booze? I'd settle for that."

Blueno rubbed his chin while keeping cool about the situation "If we're going to abide by a vegetarian diet here, then we might as well have some salad or fruit. No point in going hungry just because we can't eat meat."

Jabra growled at Blueno "Easy for you to say. Do you have any idea how hard it is to go without a nice juicy steak? It's gonna be torture to be without meat for so long!"

"How petulant of you. I thought you would be more resilient in nature as a wolf, yet here you are griping about not being able to eat what you want...You can be such a child sometimes." Lucci said abrasively while Hattori shook his head at Jabra in disappointment.

Jabra bared his teeth at Lucci, then pointed a finger towards him "Just you wait until you see where I'm coming from! You'll get no sympathy from me when that happens!"

Kumadori spread his arms out while his shakujo rested behind his back "Yoyoi~! There is no need to be upset, Jabra~! We're lucky to be cared for by these ge-ge-ge-generous icons~!"

Jabra snarled at the kabuki performer "You, too!? Why does no one back me up on this?"

Luna giggled at Jabra's frustration and spoke up "You know, we have some wine, if that would calm you down."

Jabra looked over at Luna, his anger softened "Wine, huh? What about sake? Any of that around here?"

Luna shook her head "I'm sorry, but we haven't requested any shipments of foreign alcohol. But I'm sure you'll be satisfied with what is offered."

Jabra stuck a thumb up "If you have something strong enough to keep me thinking about meat, then I'll go for it!"

Lucci directed his gaze towards Luna "Just try to ignore the words coming out of that mutt's mouth...He'll calm himself down eventually." Jabra growled at Lucci after his insult.

Luna stared at Lucci and Jabra "Do you both have a penchant for labeling each other as animals? You don't seem like it at all to me..."

"Actually, he's being truthful to a point." Kaku explained as he pointed a finger at himself "Between me, Jabra, and Lucci, we're all animal hybrids."

Discord eyed Kaku with a raised eyebrow "Oh? Then how do you explain your 'silent owl'?"

Kaku scratched the back of his head "Well, the others merely resemble animals, if that answers your question." He answered awkwardly.

Discord tittered to himself 'They'll be in for a treat if I decide to visit-' He perked up before a wide smile slowly crept onto his face 'I have an idea that Celestia might agree with...' "Okay, to the dining room, then. We'll fill your bellies and talk more from there!" He said as he snapped his talons and teleported himself and the others to an ornate dining room with a long table covered in a fine alabaster cloth found in the center. Though Luna was taken by surprise at first, she easily went with Discord's habit of teleporting randomly.

Kalifa gave an impressed smile after viewing the room "Very nice. I admire the scenery."

Luna looked at the group "I'll order the chefs to prepare you all a meal. In the meantime, I wish for you all to be patient."

Blueno nodded "We shall. But keep in mind that we request for salads with lettuce; no hay or flowers of any sort, please."

Jabra waved his right hand in a shooing motion "Whatever, just don't forget the booze." He said impatiently.

Luna narrowed her eyes at Jabra before she made her leave. Discord smirked before he looked at the group of assassins "I'm going with little Lu-Lu as well, so the lot of you should stay put." He said before following after Luna.

After they left, Kalifa pushed her glasses in front of her eyes, a playful smile on her face "You know, Jabra...Seeing as how Luna is responsible for moving the moon..."

Jabra bared his teeth in a scowl "If you comment about me howling at the moon, I swear to God I'll end you..." He threatened without facing Kalifa.
_____

As Luna entered the kitchen with the many chefs working, Discord slinked in after her and grinned "Luna, can we talk for a moment?"

Luna turned to Discord with a curious glance "About what exactly?"

Discord couldn't hide the mischief behind his smile "It involves Rob and his personal views..."

Luna grunted with a glare directed towards the floor "That one lives with unreprimanded gall to just say those cruel things to Celestia..." She looked up at Discord "What does this talk have to do with him?"

Discord rubbed his claw and paw together "This'll be something to discuss with Celly once we reach her, but what say we give the young scarecrow a crash course in friendship?" He asked persuasively.

Luna stared before her eyes widened "You don't mean...?"

"Oh, yes..." Discord smirked "If it worked with a monster like me...why not a monster like him?" The draconequus asked with a devious tone.

Normally, Luna would decide against what scheme Discord would have in his mind, be it an extreme prank that would get him into trouble or something worse, but a mischievous smile of her own was seen on her face "For once, you propose an excellent idea. Maybe this would be what Mr. Lucci needs to see my sister's point of view..."

Discord pointed a talon "She's next to know once we catch up with her. I'm certain she'll agree with us..."

"Agree with what?"

Luna and Discord noticed one of the chefs staring at them with his head tilted "Erm...Was I not supposed to listen?" He asked hesitantly.

Discord stared back before waving Luna towards the chef, to which she cleared her throat and showed her regal demeanor "It was nothing to worry about. We would like to request for you to make a set of salads for some guests complete with a bottle of our finest wine." She requested gracefully.

The chef shifted his uneasy glance between the two immortal figures before trotting away to spread the order to his coworkers. Discord chuckled "What say we go run this by your dear sister while the others are distracted?"

Luna frowned "But they'll know we'll be gone for too long. How will you manage to do so?"

Discord grinned as he snapped a talon "Taken care of..."

Out in the dining room, another Discord appeared next to the assassins, only he wore a blue flamenco costume and held maracas in his paw and claw "And now, some entertainment before your meal arrives!" A song began to play out of nowhere as Discord began to dance while shaking his maracas.

The assassins stared with their own respective expressions; Lucci and Blueno remained stone-faced; Kaku, Jabra, and Kalifa stared in befuddlement; Fukuro and Kumadori stared in intrigue. After a short moment, the two giants hopped in and danced with Discord using unique moves of their own.

While the other agents sweatdropped at their action, Lucci wanted to kill Fukuro and Kumadori just for making this sight worse on himself.
_____

Celestia was currently wrapping up her brief walk before returning to her business around the castle. As she walked, however, she was still bothered by what was said to her as far as killing for the sake of justice. She opened the doors to the throne room and trotted along the red carpet as she thought to herself about Lucci's views.

"The path that I follow, the very belief that I practice through my life is known as Dark Justice. Whenever a foul-minded being shows themselves to me, they shall be met with swift execution. I kill for the sake of upholding peace and making sure that evil will not hold sway; I joined my former colleagues so that I could legally kill those that are a threat to justice."

"You expect me to believe such a thing? Friendship? Camaraderie? That is the key to prosperity in this world? That is unbelievably naive for anyone to follow. I fail to see how the aspect of friendship can even maintain order in your world. Relying on others is nothing but a sign of weakness, and weakness itself is an unforgivable sin..."

She could not fathom what horrid life Lucci had led in order to think the way he does, but Celestia hoped that he could at least consider a different outlook on life rather than claiming his profession as a means of maintaining peace. Before she could close the doors, however, she noticed Luna and Discord approaching her with smiles on their faces. Celestia blinked at them "Do you wish to see me?"

Luna grinned "Of course, sister. Discord has hatched an ingenious plan that could prove your point to Lucci."

Celestia was intrigued as she turned to the draconequus "What do you have in mind, Discord?"

Discord held out his paws "Picture if you will, somepony who has been so heartless in his time and was lucky enough to be given a second chance. Who to turn to for guidance, you ask?" He grinned "Why not your new princess and her friends?"

Celestia widened her eyes "What?" She hung her head down, a look of mild anxiety on her face "I'm not so sure about this; I couldn't force such a burden on her after her ascension..."

"Hey, I'M the responsible one here, remember?" Discord said as he smiled "Besides, it won't be just her...And look at it this way, maybe Lucci's buddies are bound to make a switch before he does! Think about this, Celestia; the Elements of Harmony turned my life around...Just imagine what could happen once they've taught those assassins some lessons as well." He motioned his claw and paw towards Celestia "You'll have your cake and eat it, too! Metaphorically speaking..."

Luna nodded in agreement "As far as learning about friendship, maybe Twilight Sparkle can bring up your views in better words with the help of her friends."

Celestia pondered about this. At first, she was hesitant on account of the fact that Discord was looking after a group of assassins. Admittedly, they had their own colorful personalities, but she was not keen on sending them in the care of the Elements of Harmony and expecting quick results. Although, Discord brought up a good point on how his own reformation was successful thanks to them. She looked up at Discord, who wore a confident grin on his face before she herself cracked a ghost of a smile "Maybe you're onto something..."

Discord waggled his eyebrows "Aren't I always?" He quipped as he placed a paw on his chest "To make it easier on you, they won't be staying there. It'll be nothing short of periodic visits to help them get out more and connect with other ponies. Leave the sleeping arrangements to moi."

Luna arched an eyebrow at Discord "Where could you find a resting area in the castle to fit a band of wayward assassins?"

Discord waved a claw in Luna's face "Chaos magic, remember? I'll improvise."

Celestia smiled at the draconequus after he presented his idea "I wish you the best of luck in teaching them about friendship."

Discord grinned "Why not start after they've had their meals? Once the little ponies see their new students, the looks on their faces will be priceless!"

Both royal sisters looked uneasy "I think it would be wise to warn Twilight and her friends ahead of time..." Celestia stated flatly.

"Aww, but where's the fun in that?" Discord pouted "Besides, it's not like they want to see more of Equestria for themselves."

Luna shook her head "Be that as it may, it would do no good to surprise the element bearers with creatures from another dimension."

Discord huffed "Says you! I'm sure a certain pretty pink party pony would welcome them with open hooves. Wait and see..."

Celestia chuckled at Discord before she levitated a quill and parchment towards her "I'll send the letter. Perhaps you should explain your 'field trip' with your associates then."

Discord beamed at the solar princess "Gladly! If you'll excuse me, ladies..." The draconequus winked out of existence, leaving Celestia to jot down her letter while Luna contemplated the future for Discord's guests.
_____

The line of chefs stared at the unusual guests with eyes wide as dinner plates while they were eating their salads and drinking their wine.

Lucci ignored the chefs as he poured a glass of wine being held by Hattori's right wing. The pigeon carefully drank from it after it had been filled.

Jabra hesitantly ate his salad, as opposed to his subordinates who not only ate properly, but enjoyed their meals. Blueno swallowed his bite and stared down at his food "This salad is exquisite. Those royal chefs really know how to prepare their food."

Kaku smiled "I agree; it feels nice to eat something other than the rations on Very Good's ship." He stabbed his fork into his salad and took another bite.

Jabra rested his chin on his left hand being held up by his elbow, a sour expression on his face as he made his fork dance on his dish "At least they had good food..." He muttered bitterly before chugging his own glass of wine in one fell swoop.

Kumadori finished his own salad and heaved a sigh as his eyes were closed. The chefs all focused on the kabuki performer as he froze in his position before slowly getting up from his seat and grasping the shakujo that was found on his back. The chefs tensed up, thinking that the giant was displeased with their cooking and was about to punish them, until he stuck out his free hand "Gochi..." He uttered.

The chefs blinked and one of them tilted their head at Kumadori quizzically "G-Gochi?" He parroted.

"Gochi, gochi, gochi, gochi..."

"Is it trying to communicate with us?" Another one asked nervously, backing away as Kumadori continued repeating his given word.

"Gochi, gochi, gochi, gochi..."

"Is it casting a spell?" A female chef inquired as her body shivered fearfully.

"Gochi ni narimashita~!" Kumadori finally said, opening his left eye and showing a content grin on his face.

The chefs stared at Kumadori in befuddlement once he showed his happiness. Jabra sneered at their oblivious faces and spoke "He said thanks for the meal..." This made the chefs chorus an 'Ooooooh' in response before they went back to their kitchen, their tension fading.

The other Discord laughed "This is quite the spectacle. Imagine what would happen if we all went out!"

There was a bulge in Discord's stomach until another smiling head sprouted from it, startling the assassins, save for Blueno and Lucci "Which is exactly what we're gonna do once you're finished eating!" The second draconequus vanished, leaving the original Discord to look at his guests "Well? Aren't you happy that you'll be going out with Yours Truly?"

Jabra scowled at Discord "What makes you think I'd want to see what the rest of this place is like? It's bad enough there's no meat here, but I dunno if I wanna look at another pony."

Kalifa held a thin smile "Ignoring Jabra, I am indeed happy to get a better look at Canterlot and what's inside."

Discord pointed a talon up "About that...We're not gonna head out to Canterlot, per se, but rather another town." He smiled "It's another iconic landmark here in Equestria, so it'll be an enjoyable experience for all of you." He looked over at Lucci staring at him with his cold eyes and snickered "Okay, some of you..."

Fukuro finished the rest of his salad and belched loudly "That was delicious." He said as he patted his stomach in satisfaction "I've never had such a good salad before, chapapa." The loud mass regarded Discord with his broad smile "Is this place any better than the castle?"

Discord shrugged "Well, it's not royalty, but it's the thought that counts. You could say that a group of famous heroes live there."

"Heroes, you say? Are they strong?" Kaku asked inquisitively after swallowing a bite of salad.

Jabra shot a deadpan look towards the long-nosed agent "Are you taking the piss?"

Kaku stared back at Jabra "We've seen what Discord is capable of; after the mention of heroes, who knows how strong they are?"

Lucci kept silent while Kaku and Jabra talked with each other. Personally, he would disapprove, if not fully reject Kaku's opinion of Equestrian heroes being strong. He thought that if they followed the same ideals as Princess Celestia, then they would no doubt be as weak as insects. Hattori took another sip of his wine while he was perched on Lucci's shoulder.

Blueno lightly pushed his plate away and dabbed a napkin on his lips before he stood up "I'm ready. You already have me more curious than before about this place, Chief Discord."

Discord hugged himself with his arms and tittered "You're all going to make me blush if you keep on calling me chief like that. You're too kind!"

Kalifa looked up at Discord "You were the one who took us in at our time of need, so we owe you that much, at least." She smiled herself as she stood up "What do you say you show us this area now? I look forward to what this world has to offer."

Kaku and Jabra stared at Kalifa, surprised to see her smiling more than usual; They stared at each other in confusion before focusing on her again. Wanting to move things along, Kaku ate the last of his salad and stood up as well "I'm ready, too."

Jabra watched how each of his fellow assassins were already finished with their meals and ready to leave, while he hasn't barely touched his own salad. He grunted and pushed his plate away before standing up, resting his hands behind his head "Fine, I guess I'll go, too..." He said brashly.

All eyes rested on Lucci and Hattori, both of which still seated while they stared back at the group. As they stared expectantly, Hattori offered his emtpy glass to his owner, who set it on the table. Lucci huffed and stood up as he set his own glass down "Very well. Show us this 'iconic landmark' you speak of, Discord..." He said dispassionately.

Discord balled his claws into fists as sheer giddiness was seen on his face "Glad to see you're as eager as your peers. Let's go, shall we?" He said as he snapped his talons and made him and the assassins teleport in a flash of light.
_____

Golden Oaks Library; a central hub of knowledge found in the quaint town of Ponyville. Inside, a lavender alicorn was in her study going over a book that covered the basics of royal etiquette, a large stack of periodicals with related contents resting next to her table.

Twilight Sparkle, the newest princess crowned by her mentor Princess Celestia, chose to remain in her home at the library and learn how to act properly through the books she borrowed from the Starswirl the Bearded wing. Celestia offered to have her be taught at the castle through the tutelage of stationed mentors, but after bringing up wishing to spend more time with her friends, the solar princess could not deny such a request from her former student. They keep in touch through letters now and then, but Twilight will one day become a proper princess once she experiences the certain hardships that come with it.

"Twilight!"

After turning a page, Twilight looked back at the entrance to her study to see her assistant Spike, a small purple dragon, waddle inside "Since you're buried in all that reading, would it be alright if I took a day off since I've already cleaned the library?" He asked with a hopeful smile.

Twilight nodded to her assistant "Of course, Spike. Just as long as you don't do anything reckless like last time." She stated playfully with a smile to match.

Spike held one claw in the air with another on his chest "It won't be like the timberwolf incident, I swear. I'll just go for a walk around Ponyville and see if I can't find anything interesting to do."

Twilight turned back to her book "That's good, Spike. Have fun, okay?"

Before Spike could respond, his cheeks puffed before he opened and produced both a loud belch and a stream of green fire. The fire dissipated to show a neatly wrapped scroll in the air bound by a royal seal; a letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight reflexively lit up her horn and caught the scroll midair in a magical aura, levitating in front of her and unraveling it to read its contents "Dear Twilight, This is a letter informing you that Discord will arrive in Ponyville shortly with some unexpected company. They're unaware of the intention, but I would like for you - as a princess - to show these particular guests about the Magic of Friendship. Your friends have a right to know about this as well, but you must advise them to be careful around the one called Rob Lucci; he needs your guidance the most."

Twilight craned her head back with a quizzical glance "Rob Lucci?"

Spike scratched his head "That's a funny name. I wonder what this Rob Lucci's like."

Twilight rolled up the scroll with her magic and set it next to her book, which he closed after placing a bookmark "We'll find out once Discord arrives, which would no doubt be soon, since's both quick and unpredictable. In the meantime, we might as well go find our friends."

Spike waddled towards the study's entrance with Twilight following after "Let's start with Sugarcube Corner. I'm in the mood for something sweet right now."

Twilight smiled "Good idea. Some cupcakes sound good right now." She said as they walked out of the study and went down the stairs leading towards the library's main lobby.

When they reached the front door to their home, Spike opened it up to show the vibrantly colored town outside with passing ponies. Twilight and Spike left the library after shutting the door and made their way towards Sugarcube Corner "You know, I'm already curious about our guests now." Twilight said as a faint sense of excitement built up in her heart "I can't believe Princess Celestia is giving me the opportunity to pass my lessons on frienship to somepony else. I think it'll be great to see our new students soon enough."

Spike frowned at Twilight "Aren't you worried about them getting difficult, though? I mean, that Rob Lucci guy Celestia mentioned in the letter doesn't sound like the kind of pony you'd wanna meet if she wanted us to warn our friends first."

Twilight took a deep breath "You're right, Spike. I should probably be more mindful about who I'm about to teach once they arrive." Her smile reappeared "Still, I cannot stop thinking about who Discord will arrive with. This could be an amazing experience!"

A flash of light in front of Twilight and Spike's path cut off their conversation. It quickly vanished to reveal a grinning Discord with a group of otherworldly beings who were definitely not ponies at first glance. Like Discord, they stood on two legs, and while some were similar in body structure, they were all differently shaped.

Not paying attention to the pony and dragon in front of him, Discord spread his arms "My friends, we've arrived. Welcome to Ponyville!"

To be continued...

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Friendship is Killer

Weird; Abnormal; Inequine; None of these words could even amount to what Twilight was seeing behind the jovial form of Discord. She had seen bipedal creatures that were either minotaurs or dragons, but these figures were entirely different, even if one of them actually did resembled a minotaur. Next to her, Spike was sharing mutual shock of the sight in front of her while she just listened to Discord declare the town's name to his associates.

This shock inside of Twilight was now slowly melded in with both a faint sense of interest and scientific fascination as she brought up a foreleg to point at the draconequus in front of her "Discord...Are those the guests Princess Celestia mentioned in her letter?" She asked softly.

Discord looked down at Twilight after his joyous proclamation and smirked "Well if it isn't the princess of friendship herself?" He nodded "Yes, the outsiders behind me are the guests Celestia deigned to 'warn' you about." Discord stated, twitching both of his talons in emphasis of his sarcasm.

Jabra cocked an eyebrow at Discord "Warn? What, is she that paranoid about us or something?" He asked, slightly irritated by Discord's words. Then again, he shrugged it off, knowing that the life of an assassin wasn't exactly taken lightly, even in this candy-coated world he was standing in.

Blueno wasn't deterred by the information shared by Discord in the slightest; in fact, he anticipated this sort of information sent to citizens outside of Canterlot "She does care deeply about her subjects, and we're entirely foreign from this place. Princess Celestia was smart to pass on a warning to someone else on moment's notice..." He explained to Jabra as he shifted his gaze to the perplexed lavender alicorn and examined her appearance "Another pony with both wings and a horn. Are you of royal blood as well?" Blueno asked inquisitively.

Twilight perked up and examined her own features before smiling at Blueno in embarrassment as she picked herself up from the ground "Well, yes and no, really. I only ascended into an alicorn about a couple of months ago, and I wanted to stay here in Ponyville and spend more time with my friends while reading up on royal etiquette, rather than stay in Canterlot." She said with as much calm as possible; on the inside, her inner scientist began to grow the more she looked upon the band of bipedal figures.

Discord saw the look in Twilight's eyes and smirked as he glided towards her and whispered in her ear "I know what you're thinking, and yes, they're from another world. But try not to let that bother your role as a princess..." He quipped with a titter, finding amusement in Twilight's eyes widening slightly.

Blueno was now as befuddled as he was curious upon the reply. Whoever heard of a princess ignoring her duties just to study in a small village away from her castle? Moreso, how powerful is the aspect of friendship in this world from what was gathered by Princess Celestia? It was a risky move, but he was willing to keep an open mind, since the land seemed peaceful enough despite Lucci's skepticism.

Twilight and Blueno stared in silence before she stammered and grinned sheepishly "Oh, look at me. Already a princess and I forget my manners." She cleared her throat and straightened her posture to where she stood in a dignified manner, a serene smile similar to Celestia seen on her face "Greetings to you all. My name is Twilight Sparkle." She greeted warmly as she looked at the many varying faces in front of her "For what it's worth, you can ignore my status as a princess and consider me a mentor if you wish to learn about the Magic of Friendship."

Blueno nodded "I'll be sure to turn to you for such information if need be." He replied.

Lucci saw fit to sneer at the last part of Twilight's introduction. The last thing he wanted right now was to be approached with more on the topic of friendship as if it were some kind of highly-respected dogma. He held a small amount of respect towards his associates and nothing more; that was all they needed from him. He decided to voice himself after Blueno "No offense to you, your highness, but you can pass on your teachings to those who would hold it to greater value." He stated in a straight tone. Meanwhile, Hattori merely cooed while giving a curt bow to Twilight in genuflect.

Twilight looked up at Lucci's cold gaze and felt a slight shiver. This must be the same guest Celestia warned her about in her letter. She decided to extend her politeness towards the bandaged man in an effort to open up his heart "Rob Lucci, correct?" She received a small nod in response, and smiled at him as she brought up her right foreleg "Celestia told me about you in her letter. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you enjoy your stay here in Equestria."

Lucci stared at Twilight and wondered why Celestia even saw fit to bring up his name towards her, or how she was able to do so in little time. He brought out his right hand and gently grasped the alicorn's outstretched foreleg with it, his face unchanged "Charmed..." He replied with disinterest in his voice.

Twilight's spirits wavered from the easily detectable cold she felt from Lucci just saying that one word. They ended the hand-to-hoofshake and Twilight decided to direct her attention towards the other creatures "Well, since Discord brought you here, I'm guessing he'll show you around."

Discord smiled "You AND your friends are invited to join, of course." He said, winking to Twilight.

Twilight giggled "I was going to plan on introducing them to your guests. Maybe they'll like their company as well."

Kaku walked up next to Lucci "I have a question, Twilight Sparkle. Discord mentioned a group of heroes living in this very town. Are you affiliated with them, by any chance?"

Twilight looked up at Kaku and grinned "It's funny you've mentioned that topic." She placed a hoof on her chest "Me and my friends happen to be those heroes - or heroines - for a better term. We're known as the Elements of Harmony, and I happen to be the element of Magic."

Kaku blinked at the explanation "That explains the 'Magic of Friendship'." He then grasped his cap with his right hand "I'm almost as curious as Blueno and Kalifa right now. Do you know where we can find a library so we can read up on any topics of interest?"

Twilight beamed "I just so happen to live in one! It's the house right behind me a few feet away. Perhaps you and your friends can stop by whenever you have the time."

While Twilight and Kaku bantered on, Spike snapped out of his shock and began darting around the new creatures, catching better glimpses of them at different angles "Whoa, what are you guys? Aliens? Creations of Discord? Residents of Tartarus?"

Fukuro was easily confused by Spike's assumptions, but saw fit to answer "We're called humans, chapapa." He looked down at Spike's puny form and blinked "What are you supposed to be? Some kind of dragon, chapapa?"

Spike nodded up to Fukuro with a smile "Yeah, I'm a dragon. Thanks for noticing." He said brightly.

Jabra chuckled at Spike "I'm not sure I'd believe Fukuro on that account." He said as he walked up to and knelt in front of the purple dragon, patting him on the head "If you were a dragon, you'd be way bigger than all of us." He said, watching how Spike narrowed his eyes.

Twilight frowned at Jabra's rude response "That's because Spike's a baby dragon." She clarified firmly "And he's also my number one assistant."

Spike pointed a claw at Jabra "And for your information, I grew big once!" He looked away awkwardly "But...That was a year ago, and I was totally different back then..."

Kumadori stared down at Spike and trembled when he remembered a strikingly similar situation from the dragon's explanation. He spun his shakujo and slung it across his shoulders with his left hand, his right hand stuck out "Yoyoi~! As a dragon, you undoubtedly hold a hidden reserve of immense po-po-po-power~! Like a rat cornered by a cat, you would only wait until the right moment to unleash your fury~!" Spike blinked at Kumadori while he froze in his position.

Jabra laughed at Kumadori's words and grinned mockingly at Lucci "Hear that, Lucci? Looks like Spike can tear you to shreds if you piss him off!" He went back to his laughter, ignoring the death stare Lucci sent his way. Needless to say, it worked when Spike looked into his threatening eyes and backed away cautiously.

Twilight was taken aback that Jabra would openly swear in front of minors so easily and glared at him "I would appreciate it if you would refrain from that kind of language around Spike." She said with mild irritation.

Discord tussled Twilight's mane playfully "Sorry, Twi, but these little humans answer to my command. Observe." He cleared his throat, a balled fist covering his mouth before he directed his attention to Jabra, who ceased his laughter "Jabra, would you kindly take your language down a peg for the sake of the children? Your words could possibly warp their fragile little minds." He stated in a mockingly polite tone.

Jabra stared at Discord and looked away bitterly with crossed arms "Alright, fine, I get it. Understood, chief." He responded rashly, albeit obediently.

Discord easily contained himself after hearing his new title as he turned to Twilight with a smug smile "See? Whatever I say, goes. But who's to say that I'm gonna make them do unspeakable things?"

Twilight cast a dull expression towards Discord "You mean like making them carry out some pranks in your place?"

Discord shook a talon "Now now, Twilight, you know I'm much better than that." He placed a lion paw on his chest, a look of pride on his face "I happen to do my own work with my own claws, and make it an elegant display; a work of art if you will."

Twilight snorted before she looked towards the humans "Would you like to meet my friends? I'm sure they'll take a good interest in you." She directed her attention towards Kalifa, who was both silent and facing away from the rest of the group, and quirked an eyebrow "Umm...Is she alright?" She asked in concern.

Kaku tilted his head "Who, Kalifa?" He looked over at the token female of the humans and saw how she had remained motionless ever since her arrival, much like when she stared out at the royal gardens "...Now that you mention it, I'm just as curious myself."

Jabra stood up and noticed Kalifa's frozen form with the same amount of confusion and curiosity as Kaku and Twilight "I'll bet she's having second thoughts about this place." He walked over to Kalifa and examined how her face was seemingly calm and collected, and waved a hand in her face "Hello? Earth to Kalifa! You there?" Jabra's method of communication was rewarded with an abrupt twitch from the blonde woman, causing him to draw away slightly "Are you alright? Is this town bugging you that much?" He was met with another twitch, causing to scratch his head.

From Kalifa's point of view, she saw it all; vibrantly colored ponies doing things commonly seen by humans; wandering to and fro with their own daily routines, and even watching some fillies and colts galloping freely and giggling without a care in the world. Sure, she saw ponies posed as guards and chefs back at Canterlot castle, but this was nearly sending her mind reeling to whole new intervals. An assassin such as herself shouldn't be subject to such a burst of barely contained emotions in a whole new world when she already saw a small portion of it.

Before she could even act rashly, she quickly faced the others with no change to her facial expression, pushing her glasses in front of her eyes "Would you kindly show us around Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle? I'd like to know more about this place." She said without any strain in her voice, slightly unsettling Jabra.

Twilight nodded to Kalifa with a warm smile "Certainly. I'll be glad to give you all the tour."

Discord flew into the air and performed a backwards loop before staring down at the group below him "Then what are we standing around like statues for? Where do we begin?"

Spike raised a claw in the air, as if he were a student wanting to answer "Twilight and I were gonna head over to Sugarcube Corner." He winced at the group of assassins "But now I'm having second thoughts because of these guys running into Pinkie..."

Discord looked around in an attempt to scout out suitable areas to travel towards, until he noticed that passing ponies had stopped to gawk at the humans that stood next to Twilight and Spike. He giggled to himself "I'd be more worried about our guests' rising popularity." Discord said as he floated down and slumped in a resting position while in the air "What say we make this easier and split into two groups?" He pointed at Twilight lazily "You can have Kaku, Blueno, and Kalifa, since they seem to be the most eager to see Ponyville while I have the rest to myself. Sound fair?"

Twilight went to agree until she stole a look at Lucci, who simply looked back at his growing audience in silence as if nothing else mattered to him. She frowned to herself in thought over his first impression, but then smiled when she realized that he needed time to adjust and learn more about what's offered to him. Twilight looked up at Discord "Actually, I'd like to have Rob Lucci with me as well, if you don't mind."

Spike darted his head towards Twilight "Say what now?" He shivered when the aforementioned human shifted his gaze towards the alicorn at the sound of his name. Hattori tilted his head and gave off a questioning coo at Twilight's suggestion.

"I'm sure you won't mind, since this is merely both a walk around the town and a good learning experience for our new guests." Twilight said as she turned to the cold assassin with a curious glance "I only want to have Lucci at my side so I could at least get to know him better while I show him around."

Discord blinked down at Twilight until he shrugged it off "Suit yourself." He looked down at Lucci "Now, Rob, I would like for you to be a good sport and follow Twilight around, listen to what she has to say, and at least be mindful towards whom she chooses to show you to. In retrospect, she's gonna be your temporary superior until I say otherwise." He smiled as he pointed a claw "In an event that you happen to run into a pony named Fluttershy before me, tell her I said hello."

Lucci stared up at Discord and simply responded with "Understood..." before he stood beside his group, leaving the draconequus and the remaining assassins in their own group. They parted ways and went into different parts of Ponyville while trying to ignore the many curious and terrified looks they received from other ponies; Twilight and Spike were already uneasy unlike Discord, who simply glided in a carefree manner.

When they were far from each other, Jabra walked ahead in his group with a scowl "Great, we're separated and I'm stuck with you two assholes..." He said, voicing his contempt towards Fukuro and Kumadori, both of which were easily offended.

"Yoyoi~! Surely you don't mean that, do you, Jabra~?" Kumadori asked with his teeth bared in a frown "We hold you in high regard as a friend~! And as such, friends must stick together in even the worst of conditions~!"

A certain white hand smacked what appeared to be a drum that made a 'ponk' sound.

Jabra growled and looked back at the kabuki performer "You're thinking of marriage! And even if we are friends, you're both still annoying!" He said as he continued to walk ahead.

Fukuro moaned "But we never said anything bad about you. Why do you even hate us so much, chapapa?" He asked in pity.

Discord smiled playfully at Jabra "Oh, Jabra, must you be so cruel? Come join in beside your friends in your walk!"

Jabra didn't face Discord as he walked "Sorry, chief, but I'd like to be a lone wolf right now. It's better for me that way."

Discord's smile widened "In that case, I order you to walk beside your friends."

Jabra froze before he growled and slowed his pace to be in between Kumadori and Fukuro, muttering a curse under his breath. He shifted his glance between the two giants, seeing how they easily walked ahead while viewing the scenery. He decided to follow their example rather than make small talk and tried to spot any possible points of interest. So far, the vibrant coloring of his surroundings was starting to grow on him; it was a good change of scenery from the endless ocean he sailed on with his comrades. Most of the buildings looked exactly the same except for certain areas that stuck out with their own unique, if not bizarre architecture.

One of which happened to appear as if it were made of candy.

Jabra stopped in his tracks and gaped at the distant sight "What the hell?"

Fukuro and Kumadori followed suit after hearing Jabra's outburst and eventually shared his shock "Wow! A house made of candy? How cool, chapapa!" The former said in awe, a wide smile on his face.

Kumadori struck a pose as he faced the building with the others "Yoyoi~! Such a si-sight to behold~! What a surprise~!"

Discord lazily backstroked in the air above the trio "Ah, yes, you folks have good eyes. What you're looking at is the famous Sugarcube Corner, as mentioned earlier by Spike. They make the finest pastries and sweets in Ponyville for you to enjoy." He looked down at the awestruck assassins "Would you like to see it up close and personal? One of Twilight's friends happen to live there."

Jabra stroked his goatee "I dunno...I find that place a little too good to be true." He squinted his eyes at the house "Something tells me I'm gonna be facing trouble the moment I set foot into that place."

Discord leaned his head down at Jabra with an entertained look on his face "Am I to believe you're relying on instinct to guide your path? Why not throw caution to the wind and have a looksie?" He said persuasively.

Jabra took a step back while he eyed Sugarcube Corner cautiously "I don't know, okay? Something about that house made of candy just rubs me the wrong way..."

Discord rolled his eyes "You know, it only LOOKS like it's made of candy. But if you're so adamant about saving that place for later, we can head someplace else."

Fukuro raised his hand "I wanna look at it up close, chapapa. Can I, chief? Please~?"

Discord chuckled at Fukuro's childish behavior and waved a paw "Go ahead, my 'silent' owl."

With a 'chapa' of joy, Fukuro winked out of existence, much to the intrigue of Discord, and reappeared next to one of Sugarcube Corner's windows. Discord beamed in delight "Well well! You humans are just full of surprises!" He quipped cheerfully.

Jabra grinned pridefully at the praise he received "That's just one of the skills that we're good at. Not all humans are capable of our feats."

Fukuro inched himself towards the closest window and peeked inside with one eye. Truthfully, he expected to see all sorts of sweets on display, but all he got was what appeared to be a large blue eye surrounded by pink that stared back at him. Both eyes blinked at the same time while they stared at one another, then Fukuro saw fit to break eye contact to turn back at Discord, a look of disappointment on his face "There's nothing in there, chapapa. Did you lie to us, Discord?"

Discord was taken aback by the question "Lie? Moi?" He gave off a thin smile "Only when I'm enjoying a good prank..." The draconequus then donned a look of befuddlement "But I assure you I'm doing nothing of the sort right now."

Fukuro pointed at the window he peeked in "Well, all I saw was something staring back at me."

Discord remained silent until a wide grin crept onto his face "Pray tell, what color was it?"

"Blue; it was blue, but I also saw some pink, chapapa." Fukuro quickly responded. He heard a creak and turned right to see Sugarcube Corner's front door swing open to reveal a pink mare with a wide toothy grin on her face. Like Fukuro mentioned, her eyes were blue, and her mane and tail were both wild, resembling cotton candy.

Before Fukuro could even react, he found the same pony in front of him, her eyes glittering in wonder "Wow...You're huge! Are you some kind of talking balloon?"

Fukuro was instantly offended as he leered down at Pinkie "Chapa! I'm not a balloon, dummy! I'm a human!"

The pink pony blinked and cocked her head to the side "A human? What's a human?"

"A rare species unseen in Equestria." said Discord as he approached the two with Jabra and Kumadori in tow "These fine folks are three of the seven that happen to be visiting here for the time being." He directed a paw towards the pink pony "You three, I would like for you all to meet Pinkamena Diane Pie; Pinkie Pie for short. She's the element of Laughter, and plans parties like nopony's business."

Pinkie donned a chipper grin "Nice to meet you all! Did everypony else see you yet?"

Discord fidgeted his claws "Well, not everypony, buuuut..." He looked back at some of the ponies behind in their trail staring wide-eyed at the humans "...we're working on that at the moment." He smirked "We've already ran into Twilight and Spike and we're giving a tour in two groups." He waved a lion paw towards the three humans "As you see before you, I'm with these three; Jabra, Fukuro, and Kumadori."

Pinkie got a better look at the humans up close and stopped when he saw Kumadori, beaming up at his large figure, then the shakujo gripped in his right hand "That's a neat looking staff you got there. Are you a king?"

Kumadori stuck his left hand out at Pinkie "Yoyoi~! Sadly, I'm no royal icon~! I'm but a wandering warrior, much like my comrades~! Through our travels, we await the fierce battles that lie, lie, lie ahead of us~!" He rotated his head as he spoke his last sentence.

Fukuro spoke up "Actually, we're-" Before he could finish, Jabra knocked the loud mass down and zipped up his mouth forcibly, growling in anger as he did so.

Pinkie was confused at first, but then found the action to be humorous as she laughed at them "Are you guys performers, too? Because that would be super awesome. Dashie would love you guys!"

