> Starswirl University
>  by Silentpegasus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Accepted
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Starswirl University

Chapter 1

Accepted


“Denied.” The world seemed to shatter around the man as he sat in front of the entrance examiners for Starswirl University. The most prestigious magic university in all of Equestria. Not all the students could perform magic, but it was still considered an honor to attend and high paying jobs would most definitely see that.

“Um..what?” Was all Grey Newhope could say. He was an average twenty year old mage, with jet black hair and silver colored eyes. He had been preparing himself all his life for this one moment and he blew it.

“Your entrance is denied.” A man in a dull gray suit said as he looked at the boy.

“B-but why? I performed every spell perfectly, as you asked and-”

“You did not use a wand.” A stern woman said in a snooty tone. Grey silently cursed himself for being poor. When a wizard discovers their magic they get their own wand. He never got one due to being destitute. Hell he had to borrow one of his friend’s suits just for this test. “Starswirl University is not interested in mages who cannot conform to the rules of magic. Next.”

“But I-”

“Next!” The woman bellowed out. Grey hung his head in defeat and turned to walk away.  As he closed the door he could make out the judges voices. “That street rat honestly thought that he could enter?” The woman laughed along with the others as the next student entered. On his way out of the pristine white building Grey accidentally bumped into a girl with indigo hair and a pink stripe running through it. She looked about the same age as him. 

“Sorry about that.” He said as he helped her up. He noticed that she was wearing a lavender colored sweater vest with a matching skirt that ended at her knees. The outfit also brought out her bright purple eyes.

“No, I’m sorry. I had my head in the clouds. I just got accepted to Starswirl University!” She smiled. At that moment Grey hated the stranger. He clenched his fist and let out a sigh before throwing on a fake smile.      

“Congratulations.” He said as the girl nodded and continued into the building. As he left the building, he felt as though he was being watched. The man walked down past the bright shiny streets of the elite and into an old shanty district of Canterlot. He sat at the bar and hung his head. A man with silver hair and beard came out wearing a brown vest over a white shirt.

“What’ll it be kid?”

“I don't have a lot of money.”

“On the house. Looks like you need it.” He said with a smile. 

“I guess a shot of AJ Daniels.” The man nodded and quickly poured him the small shot. Grey drank occasionally, but never made a habit out of it. 

“So what’s on your mind sport?” The man said as he threw a dish towel over his shoulder. “Herd troubles?”

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend, or a herd for that matter.” He said as he drank the shot.

“Oh I see. So its a guy then?” 

“What? No!” Grey said in an irritated tone. “What’s it to you anyway?”

“I like to hear people’s stories.” He said with a grin. Grey looked at the man and saw that he had yellow eyes with spliced red irises. “You can just call me D.”

“Grey.” He said with a sigh. “Sorry for snapping earlier. I didn’t get accepted into Starswirl University.” 

“Ah, so that’s the issue.” He said as he poured him another shot. “Might I ask why you weren’t accepted?”

“Because I didn’t use a wand.” D looked at him in shock.

“You can use magic without a wand?” Grey gave a small nod. It wasn’t rare for a person to use magic without a wand but certainly uncommon. Especially since Grey was only twenty. “Might I see something?” Grey sighed and put his drink down. Grey put both his hands together and the bartender saw a magic seal appear. The air suddenly got cold and the drink turned to ice. “Interesting.” The bartender grinned.

“Yeah well the judges didn’t think so.” He said as he made it back into a liquid.

“Bah, they’re just a bunch of mages who are stuck in the past.”

“Thank you.” He said as he slammed back the drink. 

“Why did you want to go to Starswirl University?” Grey sighed and looked at the man.

“I don’t have much else besides magic.” He said with a sigh. “Hell, if it weren’t for the law then I probably wouldn’t have even graduated grammar school.”

“So you’re not rich then?”

“Don’t even have enough to pay you for the drinks.” He said as he pushed the glass away.  “Hell, I knew that I wouldn’t get in even if I did do everything they wanted.”

“What makes you say that?” The bartender asked. 

“All these high society snobs care about is how much money you have in your pockets and who you’re connected with.” The man said as he sat back. “This city really needs an attitude adjustment. The people here are dirtier then the slums and this was my only way out.” He said as he held his head in his palms. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be dumping all this on you. You probably have problems of your own.”

“Just one, but I think I’ve found the solution.” The man’s form then shifted to a brown suit and yellow tie. A light blue feathered wing came out from his left side as a webbed wing sprouted from his right. “What if I told you that I could get you in?” 

“Dude, I’m in no mood for jokes.” Grey said in an annoyed tone.

“No joke my boy. Want proof?” The man said as he pulled out an ID card. Grey took it and read it to himself.

Starswirl University Identification Card. 
Headmaster Discord.

“Believe me now?” Grey looked at the man and back down at the card. The photo was a perfect match and he had seen plenty of counterfeit cards before, ranging from driver’s licenses to passports. This was original and real. Grey raised an eyebrow at the man and was cautious.

“What exactly are you offering?” Grey asked as he handed the man his card back.

“Simple, I’m offering a chance for you to go to the school you tried to get into. I do have the authority.”

“What’s the catch? I know that nothing in this world is free.”

“You’re smart, I like that.” The man grinned. “You see, there are three headmasters at the university, including myself.” He said as he phased through the bar and stood next to the man. “The other two being Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They each have a personal protegee. So I figured that I should get one too.” He grinned. “Fair is fair after all.”

“And where do I tie into this?”

“Simple. I’ll get you in if you become my apprentice at the school.” Grey’s jaw hit the floor at the offer. “You’ll still attend normal classes, but you’ll also be attending a special class with myself, Tia and Luna along with their students. This will grant you special access to magic not available to the rest of the students.”

“This all seems a bit too good to be true.” Grey said as he crossed his arms. “Why me?”

“Because you think outside the box! You use the unorthodox and you’re not some stuck up Canterlot brat. Not to mention I find their students boring. Tia's is an anti social bookworm, who is so up tight that if you were to shove a lump of coal up her rump then within two weeks you'd get a diamond." Grey gave a chuckle. "Luna's is a spoiled brat and a show off to boot. They both are also naturally gifted with magic where you are clearly not." The raven haired man frowned. "That's good in my book. What’s the point of teaching someone who’s already a genius? You’re raw. Like a slab of clay waiting to be molded.”

“Getting me in is one thing. What about tuition and books? I think I mentioned that I’m broke as a damn joke.”

“That is something that I may be able to handle.” If Grey wasn’t suspicious before he sure as hell was now. All he knew about Discord was that he was the god of chaos and was sealed by Celestia and Luna 1,000 years ago. A few months ago he had heard rumors that he had been reformed, but never really believed it. Discord reached into his pocket and pulled out a contract and a pen and set them in front of the man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Far from the shining streets of the upper crust of Canterlot was the slums. A house made of wood that had seen better days stood. It was a simple two story home that needed to be fixed more than anything. The shutters were missing panels and most of the windows were cracked. Most of the paint had been chipped away and the front lawn was yellow while the surrounding buildings were either abandoned or in the same state. The building had a run down sign out in front with the name ‘New Hope Orphanage’ in front.

Rogue, a purple haired, twenty year old Changeling was in the kitchen over a hot pot of soup. Rogue’s skin was jet black and insect like with a pair of antennas coming from her head.  A girl with dark blue hair and bat wings walked into the room, she looked about the same age as the Changeling. Her eyes were spliced and were deep red. Her ears had a slight point to them and she had a large pair of fangs.

“Hey Midnight.” The Changeling said with a smile.

“What’s on the menu?” The bat woman said as she started setting the table. 

“Beef stew.” She said as here spliced purple eyes focused on her. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Waiting for Grey to come back.” The kitchen door leading outside opened to show a Changeling with bright red hair and insect wings. His clothes were raggedy and had a series of stains and holes on them. He had a tool box clutched in his right hand and a yellow hardhat on his head. “Hey Dusk, how’d things go at the foundry?” She asked as he removed the helmet.

“Boss laid off more guys today. I dodged a bullet, but who knows for how much longer.” He said as he sat down and sighed. He sniffed the air and smiled. “Beef stew?” The two girls nodded. “Grey back yet?” 

“Nope. Hope everything went all right.” Midnight said as she walked out of the room and went to the base of the stairs leading to the second floor of the run down house. “Oi! Soups on, get your butts down here!” A series of footsteps against the wood signaled the on coming hurricane that were the other children in the home. Two winged boys, One with black wings and the other with white flew down. Apart from the wings the two looked identical to one another.  The other three had no wings.

A girl around seven and had dark green hair followed the two flyers mumbling something. Another girl with white hair and had icy blue eyes, she looked like the most innocent girl in the world and walked into the kitchen with a smile. The final one had dirty blonde hair and took his time getting in.

“Comet! Star! Be careful while flying. Otherwise you’ll put a hole in the wall again!” The red haired Changeling said.

“Sorry Dusk.” The fliers said in unison. The Changeling rolled his eyes and rubbed both of their heads. 

“They kept terrorizing me upstairs!” The green haired girl complained. 

“Oh calm down Flora.” Comet said. “We were just messing around.” 

“You pulled my hair and-”

“Quiet! Both of you, else you’ll be on bathroom duty for a month!” Midnight said in a threatening tone. Both of them fell silent and gulped.

“Oh you’re much too harsh on them dear.” The group turned to see a woman in her mid fifties with a warm smile on her face. Willow was the Orphanage’s owner and caretaker. Her faded brown hair went to the shoulders and a pair of half moon glasses hung on the end of her nose. 

“Sorry Auntie Willow.” Midnight said as she blew a piece of her hair out of her face. The group took their seats and the blonde haired boy reached for the bowl, only to have his hand smacked with a wooden spoon.

“Not so fast Orion. Not everyone is here yet.” Rogue said as she looked at the empty spot.

“Oh come on! Who knows when Grey will be home and I haven’t had anything since this morning.”

“And you’ll get nothing if you keep whining.” Midnight stated. “Now wait for your brother to get home.” The blonde child crossed his arms and pouted as Midnight stuck her forked tongue out at him. The group heard the door opened and Midnight left to go greet her brother as Rogue got the children’s attention.

“Now remember what we talked about. If he didn’t get in then give him your support.” The children nodded as they saw the magic user come in and sit down. He removed the tie and sighed.

“Hey Grey, how’d the test go?” Orion asked.

“Bad news.” The group all bit their lips and worried for their roommate. “I will not be around here for quite a while.” He said as he pulled out the acceptance letter.” The group all clapped as the kids tackled him into a hug. Grey got up with the kids still holding onto him and chuckled. “I’m in and don’t need to worry about the cost.”

“How did you manage that?” Dusk said as he high five’d him. 

“Made a deal with the devil.” The group chuckled. “I leave in a week for school.” The group sat back down and dug into their meal. Grey then gave them the rundown of what happened at the bar and the deal he made. “That pretty much sums it up.”

“So you’re going to be learning from Discord, the god of chaos?” Grey nodded at Comet. “Cool!” 

“So awesome!” Flora chimed. The group cleaned up the dishes and went into the living room where a barely working TV was playing an old western movie for the hundredth time. When the children were in front of it the adults started to talk in the kitchen.

“So this guy is just going to pay for you to go to the most expensive school this side of Equestria?” Midnight said.

“If I agree to be his personal protegee, then yes.” Grey said as he put his hands behind his head. 

“Discord. The god of chaos wants to be your mentor?” Dusk said.

“He was looking for a student and I wanted in. Beggars can’t be choosers, but before I do anything,” He said as he turned to the red haired Changeling. “is one of your herd members still in the choir?” Dusk gave a sharp nod. “Good, tell them to meet me, with his friends at this address.” He said as he pulled out a slip of paper with an address on it.

“Why?” Dusk said as he picked up the house phone.

“Payback.” Grey smirked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grey walked up the stone steps of a very fancy house in the upper crust of Canterlot. The steps were lined with marble and the handrail was decorated with fine metal. He straightened his jacket and rang the doorbell. A few minutes later one of the judges from his exam earlier that day answered the door.

“Evening Mr. Quill. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He said with a smile. Quill frowned at the man and knew. The desperate always beg. It’s been a long day and he could use a laugh.

“Let me guess, you want into the-” Grey held up a hand.

“No, I came by to tell you no hard feelings.” He said as he stuck his hand out. “You made the decision and you stuck by it.” Grey said with a smile. “Gotta give respect where respect is due.” Quill raised an eyebrow and shook it. “I also came by for you to see this.” Grey pulled out the contract he signed and handed it to the man.

Quill’s eyes shrank as he read it and tried to form words but only sputtered speech came out. “Oh come on now. A refined individual such as yourself should know how to speak.” He chuckled. “You like music?”

“Wh-what?” The man said in a flabbergasted tone.

“Music? You like it?” The man gave a confused nod. “Good, cause I took the liberty of inviting a few of my choir friends to express this moment in song.” He pointed to the group of people in robes standing on the street. “Hit it!” The group then started to chant in song.

Quill was fuming and tore up the letter. “Good thing that was a copy.” Grey said as Quill slammed the door in his face and Grey thanked the group for their participation in some sweet, sweet payback.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Willow was making her way to her room with an old book in hand. Her bedroom was simple, a twin sized bed on a rusty old frame and a box spring. Next to her bed was a nightstand that had seen better days and a cracked mirror that hung on the side of the wall. Her eyes scanned the room and she saw a bright red light coming from behind the mirror. She gently pushed it aside to show a combination safe.

The woman turned the dial three times and the door swung open to show the little amount of money she had to keep the place open. The light was coming from an old black wooden box that had several decorative carvings in it. She fished the box out and saw the magic seal on the lock dissolve. The woman let out a sigh and looked at the box.

“I guess its time then.” She said with a small tear in her eye. About an hour later, Grey tiptoed back into the old house having successfully rubbing his accomplishment in the judge’s face. He noticed that a light was on in the kitchen and sighed.

“Comet, what have I told you about midnight-” The man stopped when he saw Willow sitting alone with the black box in front of her and an envelope on top. “Oh, sorry Willow. Thought it was Comet sneaking something from the fridge again.” He chuckled. “Well, I’m heading up.”

“Hold on a second there Grey.” She said in a firm tone. Grey looked at her who motioned towards the seat across from her. Grey raised an eyebrow and took the seat. She smiled and sighed. “I remember when you first came here you know.”

“You found me at this place’s doorstep twenty years ago.” He said as he crossed his arms. 

“That’s not the full story.” She said with a sigh. Grey looked at her in confusion. “Nightmare Night twenty years ago a man came running up the front steps with a newborn boy in his arms and begged me to take him.”

“You knew my father?” He said in an almost shouting tone.

“Shhh!” The woman said as she raised a finger to her lips. “No, he wore a mask and a hood so I didn’t even see his face.” She then turned her attention towards the box. “He left this with you.” She said as she pointed towards the box. “The reason I didn’t tell you about it because he said it would only open when the time was right. I’m no mage, but it was a magic seal of some sort.” The man looked at the box and reached for it.

He set it down in front of him and slowly opened the lid and a bright red light illuminated from it. Grey looked inside to see a jet black wand with a crimson tint. It was about a foot long and had decorative markings in the handle. He picked it up and felt it was made of some sort of wood. 

“Why now?” He asked as he looked at it. 

“Haven’t the faintest idea Grey. Maybe its because you’re finally getting out of this place?” She said with a sigh. The man then saw the envelope and opened it. An old parchment, that had been stained by something.   

Dear Grey,

By the time you read this then I’ll most likely be dead. I know that you don’t know me or have any idea that I ever existed. I’m sorry son, but fate can sometimes be a cruel thing. I’ve entrusted you in the care of Willow Newhope. Hopefully my intuition was correct and she was as kind as when I first met her. I know that there is nothing in this world that I can say or do to make up for leaving you. Consider this wand a gift for all those birthdays I’ve missed. 

The wand is crafted from the core of a hundred year old red cherry blossom tree that was at the center of the Crimson Forest. I enchanted it to your touch only and is original from the tip to the handle. The markings are more of a...sentimental symbols. I truly wish I could tell you more, but I don’t have much time.

The wand is yours to do whatever you want with it. Keep it, break it out of frustration, do what you will. Its yours. I just wanted to let you know that I loved you and that putting you in the orphanage was the only option. 

I’m so sorry for doing this to you Grey.

Love, your Father.

The man sat motionless and read the letter. He read it two more times and saw that there were dried tear stains on the parchment. The man then realized that he had tears in his eyes and quickly wiped them away. He looked at the wand and felt a mixture of emotions, anger, resentment and...happiness? He took the wand in both hands and started to apply pressure, but he hesitated.

Why did he stop? Why didn’t he turn it into ash or give it to the stray dog as a chew toy?Grey sighed and put the wand back inside the box. Willow read the letter to herself and looked at Grey.

“That handwriting.” Willow said as she squinted. 

“What?” The man said.

“Do you still have that spell book?” Grey nodded and snapped his fingers. A normal sized hard covered book appeared in his hands.  

“I thought you got it for me?” It was the first book he’d ever gotten and taught him how to use his magic. No one else in the house could use magic, so he was left to his own devices.

“I told you many times that I just found it sitting outside on the porch and I’d forgotten to get you a gift.” The woman said in an embarrassed tone. “But look here.” She went to the front cover and pointed to a footnote.

Happy Birthday Grey. 

The handwriting was a spot on match. Grey sat back down and was overwhelmed. He tried tracing the book at the Canterlot Public Library but nothing came up. The spells in that book ranged from simple, to things Grey thought were impossible. Most of the shop keepers he asked said that they’d never seen the book before. It didn’t even have an author and the words looked handwritten.

“Looks like he’s been watching over you.” The woman said with a smile. 

“Then why didn’t he come get me?” He yelled. The woman hung her head and the man calmed down. “I’m sorry Willow, I just....I just need to think.”

“Of course dear, even for an old coot like me it’s a lot to take in.” She said as she stood up. “I didn’t know the man, but I can tell that he loved you and that I think of you and the others as my own.” Grey hugged her and smiled. The man walked up to his room that he shared with Dusk. He was reaching for the doorknob when he saw his hard hat hanging on it. Grey sighed and put his ear to the door and heard moans coming from the other side.

Creator damn you Dusk. Grey sighed and walked down the hallway to another door. He gave two knocks and waited. A minute later Midnight came out and yawned. She looked at the man and down at the door with the helemt.

“Let me guess, Dusk has one of his boyfriends over?”

“Yup.”

“Sparrow or Hammer?” She asked as he walked inside. 

“Hammer. Hard hat is for him. Sparrow is a book mark.” He said as he sat down on her bed and sighed. The door then re opened to show the Changeling in her pajamas.

“You okay Grey?” Rogue asked as she looked at him.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you guys tomorrow. Mind if I stay here? I really don’t want to interrupt those two.” He said as the three shivered. The bat girl grabbed a sleeping bag and threw him a pillow. The man set the sleeping bag down and crawled inside as he put his head on the pillow and said goodnight to the two girls.
> Chapter 2: First Impressions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 2

First Impressions


Grey waved through the train window at the only family he’s ever known as the train pulled away. The man started to look out the window at the different types of scenery. From snowy mountains to small towns and beyond. He was resting his head against the window when he heard a tapping noise. Grey opened his silver eyes to see an indigo haired girl with a pink stripe running through it standing in the doorway.

“Sorry to disturb you, but mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full.” She said with a sheepish grin.

“Knock yourself out.” He said as he sat up.

“Thanks.” She said as she sat down across from the man. The girl squinted and looked at the man. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Grey scratched his head and remembered the girl.

“Oh! I bumped into you last week while coming out of the Board of Education building.” The girl’s eyes lit up.

“Oh right! Sorry, took me a moment there.” She said with a smile. “I’m Twilight Sparkle.” She said as she stuck out her arm.

“Grey Newhope.” He said as he shook it. He looked at her attire and saw her purple sweater vest and a lavender skirt. “So I take it that you’re going to be attending Starswirl University?”

“Yeah, I’m Princess Celestia’s personal student.”

“Really?” The man said in surprise. The man thought back at the worried looks he had gotten from his family and withheld the fact that he was Discord’s Pupil. 

“Hey Twi, ya down here?” A thick southern accent yelled through the corridor. Grey and Twilight stuck their heads out to see a girl with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail looking around.

“Down here AJ.” Twilight said with a wave. The southerner was donning a bright orange collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and blue jeans that had been sun soaked She had a pair of dark brown boots with scuff marks on them.

“There ya are.” She then noticed Grey sitting across from her.

Oh creator, that accent. Twenty bucks says she’s got a hat! 

Hey moron, I think they’re talking to you. Grey turned his attention back to the girl that sat herself next to Twilight.

“Who’s this?” The farmer said as she looked the man over. 

“This is Grey. He’ll be going to school with us.”

“Sup?” He said with a wave.

“Nice to meet ya Grey.” The farmer gave his hand a firm shake and a warm smile. “Ah’m Applejack.” The man let go and rubbed his hand while making a mental note not to piss this girl off.

“You a mage too?” He asked.

“Nope, Twi here managed to pull some strings and she got me and the rest of the gals in to get smarter and what not.” Grey couldn’t help but chuckle at the girl’s words which earned him a mean emerald eyed stare from the farmer.

“So where are you from Twilight?” Grey said trying to get the conversation rolling and to get AJ’s devil glare off him.

“Canterlot.” She smiled.

No surprise there.

“Never seen you around since before last week.”

“Well, I’m originally from Canterlot, but I’ve been living in Ponyville for the past few years.”

“Ponyville?” The man thought for a moment. “Never heard of it.”

“Why’s that?” The farmer asked.

“Never been outside of Canterlot. So I don’t really know what’s out there.”

“You never traveled?” 

“Nope, kinda why I’m here.” He said as he sat back. “Wanted a way out, here it is.” The conversation then shifted to hobbies and other like things. Grey found out that AJ’s family owns Sweet Apple Acres and their world famous Zap Apple recipes, which explains how AJ could afford to go to the school. The two girls spoke briefly about the rest of their group of friends. Within a few hours the train pulled to a halt in front of the large school.

The trio’s jaws dropped when they saw what looked like a large castle in front of a massive lake that stretched all the way to the front entrance. The three grabbed their things and quickly made their way off the train. “Well, nice meeting you two. See ya around campus.” The two girls gave the man a wave and made their way off towards their dorms.

Testing, testing one, two, three. Hello?

“The hell?” Grey said as he looked around for the source of the voice.

Oh calm down Grey. It’s Discord. 

“Where are you?”

In my office. I’m speaking you telepathically.

“Telepathy, of course. Here I thought it would be something that makes sense.” He rolled his eyes.

You do realize that you’re saying all this out loud and it makes you look crazy right? The man stopped and noticed several people passing by looking at him like he had three heads. 

Touche. The man thought.

Now you’re getting it! Anyway, stop by my office for your class schedule, dorm number and uniform. The man then felt a buzzing sensation in his head. There. I sent you the route in your head. See you then. Grey shook his head and instantly knew where to go.

He was so busy walking down the road that he didn’t see the object in front of him. The man felt something firm collide with his chest and fell down on his back. 

“Sorry about that I-”

“Well, Trixie should hope so!” Grey looked at the girl and saw that she was wearing a light blue blouse with matching pants. Her hair was silver and went down to the middle of her back. On the top of her head was a purple wizard hat with stars decorated it. The hat also matched a cape that hung off her shoulders. “You could have killed me you buffoon.”

Well, she’s a charmer. He thought as he stood up.

“Look, it was an accident. No harm no foul.” The girl scrunched her nose and scoffed.

“You’re lucky that Trixie is in a hurry or you have to face the wrath of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She said as she stormed off. Grey sighed and pushed the girl out of his head.

“This is gonna be a fun year I can already tell.” He said to no one.

“You bet!” A high pitched voice said from be hind him. Grey jumped and spun around to see a girl with pink curly hair and donning a dark pink shirt and bright blue pants. “Hi my name’s Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie. All my friends do!” The girl then gasped. “Do you wanna be my friend?” The girl was already in his face and Grey thought that if her smile grew any bigger then skin would start to split.

“Um, sure.” He said in an easy going tone.

“Yay!” The girl said as she jumped and zoomed away in a pink blur.

What just happened? The man pushed the thought out of his head and continued on his way. He made his way through the courtyard which had a large fountain in the center. The man felt something brush against his pant leg and looked down to see a small white rabbit.

“Where’d you come from?” He said as he crouched and looked at the rabbit. 

“Angel!” Grey looked to his right and saw a girl with butter yellow wings donning a similar covered blouse with a green dress pants. Her long pink hair acted as a curtain to hide her teal colored eyes. “Oh I’m so sorry about that. I turned my head for only a second and he ran off.” She said as the rabbit hoped into its master’s hands.

“No problem. Name’s Grey.” The girl then shrank back.

“Um...I’m Fluttershy.”

“Um didn’t quite catch that.”

“I’m Fluttershy.”

“One more time?” He said as he put a hand to his ear. The girl took a deep breath and gathered her strength.

“Fluttershy.”

“Nice to meet you Fluttershy.” He said with a smile. His ears perked up when he heard a strong whooshing noise and what sounded like a girl’s voice. “Do you hear a-” was all he got out before something hard collided with his head. Grey opened his eyes to see a tuff of messy rainbow hair.

“Ow my head.” A female voice said.

“Ditto.” Grey said as he sat up and saw that the girl had wine colored eyes. The girl immediately hoped up and had a worried look on her face. She was wearing a cyan hoodie and jeans torn at the knee.

“I’m so sorry about that! I was going fast and I couldn’t stop at time.” She said as Grey stood up.

“Are you okay Grey?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah I’m good.” The two both gasped when they saw blood dripping from the man’s scalp.

“Rainbow Dash!” A refined voice yelled from across the courtyard. Grey turned to see a stunningly beautiful girl with paper white skin and dark purple hair that had a curl in the front. She was sporting a lovely white blouse and a purple skirt that ended at her knees. “What have I told you about not watching where you are going?” Dash groaned at the lecture. “Don’t give me that. You almost made this man flatter than a fresh pressed shirt.”

“I know, I know.” Dash said as she crossed her arms. The beauty then turned towards Grey and gasped at the wound.

“Oh you poor dear!”

“Relax I got it.” The man reached up to his scalp but froze and thought about what Discord said at the bar after he signed the agreement.

“Word of advice. Keep the fact that you can use magic without a wand on the down low.”

“Why?”

“It’s not rare, but it’s far from common. Especially at your age.” The man said with a sigh. “They’d swarm you with questions and I’m sure that you wouldn’t want that.” Grey sighed and pulled out the wand and touched it to the wound, which started to heal up.

“See? Good as new.” He said as he pocketed the wand. The two winged girls breathed a sigh of relief. While the beauty still had a shocked look on her face.

“I can’t say the same for your attire dear.” Grey looked down at himself and saw that there was a large tear in his shirt. Granted all of his clothes were hand-me-downs. His pants were sun stained and his shirt was a faded shade of gray. “I will fix those for you post haste! Come along!” The girl then grabbed the man’s wrist and started dragging him away.

“Hey wait a second!” He yelled as the surprisingly strong girl dragged him off.

“Better him then me.” Dash said with a chuckle. When they were halfway across the courtyard Grey managed to free himself from the girls grasp and rubbed his wrist.

“Mind telling me your name before we start holding hands?” This caused the girl’s face to go red and the man chuckled. “Names Grey.” He said as he stuck out his hand.

“Rarity.” She said as she extended her slender hand. 

“Pleasure.” He said as he followed the girl to the dorm registry and found her room. The lady also had several suitcases with her that almost spilled into two baggage carts. Grey grabbed the biggest one and slung it over his back. “Oh you don’t have to do that darling.”

“You’re gonna fix my shirt. Least I can do is carry one of your bags.” He said as he looked at the cart. “Setting up your own clothing store Ms. Rarity?”

“Har-har, and Rarity is fine. Ms. makes me sound old.” Rarity said as she crossed her arms under her chest. The girl then led him towards the elevator and the two got off on the third floor. The beauty headed down the hallway and to a door. The man sighed as he walked inside and saw that her roommate had already dropped her stuff off. He spied what looked like leather bags and a leather Stetson resting on one of the beds.

Ha! AJ does have a hat!

Rarity rooming with Applejack? Life is good.

“Looks like you’re roommate came and went.” The man said as he put the bags down.

“Yes, I’ve noticed. Not the neatest person she is.” The woman sighed. “But enough about that. Let me see your clothes dear.” Grey pulled out another shirt and set it aside. He removed the one he was wearing and reached for the other only to see it fly out of his reach and towards the lady.

“Hey, what gives?”

“What is this?” She asked as she looked at the equally bad red shirt the man had pulled out. “Honestly dear don’t you have anything nicer?”

“You’re holding it.” He said as he put a hoodie on to cover his upper chest. The woman’s right eye twitched and almost fell over. “You okay?”

“This thing is the nicest piece of clothing you own?” She asked as she pointed her wand at the grey shirt.

“Yeah.” A long silence fell over the two and The woman bit her lip and cracked her neck.

“Unacceptable!” She yelled. “I shall make you a new ensemble post haste!” 

“You don’t need to do that Rarity. We have uniforms remember?” 

“It’s the principle darling.” She said as she waved her wand and a sewing machine came out of one of her bags. Grey looked at the clock on the wall and gasped.

“Sorry Rarity, but I gotta go and get settled.” He said as he took one of the shirts and put it on his body. “Think we can do this another time?”

“Very well.” The woman said with a sigh. Grey grabbed his bag and quickly made his way out of the dorm and towards the main part of the building. Several offices lined the hall. Grey followed the route in his head and came upon the man’s office and gave a knock.

“Come in.” A familiar voice said. The interior was simple. A large brown desk was in the far end of the room with a large bay window overlooking the courtyard. 

“Sorry I’m late. Had a run in with some odd people.” 

“Was one of them Pinkie Pie?”

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

“I’m...familiar with Pinkie and her group of friends. Nice group of girls.” He said as he got up from his chair. “I take it that’s why you’re late?” Grey gave a nod. “Yes, well that’s expected since it’s them.” The man said as he sat back down in his chair and pulled out a few sheets of paper. “I took the liberty of making your schedule based on your psych profile.” He said as he put the paper in front of him. Grey took it in hand and read each class over carefully. 

“Frankly I’m not too sure what I want to do with my life yet.” He said with a sigh. “I mean I like helping people, but that’s a bit broad.”

“True.” The chaos lord stated. “But sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination that matters.” The man said as he sat back. “Oh and before I forget.” Discord then snapped his fingers and a box appeared before him. An envelope sat on top of the box. “That’s your Uniform and your dorm number. Be sure to wear it for the opening ceremony later today.” Grey grabbed the box and made his way towards the dorms.

The dorms appeared to be co-ed. The man made his way into the main dorm and followed the directions on the page and looked at the room numbers. “Room D7. Down the hall from Rarity’s” He said as he walked in and his jaw dropped. It was more like a small apartment with a small kitchenette and living room with a large sofa and a seventy inch flat screen TV mounted on the wall. Certainly an upgrade from his previous living conditions. He saw three doors other than the one he came in.

A door leading to the bedroom was on either side of the room and a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and a shower with one of those adjustable knobs with creator knows how many settings. The man took the room on the right that had a desk, a Queen sized bed and a large window that looked out over the school. Each room had a closet and dresser.

The guys back home would never believe this. He chuckled as he fell down on his bed and let out a sigh. He quickly un-packed his stuff and set his clothes in the dresser and un wrapped his uniform. The jacket was charcoal grey with midnight blue cuffs and had an odd symbol on its back. The pants were of the same color along with a blue tie. The man put it on and felt that it was two sizes too big. Great. Another thing for Rarity to- He was cut off when he felt the clothes tightly shrink and wrap around his form as though they were tailored for him. 