Jabra darted his head towards Pinkie "No, we're assa-!" He quickly clamped his mouth shut with both of his hands as his eyes widened; He could not believe he would actually compromise his job before Fukuro. The boisterous man stared at the smiling pink pony, then turned to a nervous Kumadori and Discord, the former shaking his head while the latter made a gesture of cutting his neck. He turned back to Pinkie and spoke again "...Assistants. We're assistants to Discord." He turned to Discord with a grin that feigned innocence "Isn't that right, chief?"

Discord smiled at Jabra's recovery. The best part was he was technically telling the truth, so there was no harm or foul from his words. He easily responded to Jabra "But of course. And let me tell you that you're doing a splendid job thus far in...assisting me." He said with a wink.

Pinkie pointed at Jabra "You guys could probably get along with Spike, since he's Twilight's assistant." She gasped before she grinned "Oh my gosh! I gotta meet the rest of your friends! Can I come with you and your assistants, Discord?"

Discord nodded "The more the merrier. The plan was to run into you and your friends while showing these guys around. What say you be my secondary tour guide?"

Pinkie smiled "Would I?" She turned to the three assassins with a wide grin "You're all in for a treat! If you thought Ponyville was good so far, you haven't seen nothing yet!"

Jabra stared at Pinkie in deadpan "I didn't have any opinion of this place to begin with."

Fukuro rose and unzipped his mouth as he rubbed his head from Jabra's attack "Hopefully there's a place where Jabra won't attack me, chapapa..." He said pitifully.

Kumadori struck a pose as he towered over Pinkie Pie "Yoyoi~! Not only are we in the presence of a famed heroine~, but she is to accompany us in our ve-venture across this colorful village~! Most impressive~!"

Pinkie giggled and clapped at Kumadori's speech pattern and gestures "I already like you a lot. I'm glad we're gonna be friends!"

Jabra stared dumbfounded at Pinkie "Wait a minute. Since when were we-" Two claws were pressed against his lips courtesy of Discord

"Shshshshhhh...Just let it happen..." Discord said in a low tone, his eyes closed "It's commonplace around here."

Jabra grunted and sighed in defeat "Fine, I guess were friends starting today. Even if we only spoke to each other just now." He said begrudgingly. He thought how such a thing was even possible in this world, especially when his own world was admittedly messed up at one point; devil fruit and whatnot.

Pinkie pronked around the group happily "Oh, there's gonna be so much to show you all, I don't even know where to begin! We could always go visit Davenport's quill and sofa store. Or maybe I can take you all to see Rarity at Carousel Boutique since you wanna see my friends, too. Oh! How about I take you all to see Fluttershy!" She then froze in the air with a pensive glance, much to the amazement of the humans "Hmm...Then again, she'd probably be afraid of you since you're not really animals..."

Fukuro saw his moment to speak again "That's not true. Jabra's a wolf, chapapa!" He said, pointing to the aforementioned human.

Jabra stammered and glared at Fukuro "Don't tell her that, you moron!" He snapped.

Pinkie stared at Jabra in disbelief "Really? You don't look the part. I mean, you're not furry enough." She sped up to Jabra and was found on his back, moving one of his arms "You got no claws..." She inspected his facial features "You got no snout..." She tugged at one of Jabra's cheeks despite his protest and viewed his teeth "Well, your teeth are sharp, but not wolf sharp." She then released her hold on his cheek to tug at an ear "Your ears aren't like a wolf's neither." Pinkie looked down at the human's backside after moving his ponytail "And you got no tail." She hopped off of Jabra and eyed him skeptically "You're something alright, but you're definitely not a wolf."

Normally, Jabra would let this particular thing slide for the sake of hiding his anonymity, but now he felt as if his own pride was being crushed despite standing at a random spot in town. Blinded by Pinkie's seemingly offensive comment, he growled and pointed a finger at her "You want proof? Then allow me to show you!" Jabra stood perfectly still as he stared down at Pinkie, then grinned as he began to grow in size.

His body had changed as he grew; black and grey fur had grown on his skin; claws were seen on his fingers; a large cartoonish snout and a set of wolf ears were seen in place of his former human features; Jabra's body had bulked up entirely in muscle, showing part of his black tattoo on his left pectoral. Finally, a large furred tail lightly swayed as Jabra stared down at Pinkie with his taunting grin, seeing her look of disbelief "What do you think of this, huh?" He pointed a clawed thumb at himself "This is the power of my devil fruit; Mutt-Mutt fruit: Model Wolf!"

Discord nonchalantly glided over to Jabra, placing a lion paw on his shoulder "Jabra, while I'm very entertained with this pleasant surprise of you changing form and that..." He waved a claw around a group of frightened ponies "Need I remind you you're being watched?" Discord said, as if nothing horrible came from the wolf's actions.

Jabra stared blankly at the many gaping faces around him until he felt like slapping himself in the face "Aww, dammit! I let her get to me!" He said, grasping his head with his claws.

"Diamond dog!"

"It's a giant diamond dog!"

"How was it able to disguise itself so well in such a smaller form!?"

"The hay's a Mutt-Mutt fruit?"

Fukuro watched how everypony around him, save for Pinkie, run around in a panic, while others ran off to safer areas in Ponyville "Diamond dog? But Jabra's a wolf human..."

Kumadori held his shakujo over his head with both hands "This is unacceptable~! Our Jabra is suffering from an identity crisis~! We must clear his name immediately~!"

Jabra flinched when he realized he caused a disturbance "Crap! I gotta put a stop to this!"

Discord patted Jabra's shoulder with a comforting smile "Leave that to me. Just stand there and look pretty for me, would you?" He snapped his talons and conjured a megaphone, speaking into it "Everypony, may I have your attention, please?" His question was met with more screams and running "Please calm down. I assure you this wolf is both domestic and friendly! He just made friends with Pinkie Pie earlier!"

"It's true!"

The ponies around the group had stopped, and they, along with Discord and the three assassins, looked down to see Pinkie Pie with a megaphone of her own "Don't worry, everypony! Jabry's a nice guy, even if he is a wolf, or diamond dog, or whatever he is!"

Jabra twitched an eye at Pinkie, not because she was defending him, but was seen with a megaphone out of nowhere. This was just as surprising as when Kumadori is usually found with his knife 'Where did she get that?' There was a pause, and Jabra looked annoyed '...Did she just call me Jabry?'

Pinkie smiled as she continued "Just keep calm and carry on! He's with Discord, so he's not that bad!" The mentioned draconequus gave a friendly wave to the ponies that listened to Pinkie.

There were some murmurs of uncertainty, but Pinkie's words had managed to sink into the ponyfolk as they ceased their panic and went back to their own routines, though they eyed Jabra cautiously while doing so. When he was certain the panic had stopped, Jabra looked down at Pinkie "Thanks for the save. Where did you get a megaphone, anyways?" He asked curiously.

Pinkie merely giggled "I always have megaphones stashed around Ponyville in case of megaphone emergency. Buuuut, I got this one out of my mane." She said before sticking her item back into her wild mane.

Discord smirked at the three assassins "Count yourselves lucky. You dodged one heck of a bullet back there." He looked up to see a prismatic blur headed towards them, pointing up at it while staring blankly "On second thought, I take that back. You should probably brace yourselves quickly." The draconequus added in a straight tone.

Jabra stared at Discord until he followed his gaze and grunted before he stood still, his arms crossed in front of his face and chest "Tekkai!" He shouted as the blur closed in on him and him alone.

When the blur collided with him, Jabra was pushed back a couple of inches until he noticed a cyan pony that was on his arms. There was a pause until the pony quickly drew back towards the ground and gave off a pained shout, rubbing her shoulder after her attempted attack "Sweet Celestia! I know diamond dogs are tougher than they look, but you're like some kind of brick wall!" She complained in a raspy voice.

Jabra pointed a claw at himself with a comical expression of anger on his face "I'm not a freaking diamond dog! I'm a wolf!"

The cyan pony snorted and stared down Jabra as she pawed at the ground with a foreleg "Well, whatever you are, you better get ready. You might've lucked out in enduring my last attack, but I'm ready for you now. You're gonna regret scaring everypony like that!"

Jabra stared at the pony in befuddlement before he reeled his head back and roared with defiant laughter "You're kidding, right? I've had my share of opponents, but you're nothing special." He smirked down at the angered pony "However, I'm willing to oblige since you attacked me..."

Before either of them could make the first move, Discord leapt in between them, soaring through the air in slow motion with his arms spread out "Waaaaaait~!" He said in the same motion he was flying in, stopping the two in confusion.

Jabra blinked at Discord "What the-? How are you doing that, chief?" He then narrowed his eyes "And why should I ignore this?" He asked angrily.

Discord continued to sail in the air as he spoke in slow motion "She's a friend~. Don't hurt her~."

Fukuro stared at Discord's action in wonder "Chief Discord's really amazing, chapapa."

The cyan pony stared blankly at Fukuro and Kumadori after hearing the former 'Wow...Those guys are huge!' She then leered at Discord "Wait, these freaks are with you, Discord? What's going on?"

Discord ceased his slow-motion shenanigans to face the confused pegasus "Well, you see, I was merely giving these fine folks a tour around Ponyville and we stumbled upon Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie happened to get acquainted with them, but somehow pushed Jabra into becoming a giant wolf." He turned to Jabra with an intrigued glance "And you said a fruit did this? Your world must be full of chaotic wonders..."

Jabra nodded "Yeah, the devil fruit in our world have all sorts of powers; this is just one of them." He said as he reverted back into his human form and leered back at the rainbow-maned pony "Anyways, who's this girl? I want to know the name of the weakling that had the balls to try and surprise me with an attack."

The pegasus perked up at the insult "Weakling!?" She gritted her teeth and glared at Jabra "Oh, I oughta-"

Pinkie sped in front of her and held her hooves out while grinning nervously "Aw, c'mon, Dashie. I'm sure Jabra was kidding."

Discord snickered at Jabra's attempt to antagonize the pegasus and spoke "She's another one of the Elements of Harmony. Her name's Rainbow Dash, the element of Loyalty. She's also the self-proclaimed fastest flier in Equestria."

Jabra crossed his arms and looked away with an unamused glance "Obviously, she wasn't fast enough to take me down..." He said with a scoff.

Pinkie muttered an 'Uh oh', and Rainbow Dash was now trying to wriggle her way out of Pinkie's grip as she tried to reach for Jabra with an indignant look in her eyes "You jerk! Wait until I get my hooves on you! Then we'll see who's not fast enough!"

Kumadori held out his free hand as he watched Rainbow Dash struggle in Pinkie's grip "Yoyoi~! Her heart burns with the fiery passion of a warrior~! She must be a force to be reckoned with to rush into battle so quickly~!"

Rainbow Dash ceased her struggling to stare at Kumadori, her temper fading "Uhh...Thanks?" She got a better look at Kumadori and placed a hoof on her chin "You kinda look like a rock star, but you talk weird."

Pinkie loosened her grip on Rainbow Dash to laugh "Isn't he great? I like the way Kummy talks." She turned to Kumadori with a smile "Can you tell us more about yourself?" Pinkie said with hopes of hearing more of the kabuki performer's dialect.

Kumadori spun his shakujo as he looked down at Pinkie and Rainbow Dash "Yoyoi~! I honor both my code as a ronin, and the bonds I share with my friends~! Like them, I possess the skills needed to defend myself and others if I so choose~!" He struck a pose as he faced Rainbow Dash "A thousand pardons on my behalf for my friend Jabra~! Please look, look, look over his behavior and consider us as acquaintences like Pinkamena~!"

He struck another pose and closed his eye while some blossom petals were carried in the wind out of nowhere "A kind pink pony~! Who welcomes us without pause~! Surely, a grand sight~!" A tear rolled down his right eye as he ended his random haiku.

Pinkie stomped the ground in applause "That was great!" She turned to Rainbow Dash "Wasn't it, Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash quirked an eyebrow at Kumadori, then faced Pinkie "I'm kinda uncomfortable with these guys. Are there any more like them here in Ponyville?"

Fukuro was found behind Rainbow Dash and Pinkie "Princess Twilight Sparkle and her assistant Spike have the rest of our friends at another part of Ponyville, chapapa." Rainbow Dash yelped and jumped away from Fukuro as she hovered in the air. She stared at the loud mass warily, wondering how she didn't see him move so quickly.

Discord laughed "You heard it from Fukuro, Rainbow Dash. There's more humans for you to look at once we run into them. Until then, we're gonna go find the rest of your friends and show our guests around town."

Pinkie grinned "We might go to Fluttershy's next since Jabry's a wolf."

Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her chest "Then I'm coming with you." She narrowed her eyes at Jabra "I'm not gonna let these guys scare Fluttershy into her house, even if one of them's an animal."

Jabra rolled his eyes and looked away from Rainbow Dash "You act like that's my hobby or something. Fine, if this 'Fluttershy' is so important to you, we'll leave her alone for now." He looked up at Discord "Any other places worth going to, chief?"

Discord smiled "As a matter of fact, yes. Let's move into the market square and see if Applejack's around." He said as he floated away, signalling the group, now with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, to follow.

Fukuro hummed in delight "This Applejack sounds delicious, chapapa."

Pinkie laughed at Fukuro's comment as she trotted beside him "It's her apples that are delicious, silly. She has all sorts of apple-related stuff, too! Like apple pies, apple juice, apple fritters, apple tarts, caramel apples..." She continued naming off several apple-related sweets as the group continued further towards the market square.

Jabra thought he had enough trouble with Kumadori and Fukuro to begin with.
_____

Twilight took point in leading the group of assassins behind her while Spike rode on her back. Through their trail, she was able to catch the names of the humans that traveled with Lucci. The alicorn princess looked back at her guests and smiled at their wandering eyes until she noticed Lucci easily looking ahead without any emotion like a soulless machine. Meanwhile, Hattori was more curious about Ponyville than his owner. While they had their own interests, Twilight herself was more and more curious about the guests she was guiding around ever since Discord claimed they were from another world. She looked back ahead and tried to distinguish a good starting point in her tour, though was discouraged when many ponies were glancing at the group warily.

Spike whispered to Twilight "Are you sure it's a good idea to have these humans in Ponyville? I mean, sure, I shouldn't judge by their appearance and stuff, but they're really creeping me out." He looked over at Lucci and shuddered "Especially that Rob Lucci guy..."

Twilight frowned and whispered back without facing Spike "We shouldn't be rude to them, Spike. They're already being misunderstood and we want them to feel welcome here." She looked around and smiled when she spotted a luxurious building in the distance that resembled a carousel "I think I know where to start." She said with a smile.

Blueno was the first to react to Twilight's raised voice "Where exactly?" He asked in his deep voice.

Twilight pointed to the distant building "Over there. That building's called Carousel Boutique. My friend Rarity lives there, and she designs clothes as her career."

Kalifa donned a ghost of a smile "A fashionista, you say? Is she renowned for her work?"

Twilight nodded "Of course. Let's head over there and see if she's home, shall we?"

"Lead the way." said Kaku as he followed behind Twilight and Spike. He looked at his clothes and tugged at his collar "If she makes clothes, then hopefully she could offer us some. I'm not too keen on wearing the same outfit over and over." He said as he stared at his striped shirt. Kaku didn't mind that Kalifa and Kumadori did the shopping for clothes, but their supplies were now resting back on the marine ship that was sitting in the middle of the sea outside of Baltimare.

Spike pointed a claw at Kaku "Well, you're in luck. Rarity happens to be the element of Generosity; she could give free clothes to anypony." He tilted his head "But why would you want so much clothes?"

Kaku held up a hand "Well, for starters, we're not exactly comfortable walking around naked." It suddenly clicked into his mind that the residents of Equestria were practically naked and he felt embarrassed to travel around with Twilight "Well, that is, not that it's a bad thing around here..." He added hesitantly.

Twilight giggled "We understand; you're all from an entirely different world, so obviously you abide by different customs." She looked back at the assassins as they neared the building "By the way, could you perhaps share with me some key interests of your world once we reach the library? I look forward to exchanging information with you all."

Blueno looked down at Twilight "Of course. But I doubt it would prove useful to you, since you're not likely to see what's in our world."

"I'd advise against such a thing myself." Lucci cut in callously "I won't stop you in seeking knowledge, but you'll have no one to blame but yourself once you learn more of our darker secrets..."

Spike gazed at Lucci with a curious glance "Is it that bad where you're from?"

Lucci looked down at Spike, his cold gaze easily unsettling the purple dragon "If your world is peaceful according to Princess Celestia, then you wouldn't last long in ours..." Hattori cooed in agreement.

When they reached Carousel Boutique, Twilight rapped on the door before turning to Lucci "I'm willing to chance learning more about your world, but I should focus more on showing you all around first. I hope Discord isn't giving you all any trouble." She said sympathetically.

Blueno shook his head "He treats us with respect and care, but he seems more eccentric unlike our previous boss."

Kaku crossed his arms "I agree; he seems rather carefree for an all-powerful being in this world, but he means well, at least."

Twilight smiled "Glad to hear it. I hope you all will enjoy your stay in Equestria." She heard the front door to Carousel Boutique open, and Twilight turned to see a white unicorn mare with an ornately-curled purple mane answer the door.

The mare noticed Twilight and Spike upon first glance and smiled warmly "Why hello there, You two." She said in a sophisticated accent. Her smile left for a brief moment "May I ask why you chose to knock on my door rather than make your way inside? Mind you, I'm not busy at the moment."

Twilight smiled in embarrassment "Hi, Rarity. I am sorry that we did just that, but we have some guests we'd like for you to meet." She looked back at the quartet of assassins "Discord stopped by in Ponyville to show them around."

Rarity followed Twilight's gaze and gasped when she got a better look at the humans behind her, bringing a foreleg to cover her muzzle "My word..." She whispered, leaving a brief pause as each of the assassins stared back in curiosity for a further response.

Twilight herself folded her ears back over the possibility that Rarity could be fearfully bothered by the humans that towered over other ponies with ease. Spike felt the same way himself, although he wasn't sure on how to comfort Rarity. They only switched their gazes between their friend and their guests waiting for a response out of either party, and they saw how Rarity took a step forward with her eyes on the humans "All of you..." She uttered until she was seen with a bright grin.

"...look positivey marvelous!"

Kaku blinked and scratched his head as he smiled bashfully "Well, thank you for the compliment. It's not every day you meet someone who would say that."

Kalifa smirked proudly as she received her praise "It would seem that I've made the right decision in purchasing outfits for each of you after all." She looked over at the other males "No need to thank me for my choice of clothing, gentlemen."

Rarity directed her attention to Kalifa "So you made the purchase on these clothes? Would you share with me the place you've received them?" She asked with a friendly smile.

Twilight stepped in front of Rarity with a nervous gaze "Well, you see, Rarity, the place where they got their clothes is from isn't exactly reachable...well...it's just-"

"We're from another world..." Lucci said bluntly, slightly annoyed with the prospect of beating around the bush. Hattori shook his head at Twilight in disappointment for not being able to come out with it easily.

Rarity drew herself back "Another world? That explains your appearance." She turned to Twilight "How in Equestria did they stumble upon Ponyville, if that were the case?"

Spike pointed a claw at the humans "Discord brought these guys with him into Ponyville. We don't exactly know the full details yet, though."

Blueno looked down at the ponies and dragon "I'm willing to answer that for you. We were traveling on a ship-"

"Wait, you were at sea before coming here?" Spike interrupted, becoming more intrigued with the tale as he gained more height by placing his claws on Twilight's head and lifting himself up slightly, much to the princess' chagrin "Can you tell us more?"

Blueno held out his hands in a placating motion "There's no need to get riled up over a simple story. We merely crossed an invisible field and ended up near a city called Baltimare, according to Discord..." He rubbed his chin with his right hand, his left hand resting on his hip "Looking back on it, he was responsible for bringing us here with his magic, after all. Not that we can complain, since we were searching for a place to stay for the time being."

Spike relented when he caught on to Twilight's irritation, and the alicorn looked up with a tilted head "So you came here from a ship. Are you all sailors, by chance?"

Kaku instantly cracked a fixed smile; he felt better to tell a little white lie without Fukuro around "Basically yes. Our world has some vast oceans. We were merely sailing around and looking for an area to rest and possibly gather supplies."

Rarity smiled "Well, you're always welcome here in Ponyville. Would you like to come inside?" She got a better look at the humans' respective heights and winced "Erm, provided it won't be too small for you all..."

Kalifa pushed her glasses in front of her eyes "I'd kindly oblige to the offer myself, but I also wish to catch a better glimpse of this town; get the lay of the land, as it were."

Twilight smiled at Rarity "We came over wondering if you wished to come along and get better acquainted with our guests."

Rarity nodded "I would be delighted." She looked over at Kalifa "It's always nice to be around another lady, even if she's from another world." She trotted out of the boutique and closed the door "You made great time, too. I was planning to pick up my sweet little Opal from Fluttershy's today. Why don't we go there and converse for the time being?"

Spike frowned "Wouldn't that be a risky move, since she'll possibly hide from the humans once she sees them?"

Twilight looked up at Lucci, almost willing to agree with Spike until she noticed Hattori resting on the killer's shoulder, donning an encouraged smile "I think she won't mind their company since Rob Lucci has a pet pigeon."

Rarity blinked "Really?" She looked up at the mentioned bird "I never really noticed at first..." After catching a glimpse of Hattori's tie, she placed a hoof on her cheek, a captivated look on her face "Awwww~! What a darling little tie. Fluttershy would adore the cute little thing."

"Does the pigeon have a name?" Twilight asked Lucci inquisitively.

Lucci looked over at his pet pigeon, his expression unchanged "His name is Hattori. He's been with me most of my life..." He responded stonily. Hattori gave off a cheerful coo to the two ponies and dragon, a wing held up in greeting.

Rarity continued to examine Lucci after his response and hummed "You really have that mysterious background to go with your appearance. Are you a model, perhaps?"

Kaku cut in quickly "Actually, Lucci and I both had jobs as shipwrights. We were laid off after we had some issues at the workplace." He placed his hands on his hips with a smile that feigned determination "Not that it matters to us anymore. We're merely getting by with life on the high seas."

Spike turned to Blueno and Kalifa "What about you two? Were you shipwrights as well?"

Kalifa shook her head "Actually, I used to be a secretary. I share the same reasons as Lucci and Kaku for being laid off."

Blueno raised a hand "I worked as a bartender myself for a while. It was a good job while it lasted, but I couldn't just watch my friends leave, so I joined them as well."

Twilight nodded in respect to Blueno's reason "You're all a unique group of friends to stick together in the worst conditions. I'm sorry about you all being unemployed." She said sympathetically.

Blueno waved a hand dismissively "It's really nothing to worry about. We'll get by eventually, and we're having a good time in this place thus far."

Lucci was able to keep a straight face after the small comment, but he inwardly felt like kicking Blueno for making it seem like he was growing attached to this place himself. He hoped that he wouldn't have to stay in Equestria for too long when he wished to go back into his own world.

Twilight smiled "Well, why don't we talk more on the way to Fluttershy's then? Maybe she would like to hear about your-"

"Diamond Dog! Diamond Dog!"

The group noticed a pink mare with a yellow mane and a flower cutie mark galloping away with a look of horror in her eyes "Everypony run away! There's a giant diamond dog near Sugarcube Corner!" She stopped to stare at the humans near Twilight and Rarity, then screeched before darting off at a speed that could possibly rival Rainbow Dash.

From hearing this, the humans glanced at each other before looking down at a baffled Twilight "A diamond dog? Here? But I thought they left us alone a couple of years ago." The alicorn said in confusion.

Rarity growled "They probably hatched a revenge plan through that long period. And here I thought they were dimwitted." She quipped with an icy tone.

Spike scratched his head "But why would there be just one?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the direction where the frightened mare came in "Whatever the number, we can't look away from this." She said with determination as she stood tall.

"Please, Twilight, let us handle this..."

Twilight ceased her bravado to look up at Lucci, who merely stared back with his cold and calculating eyes "Our numbers alone can easily overwhelm the beast, even if it is supposedly big..."

"Before we go, are diamond dogs actually made of diamonds? We'll need some basic information on what we're up against." Blueno stated in his own matter-of-fact tone.

Twilight shook her head "No, they're not actually made of diamonds; they're just beasts who love to dig for diamonds. Like you, they're usually seen on their hind legs and wearing clothes. But we've never really seen a giant one in our time." She looked up at the humans "If you're willing to do this for us, I won't stop you, but you should be careful..."

Spike pointed a claw at the humans "I'd watch out if I were you. Diamond dogs love to dig to mess around with whoever's after them."

Twilight's explanation earned the pause from the assassins. They glanced at each other, and Kaku arched an eyebrow towards his comrades with a quizzical look in his eyes "You don't think...?"

Kalifa lidded her eyes in deadpan "If their information proves accurate, then we shouldn't have much to worry about."

"If it is, however, then we should probably find him before he causes any more harm." Blueno said in a straight tone.

"Agreed. Let's start this little mission and see who's causing trouble around here." Lucci said curtly. After their stood until they said one word simultaneously.

"Soru."

In front of their eyes, Twilight, Rarity, and Spike saw the humans instantly vanish without a trace. They drew themselved back in their shock "They can use magic without horns!?" Twilight broke the silence.

Spike shook off his awe to recall Blueno's appearance "Well, Blueno has two horns, so wouldn't he be able to do it?"

Rarity frowned "Well, we can't just leave them behind like that, can we?"

Twilight nodded "That's true. For all we know, they just might be strong enough to overwhelm their enemy and more." She said as the two ponies galloped for Sugarcube Corner, Spike riding on Twilight's back.
_____

Fukuro had never felt so content in finding a kindred spirit who had a penchant for talking as much as himself. He smiled widely as he talked with Pinkie Pie, her talking of apples derailing into an explanation about something called the fourth wall "So I'm able to see more people if I look hard enough, chapapa?"

Pinkie shook her head "Sure, and it's a lot easier than you think. Once you get the hang of it, the people you see can be very nice once you get to know them." She said encouragingly with a grin to match.

Rainbow Dash sighed at Pinkie's shenanigans as she hovered next to Discord "There she goes again..." She turned her head at Jabra and glared at him while he walked further ahead of the group, away from the others as he had his hands rested contently behind his head.

Discord noticed this and patted Rainbow Dash's head with his eagle claw "Now now, Rainbow, there's no need to get worked up over the smaller things. In a sense, it's almost like looking into a mirror..." He said with a giggle.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash snapped irritably.

Discord waved his claw "Never you mind." He spotted a stand selling apples and apple-based treats being ran by an orange pony wearing a stetson and pointed a talon "Oh look, there she is!" Despite the many looks he and the group received from the ponies around them, Discord waved his arms like an eager child grabbing attention "Applejack~! Applejack~!"

From the apple stand, the pony called Applejack answered to her name and saw Discord, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash traveling with three strange creatures, her eyes widening in surprise "What in the hay?" She murmured in a southern drawl. She watched the group approach her stand and focused mainly on the draconequus grinning at her "Okay, Ah'll bite. What're ya up to this time, Discord?" Applejack asked with a suspicious glance.

Fukuro instantly spoke up "Chief Discord was showing us around Ponyville and wanted to see you next, chapapa."

Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at the loud mass "What he said." She added unenthusiastically "How's business, AJ?"

Applejack frowned "Was moving slow an' steady-like until Ah saw y'all movin' in here along with everypony else. Mind tellin' me who these folks are?" She asked her friends.

Pinkie hopped in front of the stand with a grin "These guys are assistants to Discord. They're called humans."

Jabra looked at the assortment of items and winced when he thought about having meat 'This sucks...Apples are good and stuff, but I really miss the taste of meat...What's a guy gotta do to get just that around here?' He thought to himself morosely.

Applejack caught Jabra staring and decided to act friendly "Ya hungry, sugarcube? Got plenty o' snacks fer ya t' choose from." She said with a welcoming smile.

Jabra looked away and waved a hand with a disinterested expression "No thanks, not interested. I got a lot on my mind as it is."

Rainbow Dash glided towards Applejack and scoffed "Yeah, no need to bother with him, AJ. He's probably thinks he's too good to eat apples anyways." She remarked sarcastically.

Fukuro found another opportune moment to speak impulsively "Actually, it's because he wants to eat-" A flash was on his face, and it vanished to show that Fukuro's mouth was gone, much to his and everyone else's surprise.

Kumadori hopped away and cringed dramatically "Yoyoi~! What cruel fate has be-be-befallen Fukuro~!? The very essence that defines his natural character has been whisked away by forces unseen~!"

"Actually, that was me." Discord cut in nonchalantly "Trust me when I say that it's for the best." He said with a bored expression.

Jabra stared at Fukuro as he flailed his arms and gave off muffled noises from where his mouth used to be. He slowly turned to Discord and gave an uncharacteristic bow "You have my utmost respect, chief Discord." He said in reverence.

Pinkie shrieked in worry "Oh no!" She sped up to Fukuro and held her forelegs out in a comforting gesture "Don't panic, Fukky. This is something I went through myself, only this time it's slightly different. You'll get your mouth back soon, I promise!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Discord "I know he loves to run at the mouth as much as Pinkie Pie, but why'd you go and do that?"

Discord pointed a talon upward with a knowing look in his eyes "Let's just say I just saved you ponies the trouble of labeling these colorful folks as monsters."

Rainbow Dash directed a hoof at Jabra "But he's already a monster." She said in deadpan.

Discord froze before directing his pointed talon to Rainbow Dash "Touche."

Applejack scowled, feeling as if she was being ignored "Can somepony PLEASE tell me what the hay is goin' on here?"

Before anyone could answer, four more bipedal figures appeared out of thin air, startling some of the other ponies around the market square. One of them had a long nose "No sign of them around Sugarcube Corner. Where could it possibly be?"

Another human, one with arched eyebrows and a cold stare scanned around with a pigeon on his shoulder mimicking his gesture. When his eyes rested on Jabra, they narrowed to slits "...I think we found it..." He said with faint annoyance laced in his dispassionate tone.

To be continued...

Chapter 4

View Online

Chapter 4

Letting Sleeping Dogs Lie

Rainbow Dash gawked at the newest additions of humans while their eyes were directed towards Jabra. They were entirely different from the larger ones she had seen earlier, even if one of them had the capability to transform into a giant wolf. She stole a glance at the one with the bandages seen on his face and shivered under his intense gaze 'Wow...This guy's giving off a bad vibe. Makes me wonder if he's even worse than that wolf guy...'

The bandaged human walked up to Jabra and stopped in front of him with his arms crossed "Jabra, according to our recently gathered intel, we've been informed about the presence of a creature known as a diamond dog. You didn't happen to have stumbled upon it, have you?" He asked with curiousity laced in his cold tone.

Jabra flinched before he growled "No, and what if I don't want to talk to you about it, huh? Ever think about that, Lucci?" He snapped defensively.

The other three humans were next to approach Jabra; the long-nosed human stood next to Jabra and Lucci with his hands on his hips "Jabra, the least you can do is cooperate." He chided before raising an eyebrow "Unless we're to believe you're the supposed diamond dog we're looking for?"

Jabra flinched again and turned his head away as he bared his teeth "There was a misunderstanding, alright? Nothing more than that. There wasn't any damn diamond dog around this town."

The pigeon seen on Lucci's shoulder planted his wing into his face as he gave off a muffled coo in exasperation. Meanwhile, Lucci himself narrowed his eyes to slits "So it was you, wasn't it? Under what circumstance did you feel the need to activate your Devil Fruit power so rashly, you buffoon?"

Jabra instantly pointed a trembling finger at Pinkie Pie with an aggravated look on his face "It was her fault, okay!? She made me do it!" The acknowledged party pony waved frantically at the newcomers with a wide grin on her face.

Discord hovered over the former agents with curiosity and amusement in his eyes "Okay, you've already surprised me with one trick before, but what's all this talk about Devil Fruit? Won't you tell me?"

The group of humans, save for Fukuro and Kumadori, leered at Jabra briefly before they all looked up at Discord. Lucci was first to enlighten the draconequus "There is a mystical fruit in our world known as Devil Fruit, which gives the user a certain power depending on the fruit that has been eaten. Jabra, Kaku, Blueno, Kalifa, and myself have our own powers."

Blueno closed his eyes "While the power is rewarding, it comes at a price; whoever dares to eat the fruit will lose their ability to swim and become a hammer when they come in contact with seawater." He added monotonously.

Discord clapped his paw and claw as an entertained smile was on his face "All this knowledge you've kept from me today and you're about to make me as curious as Twilight!" He noticed two ponies galloping towards the group, one of which carrying a small dragon "Oh, speak of the devil." He chirped as he watched them close the distance and catch their breath.

Lucci noticed that the trio made up of Twilight, Rarity, and Spike and turned to face them "Princess Twilight, your concern has been nothing more than a mistake. As it turns out, Jabra happened to act incompitently and cause an uproar around Sugarcube Corner..."

After she had caught her breath, she looked over at Jabra "Wait, Jabra did this? But he isn't...What?"

Discord grinned at Twilight's befuddlement "Don't worry, princess, you're gonna be in for a treasure trove of riches when they spill the beans!"

"Alright, Ah think Ah've been ignored fer too long."

Applejack trotted away from her stand towards the humans, an annoyed look in her eyes "Now iffin' Ah have yer attention on this, can somepony please fill me in on th' details so Ah don't feel outta the loop? Ah'm already lost on this whole dang thing."

Rainbow Dash landed next to Applejack with a raised eyebrow "I'm with AJ on this. What's with these humans showing up here anyways?"

Discord hummed at Rainbow Dash's question "Alright, I suppose you ponies deserve an explanation..." He said in a serious tone until his expression quickly shifted to a bright grin "Right after we visit Fluttershy!" The draconequus added instantly.

Rarity groaned "Of course you would stall for time on a very important explanation, Discord..." She complained before her eyes trailed towards Kumadori and Fukuro; she was easily threatened by their height, but as she looked upon the former's clothing, Rarity developed a wince.

Discord shrugged innocently "We'll have to involve all of your friends into this little thing, wouldn't we? Besides, there may be something I have to say that only you lot should know about." He looked over at Applejack with a smirk "What say you, Applejack? Would you be willing to ditch work for information beyond your wildest dreams?" He offered persuasively.

Applejack stared at Discord before she huffed and straightened her stetson hat "Looks like Ah have no choice since this could be somethin' big." She looked over at her stall "But Ah'll have t' do somethin' about-" A snapping sound was heard as a flash of light was seen on the stall. The light faded to show that there was a giant iron safe in place of the stall with a sign on the padlock that read "On break". She stared at it with widened eyes.

"There we are. We'll make this conversation short and to the point so you won't be dragged away for too long." He smiled down at Applejack. A miffed Fukuro hopped in front of Discord and flailed his arms as he made more muffled noises. The draconequus took the hint and held up his claw and paw in a placating motion "Don't worry, Fukuro, I'll give you what you want AFTER we're in private, but until then, consider this a lesson in keeping silent." He said before turning to the others "Why don't we get a move on, everyone? We're burning daylight I'm so excited!"

Twilight arched an eyebrow at Discord "I'd expect that kind of thing from Rainbow Dash." She said playfully.

The aforementioned pegasus darted her head towards Twilight "Hey, I resent that!" She frowned briefly until her lips curled into a smile "But I'll admit that I'm kinda excited myself."

Discord laughed "Then let's go see Fluttershy, shall we? Forward march!" He said as he glided away, the others following after.
_____

After their brief introductions to each other along the way, the group were led to a lush area with a cottage seen across a small wooden bridge. Animals of different kinds were seen frolicking, but some chose to find hiding places when the humans drew closer to the cottage. Discord tittered to himself "Oh, I wonder how Fluttershy would react to our new guests."

Rainbow Dash turned her head to Jabra with a threatening glare "If you even make her cry, then so help me-"

Jabra held up a hand with a disinterested expression "Save your threats, you don't scare me; and whoever said I would just scare your little friend anyways?"

Rainbow Dash quickly flew in front of Jabra and poked a hoof at his chest, stopping him in his tracks "Listen, you. All I'm saying is that you better watch yourself around her while I'm here. You're lucky we didn't get a chance to scrap earlier!" She snapped angrily.

Jabra scoffed and swatted away Rainbow Dash's hoof, matching her glare with one of his own "I'm shaking! Why don't you put a sock in it, you little-"

"Come on, Jabra, this isn't the time to bicker. Let's just head to the door." Kaku chided passively as he moved past Jabra and Rainbow Dash with Applejack at his side.

"Same thing with you, Rainbow. Ya can talk smack t' him later." Applejack added maturely. Jabra and Rainbow Dash stared at the two before they went back to leering and growling at each other.

Kumadori examined his surroundings and grinned "Yoyoi~! A forest sanctuary for creatures both great and small~! Such a place can only be found in the heavens~!"

Blueno looked around the area himself "I have to admit, even I'm impressed by the scenery. You don't see this much peace between certain animals before..."

Kalifa pushed her glasses in front of her eyes as she walked alongside Rarity "A pity they choose to hide from us instead of embracing our arrival." She looked over at a sad and mouthless Fukuro being comforted by Pinkie Pie "Then again, whether or not Fukuro could speak, we would be met with the same treatment nonetheless."

Twilight rubbed her head as she tried to mull over the possibility of Jabra actually being able to transform into a diamond dog or if he was even capable of doing so through illusory magic. Then again, are all humans capable of using magic? She looked over at Rob Lucci walking next to her on the left "Say, Rob, could you tell me about the concept of Jabra's folly? It's really nagging at me, and I'm kind of lost." She asked politely.

"Chief Discord stated that he'll explain everything once we reach your friend's cottage and rendezvous with her. You'll have to wait until then." Lucci replied stonily, not facing Twilight as he continued to walk. Her and Spike traded glances after Lucci's cold response.

When they reached the front door, Discord turned to the group with a grin "Alright, everyone, prepare to meet the last Element of Harmony that will make the set complete. Be warned that she is quite timid around new faces." He said with a smirk. Turning back to the door, Discord balled his lion paw into a fist before he gave the door a couple of firm knocks.

After a small moment of waiting, the door opened to reveal a yellow pegasus with a flowing pink mane and tail, her cutie mark making up of three butterflies. After noticing who knocked on her door first, she looked up at Discord with a small smile "Oh, good afternoon, Discord. What brings you here today?"

Discord grinned "Hello there, Fluttershy. Nothing really special today, but I just want to introduce you to some new friends I've made..." He directed an eagle claw to the group gathered behind him "I've managed to run into your friends along the way as well." He chirped.

Fluttershy stared at the humans with widened eyes; they were all so tall, especially the two giants that took up the rear of the group. Feeling rather intimidated by such an odd and scary sight, she was almost compelled to run inside, but she stopped when she noticed one small detail on one of the humans...

And he gave off the most adorable cooing sound she could ever imagine.

She gasped and smiled brightly as she unfurled her wings and hovered towards Hattori, looking at him with admiring eyes "I've never seen a cute pigeon wearing a tie before. What's your name, little one?" Hattori perked up and looked away with a bashful smile on his beak as he gave off another coo.

Lucci looked at Fluttershy with a raised eyebrow, wondering why she would go so far as to speaking with his pet as if it were another pony. He went to correct her little fallacy...

"It's nice to meet you, too, Hattori."

This drew the rapt attention of the humans, Lucci especially. Kumadori struck a pose "Yoyoi~! Now I see what ma-makes her an Element of Harmony~! She is one with the many animals she unifies under her home~, to the point where she can, can, can communicate with them as if they were equals~!"

Twilight giggled at Kumadori's assumption "Not exactly, but you're close. Her element is kindness and she has the ability to talk to animals. But like Discord said, Fluttershy can live up to her name around new faces."

Kaku grasped his cap while staring at Fluttershy with eyes of bemusement "This really is surprising she's able to talk to animals so easily." He looked over at one of the trees to see a bear hiding behind it, peering its head to peak at the humans with wary eyes "I mean, a bear lives here. They're carnivorous AND savage in the wild."

Applejack chuckled "The bear's only savage if somepony makes 'im angry, sugarcube. He's actually well-mannered once ya get t' know 'im."

Kalifa went to examine the spectacle up close, but was pushed aside as Jabra quickly sped up next to Lucci, oblivious to the fact that he both startled and frightened Fluttershy "Wait a minute, how did you do that? You mean you could actually talk to animals? Is it because you're an animal, too-Gah!"

He was being pulled back by his ponytail by an angry Rainbow Dash, who spat out his hair and glared at him "What did I just say?"

Jabra pointed a finger at Rainbow Dash's face "All I did was ask some questions! Back off for once!" He leaned his head in "And if I catch you pulling my hair again, I'll run you through!"

Rainbow Dash saw fit to have herself nose-to-nose with Jabra "I'd like to see you try, you jerk!" Before they could throw down, they were both pulled away from each other; Kaku pulled Jabra away by his shoulder while Applejack pulled back Rainbow Dash by her tail with her teeth. Both of them had their own disapproving glances.

Fluttershy watched the two exchange nasty looks despite being held back and frowned "Oh dear..." Lucci stood in front of the timid pegasus, obscuring her vision of the two boisterous individuals going at it.

"So you're able to communicate with Hattori and other animals? Interesting, to say the least. Are other ponies capable of such a thing?" Lucci asked dispassionately. Hattori gave off an inquisitive coo.

Fluttershy slightly backed away from Lucci, unnerved by his cold demeanor "N-No, just me..." She stopped her pace as she got a better look at the silent assassin. After a small pause, she gasped "Oh my goodness! You poor thing..."

Lucci furrowed his brow at Fluttershy's sudden words "What is it?"

Fluttershy flew around Lucci, glancing at his features, namely his face and chest "The bandages around your forehead and chest regions are worn, and yet you're walking around."

Spike perked up and looked over at Lucci "Wait, so those aren't for show? Was he hurt before coming here?"

Lucci caught on to Fluttershy's concern and held up a hand in reassurance "I've received medical treatment recently, and I'm in good condition to walk; You need no reason to worry for me."

Fluttershy frowned "Well, even if that were true, you still need your bandages replaced. Please, won't you let me patch up your wounds again?" She asked as she gently held his hand.

Lucci, for his part, was not keen on an early bandage replacement even if he were responsible for wearing out his current set while fending off Very Good and his crew of marines. Although, when it came to common medical practice, she did have a point. With a curt nod to Fluttershy, she smiled and bowed politely to Lucci after she released his hand "Thank you. Just please wait outside while I go grab my first aid kit." She said as she glided back into her home.

Discord shook his head with a warm smile "There she goes again, our resident element of Kindness."

Kalifa nodded in agreement "Indeed. I'm surprised she does the same for all of these animals if they were in Lucci's shoes."

Rarity held up a hoof as she looked up at Kalifa "Well, it is taxing for somepony like her, but she enjoys doing what she does best."

Fukuro muffled a sentence, but moaned in disappointment when he remembered his current predicament. Kumadori stood next to him and held up his free hand towards his chest "Yoyoi~! Patience, Fukuro~! You shall be capable of singing wondrous songs soon enough~! Chief Discord only acts in our best interest, after all~!"

Once again, a certain white hand struck a drum.

Pinkie grinned at Kumadori striking a pose after the sudden moment had passed. She was beginning to like having these humans around a whole lot more.

Twilight frowned as she examined Lucci "I kind of feel guilty not noticing your wounds sooner. Did something bad happen?" She asked, her curiosity outweighed by her concern for the assassin.

Lucci stared at Twilight before looking away "It was merely an accident, nothing more..." He replied nonchalantly. Hattori nodded in agreement as he gave a coo.

Discord hummed to himself as he stroked his goatee 'I know a liar when I see one...Methinks the lad had went through a great ordeal to accumulate all those battle scars on his body. But then again, he is an assassin, after all. Perhaps we can look into it eventually.' He looked over at the front door when he heard flapping and saw Fluttershy gliding outside with a first aid kit in her hooves.

Behind the timid pegasus was a white cat making her way out in a pompous fashion, her nose stuck in the air as her eyes were close "I'm back, and I decided to bring Opalescence with me, since Rarity's here."

Rarity grinned "Of course. Thank you so much for taking care of her, Fluttershy." She knelt down and smiled at the approaching cat "Here, Opal~. Come to Momma~!" Rarity called to her pet cheerfully.

Before Opal could acknowledge Rarity after opening her eyes, she noticed Lucci staring down at her. Hattori gave off an anxious coo before taking flight from his owner's shoulder. The two continued to stare before the cat smiled and approached Lucci instead of Rarity, rubbing her body against his legs as she walked around him and purred affectionately.

Both Fluttershy and Rarity were dumbfounded "Opal? Did you not listen to me just now?" The latter asked in bemusement.

Jabra and Rainbow Dash ceased their bickering to look over at Lucci. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow "Wow, looks like Rob's got a way with cats, huh?" She heard snickering, and she looked over at Jabra with his hands clasped over his mouth and his eyes welling with tears as he stared at Lucci and Opal "What's with you all of the sudden?"

Rainbow Dash's response came in the form of Jabra finally doubling over and bursting into hysterics, earning the attention of the rest of the group. Pinkie, finding Jabra's laugh to be infectious, joined in as well, the two draping a hand and hoof over their shoulders. Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno sighed in disappointment while Fukuro placed his hands where his mouth used to be, giving off some muffled laughter of his own. Kumadori stood blankly before he struck a pose, his right eye widening with realization "Yoyoi~! Now I get it~!"

Spike and the other ponies merely traded befuddled glances amongst themselves before turning to Discord, who basically shrugged. They all turned to Lucci, whose murderous eyes were locked on Jabra and Pinkie Pie as he stood still while Opal continued admiring him. Fluttershy was hesitant on speaking to Lucci "Umm...W-Would you like to come inside my cottage so we may begin, mister? I can tell by your bandages that your wounds might be severe..."

Lucci nodded and nudged Opalescence away with his foot before following Fluttershy into her cottage, making sure to kneel down and avoid the doorframe. Hattori managed to fly inside after them. When the door was shut, Discord stared at it before facing the others "Well, there you have it, folks; Element of Kindness." He glanced over at Jabra and Pinkie still having their laughing fit and scratched his head "Well those two are easily entertained. I'm almost jealous." Discord said with a chuckle.

"I don't even know why we're laughing!" Pinkie managed to say while she continued to laugh with Jabra.

Kaku rubbed his forehead before giving Jabra a stern glance "Lucci's inside, Jabra, you can stop now." He said firmly.

Jabra clutched his sides as he rolled around laughing "H-How can I!? Did you not see that just now!?" He said as tears flowed from his eyes.

Applejack craned her head back at Jabra's incessant laughter "Ah don't really see th' comedy behind Opal showin' affection t' that Lucci feller." She said bemusedly.

Fukuro tried to speak again, only to give off a muffled groan of frustration upon forgetting his current predicament. He really missed talking, even if he calls himself the silent owl.
_____

Fluttershy sifted through her first aid kit and made an inventory check on each item inside, smiling contently before turning to see Lucci sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and arms crossed. She trotted towards him with the kit carried under her right wing "Don't worry, mister. I'll make sure you're properly treated." Something landed on her head, and she looked up to see Hattori perching himself on her mane, smiling warmly at him.

Lucci stared at Fluttershy "You may refer to me as Rob Lucci." He responded as he looked up at Hattori sitting comfortably on the timid pegasus' mane "It seems Hattori's taking a liking to you. This is unexpected."

Fluttershy giggled "He's a very nice bird. You must be happy to have a pigeon like him at your side." She said as she looked at Lucci "Umm...if it isn't too much trouble, can you take off your clothes so I can see your injuries?"

Lucci wordlessly complied as he slid off his black jacket and unbuttoned his spotted shirt, revealing the worn bandages that covered the lower portion of his chest and his arms. Fluttershy covered her mouth with a forehoof "Oh my..." She whispered before she set down her kit and began to unwrap Lucci's old bandages starting with his chest.

The silent assassin raised his arms to allow Fluttershy to circle around and undo the tape without trouble. While doing so, she could not help but stare at the massive battle scar on his back as she went around; it was in the shape of a cross with five large sphere-shaped scars, four on each end and one in the middle. When she finished, she began to unwrap the bandages on his arms "Mr. Lucci...Not that it's any of my business, but-"

Fluttershy's front door opened to reveal Pinkie Pie trotting in a cheerful manner "Hi, Fluttershy. I just wanted to come in and apologize to Lucci; he looked pretty mad at me and Jabry back there." She noticed the scar on Lucci's back and gasped in surprise "Hey! I didn't know humans have cutie marks, too!" The party pony said ecstatically.

Lucci looked back at Pinkie "Don't be absurd. This is merely an old scar and nothing more. There hasn't been a single human alive to have these 'cutie marks' that you speak of..."

Fluttershy frowned "Oh goodness...How did you get that scar, if you don't mind me asking?"

Lucci looked back at Fluttershy "It's a long story that isn't recommended for the faint of heart. Regrettably, I don't intend on sharing it with you..."

Fluttershy looked down in defeat "Oh...O-Okay..." Remembering her task, she went back to unwrapping the rest of Lucci's bandages.

Pinkie stared for a moment before she hopped up next to Lucci, her cheerful gaze replaced with a calculating stare "So, Lucci...I've noticed a certain trait that you've been lacking ever since I met you..." She said in an unusually serious tone.

Lucci stared back at Pinkie, somewhat thrown off by Pinkie's change of behavior "And that is?" He asked inquisitively.

Pinkie stared before she tilted her head with a quizzical glance "Why aren't you smiling?"

"Because I don't feel like it." Lucci replied instantly.

Pinkie then tilted her head towards the other side "Do you ever smile?"

"Yes."

"Can you smile for me now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm in no mood."

"Is it because you're still mad at me and Jabry?"

"Not exactly."

"Is it because you felt embarrassed when Rarity's cat liked you?"

Lucci twitched an eyebrow. He was beginning to dislike Pinkie just as much as Celestia and Twilight. The pink pony merely held out a foreleg with an apologetic smile "Well, if it is, I just came here to say that I'm sorry for laughing at you. Maybe I can get you to smile sometime."

The silent assassin stared at Pinkie and lightly grasped her hoof with his right hand, unwrapped by Fluttershy; a blue square with an X mark was seen on his upper arm "Don't bet on it. I doubt anything you can do would even tempt me into doing so..."

Fluttershy finished unwrapping Lucci's left arm and went to go work on his head before a hand stopped her. She noticed the silent assassin's hardened gaze "I can handle the wrappings on my head while you patch up the rest of me..."

The timid pegasus fidgeted her hooves "I-If you insist..." She then reached down for her kit pulled out some medical tape, some napkins, ointment, and a few cotton pads while Lucci unwrapped the bandages on his forehead and peeled off the one on his cheek. Fluttershy added some ointment onto one of the napkins and dabbed his chest wounds with it before carefully wrapping his chest with medical tape, making sure not to cause any unnecessary pain while doing so. When she finished, she waited for Lucci to drop his arms and worked on the rest of his body.

Pinkie swayed left to right as she sat down with Lucci before she continued to talk "I think I know why Jabry laughed at you back there." The silent assassin regarded Pinkie with his cold stare while she continued "Jabry was supposed to be a wolf, right? So seeing as how Opal liked you so much..." She leaned in Lucci's face with an inquisitive gaze "Does that make you a cat?"

While Lucci was gradually annoyed by Pinkie's behavior, he had to commend her for her deduction on his Devil Fruit power "...You're correct. I'm impressed you would come to that conclusion based on what you've seen." He replied in his usual tone.

Fluttershy halted in her work with eyes of confusion 'Mr. Lucci is a cat? But he doesn't look like one...' She thought to herself before she continued.

Pinkie grinned "So you are one? What kind? Are you a manx? A calico cat? A black cat? A grumpy cat? A tiger? A lion? A panther? A-" A hand had cupped over Pinkie's mouth, and she noticed that Lucci was starting to look agitated.

"I'll explain myself completely once we've gathered with Chief Discord. Until then, please keep quiet..." He said in a low tone.

Fluttershy tensed up at Lucci's action while Hattori rubbed his head with a wing as he looked stressed "Umm...Pinkie, why don't we listen to Mr. Lucci and wait?" She asked Pinkie with a nervous grin before she went back to work.

Pinkie nodded and gave off a muffled answer before Lucci drew his hand away from her mouth "So while we're waiting and stuff, wanna play a game?"

Lucci closed his eyes "I'll do nothing of the sort..." He said coldly.

Pinkie frowned briefly before she smiled again "Well, then why don't we get to know each other more?" She said as she placed a hoof on her chest "My name's Pinkie Pie, but you already know that. What you don't know is that I work at Sugarcube Corner and I can bake you some goodies if you ever feel hungry!"

"Good to know..." Lucci replied with disinterest while Fluttershy worked on his face and forehead. After he felt no more activity on his being, he looked ahead at Fluttershy "I take it you're finished?"

Fluttershy nodded "Mhm. Your wounds are all patched again." She frowned in concern "I just want you to be more careful as you walk around. I don't know how you wore out your bandages so quickly, but I can't risk you getting hurt again."

Lucci huffed before he put his shirt and coat back on and rose from his sitting position "I appreciate your concern as a doctor. You aren't the first one to say such a thing..." He said as he turned to go towards the front door "We should hurry and meet with the others so that Chief Discord can begin his explanation..." As Lucci opened the door, Hattori flew off of Fluttershy's head onto his right shoulder. Pinkie and Fluttershy followed him back outside.

There was a ruffling in Lucci's hair before a miniature Discord sprung out and stared at the assassin "There you are. I was wondering how long you were going to take." He said impatiently.

Lucci looked down at Fluttershy "She made sure the procedure was a success..." He glanced over at Pinkie with narrowed eyebrows "If anything, Pinkie Pie made it longer..."

Pinkie blinked "I did?" She looked at her forehooves in wonder "Do I have control over time? Wow~..." She said absentmindedly.

"Took ya long enough, Lucci." Jabra said with a grin as he pointed a thumb towards Opalescence "You've kept your girlfriend waiting, you know." He teased while chuckling.

Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno cast a dull expression towards Jabra from behind "There's just no restraint with him sometimes..." Kaku said.

"I'd hate to be him when he's on the receiving end..." Kalifa added, pushing her glasses into her face.

"We'd be lucky if he doesn't get into trouble." Blueno finished.

Discord reappeared into his normal size in a flash of light as he hovered over the group "Well, now that we're all here, I'll get on with my story and hear from our new guests afterwards." He cleared his throat before he waved an eagle claw towards the humans "These humans hail from another world unlike our own; I just so happened to have inadvertently brought them here through a magical field of sorts. They're gonna be visiting for a couple of days before they decide to go back to their home." He grinned "That's the basic gist of it."

Rarity frowned "That was just a variant of what Blueno told us; it doesn't really explain much." She said matter-of-factly.

Twilight blinked "A magical field you created?" She looked at Discord suspiciously "Is there something you're not telling us, Discord?"

Discord crossed his arms as he frowned "Oh relax, I've not nothing up my sleeve." He said defensively before pointing a talon at the humans "Besides, it's the only way for these folks to get out of Equestria, so I don't plan on getting rid of it just yet."

Applejack frowned "Okay, so where does that leave this whole 'Devil Fruit' topic with 'em?"

Discord perked up "Yes, of course!" He looked down "Lucci, would you and your friends kindly show us these powers you speak of?"

Lucci nodded and held out a hand "I request that you ponies step back..." He looked over at Kaku and Jabra "Shall we?"

Kaku smiled "Might as well give them what they want. I hope we won't cause anymore disturbances..."

Jabra crossed his arms and gave off a sneer "They better not blame us if they pi-" He noticed Twilight and Spike as he paused, then scowled bitterly "...wet themselves..." He finished unenthusiastically.

Lucci, Kaku, and Jabra took their positions and began to grow in size as they transformed; Lucci gained more muscle and claws similar to Jabra, but had yellow fur and black spots similar to his shirt as he grew a long tail and a set of cat ears; Kaku's nose and neck grew longer and wider as horns sprouted from his cap; He had yellow fur and brown spots, but instead of claws, he grew a set of four hooves in place of his hands and feet. His body grew slightly wider with muscle, and he had a bushy tail.

When their transformation finished, Spike and the ponies gaped "Here you see our respective Devil Fruit powers of the Zoan variety...Mine is the Cat-Cat Fruit: Model Leopard."

Kaku smiled "My fruit is the Ox-Ox Fruit: Model Giraffe while Jabra's is the Mutt-Mutt Fruit: Model Wolf. What you see before you is our hybrid forms; we're able to take on the full characteristics of our respective animals at will."

Jabra grinned "The best part is that with these powers, our physical strength increases, and allows us to attack much better than our human forms."

Twilight's jaw nearly hit the ground as stared at the three animal hybrids; there were many thoughts swimming in her head from how their clothes haven't ripped from their bodies during their transformations to what other Devil Fruits exist after Lucci's mention of a variety. It was hard for her to maintain her calm when her scientific mind wished to delve into the subject further.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy looked upon the three hybrids, but her eyes stopped on Jabra. She reluctantly inched towards him and looked up at him "Umm...Can I see your full wolf form, please?"

Jabra stared down at Fluttershy and hesitated when he looked her in the eye; he didn't expect such a timid creature to ask such a question to a beast like him, especially when she looked adorable "Eh...Fine, I guess. It's been a while since I've done it." He complied to Fluttershy's request and he shrank down to size while he transformed into his full wolf form; His cartoonish snout had receded along with his tail "Happy?"

His eyes widened when his neck was instantly wrapped by a cheerful Fluttershy, who nuzzled at his coat "Oh my goodness, you look so cute for a wolf!"

"C-Cute!?" Jabra parroted incredulously.

Rainbow Dash snickered at Jabra's predicament "Wow, he went from scary to cute at the blink of an eye." She jibed in amusement.

Kalifa smirked "Honestly, I didn't see this one coming..."

Spike watched Jabra with a sympathetic look "I kinda feel bad for him being treated like that."

Jabra growled as he moved his head in an effort to shake off Fluttershy "Hey. Cut it out, I'm not supposed to be cute!"

Fluttershy frowned penitently as she let go "Oh, I'm sorry..." She then smiled "Here, let me make it up to you." She said as she reached a hoof behind one of Jabra's ears, scratching at it.

Jabra went to say something until he felt a pleasing sensation upon Fluttershy's scratching. He sat down and panted as his left hindleg began to tap at the ground, his tail wagging 'How the hell is she doing this!? What gives her the right to humiliate me in front of everyone!? Why am I liking this so much!?' He enjoyed the scratching long enough before he willed himself to move away from Fluttershy, returning to his human form as he stood up and held his head while looking at her "Alright, you had your fun. Enough already." He perked up as he heard laughter and jerked his head towards Rainbow Dash, growling as she was on the ground writhing in her laughing fit.

Kaku smiled at Jabra's misery, feeling as if it were karma for his harsh treatment back when they were fellow agents. He then looked over at the intrigued ponies "I hope you don't mind my form. I happen to like giraffes, after all." He said politely as he shifted into his full giraffe form "Here's my form in case you wish to see it."

Twilight looked up at Kaku "I don't see the problem. Rather than your previous form, you don't seem anything out of the ordinary."

Kaku blinked in surprise "Really? How so?"

Twilight smiled "You see, Kaku, giraffes are native citizens in the land of Zebrica. We barely find any of them around here in Equestria, but you could fit right in here if you stayed in that form."

Kaku paused for a moment. Never did he expect to be considered something normal in an entirely different world. He returned to his human form and scratched the back of his head with a cheerful smile "Well, now I feel more welcome than ever." He quipped.

Lucci returned to his human form as well, not wishing to be pet by Fluttershy "So there you have it. Jabra, Kaku, and myself are basically animals."

Discord smirked "And just like that, your nicknames make more sense." He looked over at Kalifa and Blueno "We're missing you two at the moment. Can you change into animals as well?"

Blueno shook his head "We both have different Devil Fruits." He looked up at Discord "If I may, Chief, I wish to demonstrate mine when it's time to leave Ponyville."

Discord smirked "Saving the best for last, hm? Alright, I'll allow it."

Kalifa took a step forward "I'll gladly show you mine. Observe..." She said as she placed her right hand on her left shoulder, streaking it down her arm to reveal a cascade of bubbles popping up, catching the eyes of Pinkie and Rarity "I ate the Bubble-Bubble fruit, and with it, I'm capable of cleanliness. "

Pinkie watched the bubbles floating over in wonder "Oooooh~...Pretty~."

Rarity examined one of the bubbles near her face "You're saying that these bubbles can clean anything?" She clenched her eyes shut when it popped after coming into contact with her muzzle. Meanwhile, Opalescence jumped about and tried to catch the bubbles that floated over her head.

Kalifa flashed a vain smile "Of course. Although, I barely find a use for them on my own body, though." She placed her right hand on her hip and her left hand behind her head "I'm already a sight to behold, wouldn't you agree?"

Pinkie grinned at Kalifa "I'll say! Can you do any cool tricks with them?"

Kalifa nodded "Certainly. While my bubbles can clean surfaces, they can also be used for self-defense. Mind you, my power isn't exactly useless because of the form it takes." She said as she made her bubbles vanish.

Rainbow Dash, who finished her laughing earlier, looked up at Discord "While their powers are nice and all, I'm still kinda wondering why you took away Fukuro's mouth. What was that about?"

Applejack perked up and looked over at the mouthless mass that stood next to Kumadori "Hey, yeah. Ah'm kinda curious myself since y'all jus' shut 'im up outta th' blue. What was he gonna say before that?" She asked quizzically.

Jabra widened his eyes, then turned to Discord as he frantically waved his arms "Chief! Please! I'm begging you! Don't do it!" He pleaded.

Discord let off a sigh of defeat "Sorry, Jabra, my boy. This was bound to happen sooner or later..." He said as he snapped his talons.

A flash appeared around Fukuro's face, and he felt that his zipper mouth was back. He gasped before he cheered in his high-pitched voice "I can talk again! It's a miracle, chapapa!"

Pinkie beamed at Fukuro's happiness and joined him as the two talkative creatures danced and sang in their own keys and rhythms.

Jabra gawked at the sight before he slumped to the ground with his head hung down "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted..." He said morosely.

Discord held up a lion paw to catch the group's attention "You see, my little ponies, Fukuro can be quite talkative despite being called the gossip-loving silent owl. I merely took away his talking privileges because he cannot control himself when it comes to talking." He smirked "Sometimes he'll say the darndest things that end up being true."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow "Like what?"

Discord shrugged before he brought an eagle claw next to his mouth "Fukuro!" He called "Would you come here, please?"

Fukuro instantly snapped at attention and stopped with Pinkie, walking towards him while Pinkie merely pronked at his side with a smile. Discord took a deep breath "Since you're curious about this..." He smiled at Fukuro "Why doesn't Jabra want to eat apples?"

"It's because he loves to eat meat, chapapa!" Fukuro replied. The ponies went pale after the sudden answer.

Spike shivered "Y-You mean these humans eat meat?" He pointed at Kaku "But he's a giraffe! Shouldn't he hate meat?"

Blueno saw fit to speak "Just because Kaku can turn into a giraffe doesn't mean he is one inherently; we're omnivorous in nature, but that doesn't mean that we aren't civilized. We can survive on a vegetarian diet if we choose to, so there's no need for concern." Everypony let off a sigh in relief.

Kumadori held out his free hand as he stood on one leg "Yoyoi~! Do not be alarmed, Elements of Harmony~! For we are not your, your, your enemy~! We value your lives as much as our own, and we can protect you if need be~!" He rotated his head "We act in the name of ju-ju-ju-justice, after all~!"

Rarity looked up at Kumadori and hummed before she gave a low gasp "Of course..." Her eyes glimmered as she smiled "It all makes sense. Your form; your speech; your facial appearance!" She pointed a hoof "You're supposed to be posing as a kabuki warrior, aren't you?"

Kumadori flinched and held his staff over his head with both hands "Yoyoyoi~! I do not pre-pretend to be a warrior~! I fight, therefore I am~!"

Rarity giggled "Whether you're pretending or not, I applaud you for your passion; It's positively sensational!"

Kumadori hummed before he grinned "Well, thank you for your kind words~!"

Rarity smiled before she frowned at Kumadori's clothing "If anything, I should whip you up a nice set of clothes to replace the ones you have on. They don't exactly compliment your personality."

Kalifa pushed her glassed towards her eyes "Well, the thing about Kumadori's clothes is that those were some of the only items they have in his size. Moreso, it was his choice since he was shopping with me at the time."

Applejack snorted "Ah don't see th' problem with what he's wearin'. They look good enough on him t' me."

Discord chuckled "Well, as much as you ponies love to talk about your fashion sense, I say we get a move on before I get bored." He clapped his claw and paw together "What shall we do next?"

There was a gleam in Pinkie's eye before she reared onto her hindlegs and shot a foreleg into the air "I can think of something!"

"Help!"

Pinkie froze "...That wasn't what I was thinking." She said with a pout before she smirked "I could use some help with what I was thinking though."

Twilight looked over towards Ponyville in the distance "I think it came from inside town. We better hurry!" She said as she and her friends went to gallop, only to notice the humans vanishing instantaneously.

They stared at where they once stood before looking at Discord, who rolled his eyes "Don't worry, I'll check on them." He said as he snapped his talons and vanished in a flash of light.

Rainbow Dash frowned at her friends "Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it to reform Discord."

Applejack shuddered "Ah'm more worried about what else them humans 're capable of..."

Twilight shook her head "We'll debate on that later. C'mon, girls." She said as she and her friends went to gallop...

"Wait!"

Twilight scrunched her face in irritation before she turned to Rarity, who was seen petting her cat "Sorry, Opal, you'll have to stay here while Momma sees what's going on with her friends, okay?"

Fluttershy glided towards Opal and gently picked her up as she flew back towards her cottage door, setting her down and letting her run inside before shutting the door.

Twilight arched an eyebrow "Are we all set?" She received nods of confirmation from each of her friends "Okay. Let's go!" The group galloped into town in search of Discord and the humans along with the sudden disturbance.
_____

The townsfolk were cowering and backing away in fear when they noticed an unsettling sight that was marching into Ponyville.

There was small army of dark-skinned dogs that walked on their hindlegs clad in silver armor consisting of breastplates and helmets that hid their eyes; in their massive paws were sharpened spears. They were being led by three dogs of differing heights that wore dirtied vests and black collars that held diamonds, all of whom grinned deviously "We're heeere~!" The medium-sized gray dog wearing a red vest said in a raspy and singsong voice.

The large blue one wearing a brown vest looked around with intrigue "Look at all the ponies. They'll be great help in mines." He said in a deep tone.

The small beige dog wearing a matching gray vest giggled madly at the fear-stricken ponies "Yes, great help! We start now, Rover ?" He asked in a raspy and high-pitched tone.

"Of course..." Rover hissed darkly before balling a claw up towards his mouth and clearing his throat. He then placed his paws on his hips "Attention, ponies! We come to claim you as property! We'll start with unicorns, then earth ponies, then winged ponies! Come quietly or we take you all by force!"

When his speech was finished, Rover yipped when he noticed seven figures appear nearby one at a time. To him, they all looked silly. Very silly. He turned to his cohorts and pointed a finger at the new arrivals "Fido. Spot. Who they? We never saw them before."

The large dog, Fido, shrugged with a befuddled face "I dunno. They not ponies, that for sure."

"Why they even here?" Spot asked inquisitively "Are they friends of ponies?" He looked at the one with horns "Is that minotaur?"

Rover smacked the small dog's head "You idiot! That thing isn't a minotaur!" He snapped.

They saw that the long-nosed figure look just as confused as them "An invasion on a peaceful town? Talk about deja vu..." He said as he scratched his head.

"These dogs look kinda cute, chapapa!" The round one said loudly.

The three dogs huddled and stared at the figures in shock "They talk!?" They said in unison. While they stared, the ponies around the dogs traded their fear for uncertainty.

The not-minotaur stared at the dogs before rubbing his chin "Perhaps these creatures are known as diamond dogs. What a coincidence to even find them here."

A grimace was seen on the feminine figure "I can smell these monsters from here...Could there really be Devil Fruit in this world?"

The scary figure with a bird on his shoulder scoffed "Repugnant, dimwitted, and headstrong..." He looked over at the one with the moustache "Now I see why these ponies confused you as one of them, Jabra..."

The one called Jabra looked very angry "Hey! Don't lump me in with those dogs! I'm a step above them!"

The diamond dogs watched until Spot tilted his head in confusion "What they doing?"

Rover growled threateningly "I dunno, but they ruining our big entrance!"

Fido looked down at the others "Maybe they distraction?" He noticed a flash of light above them and saw a creature more funny looking than the seven before them "Look! Look, another funny thing up there!"

Rover and Spot gawked up at the new creature "Wow...that IS another funny thing! Very funny!" The latter said in mild amusement.

The long-nosed looked up as well "Oh, hello, Discord. We were just about to handle the situation. Our apologies for leaving without your order."

Discord smiled down at the group "No harm done, Kaku. You humans acted much faster than I had anticipated." He looked over at the diamond dogs "Looks like these dogs brought a welcoming committee into town." A frown graced his lips "Frankly, I'm disappointed by both the structure and appearance; it's too bland."

"Bland!?" The three diamond dogs chorused offensively.

Rover pointed a finger at Discord "Listen, you! We worked hard to put together army to invade Ponyville and kidnap ponies! We not bland!"

The scary figure with the bird narrowed his eyes "So you're not just dogs...You're lowly and lawless dogs that deserve to be put down." He said as he looked up at Discord "Do we have your permission to handle the situation, Chief Discord? I assure you we can dispose of these parasites efficiently."

Discord winced before he shrugged "I don't see the harm if you're gonna play the hero in this, but could you cut back on your little 'profession' while doing so? They might be stupid, but they don't really deserve to be...put down."

The diamond dogs noticed how the scary figure paused before he gave a nod "Understood...We'll make sure they live."

Fido blinked "Make sure we live? Why he say that? They fight us?"

Spot looked baffled "Why they fight us!? We have army!"

Rover grinned "Maybe they don't know better than us diamond dogs..." He stared at the figures until they noticed more ponies galloping towards them, one of which looked very familiar "It them! The ponies that invaded our home!" He paused before grinning again "Perfect..." He hissed.

Fido followed Rover's gaze and perked up at the new arrivals "Hey...Is that-"

"It is! It Miss Rarity! Miss Rarity and her friends!" Spot cowered with his paws over his head.

Rover leered at Spot "Don't be scared, idiot. This is what we wanted." He noticed the ponies stop next to the humans.

Spike's eyes widened as he pointed a talon "It's the diamond dogs! A whole bunch of them!"

Jabra looked over at Spike with a deadpan gaze "We kinda know that already; you're just pointing out the obvious."

"Hello there...Miss Rarity..." Rover said with cruel emphasis.

Rarity narrowed her eyes "You again? Did you not learn your lesson back then? Or should I remind you personally?"

Rover sneered at Rarity "We sure did..." He then smirked "But we learn from mistakes and developed better plan. Behold!" The diamond dog said as he spread his arms. As he posed, his cohorts dug into their vest pockets with both paws and pulled out corks that they stuck inside of their ears "Now your whining has no effect! Whole army has their own, too!"

Rainbow Dash stared blankly at the dogs "Wow...Such brilliance..." She remarked sarcastically.

Applejack frowned "Why in Equestria are these varmints here anyways?"

Kaku stared down the army of diamond dogs "These diamond dogs planned on kidnapping citizens and forcing them into slave labor. We're just about to engage them in combat."

Fluttershy placed her forehooves on her cheeks "They're gonna do what?" She squeaked.

Discord smiled "You girls don't have to worry about a thing. Lucci and his friends will take care of these dogs while none of you have to lift a hoof."

Pinkie poked her chin with a hoof "Anypony else find it odd that we've seen these diamond dogs again after Jabry was thought to be one?"

The staff-wielding figure bared his teeth "Yoyoi~! So these dogs are responsible for Jabra's mistaken identity~?" He glared his open eye at the dogs as he stuck his free hand out "Your actions are unforgivable~! We'll see to it that you su-su-suffer greatly for your crimes~!"

Twilight looked up at the large figure "Kumadori, they're not actually responsible for Jabra's earlier mistake." She then turned to leer at the dogs "But you're right about one thing. We're not gonna let them walk away without teaching them a lesson first." The alicorn said firmly.

Lucci shifted his gaze towards Twilight "You realize we have the situation under control. Leave this battle to us..."

Rover sputtered "You still serious? Look at us! We got army!"

"And we got humans! Your argument's invalid." Pinkie said with a triumphant smile.

Rover grinned "Well, we have surprise..." He turned to his army "Bring them up!" The armored dogs just stared at Rover before glancing amongst themselves, some scratching their heads. Rover paused before he facepalmed "For goodness-" He made a gesture of his paw plucking away from his ear, to which his soldiers caught on and plucked off one of their plugs "Bring out prisoners!"

After replugging their ears, the dogs shifted until the group noticed three small fillies roped together and struggling under their binds, all of which had spears pointed at them. One of them had a yellow coat with a red mane that was tied with a pink bow; another was a white unicorn similar to Rarity, but with a two-toned purple mane; the last one was an orange pegasus filly with a purple mane.

The element bearers gasped, and Rarity spoke up "They have Sweetie Belle!?"

Rainbow Dash instantly recognized the orange filly upon first glance "Scootaloo!" She called out.

"They got Applebloom, too!" Applejack said as her shocked face turned into that of ire, steam flaring from her nostrils "Them low-down, no-good little-"

"If you didn't listen earlier, this situation is under control. Please stay out of this..." Lucci said dispassionately, as if ignoring Applejack's anger.

"Th' hay Ah will! That's my sister an' her friends they've got over there! This is personal!" Applejack snapped.

The round figure grunted and took a defensive stance "We'll beat 'em up good for you then! No one can just take some kids hostage and get away with it, chapapa!" He looked over at his friends "Right, Kumadori? Blueno?"

"Indeed, Fukuro~! The wicked shall be brought to justice~! Yoyoi~!" Kumadori replied as he gripped his staff with both hands.

Blueno merely nodded, not saying anything as his dull features remained unchanged. He looked over at his feminine associate, who appeared to be trembling in anger '...Strange...Kalifa's not herself at the moment. Could she be more concerned than the rest of us?'

Discord frowned "Yeah, Lucci, I've got another request now. You mind saving those three? As you can already tell, they're very important."