Never mind. He thought as he looked at the time and started making his way out of the dorm. Since he had no idea where he was going he just blended into the crowd. Grey noticed that all of the other students’ uniforms were navy blue with white cuffs. The girls were wearing plaid skirts that ended at their knees and a sport jacket that was dark blue. While each one looked similar they were different due to the different color schemes. 

Grey noticed one girl with red hair who’s plaid was the same color as her hair and was navy blue. The crowd of people started to funnel into the auditorium and Grey felt a familiar voice in his head.

Don’t come in yet. Discord’s voice echoed in his mind.

Why not?

I’ll give you the signal too make your entrance and make sure it’s flashy! Grey sighed and decided to hang off to the side. Every other student in the auditorium were talking amongst one another. Soon the lights dimmed and a podium appeared on the center stage. A bright light filled the room and a woman in a pristine white suit that matched her wings. The woman’s celestial colored hair seemed to be flowing even though there was no wind. Beside her was a shorter woman with hair that shined like the night sky. The taller woman tapped the microphone on the stand and everyone quieted down.

“Hello ladies and gentlemen.” The woman said in a warm tone. “As you know I am Princess Celestia.”

“We are Princess Luna.” The shorter woman said in a firm tone.

“You all have been chosen because you are the best and the brightest.” The woman said with a smile. “Some of the greatest minds have exited this prestigious university and have left in order to welcome in the new generation so that you will leave your own mark on this place.” The students clapped at the words. Luna then took the podium.

“We are now going to introduce the selected student who have proven themselves to become our personal apprentices.” The crowd then got quiet. Celestia took the podium and smiled.

“The student that I have selected is Twilight Sparkle.” No one was surprised but clapped as the young scholar teleported onto the stage and created a bright purple ball of light that dance around the auditorium. The scholar’s Uniform was the regulation jacket and skirt, only the primary color was lavender with blue cuffs and highlights. As the ball vanished, the scholar took her place beside her mentor. Luna then took her place behind the podium.

“Our student is Trixie Lulamoon.” The crowd then saw a blue puff of smoke and a girl with long silver hair and a cyan uniform stood before them wearing a purple wizard hat.

“Be in awe at the Great and Powerful Trixie!” The woman pulled out a wand with a star at the end and shot several fireworks that spelled her name in the sky. Many of the students clapped while some who knew the boisterous girl rolled their eyes and groaned. Trixie walked off stage with a triumphant look on her face and stood next to Twilight.

“We thank you all for your time and-” Celestia was cut off as a brown flash of light filled the room and the group saw the Chaos lord standing in a brown suit and had a triumphant look on his face while Celestia and Luna frowned.

“Now hold your horses there Tia.” He said as he made his way over to the podium.

“Discord, this is a surprise.” She said as she raised her eyebrow. 

“Don’t worry your pretty little heads I’ll be quick.”

“We do not appreciate you cutting into orientation time.” Luna stated in a flat tone.

“I assure you it will not be a waste of anyone’s time.” He said with a smug grin. “Besides you both introduced your students, so I think it’s only fair that I introduce mine.” Everyone’s jaw hit the floor at the words. Gray smoke came pouring out of the doors the students entered from and started to circle around and shoot across the room. The smoke expanded to the size of the room and started to shrink back in a cyclone formation.

The crowd squinted and saw a solid object shoot out of the top of the smoke and fall back towards the stage. A magical beam shot out and latched onto the ceiling and the object swung around before landing on the stage. The clouds started to fade away and take the figure of a man. Soon the smoke shrank back into the figure and all eyes were on Grey. 

“Grey?” Twilight said in shock.

“You!” Trixie yelled. The man gave a shrug as Discord and the other students clapped. Celestia and Luna stood dumbfounded at the man.

“Tia, Luna. This is Grey Newhope, my apprentice.” Grey gave each of them a bow. Celestia shook off the shock and dismissed the students. As Grey made his way out of the auditorium a strong hand grabbed him by the collar and the man saw the six girls he met earlier.

“Hey guys.” He said with a sheepish grin.

“Don’t ‘hey guys’ us.” Dash said as she narrowed her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us you were Discord’s student?”

“Neither of you asked.” The girls all rolled their eyes. “Okay fine. I didn’t want anyone to be freaked out about it. I still don’t see what the big deal is.”

“You’re learning from Discord the god of chaos and disharmony.” Twilight said. “How did you even become his apprentice anyway?” She asked as the group started walking.

“It’s a long story.” Grey said as he yawned. “I’ll tell you all later, but right now I’m bushed.” The girls all gave each other a tired nod and the group went off towards their dorms. Grey learned that Dash was sharing a room with Pinkie and Fluttershy. Twilight hadn’t met her roommate yet. When he got to his dorm Grey sat down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

The man then heard a knock at the door. Grey rose to his feet and opened it.

“About damn time.” A female voice said in frustration. Grey looked to see a girl about his age and height staring at him. The girl had white hair with black roots and black tips. The whites of her eyes were yellow and her irises were blood red. “Jeez what took you so long?” The strange girl then made her way inside. “You gonna get the other bags?” Grey looked outside and saw two rolling suitcases. He looked at them and the girl in confusion 

“Um, why?”

“You’ll do it if you want a tip.”

“Tip? Do I look like a bellhop?” The girl raised an eyebrow and looked at his attire. His tie was off and was now only wearing his uniform pants and a white collared shirt. “Ugh never mind.”

“So if you’re not a bellhop.” The girl then thought for a moment and frowned. She snapped her fingers and a wooden bat appeared in her hands. “Then you’re a pervert!”

“What are you talking about?” Grey said in disbelief. She swung at him and he barely managed to dodge the blow.

“Get out of my room you perv!”

“Your room my ass! I moved in today.” The man shot a bolt from his hand and the bat turned to ash. The girl blinked and her hands glowed a golden color. The room was then filled with brown light.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” The two then saw the chaos lord with a smile on his face.

“Discord?”

“Dad?” The girl said.

“Dad!?” Grey yelled in surprise.

“Ah I guess introductions are in order. Grey meet my daughter, Eris. Eris this is my student Grey.” The two looked at one another in confusion. “You are now each other’s roommates.”

“Say what?” They both yelled. 

“See you’re getting along already.” Discord chuckled.

“No way am I-” The girl shut her mouth as Discord glared at her. The girl gulped as Discord turned to Grey and motioned for him to follow him out into the hall. Grey closed the door and leaned up against the wall. 

“Sorry about all that. Family issues.” Discord said with a shrug. 

“Mind telling me why your daughter is my roommate?” 

“Ah that.” He said as he pulled out a slip of paper. “Consider it an exchange for your tuition and other fees.”

“So I’m playing babysitter to your daughter?” Discord gave a nod. “Why is she here anyway?”

“I want her to learn some self control.”

“This coming from the god of chaos.”

“Right you are, but there is a balance to everything wouldn’t you agree?” Grey gave a nod. “While chaos exists so must order. Else there would only be madness and no one, not even me wants that.” He said with a sigh. “Eris doesn’t understand this yet and it’s your job to teach her.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then I cut you off and you’ll be shipped home on the next train.” Grey frowned at the man. “Granted this is the only favor I’ll ask of you.”

“What if she doesn’t listen?”

“Then make her listen. She’ll also be in all of your classes so you can keep an eye on her and so you can stop anything she may try to pull.”

“How am I supposed to do that? I may be a mage, but I’m sure that she can take anything that I can dish out.” Grey said as he folded his arms. Discord reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden amulet. 

“If talking to her doesn’t work then use this.” He said as he handed him the gem. “It’ll temporarily disrupt her powers and you should be able to get her under control.” Grey looked at the gem. “Only use it as a last resort.” Grey gulped at the man who let out a sigh. 

“Anything else?” Grey asked as he pocketed the amulet.

“Yes, she has a habit of messing with people.” Grey rolled his eyes. The two then heard the man’s electric watch go off. “Well, I’ll be off. I shall see you tomorrow.” He said before vanishing in a bright light. Grey sighed and made his way back inside to see Eris lounging on the couch.

“So you’re my old man’s student huh?” 

“Yup and we’re roommates.”

“Perfect.” She said in a sarcastic tone.

“Look I’m not a big fan of this either but we gotta at least try to make the best of it.” Grey sighed. Eris rolled her eyes and grunted. The two then heard a yell come from down the hall. The two poked their heads out and saw the other residents do the same. The source of the noise seemed to come from next door.

“Oh calm down!” A familiar voice yelled in frustration.

“Sounds like Twilight.” Grey said as he and the girls got out of their rooms and converged on the door. The door opened to show a frustrated Twilight. “Something wrong?” Twilight pointed inside her room and groaned. The group looked inside to see a very disgruntled Trixie.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Dash said with a sigh.

“Trixie refuses to share a room with Twilight Sparkle.” The girl pouted. Grey felt pity for the indigo haired girl and shook his head. Trixie’s eyes then narrowed on Grey. “You!”

“What?” Trixie approached him and frowned.

“How dare you steal Trixie’s spotlight!”

“I wasn’t trying to upstage anyone. Discord just told me to make my entrance...flashy.” He said with a shrug.

“Do it again and you’ll rue the day you decided to upstage the Great and Powerful Trixie!” The woman said as she stormed back into her room. Twilight face palmed and went back inside. Grey sighed and looked at the other girls.

“What’s up with the whole talking in third person thing?”

“It’s Trixie. Don’t question it.” Dash said. Grey then noticed that Eris was gone.

“Hey where’d Eris go?”

“You men the girl with white hair?” AJ asked. “Went back in her room.” Grey walked over to the door and found it locked from the inside.

“Oh great. Eris let me in damn it!” He said as he pounded on the door. 

“She’s your roommate?” Rarity asked.

“Unfortunately yes.” The man said as he pulled out his wand and the door clicked open.

“Wait, is she Discord’s student too?” The fashionista gulped. 

“Nope.” The group let out a sigh of relief. “She’s his daughter.” Their expressions shattered and their jaws hit the floor. “That was my reaction too.” He said as he made his way inside. 
> Chapter 3: First Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 3

First Class


“Ugh this sucks.” Eris said as she tugged at her tie. Her outfit was like the other girls’ only hers had a brown tint to it. Grey rolled his eyes and the two hastily made their way down the hallway. The man noticed that several students were looking at them and whispering to one another. Grey saw Twilight and the other girls.

“Morning.” He said as he walked up to the scholar.

“Oh hey Grey.” She said with a smile. Pinkie and Shy gave him a warm smile while Rarity gulped. Dash and AJ just gave him a neutral nod. “Who’s this?” Twilight asked as she looked at the white haired girl.

“This is Eris, my roommate.” The girl just rolled her eyes at the girls. “She’s also Discord’s daughter.” The scholar’s right eyelid twitched at the words. Grey then felt something vibrate in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out a small pocket sized handbook. Every student was issued one and were enchanted so the students could communicate with one another via telepathically typing words out or making a direct psychic line to each other.

Grey opened the first page to see a picture of Princess Celestia next to a some words.

Grey Newhope, please meet me in my office. We have something to discuss. Grey sighed and closed the book.

“Sucks to be you.” Eris chuckled.

“Ha-ha. Just get to class.” He said as he started to make his way to the offices. As he made his way through the hallways he felt eyes on him and brushed off the gestures. He made his way towards the offices and stood outside Celestia’s office. As he reached to knock he heard a voice.

“Come in.” Grey took the handle and gave it a hard turn and entered the office. It was much bigger than Discord’s. Celestia sat behind a large desk and had her hands folded on her desk. “Please, have a seat.” She gestured towards the chair in front of the desk. The man nodded and set his bag down. “I realize that you’re surprised by this.”

“Compared to whats happened in the past week, not really. So what do you need?”

“I just wanted to ask you a few questions about the deal you and Discord worked out.” She said as she sipped her tea.

“Well, he offered to get me in to the school, provided I become his student and watch his daughter.” Celestia gave a nod. “I take it that he didn’t tell you about it?”

“Correct.” The woman said as the door opened to show the lunar Princess. “Ah Luna, we were just getting started.” The woman took a seat next to her sister and looked at Grey. “So tell us a bit about yourself.”

“Not much to tell really. Grew up in Canterlot and haven’t been outside the city till now.”

“What do your parents do?” Luna asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” He said as he sat back. Both women cocked an eyebrow. “I never knew them. I was left on an orphanage’s doorstep when I was an infant.” Both of them gulped.

“We are sorry for asking.” Luna said in a low tone.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I grew up with a roof over my head and food on the table. So I’m not complaining.” He said in a nonchalant tone.

“Where is this orphanage?” Celestia asked.

“It’s below the osiris.” Celestia raised an eyebrow. She had heard of the line that divided the rich upper crust of Canterlot and the poorer sections. Most people that live below the osiris often turn to crime and other dark habits. For this reason the guard pays little attention to that sector and let the criminals stew until they start going for the upper crust. 

“Interesting.” The sun goddess said. “I don’t recall coming across your file in the pile of applicants.” Grey scratched his head.

“Yeah and you won’t.” Both Princesses looked at him in confusion. “You see the testers denied my entry.”

“Then why are thou here?” Luna asked.

“You see-” The room was suddenly filled with light. 

“Morning all!” A familiar voice said as the chaos lord appeared in the room. “What are you doing here Grey? Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wanted to talk to me about something.” Discord looked at them and raised an eyebrow.

“Honestly you two, are you trying to make my student look bad?” Discord looked at Grey and grinned. “Grey run along to class. Creator knows what Eris has gotten herself into.” Grey grabbed his bag and made his way to class. The three immortals looked at one another and Discord sighed. 

“Tell me something Discord.” Celestia said in a calm tone. “Why did you agree to take that child as your apprentice?” Discord scratched his chin and thought for a while.

“Why indeed?” He said with a shrug. “For fun, pity or just because I felt a little paternal? Who can say?” Both sisters scowled at him. “Oh come now, you don’t see me complaining about you two having students.”

“Thou shall start making sense!” Luna yelled.

“You do realize the contradiction don’t you? I have a rep to protect as god of Chaos. So I have to occasionally do something unexpected.” Celestia calmed her sister down and sighed. “So now I have to wonder what you two are going to do.”

“What are you insinuating?” Celestia asked.

“Well, since you two love to rain on my parade I can’t help but think that you two will send him home purely out of spite for me.” He said in a false worried tone. Both sisters gritted their teeth. “I may be crazy at times, but I’m not cruel.” Celestia frowned. “You’d really crush the boy’s dreams like-”

“Enough Discord.” Celestia said in an aggravated tone. Discord prided himself on his ability to get under the Princesses’ skin. The sun goddess calmed down and sat back. “We will give the child a test this afternoon. If he passes then he will remain, if not then he will be sent home.”

“Fair enough.” The man said with a wicked grin. “Though I’d put my money on the boy rather than on Ms. Sparkle or Ms. Lulamoon.” He said as he left the room. The Princesses looked at one another and sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grey sighed as he made his way down the hallway and saw the room number. He turned the knob to see several students sitting in a lecture hall. He immediately focused on Eris who was sitting next to Twilight.

“Late arrival?” Grey turned his attention towards the front and saw a woman with shoulder length maroon hair with a light stripe through it and was wearing a deep wine colored jacket with a knee length skirt.

“Sorry, I have a note from the Headmistress.” Grey pulled the note out of his pocket. Her eyes scanned the note and shrugged.

“Fair enough. My name is Ms. Cherilee and this is Literature 101. We were just finishing up introducing, so it looks like you’re up.” Grey sighed and stood in front of the class. 

“Right, my name is Grey Newhope. I was born in Canterlot. I’m a mage and that’s about it.” He shrugged. He noticed a hand go up. “Yeah?”

“What ind of magic do you specialize in?” 

“I don’t have a specialty.” The crowd groaned. Grey scratched his head and bit his lip. “Hang on.” He pulled out his wand and ran a bit of magic through it. He gave it a wave and a copy of himself appeared next to him. The teacher’s eyebrows went high enough to hit the ceiling while the students blinked in surprise.

“So you’re an illusionist then?” Cherilee said.

“This isn’t an illusion.” The woman crumpled up a piece of paper into a ball and tossed it at the copy. The fake caught it proving that it had physical mass and acute senses. “This is a pure clone manifested by my own magical energy.” The clone then turned into smoke and the ball fell to the floor. 

“Awesome!” A student yelled. Eris rolled her eyes while Twilight was awestruck. Cherilee then saw the symbol on the back of the student’s jacket.

“So you’re Discord’s student then?” The crowd immediately fell silent and gulped.

“Yeah.” He said as he ran a hand through his short black hair.

“Perfect.” She sighed. “Grab a seat anywhere and we’ll get started.” Grey nodded and made his way towards Eris and Twilight. The class went fairly smoothly with only a few outbursts from Eris, which Grey managed to handle with some assistance from Twilight. Soon the bell rang and the students exited with haste. The next class was gym.

Grey recognized AJ and Dash. During the mile run, the two girls were so busy competing that they had spent all their energy on the last quarter mile of the fourth lap. Grey wasn’t as fast as them but he made up for it with his endurance. After the mile, Grey recognized the coaches as Soarin and Spitfire from the Wonderbolts. Dash let her fangirl side show a few times which cracked AJ up.

The daughter of chaos was catching glances from several other students. Some of them would ‘accidentally’ trip and fall during exercises. The two athletes were still wary of Grey and watched him closely. The school also had an indoor pool that they would use later in the term. The class ended around eleven-ish. The next class was cooking. Upon entering his vision was immediately met with pink. Pinkie had seemed to pop out of nowhere and led the two over to her station. 

The cooking teacher had dark pink hair and a was sporting a cyan apron. 

“Morning everyone. My name is Mrs. Cake and this is Cooking 101.” She smiled. “Today we’ll start out with some cupcakes.” Pinkie grinned in victory and started baking. Cooking clearly wasn’t Eris’s strong suit and burnt the first batch. Pinkie luckily took over and managed to salvage their work. Next was lunch which was essentially a free period for the students. Eris ventured off somewhere and Grey decided to look around the town that was close to the school. Most of the buildings were fairly new and had nice stone work. The streets were bustling with taxis and other cars. People filled the streets buying different types of food and other items. The man then heard two voices coming from an alleyway that was in between two buildings.

“You’re firing me?” Grey heard a man yell. He rounded a corner to see a man with jet black hair and gray wings coming from his back. He was still in his uniform and had a very irate look on his face.

“Damn straight.” Grey looked to see a girl in a white tank top with a black music note on it. She had spiky electric blue hair that went down to her shoulders and a pair of magenta glasses seemed to be holding her hair in place. “You suck at your job.” 

“Listen bitch!”

“Hey hey, easy there pal.” Grey said as he walked up to them. “Let’s not get carried away here.”

“Screw off scrub.” He snarled.

“Just beat it Endzone, you’re bad for business.” The flyer grunted and clenched a fist as he brought his arm back to strike the girl. As his arm reached halfway to the girl’s face he felt something grab his arm. 

“I hate it when guys like you get full of yourselves.” As the flyer tried to pull away he saw that his hand was being encased in ice. “So unless you want to end up as an ice sculpture I suggest you beat it before I get angry.” The flyer gulped and shook his hand free. The ice crumbled away and the flyer frowned at Grey who racked his neck and pulled out his wand.

“This ain’t over!” He said as he took flight. Grey sighed and made his wand vanish. 

“Jerk.” The girl said with a sigh. “Thanks for that.” Grey smiled and noticed that she had piercing red eyes. “Names Vinyl Scratch. I own ‘The Place.’”

“What’s that?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow and pointed up to an unlit neon sign that showed the words. “Oh. Sorry.”

“Nah it’s cool.” She smiled. “So who are you?”

“Grey Newhope.” He said as he shook her hand. “What was that about?” 

“I just fired that punk ass.”

“Why?”

“He was a bouncer and he kept all my friends out and let all his jerk friends in. It wasn’t good for business since they were all-”

“Jerks?” Grey said with a chuckle. Vinyl nodded. 

“Hey you looking for a job?”

“You offering one?” Grey smirked.

“Yup.”

“Then yes.”

“Cool. Be here at seven tonight and I’ll teach you the ropes.” Vinyl then went back in her club and Grey went on his way. The man started to make his way back towards school when he got a call on his handbook.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” Crank recognized the voice of the indigo haired scholar.

“Twilight? What’s up?”

“Its time for our private lesson!” She yelled.

“Sheesh, calm down. I’m on my way.”

“Don’t tell me to-” He closed the book on her and he quickly made his way back towards the school. Discord had sent him a route and the man made his way into the office building. He headed towards a large staircase and made his way down. Grey had heard that the school was built on the ruins of an old castle that belonged to some famous mage a few hundred years ago. He came to a large wooden door and opened it to see Discord, Luna, Celestia and their students.

“Sorry I’m late. Still getting used the campus.” He said with a chuckle.

“That’s quite alright.” Celestia beamed. “Though I hope you don’t make a habit of it.” Grey could feel Trixie’s gaze on him and played innocent to it.

“So what’s up?”

“We have decided to give you a test.” Luna said. “Since you did not pass the initiation-”

“Oh no I passed. The judges were just being difficult because I’m from below the osiris and just wanted to piss me off.” Grey pulled out his wand and played a recording of what one of the judges said as he left.

“That street rat honestly thought he could enter?” The recording ended with the other judges laughing.

“Case and point.” He said as he sighed. Luna and Celestia looked at one another.

“I see. We apologize for their behavior. We clearly need to change up the judging.” Celestia said.

“No problem. I got here eventually and got some payback.” Grey chuckled at the memory.

“Even still, we’d like to get a sense of what you can do.” Luna said. 

“How?” Discord asked.

“It will be the same as the entrance test.” Trixie grumbled.

“Trixie does not wish for a review class.” She whined.

“It is always good to review the basics.” Luna stated. Celestia’s hands glowed and several targets appeared in the air. There were five of them and they were levitated in the air. 

“Destroy the targets as fast as you can with any spell you want.” The three stood side by side and they each pulled out their wands. Twilight’s was a lavender color with a pink spiral swirl on the wand itself and the handle was a darker shade of purple. Trixie’s was cyan with a few stars decorating the handle and wand. “Twilight you’re up.” 

“Got it.” Twilight raised her wand and aimed at each individual target. 

“One minute forty-six seconds.” Celestia said as she looked at the stop watch. “Excellent.” Trixie was up next and she raised her wand. Several blasts of blue light came out of the wand and shattered the targets. “One minute forty-five seconds. Most impressive.” Trixie gave herself a bow before Grey took a stance. The man sighed and focused.

He raised his wand and sent out a single bolt of magic that connected with the first target and then jumped to the other five in the blink of an eye. The watch stopped and the three immortals looked at it. “Forty-five seconds.” Twilight and Trixie’s jaws hung low at the clock. 

“I hate wasting magic.” Grey shrugged.

“How did you get that good?” Twilight asked.

“Been shooting tin cans since I was kid. All that practicing had to do something.” The targets vanished and a large bucket of water appeared in front of the three students. Another bucket appeared on the opposite end of the room only empty.

“Get the water in that bucket without spilling a drop using the least amount of magic possible.” Celestia stated as a thermometer appeared in her hand. “We will use this to measure how much magic you use. There is no time limit.” Twilight was up first and used a simple levitation spell to move the bucket over the empty one and poured the water in. She used barely any magic since the spell was simple enough for a child to use.

Trixie decided to use the same technique, but used a bit more power than Twilight. It was Grey’s turn and the man put his wand in his sleeve. The man picked up the bucket with his hands and walked over to the other before pouring the water out.

“Cheater!” Trixie yelled.

“How? The rules were to use the least amount of magic possible, so I didn’t use any.” He grinned. Celestia gave him a nod and made the buckets vanish.

“Okay last one.” Celestia said. Her hands glowed as a rock the size of a dinner plate appeared before them. “I want you all to levitate this rock for as long as you can.” A purple aura shot out of Twilight’s wand and levitated the rock five feet off the floor. Near the two minute mark Twilight felt sweat forming on her brow and let the rock fall at three minutes twenty-five seconds.

Trixie managed to keep it up for four minutes before losing concentration. Grey looked at the rock and sighed. Gray aura wrapped around the rock and levitated it at the same height. He held it up for four minutes until he let the stone fall. Twilight’s right eyelid twitched and Trixie’s eyes burned holes through the man. 

“We good?” Discord asked with a sly grin.

“Y-yes. You three are free to leave.” Luna said with a nod. The three students made their way out of the room and back towards the surface. Discord looked at the two Princesses and smirked.

“Well?”

“The child certainly is talented.” Luna stated. “We cannot believe that he was rejected.”

“You know how most of those testers are.” Celestia said. Discord looked like he was waiting for an answer. “The child can stay.” The man grinned. “I still cannot shake this feeling that he’s hiding something.”

“Oh come now Tia. We all have our secrets.” The chaos lord said as he vanished in a flash of light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grey and Eris only had one more class that day. One that Grey was highly interested in. Advanced Magic Studies. As he entered the class he saw Trixie who shot him a dirty look and Twilight who waved him over. As soon as he sat down the interrogation began.

“How did you do all that stuff?” Twilight asked in flabbergasted tone.

“Magic.” He said in a flat tone. “Thought that was obvious.” Twilight frowned. “I know how to use my magic to the best of my ability. All there is too it.”

“How many spells do you know?” 

“Don’t know. A dozen I guess.”

“That few?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, but those few I can perform with my eyes closed and I’ve managed to warp them to a degree.” The two stopped talking as the door opened and a woman with pink wings and donning a pink jacket with tri-colored hair. Twilight smiled and tried to control her excitement. 

“Afternoon everyone. I am Professor Cadenza, but you can call me Cadence.” She smiled. Grey found out that Twilight was Cadence’s sister in law and saw them do an odd gig when they thought they were alone. He stored it in his memory and made a mental note to show the girls later. 

As he walked into the dorm room he saw that most of the furniture was floating eight feet off the ground. Grey looked up at the couch and saw Eris lying on her back with her legs crossed over one another.

“Sup roomie? Thought I’d do some redecorating.”

“Whatever makes you feel comfortable.” He shrugged as he went off to his room. The man froze as he saw that his bed and desk were now upside down and stuck to the ceiling. Grey face palmed and he heard Eris chuckle. The man walked back out towards Eris and looked up at the floating couch. “Mind coming down so we can talk?”

“Don’t feel like it.”

“Fine. Then I’m coming up.” Eris looked over the edge to see a magical gray chain with a hook on the end shoot from his right hand and sink into the couch. The man was then pulled by the chain and he found himself on the other end of the couch.

“Not bad.”

“Look Eris, I get that you’re a chaotic being and all that you need your space. Everyone does. Even me.” The man stated as he adverted his eyes. The girl was still lying on her back and if Grey tried to look her in the eyes he would be able to see up her skirt. “So let’s just get a couple of ground rules.” 

“Boring.” Eris blurted out.

“Only a few and ones that benefit us both.” The girl ignored the man. “One, in the dorm you have free reign. Except for the bathroom, kitchen and my room. Sound fair? Neither of us want to mess with the stove or bathroom due to it’s use and the possibility of blowing us and every thing within a two hundred foot radius up.”

“Fine.” The girl grunted.

“Two, if we’re entertaining guests then tone down the chaos. I don’t wanna get kicked out due to holes opening up in space and time.”

“Buzz killer.” The girl pouted.

“Look it’s only common sense and-”

“I’m gonna stop ya right there.” Eris said as she help up a finger. “First off, don’t tell me what to do, or else. Second, the only reason why you’re putting up with me is because ‘dear old dad’ is paying you.”

“I’ll admit it’s a valid reason.” Grey stated. 

“Third, don’t try the whole buddy, buddy crap on me. Cause it ain’t gonna work.”

“Fine Ms. Optimistic.” The man stated. “Just don’t go all ‘Chaos Overlord’ on me.” The girl frowned and let out a growl. “Daww~ You’re adorable when you try to be threatening.” Grey said in a baby like voice. Eris clenched her teeth and tackled the man on the couch. The break in concentration also made the furniture slam down on the floor.

Grey was then staring into the red eyes of death as the girl pinned his arms over his head. The girl pressed her forehead against his and she stared back into his grey eyes.

“Call me that again and you’ll spend the rest of your life as a goat.” The door suddenly flung open to show Twilight.

“What was that noise I-” She froze on the spot as she saw Eris on top of Grey. It only took a second for the chaotic girl to think of a scheme. Eris threw her head back and let out a small moan.

“Told you that no condoms were better.” Grey frowned as Twilight’s face turned red and slammed the door shut.

“Mind getting off me?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Eris then saw something in the man’s coat pocket. In Grey’s squirming the small amulet fell out. Like a cat to a garden hose the girl jumped back and let out a small screech. “Where did you get that thing?” She yelled.

“Your old man gave it to me as a precaution.” Grey said as he held it up. “I’m told this will temporarily disrupt your powers. That true?”

“Yeah!” She hissed.

“Okay, so I won’t use this so long as you don’t give me a reason to, deal?” Eris bit her lip and grunted. “Well?”

“Fine.”

“Good and on another matter, if you take someone up here for some under the cover action then let me know ahead of time and hang something on the door so I don’t see anything I can’t un-see.” Grey then pulled out one of those take out menus that restaurants put on door handles. Eris chuckled at the name. ‘Master Wang’s Griffonian Take Out.’ “Needless to say the title says it all.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She waved off.

“Good, then if you’ll excuse me I have homework to do.” The man said as he went off to his room and opened his book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hours later Grey made his way back down into town donning a blue T shirt and a pair of worn out jeans. The small city was more lively than when he saw it during the day time. He walked inside the building and saw that the interior was dark and there was a turn table on the stage. There was also a bar and a dance floor. Grey then saw the girl levitating a few records beside the turn tables.

“Hey dude.” Vinyl said with a smile. “You’re early. Place doesn’t open up for another,” She checked her watch. “forty-five minutes.”

“Figured I should know what to do before I start working.”

“Good point.” She waved her white wand and the boxes were placed beside the turn table. “Dumb question, you ever been in a fight?”

“I’ve had to fight my way out of a few bad situations.” Vinyl grinned. “Expecting trouble?”

“Not really, you’re gonna chaperone this place.”

“Chaperone?”

“Make sure everything’s running smoothly, keep the drinks going, keep the idiots out, make sure everyone is having a good time.”

“So I’m a bouncer?”

“Pretty much.”

“How will I know who to and who not to let in?” Vinyl gave him a clip board with two pieces of paper on it. One was blue while the other was red.

“If their names are on the blue then let em in, if red turn em away.”

“What if they’re not on the list?” 

“I’ll leave them up to you. You seem like a good judge of character.”

“Am I the only one working here?”

“Nah, I got a few other guys. You’ll each take turns, but since you’re the new guy you have door duty all night.”

“Thanks boss.” He said in a sarcastic tone. “By the way, how much is the pay?”

“I’d say twenty bits an hour.” Grey’s jaw hit the floor. The highest paying job he worked while in Canterlot was seven bits an hour. Vinyl then pulled out a box with a black T-shirt that had ‘The Place’ written on the back of it. There was also a pair of black pants and matching belt. “I’m not a stickler about uniforms, but this is just so they know that you’re working security. At least until people get use to ya.” Crank took the box and went into the bathroom to change. Once out he looked at himself in the mirror. The shirt clung to his body, he wasn’t as fit as some of the guys he had seen around campus, but was more on the lean and spry side. 

Grey heard a knock at the door and opened it to see Pinkie with a smile on her face. 

“Hey!” She smiled.

“Hey Pinkie, what are you doing here?” He asked as he leaned against the doorway.

“I’m here for the party duh!” 