"Leave that to me."

Discord looked down at Kalifa, whose eyes were hidden behind the lens of her glasses "I'll personally rescue those ponies and make sure to assist the others after they're safe."

Rarity stepped forward next to Kalifa "I'll be at your side and make sure these brutes receive theirs for taking my sister!"

Jabra grinned and licked his lips "This is gonna be one crazy fight depending on how this goes down." He looked over at Applejack "If you're serious about joining in, then make sure to stay outta my way, alright?"

Applejack moved her stetson hat over her eyes a little "Th' feelin's mutual..." She said as she pawed at the ground.

Kaku looked over at Lucci as he stood in front of the group "You think you can take them on without any excessive actions, Lucci?" He said with a smirk.

Lucci stared ahead at the army of diamond dogs readying their spears while the three leaders growled and balled their claws into fists, getting into their stances "Yes...I'm aware of our orders..." He said as his bird flew into the sky. After that, his frown slowly gave way to a wide and sadistic smile "But who's to say we're not allowed to have any fun?" He quipped darkly as he took a stance.

To be continued...

Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

The Mind of an Assassin

The humans all stood, facing the army of diamond dogs, with their own respective emotions. Rainbow Dash hovered overhead, wanting a cut of the action herself. Applejack pawed at the ground, while Rarity leered at her many opponents, both ready to deliver retribution for the kidnapping of their sisters.

"Lucci..." The silent agent looked back at Kalifa, who held a calculating glance at the diamond dogs that held the fillies hostage "Before you and the others lose yourselves in combat, let me take care of the rescue situation. We have to make sure they're safe, after all."

"Of course. Make it quick, though. I grow restless at the sight of these worthless mongrels." Lucci replied as his smile widened "I'm certain they'll at least put up a fight if they've come this far..." Kalifa huffed before she bent her knees.

"Soru!"

Kalifa vanished in the blink of an eye, much to the surprise of the diamond dogs and the many ponies that were watching. Three surprised yelps in unison signalled the blonde woman's location next to the bound fillies. The diamond dogs surrounding them brandished their spears and went to attack, but they paid no attention to Kalifa rearing a leg back.

"Rankyaku!"

The diamond dogs were all knocked back by glowing green waves that carried them across the air, as Kalifa sent out several kicks. The fillies watched in awe as Kalifa had her right leg flexed upward before she brought it down, and quickly grabbed the fillies and jumped into the air.

"Geppou!"

As if their awe did not end there, everyone, pony and diamond dog alike, witnessed how Kalifa was practically flying across the sky as she kicked at the air. When she landed on the ground next to her fellow humans, she set them down next to the element bearers and looked back at the dogs, ignoring the many looks of shock she had earned from her feat.

"Now we can dispose of these repugnant beasts." Kalifa hissed, as her glasses gave off a glint.

"Excellent. Now we can have our fun..." Lucci replied as he earned the irate looks of the three leaders. Rover turned to one of his soldiers and snatched a spear from them, much to their confusion, then presented it to Fido.

"Don't just stand there! Attack funny thing! Show him not to mess with diamond dogs!" He snapped as he waited for Fido to take the spear. When he did, the large diamond dog managed to glare at Lucci before he roared and ran towards him, his spear raised. While the ponies called out to him in warning, the silent agent merely stared at Fido before he uttered a word.

"Tekkai..."

When Fido slashed at Lucci, he yelped in bemusement when he saw the pointed tip flying off of the stick, not even so much as nicking its target. Before he could look up at his opponent, Fido felt three quick and deep stabs in his chest that caused his eyes to widen in pain. He looked down at his chest to see a finger lodged into his chest, above two fresh wounds.

"Shigan..." Lucci said as he drew his bloodied finger out from Fido's chest. Rover and Spot beared the same reactions of shock as the element bearers and Spike as they watched.

"Did you see that? He moved so quickly and..." Spike could barely finish his sentence as his eyes were locked on Lucci. Meanwhile, the silent assassin brought an arm back before he knocked an injured Fido back into his allies with a palm strike. The ponies gawked at the easy feat performed by Lucci.

'How strong are these humans? Can they actually do this all by themselves?' Twilight wondered as she looked at each assassin with intrigue.

"Perhaps this will go quicker than expected… Let us begin." Lucci said to the other humans.

"Finally!" Jabra said, as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's take 'em down!" He said as he transformed into his hybrid beast form, grinning savagely. His grin widened when he noticed the blank stares of the diamond dogs directed towards him "Are you all terrified? You're dealing with-"

"Another diamond dog? But why are they with funny things?" Came a question from one of the soldiers, causing Jabra's form to freeze, his left eye twitching.

"I AM NOT A FREAKING DIAMOND DOOOOOG!!"

Like a destructive force, Jabra clawed through the ranks of diamond dogs in a fit of rage, sending whomever was in his way sailing skyward. His claws easily tore through their metal armor. Applejack felt her bravado diminish from witnessing Jabra's fury when he rushed into battle. As much as she wanted to punish the diamond dogs herself, she never saw this much strength directed at them.

"Wow… And he says I'm the one who gets angry easily..." Kaku said as he watched Jabra unleash his fury, with an arched eyebrow. He then straightened his hat and gave a smirk. "Well, I guess I should be fighting as well. This should be fun." He quipped, before he dashed into battle and did a quick spin before sweeping his leg across the air, releasing a wide green wave that shot towards his enemies, "Rankyaku!" Kaku's wave managed to push back and take down a good number of diamond dogs.

Rover, Fido and Spot groaned in pain as they struggled to get off of one another. Seeing their numbers rapidly decline after getting up, Rover stammered before turning to the rest of his army.

"Attack!!" The diamond dogs stood blankly before Rover angrily pointed at the humans. They managed to get the message as they roared battle cries and ran towards the remaining humans. While Rover watched his troops charge, Spot was licking the wounds on Fido's chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding as the large diamond dog sat down.

"Chapapapapapapa! You think you can take me on?" Fukuro laughed before he leaned forward and began to spin rapidly, launching himself forward at the approaching targets like a circular drill. "Tekkai Dama!" Much like Jabra's frenzy, Fukuro easily plowed through several of the diamond dogs with relative ease.

"Yoyoi~! Now is the time for ju-ju-judgement to rain down from the heavens~!" Kumadori bellowed as he gripped his shakujo with both hands and slammed the end of it into the ground. He shut his left eye as he hummed in concentration, then his hair began to wave about and extend "Saaaa~, saaaa~, saaaa~!" The element bearers' jaws dropped as Kumadori's hair grew more prehensile, and each set of locks shifted to resemble pointed fingers. As the dogs got closer, Kumadori's left eye shot open.

"Shishi Shigan~!!"

There were cries of agony as the diamond dogs within Kumadori's radius were constantly pierced by his swiftly moving locks. This doubled the shock from the ponies as they beheld the obscure spectacle.

"Tekkai Rin!" Blueno shouted as he readied himself and began rolling across the field with his legs stretched out, tearing into the ground and making another trail along with Jabra and Fukuro.

Lucci fought effortlessly as he easily dodged the diamond dogs that lunged into the attack, blocking with his with his Kami-e, before retaliating against each attacker and causing their numbers to dwindle. He was bored with how weak each diamond dog he fought appeared, and annoyed by his orders of keeping them alive. He looked over at Kalifa, who was visibly pushing herself into making her opponents suffer; a look of sheer anger on her face. He stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight, but then turned his head to face and punch an oncoming diamond dog in its muzzle.

Rover and his cohorts watched in terror as their well-formed army was falling drastically. Their leader growled as he turned to his teammates.

"We dig now! Save all you can and leave no dog behind!!" He barked as he dove into the ground and burrowed at a breakneck pace, Spot following suit. Fido managed to muster enough strength to follow his comrades underground, bearing through his pain.

As the humans fought with relative ease, the element bearers and the now-free fillies watched the battle from the sidelines, enraptured by the sight, despite how harsh it appeared.

"How are they doing that? Even we can't fight like that!" Rainbow Dash said incredulously, somewhat happy she hadn't choose to fly in.

"Whatever it is they're doin', they're doin' a mighty fine job if ya ask me. Kinda bummed not t' join 'em like this, but it's fer th' best, ah suppos.," Applejack responded.

"I dunno what those things are, but they're pretty cool!" Scootaloo, the orange filly said brightly as her wings fluttered. "Do you see how fast they're moving? Those diamond dogs are toast!"

"Ah know! Can ya believe th' one that saved us can fly?" Applebloom, the yellow filly chimed in with glee.

"You think maybe we could learn that too?" Sweetie Belle, the white filly wondered out loud to her friends, as she thought about being able to walk on air herself.

"The only thing you three will be doing is explaining yourselves once this is over." Rarity said sternly as she looked down at the three fillies, who hung their heads in shame as their ears folded back. She looked back at the ongoing battle with a shudder. 'I'm glad they're helping us, but those humans can be so ferocious.'

The humans stood as the ground was littered with injured diamond dogs, a majority knocked out from the intense pain of the blows that they received. Lucci stared down at the bodies and scoffed.

"I was wrong. These pathetic dogs could barely last against our assault. They're far too weak to think themselves as formidable opponents." Lucci said coldly, as Hattori flew down and landed on his right shoulder. Jabra brought his head upward and let off a howl of triumph.

"They have themselves to blame for taking us on!" Jabra said with a grin. His left ear twitched and Jabra instantly brought his head down "Something's happening under us..." He noticed how a hole opened up in the ground next to him, and the body was brought down. He grunted before calling over to his allies. "Jump into the air! There are holes in the ground!"

The humans instantly caught on to the warning and shot upward into the air, keeping themselves airborne through their geppou. They noticed how there were holes opening up under the injured diamond dogs and watched each body disappear underground. When the battlefield was nothing but a myriad amount of holes, they decided to land on more stable ground, though the citizens quickly moved away as they did so. Jabra reverted to his human form as he looked upon the holes with the others.

"Wow! The ground swallowed up all of those diamond dogs, chapapa!" Fukuro blurted out as he gazed upon the holes that took up a good portion of town.

"No doubt this is the work from some other diamond dogs. They happen to be adept burrowers according to our intel." Blueno said as he watched one diamond dog pop out from one of the holes. Rover snarled at the humans and pointed a claw at them.

"You stupid things! You haven't seen the last of...of..." When his eyes fell on Lucci, Rover was gradually intimidated by the intense leer the silent assassin was giving off. After staring back silently with pursed lips, Rover instantly grinned sheepishly. "Bye-bye!" He chirped before diving back down into the hole he came from.

"Well, I guess that's that then." Kaku said as he brushed off his left shoulder with his right hand.

"Not yet..." Kalifa said as she calmly strode towards the hole Rover sank under, flexing her arms around her elbows "These cretins deserve a parting gift for their efforts." She streaked her hands along her arms to reveal a flowing cascade of bubbles. "Those dogs are so filthy… It's only proper that they get cleaned!"

Kaku, Jabra, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared at Kalifa before simultaneously tilting their heads to the side.

"She's worried about that?" Rainbow Dash asked blankly.

"Apparently she is..." Kaku responded in exasperation.

Kalifa let off a yell as she swung her arms downward and led her torrent of bubbles flow down into the hole. As the bubbles continued to flow down one hole, several geysers of bubbles spewed out of the others, and with them, some oddly shaped diamond dogs. They resembled laminated dolls with smooth, but curved limbs. Rainbow Dash and Jabra stared at them before pointing and laughing at their appearance. Spike stood by his friends and gawked at the diamond dogs before he grimaced.

"I guess I better clean myself more often..." He said to himself with a shudder.

The bubbles from the other holes gave out as the diamond dogs fell back into the holes with panicked howls and yelps. Kalifa made the bubbles disappear as she pushed her glasses towards her eyes "Now it's over," she said firmly.

"That was marvelous!" Rarity beamed as she approached Kalifa "Not only did you give those ruffians what for, but a much-needed cleaning as well. I must say I'm quite pleased with your efforts."

Before Kalifa could respond, the ponyfolk that had been watching, cheered with joy at the humans' success. She was then met with three sets of hooves grasping her legs and looked down at the fillies she had just rescued. Jabra looked around at the audience before he grinned, as he rested his hands behind his head.

"Well, what do you know? We're heroes now." He said, enjoying the praise from the citizens.

Lucci looked upon the many ponies that cheered for him with his cold expression unchanged. He didn't care for their praise, nor did he need it; he was still dissatisfied with letting a threat live despite their cruel intentions stated at their arrival. Hattori simply waved at the ponies while cooing cheerfully.

"Yoyoi~! We've li-li-liberated a peaceful town from unchecked savages~!" Kumadori spun his shakujo and struck a pose "A celebration is in order, do you not agree~?" He asked as rotated his head.

"Way ahead of you, Koomy!" Pinkie appeared on top of Kumadori's head, much to his surprise "You guys deserve it for getting rid of those diamond dogs!"

"So we're gonna have a party? That's great, chapapa!" Fukuro smiled as he raised his fists in the air.

Discord smiled at how the assassins were easily being accepted by the ponyfolk for their heroic efforts. Looking over at Lucci, he wondered if he would actually change his mindset if he stayed in Ponyville long enough. He watched how Twilight approached him and silently observed the exchange.

"Thank you so much for your help, Rob. It means a lot to everypony in town." She said with a grateful smile. Lucci shifted his eyes down at her.

"Think nothing of it. We only act in your best interests as far as enforcing justice. Those wretched dogs will think twice about attacking your village now..." He said his last sentence icily as Hattori cooed in agreement.

Twilight recoiled slightly at Lucci's tone and folded her ears back before smiling awkwardly "Well, I hope you'll enjoy the party Pinkie's gonna throw for you and your friends."

Lucci's eyes narrowed "First of all, they are not my friends. Merely allies with a common goal. Secondly..." He looked over at Pinkie, Kumadori and Fukuro dancing "I don't see the point in celebrating over stopping a simple threat. Is this common etiquette in Equestria?"

"No, it's just Pinkie being Pinkie. She can be very passionate about her job." She said in a straight tone, though felt inwardly troubled at how Lucci described his fellow humans. What would cause him to act so distant around the others? Before she could ponder any theories, she saw Pinkie hop over to Lucci, approaching him from the right with a chipper smile.

"Don't worry, Robby. I'll be sure to turn that frown upside-down with this party for you." She said as she hopped up and down.

"Please refrain from using that idiotic name for me..." Lucci said as he looked down at Pinkie.

"Sorry about that, Rob. Pinkie just has a tendency to give nicknames to anypony she considers a friend." Twilight explained before looking intrigued "I have to say that I'm surprised at how you humans are capable of flight without wings. Not to mention the way you all fought against those diamond dogs."

"What you've witnessed is a style that is taught to certain humans, known as Rokushiki. Myself and the others are all skilled in the very art." Lucci stated briefly.

"Sounds like a funny dance name." Pinkie giggled as she reared onto her hind legs and began shaking her hips "Rokushiki! Rokushiki! Rokushiki!" Twilight covered her mouth as she chuckled at the display while Lucci watched in disapproval. Discord stroked his goatee as he observed Lucci, and hummed to himself.

'Well, it's only his first day here. Maybe he'll come around eventually, provided everypony doesn't work his nerves.' He thought to himself with a confident smile. This human couldn't possibly be as bad as King Sombra if he claims to act in the name of justice, right? Discord looked over at the many holes and with a snap of his talons, caused each and every one of them to fill up instantaneously, earning the attention of the humans.

"Whoa...That was pretty good, chief! Just how powerful are you?" Jabra asked as he looked at the ground, appearing as if the battle had never happened.

"Powerful enough, Jabra, my boy..." Discord said as a pair of sunglasses appeared in his eagle claw, placing them over his eyes to appear cool "Powerful enough..." He said as he donned a toothy grin, a glint coming from his snaggletooth.

"Oh brother..." Rainbow Dash said as she rolled her eyes.

_____

Sometime after the battle, Pinkie had arranged for an outdoor party for the humans, though she had boggled their minds when she had pulled what she had called a 'party cannon' out of nowhere. Twilight simply advised them that Pinkie can be unpredictable at times. Meanwhile, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were staring at the ground with penitent eyes, as Applejack and Rarity towered over them.

"Jus' what in th' hay were y'all thinkin', messin' around near diamond dog territory? Y'know them varmints 're trouble!" Applejack chided.

"Tell us your story; and, mind you, the truth is all we’ll accept." Rarity added as she awaited an explanation from the fillies.

"Well, we were tryin' t' get our cutie marks in excavatin', and we knew we could find some fossils or gems 'round those parts. We didn't go too close t' their home; honest!" Applebloom said.

"After we found a small bone, they just ambushed us out of nowhere and tied us all up. They said something about ignoring their defeat for too long." Scootaloo added as she held up her hoof.

"Then one of them said, 'Why stop with Miss Rarity when we can have all of Ponyville?', and they just assembled an army and brought us back here." Sweetie Belle concluded before she beamed up at Kalifa, who was standing behind Applejack and Rarity. "But at least we were saved by those… hoo-mans?" She said as she looked down pensively.

"Humans, Sweetie Belle." Rarity corrected, before smiling up at Kalifa "And thank you once again for rescuing our sisters. While I am disappointed that I couldn't end the situation with Applejack, I'm glad to see my little Sweetie Belle safe."

"It was nothing. We can't turn away from innocent folks in need." Kalifa said as she stroked her hair back "We're no strangers to these kinds of situations back home."

"You mean to tell me that you weren't just a secretary before you met us?" Rarity asked inquisitively.

"Not exactly. We were all taught self-defense before we pursued our respective occupations. Our world is rather… wild, as it were."

"How wild we talkin' exactly? Is it anythin' like th' Everfree Forest outside o' town?" Applejack asked.

"Everfree Forest?" Kalifa parroted with curiosity.

"Yeah. If y'all could take down them diamond dogs easily, Ah wonder if any of ya can last a day in that place."

"It would sound homely to some of my subordinates, but I prefer to relax right now. Perhaps we can talk about something else?" She noticed how the three fillies flocked up to her, swarming her with questions about herself, her world and her fighting style. She took a deep breath before she pressed her glasses against her face "One at a time, girls..."

While Kalifa talked amongst her own group, Rainbow Dash and Jabra were seen drinking apple cider from flagons. They gave a simultaneous sigh of contentment after finishing their drinks, before they went to refill their glasses from the same barrel. When their hand and hoof touched, they shifted their heads and glared at each other.

"Back off, wolf boy. I'm going first." Rainbow Dash warned.

"Screw you, you stupid pony. I don't move aside if I wanna get my fill." Jabra shot back. They got in each others faces, ignoring the cider barrel.

"Don't think I was too thrown off by your performance back there. I could've handled those stupid dogs all by myself." Rainbow Dash said brashly, slamming her flagon onto the party table where the barrel rested.

"Ha! You and what army? I didn't see you do anything other than stare like an idiot." Jabra jabbed as he slammed his flagon on the other side of the barrel.

"If anypony's the idiot, it's you! You were so sloppy back there, even a filly could fight better than you."

"Big talk coming from the same pony who failed to ambush me!"

"Big talk coming from some mangy mutt!"

"Winged rat!"

"Take that back!"

"Make me!"

Both Rainbow Dash and Jabra bared their teeth as they looked ready to harm each other. Jabra reeled back and flexed his right arm and balled his hand into a fist, gripping the bicep with his left hand; Rainbow Dash hovered as she pounded her forehooves together.

"I'm gonna knock some sense into you!" They said at the same time.

Before they could take first swing, Pinkie appeared between the two, pushing them away with a flagon full of cider in each of her forelegs; a patient smile on her face.

"Here's your cider! Drink up!" She chirped as she hopped away from the two confused individuals, who held their flagons. Kaku was seen close by with a flagon of his own as Pinkie passed him.

"Honestly you two. The fight was over a moment ago." Kaku chided with an unamused expression "It's a party. At least enjoy yourselves, rather than kill each other." He said before taking a drink.

Rainbow Dash and Jabra glanced at their cider, then briefly shot a nasty look at each other before looking away and drinking from their flagons.

Meanwhile, Blueno was seen talking with Twilight, who was writing away frantically on a parchment with a quill, both levitated by her magic.

"Can you tell me more about Rokushiki? I'm sorry if I'm troubling you, but Rob recommended that I speak with you about it, since he seems so distant at the moment." She said as she looked away for a small moment before focusing back on Blueno "I would love to know about the style's origin." Twilight said eagerly.

"Well, the style we practice consists of six powerful techniques and one secret technique that can only be taught by those who have absolute mastery over the art. These techniques include Shigan, Tekkai, Rankyaku, Soru, Kami-e, and Geppou." Blueno said nonchalantly, not minding a conversation with a curious pony "Some of the techniques are commonly taught to marine soldiers back in our world for means of self-defense. The training process itself is very arduous to obtain the expected results you've witnessed earlier from me and my comrades."

"So is there a secret to your flight capability?" Twilight asked, briefly stopping her notes.

"You're referring to our Geppou? That is merely a result of our leg strength. We've trained so that we're able to kick at the air to float." Blueno explained "It is the same with our Soru and Rankyaku techniques, respectively. We're capable of moving at high velocities and even creating slicing winds with our movement."

"Is it possible to teach other ponies these particular skills?" Twilight asked as she jotted down more notes.

"I would believe so, if anypony manages to grasp a variant of the art and remain consistent with their training. But Rokushiki isn't something that you learn overnight. It takes several years of practice to master the art itself." Blueno closed his eyes "Regrettably, we have no interest in passing teachings of any sort with our limited time here in Equestria." Twilight frowned at this.

"That's too bad. Your style would be miraculous if earth ponies were to learn from you and your friends." She said in mild disappointment.

"I'm sure you'll make enough advancements with your magical abilities. Speaking of..." Blueno held a thin smile "Would you care to share with me more about the magic you're demonstrating? And perhaps the Magic of Friendship as well?" He earned a warm smile from Twilight.

"I'd be delighted to talk about that with you." She then raised an eyebrow "Although, I have one more question, if you don't mind..." Blueno nodded to Twilight, letting her ask "What's with you and your friends saying the names of your attacks before doing them? Doesn't that seem...mundane?"

Blueno had never felt to question his life so much after hearing such a question.

Near the snack table, Spike was busy examining the locks on Kumadori, while the kabuki giant was busy eating a cupcake. He was so enthralled by how Kumadori's mane doubled as a weapon rather than the shakujo he was always carrying around. Carefully taking a lock, he felt it and noticed how it wasn't exactly hard, then tried doing the same to the rest of his hair. He was unaware that Kumadori had caught Spike in his curious fervor after finishing his cupcake.

"Yoyoi~! Can I help you~?" He asked, startling Spike as he jumped away and fidgeted his claws.

"S-Sorry about that, Kumadori. I just wanted to feel your mane was all. I can't believe something so soft was able to beat those diamond dogs so hard." Spike said admirably. Kumadori faced the purple dragon and stuck out his free hand as he struck another pose.

"A lion must be strong, as his mane is ma-ma-majestic~!" Kumadori replied.

"But you're not a lion… I mean, yeah, that mane of yours almost makes you look like one, but your mane moving on its own? You're like the Mane-iac!" Spike said mirthfully.

"Maniac~? There lurks a malevolent, maniacal monster mimicking my mastery over my mane~? Yoyoi~!" Kumadori said in outrage.

"What? No! Not maniac, Mane-iac. This fictitious comic book villain who uses her own mane as a weapon. You remind me of her, only you seem more formidable than her..." He then winced "And less insane." Spike then smiled "Not to mention you fight in the name of justice, so that's a plus."

“Yoyoi~! Was she a once-pure maiden who abused her po-powers for evil~? My friends and I would not stand for that~!"

"Actually, she was pretty mean before she got her powers, but that doesn't matter." Spike pointed a claw up at Kumadori "How do you do that with your mane?"

"Ah~! You're curious~!" Kumadori said, dramatically waggling his eyebrows, much to Spike's confusion. The kabuki performer placed his free hand on his chest. "I am capable of a skill known as Seimei Kikan~! From enduring all sorts of rough obstacles in my training, I was able to ha-ha-harness the power to utilize complete control of my body~!" He waved his free hand towards Spike.

"Humans are able to, from the hair on their head to their intestines, their toes, even to their most minute hairs, to concentrate their senses and stretch them to their limits, making it possible to control every part of their bodies~!"

"Whoa..." Spike uttered with an awestruck gaze. He heard hoofsteps and noticed Fluttershy approaching the two of them.

"Excuse me, but have any of you seen Mr. Lucci anywhere?" She asked in concern "I want to make sure that his bandages weren't messed up after his fight."

"Well he certainly isn't playing with the fillies and colts like Fukuro over there." He pointed towards town square at a group of children galloping in pursuit of a rolling Fukuro, who merely laughed with them as he rolled off, despite dirtying his clothes.

"Yoyoi~! I believe I've seen him standing, standing away from the party~! Over by a bridge, if I'm not mistaken~!" Kumadori said as he gave a curt bow, to which Fluttershy gave a grateful smile.

"Thank you very much. I hope you're enjoying the party." Fluttershy said as she trotted away, leaving Spike and Kumadori by themselves.
_____

Two reflections waded in the stream of water, one of which did not seem too pleasant. Lucci continued to scowl at the water as his companion rested on his shoulder.

'A powerful being claiming to be on the side of justice, and he would spare the lives of those miserable peons? They're nothing but a plague on these ponies… Though, they do not hold a candle to the teachings of this world.' Lucci's eyes narrowed 'Friendship… How strong is friendship if they speak so highly of it? If I treated my allies as such, what good would that do? I would only end up disgracing myself and all that I stand for...'

"You're not thinking of jumping in, are you?"

Lucci looked to his right at a relaxed Discord staring down at the water before shifting his head towards the silent assassin.

"Of course, you say that the Devil Fruit causes you to turn into a hammer once you jump into water, right? What's that like, exactly?" Discord asked genuinely "Does it actually happen like this?" He said as he dove into the stream as if it were a large swimming pool, submerging himself after causing a large splash. There was a moment of pause before a work hammer floated up to the surface. Hattori stared down at the hammer with a tilted head, then gave a startled coo as the hammer grew a set of eyes and a snaggletooth mouth.

"Correct me if I'm wrong. I want to know if you humans are more chaotic than I give you credit for." He said giddily.

"You are. The term 'hammer' is used figuratively in Blueno's explanation. For those of us with Devil Fruit powers that linger in seawater, we end up drowning in the process." He was already bothered by the fact that Discord happened to be a hammer that was floating in water, as if taunting his logic as a Devil Fruit user. There was a flash before Discord teleported back to Lucci's side in his normal form.

"You know, you don't have to stand around like a statue all day. I've been there myself, actually. Trust me, it isn't fun." He said as he held out a claw "There's the weather problems, the plants, and the pigeons..." He cringed with a grimace "Oh, Celestia, the pigeons..." Discord murmured in contempt.

"If you're referring to me joining the party, then I'm not interested. I've no need for such tomfoolery." Lucci said, causing Discord to crane his head back.

"And I thought Celestia was a stick in the mud. Is something on your mind, champ?" He asked in a mock comforting voice.

"Only three things. My world, this talk of friendship, and our earlier scuffle with the diamond dogs." He answered instantly.

"Well, to help with each of your thoughts in that order..." Discord balled a claw over his mouth as he cleared his throat before speaking "I won't stop you if you wish to leave so soon, friendship is a lot more powerful and meaningful than you think, and..." He frowned at Lucci "It really is for the best. These ponies are rather squeamish about gory scenes. And the diamond dogs? Well, they don't know any better, you see. There hasn't been a display such as yours since the war of the three tribes, but even they were tame in their confrontations." Lucci turned to face Discord.

"Is this world so sugarcoated that they would refuse to see justice for what it truly is? Please, Chief Discord. I need an answer..." Discord let off a sigh and a roll of his eyes.

"Lucci, you have a lot to learn about tenderness." He said with a smirk as he snapped his fingers "Why not show your feminine side for once?" Hattori looked over at his owner, but cooed in bemusement.

In place of Lucci, stood a female with some of his features. There was no goatee, and the woman's body was more thin and lean. It wasn't until she felt her cheek that the female Lucci's eyes widened. Discord guffawed before he changed Lucci back to his normal self.

"But you get what I mean. I don't wanna make demands, but you need to open your heart and at least try to adjust to this world for the time being, so you can walk a mile in their shoes. Experience is the best knowledge, is it not?" Discord said persuasively, with a smile to match.

Lucci began to ponder why he and his associates agreed to Discord's offer, as he was inwardly questioning his superior's sanity. Opening his heart was one thing, but he had no desire to emulate the behavior seen in Equestria. He had to count himself lucky that what Discord had said was not an order.

"... I'll be more open-minded, but I cannot make any guarantees to your advice." Lucci replied after his small pause. Discord smiled contently at the reply.

"Glad to hear it." Discord heard approaching hoofbeats and noticed a certain pegasus trotting towards him and Lucci "Looks like we’ve got company. Hello there, Fluttershy."

"Hello, Discord." Fluttershy said warmly, though focused her gaze on Lucci. When she stopped in front of them, she hovered in the air "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, Mr. Lucci, but I wanted to make sure you haven't pushed too hard back there."

"My bandages, correct? You needn't worry." Lucci replied coolly "As you may or may not know, I haven't pushed myself during my fight, so there is no cause for concern." Fluttershy sighed in relief.

"Good… But why aren't you enjoying the party with your friends? I'd figure you would at least share the moment with them." She cringed when she noticed Lucci's hardened gaze on her.

"They're not my friends. They are allies and nothing more..." Lucci said before he looked at the water "Besides, what they do is their business. I'll remain here for the time being..." Hattori stared at Lucci with a quiet and disheartened coo before he flew off and landed on Fluttershy's mane, earning his owner's attention "Hmph… Perhaps Hattori would like to spend time with you rather than myself."

"Oh… Well… that's good I guess. You're free to join us at anytime, Mr. Lucci... but whatever you want to do is fine..." Fluttershy said with a polite bow before she trotted off with Hattori in tow.

Discord crossed his arms "I suppose I'll go follow Fluttershy back to the crowd and have my own fun." He went to follow Fluttershy, but stopped to look back at Lucci "Remember, Lucci. Open your heart..." He said with a wink and a click of his tongue before he flew off.

Lucci stared at the three going back towards the party, as he remained where he stood, looking at the water, as he thought to himself.

As they distanced themselves from Lucci, Discord smirked down at Fluttershy "I'll leave you to bond with Lucci's pet if you like, Fluttershy. You've yet to make good conversation with him." He said as he flew off, leaving the timid pegasus behind. She looked up at Hattori and donned a smile.

"Is it alright if I got to know you better?" Fluttershy asked Hattori, who cooed down at her.

"[Not at all. You seem rather nice, and you're the only one around here who actually understands me.]" He replied politely.

"Thank you. I've always wondered if Mr. Lucci ever treated you with kindness and care, or even considered you a friend." Her smile faltered "I don't want to sound offensive, but I feel bad for how Lucci seems so… so..."

"[Cold?]" Hattori cooed morosely. "[I'll admit, he isn't the best person to talk to at times, but he'll always be a friend to me. In fact, he was the only friend I ever had before I met the others.]" Fluttershy let off a light gasp.

"Really? May I ask how you came to meet him?" The timid pegasus asked inquisitively. Hattori flashed a nostalgic smile as he looked up at the shifting clouds.

"[Sure. It dates back to when I was about to leave my nest...]"
_____

A small bird stared down at the ground from his nest; the extreme height from his perspective making him nervous. His feathers ruffled before he took two steps back.

"[You know it's time. You've gained your wings. I need to know that you're ready to live on your own.]" A feminine coo was heard from behind, and the young pigeon looked up to see his mother bearing an expectant gaze directed towards him. He ducked his head down, almost ready, his face behind a wing.

"[But… But I'm not sure if I can last on my own. Can't I stay with you?]" The youngling cooed hopefully.

"[We've been over this. You're to leave the nest with your siblings the moment your wings have developed.]" His mother draped a wing on top of his head "[I know it's tough to realize that you'll be on your own at such a young age, but it's the best way for you to learn how to live.]" She cooed in comfort. Meanwhile, her offspring looked down sadly.

"[What if I can't live on my own? How can I live without anyone to help me, or be there for me?]" After the question, his mother stared at him for a moment before smiling warmly

"[Then I'm certain you'll live comfortably knowing that whomever you make friends with will be at your side. I'm not saying you should live on your own permanently. Go on and find someone to share your life with. I'll be watching over you from this very spot.]" She cooed compassionately, earning a tearful smile from her son.

"[Thanks, Mom… I'll go live my own life and make you proud.]" He cooed with renewed vigor.

"[You're welcome. Now I believe it's time for you to follow your siblings' footsteps.]"

"[Yeah… I know I'm the only one here, but I'm going now.]" Hattori turned to face the sky and stepped towards the edge of his nest, then stared down at the ground below him, gulping before he steeled his resolve. He softened as he took one last look at his mother "[Goodbye, Mom. I'm gonna try and make the best of my life.]"

"[See to it that you do, my son...]" Hattori's mother said with a tear running down her right eye.

The young pigeon nodded and quickly turned away, trying not to imitate his mother's gesture as he took a deep breath, spread his wings, then dove out of his home and into his new life. As he was headed towards the ground, the young pigeon squinted his eyes before he began to flap his wings and arched his body to where he was gliding in the air horizontally, then found himself flying as if it were second nature.

All of the bird's previous doubts about him flying were cast away as he enjoyed his new wings and flew carefully in the sky, moving over the trees with ease. He swooped downward into the forested area and took in the scenery of where his nest rested nearby, cooing in awe at the structure of the objects that looked foreign to the forest. Up ahead were bipedal figures that were seen doing some weird and synchronized dance moves; some big and some small. A bald old man wearing black robes and circular-shaded sunglasses was standing on the side opposite of the dancers and watching them with a grin on his face while holding a wooden sword.

Wanting to see more of the display that piqued his interest, he flew over the figures that were dancing while shouting with each move. He noticed how one of them was faltering with each step; they looked to be small, and had something on their head. After the next couple of moves, he tripped with a yelp, then fell on his back.

"Lucci!" The old man called out in a stern voice, despite his grinning face "You know better than to slip in your training! This is the second time today this has happened! If you keep this up, we may just have to cut you loose!"

The boy named Lucci grasped his top hat and looked away with a frown as he sat on the ground. Next to him was a shirtless boy that was older than him, that wore a ponytail, grinning wickedly at Lucci's misfortune.

"One less problem to deal with, then. Not that he had a chance to begin with." He chuckled teasingly.

"Quiet, Jabra, or we'll get in trouble." Whispered another shirtless boy with dark skin and black hair that resembled horns.

"Now get up so we can continue your training! You'll get nowhere with that sloppy footwork!" The old man barked, his grin refusing to leave. As he was told, Lucci picked himself up and nodded wordlessly to the old man before he went back to practicing with the other children.

Up above, the young pigeon soared around in a circle while he surveyed the scene below him, and felt sorry for Lucci's treatment. He wondered if he should try and meet him if he were nice enough.
_____

In the early evening, a small group of children were chatting amongst themselves outside, as they stood next to their dormitories. While some snickered, others were pensive about the current subject.

"Can you believe that Lucci kid?" A kid with whiskers on his face and three black mohawk-like strips asked with his arms spread "I almost thought we were all gonna suffer for his mistake back there. It's a good thing teacher let us off easily."

"I hear ya." Jabra said as he slouched against the wall, his arms crossed "That kid's gonna slow us down if he keeps screwing up trying to learn Rokushiki." He looked over at the aforementioned child sitting next to the wall of the dormitories, a good distance away from the others. He appeared to be holding a branch "Why do shrimps like him have to cramp our style while we're learning how to fight?" He asked with a sneer.

"You know we've got a long way to go ourselves, right?" Jabra looked over at the horn-haired kid frowning at him "I'm sure he'll come around eventually."

"Ha! That's rich! He'd probably end up stealing the first girl I'll go out with too, huh?" He asked mockingly.

"That's sexual harassment!" Said a blonde girl with glasses, an angry look in her eyes. Her outburst drove Jabra to stare blankly at her.

"What? How's that even-" Jabra grunted before he shook his head "Look, the bottom line is that Lucci's lucky enough to even be here. Personally, I think he's good as gone by tomorrow."

"Heh, me too." The whiskered child said with a grin "He's not cut out to be strong like the rest of us."

While the four children talked amongst themselves Lucci held his knees together as he curled up in his sitting position, holding his olive branch and staring at it with a distraught frown, his left cheek adorned with a bandage. He gripped it firmly as he gritted his teeth before he tossed it a few feet forward with a frustrated grunt.

"Stupid stick..." He mumbled as he held his knees with both arms and hung his head down, hiding his face beneath his top hat. There was silence before a sniffling was heard. Lucci had tears welling up, as his eyes were clenched shut "I need to get stronger… Stronger than justice, just like teacher told me and the class. But they keep mocking me..." He stole a glance at the four children a far distance away from him "I need to show them that I can be strong too… but how?"

A coo was heard, snapping Lucci out of his thoughts, as he looked up at the trees that blended in with the evening shadows. Flapping was heard until a small object flew at Lucci, causing him to flinch and duck his head down. A tap was felt on the brim of his hat, and the small child lifted his head to see what was there. He yelped when a bird's head came into his sights, looking at him while upside down. The bird tilted his head at Lucci before he flailed his hands, shooing the bird off of his hat as it flew off and landed in front of him. The child glared at the bird.

"You stupid bird. What are you-huh?" When Lucci got a better look at the small bird in front of him, it appeared to be white in color, much to his intrigue, as he gave a low gasp "A dove? Here?" His spirits dampened when he heard the bird coo at him "Oh… It's just a pigeon..." He said in disappointment.

The bird looked sad as it noticed Lucci's disappointment, before it hopped forward and cooed again, gaining the child's attention. Lucci merely scowled at it.

"Look, just go away. It's bad enough that I'm not doing so well in my Rokushiki training, but I don't wanna talk to a pigeon." Lucci spat.

The bird tilted its head, then looked over at the olive branch that sat a few feet away, before focusing back on Lucci and cooing again. Lucci, following the bird's gaze, knew what he was thinking (or so he thought, at least.) and scoffed.

"That old thing? It's of no use to me anymore. I need to find something better." The bird cooed again, making Lucci continue "Teacher said that we needed something to carry with us as a reminder to strive and be stronger than justice in our training. What am I gonna do with that stick, knowing that it didn't help me one bit today?"

The bird shook its head before it hopped towards Lucci and fluttered up to land on his knees, cooing again. Lucci stared before he looked away despondently.

"You birds have it easy. You're well on your way before you even become adults, and you can even survive on your own. I'm lucky to even be alive without any support other than my teacher..." A peck on his bandaged cheek caused Lucci to look back at the pigeon while he rubbed his cheek, a look of resolve seen on its face. It pointed a wing at Lucci and cooed again.

"What are you even saying? I'd say I was able to assume what you said so far, but I don't speak bird." Lucci said pointedly. The bird flew off of his knees and over towards the olive branch that rested in the dirt, landing behind it and nudging it towards Lucci with its beak. Lucci blinked before he scowled.

"I already told you I don't need the stick. Why even bother?" The bird hopped over the stick and spread its wings, with its look of resolve unchanged. Lucci stared at the bird, then the branch behind it, shifting his gaze between the two before the message sunk in. At that moment, he felt a hint of confidence build up in his heart.

"I get it… You're saying I shouldn't give up so easily, and that I need to keep at my training while trusting in myself, right?" The bird cooed and nodded with a smile "But it's too tough on me… and no one's there for me..." Lucci leered at the gossiping children "Especially not them..." He murmured in contempt before looking back at the pigeon "I know you're a pigeon and all, and I can't understand you, but you've really helped me understand that it's not gonna be easy growing up right now. That, and you looked so much like a dove when I first saw you. They’re a good symbol of justice.” He let go of his knees and let them fall onto the dirt with his hands as he neared his face towards the bird "Do you… want to be my friend?" He asked cautiously.

The bird smiled and held up a wing with an eager coo. It then hopped over to the olive branch and nudged it closer to Lucci again, the child picking it up and looking at it. He then gripped it again, though held a look of determination as he did so.

"I'll do it… No matter how long it takes, I WILL become stronger than justice. I'll be the best student anyone has ever seen!" He said with confidence, before he looked down at the pigeon with a thin smile "Thank you..." His smile faltered "Oh, right. You need a name." Lucci rubbed his chin with a free hand as he hummed in thought, then looked down at the pigeon "How does Hattori sound to you?" The bird nodded and cooed in agreement, much to Lucci's content as he smiled again "Alright, then it's settled. From now on, your name shall be Hattori."

Hattori then flew upward and landed on the top of Lucci's top hat, the small child looking up at his new friend as he smiled genuinely at him.
_____

Fluttershy looked up at Hattori with a frown "You mean Mr. Lucci wasn't accepted by the others as a child before he met you?" She looked down "I know how he feels..." The timid pegasus looked back up with a smile "It's a good thing you kept him company at the time. I don't know what I'd do if I never made friends with Rainbow Dash or the animals."

"[The best part was that ever since we became friends, he was becoming better at a steady rate until he was the best in his class.]" Hattori cooed "[It was nice seeing him grow up that time.]"

"Well, it makes me happy that he acknowledges you as a friend." Fluttershy said warmly "Nopony should ever be lonely all their life."

"[I was glad to have ever met him, even if he is so distant right now. Personally, I'd like for him to try and acknowledge his allies as friends since they've been around with him long enough.]" Hattori cooed.

"I agree." Fluttershy said as she nodded sagely and looked around the party, then spotted the snack table "Would you like some food, Hattori? You must be hungry.

"[Would I?]" Hattori cooed happily as he was carried by Fluttershy towards the snack table.

_____

Later that day, the party had ended, and it was just about time for Discord and the humans to head back to Canterlot. Blueno and Kaku shared a respective hand-to-hoof shake with Twilight before they were about to leave.

"It was a pleasure to share knowledge with you, Twilight Sparkle. I look forward to the next time we can discuss our own topics further." Kaku said contently.

"Same here. Thanks once again for your help today." Twilight replied cheerfully.

"We'll be sure to find you by our next visit here." Blueno added.

The fillies, known by Kalifa as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, flocked up in front of her as they stared up with reluctant eyes.

"Y'all will be comin' back soon, right?" Applebloom asked hopefully, she and her friends showing their lower lips in a pout. Kalifa merely chuckled at their expressions.

"Of course. Take better care of yourselves until then." Kalifa replied evenly, much to the satisfaction of the crusaders.

"You can count on us, Kalifa!" Scootaloo said as she snapped a mock salute.

"We'll be waiting for you!" Sweetie Belle said vigorously.

"Yoyoi~! My-my apologies, young dragon~! But our time has now drawn to a close, and the es-es-essence of Tsukiyomi is sure to take hold if we tarry any longer~!" Kumadori bellowed as he struck a pose. Spike simply arched an eyebrow at the kabuki giant's otherwise dramatic, and loud dialogue.

"Ummm… See you soon?" Spike replied quizzically.

"Do come back when you get the time." Rarity said to Kumadori "I would still like to make you that robe, and I'll need proper measurements when doing so."

"We'll be back later! Count on it, chapapa!" Fukuro said as he waved to the element bearers.

Jabra and Rainbow Dash were caught glaring at each other, but the latter was snapped out of it by a light tap on her head, looking over at an unamused Applejack. She scoffed before glaring back at Jabra.

"This isn't over, wolf boy." Rainbow Dash said warily.

"Like you have the strength to decide the outcome, you little sh-"

"I think you made your point, Jabra." Kaku said pointedly, causing the boisterous agent to growl.

"Don't interrupt me!" Jabra snapped before pointing at Rainbow Dash "As for you, you're free to try and catch up to MY level of strength."

"In that case, I'm already running circles around you!" Rainbow Dash spat defiantly.

Applejack and Kaku merely planted their respective limbs towards their faces in exasperation.

Fluttershy looked up at Lucci and Hattori "I hope you enjoyed your time here. Maybe we'll see each other again?"

"Perhaps, if Chief Discord considers it an order..." Hattori looked over at Lucci with a disheartened gaze.

"Oh..." Fluttershy said as her ears folded back.

"I'd like to see you again too, Rob." Lucci looked over at Twilight trotting up next to Fluttershy "Maybe you'd like to join Blueno, Kaku and I in our conversations?"

Lucci went to decline, until he noticed Discord's head floating behind Fluttershy and Twilight, mouthing the words 'open your heart' before disappearing. He stifled a sneer before looking down at the two mares.

"I might just take you up on your offer if I have nothing better to do. We may see each other again after all." He noticed how Twilight and Fluttershy seemed more satisfied with his response than before. Hattori let off a friendly coo after Lucci's words.

"Well, now that we've said our goodbyes, it's time for us to head on back to the castle. Which reminds me..." Discord looked down at Blueno with a curious smirk "You promised me a demonstration of your power?"

"Of course. My Devil Fruit power." He walked a couple feet away from the others, facing away from them as he placed his hand on the air, then made a clenching gesture. As he did so, the ponies gasped when they saw him pulling out the air as if he were opening a door, showing what appeared to be a dark green-colored area on the other side.

"Oooooh~! Neat!" Pinkie said with glimmering eyes.

"This is my Devil Fruit power. I ate the Door-Door Fruit, meaning that I have the ability to turn anything I touch into a door." Blueno explained as his hand rested on his large air-door.

"A splendid exhibition, Blueno! This is too chaotic for words!" Discord exclaimed with glee as he examined the door "So I guess your powers make for good transportation rather than just teleportation."

"This is truly remarkable. Blueno, why didn't you wish to show us sooner." Twilight asked in excitement.

"You could say I felt like surprising you before we decide to take our leave from Ponyville. I hope you're not too alarmed." Blueno said in his usual tone.

"I'm not. In fact, I'd like to study more about your Devil Fruit power sometime once we see each other again." Twilight said with a grin.

"Then expect us tomorrow, because these humans have a lot to see!" Discord said joyfully as he gave a wave of farewell and flew inside of the dimension behind the door, the other humans following suit. Lucci and Hattori were the last to leave, looking at the element bearers and the crusaders before he went inside himself.

"Okay, I'm just gonna say it. Those humans are AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash cheered before she caught herself and looked away with a distasteful glance "Most of them, anyway." Applejack merely rolled her eyes at the cyan pegasus' second comment.

"I know. Somehow, I'm glad that Discord even made that field of magic that doubled as a portal." Twilight said ecstatically "I'm even tempted to see their world with my own eyes."

"Even when they said it's not safe?" Spike asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm certain it won't be too bad, especially with their company." Rarity said as she held up a hoof."

"I know! Those humans are so nice, it's hard to believe they're assassins!" All eyes were on Pinkie after her seemingly absentminded statement. She simply shifted her gaze between all of the wide eyes that were directed towards here "What? You mean Fooky hasn't told you all yet?"

To be continued...

Chapter 6

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Chapter 6

Wicked Realization

Pinkie was known by her friends for her unending randomness, to which they've grown accustomed to for as long as they have known and hung out with each other. But all of them felt as if the hyperactive mare was going overboard with her rambling. Twilight was especially affected by what was said by Pinkie while she stared at her perplexed face.

"Assassins? Pinkie, what in Equestria are you talking about?" Twilight asked, not expecting the random outburst from her friend.

"I'm talking about Fukuro telling me that he and his friends are assassins." Pinkie said, as if it were commonplace "He just brought to my attention half an hour ago while I was restocking the snack table."
_____

Pinkie was humming a cheerful ditty while she was placing more sweets upon the snack table while her party was taking place. She noticed Fukuro approaching and grinned.

"Hi there, Fooky! You getting hungry already?" She asked brightly.

"You bet! Playing with those kids worked up an appetite, chapapa." Fukuro replied as he stretched his arms.

"Tell me about it. I feel the same way whenever I'm babysitting Pumpkin and Pound Cake. They're really energetic for their age." Pinkie said with a mock sigh as she continued placing snacks on the table.

"Chapa? You babysit cake?" Fukuro asked in confusion while blinking.

"CakeS." Pinkie corrected "They're Mr. and Mrs. Cake's foals." She explained, earning an 'oooh' of comprehension from Fukuro, to which Pinkie giggled "You're really funny. And strong, too!" She said as she finished her job and punched at the air with her forehooves "You and your friends were really fast out there with those moves! I'll bet you're superheroes where you're from!"

"Actually, we're assassins, chapapa." Fukuro replied impulsively.

"Really?" It was Pinkie's turn to blink as she tilted her head "You don't seem it to me."

"Well, we are. All of us." Fukuro said, pausing as the two stared in silence "We take care of bad guys, though, chapapa!" He finished while raising a fist.

"Neato!" Pinkie said as she fished out one of the snacks: An oatmeal raisin cookie "Want one?"

With a chapa of glee, Fukuro kindly took Pinkie on her offer as the two bonded further.
_____

"I guess it makes sense, since they beat up those diamond dogs pretty bad. But they seem nice to me." Pinkie finished with a smile.

"But we heard Rob and Kaku say they were sailors." Spike piped up, turning to his friends with a look of bewilderment "Why would they lie to us like that?"

"Well, assassins are stealthy like that, right?" Rainbow Dash said with a nod "It's no different from the kind I read in Daring Do." She instantly perked up "Wait a minute! If they're with Discord, and they're headed back to Canterlot, then what if the princesses are in danger?" Rainbow Dash voiced in concern.

"Ah'm kinda worried myself, actually." Applejack said before she took a deep breath "Then again, knowin' how much of a chatterbox Fukuro is, they probably know, too."

"I can't believe we've shown hospitality to trained killers." Rarity mourned before looking angry "I'll bet it was Discord's idea from the start."

"As much as I'd want to believe you, Rarity, we can't say for certain." Twilight stated, though she herself was lingering with unease "We'll keep this to ourselves until we see them again, and then we'll get our answers." She said in a serious tone, to which her friends shared a mutual nod and went back to their homes.

"I knew that Rob Lucci guy was trouble. Nopony can be that scary without the power to back it up." Spike said anxiously, to which Twilight sighed.

"It's best not to dwell on it, Spike. It wouldn't do good for neither of us, even if this is troubling news. The only thing that alleviates this realization is the fact that Rob fights in the name of justice."

"What if they're lying about that, too?" Spike said while fidgeting his claws, to which Twilight looked down at the purple dragon with a calm face.

"I'm pretty sure they were serious about that, Rob especially. They were pretty passionate in keeping Ponyville safe from those diamond dogs after all." Twilight said before looking ahead "We'll get all we can from them, especially from Fukuro." She then rubbed her chin with a perplexed face "For a skilled assassin, he really is a blabbermouth at times."

"I'll say..." Spike mumbled in agreement. A part of him wondered if the assassins would actually kill something in front of him and his friends. The very thought sent a chill down his spine.

"If the princesses really know about the true nature of those humans, perhaps I can talk with her and see if she knows more about them than we do." Twilight turned to Spike when they reached the door to the library "First order of business is sending her a letter requesting an audience tomorrow."

"This is gonna be fun." Spike muttered sarcastically, thankful that he wasn't chided for his words. He never thought that something so threateningly weird since the Plunder Seed incident would crawl out of the woodwork.
_____

Princess Celestia trotted the halls of her castle, thinking to herself about the sudden occurrence of the humans in Equestria due to Discord's folly, and the consequences that were bound to follow thereafter. She took a deep breath in order to keep herself calm and hummed to herself in thought over how to approach the situation.

'Perhaps it would be wise to send Discord and his...'associates' to Baltimare in order to check on the magic field. We cannot risk anymore surprises that would send Equestria into a panic.' She nodded to herself at the idea. Discord was lucky to even get away with something so chaotic without it becoming noticeable to the rest of Equestria.

As she was about to turn a corner in her halls, a large gap of air bulged in front of her before turning away to reveal a familiar human pushing it out of the way as if opening a door. Celestia gaped at the sight of Blueno's stoic expression as he walked onto the carpeted floor with Discord and the other humans following suit. Celestia had to move back as everyone walked out of the pocket dimension behind them. After Blueno shut the air door, Celestia shook her head and regained her composure.

"This was unexpected. It's nice to see you again, though your method of arrival is very surprising." Celestia said patiently.

"My apologies, your majesty." Blueno said with a curt bow "This was merely my doing. I only wished to travel using my own powers, but Chief Discord assisted me with teleporting to this general area." He could feel Discord's ecstatic grin.

"Celly, can you believe the surprises these humans have kept from us? I'm overjoyed to see that what was once a mistake has turned into something grand!" Discord piped up cheerfully. Celestia closed her eyes placed a hoof to her temples before she regarded the draconequus with a neutral glance.

"Discord, while it's nice to see you bonding with your recent discovery, your 'mistake' should be looked at by tomorrow with you and your associates. Remember that this responsibility falls on you personally, and that these humans are to return without any problems of the sort." Discord waved a dismissive claw.

"Alright, alright. I'll make sure of it. In the meantime..." Discord stretched his body as he levitated in the air "I'm probably gonna go exercise before turning in for the day." Celestia narrowed her eyes.

"Not here." Her glare softened "I'd like for you to release your energy in a barren area, away from innocent ponies." Discord drooped with a pout.

"Fine, I'll go to Ghastly Gorge. At least the quarry eels there are friendly." He said before looking down at the humans "Alright, everyone. Sunbutt's gonna be watching you for the time being while I'm gone." He looked over at a scowling Celestia and smirked "Hey, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." He said before snapping his talons and disappearing. Kaku scratched his head with a befuddled glance up at where Discord once was.

"I know he's our superior, but he seems a bit childish at times." Kaku commented dryly. Celestia chuckled at his remark.

"You wouldn't be wrong. I hope you all have been well under his care as of late." She said to the humans.

"If only some of his work would've stayed that way." Jabra said with a disappointed look on his face. Fukuro looked down at him with a brief pause.

"...Are you talking abou-"

"Yes, I'm talking about you!" Jabra snapped up at Fukuro, causing the loud mass to reel back in surprise.

"Yoyoi~! Such bitterness flowing from your being, Jabra~!" Kumadori bellowed "Were you not en-entertained with today's party~?"

"Ah, one of Pinkie's famous 'Welcome to Ponyville' parties, I presume?" Celestia asked with a knowing smile.

"More of a mixture, really." Blueno piped up "Pinkie Pie deemed it necessary to celebrate our efforts of quelling an invasion courtesy of some diamond dogs earlier today. However, we were unable to apprehend them, since they all escaped through burrowing underground." Celestia perked up.

"Diamond dogs? Was anypony hurt?" She asked in concern.

"Thankfully, no." Kalifa said as she placed a hand on her chest "I was more than able to rescue some hostages from their filthy clutches; some children, two of which related to Applejack and Rarity." Celestia nodded.

"I see..." Celestia said before looking over at Lucci, his naturally cold expression still on his face "You have my gratitude for keeping my little ponies safe."

"Your gratitude is appreciated, but otherwise meaningless. It is in our best interest to keep the peace." Lucci narrowed his eyes "Although, I'm disappointed in the lack of security shown in Ponyville before our arrival." Celestia hung her head as she closed her eyes.

"I'll admit that there have been concerns regarding Ponyville's stability and the many abnormalities the citizens face in their daily lives," She opened her eyes to face the assassins "but nothing this extreme has ever happened since the Everfree Forest growing out of proportion."

"Knowing Chief Discord's power, one would consider these dangers to be a trifle." Blueno stated matter-of-factly "Could that be the reason that you do not extend a helping hoof to your subjects?"

"Not entirely." Celestia shook her head before turning and trotting away, beckoning for the humans to follow her "You know that as a ruler, I care for my subjects with all my heart, but there is also the fact that Twilight, my former pupil, has bested many troubles with the help of her friends in the past. In fact, compared to the rest of Equestria, Ponyville is where most of the obscure happenings have taken place in the past. Discord's chaotic field outside of Baltimare was the only notable difference aside from that."

"So what you're saying is that Ponyville is an inherent base for pandemonium, and you trust the Elements of Harmony to take care of it all?" Kaku inquired with an arch eyebrow.

"Not exactly. It's not so much that I rely on them to put a stop to any uprisings as it is that they themselves are sometimes the cause of it." She held a nostalgic smile "There was this one time where Twilight was so afraid of being tardy on sending me a friendship report, that she resorted to creating her own friendship problem. I personally took care of the situation, of course."

"You're saying she was out of line?"

Celestia stopped to look back at Lucci, a killer look seen in his eyes, and frowned "It was nothing too dire. Twilight simply performed a forbidden spell on her old doll that hypnotized most of the town." She stated firmly, wanting to make sure Lucci wasn't planning anything drastic towards Twilight.

"That does not excuse her from disturbing her own citizens over something petty as sending a friendship report." He held up his left hand "Where we're from, she would've been executed for her actions." Hattori gave off a coo of agreement from his right shoulder.

"And I told you that I corrected it myself." Celestia took a deep breath and turned away "I'll spare you another debate on our own personal views if you're willing to let this go." She could hear Lucci scoff from behind her, easily taking it as a gesture of compliance before resuming her walk.

The group of humans were led up a flight of stairs and towards a set of large doors. Celestia faced the assassins once more with a patient smile.

"If you would kindly wait here for a moment. I have to set the sun whilst Luna raises the moon. It won't be long."

"Wait, that's right!" Jabra pointed a finger at Celestia "You two ponies move the sun and moon, I forgot about that." Kumadori instantly bowed to Celestia in reverence.

"Yoyoi~! Your majesty~, would you please grant us the honor of witnessing a grand image of your work, so that we may bask in the glory of your powe-yoyoi!" A fist on top of Kumadori's head silenced his submissive banter.

"Put a sock in it, you dolt! We can watch it from outside." Jabra snarled before he calmed down "But it's gonna be weird to actually see the sun and moon move like this..."

"I'm rather curious myself." Blueno said as he gave a curt bow of his own "Do we have your permission to view your's and your sister's magic for ourselves outdoors?"

"Well, I don't see why not, if you're all so curious." Celestia said warmly.

"This is gonna be great, chapapa!" Fukuro cheered. He looked over at Blueno with a nod, to which he returned before moving towards the nearest wall and placing his hand on it. He pushed the wall as a large gap of it Blueno's size moved aside like a door, starling Celestia. Blueno turned and bowed to the solar princess upon noticing her shock "My apologies, princess. No damage has been done to your wall. This is only my power as a door human."

Fukuro squeezed his way out of the man-made door and jumped outside with a joyous 'chapapa' as he performed his geppou to move downward. Kalifa and Jabra were next to follow, easily stepping through the door themselves. Kumadori scampered onto his legs and struck a kabuki pose before hopping towards the door and seeing himself out. Kaku was about to leave as well before turning to Lucci, who stood by Celestia.

"You're not coming, Lucci? This isn't something we don't get to see everyday, you know." Kaku said encouragingly.

"What you do is your business, just leave me out of it." Lucci responded stonily "I'm not in the mood for sightseeing." Kaku sighed with a shrug.

"Suit yourself, I guess." He turned to Blueno with a smile "We'd better catch up with the others." The long-nose human then dove out of the door and followed the others down outside. Blueno glanced at Lucci before he was the last to leave, making sure to shut the door after hopping outside.

"Discord was right about you humans being full of surprises." Celestia quipped before turning to Lucci "If there's nothing to say between us, can I ask for you to wait here for a moment?"

"Understood." Lucci replied dispassionately.

Celestia and Lucci stared for a brief moment before the former went into her room, shutting the doors behind her. Hattori cooed at Lucci and tilted his head, to which his owner shifted his eyes at him.

"It shocks me that you would stay with me rather than spectate with the others. What compelled you to stay behind?" He asked coldly. All Lucci received was another coo in response, though Hattori looked saddened by his words.
_____

Outside in the royal gardens, the assassins - minus Lucci - were looking up at the sky and witnessing Celestia and Luna move their respective celestial bodies from their balconies. As their horns glowed, both the sun and moon began to move in a pace that intrigued the humans.

"Chapa! It's beautiful!" Fukuro said as he watched the sun set while it was controlled by Celestia.

"Agreed~! We bear witness to a spectacle of peerless beauty that would be told-told for generations to come~!" Kumadori stretched an arm out towards the horizon while watching the moon rise into the sky.

Kalifa pushed her glasses close to her eyes as she watched herself and smiled. Jabra shifted his gaze between the sun and moon.

"I can't believe they're that strong! And the chief said that he's even stronger than them?" He asked, captivated by the fact that two ponies are actually moving celestial bodies with relative ease.

"Lucci's really missing out on this." Kaku said with a smirk. He then rubbed his chin as he looked up towards Luna "It makes you wonder if there exists a devil fruit that could let you control either the sun or the moon back in our world."

"That would be too much power, even for a human." Blueno piped up while watching the moon takes its place in the sky "Besides, we already have several powerful adversaries waiting for us once we leave this world." This led Kaku to frown.

"Of course. It's only been a day here, and I already feel more than comfortable." The long-nosed man sighed to himself before smiling wistfully "You know, I honestly wouldn't mind staying here, what with it being more peaceful compared to our own world."

"You're ignoring those filthy mongrels we've dealt with today?" Kalifa asked with a raised eyebrow. Kaku frowned once more as he crossed his arms.

"Well, I guess there's that, but it was the only danger faced thus far. And looking back at the world we live in, we're enemies to both pirates and the World Government alike. We don't have much to return to other than revenge and keeping a low profile for the rest of our days."

"We are in a pretty rough spot as it is." Blueno nodded in agreement "But we'll have plenty of time to think of our next move by tomorrow, provided we won't be met with any hindrances or obstacles during our stay here."

While the assassins talked amongst themselves, a door-shaped gap revealed itself in the air, to which they all noticed before glancing at Blueno, who looked perplexed for the first time.

"That's not me..." He defended with his hands in a placating gesture. The door opened to reveal a chortling Discord wearing sunglasses and a pink shirt that said 'I caused tons of chaos and all I got was this shirt' with black lettering.

"Boy, what a rush! I think I'll be fine for the next couple of days after those nice changes I made." He slammed the door behind him and raised his sunglasses to look at the humans "Good evening, folks. I hope you've done fine without me?" He then looked around, blinking "Say, where's Rob? Is he hiding outside somewhere?"

"Don't mind the cat, chief." Jabra said while waving his hand dismissively "He thought he was too good to see the sun and moon getting moved." Discord stroked his goatee.

"Yeah, that does sound like him." He perked up and snapped a talon "That reminds me!" A flash covered Discord, and it faded to reveal him in a plaid nightgown with a matching nightcap "I'll have to work out sleeping arrangements for you lot! Let's go find your little fussy feline friend and I'll set you all up with a special room."

"If you're looking for Lucci, he's outside of Princess Celestia's bedroom." Kaku informed.

"Alrighty then." Discord chirped before snapping his talons and teleporting himself and the humans out of the royal garden.
_____

Celestia finished setting her sun with a sigh of content sigh, then looked down and spotted Discord teleporting away with his assassins. No doubt they would gather outside of her doors. She turned away and trotted out of her room, opening her doors and noticing that her prediction had come true. The humans were seen waiting patiently while Discord waved innocently at Celestia, who held a small smile.

"I hope that you all enjoyed our display of magic." Celestia said politely.

"It was a view to be remembered." Kalifa said "And you've done this with your sister for how long?" Celestia closed her eyes upon hearing the blonde's question.

"For more than 1000 years, although I had done so with both the sun and moon around that time." Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukuro were more shocked than the other humans from Celestia's answer.

"1000 years!? How old are you!?" Jabra blurted out incredulously.

"That's sexual harassment." Kalifa said dryly as she straightened her glasses. Jabra sneered at Kalifa while Kaku gazed intently at Celestia.

"You said you controlled both the sun and moon around that 1000 year period, right?" Kaku asked inquisitively, raising his eyebrow "Did something happen between you and Luna that caused you to take so much responsibility?" Celestia opened her eyes to reveal a distant gaze towards the ceiling. Meanwhile, Discord rolled his eyes and laid on his back in the air, waiting for Celestia's story to begin.

"Luna and I had shared our duties responsibly, but back then, there was a time that my sister had grown jealous of me due to our subjects favoring my sun more than Luna's moon." She frowned, showing her discomfort upon reflecting her past "She began to loathe the fact that her own night - the very thing she took pride in - was being ignored by the ponies due to their slumber."

"Well, lots of living things sleep at night, even us humans, chapapa!" Fukuro said.

"Yoyoi~! Does she n-not take comfort in the nocturnal creatures that wander under her moon? Do they not show appreciation towards your dear sister's work~?" Kumadori bellowed.

"Sadly, it wasn't enough for her. And as time went by, her jealousy intermingled with sadness and hatred, and my sister..." Celestia hung her head "She changed."

"Into what?" Lucci finally spoke up, earning Celestia's attention. She noticed the faint curiosity that loomed behind his piercing eyes.

"It was in the past, but she had become an entity known as Nightmare Moon, who wished to bring about eternal night upon Equestria." She turned away with another distant gaze "At that moment, I had no other option than to confront her, which later led me to use the Elements of Harmony and banish her to the moon for a whole millennium." The humans, save for Lucci, murmured amongst themselves before looking back at Celestia.

"How is Princess Luna still here and not Nightmare Moon? Did you defeat her yet again?" Kaku pressed on, growing more intrigued by the story. After his question, Celestia finally smiled once more.

"Actually, she had ambushed me and imprisoned me in darkness upon her return." She said nonchalantly, to which Jabra stared at Celestia as if she grew a second head.

"Then how the hell did you make it out? This doesn't make any sense!" Jabra said.

"The Elements of Harmony..."

Once again, Celestia's eyes rested on Lucci, who had his arms behind his back, tucked in his coat.

"Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They were able to do your work and save you from certain peril, not only getting rid of Nightmare Moon but bringing peace to both your land and your sister." Lucci stated callously "Though what bothers me are that fact that you seem so calm about your own sister ambushing you and how you're still keeping her around after what she had done." Celestia appeared neutral, but Lucci could feel the intensity within her gaze directed towards him.

"I'll admit that my reaction wasn't intended by you all, but it was the same moment that the elements were inherited by Twilight and her friends. They learned about the elements they represented before they used them properly to save my sister. I had faith in them knowing they would do just that, since I had no control over the elements after I used them last time." Her eyes narrowed "As for Luna, I would ask that you refrain from any thoughts of her being evil. You've seen her behavior for yourself."

Lucci remained silent, though was inwardly baffled by how Celestia would even keep her sister around after the story he had heard. Clearly, these ponies were too soft in his eyes if they're willing to forgive even the lowliest of criminals at the drop of a hat. Celestia, noting Lucci's silence as comprehension to her request, turned to the rest of the humans.

"I'll leave you all to your own activities, but remember that you're to make for Baltimare tomorrow and survey the magic field. Make sure that nopony threatening would cross it. No offense to you humans, but I mustn't have any form of panic spreading across Equestria. So far, only Ponyville knows of your existence." She explained. Discord simply make an 'A-Okay' sign with his lion paw.

"You got it. Though I cannot help but wonder who would show up anyhow." Discord said while poking his head with an eagle talon, his face plastered in thought.

"Thankfully not much, since not many people travel along the waters we've sailed." Blueno replied "We understand your orders completely." Celestia nodded to the door human with a smile.

"I appreciate your response. I'll see you all tomorrow." Celestia trotted away "Hopefully, you might learn more about this world." She said kindly. When she was out of view, Discord smirked down at the humans.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way, how about I show you that specially reserved room I was talking about?" Discord asked eagerly.

"We have a special room in the castle?" Kaku asked inquisitively. Discord simply snapped his fingers and a large purple door appeared in front of the humans a few feet away from Celestia's bedroom.

"You do now. Care to take a look?" The humans were hesitant at first, but Discord opened the door for them to walk in and take in their new surroundings. The sight alone nearly surprised Lucci.

Behind Discord's door was a large red room complete with three dressers next to the left wall and seven plush beds in a circle complete with their own nightstands, one for each assassin; there were even two large beds for Fukuro and Kumadori. They were silently taking in their surroundings and how it the feat itself was logically impossible. Discord smirked at their reactions, save for Lucci.

"I'll give you some time alone. Feel free to call me for anything." Discord shut the door before Kaku could ask how such a thing was possible.

"How-...But-...I-..." Jabra sputtered as he looked around with widened eyes "I already like our new chief even more..." He uttered as he dashed towards one bed and felt the mattress and blanket before laying on it and murmuring in comfort.

"There is not much else to do but rest, so I suppose it would be wise to turn in..." Lucci said as he took off his coat and shirt, revealing his bandaged body. After taking off his shoes, he sat on the bed and let off a quiet hum. He had to admit that his bed was indeed comfortable, though did not want to act out like Jabra. Hattori even cooed in delight after gliding off Lucci's shoulder and feeling for himself.

Kalifa grunted as she watched her fellow assassins get ready for bed and balled her hands in a fist.

"This is unacceptable. I need a changing closet!"

"Done!"

Discord's voice rang in the room until a flash revealed a changing closet to the right of the dressers, resting in a corner. Kalifa took a deep breath before smiling contently.

"Much better." She sauntered over to the dresser to see that there was nothing in each drawer, to which she twitched an eyebrow in anger "Was this meant to be a joke?" Kaku looked over at Kalifa from his bed.

"We could always get our clothes from the Marine boat tomorrow, since we're going to Baltimare. There's no need to fuss about it right now." Kaku said.

"Hmph, I suppose you're right, but I'm not exactly comfortable with you all staring at me..." Kalifa said as she walked over to the changing closet. Jabra laughed as he laid in bed.

"In that case, maybe you'd wanna be one of those ponies, since they barely wear anything around here." He awaited an angry or witty retort, but noticed how Kalifa froze in front of the closet with a hand towards the door.

"That is...a tempting idea." Kalifa said quietly before going inside, shutting the door and leaving a befuddled Jabra to stare at the closet. He turned to the others and pointed at the closet.

"I'm not the only one, right? You heard her, too?" Jabra asked hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe she really likes ponies or something, chapapa." Fukuro replied.

"It's idiotic to contemplate such a thing." Lucci said as he laid in bed "Now go to sleep. We have orders to fulfill tomorrow..." Jabra scoffed.

"Who died and made you king?" He snapped before he found himself yawning "Then again, I could use some shuteye..."

The assassins decided to withhold any further conversations until tomorrow and chose to go to sleep. Kalifa soon joined them in her own bed, though was hesitant upon any of them catching a glance of her in her undergarments.
_____

"So Lucci agreed to be more open-minded during his time here?" Celestia asked Discord as herself, the draconequus, and Luna were gathered in the throne room by themselves.

"Well, he gave me his word after our little heart-to-heart. He's really sore about letting the diamond dogs get away like that." Discord said as he shrugged "At least it was the only problem that was faced today."

"If what you're saying is true, then we can only hope that Lucci would see things from our point of view before him and his fellow assassins depart from this land." Luna said in a leveled tone.

"That would be an endeavor, given his background. But at least he is able to comply with our requests." Celestia said as she frowned "He is very cold for somepony who believes in justice, especially if he labels his ideals as dark justice."

"Maybe the poor boy's just misunderstood." Discord said, earning puzzled glances from the royal sisters, to which he waved a paw "Eh, just taking cues from Fluttershy..."

"Perhaps I could try and make out Rob Lucci's character in his dreams. Maybe I'll be lucky to find something we could use to help give him a better outlook on life." Luna offered, to which Celestia looked towards her with a neutral gaze.

"He is better off gaining experience for himself, but are you certain that's best?" She asked, to which her sister smiled confidently and placed a hoof on her chest.

"Sister, it is my duty to view our subjects' dreams and see if we can guide them through any inner conflict. Can we not do the same for Lucci?" She asked. Celestia rubbed her chin with a pensive glance.

"I suppose you're right. He does mean well, despite his unscrupulous lifestyle..." Celestia finally nodded in agreement with a small smile "I trust that you can do your best and guide him."

"Then it's settled." Luna said as she trotted out of the throne room "I'll make for the dream world soon enough." Discord stroked his goatee.

"Now I'm equally curious as to what goes on in Lucci's head other than 'Justice Justice Justice'." He said as he made a comical gesture with his arms, swaying left and right "One would think that he would have hobbies."

"As am I. I just hope that Luna knows what she's doing with that idea of hers." Celestia said as she looked down at the floor in thought. Could there really be hope for Lucci if Luna were to dig deep enough?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a green flame that appeared in front of her, vanishing to reveal a rolled parchment that Celestia reflexively caught with her magic.

"A message so soon? But what is the occasion?" Celestia asked.

"I dunno. I left with the humans around sunset and I never recalled Twilight wanting to send letters." Discord shrugged before he leaned to Celestia's right side with a wide grin "Well? You gonna read it or what?"

Celestia rolled her eyes and unrolled the parchment to read the letter herself. Discord read with her, to which the two developed their own reactions; Celestia's was one of mild dread while Discord's eyes widened slightly in a poker face.

"Oh dear..." Celestia said as she shook her head "I should have anticipated this..."

"Yeah, I kind of forgot how resounding our silent owl can be sometimes." Discord said sheepishly with an embarrassed grin "So, you're gonna fill them in on our little secret, hm?" He asked with a curious glance.

"I just hope they do not want to tag along on your task. Between this and your portal, this may prove to be too chaotic for everypony." Celestia said with a cautious tone.

"Then this looks like a job for..." A drumroll was heard as Discord quickly spun himself before he was seen with a purple bandana mask, a shoddy red cape, and a pair of undergarments on his waist "Da-dadadaaaa~! Discord~!" He proclaimed as he made a heroic flight pose. Celestia stared at the draconequus in his costume before finding the right moment to facehoof.

Tomorrow was going to be rough. There was no doubt about it.
_____

Later that night, Luna was in her room, her eyes closed in complete concentration as she entered the dream world through her own magic. She opened her eyes to a large spacial background that housed several bubbles playing different scenarios that involved her subjects.

As enjoyable as the sight was, she knew her priorities as she soared through the dreamscape in search of the dreams she seeked. After a small amount of travel, Luna came across a set of seven bubbles, to which she could easily deduce were the assassins found by Discord. She glided towards them to get a better view of each one.