“We’re not even opened yet and I gotta check the list.” Grey pulled out the clipboard and scanned it twice. Sorry Pinkie but I don’t see-” A slender pink polished nail then pointed to a footnote at the bottom of the page.

‘Pinkie Pie is always welcome.’  The message was a bit sloppy but still readable. “My bad Pinkie, c’mon on in.” He said as he opened the door for her. Vinyl was still organizing records.

“Hey Pinks. First one here I see.” She chuckled.

“You bet!” She chimed. Grey grabbed some of those red aisle way ropes people set up around walkways and stood outside as the first batch of people showed up. Most of them were girls and were on the list. Rainbow, AJ and Rarity soon showed up and Grey let them inside. As the night went on the tiny place started to fill up and Grey was introduced to the other two guards, a hulking flyer with tiny white wings named Bulk Biceps and another flyer with dark wings and a white mohawk named Thunderlane.

Pinkie would occasionally brink him out a drink which he thanked her for. Soon two women, that were most likely twins approached him. The only difference was their hair. One was light blue while the other was a bright pink.

“Evening ladies.” He smiled. 

“We heard that this is the hottest joint in the city.” The blue haired one said.

“Might be true, but were at capacity.” Grey said keeping a straight face. Both sisters then gave him pouting faces. 

“Oh please.” One of them whined.

“Sorry ladies.” The two sisters looked at one another and they nodded. The twins took a step back and pulled up the bottom of their shirts. They were identical down to their belly buttons and nether of them were wearing bras. The people waiting in a line were awe struck as Grey kept a straight face. After the two had put their shirts down, Grey stepped aside and opened the door for them.

“Enjoy your evening ladies.” He said with a smirk. The blue haired one blew him a kiss as she went inside.

Best. Job. Ever. He thought with a grin. A little while later he felt a tapping on his shoulder.

“Hey new guy!” Grey turned around to see Thunderlane. 

“Need something?”

“Yeah, that.” Thunder pointed towards the crowd. It was hard to make out with the people dancing and the strobe light, but Grey could just make out a the gray winged man he saw earlier that day. “Time to earn your stripes rook.”

“You’ll watch the door?” Thunder nodded as Grey made his way up to the man. Grey could see that he was drunk and was giving the twins trouble.

“Ugh, beat it creep.” The blue haired one said as she pushed him away.

“Oh come on baby.” He said in a drunken tone. Grey tapped the man on the shoulder.

“There a problem here?” Grey asked as he narrowed his eyes. 

“None of your business twerp.” 

“Well, from what I’ve seen you’re harassing these two young ladies here. So I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.” The drunken flyer chuckled and quickly slammed his fist into Grey’s cheek. Despite the force, Grey stood his ground and looked back at the flyer. He felt blood slide from the corner of his mouth. 

Grey heard the music stop and felt everyone’s eyes fall on him. “Heh, not bad.” Grey said as he wiped the blood off his face. “Haven’t met someone who can draw blood with just their fist in a while.” The flyer then tried to land another punch. It connected with the man’s stomach and grey clenched his teeth as the flyer came around for another one. Grey dodged the blow and delivered a few quick jabs to the flyer’s chest. Grey then saw the flyer grunt and swing at him.

This time Grey caught the fist and forced it to the left as he brought his knee into the man’s gut. He heard the man cough and most likely throw up his drink. “I just got this uniform ass hole!” Grey saw the man’s leg come up for a kick. The steel eyed mage back flipped out of the way and landed on his feet. He dug his feet into the floor and rushed his magic to his right hand.

The flyer only saw a blur before something hard connected with his face. The force from the man’s fist sent him flying back. “Thunder, incoming!” Thunder opened the doors just in time for the drunk to be thrown out into the street. Grey made his way out and looked at the flyer who was on his knees, hurling up the rest of his drinks. “Don’t come back here again. Got it?” Grey said as he cracked his knuckles.

Endzone cursed at him and took flight, only to fly into a nearby mailbox. Grey and Thunder chuckled as he drunkenly limped away from the club. Grey and Thunder walked back into the club to hear cheering. “And that, ladies and gentlemen is how we do it.” Dash, Pinkie, Applejack and Vinyl then walked up to him.

“You okay dude?” Vinyl asked. 

“I’be okay after I rest a bit.” He said as he rubbed his side and held back a few whimpers. Grey could feel the bruises forming and grunted.

“That was awesome!” Dash yelled. “About time jerk got what was coming to him.”

“I take it that you know him?” He said with a pant. 

“He went to flight camp with Shy and I.” The flyer growled. “Always was an ass.” Grey nodded and turned to Vinyl.

“So what's next boss?”

“I think you’ve earned the rest of the night off.” She smiled.

“You sure? I can keep going.”

“Nah, this place is winding down anyway.” Grey nodded and saw several people starting to leave. Grey got changed back into his street clothes and made his way back up to the school. He didn’t see anyone on the way back and figured that they were already back in their rooms. The man saw that the front gate to the school was closed and a security guard was at the booth. Grey walked up to the booth and tapped on the window. The man stirred awake and looked at Grey.

“Hey why’s the gate closed?”

“Curfew. Any student caught outside after curfew gets disciplined.” The man said as he reached for the phone. “But my rule is that everyone gets one. Some get more than one, but everyone gets at least one.” The man said as he opened up the gate.

“Thanks.” Grey said.

“Yeah, just don’t do it again.” Grey nodded and quickly made his way back to his room. The man opened the door to see Eris in front of the TV playing with her new Xbox One. 

“Where the hell have you been?” She asked not looking away from the screen.

“Nice to see you too Eris.” He said with a sigh. The girl looked at him and saw the bruise on his face.

“What happened to you?”

“Got a job as a bouncer, got flashed by two of the hottest twins I’ve ever seen and beat the crap out of a party crasher.” He said in a flat tone. “What about you? How was your first day?”

“Um...beat my record on Titanfall.” She said with smile.

“Exciting.” He said in a sarcastic tone. The girl let out a low pitched growl. “Well, I’m off to bed. Don’t stay up too late Eri.” The man ducked inside his room just in time to avoid a yellow bolt of magic. The man quickly changed into a pair of sweat pants and hoped down onto his bed. "One day down, only a million to go." He siad as he snapped his fingers and the light shut off.
> Chapter 4: The Chase
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter IV

The Chase


The next week went by quickly and it was now the weekend. Grey got up early to see that Eris was sprawled out on the couch, with controller in hand. The man rolled his eyes and turned the TV off. The man grabbed a set of clothes and hoped in the shower. His bruises were still on his chest from his fight with Endzone. Rarity had remembered a spell to hide the ones on his face but he opted to let them be. He had learned that the twins’ names were Aloe and Lotus and that they both ran the local spa located a few blocks away from the nightclub.

The man let the warm water wake up his still aching body and ran a hand through his messy black hair and wiped the water out of his eyes. He slipped on a dark brown T-shirt and a pair of tan pants that he had bought from Rarity’s boutique. After he got out of the shower he saw that Eris was stirring and was now sitting upright and rubbing her eyes.

“Well, look whose up.” He said as he made his way towards his room. 

“Meh.” She said with a groan.

“Someone isn’t a morning person.” He chuckled. Eris responded by throwing a pillow at him as he closed the door to his room. A few minutes later the man came back out and started to make some coffee and grabbed a bowl of Celestia O’s. Eris sat back and started watching the news as Grey put his bowl in the sink and made is way towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Gonna hit the town.” Eris then got to her feet and snapped her fingers. She was donning a yellow T-shirt and a pair of brown pants that matched her boots. “I’m going to assume that you wanna come along?”

“Duh.” The girl said as she rolled her eyes.

“Fine, just be on your best behavior.”

“Yes, dad.” She said in a long drawn out tone. The man quickly grabbed the amulet and the two made their way out of the building and headed into the city below. The streets were bustling with people and cars. The two made their way into several stores and Eris bought a few more pieces of clothing. Grey sat in silence as he waited for Eris to come out of the changing room. 

“How do I look?” Grey’s eyes shrank as the woman was sporting a brown and yellow striped bikini that barely covered her well toned body. The swim suit was more like two triangles that were too small for her. Grey felt his face turn red and he adverted his eyes. 

“You look nice.” He said with a gulp. Eris grinned and teleported onto the man’s lap so that she was facing the man forward. Grey blushed harder as he felt the woman’s ample breasts rub against his chest. “Eris! What are you doing?”

“You are just too easy to mess with.” She giggled as she got to her feet and went back in to the changing room. Grey grumbled and managed to make his blush go away. The chaotic being then came back out wearing what she came in with. The man sighed and the two made their way to the check out. Bags in tow, the two headed back out into the busy streets. Soon the girl started whining.

“What now?”

“I’m tired.” She complained. “Carry me.” Grey looked at the girl with an ‘are you kidding me?’ look.

“Do I look like a taxi?” The woman grinned and raised her hands in a snapping motion. Grey grabbed them and shook his head. “Don’t even try.”

“Fine, I’m heading back then.”

“Make yourself useful and bring your stuff back.” He said as he handed her the bags. The girl stuck her tongue out at him before vanishing in a flash of yellow light. The man sighed and continued to make his way through the crowd. The man browsed a few more shops until he came to an alchemy store. When Grey walked inside he could smell the herbal essence that lingered in the air. He browsed the shop and saw several ingredients that he saw in the spell book he had.

“Something catch your eye lad?” Grey turned to see a burly man with a thick brown beard and was sporting a smock. 

“Just browsing. You have a lot to offer.”

“Trust me boy, you won’t find most of these things anywhere else.” He said with a chuckle. Grey continued to look around and picked out a few different things. As he was paying he learned that the man’s name was Elixir and he got his ingredients imported from Zebreka, Draconia and other nations. Grey mentioned that his sister Rogue had dabbled in alchemy and taught him a few things about potion making. 

“Do you have a job kid?” The man asked.

“Kinda, but it’s only at night.”

“Looking for another day job?” Grey smirked and gave a nod. “Good, we open up at eight sharp and work till three. Ya get weekends off.”

“Sounds good. See you on Monday.” Grey said as he paid the man and waved goodbye. The man hired a grey winged messenger with off center golden eyes to drop his stuff off at his dorm. Somehow he felt uneasy about his decision, but shrugged it off as he made his way through the streets.

“Hey!” Grey heard a gruff voice say. Grey turned towards the noise to see Endzone and two other fliers. One had caramel wings and easily stood a foot taller than Grey. The other was far more muscular than the other two.

“Um, need something?” Grey asked. Endzone cracked his knuckles and smirked.

“Yeah, payback.” The flier swung at the mage. grey jumped back and weighed his options. No way could he take all three of them in a straight up fight without the local populace getting caught in the crossfire. Leaving him one alternative. Like bullet, the man took off in the opposite direction and weaved through the crowd. He heard the three thugs take flight and give chase. 

Grey could feel one of them closing in on him and he dove through the nearest stand. As he landed he heard a loud crashing noise and saw the brown winged man struggling to get free from the hot dog cart. 

“One down.” He spied the other two rocketing towards him and was back to running. He ducked out of the crowd and opted for the tight alleyways. As he ran down he heard one of the pursuers gaining speed. Grey gulped when he saw that the way ahead lead straight to a brick wall.

“Got you now!” The light winged man chuckled. Grey stood his ground and waited until the last possible moment to backflip off the wall and sent the thug into a few trash cans that were once behind him. Grey looked back and chuckled as he saw the can get a perfect imprint of the thug’s face.

“Two down,” He said as he ran out of the alley and saw Endzone. “one to go.” The man took his wand out and ran towards the nearest wall. With a wave of his wand he lumped onto the side and he ran up the side as though it were the ground. The mage made it to the roof and didn’t stop running. Endzone thought he had him when he reached a twenty foot gap between the buildings.

Grey turned around and smirked. The flier put all his strength into his wings and charged towards the mage. Grey casually stepped off the edge. Endzone looked down as he passed over the gap and saw the man standing on the wall flipping him the bird. Endzone looked ahead and saw a cloths line with sheets drying in the sun. The man tried to stop but had built up too much speed and barreled into it. As he ripped the sheets off his face he slammed right into a door leading down into the building.

The wooden door splintered and the flier fell down the flight of stairs leading to the main rooms of the building. Grey hurried over to the door and heard groans of pain. He quickly mad himself scarce and made his way back down to street level. He saw the bruised thug meet up with the other two and quickly blended into the crowd. As the three were scanning the crowd he accidentally bumped into someone.

The man looked down to see the indigo haired scholar donning a lavender blouse with tan pants. “Sorry about that Twilight.” He said as he helped her up. 

“It’s okay. I was actually looking for you.” Grey scanned the area and saw the thugs spreading out in their search. “How did you last so long with the levitation test?”

“Um, can we talk about this later?” He said as he saw the three getting closer.

“No, I want an answer.” She said with a frown. Grey could feel the three getting closer. He needed a diversion, or at least something that would hide him. Leaving no other option, the man grabbed the back of the scholar’s head and pressed his lips against hers. He saw the girl’s cheeks turn bright red and her eyes shrink to pin tips. He then scanned the crowd and saw the three pass them. Once they were far enough away he released the embrace. 

“Thanks for that Twi, now what did you want to ask?” Twilight was frozen on the spot and Grey waved his hand in front of her face. “Hello? Anyone in there?” 

Did I break her? After multiple attempts of trying to snap the scholar out of the comatose state he went on his way. How many minutes passed? Five? Ten? Twenty? Time ceased to exist in the scholar’s mind. Soon the other five girls saw their friend standing in place with a shocked look on her face.  

“Hey Twilight, you okay?” Pinkie asked as she made a series of funny faces.

“I got this.” Dash said as she put her finger in her mouth. She took the salivated finger and stuck it in Twilight’s ear. The wet substance snapped Twilight out of the trance and she glared at they cyan winged flier.

“Rainbow! You know I hate that!”

“And she’s back!” Dash said with a chuckle.

“What happened sugar cube? Ya looked like you just saw a library being torched.” The farmer said. The memory of the kiss then came back to the scholar and her face grew bright red with rage an embarrassment.

“I’m gonna kill him!” Twilight yelled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half an our later the man was making his way through the markets and was browsing the different shops. He stopped in front of a street band and listened to their music. 

“There he is!” Grey looked behind him to see Rainbow and the other girls charging at him. 

“Here we go again, but first.” He whispered to one of the band members and gave him a few bits before hightailing it as the music played. He waved his wand and he ran up the side of a building.  While five of the girls watched motionless, Rainbow charged after him. Grey knew that he would lose when it came to speed. After jumping across a few rooftops he made his way back down onto street level and went for the tight alleyways. 

Grey gulped when he saw that the alleyway led to a another dead end. “Not again!” He said as he turned around to see the flyer cracked her knuckles. 

Find a way out of this!

Okay she’s flyer so I wonder if-

You honestly think she’ll fall for that?

Worth a shot. Grey threw on his best shocked face and pointed over the girl’s shoulder.

“Oh my gosh! The Wonderbolts!”

“Where?” Dash yelled as she spun around.

Wow, I can hear the wind tunnel. Grey thought as he ran up the wall and got ran like hell away from the girl. He dropped into the next alleyway and hid ins the dumpster as he heard her fly over head. He waited a few more minutes and went back onto the street. 

“Stop right there ruffian!” He heard a refined voice yell. He looked behind to see rarity with a scowl on her face. The man looked for cover and ran into a clothing store with the fashionista in hot pursuit. Rarity was on his trail and passed three mannequins wearing men’s street clothes. She searched in almost every section of the shop. After spending a good hour searching she decided to do some shopping. She didn’t even notice that there were now only two mannequins at the store front.

Grey took a moment to breath and stealthily made his way to the edge of the town. He then saw a familiar pink chef and yellow winged animal lover. Luckily he was right by the zoo and knew he could lose them in there. After a good twenty minutes he managed to lose them when they passed the petting zoo section that was featuring baby goats.

“Too easy.” He said as he started to pant. He then felt something wrap around his chest and tighten. “Or not.” He looked behind him to see AJ holding the other end of the rope he was now tied with.

“Nice try partner.” Grey gulped and tapped his wand. A sharp stone shot up from the ground and cut the rope. The man then charged into the nearest building with the farmer hot on his heels he climbed the flights of stairs like a mad man. As all things do, the stairs came to an end and he was easily eight stories up. The door behind him burst open and showed an out of breath farmer with rope in hand.

“Sorry sugar cube, but ya got nowhere left to run.” She said as a ticked off Rainbow Dash landed beside her. Grey backed up to the edge and gulped. Something caught his eyes on the street. He smirked and hoped up on the edge. “What in the hay are you-”

“Exit stage left!” He yelled as he jumped off. As he sped towards the ground he pulled out his wand and aimed for the man hole cover. He moved it aside and went down the hole. Grey then slowed himself and caught the ladder leading down to the rank depths. The man waved his and the man hole closed over him. The man waved his wand a protective barrier blanketed his body so that the sludge from the sewers wouldn’t get on him. 

After spending two hours of walking below the street he decided that he’d given his pursuers the slip. He came up the nearest man hole and sighed. He was on the edge of the city water treatment facility and sighed in relief.

“Ahem.” The man froze as he felt a want tip press against the back of his neck. “Try to reach for your wand and I’ll turn you into a frog.” The voice of the scholar was deadly serious.

“How did you find me?”

“I was walking around and see you pop out of a man hole. Which pocket is your wand in?”

“Front right.” The scholar reached around and dove her hand into his pocket. “Watch the goods.” Twilight frowned and took the wand out. “I’ll be wanting that back.”

“You’ll get it back. Where you’ll get it is a different story.” Grey turned around to see the purple eyes of death.

“Geez what’s with the hostility and why did you send your goon squad after me?” 	

“Do you seriously not remember your little display in the middle of town?” The woman yelled.

“Look call your attack dogs off and I’ll answer any questions you have.” Twilight squinted her eyes at the man. “Gentleman’s agreement.” He said as he stuck his hand out. Twilight shook it and pulled out her handbook and opened up a conference call.

“Girls call off the search. I’ve got him.”

“Be careful Twi, he’s a slippery little bugger.” The farmer said. Twilight closed the book and looked back at Grey.

“Why in the name of the Creator did you kiss me?” The scholar asked.

“Would you believe me if I tell you that you’re pretty?” Twilight’s face flushed red and frowned.

“No.”

“Sounds like you have some self esteem-” He was cut off as a purple bolt shot over his head and hit a nearby frog that changed into an orange. 

“Answer. Now.”

“Okay, okay geez.” Grey said with a sigh. “Did you hear about the fight I got into with Endzone last week?”

“I think Pinkie and Rainbow mentioned it. Why?”

“Well, Endzone and his two goons tried to jump me. After giving them the slip I tried to blend into the crowd. That’s when I ran into you.” Twilight nodded. “I was going to go on my way but you wouldn’t let me go so I needed to elude them.”

“By kissing me?”

“It worked in the Bond movies!” He stated. “Look I’m sorry okay.”

“I could have you kicked out of school for sexual harassment.”

“Oh come on!” He whined. The man then heard a loud growl come from the girl’s stomach. Twilight blushed as Grey grinned. “How about I pay for lunch? I know I could use something after being chased twice today.” Twilight frowned at the man. “You said you had questions for me right?”

“Will you run away?”

“From you? No. Endzone and his thugs, maybe.”

“Fine, but I’m holding on to this.” She said as she held up the red wand.

“Deal.” Grey said as the two made their way back into town. They stopped at a deli and took a booth. Grey ordered a bowl of noodles with beef in the soup. Twilight settled for some chicken soup. “Okay so what do you want to know?”

“Well just to clear the air, what did I walk in on last week?”

“I’m not following.” The girl’s face went a shade of red.

“When I saw Eris on top of you and she-”

“That was just Eris messing with you. Nothing happened.” Twilight sighed and relaxed her position.

“How did you last so long with that test Celestia gave us.?”

“Twilight, I worked on a construction crew where I had to spend forty-five minutes at a time levitating I-beams while the welders did their thing. So levitating a twenty-five pound boulder is easy as hell. Only reason I stopped was because my arm was getting tired and I had better things to do.” He said as their food arrived. 

“What part of Canterlot are you from?”

“I’m from below the Osiris.” Twilight gulped. She had heard from her brother that it was the slums that were mostly filled with thieves and degenerates. “I know what you’re thinking, but not everyone from there is a criminal.” 

“Like you?”

“I’m no saint. Nobody is, but there are good people there, like my siblings.”

“How many?”

“Four brothers and four sisters.” Grey reached into his wallet and pulled out a picture of him and his family. Twilight looked at the photo and raised an eyebrow at the Changelings and the girl with batwings. 

“Two of them are Changelings and another has bat wings.”

“So what? Who said you have to be blood related to be a family and before you go all ‘they attacked Canterlot’ on me, Dusk and Rogue had absolutely nothing to do with that. They were in Canterlot years before Chrysalis showed up and royally fucked things up for Changelings everywhere.” Twilight still had a skeptical look on her face. “They helped me fight off the invading forces in the Southern district.”

“Did they get blasted away?”

“No, they can thank me for that. I managed t magically tether them to the ground. Sure they got a broken ankle but better than being blown out of a city. Besides Rouge is a nurse.” He pointed to the female Changeling.

“Really?”

“Well, trying to become one. She makes homemade remedies and is skilled in alchemy. She’s been trying to get a job in a clinic, but a lot of people are biased towards Changelings. Hell even Dusk is having issues at the Forge.”

“What about the one with batwings?”

“Midnight? She’s a kick boxer.” He said with a shiver. “Trust me you don’t wanna piss her off. I’ve seen her knock out a horse with one punch.” The scholar gulped. 

“Who taught you magic?”

“I’m self taught.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “I’m the only one in the family who can use magic.”

“What about the Chan-” Grey frowned. “Dusk and Rouge. Can’t they use magic?”

“To a degree, but Changeling magic is extremely different then the magic you and I use.”

“Still, someone must have taught you something.”

“Nope, I’m my own teacher.” Grey decided to leave the out spell book of the conversation due to Twilight would stop at nothing to read it. “I may have picked a few tricks up from some books and a friend of mine, but I taught myself for the most part.” 

“Interesting. What about your mom?” Twilight asked as she pointed to Willow in the picture. 

“That’s not my mom. That’s Willow Newhope, she runs the orphanage, but she’s the closest thing to a mother the others and I have. I haven’t the faintest idea who my real parents are.” Twilight gulped. “Relax Twilight, Willow did an excellent job of raising all of us.” He said as he took a sip from his water. 

“What about your wand?” Twilight asked as she pulled out the red wand.

“That is a mystery as well.” He said as he took the wand and balanced it in his hand. “My so called father left it for me. Granted I didn’t get it until a few weeks ago.”

“How does that work?”

“Willow said that he left it with me when he put me on her doorstep. It was locked in a box by some sort of magic, the letter that came with it said that it would open ‘when the time was right’ whatever that means.” He said as he waved the wand.

“Can I see it?” Grey shrugged and handed the wand to her. Twilight weighed it in her hand and waved it. “Kinda heavy. What’s it made of?”

“Some kind of wood from some forest. I don’t remember.”

“What about the core?”

“Core?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“At the center of every wand there is a power source or a conduit that focuses the user’s magic and transforms it into spells.” She said as she looked at the man in confusion. “This is basic stuff.”

“Sorry, never really paid attention to that stuff.” He said as he took the wand back.

“Well, we can go and check. There’s a wand shop two buildings down.” Grey shrugged and paid for their meals. “By the way, how did you get away from the girls.”

“Tricked Rainbow with the ‘look theres the Wonderbolts’ play. Ditched Rarity in a clothing story by impersonating a mannequin, lead Pinkie and Fluttershy into a zoo and let the cute animals do the rest. Dash caught up with AJ and I jumped off a building down into the sewer system. I then came up to find myself at wand point.”  He said as he looked at Twilight.

“You jumped off a building?” Twilight said in shock.

“Relax I’m fine.” He said as they walked into the shop. The place was filled with different types of wands. The walls were stacked with different boxes and books. A man with wavy gray hair and a gray handlebar mustache was behind the desk at the far end. He was older, well into his sixties and was wearing a pair of half moon glasses and long dark brown robes.

The two approached the front desk and saw that the man was snoozing. Grey rang the bell on the desk and the man’s eyes snapped open. His vision was then filled by two young people and he toppled over in his chair. “Are you alright sir?” Grey asked as he helped the man up.

“Oh yes, I should be just fine.” He said as he got to his feet and cracked my back. “Name’s Birch Caduceus, now how can I help you today?”

“My friend here was wondering about wand cores.” Twilight said as she pointed towards Grey.

“Well, wand cores is what transmits a person’s magical energy into spells.”

“What are they made of?”

“Dragon bones, a feather from a Griffin all sorts of things.” He then extended his hand towards Twilight. “Ms. if you would be so kind as to let me see your wand?” Twilight nodded and pulled it out of her pocket. The man raised it to eye level and sniffed it. Grey and Twilight looked at one another in surprise. “White oak wood with a strand of Unicorn hair. Looks like Quill’s handy work.”

“Correct, Quill Sable made it.”

“As expected of my pupil.” He gave the wand back to Twilight. “Now you young man.” Grey pulled his wand out and handed it to the man. Birch performed the same test and scratched his chin. “Tell me lad, who made this wand?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Grey said. 

“Well, where did you buy it?”

“I didn’t.” Twilight and the man looked at him. “It was left for me by my father and before you ask I have no idea where he is or who he is.” Birch weighed the wand and tried casting a spell with the wand. The man then felt something shock his hand and he dropped the wand as he cursed.

“Wands enchanted to only work for you I suppose.” He said as he shook his hand. “Mind demonstrating?” Grey shrugged and picked up the wand. He pointed the wand at a stack of books and re-arranged them in a house formation. “Interesting.” He said as he scratched his chin. “What’s your name boy?”

“Grey, Grey Newhope.”

“Right, come with me lets check the records.” The older man lead Grey back behind the desk and into what looked like a business office. “Okay Grey, out with it.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Why didn’t you use your wand?”

“I just did.”

“I’ve been making wands since long before you were born. So I think I’m able to tell when someone uses one and when they don’t.” Grey bit his lip. The old man had seen through his facade. He only used the wand as a cover up. All he did was wave it and use his hands for magic like he always did. “Now I don’t know how you managed it, but I know that you use your hands for magic. Very impressive, especially for someone your age.”

Grey remained silent. “I’m not going to pry but I’m assuming that you don't want to use the wand because your mystery father left it for you hmm?”

“Correct.” Grey said as he looked down at the wand. Birch looked at the wand and saw the scribbles on the handle.

“I can say that whoever made this is a genius.” He said as he closely examined it. “You’re sure that you have no idea where it came from?”

“The letter that was left with it said that it was made from the core some tree in the Crimson forest.” The man rubbed his chin and thought.

“Name sounds familiar, but nothing comes to mind right now.” Grey sighed and pocketed the wand. “Look son, I may not know about people, but I know a lot about wands and this wand wants you to be it’s owner.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Wands tend to have a mind of their own or an intuition. That wand right there won’t have anyone else.” Grey looked at the stick and sighed. “It was literally made for you.” Grey looked at the wand and sighed. “Do what you want with it, but don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of your ambitions.” Grey grunted and quickly made his way out where Twilight was waiting for him.

“Well?”

“Couldn’t find out. Uses some weird wood and I don;t know what the core is.”

“We could ask Princess Celestia.” The scholar said as they walked out onto the street.

“Twilight I really don’t care what the thing is made out of, so long as it does what it’s supposed to do.” The girl frowned at him. “Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go make sure Eris didn’t turn our dorm into a war zone.” The man turned away and quickly made his way back towards the school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grey got to his door and heard the sounds of different animals coming from the other side. The man opened the door to see Eris inside a magic bubble quietly reading a magazine. On the other side of the bubble was a feline with white and purple fur that acted more like a mane. A dog with orange and blonde fur that was clutching a leather stetson in it’s teeth. A butter yellow rabbit that seemed to be cowering in the corner, a cyan parrot with technicolor tips was squawking and finally there was a pink chimp.

“Hey roomie.” Eris said with a wave.

“What the fuck is going on here?” He asked as the animals all approached him. They all started making their respective noises and Grey backed away. He took another look around the room and saw that there were five sets of clothes scattered around the room along with a net that had been cut open. “Eris what did you do?”

“Nothing.” She said in an innocent tone. Grey looked down at the dog who was growling at Eris.

“If you can understand me then bark once.” The dog sat and let out a bark. “Okay, are you Applejack?” Another bark confirmed what he already knew. “Who did this?” The dog got to its paws and pointed with its nose at the woman. “Turn them back now.”

“Nah, they got what was coming to them.” Eris said as she lowered the shield. “They set me up in some dumb booby trap, so this is their punishment.” As Grey walked towards the woman the amulet fell out of his pocket. The cat walked over to it and batted at it with it’s paw. Once it got within a few inches of the amulet the paw changed back into a hand.

Grey quickly picked up the amulet and pointed his wand at it. He funneled his magic through it and shot a beam at the cat. The group shielded their eyes from the light and saw that that fashionista was back to normal.

“Thank you Grey at least one of you is-” Rarity looked at Grey who’s face was now a deep red and he shielded his eyes. Eris, the bird, the dog and the chimp were on the floor laughing as the rabbit covered it’s eyes. “What are you all laughing at?” 

“Um Rarity.” Grey pointed to her and the fashionista looked down. She was completely naked. A shriek filled the room and he saw a blur rush into the bathroom. Grey shook his head and levitated Rarity’s clothing into the restroom. Grey only stuck the wand and amulet into the bathroom when the other girls were transformed back into their normal bodies. Rarity still didn’t look Grey in the eye and vice versa. Soon the girls were all back in their bodies and fully clothed.

“Now can someone tell me what the hell happened?”

“Well, after you gave us the slip we knew that you’d have to come back here eventually.” Dash said with a grunt. “So I snuck in and set a trap.”

“Only it caught me instead.” Eris spat out. 

“Then she goes and turns us into animals!” AJ yelled. 

“You looked better that way in my opinion.” The girls were about to pounce, but were stopped by the man.

“Enough!” Grey said with a groan. “Twilight told you all to back off, so laying that trap was uncalled for.” Eris stuck her tongue out at them. “And Eris, turning someone into an animal? Isn’t that going a bit too far?”

“A bit?” Dash yelled.

“Whatever.” The girl said as she teleported away. Grey face palmed and looked at the girls. Grey apologized to them and the five made their way back to their rooms. Grey went into Eris’s room and glared at the lounging chaos user as he stood in the doorway. 

“What?” The woman said as she looked at him.

“Don’t ‘what’ me. You can’t go changing people into animals like that!”

“Hey they started it.”

“I don’t care who started it!” The man calmed down and let out a breath. “I’ll keep quiet about this one, but only this one. Try anymore crap like that and I’ll take action.”

“I’m not scared of you.”

“You should be.” He said under his breath. “You may not be scared of me, but what about Discord, Celestia, Luna and Cadence? I doubt you could handle all of them jumping down your throat.” The girl snarled and shot a bolt of magic at the man. Grey slapped it way and pulled out the amulet, he charged his magi in it and a shockwave hit the girl who groaned. Before she could retaliate Grey was on her and he pinned her hands to the bed.

“Someone’s naughty.” She said with a coy smile. 

“Look here Eris, I don’t want to use this thing,” He gestured to the amulet. “but I will if you don’t behave. Now I want you to go and apologize to those girls right now.” Eris chuckled and wrapped her leg around Grey’s and flipped him so she was now on top of him. 

“You’re cute when you try to be serious.”The woman then leaned forward and rested on his chest. She rested her head on her hands and sighed. Grey then felt as though the woman weighed a ton and grunted. “Don’t feel like it. I think I’ll take a nap instead.” She said with a yawn.