'Where could he be?' As easy as she thought it would be to distinguish the dreams of each human, she could not help but realize just how unpredictable they might be despite their respective personalities. If there was anything the dream world taught her, it was that one's true self lied within their dreams, entirely different from what was seen from how they acted. She decided to go into the leftmost dream and look inside...

Proud and triumphant laughter echoed from inside the dream, showing what appeared to be a shirtless Jabra wearing oriental pants being the source. In his right arm, he held a human female in a green dress with beautiful brown hair and a visibly repugnant face who clung to him affectionately; in his left hand was a chain that extended towards the collar of a submissive looking Lucci, who was mewling to himself as he sat down with his legs crossed. Luna noticed how Kaku, Blueno, Kalifa, Fukuro, and Kumadori were bowing in reverence as the boisterous human laughed.

"Tell me, everyone! Who's the alpha male? Come on!" Jabra demanded an answer, to which the five humans sounded off his name. Jabra grinned widely as he held his woman close "Isn't this amazing, Gatherine? No one's better than us!" The woman named Gatherine giggled as she nuzzled her head in Jabra's chest.

"You're the best, Jabra! I'm glad I chose you over that silly little cat, Lucci!" Her response drove Jabra back into his laughing fit. Luna's ears folded back as she watched the dream from a safe distance with a deadpan expression.

'This is definitely Jabra's dream. He does come off as arrogant...' Luna saw fit to depart from the dream and look towards the remaining seven 'Where to next?' She decided to glide towards the nearest one and look there.

"Kalifa~!"

"Kalifa, you're so pretty~!"

"I'm so jealous~!"

From above the sky, Luna saw several humans, male and female fawn over a certain blonde wearing a white dress. Kalifa was seen pushing her dress down as she stood over a vent, a tantalizing smile on her face. Luna could easily make out the hearts that were replaced with the eyes of the males, while other women were admiring her appearance themselves. The rest of the assassins were seen in black suits while keeping the crowd contained.

"I'm glad you're all enjoying yourselves. Clearly, you have good taste in who is the most beautiful woman in the world?" She said in a superior tone, to which the audience went in an uproar. As Kalifa basked in the adoration of her fans, she looked down and noticed what appeared to be a random filly looking up at her with shimmering eyes. At that moment, the vent under Kalifa had vanished as she donned a warm smile "Hello, little one." She said as she knelt down to the filly's level "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The filly gasped with joy and quickly fished out a piece of paper with her mouth while wagging her tail vigorously, showing it to Kalifa and making her chuckle.

"Of course." A pen appeared in Kalifa's right hand as she jotted down her name on the filly's paper, to which she hopped up and down with glee. Kalifa could not stop smiling at the little pony's enthusiasm "Such a cute little child."

'Vain, and yet she shows a certain fondness to ponies.' Luna was intrigued by the dream as she looked on, but decided to leave her alone, as the blonde was clearly enjoying herself. She flew out of the dream and looked towards the remaining six 'Alright, five left...' Like the last dream, Luna flew towards the nearest one, looking inside for herself.

There was brief darkness before a spotlight instantly lit up to reveal Lucci adorned in a black foreign garb while kneeling on a hardwood floor. His head was hung while his face was obscured by a shadow. Luna observed quietly with anticipation.

'Hm...Perhaps there is something that I can find from this particular-' Her eyes widened the moment Lucci brought up his head. His face was pale white with intricate red markings over his eye and mouth.

"I am the captain of the Emperor's army~! Ever vigilant of my duties~!" Lucci bellowed with an uncharacteristic, yet dramatic inflection as he rose to his feet, a certain pigeon flying into the light and landing on his right shoulder "Like a raging gale, I pass through my enemies swiftly, and without pause~!"

A second spotlight revealed Kumadori in a more flamboyant, but intimidating garb kneeling next to Lucci while holding his shakujo horizontally. He rose himself to reveal his face, his left eye closed.

"Yoyoi~! I am the general of the Emperor's army~! Representing the strength of our proud nation~!" A large spotlight flashed behind them to reveal the rest of the humans, each with their own garbs and facial designs to go with their pale skin "Together, with our loyal re-re-retainers to the throne, we act as an impenetrable force that would rival that of an oni~!" All the humans struck a pose on one leg as the darkness and spotlights were instantly replaced with the view of a meadow, a small image of a pagoda behind them in the distance "Together, we shine like that of the rising sun~!"

"My son...I am proud of your dedication..."

The silky feminine voice caused Kumadori to break from his stance and look up at the clouds to see them move and show the glowing silhouette of a short and elderly female with pink hair, wearing a pure white kimono as she smiled down at Kumadori, who's lips trembled as raised a hand to the sky.

"My Dearest mother~! Your smile ever radiant~! I miss your sweet voice~!" He said as his eyes welled up.

"Kumadori, you mustn't cry." Kumadori's mother calmly chided "You're a strong warrior, revered by many for your passion in battle. Won't you grant my wish and carry on?" She asked kindly, to which Kumadori's cheeks were drenched with tears as he sniffled.

"Mother~..." He wiped the tears from his eyes with his free hand before striking another pose, appearing strong "I will g-grant you your wish without you telling me~! This I swear~!" Kumadori's 'army' roared in agreement as they, too, struck another pose.

'Unparalleled loyalty with lingering thoughts of family.' Luna watched from the bushes of the meadow with a touched smile 'How sweet...He's no different from our guards.' She disappeared further into the bushes, fading away from Kumadori's dream.

Peering into another dream, Luna noticed Blueno standing in a blank space before slowly shifting into a black--furred minotaur, giving a mighty bleat. Luna only stared at him with an expression as blank as the dream's background.

'...What?' Nothing else to see here, she thought. Luna quickly moved out of the dream and looked for another one.

The next dream, while just as strange as the last few, appeared extravagant, as the setting appeared to resemble an outdoor festival. The assassins were seen singing and dancing with ponies at the center of the crowd. Luna noticed the genuine smile on Lucci's face and wondered if this was his dream, until she heard him speak.

"This was an excellent idea, Fukuro. I suppose this was all I needed to open up my heart."

"It was my pleasure, chapapa!" Fukuro said as he stood in the epicenter of the dancing group, doing a pirouette while giggling.

'I see that Fukuro is rather like Pinkie when it comes to having a good time.' Luna thought to herself before leaving the dream. Only two more left.

There was a bar full of humans in the next dream, and Luna was able to make out the assassins with their own different attire. Blueno was seen as a bartender; Kumadori and Fukuro as entertainers; and Kaku, Jabra, Kalifa, and Lucci as customers. Sitting to the left of Kaku was a blonde man wearing a blue outfit and red goggles over his head. He had a thin moustache and a cigar in his mouth as he held a mug of what she could only guess was alcohol.

"Business was good as usual, huh, guys? We really gave those pirates a thrashing!" The man boasted with a grin.

"Well, you can't expect pirates to cooperate with the services of Galley-La." Kaku replied with a smirk "By the way, Paulie, you haven't spent all of your money yet, have you? I was looking to borrow some for this little project of mine." Paulie dug into his trouser pockets with his free hand.

"Yeah, I think I got some cash to spare for you." Paulie said as he dug deep. Hattori let off a coo from Lucci's shoulder before pointing a wing.

"Don't do it, Kaku! He probably has spare change and nothing else!" Hattori said in a high-pitched tone. Luna stifled a gasp.

'Hattori can talk? Since when?' She thought. She noticed the look of anger on Paulie's face.

"Shut your trap, Lucci! I don't need any shit from you today." Paulie pulled out a wad of currency and lent it to Kaku "Here you are, buddy. What's this project you're working on? A ship?" He asked inquisitively.

"You could say that. I've been so hard at work that I barely have enough time to invest in my own ambitions. I'll be sure to pay you back later for this." Kaku said politely. Hattori let off another coo.

"Forget the debt! He'll go through it faster than his cigars!" Hattori said again while Lucci kept his mouth shut, his emotionless face unchanged.

'Ah, so Lucci is a ventriloquist...' Luna nodded to herself while she watched Paulie being held back by Kaku while he tried to reach Lucci. She noticed how happy Kaku looked despite him holding back Paulie 'Judging by the look of content on his face, this must be Kaku's dream. His dream seems more akin to a memory intermingled with fantasy. Does he not enjoy his line of work as much as the others?' While Luna could dwell on the thought, she remembered that she was to seek out Lucci's dream, which was her primary focus ever since she went into the dream world.

After exiting Kaku's dream, Luna laid her eyes on the final dream out of the group and slowly advanced towards it, hoping to anticipate whatever lied beyond the blackness that encompassed the bubble. She entered inside, and was unnerved by the darkness surrounding her.

'I'll have to keep moving for Lucci's sake.' Luna glided further into the darkness until she made out a growing shape and faint voices. She advanced even further until she stopped and gasped loudly at the frightening sight before her.

There were hundreds of armored humans seen from the waist up, all worn and wounded as they glowed a malicious purple. They moaned in anguish as they gathered towards the center with their arms stretched out. In the center was none other than Lucci, who was standing shirtless and staring down at the humans that were the closest to him and grabbing at his legs and waist; none of his allies were in sight. He sneered at them weakly clinging towards him.

"What foolishness. No matter the ferocity of your anger or contempt for me, there is nothing you can do to hurt me. You lost that right the moment you surrendered yourselves to evil. All of you deserve no lesser fate than death to atone for your sins." He responded towards the haggard corpses coldly. Luna froze with her jaw dropped as she heard the corpses continue to moan.

'I-...I can actually feel them...They're departed souls; all of them innocent. But-...But how? Why? Why would he do such a thing?' Luna was at her wits end from Lucci's dream alone.

No. This was no dream. It was a night terror; one that Lucci was easily sitting in it unabated and without remorse. Luna had never met a creature with such a twisted background. She instantly dove out of the dream and woke up from her slumber as she hyperventilated in her sheets, her face covered in sweat.

"Never had such a being existed in our world..." Luna said as she regained her breathing, wiping the sweat from her brow as she stared down at her sheets. Finding herself to go back to sleep just yet, she rose from her bed and trotted outside of her room, staring off at the endless horizon from her balcony.

"What does the human world contain to create a mass murderer who claims to act in the name of justice?" She continued to ask herself. Luna could not fathom that Lucci would actually claim hundreds of innocent lives with the reason of them possibly 'surrendering themselves to evil'. It was something that not even she could stand.

"Rob Lucci does not belong here..." She narrowed her eyes "He has to leave!"

As much as she wished to, Luna would consider waking up her sister inappropriate, considering that she told them about their assignment. It would be wise for her to consult with Celestia the moment they had time alone. In the meantime, she continued to stare off into the night, thinking to herself over the grim possibilities of the human world.
_____

"What do you mean you cannot locate them!?"

"E-Exactly what I mean, sir!" A marine soldier said with a shaky salute and a voice to match "The Marine ship stolen by the former CP9 agents has been reported missing! There hasn't been a single update since." He gulped as he stood in the infirmary.

A growl sounded from an elderly man who wore a black suit, his white trenchcoat worn like a cape. He had long black hair, though was grey on top of his head, and a short toothbrush moustache under his nose. He stroked his long black beard as he mumbled to himself.

"This cannot stand. Who knows where those slippery bastards ran off to, if they managed to elude us so swiftly!" The elderly man snarled in contempt "We'll be hounded by our superiors if we tap into our resources with no success of capture."

"But they couldn't possibly have gone far!"

The elderly man and the marine soldier looked down at a man cocooned in casts all over his body with spiked lavender hair,a large bruise that went over his right eye, and swollen lips. The old man gritted his teeth.

"Save your energy, Spandam. We'll follow up with a contingency plan the moment we find some proper leads from their whereabouts. In the meantime, you need your rest, and I need to get back to work."

"But father, you heard what they said, didn't you?" Spandam mewled feebly "They'll return someday, meaning that anything goes! For all we know, they could be under our very noses! We need to-"

"I said save your energy!" The old man snapped "I already told you that we'll follow up with a contingency plan. Trust me, I'm not one to ignore something so abnormal as this sudden turn of events, and I know the World Government would think the same way if they were in our shoes. But right now, we're on a wild goose chase that'll cost us dearly if we rush in blind!" He chided angrily. The man paused before turning to the marine soldier, who flinched upon recognition "You're dismissed. Just get out and let my son rest." The marine instantly saluted, this time with less fear.

"Yes, sir, Spandine!" He said as he left the room in an orderly manner. Spandine groaned to himself as he caressed his temple.

"This'll be a chase to remember if we actually get our hands on those fools." He looked back at Spandam laying on the bed "I'll be sure to check up on you tomorrow once I've tended to my own business."

"O-Of course, father." Spandam replied with a meager nod "Hopefully, we'll receive word of their location by then." Spandine made for the door and left the infirmary after opening it.

'Sometimes, I wonder if I made the right choice letting my son inherit my position as the leader of CP9.' Spandine thought before a sly grin graced his features 'Heh, no matter. What's done is done, and looking back on it, those assassins really are to blame for not stopping those Straw Hat pirates.' He stopped for a moment as his grin instantly vanished '...Especially that bitch Nico Robin...Yeah, they cannot be ignored for this. They've gotta be punished.'

"Sir?"

Spandine looked ahead at a small group of men wearing black suits, fedoras, and sunglasses, one of which stood in front of them all.

"Is there something wrong? Has anything happened to your son?" The leader of the group asked. Spandine scoffed at the questions.

"My son's doing fine, but I'm sure as hell not happy about letting those damned war criminals get away so easily. We're gonna work twice as hard to search for their location and rub them out quickly before they even think to elude us."

"Actually, we wished to bring that to your attention, sir." The leader of the group approached Spandine with a small packet of papers, to which he began to skim through "According to this recent report, the missing ship was last documented sailing out into the East Blue before its disappearance." After he finished reading, Spandine handed back the report and hummed in thought as he stroked his beard.

"East Blue, huh? Then we'll look into it by tomorrow and see if there isn't something we haven't discovered yet." Spandine said as he brought a fist into his left hand "Do you hear me? While my son's in intensive care, I'm gonna step out of retirement and show you guys how we do it here in the CP9! We act in the name of the World Government and we take no prisoners unless stated otherwise! Understand?" He said with an intimidating glare, to which the CP9 members instantly saluted.

"Yes, sir!" The group sounded off. Spandine donned a satisfied grin in response.

"Good to hear. Now let's get back to work. We have reports to file and reinforcements to request." He said as he walked forward, to which the men cleared a path and obediently followed him. Spandine's grin slowly devolved into a scowl.

'I swear, I'm going to have a good amount of heads to cover the Enies Lobby incident once this is over...' Spandine thought darkly. There was no chance whatsoever that he could look the other way from something this mysterious, especially if it involves something so simple as the East Blue.

To be continued...

Chapter 7

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Chapter 7

Oncoming Storm

The next morning, Celestia woke from her slumber with a quiet yawn as she rose from her bed. She rubbed her eyes before stretching her limbs and making for her large vanity, frowning at her reflection in the mirror not out of her tired appearance, but what was bound to happen later today. Using her magic, she levitated a brush towards her mane and began grooming herself.

'I should've known Fukuro wouldn't keep his talkative habit under control. Hopefully, this day won't be too bad.' She thought to herself as she carefully brushed her mane while she gained more energy. After she had finished, she looked towards her balcony and knew what she had to do. Setting her brush down on her table, she trotted to the balcony, where she noticed her sister standing at the ready from the tower opposite to her own.

She noticed a hardened look in Luna's eyes, and it was obvious she had news to share from her dream walking. With a deep breath, Celestia focused her magic and began to raise the sun while Luna lowered the moon with her own. When morning had been officially made to Equestria, Celestia decided to seek out her sister to see what she had found from Lucci's dream.

Celestia exited her room, shutting the door behind her as she trotted along the halls. She wondered about how to explain to the element bearers about her awkward position of housing a group of deadly assassins brought into their world through Discord's magic. Hopefully, she wouldn't be met with many difficulties, although to her, it was nothing but wishful thinking.

'I should be more worried if news about their true identities have spread all through Ponyville. News travels fast in Equestria, after all...' Celestia thought with mild dread. As caring as she was for the humans despite their dark background, she couldn't risk throwing her country into a panic and having her be questioned from all angles for her actions. She shook her head, wanting to save that thought for another time. Eventually, she had found Luna approaching Celestia with the same hardened expression as before, as if she were trying to imitate Lucci for fun.

"Luna, I see that you're not entirely in good spirits this morning. Is something the matter?" Celestia asked inquisitively as the two sisters stopped in front of each other.

"It is much worse than you think, sister..." Luna said in a grave tone "There is nothing we can do about Rob Lucci; nothing whatsoever." Celestia craned her head back at the blunt response.

"Whatever do you mean? Has he discovered you in his dreams?" She asked, to which Luna shook her head.

"His is but a mind devoid of dreams; a mind that not even Discord would approve of were he to glance for himself." Luna said as she narrowed her eyes "That Lucci is an irredeemable monster!"

"Can you please explain to me what was seen, Luna? I cannot agree with you completely if you leave out the details." Celestia said evenly, to which Luna took a deep breath as she hung her head, her expression softening, though was intermingled with fear.

"The dreams of Rob's fellow assassins were more tame compared to his...I've seen horror in the form of several beaten humans crowding him in their rotting state. There were more than a hundred, and they all wanted retribution for what he's done to them." Celestia's eyes widened.

"The worst part of it was that not only did he stand there without remorse, but the humans seen in his dreams were-...were departed souls; all innocent..."

"Innocent?" Celestia said before her own features hardened as well in realization "Of course...Rob doesn't discriminate on who he kills so long as they've committed a crime in his eyes." She closed her eyes "So your story checks out. Try as we might, there may be no hope for him, so long as he clings to his concept of Dark Justice."

"Which is why we must send them out of our world immediately!" Luna snapped, causing Celestia to flinch at the sudden change of volume "Even if the other humans are not as malignant in mind as Rob Lucci doesn't mean they shouldn't remain here and possibly end up stirring trouble in Equestria."

"You forget that Discord is directly responsible for their actions, Luna..." Celestia replied softly, wishing for her sister to tone down her anger.

"All the more reason to do just that!" Luna countered "I'll admit that Discord's idea of reforming Lucci and his allies was a good idea, but after seeing their true colors, I don't believe they should stay here any longer. I'll even present the matter to him personally!"

"Did somepony say present?"

In between the royal sisters was a brief flash that revealed a smiling Discord holding a wrapped present. He looked between them, oblivious to their current moods.

"I should remember to see the humans off with some once it's time for them to leave. They really are a treat, aren't they?" He said cheerfully.

"Discord..."

"Although something tells me that I should do something about Blueno, seeing as how he's about as stone-faced as Lucci. But what should I do for him?"

"Discord."

"Perhaps a baseball would suit him just fine. Nopony can deny a good game of baseball once in a while, right?"

"Discord!"

Celestia's patience was something that wasn't easily shattered by most ponies, but given today's news and Discord's usual antics, she was in no mood to endure any of his tomfoolery. After grabbing his attention, the solar princess spoke to Discord in a calmer fashion.

"There's something you need to know about Rob that requires your status as caretaker to decide carefully on." Celestia said "From what Luna had gathered, Rob might not be cut out to accept the Magic of Friendship after peering into his dreams. She advises that they're to leave this world post haste."

"Really?" Discord said as he craned his head back before facing Luna "Mind filling me in on the details?"

"It is exactly as my sister had said: There's no hope for Rob Lucci, and he must leave at once along with the other assassins. They have no place in this world." Luna said harshly. Discord frowned at the response.

"Well that's a little harsh, don't you think? You're not giving me the full story. What compelled you to change your tune so quickly, Lu-Lu? Was it something in his dreams?" Discord asked curiously.

"His dream was nothing of the sort. He reveled in his so-called justice with complete disregard towards friendship. It was a horrifying image that would amount to a memory of one of his past deeds in his line of work." Luna explained "Which is why that I demand that you see to the departure of these assassins at once. Their presence here cannot stand any longer."

"Luna, calm yourself." Celestia admonished with a frown "Even if we cannot condone the humans and their stay here, we don't know if they're being followed at this moment. We need to act quickly on the matter at hoof." Celestia looked towards Discord "I would like for you to round up your assassins and have them meet me in the throne room for a briefing." She trotted past Discord and Luna with a stoic expression "This could be a rough day for us all..." The two watched Celestia leave before looking at each other.

"Something else is obviously bothering my sister, but what could it be?" Luna asked Discord, to which he shrugged with a sheepish grin.

"Let's just say that while you were busy in Dreamland, we got an unexpected message that expects an audience this very day." With a snap of his talons, he made a scroll appear for Luna to read before he floated away "Memorize it before burning it, little Lu-Lu!" He said teasingly before he was out of sight.

Luna studied the contents of the scroll before her she appeared surprised. The surprise was slowly replaced with a serious expression as she looked up from the scroll.

"Of course. They would be as involved in this as we are..."
_____

"Rise and shine, everyone! You're needed!" Discord proclaimed in a singsong tone after opening a door from the air. He expected drowsy complaints and protests, but he noticed how each assassin was awake and alert, even performing morning stretches and dressing themselves. Kaku halted his stretching to look over at Discord.

"You want us to follow you, Chief Discord?" Kaku asked.

'Huh...They're more attentive than I thought.' Discord thought blankly before smiling "I'm glad you're all awake. All of you are to partake in a mandatory audience in the throne room in a couple of hours. I know it can be boring, but you pretty much have to."

"Understood. We shall not miss this meeting." Lucci replied dispassionately before he began to dress himself.

"Hey, Chief. What's on the menu for today?" Jabra asked as he stretched his arms upward, earning a couple of satisfying pops "Can't exactly focus on an empty stomach."

"That'll be taken care of when you're ready. But try not to take too long; they may be patient, but Celestia and Luna both wish to have this audience of theirs go as swimmingly as possible." Discord said with a wink.

"Yoyoi~! Whatever it is that requires our presence for the princesses must be of u-u-utmost importance~!" He was oblivious to a muttering of 'No shit' as he continued "I shant turn away from such an opportunity~!"

"Chief Discord..." Discord looked over at Kalifa, who was already dressed up with an unreadable expression behind her glasses "As much as I'm aware of today's agenda, I would like to ask a small favor from you, if you don't mind..."

"A favor, you say? Well, I'm not one to turn away a small request. What is it you desire, Kalifa?"

"Well..."
_____

"Dear Princess Celestia,"

The Friendship Express was riding across the tracks leading towards Canterlot. Inside of it were six ponies in particular with varying expressions on their faces, most of which were serious.

"It has come to our attention that you haven't told us much about the human guests that have been brought into Ponyville courtesy of Discord."

Twilight looked out the window in deep thought, paying no mind to the faint reflection that was cast while the train drew closer towards its destination. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were just as pensive as their friend, although the former merely looked down with her forehooves crossed while the latter hid her eyes under her hat.

"From this turn of events, we feel that we're obligated to a full explanation of their origin, as well as the possibility of inspecting the supposed magic field that had allowed them to cross into this world."

Fluttershy was fidgeting her hooves, not too keen about where she was headed with her friends, even if it was for a good reason. Rarity sat next to the timid pegasus, laying a comforting hoof on her back and easing her of the tension despite its gradual growth.

"If a situation were to arise because of this, it would be negligent of us as the Elements of Harmony to turn a blind eye from this whole thing, with or without our elements."

The only pony who paid no mind to the tension on the train was Pinkie, who was blithely kicking her hindlegs while tilting her head left and right as she hummed a merry tune. Despite her cheerfulness, however, she was just as curious as her friends about the assassins.

"Note that I don't take advantage of my new status because as you mentioned in your letter to me: My friends and I have a right to know. From all that is presented in this message, it is with these reasons that I, along with my friends, request an audience with you, your sister, Discord, and the humans. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

After enough time had passed, the Friendship Express had finally stopped in Canterlot's train station, exerting steam with a loud hiss as it slowed to a stop. The six ponies saw fit to exit the train and make a beeline towards the castle in the distance with ambition in their eyes.

"Sincerely, Princess Twilight Sparkle."

As they reached the front gates of the castle, the guards immediately bowed in genuflect before allowing the mares to pass. The group made their way inside the castle and proceeded into the throne room, knowing the path there from memory.

On their way up the stairs, they noticed Discord leading the group of assassins with a laidback expression before he saw them, instantly grinning at the mares.

"Oh, hello there, girls. I take it you're well despite the...well...sudden turn of events?" Discord asked with feigned innocence.

"We're not entirely happy with what we found out the other day, Discord." Twilight shot back "Also, I'm not entirely comfortable speaking with you like this."

"Hey, gimme a break here." Discord said with his claws held in a placating motion "Sure, I might've left out some details, but would you be so welcoming if I said I brought a group of deadly assassins to Ponyville?"

"Doesn't change the fact that you kept something from us, you jerk!" Rainbow Dash spat.

"I thought we were your friends, Discord." Fluttershy mewled with hurt eyes.

"We are, Fluttershy, but this is something that'll be discussed once we run in with the princesses." Discord said before turning to his associates "So, shall we, folks?"

"Kalifa still has to catch up, chapapa!" Fukuro piped up compulsively, earning the attention of the others.

"What's takin' Kalifa so long? Is she busy puttin' makeup on or somethin'?" Applejack asked.

"Well, there isn't anything wrong with preparing for an audience, Applejack." Rarity said before looking back towards the corridor where the other group came from. Hoofsteps were heard as a pony was seen stumbling a moment before regaining their footing and meeting up with the others.

It appeared to be a unicorn mare with a dark blue coat and a blonde mane done in a ponytail. She was seen with a calculating glance behind her glasses, and a bar of soap surrounded by bubbles was seen as her cutie mark. When she reached the others, Jabra sneered at the newcomer.

"I still can't believe you went with this. Did you honestly take me that seriously last night?" He asked abrasively.

"Wait a minute..." Twilight said before she widened her eyes "Kalifa, is that really you?"

"Indeed." Kalifa said with a nod as she straightened her glasses "It's a pleasure to see you all again. I do hope you don't mind my true form."

"Wow! You look pretty for a pony, Kalifa!" Pinkie complimented with a grin.

"I must agree with Pinkie, darling; you look rather nice." Rarity smiled as she examined her, though it vanished "I'd love to go on, although it'd be inappropriate given the current circumstances."

"You can banter to your heart's content after the audience." Lucci cut in without hesitation "Chief Discord was just leading us to the throne room..." He noticed the varying expressions he received from the mares after he spoke up. Most of them didn't seem happy, but it didn't really matter to him. Hattori noticed the look in Fluttershy's eyes and hid himself beneath a wing, feeling ashamed.

"Yes, Rob brings up a good point. Sorry, my little ponies, but it's business before pleasure today..." Discord then turned away and continuously spat from his mouth, gagging in disgust.

"Is something wrong, Chief?" Kaku asked with mild concern.

"No, I'm fine..." Discord said as he turned back to face the others with a frown of disdain "Saying that just left a bad taste in my mouth is all." His mood instantly shifted as he hovered away "Let's go, folks!" The humans and ponies traded looks amongst themselves before they followed after Discord.

Upon entering the throne room, the group noticed Celestia and Luna standing patiently on the other side of the room. When everyone gathered, Celestia was the first to speak.

"Greetings, my little ponies. I'm sure you have many questions to ask of Discord, Luna, and myself, but before we begin, let me say-" Celestia stopped herself when she noticed Kalifa standing quietly in her pony form, somewhat surprised by her new body.

"...And you are?" Celestia asked in confusion.

"You know me as Kalifa, your highness. This form was a favor I asked of Chief Discord." She replied calmly.

"You wished for Discord to turn you into a pony?" Luna said, surprised by Kalifa's new form.

"Trust me, I felt the same way..." Jabra said as he stared at Kalifa in deadpan.

"Ignoring Jabra, I merely wished to undergo this experience for myself. I am getting rather used to my body, as you can see." Kalifa closed her eyes, and her horn lit up with a blue glow. After a brief seconds, bubbles began flooding from her horn and flowed across her body. When she finished utilizing her horn, most of her body was entirely covered in bubbles, making her appear like an overly fluffy sheep.

Needless to say not everyone was amused except for Pinkie.

"Neato! Can you do it to me, too?" Pinkie asked.

"Sadly, I can't." Kalifa said as she made the bubbles pop and disappear "Other people who come into contact with my bubbles will instead become soap dolls. I'd rather not be held responsible for any blunders on my part."

"Well, while I'm happy for you deciding to explore the life of a pony, Kalifa, I believe it's time to get this meeting underway." Celestia said, gaining everyone's attention. She took a deep breath before she looked serious "Before I begin, I would like to apologize to you, Twilight Sparkle, and your friends for this sudden discovery that has been revealed by Fukuro."

"Discovery?" Jabra parroted "What discovery?"

"I told Pinkie we were assassins, chapapa!" Fukuro said impusively, causing the other humans to slowly turn towards the silent owl. There was a pause before Jabra proceeded to knock Fukuro on the head, causing the latter to fall down with a large lump on his head.

"One time after another with you, I swear!" Jabra snarled.

"Ignoring Jabra's unnecessary gesture, that is indeed the case." Celestia gestured a hoof towards the humans and Kalifa "These folks are assassins from another world, only known by ponies in this castle and Ponyville. We've kept their true identities under wraps for the sake of protection and avoiding mass panic." After Celestia's explanation, Kumadori saw fit to get down on his knees and bow to Twilight and her friends, his face covering the floor.

"Yoyoi~! A thousand pardons, my little ponies~! E-Everything was entirely my fault~! I'm ashamed to have kept you all in the dark~!" Kumadori bellowed in sadness, drawing everyone else into confusion.

"Ummm...Kumadori, not that I don't trust your words, but..." Twilight said as she craned her neck back with a raised brow "How exactly is all of this your fault after Celestia explained to us how we know you and your friends were assassins?" Kumadori raised his head, his eyes closed as he frowned deeply.

"It matters not anymore~! I've sh-sh-sh-shamed my friends~! And thus, I must shoulder the blame..." Kumadori said as he pulled a knife out of his overalls and gripped it with both hands, the blade facing downward as he raised his arms.

"...by taking my own life~!"

Everyone but the humans and Kalifa gasped at Kumadori's gesture, staring wide-eyed at his suicide attempt. Meanwhile, the assassins had their own varying expressions of nonchalance while Fukuro was recovering, rubbing his head and murmuring in pain.

"Whoa, whoa! Where did this come from?" Discord asked in bemusement.

"Not this shit again..." Jabra said as he placed a hand on his temple.

"K-Kumadori! That isn't necessary at all!" Twilight called out in shock "Please don't do it!"

"You needn't patronize me, Princess Twilight~! I must u-u-uphold my honor as a warrior~!" Kumadori said as his hands trembled while gripping the knife tightly.

"Kumadori, please cease at once." Celestia urged pleadingly "You shouldn't throw your life away over something that wasn't your fault."

"He won't do it..." Lucci piped up coldly "This is a common occurence when met with a mishap of any sort."

"What do you mean he won't do it!?" Rainbow Dash said "He's got the knife!"

"Trust me. He won't." Jabra chimed in, albeit dryly "This happened one time too many with him, and even then, it's just nothing but a joke." He said as he leered at Kumadori "Get on with it, idiot! We're burning daylight!"

"How can you be so callous about this!?" Rarity said, appalled by Lucci's and Jabra's words.

"Not to sound apathetic, but they are right, you know." Kaku said as he held up a hand "Kumadori has a tendency to act out at times, and he doesn't really go through with this."

"What makes ya say that?" Applejack asked.

"See for yourself." Kaku replied as he pointed a finger at Kumadori.

"Yoyoi~! My friends~! Remember me as one who supported you throughout the en-en-entirety of our travels~!" Kumadori said as he thrusted his knife "Seppuku~!"

Everyone stared at what had happened, only to see that instead of the knife doing its job, its tip stopped at Kumadori's stomach, as if it were unable to impale him.

"Tekkai~!"

There was an awkward pause as most of the group stared blankly at Kumadori, who froze in his position before dropping the knife as he slumped.

"I can't die~..." He moaned gloomily as he hands touched the floor.

"Are you done making an ass of yourself, Kumadori!?" Jabra snapped, his patience finally lost with Kumadori's antics.

"I-...I don't really know what to say about this." Rarity said, befuddled by what she had just witnessed.

"For assassins, these guys are pretty weird." Rainbow Dash added, scratching her head. She noticed how Fluttershy approached Kumadori and nuzzled his cheek gently, a saddened look on her face.

"You poor thing. There's no reason for you to feel so sorry about something that isn't your fault." Fluttershy said, trying to comfort Kumadori "I know you're not the best person, but at least you care about your friends. That's all that matters." Kumadori stared at Fluttershy before his eyes welled up.

"Your soothing words remind me of my dearest mother~..." Kumadori sniffled before he hugged Fluttershy and cried loudly "You really are the E-Element of Kindness~! Yoyoi~!"

"There there, it's okay..." Fluttershy said as she returned the embrace, smiling softly as she was held by the kabuki assassin.

"Touching." Blueno said, somewhat moved by Kumadori hugging a pony. Meanwhile, Lucci found the sight a nuisance as he narrowed his eyes. Celestia merely cleared her throat.

"Well, after what has been shared today, it is my duty to inform you that Discord and his assassins shall depart for Baltimare for a reconnaissance report regarding the magic field outside of Horseshoe Bay." Celestia informed "They're to study its stability and check for any more anomalies that may pass through it."

"But Princess, wouldn't their appearance in Baltimare cause more trouble for other ponies?" Twilight asked in worry "Sure, everypony in Ponyville were more accepting of the humans, but I don't know if the same thing will apply to neighboring cities."

"Your opinion on the matter is noted, Twilight, but since Discord's responsible for all of this, he must tend to both the field he created and those that have appeared from it." Celestia said as she turned to Discord with narrowed eyes "I'm certain he realizes the consequences for any intolerable actions." The draconequus craned his head back when the Celestia stared at him.

"Whoa now, I thought we were past this." Discord said as he held up his claws in a placating manner "I already told you I have everything under control. In fact, if they felt up to it, I would gladly turn the humans into ponies much like Kalifa."

"I must decline the offer. I'm already content with shifting into a leopard at will." Lucci said as he closed his eyes. Hattori nodded and cooed in agreement.

"Yeah, no offense, but I don't feel like becoming a pony when I'm already a wolf!" Jabra said as he pointed a thumb at himself proudly, with a grin to match "Nothing beats wolves!"

"Except leopards and giraffes, chapapa!" Fukuro said, earning a dirty glare from Jabra as he gritted his teeth and twitched an eyebrow.

"So all they have to do is make a routine check on where they came from?" Rainbow Dash said before tilting her head "Why don't they just head back if they're not staying long?"

"I share the sentiment of your latter question, Rainbow Dash. But alas, unless the humans are actually being followed, their departure from this world may be delayed." Luna stated firmly.

"Followed? You mean these guys could be criminals?" Rainbow Dash said as she glared at the humans.

"The hell we are!" Jabra snarled defensively "A turncoat back in our world was responsible for putting us on the run!"

"Jabra is correct." Lucci said as he closed his eyes "Although we are assassins, we are envoys of justice, carrying out our duties swiftly and efficiently. We were merely labeled as criminals due to an error caused by our superior after a recent incident a few days ago." He opened his eyes with a baleful gaze "He is the one responsible for pinning the blame on us after his faulty decision."

"What's his name?" Twilight asked inquisitively.

"Spandam..." Lucci said, oozing venom from his answer "He does not deserve to be leader of CP9 for his disgusting methods."

"So this Spandam character used t' be yer boss? Was he strong?" Applejack asked, to which Jabra bursted out laughing.

"He freaking wishes! Spandam isn't even as strong as a marine soldier let alone us!" Jabra said between laughs.

"Indeed; he is a spineless coward. Meanwhile, each of us have trained to surpass the limits of the human body, as you've witnessed back in Ponyville." Lucci explained "I know not the base strength of a pony, but you realize that we're not to be trifled with."

"Got that right." Rainbow Dash said before cocking her head to the side, rubbing her chin "Soooooo, technically speaking, who's the strongest out of all of you?"

"That would be me." Lucci said, earning the ponies' attention "I have a doriki of 4000."

"Doriki?" Applejack arched an eyebrow "What th' hay is that?"

"It is how we measure our level of power." Lucci looked over at Fukuro "Fukuro over there is responsible for gauging our power after sampling it for himself."

"My readings are very accurate, chapapa!" Fukuro chirped proudly.

"Wait, so you're like some kind of human scale?" Rainbow Dash said before grinning "You think you can see how strong I am?"

"Ah'm kinda curious myself." Applejack said with a smile "Ah need t' see where Ah stand with my strength."

"Oh! Me, too! Me, too!" Pinkie said, hopping up and down.

"Okay. In that case, get ready, chapapa." Fukuro said in a serious tone before zipping his mouth and bending his knees.

"Just a heads up, you three need to hit Fukuro when he comes your way. Don't be afraid to give it all you have in one shot." Kaku explained.

"Got it!" Rainbow Dash said as she got on the ground and punched at the air a couple of times with ehr forelegs "Can't wait to see if I'm stronger than Applejack."