“Eris!”

“Can’t hear you, I’m asleep.” The girl said as she nuzzled his chest. “Damn you’re comfy.” She smiled. Grey grunted and tried to lift the girl off him but she was too heavy. He moved his hands to her shoulder and was able to lift her halfway up. 

The man’s hands slipped and the woman fell back onto his body. Grey’s face felt like it was being shoved between two soft pillows. His face was bright red as he tried to breathe. “Hey at least buy me dinner first.” She said with a chuckle. Grey couldn’t move the woman nor breath as the heavy mounds blocked his nose and mouth. 

On his last breath Grey’s eyes shot open. They were glowing white with magic and Eris’s heavy body was propelled upwards. As air filled his lungs, Grey rolled off the bed as Eris came crashing down. The girl fell through her mattress, box spring and bed frame. The girl slowly got up and looked down at her broken bed. Grey growled and made his way into his own room.
> Chapter 5: The Dueling Team
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 5

The Dueling Team


Grey woke up the next morning with his alarm clock blazing. The man groaned and saw a slender reach over and hit the snooze button.

“Five more minutes.” A female voice said.

“Fine, but only five minutes.” Grey said as he closed his eyes. The man’s eyes then shot open and his gaze rolled over to his right side. The white haired woman was resting her head on his chest. “Fucking shit!” He yelled as he sat up. Grey scrambled and fell out of his bed. Eris sat up with the covers still on her and she giggled.

“What the actual fuck Eris?” He yelled.

“My bed is broken.” She said in pouting voice.

“So sleep on the couch. You practically use that as your bed anyway.” He said as he frowned. “Couldn’t you just use magic to repair your bed?”

“I did.”

“So why didn’t you sleep in it then?”

“And miss your reaction?” She said as she poked his nose.

“Just get dressed. We have class today.” 

“Fine.” As the woman stood up Grey saw that she was only wearing a pair of brown short-shorts and a golden T-shirt that clung to her form and stopped just above her belly button. Grey adverted his eyes and hid his blush. He quickly got dressed in his attire and waited for Eris to get ready. Soon the girl was ready and the two grabbed their books.

“Are you gay or something?” Grey looked at the girl in surprise.

“No, and why would you ask that?”

“Most guys like waking up to beautiful girl such as myself.” Eris then rested her chin on the man’s shoulder and blew on his ear. Grey’s face turned red and shook her free.

“I love the ladies, but lets think for a second here. You’re my roommate and my teacher’s daughter.”

“So?”

“How well do you think Discord, the god of chaos, destruction, and disharmony would react to that?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. “Besides you’re so not my type.” 

“You’re cute when you try to lie.” She giggled as they entered the classroom. That day Cherilee was teaching them about epic poetry. In gym they played dodgeball, much to Eris’s delight. She, Grey, AJ and Rainbow dominated the floor. The next challenge they faced was cooking. They started out by attempting a soufflé, but it soon collapsed. 

Grey then headed to his private lesson with Discord and the other Princesses. He made his way into the old room he met them several times before. As he walked in he saw that there was a table with a crystal ball sitting on a stand.

“Afternoon Grey.” Discord said with a grin. Grey gave Twilight a nod she smiled and Trixie turned away. Grey had gotten use to the performer’s cold shoulder and ignored it.

“What’s with the crystal ball?” 

“We are going to gauge your magic.” Luna said as she approached it.

“Again with the tests?” Trixie sighed.

“No, all you have to do is place your hand on it,” Celestia placed her palm on the top of the crystal ball. “and it will register what class you’re in.”

“Class?” Grey asked in confusion.

“Every mage is put in a class pending upon how much magical energy they possess.” The group saw the orb blink a yellow color and the infinity symbol showed. “Since Luna, Discord and myself aren’t your average mages we are considerably more powerful.” 

“The Great and Powerful Trixie shall go first.” The performer said as she cockily put her hand on the orb. It glowed a light blue color and the number seven appeared.

“Class seven. Above the average mage that’s for sure.” Discord said with a nod.

“Was there ever any doubt?” Twilight rolled her eyes and placed her hand on the crystal ball. It glowed a lavender color and the number nine appeared. Trixie gritted her teeth and Discord chuckled.

“Looks like Twilight outclasses you in that department.” Trixie shot a glare at the chaotic being. Grey walked up and put his hand on it. It turned gray and the number five showed up. Everyone raised an eyebrow. Twilight looked at the number and back at the man in confusion. The clone spell he demonstrated in class was easily a high ranking spell, but even Rarity was considered a class six mage.

“Ha! Trixie is superior!”

“Wouldn’t say that.” Grey said with a shrug.

“You are weaker than Trixie.”

“Yet I’m fairly certain I can beat your ass seven ways to Sunday.” Grey said with a cocky grin. Trixie pulled her wand out but was stopped as Luna raised her hand.

“Thou certainly does not lack confidence.” She said with a smile. 

“Care to put it to the test?” Trixie asked. 

“As enticing as that sounds, I’ll have to decline.” Grey said with a sigh. “I know the rules of the school and fighting on school grounds lands both students immediate expulsion and I like it here so no thanks.”

“You memorized the handbook?” Twilight asked.

“Yup.” He said as he brought out the doctored manual. Discord looked at it and saw that there were several sections highlighted.

“What are these?” Discord asked with a groan.

“Loopholes.” Grey chuckled. “Anyway, we have class. So we’d better get going.” The immortals looked at the clock and saw that the bell was about to ring. The three student made their way back to the main campus and Grey felt Trixie’s sharp glare on him. 

“You’re just scared that Trixie will be victorious.”

“You are the last person I’m scared of.” Trixie was about to shout but the three found themselves in the classroom. Cadence entered a few minutes later with a tall man with flowing blue shoulder length hair behind her. Grey also heard Twilight squee. Grey’s silver eyes sharpened. He knew the man from several posters and from his contacts descriptions. Standing before them was Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, Prince of the Crystal Empire and the soldier that was hailed as a natural when it came to magic even by his superior’s standards.

Several students were talking with one another at the sight of the guard who was wearing a dark blue suit and tie.

“Good afternoon class. I’m sure that you’re aware that we have a special guest today.” She said as she looked over at her husband.

“Afternoon everyone.” He smiled. A student raised her hand. “Yes?”

“What’s the captain of the royal guards this school?” She asked.

“Well, there are three Princesses here so they need the best protection. I’m also in charge of the school’s magical dueling team.”

“Dueling team?” 

“Yes, this school, along with the other magical schools have a dueling team that compete with one another for magical competition.” Several students were giddy with excitement. “If any of you wish to know more then there are tryouts tomorrow afternoon at three.” He smiled as he took a seat in the corner. Twilight gave him a wave and he nodded.

The students learned about several disarming spells and a few enchantments. The class soon came to an end and Grey soon made his way out of the door but heard Twilight call his name. Grey turned around to see the guard captain and the two girls smiling.

“Grey this is my big brother Shining Armor.” She smiled. Grey gave him a nod and continued on his way. Twilight raised an eyebrow and went after Grey only to find the hallway empty. 

The man arrived in front of his room and made his way inside. He saw Eris on her Xbox as usual.

“What’s-” Was all she got out as he stormed by her and went into his room and slammed the door. He sat on his bed and pulled out a decorated silver hand mirror. He tapped the center and a few pictures popped up on the shiny surface. He selected Midnight’s and waited a few moments before a video feed opened up to show the bat winged girl.

“Hey Grey.” Midnight said with a smile.

“Where’s Dusk and Rogue?” 

“Rogue is taking a shower and Dusk is still at work.” She said with a yawn. “Why?”

“Armor is here.” The woman’s spliced eyes shrank and she snarled. 

“Why?”

“His wife is teaching here and his sister is a student.” 

“Grey, if he finds out-”

“He won’t. I’ll make sure of that.” He said in a calm tone. “He’s running the dueling team here, figured I’d join.”

“Are you insane? If he finds that out then you’re good as dead!” She said in a worried tone.

“He’s not gonna find out. Just thought I’d let you know and pass it off to Dusk and Rogue.” The bat winged girl bit her lip and sighed. She knew there was no stopping him once he set out to do something.

“Just be careful.”

“You too. I’ll talk to you later.” The man set the mirror down and changed into his normal hangout clothes. The man spent the next forty-five minutes staring at his ceiling before rising to his feet. The man walked out of his dorm room for some reason was now set in a rock garden setting. He traveled down to the gym where he saw the dueling club sign up sheet. He quickly left his signature and went on his way. 

“You’re Grey right?” A voice called from behind. Grey turned to see the azure haired man standing in the doorway.

“Yeah. Figured I’d see if the dueling team was worth my time.” Even though he was standing twenty feet away, Shining felt the man’s eyes on him. It was as though he was looking down the barrels of two gun barrels getting ready to be fired. Grey continued on his way and went to the far end of the school where his clone was waiting for him. “How’d work go?”

“Good. Pay is ten bits an hour and payday is every two weeks.” Grey smiled and released the spell. The clone vanished in a flash of light and Grey felt the fatigue hit him like freight train. He stumbled once and made his way back to his dorm room. He saw that the rock garden was still there and he saw Eris in a kimono and her hair in a bun held up by a pair of chopsticks still playing her game.

“Sup roomie, thought I’d do some redecorating.” Eris grinned hoping to get a rile out of the man.

“A little culture now and then never hurt anyone.” He said as he kicked his shoes off and made his way to the restroom. Thankfully the bathroom remained unchanged. He walked out to see Eris raging over losing a match. Having trouble Princess?” He chuckled.

“Shut up. Like you could do any better.”

“Wanna bet?” Grey said with a smirk. Eris grinned and sat up.

“Fine. Loser has to do what the winner wants for the rest of the day.” They both spat into their hands and shook. Grey grabbed the spare controller and created his account. Eris booted up “Titanfall” and the two were thrust into the world of guns, parkour and giant robots. Eris started out strong by earning a double pilot kill. Grey managed to doom three titans before his was destroyed and he could have sworn he heard Dash yelling on the other end of his mic.

The two were neck and neck and the enemy was escaping in the drop ship. Grey raised his gun and managed to destroy the ship with three pilots inside giving him the top spot in the ranking. “NO!” Eris yelled as she clutched her controller. Grey sat back and grinned.

“I won.”

“No shit Starswirl.” The girl said as she laid on her back. “So what do you want to do with me master?” She asked in a sultry tone. She folded her legs and a bit of her kimono opened that showed some side boob. Grey rolled his eyes and looked at the girl who was biting her lip.

“Mind changing the scenery back? I don’t like getting sand in my shoes.” Eris frowned and snapped her fingers. The room the reverted back to its normal state. “Thank you. I now release you from your servitude.”

“What? That’s it?” Eris said in confusion.

“Yup.” He said as he stood up. Eris’s right eyebrow twitched and the gears in her mind stopped.

“Okay now I seriously think you’re gay.”

“I told you I’m not and what about you missy?”

“I’m the demigod of chaos. Why should I have to choose?” She said with a chuckle.

“So you swing both ways?”

“That a problem?” She asked with a frown.

“My older brother is a gay Changeling. So no, I don’t have a problem with it.” He said with a yawn. “Now if you’ll excuse me I need my rest. I’m going to kick so much ass tomorrow that my foot will probably break from the sheer quantity.”

“Mind if I watch? I love seeing cocky guys like you get their asses beat.” She grinned.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence Eri.” He said in a sarcastic tone. “Sleep in your own bed tonight.” Grey shut the door to his room and laid down to rest. Hours later he saw that Eris had gone to bed and he made sure the coast was clear. He made a clone and the copy got into bed. Grey opened the window and jumped out. He landed with a thump and quickly made his way away from the building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day went by swiftly and the student body all gathered in the gym where a small arena was set up. It ran the length of the gym and the width of the basketball court. There were magic barriers set up so that any spells that ricocheted Shining was checking names off the list and saw Grey among the applicants. Soon, the three headmasters arrived and took their seats. Shining walked into the center of the gym and held a microphone to his mouth.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the dueling club tryouts.” The students all cheered until the man raised his hand to silence the crowd. “The rules of the duel are simple. The students will duel one on one, first to be knocked out, give up or be pushed out of bounds loses. Also if I or any of the proctors see that a student is unable to continue then I will step in and stop the match.” The student all nodded. 

“Apologies in advanced, out of the thirty applicants that are here only ten will join the ranks with our senior members.” Grey saw several older looking students on the sidelines. One had long wavy blonde hair and was very refined looking. Grey had heard of him, Celestia’s nephew, Prince Blueblood. “We need student who can put up somewhat of a descent fight.” 

The applicants gave a nod and Shining called the first pair. “Grey Newhope and Comet Blast you two are up first.” Grey made his way onto the arena and saw a man with bright orange hair and a wand of the same color. Grey felt all eyes on him and the other man. The other applicants cleared the area and the two stood at opposite ends. “Ready?” The opponent took off his coat and pulled out his wand. Grey did the same and rolled up his sleeves. 

Shining saw that the man’s hands and forearms were wrapped in bandages. Discord raised an eyebrow at this as well but shrugged it off. “Begin!” At the words Grey started running towards the man with his wand at the ready. Comet let loose a barrage of spells at the man that Grey dodged with ease. Comet put up a large wall of magic to protect himself.

Grey pointed his wand at the floor and shot a spell into it. Comet heard a cracking noise and looked down to see a gray bolt come out of the ground and nail him in the gut. The shield dropped and Comet was hit with a levitation spell that suspended him in the air. As Grey got into proximity, he jumped up and landed a strong magic filled kick to the man’s side. Comet was sent flying to the edge of the arena and was tossed out. The buzzer blew and Grey helped Comet up. 

“Good match.” Grey said with a nod.

“Yeah.” The man said in a disappointed tone. He was helped off the arena by a nurse who started looking him over. Grey saw that his name had moved up on the board and was going to the second round. The crowd watched as the other students competed against one another and the students moved up in the ranking. Grey made it to the final round, but he was getting tired and had used up a large amount of his magic.

“It’s been an interesting afternoon everyone.” Shining said with a smile. “But now it’s time to end the tryouts. The final rounds will now start.” The crowd cheered. Grey panted and could feel that he was on his last leg. “Grey Newhope you’ll be facing off against Heatwave.” A man with orange and yellow hair stood up and made his way onto the floor. He stood a few inches taller than Grey and looked about a year older then him. Grey willed his body to go forth into the arena.

“Pal, you should really back down.” The man said as he raised an eyebrow. Grey stood tall and tightly gripped his wand. 

“I’m good to go.” Grey said as he panted. Shining raised an eyebrow and looked at his state. 

“Fine, but if things get too dicy then I’m stepping in.” Shining said as he looked at the two mages. “Begin.” Heat Wave raised his bright red wand and fired off several fire balls at the man. Grey ducked out of the way just in time but one caught him square on the right side of his face. He felt the fire burn his skin and winced at the pain. Grey fired a few bolts of his own but they were easily deflected by the fire mage.

The pyro focused a large amount of energy into his wand and a large fireball appeared before him. He launched the ball and Grey took the hit in his already damaged right arm. The match became a shooting gallery as the pyro wasn’t letting up on his assault. Grey was hit multiple times and he felt his body becoming even weaker.

“You’re a good mage Grey,” He said as the fireball doubled in size. “but this is where this fight ends.” The fireball was launched and Grey’s power was nearly gone. He was facing down the large fireball when an idea came to him. Grey stuck his wand forwards and held his ground. As the large fireball came into proximity, Grey channeled the last of his magic and wrapped a magical field around the fire ball and swung it around his body.

The large fireball played off the last of the man’s magic and turned into a gray fire ball. The large ball of fire rocketed back to the pyro who was stunned. He waved his wand and a large firewall appeared in front of him. The ball collided with the wall and the gray flames stared pushing the wall and mage back. 

The man’s shoes slid across the floor and he grunted in frustration. Heatwave gathered his magic and used the wall to disperse the large ball by splitting it in half. Heatwave got ready to shoot another fire blast but heard the whistle being blown.

“Grey Newhope is the victor.” Shining said.

“How?” Shining pointed down to the man’s feet and Heatwave saw that he was over the arena line. He looked over at Grey who was on his knee and panting heavily. “Well, I’ll be damned.” Grey stood up and cracked his back.

“Welcome to the Starswirl University Dueling Team.” Shining said with a smile. The crowd clapped and a few whistled. Grey gave him a nod and made his way back to his seat. The other nine members only managed to last until Shining called the match or they ran out of magic. Since they had made it to the final rounds they qualified for the team. They were each given a silver badge and a dueling uniform.

It was only a set of training armor that Grey had seen several guard trainees wear whenever they were doing drills. “Our first meeting is the day after tomorrow. So rest up and be prepared, the work starts then.” Shining chuckled. Grey and the other new members made their ways to their rooms. Grey walked into his room to see Eris with a magazine.

“Nice to see that you didn’t get killed.”

“You’re so sweet Eri.” He said in an annoyed tone.

“Aren’t I?” 

“Too tired to argue. Need sleep.” He said as he went to his room. The man threw his new clothes in a pile and laid on his bed. He saw his window open and a battered copy of himself enter. The copy looked like he had been run over by a truck. “How’d training go?” 

“Good. You look like shit.”

“No shit.” Grey said as he pointed his wand at the copy and the clone vanished. The man instantly regretted his decision and felt as though a manticore had used him as a chew toy. The man bit into his hand to keep himself from screaming from the sheer amount of pain. His right arm felt as though someone was going to rip it off. What did that idiot do?

What you would have done.

True. The man felt what was left of his strength leave him and succumbed to the darkness. 

The man’s eyes shot open hours later when he heard yelling coming from down the hallway. Both he and Eris got out of their rooms and poked their heads out of the hallway. They saw Rarity, AJ and the other members of the floor do the same. The noises were unsurprisingly coming from Twilight and Trixie’s room.

Grey’s exhaustion got the better of him and he slammed on the door. “Hey keep it down! People are trying to sleep!” He yelled in a volume that could rival Princes Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice. The door swung open to see a red eyed Twilight and an annoyed looking Trixie.

“I’m sorry Grey, we’re just having a little disagreement.” Twilight said in an apologetic tone.

“At three in the fucking morning?” He asked in a harsh tone.

“She started it!” Twilight said as she pointed at Trixie.

“I don’t care who started it! I’m finishing it!” Twilight raised an eyebrow as she saw some of his veins glow blue. Grey quickly covered them up and walked over to Eris. He whispered something in her ear and the chaotic being smiled. Eris teleported in front of the two girls and grabbed a corner of their mouths. In one swift motion Eris had ripped their mouths off like pieces of scotch tape only leaving smooth skin. Both girls felt their faces in shock and only made muffled noises.

“I think I’ll hold onto these till morning.” Grey said as he grabbed a small box and put the set of lips inside. He slammed the door shut and went back to his room. Eris looked at the man leave and saw that his right and left arm’s veins were glowing, before she could question him the man walked into his room and fell back to sleep on his bed.
> Chapter 6: Date Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 6 

Date Night


The next few days went by quickly and Grey adapted into dueling club. Heatwave, the man Grey had forced out of the ring was kind enough to show him the ropes. He and the other new members mostly trained with the basic deflection spells and offensive spells. Grey learned that Blueblood was the captain of the team and thought that he was the best out of them. Unfortunately for the silver eyed mage and the other students on his floor, Twilight and Trixie were still quarreling late into the night, but shut up when Eris or Grey arrived for their mouths’ sakes. 

Thankfully it was the weekend and the group could catch up on their much needed sleep. Grey had to meet with the team for drills at noon after he had practiced his own magic for a few hours. He met up with the pyromage and they started the exercises. Thankfully Grey had one of his clones doing his own personal training while he dealt with the team. 

“Hey Grey.” Heatwave said as he made a fireball.

“Sup?”

“You know Trixie right?”

“Unfortunately yes. She lives in the dorm next to mine.” He said as he shot another bolt of magic from his wand. “Why?”

“She single?” The question made the man mess up and the spell exploded as it left the wand tip.

“Oh you can’t be serious!”

“What? She’s hot.”

“Not to mention annoying as hell.” Grey said as he dusted himself off. “I’ve seen balloons that have less hot air in them then she does.”

“True, but she’s cute.”

“Okay. So?”

“Could you do me a solid and introduce me?” Grey looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and sighed.

“Fine. Your funeral.” Grey said as he continued to cast the spells. He then heard Shining blow the whistle and the team huddled in. 

“Okay guys, I just got word from Headmistress Celestia and we have our first match up against the Manehattan Blasters in a week.” The older member grunted at the name. “Now I don’t think I need to tell you what happened last time we went against them, but for those of you that don’t know-”

“They kicked our asses.” Another member said.

“Right, but this year will be different. We’ll win. I know it.” Shining said with a smirk. 

“So long as our fearless leader doesn’t drop the ball again.” Heatwave said in a hushed tone. Blueblood snarled at the comment and the group broke apart. 

“What did you mean by that?” Grey asked the pyro mage as they walked through the hallways.

“Last year Blueblood screwed up and we got our asses beat. Worse is that he blamed me for it and I got demoted.”

“Demoted?”

“I use to be the captain.” He sighed. “Blueblood was second in command and he didn’t like that very much.” 

“So he sabotaged you?”

“Yeah, I told the coach about it, but there was no proof.” He sighed. Soon the group called it a day and went to about their own activities. Grey walked into the dorm room to see Eris sitting on the couch and a pile of trash was sprawled across the floor. The heaps ranged from empty energy drink cans, bags of chips and so forth. 

“What the hell Eris? This place is a mess.” The man said as he made sure not to step on anything that looked breakable.

“Oh boo hoo. You said I had free reign here.”

“Yeah, but not to turn it into a toxic waste dump.” He said with a frown.

“Don’t like it, there’s the door.”

“Just clean this crap up.” The man said as he jumped on the couch. The girl continued to ignore him and frag player in some shooter game. “Okay Eris, what do you want?” The girl paused the game and grinned.

“What was that?”

“What do you want in return for you cleaning up your crap?”

“Take me out to dinner tonight and you’ve got a deal.” Grey blushed at the offer.

“What like a date?”

“Whatever blows your skirt up.” She chuckled. 

“So hop to it. I have to run some errands and I’ll be back by five o’clock . This place better be clean or no going out and have you apologized to the girls for making them a bunch of animals?”

“No, and why should I? They set me up!”

“And in return you turn them into a petting zoo?” The girl sighed and stood up. She snapped her fingers and she was in a maid outfit that was low cut and showed off her impressive curves.

“Fine, but I don’t do windows.” Grey rolled his eyes at the woman who bent over to shut off her X-box. The man’s face went bright red as he saw up her skirt and quickly turned away.

“Is the outfit really necessary?” He asked as he covered his eyes. Grey then heard the sound of magical discharge and felt something soft press against his chest. He opened his eyes and his face turned red as he saw the girl pressing her well sized breasts against him and having a lusty look on her face.

“You don’t approve,” The girl then tackled him to the ground and sat upright just above his crotch. “master?” She said in a soft tone. The man tried to speak, but felt a slender finger press against his lips. The finger then tapped him on the nose and the woman started laughing. “Oh man you are way too easy!”

“Any guy would have had the same reaction!” He yelled as he stood up. “Just get this crap cleaned up.”

“Sure, I’ll be looking forward to our date~” Before the man could react the door was slammed in his face and locked. The man sighed and quickly pushed the chaotic girl out of his head as he passed the school gates.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eris was sitting on the couch with a magazine in hand and was still in the outfit. The girl then heard a knock at the door.

“It’s open.” Eris said as she turned the page. The door opened to show the purple haired fashionista. Rarity was about to speak but froze in place when she saw the woman in the outfit. “Need something?” Eris asked.

“I was looking for Grey.”

“Not here.”

“Where’d he go?”

“Not sure. Said he’d be back around five.” Rarity’s eyes were still on the outfit. The two looked at the clock and saw it was around 4:50pm

“Might I inquire why you’re wearing such a risque outfit?” Eris looked down at herself and shrugged.

“I like to cosplay.” She snapped her fingers and her body was wrapped in a golden light. Her clothes shifted to brown boots, tan pants a white t-shirt and a brown vest. “Why do you need Grey?” 

“Oh I was going to have him model for a new line of suits I’m working on.” The two heard the door opening and saw the man enter. His white hoodie had several patches of dirt, mud and a few red stains. “Oh Grey there you-” Rarity stopped talking when she saw that his hands and forearms were covered in bandages that had spots of red on it. The man looked exhausted and like he had been in a fight with a bear.

“The fuck happened to you?” Eris asked as she got up and walked over to the man. 

“I’m Fine.” Rarity soon approached Grey and put her thumb and pointer finger on his chin and turned his head.

“You don’t look good darling.” She said in a worried tone. “What happened to you?”

“Just training.” He said with a weak smile. “Need something Rarity?”

“Oh I was wondering if you could model for a few suits I’m making.” She said as she cleared her throat.

“Sorry, Eris and I are heading to dinner soon.” Rarity looked at Eris who nodded. “Just give me a few minutes to get freshened up then we’ll leave.”

“Kay.” The man grabbed a fresh set of clothes and made his way into the bathroom along with a small vial with red pills. Rarity turned to leave and Eris heard the man’s voice in her head and groaned. “Hey Rarity.” The fashionista turned and looked at the chaotic being. “Sorry about the whole changing you guys into animals thing.” She said as she blew a piece of her hair out of her face.

Rarity thanked the girl for her apology and went back to her own room where Applejack was sitting on her bed with a letter from her family in hand.

“Howdy Rarity.” The farmer said with a smile. “What’s up?”

“I just heard that Grey and Eris are going on a date.” AJ set the letter down and looked at her friend.

“Say what now?” The farmer said in surprise. “No offense but that girl is crazier than Rainbow Dash when you mention the Wonderbolts.”

“I do admit that Eris is a bit...eccentric, but she’s not completely without reason.”

“Have ya gone soft in the head Rarity? She changed us all into animals.” The farmer pouted. 

“I’ll have you know that she just apologized to me for that incident.” AJ could see that her friend wasn’t lying. “I was thinking we should see how she acts in a more civilized manner.”

“Ya mean spy on their date.” The farmer raised an eyebrow as the fashionista who had sheepish grin on her face. “Might as well make sure she don’t turn Grey into a frog or-” The two then herd a loud scream come from the man’s room. The two girls raced out the door and went into the room to see Eris come out wearing a nice shirt and skirt. The other girls then followed in behind them. 

“What the hay was that?” Dash asked. Twilight and the others looked at Eris.

“What did you do to Grey?” Twilight asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“Nothing! I was getting dressed when I heard him yell.” The group then saw Trixie enter.

“What in the name of the moon was that? It is disturbing Trixie.” The showoff declared. The group heard a muffled yelp coming from the bathroom. Eris went up and knocked on the door.

“Are you okay Grey?”

“I’m. Fine.” He said in a hurt tone. The girl looked at one another in disbelief. Their eyes shrank as they saw a gray light coming from the doorway and a pulse of magic, accompanied by another groan of pain.

“That’s it!” The farmer said as she stepped forward. She raised her right leg and broke the door down with a strong kick. A gust of hot, humid air came rushing out along with a bit of ash colored smoke. The group of girls coughed and Twilight opened the windows with a wave of her wand. The group of girls peered into the bathroom and felt magic affluent in the air. 

The girls waited for the smoke and steam to clear before they saw the man dripping wet and holding a towel in his hand that was conveniently covering his groin. Eight faces went bright red at the man’s body and they were frozen on the spot. 

“Close the damn door!” A gray magic bolt then zoomed past their heads and exploded just outside the door which slammed shut. The group of blushing girls all cleared their throats and calmed down. Soon the door opened and Grey stepped out with a black collared shirt, matching pants and a head full of wet hair. The man folded his arms and looked at the group.

“Now what is so damn important?” 

“We heard you scream bloody murder.” Twilight said.

“That?” The man said as he thought of an excuse. “Ever had a Charlie horse? It hurts like hell.”

“Are you telling me we came running because of a muscle spasm?” Dash yelled.

“I didn’t ask you to.” He said with a sigh. “A guy can’t even take a bath in peace anymore. What is this world coming to?” 

“Well, the next time you’re in agony, keep it down.” Trixie stated. 

“You’re such a caring person Trix.” Grey said in a sarcastic tone. The woman grunted and went back to her room. “Sorry about the false alarm guys, but Eris and I gotta get going.” 

“Where are you going?” Dash asked.

“Paying a debt.” He said with a sigh. The man grabbed his wallet and a fedora hat that matched his shirt. Dash chuckled at his look.

“Dude, what’s with the hat?”

“It’s a fedora.”

“That is the most uncool thing I’ve seen.”

“It’s not cool.” The girls raised an eyebrow at the words. “It’s dead sexy.” Twilight felt a small shiver as he gave them all a devilish grin and tipped his hat before he and eris walked out of the dorm room. The other girls did the same, but Twilight went into the restroom and saw a some red residue in the bathtub. She summoned a petridish and collected a sample before leaving.

Grey and Eris entered a restaurant and grabbed a booth. Soon a waitress with long, charcoal colored hair approached them. She was wearing a nice looking jacket with matching pants. The only thing that stuck out was her pink bow tie.

“Evening lady and gentleman, my name is Octavia and I will be your waitress for this evening. Shall I get you both a glass of water?”

“That’d be nice.” Grey said as she handed them each a menu. As he glanced at the menu he noticed Eris watching him like a hawk. “Need something?” 

“So what were you really doing in that bathroom?” She asked as Octavia came back with their water and a pen and pad.

“I’ll have a pasta and meatballs.” Grey said.

“Steak and potatoes.” Octavia took the orders and went back to the kitchen. “So what really went on there?”

“Like I said, I had a cramp.” 

“Bullshit.” The woman said in a flat tone. “I’ve been around a long time and I’ve never heard a cramp cause that much pain.”

“Yeah that’s something I’ve been wondering.” Eris raised an eyebrow. “How old are you exactly?” Eris frowned and smacked him across his face. “What was that for?” He said as he grabbed his cheek.

“It’s impolite to ask a lady her age.” She said as their food arrived.

“Just wondering. Discord was locked up for a millennium so I’m just trying to get a reading on you. I mean Discord, Luna and Celestia are all over one-thousand so-” He noticed eris starting to snarl and he didn’t want to pay for any damages that eris might inflict. “Never mind. Let’s change the subject.” 

“Smart idea.” She said as the two continued eating. Outside the restaurant, Rarity and the other five girls were watching patiently watching the two eat.

“Can somebody please remind my why we’re out here?” The farmer said with a groan.

“Observation dear.” Rarity chimed as she looked through her binoculars.

“I’m with AJ on this one.” The cyan flyer stated. “This is soooo boring.” She groaned. “I mean, we can’t even hear what they’re saying.” Rarity rolled her eyes and continued to watch as she heard Dash and AJ leave. 

“Oh yeah,” Eris piped up. “how are you able to use magic with your hands?”

“Shhh!” Grey said as he looked around.

“I mean, everyone else at school uses a wand. Except for the Princesses, dad and me. Course they’re all godlike and I’m a demigod.” She said in a cocky tone. “So what about you?” Grey sighed and knew there was no way she’d let it go. He started to tell her about his upbringing and the fact that he’d never used a wand until he started school and decides against using it. “So your old man, whom you’ve never met left you that wand?”

“Yup.”

“And you don’t want to use if for a shit reason.” Grey frowned.

“Hey I don’t need the prick’s help. I’ve gone twenty years without it and I’m fine.” He grumbled as the check arrived. Grey paid the bill and left a good tip for the waitress before leaving. Grey looked at his watch and saw that it was only a little past nine. “What do you want to do now? It’s still early.”