"Keep dreamin', sugarcube. Ah've been workin' pretty hard recently." Applejack said with a smirk.

Without a word, Fukuro leaped at Rainbow Dash first, prompting her to quickly face away and rear her hindlegs before delivering a swift and strong buck. Fukuro's body trembled for a moment as a surge of energy coursed through him before he was sent towards Applejack, who produced a mighty buck of her own. Fukuro was then headed towards Pinkie, who happily kicked at Fukuro, sending him away from the others as he landed on the floor. Rarity winced at the display before leaned her head next to Twilight's.

"These humans are a really unpredictable bunch..." Rarity whispered.

"I know, but I can't help but wonder how Fukuro is capable of actually measuring somepony's power from one hit." Twilight whispered back as she watched Fukuro move to sit up from the ground, his mouth unzipping as he closed his eyes.

"Okay...Rokushiki ability: Te-awase..." Fukuro uttered as he placed a hand on his temple "Rainbow Dash's doriki is...300."

"300? That's pretty cool!" Rainbow Dash said with a content smile.

"Applejack's is...320." Fukuro added afterward, causing Rainbow Dash's jaw to drop.

"Yeehaw! Guess this means Ah got th' lion's edge on ya, Dash!" Applejack cheered.

"Only by twenty!" Rainbow Dash defended "Just wait, I'll be running circles around you once I get more training in!"

"Pinkie Pie's doriki is..." Fukuro paused, as if drawing suspense from the others. They managed to grow confused as his silence lingered.

"Hey, Fukuro, what's the hold up?" Jabra asked impatiently "You're usually quick about these readings." Fukuro kept his uncharacteristic silence for another moment before he began to grunt in frustration.

"I-...I can't." Fukuro strained as he clenched his already shut eyes.

"Huh? What do you mean you can't read Pinkie's doriki?" Jabra said as he leaned in, half outraged and half curious "Maybe you're having an off day or something?" Fukuro instantly opened his eyes and turned to Jabra.

"I never have an off day, chapapa!" Fukuro said, offended by Jabra's remark.

"Then why don't you let Pinkie hit you again and see if you can read her doriki from there?" Jabra asked "I wanna see where she ranks between Rainbow and Applejack."

"Okay. I'll try again." Fukuro got up and faced a smiling Pinkie with a serious glance "Get ready again, chapapa." Fukuro warned as his mouth zipped up. He then bolted towards Pinkie, who instantly braced herself and landed another hit on Fukuro with her hindlegs. After getting knocked back, Fukuro laid there before his mouth unzipped, sitting up as he hummed in concentration.

Needless to say, everyone in the throne room was entirely curious about where Pinkie's power would stand after the demonstration Fukuro showed with both Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Even Lucci held his own curiosity over realizing that Fukuro had a moment of delay in his Te-awase reading. But while the silent owl mustered all the energy in his body to pinpoint Pinkie's exact doriki, he only ended up breaking his concentration after trying so hard. He opened his eyes and trembled anxiously from his results, or lack thereof.

"Chapa...I can't read it...I can't read Pinkie's doriki!" Fukuro said, growing fearful of the revelation. Could he possibly be slipping up?

"What, seriously!?" Jabra and Rainbow Dash said in unison.

This earned Lucci's rapt attention after hearing the results. He never thought he would see the day where he would show even the slightest interest towards the most annoying creature he ever had the misfortune of encountering in his life. Hattori cooed in surprise before tilting his head at Pinkie, blinking at the possibility of a strong pony.

"Awww, really?" Pinkie moaned with a pout "Can you try it again?" Fukuro instantly backed away from Pinkie after her question, trembling profusely.

"S-Stay back! I don't know how powerful you are, chapapa!" Fukuro said fearfully.

"I don't believe it. How is this possible?" Twilight asked incredulously.

"Yoyoi~! Pinkie Pie must hold strength mo-mo-most astonishing to not be properly measured by Fukuro~! Surely, she could very well be on par with Susano-o himself~!" Kumadori bellowed with intrigue, although shared Fukuro's fear.

"This really is shocking..." Kaku said, somewhat troubled himself before shaking his head "Maybe we should focus on the reconnaissance mission before expanding on Pinkie's doriki."

"Indeed..." Lucci said without taking his eyes away from Pinkie. He narrowed his eyes while staring at the pink pony trying to badger a frightened Fukuro into using his Te-awase again 'This world is beginning to grate my nerves to no end...The sooner we leave, the better.'

"Well, at least you folks are enthusiastic about your mission." Discord said with a smile "I'm sure we'll continue all of this some other time after we check on your only ticket back to your world." He turned to the princesses and the element bearers "Don't worry, girls. We'll be right back sooner than you think."

"Wait!"

Discord was about to snap his talons before he heard the sudden protest from a certain lavender alicorn. He looked down at Twilight, noticing her eyes carried a glimmer despite her serious expression.

"I know this might be conflicting with your assignment, but I'd like to see this field of yours for myself. Observing the very thing responsible for bringing the humans into this world will sate my curiosity." Twilight said.

"Twilight, surely you can't be serious about this." Celestia said in mild surprise "Mind you, this is Discord's responsibility and his alone." Twilight turned to Celestia with a small smile.

"I know this is might be overstepping my bounds as a princess, but this is an opportunity that I just can't pass up! I'd love to know more about certain things beyond our world." She said eagerly, thinking of possibly going through the portal to see the other world for herself if she had the time and resources.

"You're certain about your decision? It wouldn't be proper of us to invite royalty on a potentially dangerous mission." Blueno intervened calmly "I cannot change your mind, but I wouldn't risk joining us, even if it seems like harmless reconnaissance."

"Don't be so quick to rule Twilight out, darling." Rarity voiced herself with a confident smile "After all, what makes you think she would undertake her choice alone?"

"Yeah. Wherever Twi goes, we go; simple as that." Rainbow Dash said proudly.

"If you haven't heard correctly, this isn't what you'd call a field trip." Lucci replied coldly "To join us is to invite possible harm amongst yourselves, and we will not be held responsible for your injuries." Hattori cooed in agreement, nodding to the element bearers.

"Umm, girls? Maybe we should do what Rob Lucci says..." Fluttershy said, growing more cautious from hearing about possible danger befalling her friends and herself. Sadly, her suggestion was ignored as Rainbow Dash flew up to Lucci, her confidence rising.

"Look, Lucci, we might not be as strong as you assassins, but that doesn't mean we're flat out weak. We had our own share of adventures before you came along." The cyan pegasus said pointedly.

"Am I to guess that each of those adventures revolved around your concept of friendship?" Lucci asked condescendingly. Rainbow Dash, noticing his tone of voice, narrowed her eyes at the assassin.

"What of it? Looks to me like you could use some friends of your own." Rainbow Dash shot back.

"All I need is the power to deliver justice and nothing more." Lucci replied cooly, leaving Rainbow Dash to crane her head back.

"Seriously, what is it with you and justice? Were you influenced by somepony back home?" She asked inquisitively.

"Not a pony, but yes, you could say I was inspired by someone for my established outlook." Lucci responded before closing his eyes "However, I needn't reminisce when there is work to be done. This is your last chance to change your mind about joining us."

"Ha! Fat chance, buddy. You're gonna be stuck with us for a little bit." Rainbow Dash said nonchalantly, earning herself a small glare from Lucci.

"Isn't this great, Robby? Now we can bond some more!" Pinkie said as she appeared at Lucci's right side, though only succeeded in startling Hattori. Lucci leered down at Pinkie, starting to lose his patience.

"I told you not to use that awful nickname..." Lucci said in a low tone.

"And here I thought this was already a dangerous mission..." Kaku said humorously as he scratched the back of his head.

"Alright, everyone, fasten whatever's on your waist, because we're headed for Baltimare!" Discord proclaimed before snapping his talons, teleporting himself, the humans, and the ponies except for Celestia and Luna.

"This could prove to be troublesome, sister. The humans going to Baltimare with Discord is one thing, but how can the citizens ignore the Elements of Harmony making an appearance as well?" Luna asked Celestia.

"There's not much we can do at this point but to quell any and all possible chaos that may spread, be it from Discord or what he had inadvertently created." Celestia said morosely "That's not to say we'll have to see to their early departure depending on what happens."

"We'll attend to that matter soon enough. We know that all that matters is the safety of our subjects, the Elements of Harmony included." Luna stated, to which Celestia shared a nod to her words.
_____

Baltimare's activity had hardly changed from when Discord checked on his accidental creation the other day. The ponies were still oblivious towards the identity of the magic field sitting outside of Horseshoe Bay despite the Marine Boat that was still floating idly by out in the waters.

The city's peace was once again interrupted by a flash of light at the docks, fading to reveal Discord once again, this time with more company in his wake.

"Well, here we are; Baltimare again. This time, you'll get a better look than from your ship." Discord quipped to the assassins as they took in their current surroundings.

"Not bad. It almost reminds me of St. Poplar, now that I look at it." Kaku said as he glimpsed at the distant features of the city.

"That sounds like a nice city. Anything fun there?" Pinkie chirped with a smile. Kaku returned it as he looked down at her.

"Well, the only notable fun thing there would have to be a bowling alley we found." Kaku said "But the city itself was a sight to behold."

"Hey! We got one back in Ponyville! Maybe we could play there sometime!" Pinkie grinned, to which Kaku chuckled.

"That would be nice." Kaku said warmly.

"As much as Ah like th' idea myself, we kinda got a problem here." Applejack said to Kaku and Pinkie, both of which noticed what was really going on.

The group looked around at the many eyes focused on them, and some began to grow wary of the gained attention.

"Oh my...They're all staring at us." Fluttershy whimpered before hiding behind Applejack.

"Dammit, I hate when they stare at us. We haven't really done much of anything other than show up here!" Jabra complained as he shot dirty looks left and right at the many nervous onlookers.

Twilight, who was still ambitious about her goal of observing the magic field, felt it would be the right thing to exercise her role as princess and address the many ponies residing in Baltimare and attempt to ease their worries. She cleared her throat and spoke up to where everypony around her could hear.

"Attention, citizens of Baltimare! I hope you can forgive the spontaneous arrival, and with this unique cadre, but I can assure you that we are here on important matters involving Equestria's safety!" Twilight called out. She then pointed a hoof at Discord "As you're already aware of, Discord is among my travelling group, and shall remain tame throughout our time here. Rest assured, you have nothing to fear from our presence!"

The citizens of Baltimare, while still wary of the humans' appearance, decided to take heed to Twilight's words, although were still uneasy with them being here. Blueno noticed how everypony was actually calming down from what could have been unwanted tension bubbling at the surface from their arrival.

"Impressive." He complimented to Twilight, who smiled bashfully.

"Honestly, I never thought I could pull it off. I guess there are some perks to my new status after all." Twilight said happily before looking out at Horseshoe Bay "Now all that remains is finding that magical field..." She then noticed the Marine boat sitting out in the distance, blinking at it before looking towards the humans "Is that your ship out there?"

"Yes. Rather than sailing our ship to these docks, we were whisked away by Chief Discord's magic." Blueno explained.

"A questionable method in hindsight, knowing that in abandoning our ship, we may have well roused suspicion amongst the civilians in this city...Not that it matters now, since we're already discovered here." Lucci piped up dryly.

"Relax, Lucci; so long as you're with me, nopony's gonna find anything too much out of the ordinary." Discord said reassuringly "All that matters is keeping your ticket home in check. Would you like to go back to your little ship?"

"That would actually be nice, considering our supplies are back on board." Kalifa said "It would have been a waste of money to leave the clothes I bought behind." It was now Rarity's turn to have a glimmer in her eyes.

"Oh, perhaps this trip won't be beneficial to just Discord and Twilight; I would love to have another sample of human clothing for myself!" Rarity cheered.

"And that means I can eat better, knowing what's back on the ship! Yes!" Jabra said, pumping a fist in the air.

"Heh, I'm kind of glad for that, myself. Not that the food here isn't bad, but I wouldn't want to have our rations go to waste on our ship." Kaku chimed in with an awkward smile.

"Then I suppose we'll make a second trip. Gather 'round, folks!" Discord said as the group gathered once again for another teleportation spell. This time, they found themselves on the main deck of the assassins' commandeered Marine ship. Needless to say, the element bearers - namely Twilight - were intrigued with its architecture, feeling the need to search around for more features while the assassins looked out at the water trying their best to locate the intangible magic field.

"This is amazing." Twilight said as she looked around "It's almost similar to our own ships, yet so very unique in design."

"Took th' words right outta my mouth." Applejack said as she inspected the sails. When she got a better look at the top sail, she tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow at the blue Marine insignia "Huh? Marine? Is that what yer world's called?"

"No, that's a term for a soldier in the Navy!" Fukuro instantly piped up "We hijacked this ship from Captain Berry Good, chapapa!"

"Hijacked?" The element bearers chorused in shock.

"Dammit, Fukuro!" Jabra snarled, knocking Fukuro on the head with a fist.

"You shouldn't really act so surprised. We are fugitives, after all, and this was merely an act of defense for our benefit." Lucci scoffed.

"It's true. While those marines in general were sent to capture us, they had done so on the lands we were raised on. We couldn't let them disturb our home so callously..." Kalifa added coldly "We wouldn't be stuck in our position if it weren't for Spandam's idiocy."

"Ah guess Ah can understand that, since y'all were wronged an' such..." Applejack said, then narrowed her eyes "Ah'd probably teach that Spandam feller a thing or two myself."

"Heh, get in line." Jabra said cheekily as he scouted the waters for any signs of strange development.

Discord whiffed at the air for a moment before catching the scent of his field again, just a few feet behind the ship, and tentatively stuck an eagle talon out towards the air. When his outstretched talon was sucked in by an abnormal light, the draconequus gave a smile.

"I've located the field, friends!" He called out before snapping his talons, making a buoy with a sign saying 'Do Not Enter!'. He then flew down and placed the bushed end of his dragon tail onto the buoy's right side before bringing it back, making a rope appear attached to the buoy with the rest of it hiding inside of his tail. Discord proceeded to fly off as more rope extended from his tail, moving in a circular pattern as he made out the field's shape and size. After slapping on the end of the rope onto the buoy's left side, he flew up to the others and hovered over them with an accomplished smirk.

"That should do it. Combined with the fact we haven't been invaded yet, I'd say our little mission went quite well." He said smugly.

"In that case, Jabra and I will go search the ship for our supplies starting with the cabin." Kaku said, to which Jabra grinned voraciously.

"I can't wait to taste meat again. Let's get moving!" Jabra said eagerly as him and Kaku made their way inside the cabin after leaping onto the upper deck. Twilight shuddered at Jabra's enthusiasm after the two went inside.

"I already forgot how carnivorous Jabra can be..." Twilight murmured.

"He better not eat that stuff in front of us." Rainbow Dash warned to no one in particular. She then turned to Lucci, curiosity beginning to grow inside her "Say, Lucci. Since this mission's done and over with, maybe you can tell me what gets you motivated about justice so much?" Lucci shifted his eyes towards Rainbow Dash, while Hattori turned his head at her himself.

"Why do you still bother with my personal life? There's no point in doing so, and I don't reflect on the past like some old storyteller." He replied coldly.

"Aw, come on! I just wanna know is all. What makes you so different from other assassins?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Now, Lucci, remember what we talked about?" Discord said above Lucci "Try to keep an open mind; humor Rainbow Dash with a little story about yourself."

"I wanna listen in, too. This oughta be good!" Pinkie said with a giddy smile.

It was from that moment that Lucci found himself surrounded by eyes both colorful and curious. Combined with the order given to him by his current chief, he inwardly groaned at his predicament. Of course, considering the details of his past, they have no one to blame but themselves for their reaction to his tale. With a light scoff, he crossed his arms and regarded the ponies looking up at him, save for Kalifa.

"Very well. My story-"

"Lucci's story dates back to when he was a child, chapapa!" Fukuro interrupted, easily angering Lucci. Before he could continue, Blueno stepped in and punched Fukuro in the face before zipping his mouth up again. He then nodded to Lucci as he held him down.

"As I was saying, it has dated back to when I was just getting used to my bearings as an assassin in training..."
_____

A group of children were travelling down a corridor in one of their main buildings, murmuring amongst themselves about what was to come.

"Did you hear? Our teacher said that a very special guest is coming to this island." One boy murmured.

"Wonder who would actually come here. Maybe one of the World Government? Or maybe a Celestial Dragon?" Another boy inquired.

"No way! If a Celestial Dragon came here, it'd suck for all of us!" A female teen hissed.

Trailing behind the group were children with varying expressions on their faces. One in particular was nearly catatonic in appearance.

That child was none other than Rob Lucci.

Blueno and Jabra flanked his left and right side respectively as they marched along the hall leading towards the assembly room. Hattori sat on top of his hat and stared down at his friend in worry. Blueno looked down at Lucci's trembling pupils as the group walked along.

"Lucci? Are you still worried about how your first real mission went?" Blueno asked inquisitively. Meanwhile, Jabra grinned wickedly at Lucci's face.

"What can you do? He isn't as experienced as the rest of us when it comes to killing others." Jabra teased as he walked along nonchalantly "I'm sure he'll come into his form if he actually puts his back into it." His grin widened "If he has any spine remaining, that is." Jabra said with a chuckle.

"Give it a rest, Jabra." Kaku admonished from behind Jabra, earning a sneer his way "We all have a long way to go ourselves, and besides..." Kaku looked down as he walked, a bad feeling welling up inside him as he donned a look similar to Lucci's "Can you blame him for trying to stomach your first kill?"

"Big deal! There's gonna be more where that came from, anyways; just like Teacher said!" Jabra replied abrasively.

As the children reached the end of the hall, they entered a vast, circular assembly hall with three other entrances from where they glanced. Another group of children were already waiting, as well as the same grinning instructor that Lucci and the others were familiar with standing in the middle. When they got settled in with the rest of the students, the teacher's grin widened.

"I'm glad that you children have finally made it. You're aware of why you were summoned here, correct?" He asked expectantly. He was rewarded with various answers, a majority of which involved a special visit, to which he nodded with a chuckle.

"Correct! We're indeed welcoming a special guest who wished to size up the potential members of CP9 for himself." The teacher replied "I can trust that the lot of you shall be on your best behavior, right?" After earning several positive responses, he clasped his hands "Splendid! Then without further ado, I want you all to give a warm welcome from a man who is soon to be promoted as an admiral of the Navy!" He turned around, facing away from the children as he directs a hand ahead towards the dark entrance.

"Introducing Vice Admiral Sakazuki!"

Stepping in from the darkened opening, there was a tall marine wearing a traditional white coat and cap, but his eyes were covered by a gray hood. He was seen with a cold frown directed towards the children, who were slowly growing fearful of his intimidating appearance. Sakazuki stopped next to the CP9 teacher and slowly looked around the children as they stared back at them with anxiety. The only one that didn't stare was Lucci, who still faced the ground in his own catatonic state. Sakazuki instantly sneered.

"I see I was misled in thinking that these children are growing up to be capable members of CP9. They still have a long way to go." The teacher below him flinched and trembled, despite him grinning.

"N-Now, vice admiral, I know they may not meet certain expectations now, but with more time, they're soon to be most impressive with their strength." He said nervously. Sakazuki raised his head, revealing a grim stare in his eyes down at the children.

"Then they better use their time wisely for when the time comes. Even they should know that evil never rests in this world." Sakazuki replied harshly, once again looking at Lucci not paying much attention. He clenched his right fist, and his whole arm began to turn red and bubbled with what appeared to be magma. He growled as he leered at Lucci, making Hattori coo in feer. Jabra, Blueno, and Kaku were quick to catch on after following his gaze.

"Lucci! Pay attention, you moron!" Jabra said, shaking the silent boy frantically "He's looking right at us!"

"Vice admiral? Wh-What are you doing?" The teacher asked, staring directly at Sakazuki's right arm resembling flowing magma.

Jabra succeeded in snapping Lucci out of his reverie, but the child was welcomed with the sight of an angry marine staring right at him with a scary looking arm. Lucci's eyes widened as he stood at attention, his body stiff as a board. After Sakazuki realized that the child was acting properly, his right arm reverted into its regular form, and he continued to glare before facing the rest of the children.

"All of you should realize that even if you're still children, you shouldn't be wasting your time with impudent shenanigans. You were brought into this place with the purpose of becoming tools of justice!" Sakazuki lectured "The path you're walking may not be the best one now, but you'll come to realize just how important your roles can be as you continue to grow. To those of you that have already drawn blood, you're well on your way to exterminate any foul vermin that dares to oppose justice."

Lucci stared up at Sakazuki, his past fears slowly leaving him as he continued to address him and the other students. While he was scary, Lucci couldn't help but envy the vice admiral's conviction and experience. His first kill wasn't the best memory, but he had to remember that he was training to be stronger than justice. He looked up at Sakazuki and hesitantly raised a hand, but tried to appear tough. His heart stopped when he grabbed the marine's attention.

"Yes, you. What is it?" Sakazuki asked coldly. Lucci gulped at being put on the spot, but he couldn't leave his question unanswered. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"You're a marine...So you already know more about justice than the rest of us. But I need to know...Is it entirely necessary to continue killing no matter what? Also, if I'm not strong enough, should I trust in my allies to help carry out my mission?" There was a brief pause between Lucci and Sakazuki before the latter narrowed his eyes with a scoff.

"Foolish questions, both of them." Lucci's heart sank as he heard giggling in the crowd "To answer your first question, even you should know that you must enact justice by any means necessary; never let evil hold its sway on the masses! As for your second question..." Sakazuki pointed at Lucci, with his grim eyes boring into his soul "While allies are beneficial, you're not to depend on them entirely. There are times where you will have no one to rely on but yourself. Drawing strength from others is a sign of weakness, and should not be tolerated!"

Lucci stared at Sakazuki in silence. His words began to sink in as he finally figured out where he stood with the rest of the children who spend their time training to become strong. Even if he had allies on his first mission, it didn't mean that they were all that reliable. He didn't like having to put up with being considered weak by his peers, especially Jabra, who seems to pick on him for sport at times.

Moreso, if killing means stopping evil from thriving in the world, then Lucci knew he had to steel himself for the trials to come as he proceeds in his training. He stared at his hands before clenching them into fists as he narrowed his eyes, then looked back up at Sakazuki.

"I understand. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that justice will prevail." Lucci responded evenly. Meanwhile, Kaku and Blueno stared at Lucci evenly while Jabra gawked in confusion.

'What happened to him being scared shitless? This can't be Lucci!' Jabra thought, finding Lucci's newfound confidence to be ludicrous.

"See to it that you do. Remember that to enforce justice, you need the strength to back it up." Sakazuki responded gruffly before turning to the children "That goes for the rest of you! I came here expecting potential from all of you, and I know that you wouldn't be stupid enough to waste it in this life!"

Lucci's fear was replaced with determination that day. He knew what he had to do the moment the assembly was over. His purpose in life was to strive and become one of the best assassins in CP9, and make sure that no one in the world will give in to evil's embrace.
_____

"From that point on..." Lucci explained "My goal was set, and my cause was worthy. I spent the entirety of my childhood tempering my body into the weapon it was destined to be, and I never looked back." He concluded his story as he faced the ponies "Are you satisfied?" He asked dryly.

"So wait...That Sakazuki guy's the reason you act like that?" Rainbow Dash asked "And he can control lava?"

"Yes, he has eaten the Magma-Magma fruit to make it possible. He is currently one of three powerful admirals back in our world." Lucci looked out at the waters "Of course, that was how I've rose to power as a member of CP9 before my crushing downfall..."

"Right, because of Spandam." Twilight said before looking sad "Rob...While you haven't led the best life, I'm really sorry for your current position. You shouldn't be on the run for something that wasn't your fault." Lucci shifted his eyes towards Twilight.

"I don't need your pity. I just want to find Spandam and be rid of him..."

"But is revenge through killing the only way you'll be satisfied?" Twilight asked "And what would you even do after you manage to accomplish your goal?"

Lucci paused after Twilight's second question. As much as he wished to kill Spandam, he - along with his allies - are still wanted fugitives. Where would they go once their revenge has been sated? Would they have to do the impossible and become their own group of protectors with no ties to the government? Or...

A bright light covered the boat, catching everyone by surprise. The cabin's door flew open as Jabra and Kaku ran outside to the deck, although they shielded their eyes as well until the light faded. They looked behind the ship to see that another Marine ship had just sailed in from the magic field, sailing over the rope and slightly toppling the buoy at its left side.

The assassins, save for Kalifa, used their geppou to reach the upper deck and get a better look at the new ship for themselves.

"It's as we feared..." Blueno said "They've not only located us, but are now aware of the existence of this world."

"Dammit! And to think we were close to losing them!" Jabra snarled before grinning and slamming his right fist into his left hand "Whatever. We just need to make sure they forget about this place by knocking their heads around a bit!" He heard hoofsteps and noticed the other ponies joined the assassins on the upper deck; Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Discord merely flew to their side as well.

On the other marine ship, a man in a black tuxedo and fedora was seen holding a Den Den Mushi in his arms. He looked over at the other ship, making out the appearance of the other assassins before he quickly pulled the device off of the Den Den Mushi's shell and spoke into it.

"Sir! We confirmed the location of the wanted fugitives! Awaiting orders!"

To be continued...

Chapter 8

View Online

Chapter 8

Compromised Comrades

The group stared warily at the neighboring ship and the many other humans that were on it, but the assassins focused solely on the one holding the Den Den Mushi, whose eyes shifted into narrowed slits and a scowl.

"You found them? Identify their location to me right away." An old and gruff voice said through its mouth.

"We've stumbled across an invisible field leading us to an entirely foreign location. Our suspicions of the rogue ship's disappearance in the East Blue have been confirmed." The man replied into the transciever. He got a good look at the colorful cast that were beside the assassins and spoke into the transciever again "There appears to be some technicolored ponies and a floating monster in this area as well."

"I could care less about the inhabitants at the moment, just do your jobs as CP9 agents and bring those traitors to justice!" The Den Den Mushi shouted with indignant eyes.

"Right away si-" Before the man could finish, he was knocked back by a green wave as he dropped the Den Den Mushi and fell back against the ships central mast. The rest of the crewmates looked up to see Lucci with his right leg stretched out in the air as he stared down at the other humans with contempt, Hattori flying off of his shoulder.

"Chief Discord, we would like to engage this problem by our own hands." Lucci said icily without looking at his temporary superior.

"Well, this is a personal matter, so who am I to deny you the privilege of getting even with your former subordinates?" Discord shrugged. He then snapped his fingers as Kalifa was changed back into a human, shocking the humans on the other ship.

"That monster can change forms!?" One of the crewmates shouted as some of them armed themselves with rifles, preparing for battle.

Lucci took the initiative and hopped in the air and made his way towards the other ship using his geppou, with the other assassins following suit. When they reached the other ship, they began making quick work out of all the other humans on board.

On the right edge of the ship. Kaku used his Kami-e to dodge some of the bullets being fired by the many rifles aimed at him before retaliating with a few rankyakus towards the small group that wielded them.

Blueno and Kalifa were back to back while staring down the enemies surrounding them before they took them out one-by-one with a blur of speed. On the upper deck, Kumadori and Fukuro were knocking agents off the ship and into the water. Jabra wasted no time attacking his opponents in his hybrid wolf form, easily going through any enemy in his way.

One of the agents scurried away from the battle on the main deck and quickly went into the cabin, lucky to have not been caught by the former agents they were fighting. He went down a nearby latter that lead to the bottom deck of the ship, which was both large and covered in darkness. He stood near the ladder and caught his breath before speaking up.

"Hey! We need you up here now! They're as formidable as we thought!" He called out to the darkness and waited, as if expecting an answer. The agent was met with silence as a small moment passed.

"Heh...Better late than never. I was beginning to think I was called here for nothing." Came a deep and predatory voice.

"We're dealing with former agents of CP9 that have mastered the art of Rokushiki! Of course they would be powerful opponents!"

"Powerful, huh? Then why haven't you thought about letting me know sooner? That would be wiser than multiplying the body counts with cannon fodder..." The agent shivered before regaining his composure.

"You have to hurry! We're already losing several men to those traitors! Chief Spandine sent you here for a reason!" He called out again.

"Bahahahahahah!" The deep voice laughed loudly, startling the agent "You trash think you can just order me around like I'm some kind of dog?" Shuffling was heard, followed by large footsteps towards the now cowering agent "I obeyed Spandine only because of his rank and the fact I was promised a good fight. I understand the situation, but don't think you have the right to tell me what to do." The agent could make out a large silhouette weilding a broad weapon "Just move aside already. I've been itching for a fight after sitting down here bored out of my mind."
_____

"Argh! I hate this!" Rainbow Dash said as she watched the humans fighting on the other ship.

"What's gotten ya bent outta shape?" Applejack asked her friend with an arched eyebrow.

"We can't just sit here and stare at another battle like this. We gotta get in on the action, too!" Rainbow Dash replied boldly.

"I'm with Dashie." Pinkie smiled "Watching is good and all, but maybe they won't mind if we stepped in, too. There's plenty of baddies for everypony!"

"Pinkie, I'm sure we can leave this little skiff to them." Rarity said with a grimace "This is entirely unlike their previous encounter with the diamond dogs. And besides, we already know they dwarf us in power."

"So? Fukuro hasn't even read Pinkie's power yet. How can we be sure she's not stronger than them?" The cyan pegasus said to Rarity while pointing at Pinkie.

"Yeah! Maybe I can help them!" Pinkie added cheerfully.

"Girls, we can't just step into battle like this. We could possibly get in their way." Twilight interjected as she looked at the other ship "This is a personal matter to them, after all. It wouldn't be right to intervene."

"Twilight, we already ignored the opportunity to get even with the diamond dogs, and that was a personal matter to us." Rainbow Dash shot to Twilight "If anything, we gotta give them all the extra help they can get!"

"I don't know, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said with Hattori resting on her mane as she noticed the dwindling numbers of agents fighting the assassins "Don't you think they already got this covered? There probably isn't anyone left for them to fight."

From what Fluttershy had said, there was indeed rarely anyone left standing save for the seven assassins, who were just finishing their fight with ease. Fukuro and Kumadori joined their allies down on the main deck after they finished, while Jabra reverted into his human form.

"As I thought. These CP9 agents aren't worth the effort." Lucci said abrasively "Now all that matters is sending them back to our world and see to our departure as well."

"Awwww, do we have to? I was starting to like it here, chapapa!" Fukuro whined, then flinched when Lucci gazed at him.

"We have no other option. We've been discovered by our former subordinates. Our current position only invites attack."

"Not to sound mutinous, but I'm with Fukuro." Kaku spoke up with a smile "Sure, this place seems too good to be true, but there's that sense of wonder that's similar to our own world. And there's rarely any notable crime around here."

"Indeed. It wouldn't hurt to stick around and see if we cannot gather any more knowledge for ourselves." Blueno piped up, looking out to the distant city of Baltimare.

"Listen to yourselves!" Jabra snarled at Blueno and Kaku "You think we can even make a life here? This place sucks!"

"To you it does." Kalifa shot towards Jabra as she straightened her glasses "Meanwhile, we find it interesting."

"You four can ramble on about how much you enjoy this cathartic world, but we need to focus." Lucci said as surveyed the ship and the battered bodies laying on the floor "We'll have to dispose of this ship rather than send it back. We need to cover any and all tracks." He ignored Kumadori feeling hurt that his own feelings about Equestria weren't acknowledged. Before they could devise a plan, a smashing sound was heard that shook the ship.

"What the hell?" Jabra said, darting his head around to spot the source. There was a pause before the cabin's walls burst forward, scattering splinters everywhere as a gaping hole was made. The dust settled to reveal a large shadowy figure that wormed its way out of the cabin and stepped into the light.

He was taller than Kumadori and Fukuro, and his arms and hands were bigger, resembling a gorilla's, wearing a fine black suit much like the agents on the ship, only he wasn't wearing a hat. He had blonde spikey hair, a thin moustache, and a five o' clock shadow on his chiseled face. His fierce emerald eyes leered down at his opponents as he donned a toothy grin. His left hand contained two rings - one on his middle and ring fingers - while his right hand held what appeared to be a knuckle duster made of a green substance, but it paled in comparison to the oversized sledgehammer gripped in his left hand, shown to be made with the same material.

"Whoa! That guy's huge!" Rainbow Dash blurted out from the sidelines. She watched the large man leaned his head to either side, cracking his neck as he stared down at his new opponents.

"So...you're the traitors I was told about, huh?" His grin widened "I gotta say, this will be very enjoyable."

"What if we are?" Jabra snapped back "Meanwhile, who the hell are you?" The large man pointed a right thumb to himself with pride.

"Agent of CP9, Norvell the Hammer. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I've done plenty of excellent work back in my time..." Kaku blinked after the agent introduced himself.

'Why does that name sound familiar?' Kaku thought to himself while staring down Norvell with his allies.

"I see. Well, it doesn't exactly matter to us, does it?" Lucci asked sarcastically as he stepped forward.

"Perhaps not." Norvell said calmly as he lithely swung his large sledgehammer into his right hand, now gripping it with both hands "You do have a point. Why reminisce with a pack of traitors when I can simply take you back myself? Show me the strength that got you this far!" He readied his hammer for a swing. Lucci, feeling as if he could easily fend off the blow, remained where he stood.

"Tekkai." He uttered as he stood his ground. The silent assassin saw how fast the hammer came, and when it made contact with his right shoulder, he didn't expect to be carried off into the air so easily, nor did he anticipate the excruciating pain that came with the attack. His eyes widened as he caught the brief glimpse of triumph on Norvell's face before he was launched out into the water. Needless to say, the other assassins were shocked by this.

Discord and the ponies gasped, and the former snapped his fingers and conjured a balloon raft near where Lucci was descending.

Lucci was dazed for a moment, but quickly regained his senses before he used his geppou to barely avoid the raft and water below him and quickly make it back to the ship his allies were on. He gripped his right shoulder with his left hand as he gritted his teeth.

'How is this possible!? Unless...' After getting a better look at the hammer, he grunted in surprise before regarding his fellow assassins "The rest of you be careful! His hammer is made of seastone!" He noticed a warm liquid that was coating his left hand, and Lucci growled. He never thought he would see the day where some random agent drew first blood upon him with ease. To say this was humiliating was an understatement.

"Heh, you have a good eye." Norvell said as he brandished his large weapon, looking at it pridefully "I was lucky to have this back when seastone was more abundant than it was now. It helped me with a lot of missions."

"Dammit...So my devil fruit powers are useless?" Jabra asked before shaking his head, a confident grin on his face "No...No, they're not." He transformed back into his hybrid wolf form "I just gotta keep my distance is all. As long as I'm not in range, he can't touch me."

"Bahahahahaha!" Norvell roared in laughter "Wishful thinking from a traitorous dog! How amusing!" He got in a stance as he held his hammer "Soru!" Norvell vanished in a blur before appearing in front of Jabra, startling him as he chuckled briefly with a cheeky grin.

"Soru!" Jabra quickly moved out of the way before he could get struck with the hammer. Norvel made a sizeable hole in the floor before bringing it up and turning to face the other agents.

"You realize we'll end up destroying this ship, don't you? Why not spare yourselves the trouble and come quietly. You wouldn't want to invite anymore trouble, would you?" Norvell asked condescendingly.

"The hell we will!" Jabra growled "What happened back at Enies Lobby wasn't even our fault!"

"Oh? And you think that little confession will absolve you of your crimes?" Norvell said as he looked at the group of assassins. He then noticed that one of them was missing "Huh? Where did-"

The sound of a door opening behind Norvell caught his ears, and he turned around to see a finger approaching him.

"Shigan!"

Before Blueno's finger could reach him, Norvell grabbed the agent's arm and slammed him onto the floor on his back, pinning him down with the top of his hammer. Blueno groaned in pain and weakness as he felt his power drained from the stone's touch.

"Bahahahahaha! I guess I underestimated your abilities in stealth. I should expect no less from practitioners of Rokushiki, let alone a Devil Fruit user." Norvell looked down at the strained expression on Blueno's face "But unfortunately, you don't even come close." He looked over at the other assassins - all of whom were tense - and his eyes once again fell on Lucci "Say, now that I get a better look at you, I recognize you now!" He pointed a finger at the silent agent "You're Rob Lucci, right? You made quite the name for yourself back at CP9." He then shook his head with a disappointed frown "What a shame. To think that such a talented assassin like yourself would wind up like this..."

"Chapa! Blueno!" Fukuro shouted as he dashed towards Norvell.

"Yoyoi~! We must save our comrade~!" Kumadori bellowed as he followed after Fukuro while spinning his shakujo.

"You fools!" Lucci shouted as he watched the two large assassins rush into a futile struggle. He grunted again as he felt his wound stain his leopard shirt. Lucci closed his eyes briefly before opening them and discarding his black coat, tossing it on the floor "We'll have to surround him if we have a chance of fending off Norvell."

"Are you insane!? Besides Fukuro and Kumadori, the rest of us are Devil fruit users. If we go anywhere near him, we're screwed!" Jabra said. Lucci shifted his eyes towards Jabra.

"They're also weak in comparison to such a strong opponent. We have no choice but to aid them." Lucci replied.

"I'm sure we can strike from a distance if we tried." Kaku said with a confident smile "Let's give it a shot." With a nod in agreement, Kaku, Jabra, Lucci, and Kalifa shot up into the air. Meanwhile, Norvell placed a foot on Blueno's chest as he readied his hammer in anticipation of his two attackers.

Fukuro and Kumadori dodged a mighty swing as they moved to either side of Norvell in a pincer formation. Fukuro readied his leg while Kumadori held out his right hand, making a circle with his index finger and thumb.

"Rankyaku!"

"Shigan Q!"

"Tekkai!"

The combined strenght of Fukuro and Kumadori did little to penetrate Norvell's defense as he held his arms up to block the attacks on both of his sides. He then looked up and noticed that four more rankyakus headed his way. Gritting his teeth, he quickly swiped his right hand downward to pick up Blueno by his head before holding him up against the oncoming attacks. The door human roared in pain as all four attacks connected with his back.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Pinkie called from the sidelines.

"Not even that. It's downright awful!" Applejack added disapprovingly as she glared at Norvell's action.

"The coward..." Lucci uttered as he and his group descended onto the ship.

Norvell tossed Blueno towards Fukuro, who managed to catch him despite staggering from the force of his throw. He then faced Kumadori and swung his hammer towards him, leading the kabuki assassin to defend himself with his shakujo. There was a large clash, and the kabuki assassin found himself struggling against Norvell's might as the seastone hammer pressed against the shakujo's midsection.

"Yoyoi~! You mustn't u-underestimate my power~!" Kumadori's locks began to wriggle as they grew out. Norvell grunted before jumping away and distancing himself as he readied his left leg.

"Rankyaku!" A large green wave sped towards Kumadori, who braced himself when he noticed it was closing in with his tekkai. He grunted as some of the attack's power got through his defense.

"We'll have to surround him." Kaku narrowed his eyes at Norvell "It's our best option at this point, but we'll have to be careful."

"Whatever. As long as he doesn't touch us with that hammer of his." Jabra said warily as he got in a stance with the others. They quickly dashed towards Norvell and surrounded him in a circular pattern, waiting to counter whatever move he has planned.

"How droll. I never thought I'd actually be cornered like this." Norvell said calmly before he grinned "Guess I'll have to step it up, since I know who I'm dealing with now." Gripping his hammer tightly with both hands, Norvell disappeared in a blur, reappearing behind a surprised Fukuro and knocking him into Kumadori before snatching Blueno and tossing him harshly into Kalifa. Jabra thought he could sneak in an attack with his back turned, and used his own Soru to appear behind Norvell and get the drop on him.

Norvell, noticed the shadow over his head and grunted before he raised his right hand to meet with Jabra's claws. As Jabra's claws connected with the green knuckle duster, he felt himself become weak as he went into his human form.

'What the...His knuckle's made of seastone, too!?' Jabra thought as he descended from the air, stupefied as he felt his body drained of power. He then felt his arm gripped by Norvell as his body was swung into the air for a brief moment.

"Have a nice flight!" Norvell shouted as he swung his hammer, connecting with Jabra's back as he was launched into the neighboring ship, crashing through the wall of the cabin.

"Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy gasped as she galloped off of the upper deck and into the cabin in search of Jabra.

"That gorilla's got quite the edge on our friends." Discord said as he squinted his eyes at Norvell "Depending on what happens, I just might intervene."

"I'm worried for them myself." Twilight said in concern before she looked down at the gaping hole on the ship made by Jabra "We might just have to if they can't hold on like this."

"And here you said this was a personal matter to them." Rainbow Dash snarked before she stared at Norvell with a confident smile "Let's just make a grand entrance and show that big ape what we've got!"

"Have ya spit yer bit or somethin'?" Applejack asked Rainbow Dash "We both saw what he did t' Jabra. Discord's th' only one with a fightin' chance."

"Oh stop, you'll make me blush." Discord said playfully as he placed his claws on his cheeks.

Back on the other ship, Norvell ran towards Kaku and attempted to swing at him, only to miss as the giraffe human flew upwards with his geppou to distance himself. He decidedly pursued him into the sky with the same technique as he tried striking at him again with his hammer. Kaku narrowly dodged each strike as the skyward chase continued, and he felt more pressured each time Norvell got closer to harming him.

'Now I remember him! There's no other CP9 agent alive with that much tenacity in combat besides Lucci. This man...he was the best assassin before our generation.' He stared wide-eyed into Norvell's bloodthirsty face as he continued swinging his hammer.

The more they used geppou and moved along the skies, the more Kaku felt his legs about to give out with the amount of effort put into avoiding Norvell's strikes.

"We're coming, Kaku! Chapapa!"

Kaku looked down and saw his friends moving up towards him and smiled briefly before letting himself fall and avoid another swing from Norvell. Meanwhile, the hammer agent looked down at the other agents following Kaku and grinned.

"Excellent. Now I can take you all out in the sky..." He then turned his body to face the incoming assassins from below, bending his legs as if ready to launch himself.

"Kamisori!"

Norvell began to zigzag with extreme speed towards them, catching them all by surprise.

"But that's-...!" Fukuro trailed off.

"Lucci's tech-" Kalifa couldn't finish her sentence as Norvell encompassed each agent in the air, constantly passing through them with a strong hit from his hammer. The only one who managed to avoid this was Lucci, who was lucky to be grazed in the chest when his reflexes kicked in. He could only watch as his allies were being tossed around in his attack before they were sent down onto the ship with his hammer coupled with his blinding speed.

The five assassins - now riddled with wounds - landed roughly on the ship as Norvell and Lucci landed. The latter scoffed despite his two injuries while the other stood tall and proud, gently pounding his hammer into the palm of his right hand as he grinned down at Lucci.

"Bahahahahaha...Now I can see how you failed in your mission and let the Straw Hat crew have their way with you like that." Norvell taunted, much to Lucci's ire "It really is a shame that you were stripped of your position afterwards. Maybe things would be different if I arrived. We might have even been friends."

"And just what makes you think we'd even be friends, let alone allies?" Lucci spat.

"Well, we're kindred spirits, you and I. We're the strongest of the CP9; the creme of the crop." Norvell spread his arms towards Lucci "I respect those that are actually strong or of high rank, as opposed to the trash littered before us on this ship. If you and your friends hadn't been labeled as enemies of the World Government, I probably wouldn't even raise my hammer against you unless ordered to. And you know how it goes with the World Government." He reached into his suit and pulled out what appeared to be a pair of handcuffs "Won't you do the right thing and go down with some dignity?"

Lucci couldn't really bear his current position and all that came with it. He had been outmatched by some random giant carrying invaluable equipment, and now here he was taunting him, comparing each other as the same person, and politely asking Lucci to turn himself in. The fact that this was really happening made him tremble with rage.

"Don't be so quick to boast victory just yet, you cretin. You're stupid to think we're anything alike, and even more stupid to think we would even become friends if the circumstances were different." Lucci shot a piercing glare up at Norvell, disregarding the wound on his right arm "Also, my allies are just that: allies. They are not my friends. I never even considered them as such before I had been wrongfully decommissioned from CP9." He began to grow in size as his clothes bulged, as well as his features changing. Lucci spread his hands, revealing the claws in his hybrid leopard form.

"I do not desire friendship! I desire Dark Justice!"

"So you're mind's made up, huh?" Stuffing the cuffs back into his suit, Norvell gripped his hammer and grinned at Lucci "Alright then. Have it your way."
_____

Jabra groaned as he laid in the wreckage from his painful flight. He silently hoped he didn't crash into the ship's rations, especially the meat. His vision blurred for a moment before he noticed a yellow and pink object hovering over his sight.

"Jabra, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked with heavy concern.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine. That was nothing..." He stated ostensibly before grunting in pain "He just got lucky was all. I'm not going down that easily."

"Oh goodness. Are you sure you're okay? You look badly injured." Fluttershy said as she held out her forehooves to him.

"Don't sweat it, alright? I had worse." Jabra said as he brought himself up from the wreckage he laid on. He looked out of the gaping hole he made to see Norvell and Lucci having a standoff while the other assassins were on the ground "What the hell is that cat doing?" He noticed Lucci transforming and gritted his teeth "There's no way in hell he can take on that bastard by himself." He inched towards the hole and went into his hybrid wolf form "No one's surpassing Lucci but me." Jabra shouted as he leapt out of the ship and made his way towards Lucci and Norvell.

Fluttershy couldn't bear watching the humans getting more injured than before, and decided to fly back up onto the upper deck to her friends. When she reached them, she approached Discord with pleading eyes.

"Please, Discord, you have to stop them!" Fluttershy begged with a troubled glance "I don't think they can take any more if we just leave them to fight like this. They probably can't keep this up for very long. Aren't you responsible for their well-being?"

Discord looked down at Fluttershy, frowning at both her obvious discomfort and the fact that she had a point on her last question. As personal of a matter it was to them, Discord was still responsible for the assassins. He narrowed his eyes at the other ship as he crossed his arms.

"You're right, Fluttershy. Perhaps it's time for me to step in and put this gorilla in his cage." Discord said as he smirked at his own quip.

"I wanna go, too. I at least want to give that chump a piece of my mind!" Rainbow Dash said vigorously.

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash," Discord held an eagle claw out in a halting gesture "but as Fluttershy pointed out, this is my job." Fluttershy smiled up at Discord, to which he returned before facing the other ponies "I shant be too long. Don't wait up, my little ponies." He said before winking out of existence.
_____

Kaku grunted as he laid on the ship, and he lifted his head to see Lucci and Norvell about to fight. He slowly got up as he watched his ally about to confront his greatest enemy since Straw Hat Luffy.

'Lucci, no. You can't do this.' He thought as he watched in mild terror.

Lucci growled before he used his soru to approach Norvell on his right, narrowly avoiding his hammer as he jumped into the air and attempted to strike him from above, only for Norvell to quickly hold up his right fist, showing his seastone knuckle. Lucci quickly retreated with his geppou before he could touch the knuckle and gave him some distance from Norvell, who grinned as he reeled back his left leg.

"Rankyaku Zanbato!" Norvell swung his leg and a large, blade-shaped green wave shot towards Lucci, who braced himself as he clenched his fists.

"Tekkai Utsugi!" Lucci's chest puffed out and expanded as he awaited the oncoming attack. As the wave connected with his chest, the leopard human was pushed back as his clawed feet scratched against the floor. Lucci staggered for balance the moment the wave dissipated, but he didn't notice Norvell right in front of him, swinging his hammer and connecting with the left side of his head.

Lucci reverted to his human form as he was sent flying off the ship, stunned after his latest blow as he felt something warm on his face beneath the breeze that swept over his body. Why is it that his pride as an assassin was slowly being crushed by his latest follies? He thought he had tempered his body into the powerful weapon he was known to be, but between losing to both a pirate and a veteran CP9 agent, he felt doubt slowly welling into his stomach.

He landed into something hard, but furry, and Lucci looked up to see himself being carried by a familiar wolf-like figure. Not too long after, he was set down on the same ship he was sent off from, on his knees as he felt his face.

"Get up, Lucci. As much as it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I know you're stronger than that." Jabra said as he kept a wary eye on Norvell.

"I don't know what's more humiliating..." Lucci said as he got onto his feet, his left hand on his latest wound as he glared at Norvell "Being outmatched by this oaf, or being saved by you."

"The feeling's mutual." Jabra grinned briefly "Wouldn't be the first time, though." He added before getting into a stance "Now put 'em up, already. We gotta fight!"

"You're in no position to order me around..." Lucci said as he went back into his hybrid form.

"Bahahahahahaha! Are you both so dense that you would throw your lives away just to best me? This is just sad!" Norvell bellowed in amusement. "Your little friends didn't fare any better against my Kamisori. What makes you think you can handle me?"

"Maybe they won't have to!"

The new voice caught Norvell by surprise as he looked around. He felt something tap his right shoulder, and he instantly turned his head to look over at the battered assassins behind him.

"What the-" He twitched when he felt a party blower blare at his left ear, making him turn back to face an equally confused Jabra and Lucci "What's going on? Is this some kind of strategy of yours?"

"Well, I wouldn't say strategy, since I'm not really an orderly type of creature." Norvell instantly turned to the sky in anger.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!" Norvell shouted, beginning to lose his patience. Meanwhile, Jabra and Lucci now knew who exactly was distracting Norvell.

"Chief Discord?" Jabra whispered as he looked back at the other ship, seeing only Twilight and her friends "But where is he?"

"I'm serious! I'll take apart this whole ship if it means finding you!" Norvell threatened as he gripped his hammer in rage.

"But then how will you return home? Wouldn't that put a damper on your little plan?" Discord's disembodied voice asked teasingly "It seems many folks really don't think clearly when angry." Norvell growled as the voice was chuckling "All right, maybe if I do show myself, it'll actually calm you down to where you can think and act rationally."

There was a flash of light before Discord was seen floating in front of Norvell with a smug grin on his face. Norvell was caught off-guard by his sudden appearance and how ridiculous he looked in the agent's eyes.

"Who are you? Or what, for that matter..." Norvell gawked at Discord's appearance as he bowed to him politely.

"Discord. And the word you're looking for is draconequus. And you are?" Discord asked nonchalantly.

"Norvell the Hammer of CP9." Norvell answered tersely "Now what gives you the right to try and make a fool of me when I'm on an important mission? Obstruction of justice is a punishable crime, you know..." He said with a sneer.

"I'd like to think myself above the law, amongst other things. I am a spirit of chaos, after all." Discord answered with a shrug "Besides, I just so happen to be caring for these same individuals you're currently roughing up. I can't really have them in bad shape like this; it makes me look bad as their caretaker/chief."

"So you're the one keeping them out of the World Government's eye, huh?" Norvell said as he reeled back his hammer "Well, I don't take kindly to snakes hiding wanted criminals!" He growled as he swung his hammer towards his head, only to feel his hammer connect with the air and nothing more "Huh?" Norvell looked up, and his eyes widened when he saw Discord's smug expression as his head was floating off of his body.

"My, my, you really do act on impulse. I should introduce you to Rainbow Dash sometime." Discord taunted as his head floated back to his body "But I digress. Be a sport and turn your ship around, won't you? I'm not entirely fond of violence, but I'm willing to fight for my friends." Discord warned halfheartedly. Norvell growled.

"You little smartass! It'll take more than a simple warning to make me look the other way!" Norvell spat as he pointed his hammer at Discord "You don't realize the scale of the actions these traitors committed, nor do you have any right to meddle in the affairs of the World Government. I'm taking them back with me so they can answer for their crimes."

"Au contraire." Discord's voice was heard behind Norvell, and he instantly looked over his shoulder to find the draconequus floating behind him "I happen to know a great deal of their plight. Whether you know this or not, the whole incident with them wasn't entirely their fault."

"Also, not for nothing, but..." Norvell turned to his left to see Discord yet again, smirking at the bewitched agent "You're in my world right now, so you don't have much power here bar what you've demonstrated on my associates, who I may also consider my friends."

"Not to mention what I've said earlier..." Norvell turned to his right to see one more Discord with the same exact expression "I'm willing to fight for my friends, even if it means having to show you just how much power I have over them and you."

"So, little Norvell..." All four Discords chorused tauntingly "Won't you be a good little boy scout and hold up the white flag for your sake? I can assure you, I have more power at my disposal than what has been seen, and even I wouldn't want to see me 'unwind', as it were."

For the first time since he arrived, Norvell found himself trembling, in a mixture of rage and possible anxiety. Something about this creature had already rubbed him the wrong way, but how he was displaying his powers was making it worse for him. He grunted in frustration as he looked over and noticed the Den Den Mushi laying down in the ground. Begrudingly, Norvell got out of his battle stance and walked away from the many Discords that surrounded him, bending down to pick up the Den Den Mushi and speaking into the transceiver while his hammer rested on the floor.

"This is Norvell the Hammer reporting in, sir. I'm returning to HQ." He said professionally, albeit bitterly while the Discords watched with hidden triumph. Jabra and Lucci were surprised themselves to see Norvell surrendering like this.

"Really? Have you captured the traitors?" The same gruff old voice was heard from the snail with a smile on its face.

"It's with a heavy heart that the mission I was tasked with has ended in failure. There have been...complications that will be addressed upon my return. I apologize for this turn of events." Norvell continued.

"What!? What complications!? Norvell, I demand an explanation now!" Norvell grunted when the snail appeared angry, and spoke into the transceiver.

"All of the men sent on this ship have fallen to the traitors, and this new world we arrived in seems to be guarded by a powerful force..." Norvell shot a dirty glare at the draconequus clones as he spoke "I'll explain further once I reach HQ."

"See to it that you do!" The voice spat "I'm very disappointed in you, Norvell..."

"I'm aware, sir, and you have my deepest apologies. Norvell out." Norvell hung up the Den Den Mushi, as it made a 'kacha' sound. Meanwhile, Discord's clones have vanished, leaving only the one left to cross his arms.

"If all's said and done, I believe we'll be going our separate ways now. Thank you for listening to reason, Norvell." Discord said condescendingly. Norvell tossed the Den Den Mushi, hitting one of the downed CP9 agents as he picked up his hammer and glared at Discord over his shoulder.

"This isn't over! Mark my words, those criminals you're keeping under your supervision will see justice. Even they know they don't belong here. You're only delaying the inevitable." Norvell snapped as he walked over to the upper deck, taking the ship's wheel "Enjoy your victory, because it's not going to last!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Discord said as he waved a claw at Norvell frantically before snapping his talons and disappearing with the assassins. Norvell could only turn the ship around angrily as it crossed over the invisible field with the same brightness it entered with. Discord reached the other ship as the light from the field faded. The assassins were gathered on the main deck while the draconequus was floating over the ponies.

"Despite the boo-boos gained from this ordeal, I think that went rather well." Discord said with a smile "Now what say we report back to Celestia and Luna?"

"How can you say that so easily?" Twilight chided "The humans are terribly injured after that battle. They might need medical attention!"

"And how." Applejack said as she looked at the assassins on the main deck with a frown "They've been roughed up somethin' fierce, Ah know that much." She looked at the unreadable expression on Lucci's face as he stood beside his allies.

"Well, I'm sure they can last if we manage to teleport one last time, but they definitely deserve a break after today's discovery." Discord said as he floated over to the assassins with the ponies following him. When all were gathered, the draconequus saw fit to snap his talons and teleport the group once more.
_____

Celestia and Luna looked over Canterlot from the balcony of the throne room, overseeing the activity of their subjects while waiting for Discord's group to return. While their mission was possibly dangerous, they had to take solace in the fact that Equestria isn't currently in a panic.

"I worry for Twilight and her friends." Luna broke the silence as she looked down at the city "As necessary as it was to keep this information under wraps before their discovery, I never realized they would simply join Discord and the humans on their job."

"Well, you know how curious Twilight can be." Celestia said with a wry chuckle "But that's not to say your feeling is not ignored. I hope that they all return safely."

There was another moment of silence between the two sisters before Luna turned her head to Celestia.

"Not that I'm entirely curious, but what could the human world be like to breed such colorful murderers? Could there really be more villainy there than in our own world?" Luna wondered to her sister.

"Considering Lucci's adamant outlook, it may seem that way. But perhaps we're only looking at it through his and his allies' perspective. For all we know, even their world could harbor certain good traits to balance out the evil they confront themselves." Celestia hung her head down "Although, I could be making a large assumption after their former leader had cast his subordinates away from an error he caused himself."

"This Spandam sounds most revolting, indeed." Luna said in disgust "Could there possibly be worse humans than him?"

"For all we know, he may just be the tip of the iceberg." Celestia as she looked up at the sky "Unless we decidedly planned an excursion to the human world, all we can do is see it from the assassins' point of view."

"Perhaps. It's a stretch, since we'll possibly end up being abnormalities ourselves, much like the humans are here." Luna replied. They heard the throne room doors open, and the sisters turned to see Discord and Twilight entering, the former appearing laidback.

"Twilight and Discord. I take it the lot of you arrived here safely?" Celestia asked as she and Luna approached the two visitors. She grew confused when Twilight hung her head down with a sad expression while Discord scratched behind his head while looking away awkwardly. This easily spelt trouble for the solar princess as she took a deep breath "Can you tell me what has happened on your journey?"

"Well, there's good news and there's bad news." Discord said hesitantly, noticing Celestia's expectant glance that demanded him to continue "The good news is that nopony's none the wiser about the field the humans have entered."

"And the bad news?" Luna asked as she stood beside Celestia.

"It turns out that Lucci and the other humans were indeed being followed, and they now know the location of not only my field, but Equestria as well, meaning that they may or may not decide to come back with more forces in an effort to try and arrest our new friends without any regard to our world." Discord said in one breath before stroking his goatee with a pensive glance towards the ceiling "Well, if Norvell's threat was anything to go by..."

"The humans know of our location!?" Luna said in shock "We mustn't let them traverse through the field and reach Baltimare! We risk worldwide panic and possible war!"

"Calm yourself, Luna. As much as your concern is noted, it's best that we act accordingly to our intel and make sure that we are ready to defend our land before they see fit to invade." Celestia said to Luna before facing Discord "Where are Twilight's friends and the humans?"

"Oh, yes, about that." Discord said hesitantly again "Remember when I mentioned a human named Norvell?"
_____

Copious amounts of medical tape and bandages were being used to cover whatever wounds were sustained by the humans; a majority of which for Blueno, Fukuro, and Kumadori and their massive forms. The humans sat shirtless in their beds while several nurses, with the volunteered assistance of Fluttershy, were patching up the wounds carefully.

While they were seeing relief from what was nearly a futile struggle, Lucci remained silent and bitter over the fact that he had accumulated another loss since Enies Lobby. He was in no mood to talk as he continued to brood over not only his crushing defeat, but the fact that his own chief had to stand in for him in order to make Norvell cease his attack. Hattori, while perched on top of Fluttershy's mane, looked at his master with sadness as the timid pegasus patched Lucci's wounds.

"Almost done, Lucci. You'll be better in no time." Fluttershy said in a comforting tone as she focused on bandaging Lucci, oblivious to his indifferent silence.

"This is such a disaster." Rarity said as she looked at the humans being tended to "To think that there existed a human capable of trouncing all of our friends."

"Hey, at least Discord put a stop to him, right?" Rainbow Dash said as she looked at Rarity "I'm sure he can do it again if that giant jerk decides to come back here."

"Well, iffin' those other humans do come back, Ah think they might come in bigger numbers. Equestria can't afford t' be invaded like this." Applejack said with a frown as she watched the nurses working feverishly.

"That human was such a meanie pants." Pinkie ranted "Why do there have to be big bullies everywhere you go?" The door to the infirmary opened to reveal three alicorns and a draconequus entering, and Pinkie's mood instantly changed "Oh, hi Twilight, hey Discord, hey princesses." She said happily.

"Hello, Pinkie. I'm glad to see you aren't injured." Celestia said with relief as she looked ahead at the humans "Although Discord was correct in the damage that was collected from the journey."

"And the one named Norvell did all of this to you before Discord's intervention?" Luna asked the humans "I never really got to see a demonstration of your strength, but how powerful could this Norvell possibly be?"

"While we don't know his exact doriki, Norvell the Hammer is a seasoned agent back at CP9." Kaku said as he sat up. He was currently without his cap as parts of his body were covered in medical tape "He was one of the best assassins before our generation flourished, despite his towering size. His two greatest assets are his mastery over Rokushiki, and the hammer to go with his name. His hammer's made of pure seastone, which is an effective weapon against Devil Fruit users such as myself."

"If it weren't for that, we would've had the edge on him." Jabra said as he sat on the edge of his bed with his own wounds patched, looking down in anger "We were lucky to have Chief Discord help us out at the last second."

"And before you peg me as the bad guy, they insisted on fighting by themselves for personal reasons." Discord interjected tersely "Norvell's appearance was just unexpected is all."

When the nurses finished patching up Blueno, Fukuro, and Kumadori, they decided to take a break from their duties and let the humans recover on their own. Needless to say, they were equally demoralized by their defeat.

"That Norvell guy was too tough, chapapa." Fukuro muttered dejectedly.

"Indeed. It seems we bit off more than we can chew again." Blueno said with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

"Yoyoi~! As happy as I am to be re-rescued by our chief, I cannot live with the shame I've brought to him and my friends~!" Kumadori leapt off of his bed, got on his knees, and held a knife he acquired out of nowhere with both hands "I must uphold my honor thusly~! Such is my code as a ronin~! Seppuku~!" He stabbed himself, only to stop the blade with his tekkai again, and mourning the fact that he cannot die.

"This is a crushing defeat for all of us, Kumadori. Now isn't the time for your antics." Kalifa said sharply as she sat on her own bed, her glasses off.

"I'm sorry that this all happened to you, but we're happy you're all okay." Twilight said to the humans "I hope your wounds heal soon." She looked over at Lucci, who had remained silent throughout his time in the infirmary. Twilight undoubtedly felt that he was the most affected by his latest defeat, and approached his bed "Rob...I really am sorry to see what happened back there. If we were as strong as you, maybe we could-" Her heart stopped when she looked into Lucci's eyes.

It was like looking into the eyes of King Sombra; a hate-filled darkness in his slitted eyes directed towards the lavender alicorn. She knew he was crushed by his defeat, but Twilight never realized the intensity of Lucci's gaze would be this overwhelming as she stared back at him with widened eyes.

"I don't want your pity, nor do I need it..." Lucci uttered as he got up and walked away from the group. He headed towards the door as everyone watched.

"Hey, what gives?" Rainbow Dash said "Where are you going? You're hurt, remember?"

"That is none of your concern." Lucci shot back, much to Rainbow Dash's anger.

"Rob Lucci, while I'm happy you're still in one piece, I implore you to stay here and rest with your comrades." Celestia said firmly "The damage you've acquired is no doubt severe."

"I've had worse. Moreso, I don't take orders from you. Now kindly get out of my way. I'm in no mood to be surrounded by anybody." Lucci said to Celestia without hesitation.

"Now see here!" Luna snapped angrily "You've no right to talk to my sister in such a way, especially after she and Discord willingly took you and your fellow assassins in!"

"Hey, princesses."

Celestia and Luna looked over at a serious Jabra, who stared back at them.

"Don't bother with him. It's not worth it wasting your breath." Jabra then glared at Lucci "His mind's made up. Let him mope in peace." He noticed how Lucci glared back at Jabra over his shoulder.

"If it's peace and quiet you're seeking, might I recommend the garden?" Discord said nonchalantly "You're free to roam there, but that's all I can give you at this time."

"...Understood." Lucci responded after a brief moment of silence. Hattori cooed before he got up from Fluttershy's mane and glided towards his master, only to be stopped by a hand. Lucci looked at a confused Hattori as his hand was held out "Stay here." He commanded before he turned away and made for the door. Celestia and Luna begrudgingly moved aside for Lucci as he made his way out, leaving behind a crestfallen pigeon who was comforted by an equally crestfallen Fluttershy.

"Seriously, what is his deal!?" Rainbow Dash nearly shouted "I can understand hating to lose something, but he didn't have to be so saddlesore about it!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Rainbow Dash looked over at Jabra, who didn't face her as he sat down on his bed "A man's pride is sacred. Lucci's was already crushed after losing to Straw Hat Luffy. This latest defeat's just par for the course." He faced Rainbow Dash with narrowed eyes "There's nothing worse than losing a battle when you're in good fighting condition. Not to mention the fact that our own chief had to step in to clean up our mess. To an assassin, it's the ultimate embarrassment."

"Wow. Never thought about that way." Rainbow Dash said, her mood changing after Jabra's explanation. She then looked towards the rest of the humans. "Do you all actually care about that guy?"

"Believe it or not, we do." Kaku spoke up "He might not reciprocate our feelings, but we're the closest thing we have to a family, especially since we're wandering fugitives. In fact, we were the same people who brought Lucci away from Death's door after the Enies Lobby Incident." He then smiled at Jabra "Jabra over there literally jumped through hoops to help build up the medical funds."

"Don't tell her that, you moron!" Jabra snarled as he instantly turned to Kaku, clenching a fist. This earned a shared giggle from the ponies and some of the humans.

"So you really do care about Lucci, even if he's one of the biggest pricks alive." Rainbow Dash said before smirking in respect "I admire your loyalty, and this is coming from the Element of Loyalty."

"Lucci doesn't realize how much good friends he has!" Pinkie said cheerfully.

"Well, technically, Lucci is correct as us being labeled as allies sharing a common goal, but I can assume that we've grown closer ever since we've been cast away by the World Government." Blueno said with a ghost of a smile.

"We stick together through thick and thin, chapapa!" Fukuro declared proudly.

"Yoyoi~! We may even be considered as blood brothers~!" Kumadori bellowed.

"That's sexual harassment."

Luna observed the humans and their comical banter. While she was obviously reviled by Lucci's background, including the many innocents he slaughtered, she couldn't help but feel touched at how his comrades were treating each other as friends. Celestia was equally touched as she watched their amiable display with a smile.

"You know, perhaps you deserve a reward for your trouble." Discord said with a smile "I'll be right back." He teleported away momentarily before he reappeared with three floating boxes "Ta-da~!"

"Hey...Those are our supplies." Kaku said "Including our clothes and-"

"Y-You got it..." Jabra said with tears welling in his eyes as he stared at the second box. He could not only smell the aroma, but nearly taste it as his mouth salivated.

"Well, you have been through so much, and we forgot to bring back the essentials after our trip. Consider this your well-deserved R&R for the day." He set the boxes down in front of the humans and turned to the ponies "I believe we should leave them alone for the moment. Wouldn't want to stick around for Jabra's eating habits."

Celestia nodded and ushered the element bearers out of the infirmary as she, Luna, and Discord followed. Jabra wasted no time in opening the second box to reveal neatly stacked meat inside.

"Bless you, Chief Discord..." Jabra said tearfully as he gnashed away at the meat.

Outside of the infirmary, Discord and the ponies stood in the hall, beginning to wonder about the possible attack in the future.

"Discord. From what we've gathered from your journey, we're certain that a confrontation from beyond the field is unavoidable. Therefore, you'll have to lead the defense on Baltimare's waters." Celestia instructed "Depending on whether or not the humans manage to recover in time, they shall aid you as well."

"Duly noted." Discord said nonchalantly "I must say, despite the possibilities of enemies in the future, I'd like to see more of the humans." He looked behind himself down a hallway "A pity that poor Robby's in a foul mood. If he were more cheerier like you ponies, I wouldn't mind putting a smile on his face."

"Neither would I." Pinkie chimed in "Why does Lucci have to be so grumpy all the time?"

"I know that he wants to be alone, but..." Twilight said as she looked down the same hallway "I feel I should at least check on Rob for myself. Perhaps apologize for offending him."

"You needn't apologize to that human, Twilight." Luna said "You did what you thought was necessary and he responded poorly to your comfort."

"Be that as it may, it just doesn't feel right to leave him alone like this." Twilight said before looking over at Celestia "May I?"

"If it's in your best interest, Twilight, I won't stop you." Celestia said warmly.

"Do be careful, Twilight. You've already seen how mean Rob can get." Discord warned.

"Of course. I won't be long." Twilight said as she went past Discord and down the hall "I'll be back soon." She called to them as she trotted away.
_____

Lucci stood by himself in the epicenter of the Royal Garden, looking up at the afternoon sky. With his latest failure, his mind was racing, and he was content that he got some alone time away from his allies and those ponies who thrive on friendship. He thought about where his power stood, how much longer he was going to be in Equestria, but he also thought about his position as far as actually challenging the World Government.

'I was created as a tool of justice. This has always been my way of life, and yet here I am, fighting against the same people that helped me become the weapon I am today...' Lucci thought to himself as he looked down at his right hand.

"This cannot stand. What kind of assassin would I be if I didn't have the power to envoke proper justice on my enemies?" He clenched his right hand into a fist as he gritted his teeth, frustration beginning to seep into him "Why did I have to lose to Straw Hat? Why did I have to be stripped of my rank because of an incompetent superior!? Why did I have to be bested by a veteran agent!?" His right fist trembled in anger as he thought out loud.

"The worst part is...my future remains unclear, even if I'm successful in fending them off..." Lucci admitted to himself bitterly. He couldn't exactly figure out what to do once he arrived back into his world aside from training to grow stronger. Between the World Government and the pirates that they fight, Lucci and his comrades were somewhere in the middle. They couldn't keep up their roles as vigilantes forever and he knew that if they went their separate ways, they couldn't possibly survive on their own.

For the first time in his life, Lucci found himself in a state of confusion. Did he actually care for his fellow assassins more than he should? Was this world finally getting to him? He shook off any possible doubt that seeped into his mind and went back to brooding on his loss. It could take some time for Lucci to restore his health, but that doesn't mean that all of his wounds will heal.

From a distance behind a nearby bush, Twilight observed Lucci standing alone and frowned at his apparent despair. While she knew he was a hardened killer, Twilight was certain that Lucci was possibly crying on the inside. Even if he was mean to her and the others, the leopard human could possibly be aching for companionship instead of living alone.

After all, Discord himself was a monster before he accepted friendship into his life.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight decided to approach Lucci, anticipating any possible harshness that may be sent her way. So far, all she earned was his trademark glare.

"Why are you here? Was I not clear that I wished to be alone?" Lucci asked abrasively.

"Yes, you were, but that doesn't mean nopony's worried about you." Twilight countered before she stood up properly "Look, I know this might be a bad time, but I want to apologize for what I said to you back there. It was wrong for me to rub salt in the wounds."

"Apology accepted. Now, away with you." Lucci replied harshly.

"Rob, I'm serious." Twilight said, trying to stand her ground "This isn't just about you, you know. Your frie-I mean, your allies are just as crushed about this as well. Not to mention they're equally worried about your well-being as much as their own."

"Why must you trouble me with this sentimental garbage? We're assassins. We kill in the name of justice. Even they should know that it isn't wise to just place too much trust and care in each other." Twilight stared before she narrowed her eyes.

"Then why did they choose to save you then?" Twilight asked cheekily, to which Lucci's eyes widened "Whether you know this or not, they still care about you, and they even brought up how they pitched in to get you back on your feet. If they were what you expected of them, they would've probably left you behind, but they didn't. Do you know why?" Lucci glared at Twilight in silence, and she chose to continue "It's because they see you as more than just an ally in a situation. They respect you, they care about you, and most of all-"

"Stop." Twilight was cut off by Lucci's brief interruption "I don't need to hear anymore of that friendship nonsense. It is indeed true that I would have been dead without their help, but you don't need to use that as a hook for your little lecture. The fact that you had the audacity to claim that as the base of your speech is disgusting."

"Back in my world, I never relied on friendship; only my strength and my wits as I trained to be an agent of CP9..."
_____

"What a joke..."

"This kid's supposed to be one of our next agents?"

"Why does teacher even bother with him?"

Lucci hid his tearful eyes beneath his top hat as he stood with his olive branch, with Hattori perched on top of his hat. Day after day, even if he was improving, he had to deal with more insults from his peers, and it was beginning to get to him.

His first kill was a success, but he still had a long way to go before he could follow through on his dream to be stronger than justice all on his own. It was at that moment, that Lucci decided to double his training to test his limits and break them in time.

Whether it was doing push-ups or squats with a boulder on his back, practicing his punches and kicks in the water, or taking bullets to the chest, he was beginning to excel in his training as his childish demeanor began to fade.

On his second mission, he managed to kill again, and his shock was less than his first one. Many missions afterwards, he began to develop a wicked mentality of enjoying his missions in his own sadistic way, even smiling before going in for the kill. On missions with partners, they began to see Lucci's new side, and grew to fear him as his power grew exponentially.

When he reached thirteen, his results after his change were put to the test, and he took Sakazuki's words to heart. His reward for the mission's success was a special fruit that changed his life forever...
_____

"I'm not so naive as to think that friendship is what I need in life when the world I live in reminds me that justice is what truly matters." Lucci said "Whether or not they do care about me shouldn't concern me, nor should I rely on it. I was raised to stand alone against the worst. And if I die fighting for what I believe in, then so be it."

"Well..." Twilight said with a neutral glance "If what you're saying is true, why aren't you standing alone now?" Lucci arched an eyebrow "Not now as in right now, but against the World Government? If you actually stuck to your words, you would have left your allies behind the moment you were healed, despite them sharing the same goal, and yet you stayed with them." Lucci remained silent "You talk big about enacting justice and relying only on your self, but you still stand with your allies, even when your own future is undecided. Shouldn't that say something?" Twilight turned away from Lucci as she began to trot off.

"You're never alone, Rob Lucci. I learned that lesson myself..." Twilight said as she left Lucci behind.

Lucci could not believe that Twilight had the unmitigated gall to give him a lecture about friendship much like Princess Celestia. The worst part was that her explanation, as well as her counterpoints were entirely solid. He could have chosen to leave his allies behind and pursue Spandam on his own, yet he decided to stick with them not only out of mutual circumstances, respect, and hatred for their former superior, but the fact that they were the same people who gave him a second chance to pass down justice towards his enemies.

'I really hate this world...' Lucci thought to himself before he decided to end his brooding session and seek out the others.

To be continued...

War Criminals

by Dirty Bit

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8