“Hmm.” The girl thought as she put her finger to her chin. The girls’ eyes looked around the street until they fell on an ice cream shop.  “Oh let’s get ice cream!” Grey raised an eyebrow at the girl.

“How old are you?” That question earned hi another slap. “Hey, are you this abusive to all the people you meet?” He whined as he rubbed the sore spot.

“Nope. Just you.” The girl stuck her forked tongue out at the man before approaching the ice cream shop. As the two were walking Grey felt his hat being lifted off his head. He saw the accessory wrapped in a golden aura and was now sitting on Eris’s black and white lochs. 

“That’s my hat.” He grumbled.

“Whatever.” The two walked up to the ice cream shop and ordered two cones. Grey looked into his wallet and sighed.

“You’re gonna bleed me dry Eris.”

“Don’t you have a job?”

“Two.” He said as he took a bite from his ice cream.

“How do you manage that with school?”

“You have your tricks and I have...” The man’s silver eyes were then drawn to an alley way where he saw a man cornering a winged girl. Grey was so focused on the display tat he didn’t notice eris taking a lick from his cone. Grey acted on instinct and quickly made his way across the street, dropping his cone. 

“C-can’t you just leave me alone?” The woman said as she looked for an escape route. As she tried to walk away she felt a strong hand grab her wrist and jerk her arm. “You’re hurting me. Let go!”

“No way retard I’ll-” A high pitched whistle cut the man off and the two saw two shining gray eyes coming from the shadows of the alley. Grey squinted and saw that the woman in trouble was a girl form his cooking class and she was also the one that delivered his alchemy supplies. Ditzy was her name, though most people called her Derpy because of her off centered eyes.

“There a problem here?” He said in a commanding tone.

“Beat it kid. It don’t concern you.” Crank folded his arms and bit his lip.

“Well, it looks to me like you’re about to put the beat down on my favorite muffin chef. So that makes it my business.” He said as he cracked his neck. “Take my advice, walk away.” The man chuckled and put the woman in a headlock and pulled out a knife. Ditzy had tears in her eyes. 

“Back off kid, or this broad gets it.” He said as he pointed to knife to Ditzy’s throat.

“Well, I can think of someone who’d be very upset if I just walked away.”

“Who’s gonna miss this retard?” The knife wielder then felt someone tapping on his shoulder. The attacker froze as he saw a copy of the gray eyed man. The copy’s fist then slammed into the man’s face. Ditzy took the opportunity to hide behind the original. The attacker swung the knife and slashed the clone causing it to burst into a cloud of smoke. 

The attacker then turned his attention to Grey and charged. The student caught the man’s armed hand by the wrist as he brought the other around and slammed Grey in the cheek. He heard Derpy take flight and speed away from the alley. Grey saw the man switch blade hands and lash out at him. The steel blade cut through the man’s shirt and pierced his skin. 

Grey jumped back and panted. He put his hand to his chest and felt his blood running. Grey cracked his neck and chuckled. The man raised an eyebrow at the young student who was bleeding from his chest.

“It’s been so long. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to get sliced by a knife.” Steam started to rise from the wound and the cut started to close on it’s own. Before the man could react, Grey rushed forward and slammed his palm into the man’s chest. Grey then flooded his arm with magic and the attacker was sent flying into a brick wall. Grey dropped to one knee and clutched his right arm in pain.

Damn it! I still need to rest. He put a hand to his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Grey heard grunting noises and saw the man getting up from the rubble with the knife gripped firmly in his hand.

“You. Are. So. De-” was all he got out before a yellow bolt of magic struck him and his body was paralyzed. Grey turned his head to see Eris standing with a raised glowing hand. Eris cut the magic flow. She walked over to Grey and slapped him across the face.

“What was that for?” He said as he rubbed his cheek.

“Jerk! Why’d you ditch me?” She yelled as the man stood up.

“Ditzy was in trouble and-” Grey noticed that Ditzy was crying. The goofy eyed girl then wrapped Grey in a tight hug that could only be rivaled by Pinkie Pie.

“I’m so sorry! You got hurt because of me!” She sobbed.

“Ditzy...need...air.” He said as his face started to turn blue. The flyer let go and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Relax Ditzy, I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding and-” Grey spat on his hand and rubbed the blood off to show the healed skin. Both girls blinked in surprise.

“Grey!” The group looked back to see Twilight and Rarity with a few police men.

“Awe crap, the fuzz.” Grey pulled out his wand and the alley was flooded in smoke. Everyone coughed and didn’t notice the man hole cover being slid back over the top.

Grey dropped down into the sewer system and slowly made his way through the underground tunnels. He had set up several beacons through the tunnel systems that would lead him back towards the school. After spending an hour wandering around he came up just outside the school walls. He quickly hoped the wall and made his way to his dorm room. The man instantly felt the day’s events take their toll and collapsed on his bed.
> Chapter 7: A Walk in the Forest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7

A Walk in the Forest


Grey felt something press on his chest as he slept. The weight seemed familiar, but odd. The man’s silver eyes fluttered open and he groaned. “Morning~” Grey’s pupils shrank as he recognized his roommate’s voice. He looked down to see Eris resting her chin on his chest. Grey gulped and felt his face turn red at the woman who grinned.

“Eris what the hell?” He tried to get up but the woman pinned his arms to his side and was looking at him with her spliced eyes. She was wearing a low cut brown T-shirt that was cut off just above her naval. The demigod was also donning a pair of short shorts of the same color. Her red spliced eyes had a glint to them and Grey was frozen in fear as she gave him a grin.

“You know you’re supposed to kiss a girl at the end of a date.” She said as she rested her chest on his and touched her nose to his. Grey only gulped at the words and felt his nether regions stiffen no matter how hard he tried to fight it. “Seems like you’re more eager than I am.” 

“Eris I can’t-” The woman put a slender finger on the man’s lips.

“Shhh.” Her voice was in a seductive tone and she leaned in closer so that Grey could feel her breath on his lips. He felt wet. Not on his lips all over and the wall collapsed to reveal a torrent of water crashing through. 

Grey’s eyes snapped open just in time to see Eris empty a pale of water onto him. Grey flopped out of bed like a fish out of water and coughed. He looked up at Eris who was still in her pajamas and had a pissed expression on her face.

This a dream too? The girl walked over to him and slapped him hard across the face. Nope, this is real. He said as the pain hit him like a freight train. His wet skin only added to the sting factor.

“Jerk!” The woman yelled as she grabbed another bucket and splashed him for a third time.

“What the fuck was that for?” He yelled as he wiped the water from his eyes.

“For ditching me last night!” She growled. Grey looked at the clock and saw it was only ten past eight.

“Why did you wake me up so damn early? It’s Sunday.” 

“My dad said that he needed to see you in Celestia’s office.”

“So you decided to wake me up with water?” Eris shrugged at the words as she grinned. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” She grabbed a fourth bucket and splashed it on the man.

“I’m already awake damn it!”

“I know. I filled up four buckets and I hate to waste.” She chuckled. Eris snapped her fingers and made the water on the floor dry up. Grey grabbed a pair of Jeans and a red shirt before going into the bathroom. 

Right now I wish I was dealing with the Eris in my dre-

Whoa! Slow down moron. She’s DISCORD’S daughter! You wanna end up as a shrimp puff for the rest of your life? Grey shivered at the thought and turned on the hot water. Eris leaned against the door and listened as the water hit the man’s chest. 

“You know you were mumbling something in your sleep before I splashed you.” She innocently stated.

“Oh really?” He said in a drawn out tone as the warm water went against his skin.

“You called out my name.” Grey gulped as he remembered the dream. “Why?”

“I had a dream that I was being strangled by a fifty foot, cross eyed python.” He lied. “You right?”

“You’re so sweet.” She said as Grey turned the water off and dried his messy black hair. He quickly got dressed and made his way out to see Eris dressed as well.

“Coming?”

“And miss you get in trouble? Not a chance.”

“Fuck you.”

“When? I’m free anytime.”

“Not like that!” He said as he face palmed. Grey made his way out of the dorm and made his way towards the offices. He saw several student wandering about the hallways with bored looks on their faces. Soon the two arrived at the office and entered to see the Princesses, Discord, Twilight, Trixie and Ditzy standing around the room.

“Morning Grey.” Discord stated. The man gave him a nod and yawned.

“So whatcha need?” Grey asked as he scratched his head. 

“According to Twilight here, you and Ms. Ditzy Do had an encounter with an unsavory character.” Luna stated in a refined tone.

“You mean the punk who tried to jump her right?” Ditzy gave a nod. “What about him?”

“I heard that you were injured.” Celestia stated.

“I’m fine.” He groaned.

“Regardless we’d like to give you a check-”

“Oh for the love of Pete.” Grey grunted and tapped his wand to his shirt. The fabric vanished leaving his skin exposed. Twilight and Trixie blushed as they remembered the accidental walk in from yesterday. Eris made growling sound and smirked at the show. 

Grey’s body was more toned than muscle bound, if you squinted then you could make out the faint six pack. “See? No injuries.” He said as he turned around. “I’m fine.” The man then performed three push ups. Grey waved his wand and his shirt appeared back on his body. “Can I go now? I have a schedule to keep.” His tone was filled with impatience. Celestia and Luna frowned at the words and the sun goddess gave a sigh of dismissal.

“I suppose, but be careful.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” He said before leaving the room with Eris following close behind. Celestia folded her hand and rested her chin on the ridges of her fingers. Celestia let out a long sigh and looked at Twilight and Trixie. 

“Twilight, Trixie.” Both students looked at the Princess. “Follow him.”

“Of course Princess.” Twilight stated as she and Trixie left the room to follow the gray eyed mage. 

Grey made his way down into the surrounding town. The kitchens at the school were closed on Sunday so the students were left to their of devises and Grey was out of ingredients. Grey and Eris stopped in a place called the Sugar Cube dinner and saw Pinkie behind the counter.

“Hey!” She yelled in her typical Pinkie manner and gave a large wave. Grey sat down at a booth with a menu in his hands. The man ordered a plate of eggs and bacon. Twilight and Trixie snuck inside and took a booth in the corner. Twilight adjusted her position so she could see the back of Grey’s head.

“Why are we doing this?” Trixie complained.

“Because Princess Celestia and Princess Luna told us to.”

“So you always do what you’re told?” The scholar gave the performer a frown and looked over her shoulder at the man who was sipping his coffee and Eris was munching on some pancakes.      

“Looks like someone likes pancakes.” Grey said in a teasing tone.

“Shut up!” Eris said as she made a pouting face. 

Daww. So cute. Grey couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. The man picked up his fork and was reaching for the syrup drowned flapjacks only to have his fork stuck in the table. Eris let out a hiss like an angry cat would make as she pointed her fork at the man. Sheesh fine. Grey’s eggs and bacon soon arrived and he started to eat. 

The two finished their food and the two girls were on their tail again. Eris wandered off on her own while Grey continued through town. The two girls saw him turn down a street and they hurried after him. Both girl looked in shock when they saw the empty ally way.

“Where did he go?” Trixie said as she stamped her feet. The two girl felt something grab the back of their shirts and pulled them into the adjacent alley way. Both girls squealed as they hugged one another. The two looked to see the silver eyed man with his arms crossed.

“Why are you two following me?” The man had a ‘no nonsense’ look on his face and his eyes were ready to pick out the slightest indication of a lie.

“We weren’t-”

“Oh spare me Sparkle. I could hear you coming a mile away.” The man then felt something in his pocket and pulled out a yellow gem. Grey ran his magic through it and the image of the alchemy seller appeared. “Hello Elixir.”

“Hey Grey. Are ya busy?” Grey looked at the two girls and turned around so his back was facing them.

“No. Why?”

“Things are picking up here and I’ve run out of spite wasp venom.” He said with a sigh. “Think you could get some from the Sage Forest?” 

“No problem. How much do you need?”

“Three vials worth.”

“I’ll have it by the end of the day.” The man cut the magic flow and pocketed the gem and turned back to the girls. “Sorry ladies, but business beckons.” He waved his wand and a small bag filled with three full and empty syringes, along with a an empty glass jar. The three full syringes were filled with yellow fluid.

“Wait!” Twilight said. “I have questions to ask.”

“You can walk and talk can’t you?” He said as he started to make his way back towards the market street. The two girls rolled their eyes and went after the man. Twilight and Trixie were tailing behind him. “So what do you want to know?”

“Why did you take down that mugger last night?” Grey looked over his shoulder at the indigo haired scholar. 

“No one was around and I reacted.” His tone was flat like plywood.

“What about the police?” Grey gave a grunt at the performer’s comment. “Something wrong?”

“Cops and guards are useless.” 

“Excuse me?” Twilight said in a shocked tone. “How can you say that?”

“Cause it’s true.” Grey stated. “Where I’m from the guards are non-existent, so everyone polices themselves. The guards don’t bother setting up stations down below the Osiris, so crime is a constant problem.”

“So how do you prevent it?”

“Prevent?” Grey chuckled. “There is no way to prevent crime, just control it.” 

“Control crime?” Trixie asked in disbelief. The three were soon approaching the city limits and the buildings grew smaller and smaller. Grey ran a hand through his messy black hair and bit his lip.

“The Osiris is like a pie, broken up into six slices, for each piece there’s someone in charge that controls the crime with their own personal militia.” Grey explained. 

“How does one control crime? I mean, the Osiris is home to some of the most horrible criminals known to-” Twilight stopped when she felt the silver eyes of death on her. Grey’s eyes were like two steel tipped arrows ready to be released. “Sorry, what I meant was if there’s as much crime as you say then how do they handle it?”

“That’s easy, fear.” Both girls looked at one another in confusion. “The most basic human emotion is the easiest to control.” Twilight still looked confused. “Break the rules they have in place and you’ll regret it.”

“How?”

“If you steal something, they brand you.” Twilight gulped. “A big letter T on the palm.” He said as he pointed to his right hand. “First offense anyway.”

“What about second?” Trixie asked.

“Let’s just say, that you’d better be ambidextrous.” Twilight cringed at the thought and rubbed her right wrist.

“So it’s run by a bunch of thugs.” Trixie stated.

“They’re a strange lot, but they mean well and have strict rules in place that are enforced.” He said as he scratched his chin. “Things were a whole lot worse before the war and the six realms.”

“What war?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow. Grey stopped walking and pulled out his wand. 

“You two have your wands?” Twilight nodded and pulled out her lavender colored wand from the holster on her belt. Trixie rolled her eyes and pulled her’s from her right sleeve. “Good, cause we’re here.” The two looked ahead and saw rows and rows of massive trees of all different  species, sizes and shades of green. The interior of the forest was covered by the green canopy. Insects could be heard as they entered the forest.

“Okay, everyone stick together.” Grey stated as he marched into the small jungle. “and don’t hesitate to use your magic.”

“What are we looking for?” Twilight asked.

“Spite wasps. They’re about as big as a great dane with stingers as big as butcher knives.” Both girls felt queasy at the words. “Use a stun spell on them and I’ll extract the venom from their stingers.” Grey waved his wand and summoned a small pouch. “If you two wanna go then go. I don’t really need the help.” 

“N-no, I’m fine.” Twilight said with a nervous smile. 

“You sure? It’s scary in there.”

“The great and powerful Trixie fears nothing.” The performer said in a loud tone. Grey rolled his eyes at the words.

“Fine, don’t come crying to me when you get stung. I’ve only got a few vials of anti-venom so be careful.” The three made their way into the forest and saw roots as big as their bodies and vines as big as their thighs. Several insects chirped as they went through the tall grass. Twilight was nervously shivering each time she saw an insect and Trixie was loving it.

Guess skirts really aren’t the best thing to wear while bug hunting. Grey thought with a chuckle. The group went deeper and deeper into the forest with Grey leading the way.

“You do know where we’re going right?” Trixie piped up.

“No, I’m just walking around in circles until we find what I need.” He said in a sarcastic tone. “I’ve been in here before and I know a bit about this place.”

“What is this place and why is it so creepy?” Twilight said as she shivered at the sight of a caterpillar.

“It’s an old forest that dates back to the Discord Era. Records also say that this was the birthplace for some other forest far off. Evergreen, Everfly, something with ‘Ever’ in it.” He said as he scratched his head. Twilight perked up and gulped as an all too familiar name came to mind.

“Everfree?”

“That’s the one. You know it?”

“It’s a stone throw from my house in Ponyville. I never thought that it extended this far north.” She said in amazement. A wide smile was on her face and the bugs around them didn’t seem to bother her anymore.

To think a few seconds ago she was ready to piss herself. He thought with a sigh.

“How much farther? Trixie’s feet are starting to hurt.” The girl complained.

And this one. He groaned. As if the world didn’t have enough bossy women in it. Grey squinted and stopped moving. He scanned the area and got his wand ready.

“Up ahead. On that tree in the middle.” Grey pointed with his finger and both girls looked ahead. Through the foliage the girls saw a large object on a tree. The object was as tall as a man and was yellow with black stripes. Large wings were sprouting from it’s back and a stinger the size of a large knife was protruding from it’s backside.

Grey saw Twilight shivering and heard her gulp in fear of the insect. “Okay this is how we’ll-” The man was cut off as an azure bolt of magic hit the giant wasp. Grey and Twilight looked up to see Trixie holding her wand out with the tip smoking. “What. The. Hell.”

“There, grab whatever it is you need so Trixie can-” She was cut off as she heard a several loud buzzing noises.

“Now you’ve done it!” Grey yelled as he glared at Trixie. 

“What? Get the sample!”

“I can’t!”

“Why not?” Trixie yelled. 

“Two reasons; The venom I need becomes spoiled if the creature dies and, when they die a pheromone is released into the air that attracts others. You just literally kicked the nest!” As the words left his lips the buzzing became louder and louder. Twilight screamed as she saw three more of the giant insects arrive. Trixie jumped back as the three hovered over to the dead wasp and their antennae went in different directions. The bugs then saw the three mages and their buzzing intensified.

“What now?” Twilight asked.

“Simple,” Both girls looked at the man waiting for a response. “we fight. Stun spells only and I still need those samples.” Grey pulled out his wand and aimed it at one of the creatures. A gray bolt shot out, but missed it’s mark as the large bug took flight and zoomed after the creature that had killed it’s comrade. Trixie raised her wand and shot out a bolt of magic and the giant wasp fell to the ground twitching.

Twilight gathered her magic and shot a purple bolt at one of the creatures. The bolt slammed into the tree behind the giant wasp, the beast leveled so it’s stinger was pointed at her. It’s stinger then shot out towards the scholar and Twilight ducked, but the stinger grazed her right arm. Twilight grasped her arm in pain and cried. Before the wasp had a chance to sting her again a gray bolt of magic shocked the large bug, it dropped like a ton of bricks.

Grey hurried over to the scholar’s side before downing the last one. The man reached inside his bag and pulled out a syringe with green fluid in it. “Okay hold still and think of something pretty.”

“What it that?” Twilight gulped at the needle.

“Anti venom.” He rolled up Twilight’s sleeve to show some purple coloration on the fringes of the wound. “Luckily you didn’t get hit too bad, otherwise we’d have to call the hospital. Now hold still.” Twilight gave a small whimper and looked away as the needle went into her arm. 

The fluid went into her blood and she whined as she felt a tingling sensation. “I’m not my sister, but I did okay.” The man wrapper her arm in a spare cloth. Twilight looked at the man’s right arm and saw a wound from the stinger. Grey followed her gaze and injected himself with one of the antidotes. 

“You two should be more careful.” Trixie said with a chuckle.

“Oh shut up.” Grey said as he walked over to the stunned wasp. The man crouched and injected the needle into the fleshy area above the stinger. 

“How do you know where to stick it?” Twilight asked.

“When you work for an alchemist you tend to learn a few things.” Grey finished his harvest and sighed. “How’s your arm?”

“Kinda numb.”

“Then the antidote is working.”

“Can we please get out of here? Trixie is become bored.” Grey rolled his eyes at the words and gave a nod. The three mages soon made their way out of the forest and found themselves near the edge of town.

“Well, it was an interesting to say the least, but this is where we part ways.” Grey said as he looked at the two girls. “Get that cut looked at Twilight.” The indigo haired scholar gave a nod before vanishing in a flash of light. Trixie frowned at the man and stormed off towards the school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as Twilight checked into the nurse’s office word was sent to Princess Celestia and Shining Armor who came as quick as they could. Nurse Red Heart, the school’s head nurse was just finishing putting a patch on Twilight’s arm when the door opened to show the three Princesses and guard captain.

“Twilight,” Her brother stated in a worried tone. “I just heard that you were here and I was so worried.” Shining said as he rushed to her side.

“Relax Shining, I’m fine.” She smiled.

“What happened?” Celestia asked Red Heart.

“According to her she was stung by a Spite Wasp.” The four adults gasped at the words. “Relax, she was injected with an anti-venom minutes after she was stung and is in no danger.” Celestia gave a sigh of relief at the words.

“What exactly does that venom do?” Twilight said as she looked at the nurse.

“Spite wasp venom is one of the most toxic venoms in Equestria. It eats away at the skin, muscle and anything else it touches.” The scholar gulped. “Thankfully that’s not the case here.”

“What were you doing near Spite wasps?” Shining asked. 

“Grey needed to get some venom for his boss at the alchemy shop in town.” Shining raised an eyebrow at the words. “I along with Trixie, offered our help, even though he advised against it.”

“If you have the correct ingredients, then the venom can be repurposed into a powerful healing cream. Very tricky to make.” Red Heart stated in an impressed tone. “Apart from a wound that will heal in a few days, Ms. Sparkle is free to go.” Twilight got off the table and stretched her arms before leaving with the adults.

Twilight said goodbye to her brother and mentor before teleporting out of sight. Shining looked up towards Celestia and saw that she was deep in thought.

“Shining Armor, I have a mission for you.”

“What is it ma’am?”

“Find out all there is to know about Grey Newhope.”

“Consider it done.” The man turned on his heel and started to walk down the hallway.

“Oh and Captain Armor,” The man paused and turned to face the goddess. “please be discrete.” He gave her a nod and hurried back to his office as the three Princesses vanished in a flash of light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was later in the evening when Twilight found herself in front of Grey’s dorm room. The girl sighed and gave a few knocks. The door soon opened to show eris standing with an orange tank top on and a pair of short shorts of the same color. The girl also had an Xbox One headset on her head that somehow tamed her messy hair. 

“Need something Sparkle?” She asked in a tired tone.

“Is Grey here?”

“Yeah, just got out of the shower though.” Eris said as the man’s door opened up and  walked up towards eris. Grey was standing in the door way wearing only a pair of gym shorts. There was still excess water on the man’s chest and wet hair. Twilight felt her face grow red while Eris grinned. 

“Need something Twilight?” He asked in a calm tone. Twilight calmed herself and turned to face the man.

“I just wanted to thank you for giving me the anti-venom.” The woman’s purple eyes then spied several blue lines over the man’s chest. The lines looked almost like cracks one would see in an old side walk or rock. Odder still, Twilight was detecting traces of magical energy coming from them, almost as if he was...leaking. 

“Yo what’s up with your chest?” Eris asked.

“Nothing.” Grey said as he threw on a wife beater.

“But your chest-”

“Twi as much as I would love to play twenty questions with you,” He said in a sarcastic tone. “need I remind you that tomorrow we have class? Wouldn’t wanna fall asleep in Cherilee’s lecture like Eris here.” The demigod shot him a death glare.

“Hey it’s not my fault those literature books are comfy!” Grey rolled his eyes and yawned.

“Anyway, see you tomorrow.” He said before closing the door in the scholar’s face. Twilight grumbled to herself before going back to her own room. It was a school night after all and she had plenty of studying to do. 
> Chapter 8: The Starswirl Sages
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7

The Starswirl Sages


Grey sat anxiously in Ms. Cherilee’s class as he looked at the clock with intensity. He’d heard from Discord that he, Twilight and Trixie were going to be learning something ‘awesome’ in their private lesson. He slowly casted his gaze over at Twilight who was nervously tapping her shoe against the carpeted floor and her finger against the table. The silver eyed man was also anxious about their dueling teams first match tomorrow against the Manehattan team. 

Class ended quickly along with gym afterwards, Grey and Twilight quickly made their way to through the stone hallways of the University until they came upon a familiar wooden door and a long spiral stone staircase. The two mages walked inside to see Trixie and the three immortals waiting patiently. 

“Excellent, now we can start.” Celestia said with a smile. The white winged woman then pulled out a long white wand with a golden handle that had the imprint of the sun carved into it, it was about a foot in length and fit in her hand like it was a match made by the Creator itself. Luna pulled out a similar wand, her’s was a dark midnight blue with a white handle, the image of a crescent moon was on display.

“Didn’t know you two used wands.” Grey said as he folded his arms.

“We usually don’t,” Luna stated in a calm tone. “we only use them when there is need and that hasn’t happened since the Changeling Queen’s failed invasion.” Grey’s eyes widened as he imagined the amount of whoop-ass the two Princesses dealt on the idiot Queen. He was down in the South district during the attack, along with several other warriors. The fight wasn’t so easy due to the Changeling’s polymorphism ability. He almost blasted Rogue and Dusk, if they hadn’t been by his side the whole time.

“Ah yes, the same Queen that beat Celestia senseless and you vanished till the end when all fighting was over.” Both Princesses shot Discord dirty looks. “What? It’s true.” Grey’s dream shattered in disappointment.

“Queen Chrysalis had been absorbing magic from Shining Armor for weeks and Luna was lending the guard a hand in the East District of the City. Just where were you?” Celestia stated in a spite filled tone.

“Trapped in stone courtesy of your student and her friends.” Grey felt a the room in the air become filled with tension as the two Princesses continued to glare at the master of chaos. 

“So what is it you were saying?” Twilight said not wanting to be caught in a power struggle of three immortals.

“Right.” Celestia said as she cleared her throat, regaining her composure. She held out her wand and a two targets appeared across the room. “Have you heard of the wand psyche?” Grey and Trixie raised an eyebrow at the words. The two students looked at Twilight who was deep in thought contemplating the words. “Each wand is unique and diverse to one another. Just like people there are no two that are the same and every wand has a name.”

“They’re named?” Grey said in surprise. 

“Quite.” Luna responded. “Have any of you ever heard a voice in the back of your head while you were casting your spells?” Grey’s answer came without thought since he’d never really used his wand in the first place. The other two girls bit their lips and thought hard, they then gave a small nod at the words. “Grey?”

“I hear voices in my head, but they’re speaking Draconian and I don’t know what the hell they’re saying.” Discord gave a chuckle at the words while the other four kept silent. Grey rolled his eyes and sighed at the bland reactions. “No, I’ve never heard anything like that coming from my wand and how would a wand talk anyway?”

“Mages have a deep connection with their wands.” Celestia explained. “They share magic, spirit, and mind. If one has a deep enough connection then they may learn their wand’s name, and then the spells they cast will become even more powerful.” Celestia pointed her wand at the target on the left, yellow light formed at the tip of her wand. 

With a quick jerk of the wrist, a beam of yellow magic shot out of the wand and struck the target leaving a scorch mark on the target. “Now watch closely.” Celestia drew in a deep breath and pointed her wand at the right target. “Solaris!” This time she moved her wand with her whole arm, the others could feel the magic in the room spike and a beam, at least five times as big as the previous one erupted from the wand tip. The target was erased from existence only leaving a small pile of ash.

“As you can see, the difference of knowing your wand’s name and not knowing it is profound.” The three students’ jaws hung low as they looked at the smoldering pile of ash. Celestia made the ash and remaining target vanish as she slipped her wand back into her sleeve.

“Amazing!” Twilight said with a very wide smile. If one did not know Twilight Sparkle then they would have thought she’d just won the Ms. Equestria pageant. “How do we do that?”

“That is something you must figure out for yourself.” The three students looked at her with low jaws. “Since each wand is different, there is no set way to do it and it is up to the mage and the wand to cooperate with one another.”

“Tease.” Grey pouted.

“What we can do is see how good a connection you have with your wands.” Luna stated. The blue winged Princess waved her wand and a crystal ball sitting on a wooden table appeared before them. “Simply cast any spell with your wand and this will tell you how strong of a connection you have with it. The stronger the connection, the sooner you will know it’s name.”

Oh crap, if that old wand maker can sense when someone uses their wand, then these guys sure as hell can when they’re paying attention. The indigo haired girl stood before the crystal ball and pointed her wand at it. She muttered a few words and shot a small bolt of lavender magic at the small glass orb. The orb blinked a few times of the same color. 

“Compatibility at 95%.” Celestia said as she looked at the orb. “No surprise, you and that wand have seen a lot of action together.” Twilight smiled at the words. It’s true that she was given the wand as a gift for becoming Princess Celestia’s personal student. She beat Nightmare Moon with it, saved her brother’s wedding and saved an entire empire from a sinister ghost of a tyrant. 

Trixie was up next, she pulled out her wand and performed the same action. “Compatibility at 85%” Trixie mentally cursed at the amount. The group then turned on Grey who reluctantly took his wand out and pointed it at the sphere. Grey shot Discord a nervous glance, the chaos lord only gave him a shrug. The man extended his wand and sighed. He rushed the magic through his arm and squeezed it into the wand. An odd sensation filled the man’s body and he heard something in the back of his head.

Finally! The voice was almost inaudible and Grey couldn’t tell whether it was male or female. Grey let loose a bolt of magic that struck the orb. Celestia peered into the orb and raised an eyebrow. “Compatibility at 25%.” Trixie scoffed with a smile on her face. 

“Yeah, this wand is new.” The man said with a shrug.

“May I see it?” The goddess asked as she extended her arm. Grey handed it to her and rolled his eyes.

“I wouldn’t try-” His warning fell on deaf ears as Celestia ran her magic through it. The Princess then felt as though she had grabbed an electric fence. She yelped and dropped the wand. “I was going to say don’t try to cast. It’s enchanted to my touch only.” Grey walked over and picked up the wand.

“Where did you get that wand?” Tia asked as she rubbed her hand. Grey gulped and looked down at the piece of wood.

“Ya see-” Grey then felt something vibrating in his breast pocket of his coat. He pulled out his student handbook and opened it to see an image of the pyro-mage.

“Grey, Shining is calling an emergency meeting after class gets out today. We’re gonna go over strategies for tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there.” Grey cut transmission and pocketed the handbook. Before Celestia got back on track, the sound of the bell cut her off. Grey and the other two girls quickly made their way through the corridors to their last class with Cadence. The professor was wearing a pink knee length skirt and sport coat with her hair neatly held in a bun.

“Good afternoon class.” She said in her usual happy tone. As Cadence continued with her lecture the voice inside Grey’s head was getting louder and more annoying.

About time you let me out! What took you so long? I’ve been stuck in that labyrinth you call a head for nearly two months! 

Just shut up!

Oh, well fuck you too then!

I don’t need you in my head!

Hey, not my fault your old man left you like a half eaten sandwich.

How did you-

I’m in YOUR head, remember? Topic kinda comes up a lot in here. Speaking of which, you REALLY need to clean this place out. I’ve seen angry mobs that are more organized than this dump. Grey gave his scalp a quick hit in hopes to silence the pestering voice. Nice try, but I’m in here now and I’m aiming to stay.

We’ll see about that. Grey then heard the bell ring and gathered his books before hightailing it to the gym where several people were sitting in the bleachers. Grey recognized the fire mage along with several other first year students. The other students gathered in minutes as Shining Armor came out wearing a baseball cap and a whistle around his white collared shirt.

“Okay gents.”

“Ahem!” Shining looked up to see a girl with icy blue hair and matching eyes scowling. Her hair barely went past her ears and was tomboyish looking.

“And ladies.” She smiled. Most years there weren’t any girls on the dueling team, but this year there seemed to be. “We’ve got our first match against The Manehattan Mashers and we need to get them back tenfold for last year.” Several senior members shot Blueblood dark looks, which the Prince just brushed off. “I have good news and bad news.”

Shining said as he pulled out a clipboard. “According to my sources, their star player has graduated,” Some of the men gave a sigh of relief. “but his right hand man has taken his position.”

“Right hand man?” Grey asked.

“A mage name Star Shooter.” Grey heard a grunt come from the fire mage. “I’ve been going over the calculations and I think I have a plan.” Shining then went in depth on his plans to defeat the opposing team. The entire team of thirty is divided up into five man squads. 

Blueblood had four tough looking customers and mostly used them as meat shields. Heatwave had command of the second squad, which played back up to Blueblood, much to his displeasure. Grey and the other nine applicants were going to be broken up among the other squads to compensate for the students that had graduated. After the meeting Grey made his way back to his room to see Eris on her Xbox 360 playing Halo: Reach.

“Sup?” She asked as she turned to see the gray eyed mage.

“Not much.” He said as he sat down on the couch. “First match for the dueling team is tomorrow.”

“I’ll make popcorn.” She chuckled as Grey rolled his eyes at the words before walking over to his room and lying in his bed. The silver eyed mage stared up at his ceiling and sighed. He walked over to his bag and pulled out the silver mirror he used earlier. He tapped the shiny surface and waited. Soon the mirror shifted to show the twenty year old Changeling girl.

“Hey Grey.” She said in a cheery tone. “What’s up?”

“Not much. Just thought I’d check in to see how things are going. Did you guys get the money I sent?” 

“Grey you don’t have to-”

“Yes, yes I do. I said that I’d help out and I meant it. Besides with the twins flying around, that place will need all the bits it can get to pay for damages.” As he chuckled Rogue bit her lip and had a somber look on her face. Grey noticed her face and raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“The twins are gone.” The words hit the man like a ton of bricks. “A recruiter for the Wonderbolts came by, said that he’d seen them flying and wanted to incorporate them into the Wonderbolt Cadet Program. They left a few days ago for Cloudsdale.” The man sat n his bed as he felt a crushing feeling. The Wonderbolt Cadet Program is a program for young flyers who showed that they had the ability, ambition and determination to possibly become Wonderbolts. 

“That’s great.” Grey said with a fake smile. He couldn’t be happier for the two boys, but he felt sad that he didn’t even say goodbye to them. Rogue knew how the man felt and nodded.

“A few families came by and were looking to adopt the girls and Orion as well.” That tugged at the man’s heart strings more. Even though they weren’t blood, he still considered all the people that went through the orphanage family. Rouge and Dusk had only shown up on their door step six years ago, Midnight was the same with only four years under her belt.

“Do they seem nice?”

“Yeah, the ones who took an interest in Flora owns a flower shop, I know the she’ll love that.” Grey could only imagine the look on the small green haired girl’s eyes boggling at the flowers. “The ones looking at Orion are astronomers.” Grey knew that the small orange haired boy was always fascinated with the stars. 

“What about Aura?” He asked as the innocent white haired girl came to mind.

“I’m not too sure. Midnight and Willow talked to them and they seem nice.” Usually the bat winged girl was the most suspicious girl he’d ever met.

“Well, if there are any problems then just give me a shout. Speaking of Midnight, where is she? I haven’t heard from her in a while.”

“Midnight is meeting with some scouters for a fight contract.”

“Really!? That’s great! About time she got some notice.” The knife twisted deeper in his heart at the words but kept the smile. “What about Dusk? Don’t tell me that prick fired him.”

“Oh no, not at all. Dusk actually got a raise at the forge.” 

“Good. It’s been five years since he started.” Grey saw the same shine in the Changeling’s eyes whenever she wasn’t unsure about something. “Rogue. I know that’s your ‘should I tell him this’ look. Don’t try to hide anything from me.” The Changeling gathered her strength and looked back at the mirror. 

“Dusk found a nice house on the East side and has already put a down payment on it.” The girl sighed. “I’ll be going with him since it’s closer to a new clinic that’s opening up.” Grey nodded at the words. “Grey, I don’t want you to think that we’re abandoning you or-”

“It’s okay Rogue. I get it.” He smiled. “You guys deserve a place of your own and if you ever need anything then don’t hesitate to call.” The man saw the girl give a weak smile. “I gotta go. Tell the others I said hi.” He cut the magic flow and set the mirror beside him and laid back on the bed.

~~~

The next day, most of the student body gathered at the arena, a large structure that resembled the old Colosseum in the Draconian Capitol. The structure was a large octagonal shape with hundreds of bleachers all facing towards a field in the center. The field was enchanted so it would shift from sandy deserts, freezing tundras to large forests, and everything in between.     Everyone gathered at noon for the first duel of the year. Inside the locker room the silver eyed mage was looking over his spell book for last minute review. 

He felt additional weight on the bench beside him, Grey looked up to see another new recruit, a musician by the name of Neon Lights with his head in his palms and sweating like a prostitute in church. “You ever been in a fight before Neon?” Grey asked as he closed the book. The mage looked up and put his circle sunglasses on his forehead.

“Not really.” Grey knew that he used sound based magic, a fairly difficult magic to use in a fight. “You?” Grey chuckled.

“Yes, a long time ago.” 

“Any advice?” Neon asked as they stood up.

“Yeah,” Grey said as he put the book in his back pocket. “keep your head down.” The group lined up behind Blueblood and his four bodyguards, were donning a long white coat with golden trim on the cuffs and collar. The rest, including the grey eyed mage were donning dark blue with white cuffs.  The twenty-nine men and one woman walked out to see the bleachers filled with their class mates and some opposing members from Manehattan. In the center sat the three Princesses, their students and Discord. 

The team walked out and the crowd cheered. Blueblood waved to the crowd with a smirk on his face. The goddess got to her feet and summoned a microphone. She tapped it once with her finger and everyone stopped talking. “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.” Her tone was upbeat and had a warm soothing nature to it. 

“It is my pleasure to announce the first dueling club match of the new year. Please welcome the Manehattan Mashers,” She gestured towards the visitors. The team rose up and the crowd was a mix of cheers and boos. “and our own team, the Starswirl Sages.” The crowd delivered more cheers then boos this time around. 

The combatants took their seats on the side lines and waited. The Manehattan coach looked about the same age as Shining Armor and was sporting a black suit with a matching tie. The two shook hands and the black suited man chuckled with an ominous glint in his bright green eyes. “Let the dueling begin!” At these words the crowd erupted in appraisal.

The team huddled up and started talking amongst themselves. Shining was across from Grey in the mass and Blueblood was beside the coach. 

“Okay guys, we’ve been training long and hard for this. So let’s get some payback.” The group all gave a nod. “Heat, you and Draco squad are up first, then, Manticore, Ursa, Timber Wolf and finally Hydra.” Everyone looked at Blueblood at the last word.

“Coach,” Grey said. “what about me and the other recruits?”

“You lot won’t fight today.” The ten recruits looked at one another in confusion. “You are to only observe and see how we do things. Think of it as a how to for next time.”

“That’s bullshit!” All eyes turned towards Winter Frost, the only female member of the team. “We’ve been busting our butts since day one and now you want us to sit out?”

“You’re greenhorns. It’s how we do things.” The girl scoffed and sat back down away from the group of men. “Good luck today gents.” Grey and the other recruits sat on the sidelines and watched as Heat and his four team mates took the stage. 

“Such bullshit.” Winter groaned.

“We lucked out.” Neon said with a sigh.

“Coward.” She hissed.

“Knock it off.” Grey said in a stern tone. “I’m not happy about this either.” He looked at the two mages. “If you didn’t want to fight then why did you join the dueling team?” The sounds of battle soon filled the room. 

“Just seemed like something to do until I get a contract.” Neon said with shrug.

“Contract?”

“I’m a DJ. I’m looking to get a music contract.”

“So why the dueling team? Why not the music club?” Winter asked.

“They only want classical.” He groaned. The crowd’s cheers got the group’s attention. They looked towards the field to see Heat and the other members of his team beaten. Heat helped one man off the field. Grey got to his feet and took the other man’s arm over his shoulder.

“They’ve gotten better I take it?” Grey asked.

“It’s not that. Something’s up.” He said as the medics came and took the damaged man to the side and started to look him over. “They seemed...distracted somehow.” Heat sat on the bench and coughed. “Like they knew they were going to lose.” 

The medics came and started looking over the pyromancer. The second round began and another squad entered the arena. Grey payed more attention to the crowd than the fight, his grey eyes focused on two people, one handing a bit bag to the other and whispering in his ear. Grey followed the medics where they were taking the injured men. The mage followed the nurses and the injured men.

Grey waited until the nurses left and made his way inside. He spotted Heat’s second in command, Oak Whisper, an earth mage that had a knack for tree magic. Grey pulled the curtain aside and saw that he had a cast on his foot, an IV hooked up to his arm and a bandage on his head.

“What do you want?” He asked with a grunt.

“Just to talk.” Grey folded his arms. “Here I thought a level seven mage would put up more of a fight. Have to say I’m a bit disappointed.”

“Sod off.” He grunted as he crossed his arms. Grey sat on the edge of his bed and sighed. He reached into his pocket and tossed a bit towards him. The earth wizard caught it with his hand and looked at it in confusion. “What’s this?”

“Information. Why did you throw the fight?” He tossed another bit his way. The man bit his lip and adverted his eyes. Grey sighed and tossed him five more bits. 

“Was paid to, just business.”

“By who?” Grey tossed him ten more bits.

“A certain Prince that has a lot amount of coin going against us.” Grey silently cursed the Prince’s name. 

“Who’d he make the bet with?”

“Some guy in a brown hood. Never saw his face.” Grey rubbed his chin as he thought and thought. He stared at the white painted wall hard enough that the injured man thought it might burst into flames.  

“For your time and secrecy.” The man nodded and took the bits.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” Grey exited the medical station and made his way into an empty corridor. He could hear the cheers through the thick stone. Right now he needed to think and think fast. He whipped out his wand and made a duplicate of himself. 

“Find this guy.” The clone nodded and started searching for the hooded man. Grey quickly made his way back to where his team was and saw that they won the second match. Looks like Blue-balls couldn’t buy everyone off. He thought as he sat back down next to Neon.

“Where’d you go?” The DJ asked as he looked at the man.

“Getting some fresh air.” Grey saw Heat with some bandages on his head and arms. He came up next to the man and sat down. “How ya feeling?”

“Been better.” He said as he looked at his arms. “I’ll have bruises for weeks.” 

“The fight’s rigged.” Grey whispered.

“What!?”

“Blueblood paid them to throw the fight.” The pyromancer looked at Grey in shock. “Sounds like he bet on us to lose.” Grey then felt the temperature spike, he looked at the man to see his orange hair beginning to smoke. 

“Blueblood!” He said in a malice filled tone. The man stopped and grabbed his chest in pain. “Still what can we do? Almost all of our guys have gone and I’m out of commission.” He said as the bell rang and Theta squad left the arena with another loss. The score board was tied and Blueblood’s squad was up next. Grey’s mind raced, he needed to think of something, anything to turn this loss into a win.

“I have an idea.” Grey whispered his plan into the mage’s ear. Heat responded with a few nods and a chuckle. “Think it’ll work?”

“For our sake it has to.” Grey smiled and made his way over to where the other recruits were sitting. Only five remained, the other half must have left. Only Winter, Neon and two others remained. One was a scrawny man with dark green hair and bright green eyes named Roach. Finally there was a man that looked like he could crush a man’s skull with one hand, he stood a full foot taller than Grey and had a crew cut that only added to his intimidation factor. Boulder was his name and pain was his game.

“Hey guys,” The four turned to look at the grey eyed mage. “you still wanna fight?”

“Do chickens lay eggs?” Roach said with a raised eyebrow. Grey looked at their faces and only Neon seemed hesitant.

“Then get ready to move.”

“But coach said-”

“Forget what Armor said. This is our chance to show our stuff.” The four looked at one another and shrugged. “Guys we literally have no time, nut up or shut up.” Winter gritted her teeth and cracked her neck.

“I’m in.” The girl cracked her neck.

“Why not? I’m itching for a fight.” Boulder grinned.

“Might as well.” Roach stated. All eyes turned towards Neon. 

“Fine.” Grey grinned at the response.

“Good. When I give the signal, rush on up.” The five waited intently for the right moment. Their muscles tensed, eyes focused and sweat forming on their brows.

“It is now time for the final match!” Celestia said with a smile. The Manehattan team sent out their final team lead by a man with blue and yellow striped hair. The man next to him had bright orange with a light beard of the same color. Next to him was a man that stood at 5’5” with golden combed back hair that made all the women swoon. On the far right was a boy with blue hair with red tips and had a more serious look about him. The last one was the tallest of the group and had dark brown hair that went down to his shoulders.

“That one with the blue striped hair,” Heat said. “is Star Shooter. Head of Alpha squad for the Mashers.” Blueblood and his Praetorians got to their feet.

“You ready?” Grey asked as he looked at the damaged pyromage.

“To rub some dirt in Blue-ball’s eyes? Always.” As Blueblood made his way towards the entrance of the arena a large cloud of smoke encircled the entire area and violent coughing ensued. Blueblood was grabbing his throat as he felt something push him down and fly past him. As the smoke cleared the group saw that the magic shield that was placed at either entrance was up. The shield is rigged to activate once both teams are on the arena and won’t open again until the match is over or if there’s an emergency.

The smoke cleared and Blueblood’s eyes shrank as he saw the five cadets standing on the other side of the shield. Grey and the others finished their coughing fits and stepped forwards. Grey walked towards the center of the arena where the other team was waiting with confused looks on their faces.

“I thought I was going to be fighting Prince Blueblood?” Star said as he looked at the five rookies. 

“Been a change in the lineup.” Grey smirked. Shining frowned and made his way to the edge of the arena and slammed his fist on the magical barrier.

“Newhope get back here!” Shining yelled.

“Can’t do that boss. It’s locked remember? Don’t worry, we’ll make this quick.” Shining was still yelling as Grey flipped him off. Several crowd members made the ‘ohhhh’ sound at the action. The Princesses and Twilight were taken back by the action while Discord and Eris chuckled. Grey then turned his attention back to the other captain. “Anyway,” He stuck his hand out to shake. “Grey Newhope. Good luck.” Star grinned and gave it a hard shake.

“Don’t need it.” He cockily replied as he let go.

“I respectfully disagree.” Grey said as the two parted ways and made their way back to their sides of the arena. Grey and the other four huddled up. “Okay so what exactly can you guys do magic wise?”

“I can use ice magic.” Winter said in a confident tone.

“Earth style for me.” Boulder said.

“I’m good at enchanting.” The green haired man said. Grey nodded.

“Um, I can use some sound magic.” Neon said. Grey rubbed his chin and thought hard.

Not the ideal group of individuals, He started drawing a diagram in the dirt. but it might just work. Grey continued the formation and double checked his work.

“Here’s what we’ll do, Roach, I want you at the back incase one of us gets hurt I need you as a healer and buff our skills.” The man nodded. “Boulder you’re on defense, I want you sticking to him like caramel on an apple.”

“Nothing can get by me.” He said in a cocky tone.

“Neon,” The man let out an audible gulp. “see if you can throw them off balance with your sound magic. That should give Winter and I a chance to hit ‘em where it hurts. Everyone good?”

“Who died and put you in charge?” The woman asked as she looked at the grey eyed mage.

“You got a better idea?” The group looked across the way to see the other team waiting for them. “Look we can figure out the whole leader thing after this.”

“If Armor doesn’t kick us off first.” Neon stated.

“Don’t worry about that now. Just focus on the task at hand.” Grey said as he kicked away the diagram. “Break!” The five turned and faced their opponents. The crowd looked up to see the teams’ faces with a green health bar next to them along with what level of magic they were. 

Crater was level six, Winter was level seven, Neon level five, Roach level six and Grey level five. The other team was a mix of sevens and sixes, except for Star who was level eight. Celestia rose to her feet and looked down at the field.

“Are both teams ready?” No one objected. “Then begin!” Star was fast, he pulled out his wand and let out a vicious volley of star shaped magic bolts that rocketed towards the group of mages. Grey ran out in front and raised his wand. The star bolts exploded and the area was covered in smoke. Star let his guard down and smirked.

“Well, that was qui-” A blast of blue energy shot towards him. Star ducked and followed the blast to see it impact and ice formed on the far wall. The group looked forwards to see a large shield coming from Grey’s wand. The shield was a gray color and was see transparent.

“Everyone okay?” Grey asked.

“I missed.” Winter grunted.

“Get him next time.” Star and his teammates all raised their wands and got ready to fire. “Shield dropping in five-seconds.” The Mashers started charging up their magic. “Roach give us some speed.”

“On it!” Several glyphs formed around the mage and the others’ legs started glowing.

“Three-seconds. Boulder get ready to throw up a ground shield.” The man pulled out his wand and the tip was glowing a dark brown. “Two.” The Mashers let out a barrage of magic missiles. “One!” The shield dropped and all hell broke loose. The impact of the missiles left a cloud of dust and smoke. 

Like two arrows released from the bow, Grey and Winter struck fast and hard. Winter’s blast managed to get the orange haired man’s leg and prevent him from dodging Grey’s attack. A bolt of magic that took the form of a fist slammed into the man’s jaw and clocked him hard enough to free his leg from the ice. The board showed his health drop to zero and was teleported off the field.

“Princess,” Twilight said as she looked at Celestia who was filled with curiosity. “what kind of magic is Grey using?”

“It’s called matrix magic.” Luna stated.

“Matrix magic? Trixie has never heard of it.” Trixie asked.

“That’s because it’s not commonly used on it’s own. The user compresses their magic into solid objects and can morph it into any shape the caster wants.” Celestia scratched her chin at the sight. “It is extremely hard to control even, not to mention it uses a large amount of the user’s magic and they can’t use for an extended period of time.”

“What kind of things can he make?” Trixie asked.

“Anything he has the stamina and imagination to create. Bigger the creation, the more magic he uses up.” Twilight and Trixie turned her attention back to the fight. Winter was having a one on one fight with the mage with dark brown hair. Winter dodged several rocks that were being thrown at her, the girl threw up an ice shield as the man charged forward. He clenched his fist and landed a magic filled punch to the shield that shattered from the force and landed in the girl’s gut.

Winter was on the ground and clutched her stomach in pain. She looked up at the man with a pair of teary pony eyes. “Why would you hit a girl?” The brown haired mage felt guilty and offered her his hand. Winter smirked and her wand glowed, a chunk of ice shot from the wand and hit him right in the groin. Grey and every other man in the stadium winced at the action. 

He was on the ground in seconds and was teleported off the field. “That’s what you get when you underestimate-” Her gloat was cut short when a star shaped magic missile blindsided her and knocker her clean out. Neon was just barely dodging attacks coming from the three remaining opponents. He tripped on a rock and was hit with a triple attack from the opposing team. Grey watched as his body dematerialized and showed up outside the arena next to Winter.

Boulder was levitating rocks and hurdling them while Roach was warding off spells. Star lunged forwards and got up close and personal with the green eyed mage and shot him point-blank in the chest. The man grunted in pain and collapsed on the ground before being teleported off the field. Grey shot forwards towards the vice captain of the opposing team and let loose a barrage of gray bolts of magic that changed into magical swords. With a swing from his wand they went forwards and their aim was true. 

The vice captain saw them coming and got into position, the first sword went over his shoulder, the second, he jumped and the final just scratched his arm. He looked at Grey with a sneer of confidence, only to see Grey giving a smirk of his own and pulling his wand back like he was reeling in a fish. The man didn’t have time to move, he only felt three sharp pains in his back. He looked down to see tree magic blades sticking out of his chest. 

He dropped to his knees and was teleported off the field. Grey heard a yelp and turned back around to see Boulder getting tossed through the air from a blast from Star’s wand. Boulder was teleported off the field only leaving the two men. Grey cracked his neck and sighed. The air grew still and quiet, the crowd was the same and waited on baited breath for something to happen.

Grey eyes locked with blue and magic filled the air. Star raised his wand and let loose a barrage of bolts. Grey waved his wand and a cloud of smoke enveloped the man. As soon as the bolts entered the smoke, they were deflected by an unseen force. As the smoke cleared Star gulped as he saw the man wielding a sword made of gray magic. The shape of the blade looked like a cutlass and the wand was in the handle of the sword feeding power to the blade.

Grey swung the sword and a slash made of magic came from the blade and cut through he air like a hot knife through butter. Star managed to dodge the strikes while firing off a few of his own. The blasts were deflected by the swinging blade. Grey made the blade vanished and fired off several blasts of magic at the man. He waved his wand and a large slab of rock appeared in front of the man to shield him from several blasts. 

He’s tougher than he looks. He face palmed as he heard the familiar voice from the wand in his head.

Put me in! Grey felt several pulses coming from the wand. It was aching to be used, unleashed. 

I don’t need you.

You see any other options genius? Grey bit his lip as he heard several blasts hit against the rock. Grey looked over the edge and saw more blasts coming in. Grey grumbled and had two options; A.) Use his wand, or B.) Reveal he can use magic without it and be hounded with questions by Twilight, the Princesses and everyone else in the arena. Grey could feel the shards of rock cracking off the wall as it was bombarded by the magical stars.

“Come out and face me coward!” Grey groaned at the man’s words and looked down at the wand in his right hand. He sighed and cracked his neck.

He’s getting on my nerves. The wand said in an aggitated tone.

“Okay, let’s do this.” As the wall crumbled a cloud of dirt filled smoke enveloped the man. Star pointed his wand at the cloud and gathered his magic for another assault, what happened next, no one saw coming. A blur shot out of the smoke and Star immediately felt like a freight train had slammed into his gut. The blue haired mage flew back a good thirty feet before his back hit the ground. 

Star got to his feet and panted heavily as he clutched his stomach. He looked up to see the man holding his wand at his side and the tip faintly smoking. The once dark colored wand was now of a more dark ash color, safe for the handle, which still held a faint red tint. “Well, that was different.” Star immediately pointed his wand at Grey and shot more star-bolts. 

The gray eyes mage waved his wand and more spell blades to counter the blasts. The barrage from both sides waged on until the air was covered in magical mist of gray and blue. Star saw something shoot up into the sky and continued to deflect the swords coming from the enemy. Star slowed his breath and focused on the origin of the castings. 

He focused the last of his magic into one final spell bolt. Like a cannon, it fired off with blinding speed weaving through the spell swords until it hit it’s mark. Star grinned as he heard the man yelp in pain and the swords wavered before disappearing. Grey clutched his left arm that had a burn mark on it and he was on his knees, panting. 

“Well, well, how the tables have turned.” Star said as he walked forwards. He ran a hand through his striped hair and had a grin that seemed to be more scary than happy. “I’ll admit,” He cracked his neck and arms as he drew closer to Grey. “I haven’t had a good fight like this in a while.”

“Likewise,” Grey said as he smirked. “maybe I’ll get the chance to beat you again.” Star looked at him in confusion. His eyes looked over the man, he was barely getting to his feet, the health bar on the board showed that he was in red and looked like that a breeze would blow him over. Grey slowly got to his feet and pointed up. 

Twilight and Trixie squinted and saw the man’s finger point towards the sky. Like a line of dominoes, the heads in the stands turned up and their eyes shrank to pin tips. High above the ground, floating like feathers in the wind, were dozens of spell swords. Star felt his heart about to burst out of his chest. Grey held his wand pointing up with the tip glowing. “Checkmate.” 

As his wand fell so did the swords. There was no escaping the sea of blades and Star knew it. “Oh, fuck me.” As the blades hit the ground Star felt like he’d been put through a paper shredder. The swords fell for ninety-seconds. After the fallout, Grey approached the fallen star and sighed.

“Relax, the blades only make you feel the pain, no damage to skin or organs.” He said as he made the blades vanish from his hurt form.

“That’s comforting.” He groaned as he tried to move. Grey looked at the board and saw the heath bar drop to zero, the man was then teleported off the field and the siren ended the final match. The crowd erupted in cheering, the Princesses clapped lightly while Discord just stood with a triumphant look on his mug. Twilight gulped and felt a few hairs twitch out of place while Trixie sat with her arms crossed and mumbling to herself. 

Grey made his way off the field back towards the waiting area where his team mates were waiting. As he stepped off the field he was immediately assaulted by pats on the back and high fives.

“That was so badass!” Neon said with a smile. Blueblood charged forwards and grabbed Grey by the collar. 

“Runt! You stole my match.”

“And won it for you.” Grey said as he slapped the Prince’s hand away. “If you’d gone then we’d have lost for sure.” Blueblood was about to shoot a bolt at him but stopped when he saw all eyes in the stadium on him. He felt his aunts’ eyes focused like sniper rifles ready to take action.

“You’ll pay for this commoner!” Grey didn’t have the energy nor patience to deal with the Prince of Plot Holes at the moment so he opted for an ambiguous grunt before sitting down next to Roach. The man saw several blue cracks on the man’s skin. Celestia then stood with a microphone in hand and cleared her throat. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the winning team is the Starswirl Sages.” The crowd cheered for the team who all took a bow. Soon the two teams walked out onto the field and shook each other’s hands. The teams departed the stadium along with the student body and made their way back towards their dorms. As Grey and the rest of the team exited he was approached by Eris.

“Not bad, for a mortal.” She chuckled. Grey felt a tapping on his shoulder and saw Heat and the other male members of the team looking at him and the woman.

“Um Grey,” Neon said as he looked between the two. “who is this?”

“This is Eris, my roommate.” The mens’ jaws hit the ground as they looked at the attractive woman. Heat went up to the man and pulled him aside.

“You lucky prick. She’s hot.” 

“She’s also Discord’s daughter.” The group gulped at the words and looked at the woman who had a raised eyebrow. Grey rolled his eyes and went back towards Eris who looked different. Grey couldn’t put his finger on it but there was something off about Eris. “Did you grow a few inches or something?”

“Yup, only temporarily though.” 

“Why?” Eris smirked and wrapped her arms around the mage and brought him into a very tight hug. Normally this would be a touching moment, but with Eris’s height change Grey was having a difficult time breathing with his face trapped in the girl’s cleavage. The men all gawked at the action and some started whistling. 

Grey fought his way out of the embrace with a scarlet red face. “What the hell Eris!?” The woman then shifted back to her original height. “Why did you just do that?”

“Felt like it.” She shrugged with a sly grin on her face. “See you back at the room~” The demigod of chaos then vanished in a flash of yellow light. Grey face palmed and turned back to the group who looked like they’d just seen a zombie do the polka. 

“Why are you guys staring at me like that?”

“Dude, she want your D.” Neon said bluntly.

“She’s just messing with me.” Grey said with a grunt. "Besides she's not my type." He siad as his blush slowly came creeping back.

“If you don’t make a move then someone else will.” The pyro-mage stated. “She single?”

“I thought you had a thing for Trixie?” Grey said in a hushed tone.

“I like to keep my options open.”

“Do whatever you want,” Grey said as he started to walk back towards his dorm. “but who ever does get with her, has to deal with her old man and that won't end well.” With that the men all imagined Discord coming for their skin and shivered. The man went through the stone hallways of the school and eventually made his way to his dorm hall where he was quickly approached by Pinkie.

“Hey!” She beamed. “That was a super duper, extra cool fight Grey.”

“Thanks.” He said as he groaned. “Sorry Pinkie, just a bit sore from the fight.”

“That’s okay. I’m here to invite you to the victory party down at The Place.” She reached into her poofy pink hair and pulled out an invitation. “It’s at eight, so you should have plenty of time to rest up.”

“I don’t know Pinks. Parties really aren’t-”

“Please?” Grey looked into her pleading puppy dog eyes and tried to hold his ground against the cuteness. Pinkie took it up a notch and threw in a quivering lip.

Damn her! Damn her and that look!

“Fine. I’ll be there.” With that, Pinkie bounced away back to her room. Grey shook his head and made his way into the dorm to see Eris laying on the couch. As she opened her mouth Grey put up a hand. “Too tired, taking shower then bed.” Eris pouted as he made his way into his room and saw his clone standing with a triumphant look on his face. “Find anything?”

“Oh yeah.” The clone pulled out a leather bag that looked like it could hold two basketballs. “We cleaned up real good.” Grey looked inside and saw that the bag was filled nearly to the brim with bits. “I also got the guy’s contact info so if we’re ever short on bits we know who to call if we wanna make some money.” Grey smirked and made the clone vanish before hiding the bits under his bed. Grey grabbed a set of hangout clothes, a bottle with red pills in it and a towel before walking into the bathroom.

Once he closed the door, he started peeling off the uniform that was sticking to his body from the sweat he’d accumulated during the match. As his shirt came off grey noticed that there was a large crack on his left arm where one of Star’s spells had burnt his skin. Grey filled the bath tub up with scalding hot water and dropped two pills into the tub. They dissolved in seconds before turning the water red and started to bubble like a hot tub.

Grey removed the rest of his clothing and eased himself into the liquid. A minute later his arm felt like it had been dunked in acid and his body was screaming out in pain. Grey was clenching his teeth so hard that he thought they might crack. He endured the pain for ten agonizing minutes before pulling the plug and stepping out. The man then made his way into his bed and collapsed on the soft surface before falling asleep. 
> Chapter 9: Afterparty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 9

Afterparty


Grey awoke half past six and decided to get ready for the party at Vinyl’s club. Grey selected a dark red collared shirt and black pants. As he ran a hand through his hair he heard a knock on his door. “It’s open.” Grey saw in the mirror that it was Eris. his eyes shrank when he saw that she was wearing a stunning gold, colored dress that shined in the light and went down to her mid thigh. A single strap went across her right shoulder to the center of the dress that was held by a silver ring that brought attention to her chest.

“You ready yet?” She asked as she walked forwards and checked her hair.

“For what?” 

“The party, duh.”

“How did-” Eris held up the invite Pinkie had given him.

“We’re going to be late.” Grey rolled his eyes and knew there was no stopping her.

“Fine, but I need to talk to someone first.”


~~~

Shining Armor sat at his desk as he went through the personnel files of the dueling team. Shining stared down at the file with Grey’s name on it. The only info he had on the boy was his height, hair and eye color while he waited for his friend in the Canterlot records to get him some more information on the grey eyed mage. Cadence came out of the bathroom wearing a pink robe and a smile on her face.

“Hey honey.” She wrapped her arms around her husband and pecked him on the cheek. The man closed the file and touched his wife’s arm. The two heard a knock at the door. “Yes?” A guard entered the chambers and bowed.

“Sorry to disturb you sir and lady,” He said as he got to his knee. “but someone wants to see you. He’s waiting outside.” Shining sent the guard to escort the visitor to their chambers. The guard returned with the grey eyed man and Shining furrowed his brow.

“Terribly sorry if I’m disturbing you your majesty.” Grey said as he bowed to the pink winged woman. 

“It is perfectly alright Grey.” She smiled. 

“You’re too kind.” He smiled. “Might I have a word with Captain Armor?” Shining raised an eyebrow at the words. “If not now then I could come by later.”

“That will not be necessary.” Shining’s tone could cut through diamond. “Would you mind giving us a minute Cadence?”

“Of course.” She smiled. “Remember Grey, pages thirty-six to forty-eight.” Grey nodded as the Princess walked by him and went into her bedroom.

“Leave us.” The guard nodded and waited outside the door. Shining cracked his neck and folded his hands. “I’ve been meaning to speak with you.”

“First of all,” Grey said as he approached the desk. “I wish to apologize for my display before the fight this afternoon.” Shining was taken back by the words. “Secondly, I want to let you know why I did what I did.”

“Explain.” Grey checked his corners and leaned in so he can whisper.

“I have reason to believe that Blueblood paid Draco squad to throw the fight, safe for Heat.” Shining sat back and crossed his arms.

“Do you have any proof?” Grey bit his lip and sighed at the words. 

“No, but I have a gut feeling about this one Armor.” Grey knew that the scrub he talked to wouldn’t dare cross Blueblood twice, or face Shining’s wrath. The captain stood up and paced back and forth. 

“I can’t do anything without proof.”

“You believe me?”

“I’m stating a fact.” He said in a firm tone. “I’ll have to admit, Blueblood has been acting strange as of late.” Grey ran a hand through his black hair and sighed.

“We both want the same thing,” Shining looked at him in confusion. “to win the Crucible.” The Crucible, the biggest magic dueling competition in Equestria. People from all over the world train for it. The victors’ names are engraved in stone for all time and eternal glory await them. No one from the prestigious school had entered it in years. 

Shining hoped to change that. “Blueblood sure as hell doesn’t care about winning it. Flaunts around his money like it’s some sort of right to treat people like dirt. Makes me sick.”

“Blueblood may be...difficult, but he’s strong. Not to mention Celestia’s nephew.” He grumbled at the last statement. “What’s your stake in this?”

“Other than winning?” The young mage sighed and ran a hand through his combed hair. “I grew up poor. I’ve seen people like Blueblood get away with a lot of shit just because they’ve got deep pockets.” Grey’s steely gaze intensified as the words left his lips. 

“I’m not just gonna sit by and let him do as he pleases.” Shining had to admit that he’s heard stories of drug kingpins getting caught with twenty kilos of drugs and getting out on bail the same day. The system wasn’t perfect, no system is. Most of the time they pay the cops to turn a blind eye to their antics or they just don’t care. Shining was begin to understand why the young mage always gave him the evil eye every time he looked at him.

The captain also felt a bit of guilt for allowing the guards to become so corrupt. “I’ll admit, my brain was telling me to just handle this myself,” He let out a grumble before sighing. “but I figured Blueblood is a bit out of my league and you have the authority to take him down a couple notches if I get dirt on him. I can also see that you’re not like those deadbeat cops back home and won’t be swayed by his money, safe for a few, they’re useless.” Shining nodded at the compliment. Grey checked his watch and sighed. “Sorry coach, but I gotta party to get to. Think about it.”

Shining watched as Grey walked back outside his quarters and sat back in his chair as he folded his hands. He looked over to his right to see Cadence wearing a pink blouse and white pants. The man sighed and rubbed his temples. Shining grabbed the phone that sat on his desk and dialed the number for the Canterlot police headquarters. A friendly woman answered the phone and he asked to speak to the commissioner The tone rang until it reached the three until it was picked up.

“Hello?” A gruff voice said.

“Commissioner Iron Shield?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard.” The Captain heard the man sputter whatever he was drinking and boots hitting against hardwood floor.

“Sir, how can I help you?”

“Commissioner, did you just salute me over the phone?” Cadence giggled at the question as a silence fell over the phone line.

“Um, yes?” Shining face palmed at the answer and sighed. He was never one for formalities especially since he now held the title of Prince since he married Cadence. “How can I help you sir?”

“I was hoping that you might be able to look up a person for me.” The captain stated in a commanding tone. “His name is Grey Newhope, twenty years old, black hair and silver eyes.”

“I’ll run a search through the system, course it’ll be a few hours. Things are kinda hectic at the moment.” 

“Take your time Commissioner. I’m in no rush.” With that Shining hung up the phone.

~~~

Grey and Eris arrived in front of Vinyl’s club where a line a block long was already waiting to be let in. “Damn it.” Eris said with a grumble. Grey chuckled and approached the front where he saw Thunderlane keeping the mob at bay. Grey gave him a wave and the flyer waved them past all the other people.

“Hey Grey,” Thunder said as he shook his friend’s hand. “how’s it hanging?”

“Oh you know, slightly to the left.” The men shared a chuckled before Thunder set his eyes on Eris, which resulted in his wings extending. Grey rolled his eyes while the woman chuckled. “Thunderlane this is my roommate, Eris.”

“Roommate?” Thunder said to make sure he didn’t mishear the mage. Grey gave a nod. “Lucky.” He said as he remembered having Snowflake for a roommate.

“Not really.” The man then felt the girl’s hard fist hit his arm and grunted. Thunder grinned and let them both inside, much to the mob’s disapproval. Once inside the two were bombarded by electronic sounds and lasers moving to the beat.

“How did you do that?” Eris asked.

“Do what?” She motioned back towards Thunderlane. “Oh, I work the door at night sometimes. So I get in without the wait.” Eris frowned and got in the man’s face. 

“Why didn’t you tell me!?” She was so close that grey felt her breast pressing against his chest. “I would’ve come here more often.”

“Why do you think I didn’t?” Eris pouted and folded her arms. Damn she looked cute like that. Grey shook his head and heard his name being called. The man looked over to see Neon and the other three mages sitting in a booth. The man made his way over to them and sat down next to Winter. “Where’s Roach?”

“Said he wasn’t feeling too good.” The ice mage yelled over the music. 

“This place is awesome!” Neon said with a smile.

“Sounds like robots having an orgy.” Boulder grunted. 

“At least the views nice.” Neon motioned towards Vinyl who was on the turntable.

“Pig.” Winter grumbled. Neon brushed the comment off and went back to staring at the spiky haired DJ.

“Wanna meet her?” Grey asked.

“You know her?”

“She’s my boss.” Neon and the others looked at him in confusion. Grey explained that eh worked as a bouncer some nights for the club. At the end of the song the two men weaved through the crowd and approached Vinyl’s table. “Hey Vi.” The DJ  was wearing a white tank top with a large music note on it and an electric blue mini skirt that matched her hair.

“Sup dude, enjoying the party?”

“Yeah,” He then motioned towards Neon. “this is my friend Neon Lights.”

“H-hey.” He said with a gulp. As the two started talking Grey started to make his way back to the table only to be approached by a certain pink haired girl donning a nice pink sleeveless shirt and a pink skirt.

“Hey you made it!” Pinkie chimed. “Having fun?”

“Yeah, parties aren’t usually my scene,” Pinkie made a pouting face. “but I go on occasion.” She smiled at that and lead him back to where she and the other five girls were sitting. Unsurprisingly, Rarity and Fluttershy were chatting, more Rarity talking and Fluttershy pretending to hear her over the music. AJ and Dash were arm wrestling and Twilight had on a pair of headphones with a book in hand.  

“Hello dear.” Rarity chimed as he sat down.

“Never thought you’d be in a place like this. Doesn’t seem like your scene.” Rarity pouted at him.

“Just because I am a lady doesn’t mean that I don’t like to let loose every once in a while.” 

“Fair enough.” AJ had just slammed Dash’s arm against the table and ‘yee hawd’ in victory. Dash grunted and slammed back her drink. “Does she normally do that?” He pointed to the reading mage.

“Oh yeah.” Rainbow sighed. “You’d have an easier time of prying that hat of AJ’s head than separating Twilight from a book. Grey blinked at the expression and reached for the cow girl’s hat only to feel a vice like grip on his wrist. 

“Don’t. You. Dare.” She said in a deathly serious tone. 

“R-right sorry.” The girl let his arm go and he rubbed his wrist. “Any of you guys seen Eris?” 

“I saw her at the bar earlier.” Pinkie chimed. Grey scanned the room and found the bar. He narrowed his eyes and saw her shimmering gold dress against the flashing lights. The woman was chatting with one Endzone’s goons, the one with the brown wings and the one that Grey managed to ditch in a hotdog cart. He saw him hand Eris a drink with something quickly dissolving in the bottom.

Like a snake, Grey shot up and weaved through the crowd and focused on his destination. As he reached out to intervene Eris slammed the drink back. As the flyer offered her another drink it was smacked out of his hand by the mage.

“That’s enough.” Grey said as he pushed him up against the bar.

“What the hell Grey!?” Eris yelled.

“This prick just drugged your drink.” At those words the music stopped and all eyes were on the three. 

“Bullshit. I did nothing!” He yelled as he tried to shake Grey off him. The mage heard something hit the floor and looked down to see two bottles of pills. “Th-that’s medicine. I swear!” 

“Really?” Grey waved his wand and a clone retrained the flyer as he picked up the bottles and read them aloud. “Rohypnol, Chloroform and,” He chuckled at the last one. “viagra.” He heard a few chuckles from the group. “Having trouble keeping it up?” Grey mocked. “relax happens to the best of us, well not me, but you? Yeah I can see that.” The flyer cursed at the words and slammed his elbow into the clone making it vanish.

As he tried to run he felt a strong arm grab his shoulder. “The fuck you think you’re going?” A hard fist collided with the man’s face. Grey staggered back and cracked his neck as he smirked. “Okay now I’m pissed.” The flyer gulped when he saw a large blue crack on his right cheek. Grey grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and head butted him. The flyer crumpled to the ground and groaned. 

A thump brought Grey back to reality. Grey turned around and saw Eris knocked out on the floor. “Shit.” Grey sighed and picked her up bridal style as two police officers entered the establishment and the party broke up soon after they took witness statements. They took the flyer away in a police carriage. As Grey walked out with the still unconscious Eris in his arms he was stopped by one of the officers.

“Whoa buddy, what happened to her?” he asked as he looked at the girl.

“Roofie.” The cop raised an eyebrow. “I know what you’re thinking, but she’s my roommate.”

“Likely story.” He said as he crossed his arms. Grey rolled his eyes and noticed the six girls leaving the club.

“Hey Twi. Come over here for a second?” The bookworm and her five friends walked over to the two. “Isn’t Eris my roommate?”

“Yeah.” Twilight said as she looked at the officer.

“You trust him with this girl?” 

“You bet!” Pinkie chimed. “Grey isn’t a creep that that other guy.”

“Plus if he tries anything.” The farmer stated. “We’ll personally drag his ass down to the station ourselves.” She cracked her knuckles as she looked at the man. 

“Fine.” He said as he gave the farmer his business card. Grey and the girls made their way back to the school. The five girls went ahead of Grey, Twilight and Eris who was nuzzling the man’s chest. Grey also noticed that Twilight was staring at him.

“What?”

“Hm?”

“You’ve been giving me the stink eye for the past ten minutes. Why?”

“You’ve got a crack on your face.” She said as she looked at his right cheek. Grey opened his mouth to answer. “Don’t try to deny it. I’ve seen things like that before on you. So I suggest you start talking.” Twilight crossed her arms under her chest and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not gonna leave me alone unless I do right?” She just gave a shrug. “you know what my magic does right?”

“You compress your magic into physical objects like those swords you used in the match today.”

“Correct, granted I can do a lot more than just that, but that’s for another time.” He cleared his throat. “I smother my body in my own magic and compress it to act as a shell.”

“Like armor?”

“Sort of. It’s far from indestructible, it can’t stop a bullet, it can redirect a blade if I see it coming.” He then motioned for Twilight to hold eris for a moment. She wrapped her in a telekinetic grip and levitated her off the ground. Grey waved his wand and Twilight saw the crack vanish. 

“Won’t something like that use a lot of magic?”

“Oh yeah, big time. I use about half of my magic supply to just keep it up for day to day use.” Twilight’s jaw dropped.

“Why would you do that?”

“I like to push my limits. I can alter and repair the shell, but that in turn uses more magic.” The tow then heard Eris groan. Grey took her in his arms again, this time the woman had wrapped her arms around the man’s shoulders and snuggled against him. The action caused Grey to blush brightly. Silence wrapped the two students as they continued their way back towards the dorm.

As they approached their rooms Twilight spoke up. “I still have more questions.” she said with a pout.

“Twilight, it’s been a very long day, not to mention I have to put this one to bed or Discord will have my ass on a silver platter.” He groaned as he pulled out his wand and unlocked the door. “Mind if we pick this up tomorrow?”

“Fine, but if you ditch me then I’m telling my brother about the time you kissed me in the market.” Grey cringed at the thought of Shining throwing him in the slammer over a kiss.”

“Fine.” He groaned. An idea came to Grey and he grinned. “I’ll be looking forward to out date~” He teased.

“What!?” Both student looked down to the now fully awake Eris. Grey frowned as she threw on a toothy grin. Grey walked into the room and tossed her on the couch. “Ow! Jerk!”

“Why aren’t you knocked out?”

“Do you really think a weak drug like that would work on moi?” She said with a giggle. 

“So why did I just haul your ass all the way up here?”

“I was tired.” She said in a little girl voice. Grey rolled his eyes and headed off to bed.

~~~

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna made their way through the school hallways headed towards Shining Armor’s private quarters. The sun goddess knocked a few times before the door opened to show the pink winged teacher. “Hey Aunt Celestia.” Cadence said with a smile.

“Good evening Cadence. I trust we aren’t interrupting anything?”

“Nope, c’mon in.” She held the door open for the two and led them inside. “What bring you two around here?”

“We are wondering where Shining Armor is.” Luna stated. Cadence nodded and lead them into Shining’s office where he had a few papers scattered on his desk. The azure haired man set the papers aside as he saw the Princesses.

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna.” He said as he rose from his seat.

“Oh come now Shining. There’s no need for formalities among family.” Celestia said with a smile. 

“Of course. Sorry Celestia.” He said as he cleared his throat. “What can I do for you?”

“We were wondering if you’ve turned up anything concerning Grey Newhope.” Celestia stated. As Shining was about to answer when the phone on his desk started to ring. He walked over and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Captain Armor? It’s Commissioner Iron Shield.” Shining smiled at the words and put him on speaker.

“Okay Commissioner, you’re on speaker with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Cadence.” The group heard a yelp and stumbling.

“Your majesties!”  

“Commissioner, did you salute over the phone?” Celestia asked.

“Yes, ma’am. How can I help you ma’am?”

“The information on Grey Newhope.” Shining stated with a sigh.

“Oh yes,” The group heard a few shuffling papers. “I ran his name through the system and I found absolutely nothing.” 

“That’s good is it not?” The three looked at the Princess of the night. “He does not have a criminal record correct?”

“Perhaps I should have been more specific Princess, my apologies.” He cleared his throat. “I found nothing, no blood records, no finger prints, not even a birth certificate.”  The four instructors in the room looked at one another in shock.

“So there’s no record of his background?”

“Princess, putting it bluntly, there’s no record that this kid even exists.” The four looked at one another in shock. “Is there anything else you can tell me about him?” The four thought and they realized they knew almost nothing about the young silver eyed mage. Almost nothing.

“Well, Grey said that he grew up in the Osiris.” Celestia sated.

“Oh, well that explains it.” Iron said with a groan.

“Care explaining?” Shining asked.

“Sir, that place has so many unregistered people that they could fill every room in ten five star Manehattan hotels.”

“Why’s that?” Cadence asked.

“Most of them can’t afford it and they’re not too big on paperwork.” A silence fell over the group. “Although, that name rings a bell. Newhope that is. I think it’s the name of an orphanage.”

“Grey mentioned that.” Celestia stated. “Might be worth looking into Commissioner.”

“Princess, with all due respect, I’ll have to enact the Commander Firewind act.” Celestia and Shining Armor looked at one another in shock.

“The what?” Cadence asked.

“During the Griffonian wars, three hundred years ago, Commander Firewind was a leader in the Equestrian Royal Guard.” Shining stated. “He foolishly sent his men into a deathtrap and they were massacred, while he fled. He was tried, courtmartialed and executed. The act states that a soldier, or officer of the law can refuse a direct order from a CO if there is undeniable proof that men will die for no logical reason.”

“Exactly. The Osiris is one big hot zone, one I want to keep myself and my men out of at all costs.”

“It’s that bad?” Cadence asked.

“Princess have you ever seen the Osiris? You’ll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” The four looked at one another in confusion. “I apologize m’lady, but I have other duties to attend to.”

“It’s no trouble Commissioner. Thank you for your help.” The line disconnected and the four were left with even more questions than answers. 
> Chapter 10: New Teammates
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10

New Teammates


The school was still buzzing about their victory over the Manehattan team. Grey was busy dodging people who waned to question him about his abilities and disobeying Armor. He had more pressing matters to attend to, he was about to meet up with Twilight at a cafe in town for lunch but got an urgent call from shining saying for all dueling club members to meet him in the auditorium for some big announcement. As he entered he was greeted by the other four rookies that had helped him win the match along with the other members of the team.	

“Okay lady and gentlemen listen up.” Shining said in a commanding tone. “I just received word that some of the new recruits have decided to resign from the team along with some of the old.” Several of the mages looked at one another in surprise while Grey and Heat casted looks at Blueblood. “In these strange times I’ve come to the decision to erect a new squad, led by one of our newest members, Grey Newhope.”	

Grey blinked in surprise as the team started to whisper among themselves. Blueblood cracked his neck and stepped forwards. “Armor I must-”

“That’s coach, Mr. Armor or, if you’re brave enough, Captain to you Blueblood.” Shining said as he narrowed his eyes. Blueblood gritted his teeth and sighed.

“Coach,” He said with venom in his voice. “he’s only a first year. That hasn’t happened before.”

“Not true.” Grey said cutting in. “Forty years ago, a mage by the name of Coal Hearth was made the captain of the entire team after he beat the reigning captain in a fight. He was also the first mage to bring the Starswirl Sages to the Crucible and win it.”

“And you’re suggesting that you can do the same?” Blueblood said in a mocking tone.

“I ain’t saying nothing of the sort.” He started to walk back and forth in front of the group. “Look, you want the truth? Being a leader sucks, my team fucked up that means I fucked up, then Armor can kick my ass out for all I give a shit.”

The students blinked in surprise at the words. “The Crucible is at the end of the year and I will deal with any and all bullshit that I have to deal with to make sure we get there and kick some serious ass.” The team looked at one another then back to the silver eyed mage. “If I were holding a mic, then this would be the moment that I’d drop it.” 

The students were muttering to themselves and eventually nodded in agreement. Blueblood scowled and stormed out of the gymnasium to Celestia knows where.

“Any other objections?” Shining asked and the others stayed quiet. “Good, so all that’s left to do is for you to get a team name, preferably an animal of some sort.” With that the teams were dismissed and Grey was given a gold badge. 
“Congratulations captain.” Roach said with a smile. Winter gave a nod at him and smiled.  Neon and Boulder had guilty looks on their faces as they approached.

“Um Grey,” Neon said with a gulp. “I’m gonna have to quit the team.” Grey’s eyes shrank as he stared at the DJ. Had Blueblood gotten to him somehow?  “It’s just that Vinyl and I got talking and she offered me a job at her club Dj’ing. With that on top of classes I just don’t have the time for it. I’m really sorry man. Besides, I suck in fights.” 

“It’s okay man.” Grey put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “Do what ya gotta do right?” Neon nodded. “Alright, I’ll see you around and good luck with the music business.” The hulking man then stepped forward with a blank expression on his face. 

“Sorry, but I gotta leave too.” Okay now Grey was confused. Sure Neon sucked during the fight, but Boulder was a walking tank! “Nothing personal, in case you haven’t noticed I’m not the smartest guy around and I gotta focus on my grades. I’m looking to be a painter.” Winter and Roach chuckled, but stopped when the man casted a dark glare at them. Grey wished them both luck and they left the three teammates.

“And then there were three.” Winter groaned.

“Well, that’s unfortunate.” The trio looked back to see Shining Armor. 

“Mind giving me a head up when half my team quits on me?”

“Technically they weren’t your team yet.” Grey gave a deadpanned expression at the coach. “Anyway, you have a problem. Rules state that each squad must be comprised of five members or it will be dissolved.”

“Oh come on!” Winter yelled.

“Which is why I’m giving you until the next meeting to find two replacements.”

“So two days? That’s not a lot of time.” The enchanter stated. Shining shrugged.

“Rules are rules. You have an entire school to chose from. Good luck with the search.” The man sighed and looked at the other two mages who had blank expressions on their faces.

“So what now?” Winter asked.

“Now? I have an appointment to keep.” He said as he looked at the clock.

“What about the team?” Roach asked.

“I’ll handle it. I’ll see you two around.” He said as he started to leave, but stopped when he reached the door. “Oh, and thanks for not leaving. It’d suck if I’d lost all my teammates in one day.” With that the man left the gym and made his way towards the small town where he was due to meet Twilight.

~~~

The indigo haired scholar walked along the sidewalk while thinking about what Princess Celestia had asked her to do when she met Grey. 

Two Hours Earlier.

“Twilight, I wish to ask a favor of you.” Celestia said in a somber tone.

“What is it?”

“I want you to get close to Grey Newhope.” Twilight blushed at the words. “Right now he is one big mystery. One I want solved.” The scholar felt conflicted about the offer, but she had to admit that she was curious about Grey. “If you chose to reject this offer then there are no hard feelings.”

“You can count on me Princess.”

Present.

Twilight sighed as she thought back to what Grey had told her about his shell the night before and how they ended their interaction. Her cheeks tinted pink as she remembered their conversation. Keep it together Twilight, it’s not a date.

But he said the word date didn’t he?

He was probably joking. She shook her head and continued on her way keeping her thoughts at bay. Her purple eyes soon fell upon the cafe, it was a normal sized building with a coffee mug on the sign. She saw several tables outside the establishment. Her eyes then found the dark haired mage she was supposed to meet with an old leather book in his hand. She felt her face flush red as she saw his gaze completely focused on the book. Finally someone interested in their studies.

Score another point on the cute list!

Shut up! With that she hid her blush and approached the table. Grey set the book aside as he saw the indigo haired mage. “Morning Grey.”

“Morning.” He said in a calm tone. Twilight raised an eyebrow and saw that he looked exhausted. “So what did you want to know?” He ordered a coffee and sat back in his chair. “Why are you so fixated on me?”

“I’m not fixated on you.” She said with a small blush.

“Right,” He said in a sarcastic tone. “then there’s one other explanation. You dig me.” Twilight’s blush levels increased. “Can’t say I blame you. It’s an affliction many women have fallen under.” He chuckled. Twilight was now beat red and had an angry look on her face that could make a manticore void it’s bowels.

“You are so infuriating!” She growled. “Just tell what I want to know!”

“Or what? Tattle on me to your brother? As if I’m scared of him or Celestia.” Twilight growled. “Besides, if I’m expelled, how do you think Eris and Discord would react? Even I wouldn’t want to deal with those two pissed offed.” Twilight gulped and shuddered at the damage they could do when enraged. Grey then started chuckling. “Course that would be if I were serious about that.” Twilight’s right eye twitched. “I’ll answer your questions, to an extent.”

Twilight huffed and crossed her arms under her chest as her tea arrived. “Where did you learn Matrix Magic?” Grey rolled his eyes.

“I told you I’m self taught.” 

“No way could you learn magic like that on your own.”

“Either you’ve never tried or you’re just severely underestimating me, which is fine.” Twilight shook her head and gripped her hair. Her eyes then fell upon the book Grey had been reading.

“What book is that?” 

“Spell book.” 

“By who?”

“No idea.” Twilight grunted and grabbed the book and opened it up to the front page to find it blank. She breezed through the pages to find them all blank. “That won’t do any good.” Grey stated snapping Twilight out of the daze. “It’s enchanted so that anyone I don’t want reading it won’t see it.” Twilight pulled out her want and pressed it against the pages. 

“Show me everything you have.” She smirked as letters started to appear.

Nice try little girl, but unlike you I’m not easy to read. Twilight’s eyes twitched at the words and gritted her teeth in frustration. Grey looked at the words and chuckled.

“That’s probably the nicest thing it’s said to anyone.” He pulled out his wand and tapped it once to show the message left on the page. Twilight’s eyes shrank and looked at the man in confusion. “I wasn’t lying when I said I don’t know who wrote the book, looks like dear old dad is a bit of a writer.”

“So is he-”

“No idea. I got that when I was ten, so he’s probably dead by now.” He said in a stagnant tone before sipping his beverage.

“You are just impossible to figure out!”

“Which is why you’re so interested in me, right?” Twilight threw the book at him which was caught by his hand before it reached his face. “Now that’s not nice, who ever heard of a librarian hurting a book?”

“How did you know-”

“Pinkie told me in cooking class.” He said as he stood up and cracked his back. He heard shouts coming from a southern accent and turned to see a man in a brown hoodie running as fast as his legs could carry him. He barged into Grey and nearly knocked him over as he ran past. “Jackass!” He yelled as a familiar Stetson wearing girl ran up to them. The farmer had a black eye.

“What happened to your eye?” Twilight asked in a concerned tone.

“That rat fink went and sucker punched me when ah caught his hand in my pocket.” She said with a grunt. “May have taken my money, but he’s gonna need it for the ER when ah get my hands on him!”

“AJ you need to calm down right Grey?” No one responded. Twilight looked to where the man had been sitting to see his chair empty and a few bits on the table. The two girls heard people yelling at someone and followed the shouts.

Grey had just lost sight of the hood and scanned the area. He heard what sounded like a garbage can being turned over and shot down the alley way to see the hooded man. 

“Get back here prick.” Before he could escape Grey pulled out his wand and shot a net that stuck the man to the wall. As he struggled in his restraints he saw the farmer he’d robbed and a girl with indigo hair. Grey grabbed him by the collar and threw him on the ground before planting a firm foot on his back. “Where do you think you’re going?” He stated as he applied pressure to his spine. “Look all we want is the money you took.”

“Go suck a dick.” Grey dug his heel into his back.

“Okay, plan B.” He looked at the farmer. “How much money did he steal from you AJ?”

“About a hundred-fifty bits.” Grey crouched and looked at the man. 

“Okay so as collateral, I’ll just break a hundred-fifty bones in your body.” The thief gulped as he felt Grey’s shoe on his hand. Grey gripped his pinky finger and twisted it hard making a snapping sound. The man cried in pain. “That’s four.” Grey picked him up and charged his magic in his right hand before slamming it into his rib cage. He felt the bones crack. “That’s two ribs.” As he got ready for another punch he felt a pair of hands grab his arm.

“That’s enough.” He looked to see a pair of angry amethyst eyes glaring at him. Grey shook her off.

“Not gonna happen, besides,” He looked at the man. “I still got one hundred forty-four left to go.” The man’s eyes shrank at the words.

“Wait, wait! I’ll give you the money! Okay? Just let me go.” Grey raised an eyebrow at the words.

“Where is it?” 

“That trash can there.” He pointed to a standard tin can that was sitting in the corner. The farmer walked over to the can and removed the lid to see her brown leather pouch sitting on top of the trash. She opened the bag and started counting.

“It’s all here.” She said as she put it in her pocket. Grey let the man go and turned to leave. The thief grunted and grabbed a nearby trash can and hurdled it at the man. Grey smirked, gripped his wand and formed one of his ethereal blades in his hand. He turned on his heel and sliced the can in two pieces. 

“At first I was gonna let you go, but now,” Grey rushed forwards and let loose a series of punched into the man’s chest breaking a few other ribs. Grey pulled over another trash can and slammed the thief inside before sealing the lid. “I think it’s time to take out the trash.” Grey levitated it with his magic as he formed a large ethereal golf club. 

“Newhope steps up to the plate waiting for tee off.” The can got in range and Grey slammed it down the alley way and into an open dumpster. “Hole in one!” He made the weapon vanish and looked back to Twilight and the farmer. “What?”

“You just broke that guy’s finger and two ribs!” Twilight yelled.

“So what? He reaped what he sowed.”

“That was pretty rough partner. I was just gonna wail on him hard, but not break nothing.” AJ said with her arms crossed.

“You have your way of doing things and I have mine.” A few police men showed up and saw three twenty year olds.

“Everything okay here?” One of them asked. Grey opened up the dumpster and levitated the garbage can out before kicking it over showing the thief.

“This pest here just stole this young lady’s money.” The cops looked at the farmer.

“This true ma’am?”

“Y-yeah, but ah got it back.” She said showing the bag. The officers nodded and grabbed the thief by the arms.

“Careful, he broke his ribs when he fell off a building.” Grey said before the cops hauled him away. The two girls were still staring at him as though lobsters were crawling out of his ears. Grey felt the handbook in his pocket vibrating and held it up to his ear. “Yeah?” A moment of silence went by and Grey gave a nod. “Okay, I’ll be right there.” He pocketed the gem and turned back to the girls. “Sorry ladies, but this is where we part ways. I’ve got work to do.”

“Where are you going?” Twilight asked.

“I got something to take care of. See ya.” As he started to leave he was stopped by a large lavender wall of magic.
“I’m not finished.” Twilight said. Grey rubbed his eyes and has had it with this girl.

“What the fuck do you want from me Twilight!?” He said as he looked at the two. “Why are you so damn focused on me? Got nothing better to do than judge me?” Twilight shrank back a bit at the tone.

“No I wasn’t-”

“Bullshit! Ever since I came here you’ve been badgering me about shit you wouldn’t even begin to understand. So for your and my benefit,” He stood eye to eye with the mage. “butt out of my life and stop wasting my time.” He withdrew his wand and with a flick, the lavender wall shattered. “Be sure to relay that to Celestia since she asked you to spy on me.” Grey walked out of the alley and vanished into the crowds. Twilight stood frozen in place as she watched the man leave.
~~~
Grey walked through the halls of the school as he came to the arena where they fought their first match against Manehattan. Grey saw the other two mages waiting for him along with a dozen mages waiting inside. “How did they find out so fast?” Roach reached into his pocket and handed it to Grey. It was a flier advertising the opening positions on his squad. There were sketches of him and the other two mages. 

“Boulder made it. He felt bad about leaving.” Winter stated.

“It’s good. really good.” He rolled the parchment up and put it away in his pocket. The three walked out and saw the group. The group of mages were talking amongst one another. “Excuse me, could I have your attention?” The mages’ voices drowned out his voice. Roach stepped forwards and put both his pinky fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistling sound that cut through the crowd’s noise like a hot knife through butter.

The group’s eyes fell upon the three and they grew silent. “Thank you Roach.” Grey stepped forward and scanned the group. “Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know why you’re here and you all seem very capable in your own way.” The group grinned at the words. “Sadly I can only choose two of you to fight along side my comrades and myself.” Grey summoned a roll of parchment. “I want you all to sign your names here and then we will interview you one by one to see if you’re what we’re looking for.” 

Grey rejoined the two and watched the group sign their names. One stuck out, a dark brown hood covered their head and body. Another caught his eye, a man with blue and silver striped hair. Grey fished a table and three chairs out of a storage closet and sat down between Winter and Roach. Once the names were signed the auditions began.

The first one was a pyromancer who’s flames were the same shade of gold as her hair. After each applicant went, Grey would take down their magic type and their profile. Soon the blue striped man stepped forwards. His eyes were a deep blue color like the ocean. “Speak your name.”

“Bolt Stormbreaker.”

“Okay Bolt,” Roach stated. “what can you do?”

“I’m proficient in lightning magic.” Grey raised an eyebrow.

“That’s something you don’t see everyday. Winter, you’re our element specialist, what’s lightnings position on the scale?”

“It’s up in third tier magic.” Each magic spell is classified by the amount of magic it uses and the effect it has on the user. Tier one contains simple magic such as levitation, illumination and matrix magic. Lightning is one of the most dangerous magic to use for he user and their enemies.

“Care to give us a demonstration?” The man withdrew his wand and gathered his magic. The air grew ripe with static electricity, His wand’s tip glowed with powerful magic that felt like it could destroy a building. The clouds above grew dark and thunder roared as a bolt of lightning came down and wrapped around the man like it was a cloak. He extended his wand out and the lightning struck the stone wall leaving a large scorch mark. The other applicants gulped, while Grey rose and clapped.

“Very good, very good.” Grey said as he sat back down. Bolt nodded and rejoined the other applicants. “Last, but not least, our mystery man.” The brown hooded figure walked forwards and nodded. “What’s your name?” The figure stayed silent. “What can you do?” The figure raised it’s arm and shot a blast from the palm into the ground leaving a hole.

Grey had an unimpressed look on his face. The stranger extended their arms and raised them along with several rocks around the area and crunched them into one massive rock. It was ten feet in height. The stranger placed their hand against the hard surface, pulled it back, and slammed their fist into the rock making it crumble.  The ground shook and the rock crumbled around to show a statue of the grey eyed mage. Winter and Roach looked at Grey looking for a reaction, nothing.

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me,” He said as he crossed his arms. “and for creator’s sake Eris take off that cloak I know it’s you.” 

“Buzz-killer.” The hood removed her cloak to show her white and black hair. “Here I was being all sneaky and secretive and you go and blow my cover.” Eris stood with her arms crossed and pouting up a storm. Grey sighed and waved her off.

“Okay thank you all for coming, Winter, Roach and I will discuss it amongst ourselves. I request that you all stay here for a few minutes and we will make our selection.” The trio went back into the halls of the arena. “Well, who stood out to you two?” He asked.

“That Bolt guy is something else.” Roach stated.

“He looks like a jerk.”

“That’s you’re assumption.” Grey said. “Something about him rings a bell though, I don’t know what.” Grey said as he scratched his chin. “Not to mention he can use lightning magic, that’s a hell of an edge to have on our side.” Roach nodded at the words. 

“I say we vote on it.” Winter stated.

“I think we jus did.” Grey said as he and Roach held up their hands. Winter pouted at the words and sighed in defeat.

“We need another girl.” The girl stated. “I won’t share a room with a boy when we’re traveling.”

“I can agree to that. So long as they can put up a fight.” Roach stated. “But who? There weren’t that many girl applicants.” 

“That girl with the gold flames seemed-”

“No! Anyone but her!” There was fire in Winter’s eyes. So much hate and sadness in them. Both men looked at one another in confusion. “All I’ll say is that I can only stand so much from her and she’ll bring more harm than good.”

“You know her?”

“All my life unfortunately. If she joins then I’m out.” Grey could tell y her tone that she wasn’t joking. 

“Fine so aside from her, that gives us three left.” 

“Four, that last one looked like she could pack a punch.”

“Hell no.” Grey said. “Eris is crazy, not in the good way either.”

“Isn’t she your roommate?” Grey nodded. “Good so you already know her.” Grey felt a familiar voice inside his head. 

She would be a good addition. The voice from his wand echoed through his mind.

She’s crazy.

Better to keep her close than let her runabout unattended.

No way would Armor allow it.

Since when has that stopped you before? Besides what if she goes and tells her father. That won’t end well for you. Grey shuddered at the thought. 

“Well?” Winter asked. Grey and the trio walked back out to see the group conversing with one another. They quieted down after they saw the three walking out. Grey cleared his throat.

“We thank you all for coming, but only two can join. I’ve seen a lot of talent today and I know that all of you are destined to do great things. For those who did not make the cut, do not despair, your time will come. The two we have selected in a democratic manor are Bolt Stormbreaker,” The man stepped forwards and nodded as some students clapped. Grey sighed at the next one. “and Eris.” 

The others funneled out of the arena and the two approached the three members. Grey shook both their hands and smiled. “Alright, report to the gym two days from now.” As they walked away Grey grabbed Eris’s arm and took her aside. “We need to talk. Now.”

“About what?”

“Your restrictions.” Eris raised an eyebrow. “You can’t go all overlord on the enemy team, that means no turning them into animals or the like.” Eris sighed. “I mean it eris, one slip up, one little toe out of line and you’re out.” 

“Fine.” She said as the two started walking towards their dorm.

“We’ll also need to get you a wand, for your cover.”

“My what?” 

“So the enemy team underestimates you and when they feel safe you blow them away.”

“How deceitful, I like it.” She grinned. The duo made their way towards their room and came across Twilight Sparkle and her brother. Shining waved him down and Grey frowned when he saw the scholar.

“Grey I have an applicant for your team.” He looked at Twilight. Grey looked between them.

“No way in the nine circles of hell.” Shining looked at him in shock.

“Why? Twilight-”

“Has a bad habit of sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.” He glared at Twilight. “Besides, I already have two replacements freshly picked.”

“Who?” Twilight asked.

“Bolt Stormbreaker, a lightning mage.”

“Who else?” Eris gave a small whistle and wave. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am and she is a member of my team.” 

“I will not have this witch-”

“Ahem, am I interrupting something?” Both mages froze as they heard the familiar voice behind them. Discord donning his usual brown suit was standing with a grin on his face and stroking his beard. “Oh don’t mind me, please continue Captain Armor.” He stepped behind Eris and Grey. 

“N-never mind.” He gulped.

“Oh good, because for a second there I thought you called my daughter a witch. Which would not be very nice now would it.”

“I was just expressing my concern about Eris joining the dueling club.”

“Well, that’s new news to me.” Discord said as he looked at Grey.

“She just joined and I believe that she’d be a valuable asset to the team. No to mention I don’t have to worry about her getting into trouble while I’m away with the team. Everybody wins.” 

“I think that makes sense. Wouldn’t want Eris making a black hole on the dorm now would we?” Shining bit his lip and lowered his head. “See you next week Coach.” With that, Grey and Eris walked past them and walked towards their dorm.

“Word to the wise Ms.Sparkle,” Discord stated. “no one likes a Nosy Nancy.” Twilight gave him a death stare. “Bye~” He vanished in a flash of light with a grin.
> Chapter 11: The Costume Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 11

The Costume Party


It had been two weeks since Grey’s confrontation with Twilight in the alley and neither of the two were to talking to one another. That suited Grey just fine, he knew he was in the right and a certain scholar should have kept her nose out of his affairs. Grey had enough on his mind as it is, if he wasn’t studying then he was either dealing with whatever shit Eris had conjured up or planning for their next match. Nightmare Night was approaching and Grey could only shudder at what Eris was planning. It didn’t help that Pinkie Pie showed up at four in the Celestia damn morning saying that her right elbow was itchy. 

As he lifted the covers to get up, his face went scarlet. A pair of red spliced eyes were looking back at him and he could make out a snide smile. 

“Morning dear.” Eris chimed as she rose and the covers slipped off her body, the only thing covering her was a yellow bra and matching panties. He immediately backed up only for his back to hit the head board.

“Damn it Eris! Why do you torture me like this?” The girl crawled closer to him and wrap her arms around his torso and dragged him back down on the bed.

“It’s not torture if you like it~” She said as she nuzzled his chest.

True.

Shut up brain! Grey groaned and managed to wriggle his way out of the girl’s grip. Eris whined but decided to go back to sleep while Grey opted for a freezing shower. After getting dressed he made his way down to the cafeteria for his morning coffee. Grey groaned as he sat at a table waiting for his coffee. He opened one eye when he saw a familiar indigo haired scholar approaching. “What do you want Dr. Phil?” 

“Quit being sarcastic and I’ll tell you.” Twilight said as she sat down across from him. Grey groaned as his coffee arrived. “I came to say I’m sorry about what happened a few weeks back.”

“She finally gets it!” He said as he raised both hands up.

“I know I can get a bit too absorbed when I’m trying to find something out.”

“AKA; Nosy.” Twilight frowned at the words. “Sorry, I don’t wake up until I’ve had my coffee.” He took a sip from the piping hot cup and sighed at the taste. “Not the best, but certainly not the worst.”

“Anyway, I’m sorry if I caused any offense to you.” Grey sighed and set his cup down.

“Thank you for the apology and I’ll admit that I can be...defensive about my personal life. Force of habit.”

“How so?”

“Just found it better to keep most people at an arms length.” The doors to the cafe opened and in stepped an exhausted looking Pinkie Pie. Her shirt hung off her body and her hair was curled in all the wrong ways. She sat down next to Twilight and groaned. “Something wrong Pinkie?”

“Ugh! I just can’t find out who!”

“What’s up?” Twilight asked.

“My elbow is itchy!” Twilight blinked and pulled out her wand. With a wave she summoned what looked like a pink field journal and a pair of horn rimmed glasses that gave her that sexy librarian look. 

“Itchy elbow.” She said trailing off into thought as she started flipping through the pages.

“Okay can I get a translation?”

“Well, I get these twitches,” Pinkie chimed. “and each twitch means something different. Like when my hair twitches, it mean’s something is gonna fall.” As if on cue Pinkie’s hair wiggled and Grey heard one of the chefs drop a plate.

“A ha!” Twilight said as she put her book down. “Itchy elbow signifies that it’s someone’s birthday today.”

“Oh, why didn’t you just ask?” Both girls looked at the man. “It’s mine.”

“WHAT!?” Pinkie grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close so they were nose to nose. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“You kicked in my door at four in the morning saying your elbow itched. How the hell was I supposed to know that had something to do with me?” Suddenly, Pinkie let out a gasp and a smiled grew on her face.

“I gotta throw you a party! No wait, a costume party for Nightmare Night!” Grey glance over at Twilight and sighed.

“No getting around this is there?”

“Nope.” He rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Fine but not too big Pink- where the hell did she go?” The seat the pink girl had been previously occupying was vacant. “How did she?”

“It’s Pinkie Pie. Don’t question it.” Grey nodded and decided to head back to his dorm room to make sure Eris didn’t damage the fabric of space and time. As he walked inside his dorm he saw Eris walking back to her room, soaking wet, not wearing a towel. Grey froze as he saw the girl’s wet skin and hair that stuck to her shoulders. The man had to admit that the woman had very attractive features. Her breasts were about a D cup and they had a perfect ratio with her ‘assets.’ 

“Close the damn door!” That snapped Grey out of the trance and closed the door to the hallway while covering his eyes.

“Why don’t you have any cloths on!?” He said with a firm hand over his eyes.

“I forgot them.” She said in an innocent tone.

“Just use a towel!” He heard her door close and sighed as he sat down on the couch trying to cope with what he just saw. 

Well that was a wake up call.

Not a bad sight.

Shut up. He suddenly felt something soft touch the back of his neck before he was tackled to the ground. He groaned as his vision returned to see a now clothed Eris sitting on his chest grinning.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday jerk!?”

“Take a wild guess.” Eris frowned and got off him.

“Fine, be that way and here I had an awesome gift for you.” She said in a pouting face. Grey got to his feet and cracked his back.

“How did you even hear about..Let me guess, Pinkie?” Eris pulled out her handbook and found the last message.


You’re invited to Grey Newhope’s birthday/Nightmare Night party at The Place. Tonight at 8:00pm. Be sure to wear a costume.


Creator damn you Pinkie! Grey face palmed at the words and went into his room and saw something glowing in his desk. He pulled out the silver mirror and tapped the surface to see a video message from Dusk.

“Hey Grey, just wanted to wish you a happy birthday from Rogue, Midnight, Willow and yours truly. I know you hate the mushy stuff but we owe our lives to you and the old bird. Even though she’d never admit it, Midnight would agree too. Also, the guys from the guild send their regards and miss you, one former member in particular who shall remain nameless.”  He felt a small tug at his heart as his mind made the connection. 

“Anyways, the guys down at the guild thought that they’d send you a little present, which should be coming in three, two,” The image was distorted as a box came through the small mirror and landed on his bed. It was a black, wooden box with a silver lock holding the lid to the body. “one. I gotta head out, talk to you later.” The image flickered and the audio vanished. Grey put the mirror aside and saw a card resting on top of the box. He opened the card to see a large key inside next to the writing.

Grey walked over to the box and unlocked it. His eyes boggled at the fine piece of craftsmanship before him. It was a silver pocket watch with a magnificent bird with flames coming from it’s wings imprinted on the front. Inside there was an inscription, his favorite quote.


“That which does not kills us, makes us stronger.”
~Starswirl the Bearded
 

He pocketed the watch and turned his attention to the card. He opened it and smiled as he saw a picture of the Changelings, the bat girl and Willow smiling. Grey took another look at the box and raised an eyebrow. The box seemed to be a bigger than for just storing a watch in it...Unless. Grey gripped the red satin cushion where the watch once sat and to his surprise found to be a false bottom. He slid the wooden bottom out and looked in surprise as he saw a silver badge with a shield and crossed swords on it. There was also another card next to it that only contained a few words.


Found this, thought you might want it back
~Scarlet.


Grey hadn’t seen this badge in years and thought it was lost to him. He held the badge tightly and couldn’t help but smile as a few tears formed in his eyes. He put the badge in his pocket and decided to head out for some training.  

~~~

The Osiris two hours earlier.

“Okay and sent.” Dusk said as he snapped his fingers in front of the mirror he was holding and sent the box through the small mirror. The man sat back on his couch and looked at the woman who was occupying his living room. She was wearing a long dark red coat that contrasted her black shirt and pants, but matched her long blood red hair perfectly and brightened her emerald green eyes. She looked about twenty and had a blank expression on her face.

“Good and thank you for sending it.”

“And you didn’t bring it to him personally because?” The woman stared back at the Changeling with a look that could kill a dragon. “Fine, fine, forget I said anything.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Still, you two have quite the history Scarlet.” The woman froze in the man’s doorway. “I know it, you know it, everybody who knows you two know it. You’re both just too damn stubborn to-” The man stopped talking as a fireball appeared in her hand. She stared back at the man with a glare that could freeze the fires of hell.

“It wouldn’t work between us now.” She lowered her head.

“Because you joined the guard? Granted, Grey has a reason for hating the guard, as do most people down here, you included, but I’m sure he wouldn’t care if-” 

“Are you finished?” She said through gritted teeth.

“After this,” He sighed and stood up. “Grey is a rarity, you know that and he won’t stay single forever.” The woman slammed the door and stormed out of the apartment with a huff. Dusk sighed as he heard a faint squeaking sound. “She’s gone, you can come out Rogue.” The female Changeling was wearing a pair of purple hospital scrubs as she poked her head around the corner.

“Sorry, it’s just that Scarlet scares me.” She said as her brother put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

“Oh yeah, she scares me too and we don’t want to get her angry.” Both shuddered as they remembered the last time someone pissed her off. In all of her reading and studying of different injuries, Rogue had never seen a person’s spine bend that way before. “Why is it that Grey always attracts the craziest girls?”

“Because he’s crazy.” The two shared a chuckle at the words as they flipped on the small TV and sat back. The red haired woman trudged back through the streets of Canterlot and soon approached no man’s land. A large gap in the ground spanning fifty feet wide and so deep that you could only see the bottom. Several draw bridges were in place to allow people in and out with special permission of course. Scarlet pulled her red hood over her head and presented her papers to the guard. His eyes dance over the ID and he raised a hand to signal the woman across the gap.

Several people extended their wands and the drawbridge fell into place creating a double lane road with a side walk on either side. The woman walked down the street keeping her hod up despite the wind rushing through the gap. The gap is what separated the Osiris and the rest of Canterlot. Most of the surrounding buildings were vacant or used as look outs for the border guards. About three blocks worth of empty homes were what separated the rest of Canterlot and the Breach, as it was called by the locals.

Scarlet reached the end of the bridge and continued on her way towards the castle. She was only a private in the guard and was an exceptional soldier, she listened to orders and was by far the strongest out of her class. She even beat out the General’s nephew which made the old officer chuckle. The barracks weren’t connected to the castle itself, that was saved for the officers. Scarlet had worse conditions growing up in the Osiris and found herself quite happy with her quarters. Of course, there’s always problems to contend with.

“Scarlet~” A cheery voice yelled out and the red haired mage face palmed. She turned her head to see a girl about her height, wearing a gray royal guard shirt and matching pants complete with combat boots. She had short orange hair that matched her wings and was neatly tied into a ponytail and had a wide grin on her face. “Where have you been girl? I’ve looked all over for you! I looked inside the barracks, outside the barracks, the maze, which I kinda got lost in.” Scarlet sighed as she opened the door to her room to show two double beds, a couch, kitchenette, a TV and an assortment of magazines.

“C’mon Nova, let’s get some breakfast.” Nova Dust, many words could be used to describe this girl, beautiful, funny, but one that always came to mind was abnormal. Despite being a royal guard, the giddy girl had somehow managed to go through basic training without having her spirit broken, that was twenty bits Scarlet would never see again. The two had met the first day of basic and like a lost puppy, Nova had clung to the red haired woman ever since. 

Most people couldn’t fathom how Scarlet could stand the hyperactive girl around her without going nuts. In all honesty, Nova proved to be the perfect partner for Scarlet. Their success record with their exercises was proof enough. Nova’s positive attitude kept Scarlet from becoming a nervous wreck, while her seriousness kept Nova grounded and focused. Nova pulled down a box of Celestia O’s and poured herself a large bowl. “That stuff’ll rot your teeth.” Scarlet said as she brought down her box of Oat Flakes.

“Oh don’t be such a stick in the mud. You need to learn how to have some fun.” She started gobbling down the sugary cereal with gusto. Scarlet rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but grin at the girl. “When I woke up this morning you were gone, where’d you go?” 

“Out.”

“Was it to see a boy?” She asked in a hopeful tone.

“Yes, he’s-”

“I knew it! Fox so owes me twenty bits!” She cheered. “I knew you had a-” The woman’s finger pressed against her lips.

“He was just a friend that’s it, and to top it off he’s gay.” Nova sighed at the words. 

“So you went back to...you know.” Scarlet gave a nod. Nova was the only person who knew about Scarlet coming from the Osiris. If the higher ups found out then they would probably make her life harder than it already is. “I guess it’s important to keep in touch with your roots.”

“I just needed something delivered to an old...acquaintance of mine.” 

“Oh, what kind of acquaintance?” She waggled her eyebrows. 

“Just someone who used to be part of the same guild that I belonged to.” Nova gasped and smiled.

“You mean your old partner?” Scarlet stared at her in shock. “What was his name? Silver? Ash? Some type of color.” She rubbed her chin and Scarlet could see the gears turning. “Oh! It was Grey! Yeah, that’s it!” 

“Shhh!” She quickly out her hand over her friend’s mouth. “Yes, it was for my old partner from my guild days so keep your voice down!” She let her hand off her friend’s mouth and sighed. “How did you even know that much?”

“You talk in your sleep Rosy.” Scarlet silently cursed her last name, Rose. Since Nova had found out she’d always call her Rosy to mess with her in a playful manor.

“I hate that name.”

“Oh come on, we’re Rosy and Dusty!”

“If the Creator is kind then, no one will ever call us that.”

“So how did he react?” She asked fully interested.

“Thankfully I didn’t see him.”

“Oh come on! It’s important to keep in touch with friends.”

“We’re not friends Nova.” She sighed. “I don’t know what we were or are.” Nova saw the glum look on her friend’s face and thought for a moment. The giddy girl grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. “Hey! What are you doing!?”

“C’mon Rosy it’s Nightmare Night and I’m not gonna let you mope about all day!” Despite Nova’s height, she had a surprising amount of strength compacted into her small body.  “Fox said that she, Lilly and Emerald were going to the spa!” Scarlet sighed and knew it was pointless to resist the woman.

“Can I at least walk on my own?” Nova stopped and realized she had dragged her friend all the way out to the courtyard. Scarlet stood up straight and walked with her friend towards the spa. “Thank you.” 

~~~

It was late afternoon when Twilight was walking around the grounds of the school and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t shake the grey eyed mage out of her head. As she walked on the edge of the school that bordered the forest she felt a strange pulse of energy coming from within. She knew the dangers that existed in the forest and debated whether or not to venture inside. Another pulse piqued her curiosity and she decided to venture inward.

Autumn had come to the forest and the leaved had started to change to brown, yellow and dark red before falling to the ground. Along her way Twilight’s shoe caught something and she heard a creaking noise. She looked to her left to see a log coming right towards her. She instinctively ducked as it just grazed her hair. She heard another snap and saw another log about to come at her from the opposite direction. 

She didn’t have time to react and curled up into a small ball to protect her head. The girl heard a slicing noise cut through the air. Twilight heard several slicing noises and saw the log being cut into several pieces. 

“Can’t you take care of yourself Sparkle?” Twilight looked up to see Grey holding an ethereal blade.

“Grey? What are you doing here?” She asked as he helped her up.

“First, I’m not the real Grey. I’m clone number two and I could ask you the same question.” He made the blade vanish and crossed his arms.

“I felt a strange magic surge and came to check it out.”

“Oh that was me, well, the real Grey anyway.”

“What are you doing in a place like this?” 

“Training. I always come here for practice.”

“Why? This place is dangerous.”

“Which is why I like it, no one comes here so I get to cut loose and really train.” The two heard an explosion in the distance. Twilight continued to walk forward towards the sounds. “Hey where are you going?”

“To see the real Grey.” She said in a stern tone.

“Fine just go straight ahead, there aren’t any more traps.” The clone said before vanishing in a puff of smoke. The indigo haired scholar continued through the brush and pushed the branches out of her way. She heard more sounds of magic discharge and swords clashing. She found a clearing and saw four clones standing around a fifth. The one in the center had it’s shirt off and had white hair. Twilight felt her face heat up as she watched from behind the tree. 

The four summoned their blades and converged on the man. Grey dodged the first strike and delivered a powerful punch to the clone making it vanish. Another stepped up behind the ivory haired man and tried to stab him through the shoulder, with a quick spin on his heel the man swung around and caught the clone’s arm. Grey shifted his weight and threw the clone into the stunned one he’d socked with a punch making them both crash to the ground. 

The three still standing tried a rush attack. The white haired man waved his wand and summoned his own blade. He deflected their blows as if he was swatting flies. The four clones looked at one another and nodded as they jumped up high into the tree tops and swapped their blades for bows. They all drew back on the string and fired an arrow that split into ten arrows all on a collision course for the man. 

Grey summoned another blade and took a stance. He calmed his breath and focused. The man unleashed multiple fluid strikes that were too fast for Twilight’s eyes to catch. The blades were swatting away the arrows like they were gnats. As the last few arrows got into proximity, The swords glowed and redirected them back towards their archers. The four clones were hit and fell down out of their stands before vanishing into puffs of smoke. 

Grey made his blade vanish and dropped to one knee. Twilight could see that a few arrows had hit their mark on his left shoulder. The man was panting heavily and Twilight could see the sweat dripping off his back. “I know you’re there Twilight. Come out if you’re done ogling me.” Twilight blushed hard at the words and stepped out from behind the tree.

“I wasn’t ogling you, I was just observing!”

“Sure you were.” He said in a sarcastic manor.

“Since when do you have white hair?”

“Part of my costume.”

“As who? A clown?”

“No, Dante from DMC 3.”

“What?”

“Devil May Cry 3.” Twilight just assumed it was one of the video games her little brother Spike played.

“How old are you?” She groaned.

“Come eleven o’clock, twenty-one. So I heard you sensed me?” Twilight looked at him in confusion. “When my clone vanished anything he learned I learned. Granted that’s a double edged sword, any damage he takes I also get when they vanish.” Twilight’s eyes shrank. As if on cue Grey felt a splitting pain rip through him and dropped to his knees. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I’ll live. Know any spells to deal with pain?”

“No sorry.”

“Typical, a mage with no healing spells.” Twilight frowned and crossed her arms. “What are you going as?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Is it a book?” Twilight’s face went red.

“No.”

She's cute when she tries to lie. He thought as he cracked his back. “Well, whatever. I’m gonna keep going.” He said as he popped the vertebrae in his neck making Twilight cringe. “See you later on.”

“Hang on I have questions.” Grey face palmed.

“And you were doing so well, what did we talk about this morning?”

“If you feel they’re getting to personal then just say so.”

“And you’ll back off?” She nodded. “Nice to see you’ve got that nose of yours on a leash now.” He sat on a log and threw his shirt back on. 

“You mentioned a war,” Grey hung his head. “when did it happen and how come I never heard about it?”

“It was a war that didn’t concern you or anyone outside the Osiris.” He stated flatly. “The Osiris wasn’t always fragmented into six regimes. There was one man who was considered the leader or King if you want to be dramatic about it, of the slums. Everyone knew that what he declared was the law and followed it.” He bit his lip.

“The King had a council and everyone was treated equally, men, women, mages, flyers Griffins and Changelings alike. He didn’t care who you were so long as you followed the rules.”

“Sounds like a great man.”

“He was,” Grey stood up and cracked his neck. “but then something happened. He changed, started making new laws that suited his needs over the peoples’. To this day no one knows what happened, only that he started to go insane.” Twilight gulped.

“Making examples of people, public executions in the street, any who opposed him would be met either at the edge of a sword or the barrel of a gun. People were running in fear and no one was safe. If you defied him then your family would be executed in front of you, then you’d be next.” Twilight felt the words pierce her like a knife. How could one man be so cruel? 

“Soon, the people formed a resistance to go agains the Mad King, as he came to be called. There were six Generals of the Republic, six of the strongest, the toughest and deadliest mages you could imagine. Even with their combined efforts it wasn’t enough, the Mad King had several soldiers with him that were better equipped and trained.”

“Why would they follow someone like that?”

“Fear? Brainwashing? Probably both, but who can say? Anyway, the war lasted two years after the Changeling Invasion and ended about seven months ago.”

“How come I never heard about it?”

“Cut off all communication and any guard that went to investigate turned up ‘missing.’” He made air quotes with his hands. “At least until the last day of the war.” He said in a somber tone. “The day the ash covered the entire city and the war ended. Somehow word reached the Royal Guard and a legion of guards were dispatched to deal with the ‘civil unrest.’ Three armies clashed and by the end, it was over.”

“Who won?” 

“The King was slain at an execution and the Rebellion was a success. The six then split up the Osiris equally and started to rebuild.” He sat back down and sighed.

“It sounds like the rebellion won.”

“In a way they did, but at a great cost.” He sighed.

“How did you survive the war?”

“Kept my head down and waited it out. I couldn’t risk my family getting hurt. So we laid low. Never stayed in the same place for more than a week.”

“Did you have to,” Twilight gulped before she formed the words. “kill anyone?” Grey turned his head and gave her a stare that could make an Ursa void it’s bowls.

“What do you think?” The man pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. “I need to freshen up for the party. See you around.” The man said before walking through the forest back towards the school with Twilight following close behind. Silence ensnared the two like flies caught in a web. Once they cleared the forest, they went their rooms. 

Eris was sitting on the couch with a magazine in hand. She looked at Grey and raised an eyebrow. 

“Dude, what’s with the hair?”

“Part of my costume. Where’s yours?” He said as he grabbed the threads he need for his outfit. 

“You’ll see~” She said in a sing song voice. Grey stepped into the shower and let the warm water run down his body and massage his aching muscles. He dried off and threw on the red jacket Rarity had designed for him and a pair of raggedy jeans. He used his magic to make perfect replicas of Dante’s weapons. The man walked out of the bathroom to see the woman in a skin tight outfit that accentuated her natural physique. 

The costume was jet black and had a large gap in the middle that showed everything from her cleavage to her naval but kept the rest of her breasts covered. The woman was also wearing cat ears and a tail was coming out of her lower back. The woman saw him and a coy smile grey on her face as she made a purring noise. “Kitty likes.” She said as she sauntered over to him. 

“Who’re you supposed to be, Cat woman?”

“Nope, just a very sexy, playful cat.” Her tail was swishing back and forth. Eris also had a set of long fake, he assumed to be fake, nails on her fingers. She gently brushed them against the man’s exposed flesh and leaned against him. “Ya know we can have our own private party,” Her tone was sultry and Grey felt her tail wrap around his leg. “right here, right now.”

Grey pulled out a water gun and spayed the woman, which resulted in a hiss.

“Quit messing around.”

“Oh I see, you like seeing pussies wet.” He knew that she was being dirty and only rolled his eyes. She hissed again and the two made their way into town. As they walked, Grey couldn’t help but stare at the girl’s ass. “I know you’re staring at me.” She grinned. “Can’t say I blame you.”

“You wish.” He said as the two arrived in front of the club. The two went inside to see Neon behind the turn tables dressed like what appeared to be a Decepticon. Suddenly a pink haired chicken appeared in front of them with a smile on her face.

“Hey you made it! Do you like it?” 

“Yeah it looks awesome Pinkie.” The chicken looked Eris over and whistled. 

“Damn girl you look’n fine!” Eris shot Grey a smug grin.	

“At least someone admits it.” She said as she smacked her behind with her tail. 

“C’mon you two, let’s party!” 

“C’mon boy, we’re gonna dance.” Eris said as she grabbed Grey’s wrist and dragged him onto the dance floor.

“I don’t dance.”

“You do tonight. Now shut up and dance!” The music was blazing and Eris was moving her body to the beat. She leaned back against the man’s chest and purred as she wrapped her tail around his torso to keep him in place. As she started to grind on the man, she reached up and placed her hands on the back of his neck. Grey’s face was all red as he felt the girl’s ass firmly pressing against his crotch. 

After Eris had her fill, the two went to a private table in the back and soon, the rest of Grey’s team, and the other four girls showed up. AJ was a scarecrow, Dash was wearing a dark version of a Wonderbolt costume and Rarity was, unsurprisingly, a Princess. Finally, Twilight was donning a skirt and a lavender blouse along with the glasses he’d seen her with earlier.

“You supposed to be a teacher Twi?” Grey chuckled.

“A librarian.”

“Wow, dad was right, no creativity.” Eris said as she sipped her drink. Twilight crossed her arms and sat down. Winter was Elsa from ‘Frozen,’ Bolt looked like Cole from ‘Infamous 2’ and Roach looked like a knight in shining armor. 

“Where’s Fluttershy?” Grey asked.

“Shy is too scared to leave the dorm. You know how she is.” Dash stated.

“What hair dye did you use on your hair dear?” Rarity asked as she started to examine the man’s scalp. There wasn’t even a single black root showing in the snow white hair.

“Just something I got from the store downtown.” AJ narrowed her eyes at the man.

“Well, I think it looks lovely. Looks so much more natural than your black hair.” Soon a familiar pyro mage had shown up looking like Ace from ‘One Piece’ next to him was one of the girls who had tried out for his dueling team.

“Sup man?” He asked with a fist bump.

“Not much.” He looked at Winter who was clenching her fist hard enough to draw blood. He looked at the golden haired girl and chuckled nervously. “Sorry, I forgot your name.” 

“It’s Summer Flare.” She then shot Winter a smug smile. “I see you’ve met my sister.”

“Sister!?” Grey and his teammates all said as they looked at the ice mage.

“Unfortunately yes, my twin sister.” She spat out.

“Oh don’t be like that sis, I’d hate to embarrass you in front of your friends.” Winter gritted her teeth.

“Anyway,” Heat said getting between the two. “Summer here is the newest edition to my squad.”

“WHAT!?” Winter yelled.

“I thought you had enough members?” Grey said.

“I did. Until I kicked Whisper and another guy off for taking bribes.” Grey knew from who. “She’s not the only one to join either.” He said looking back and motioning to someone. Grey’s eyes shrank when he saw the familiar silver haired performer with a cocky grin on her face.

“You’ve got to be shitting me.” He groaned. “Why in the name of the creator would you join the dueling team Trixie?” The performer scowled.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie never misses a chance to improve herself,” Grey respected that. “of course it’s hard to improve what is already perfect.” As quick as the feeling of respect came, it left. Heat led the two girls back to their own team’s table.

“I got twenty bits that say she lasts two weeks.” Roach said.

“I’ll take that action.” Bolt chuckled. Winter remained silent and hung her head. Coming to the rescue Pinkie jumped on the table and laid an egg. She laid a literal egg. The four friends all shook their heads while the others looked at her in confusion. The egg then started to shake and finally explode showing a bottle much larger than the egg could hope to hold. “How did she-”

“It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it.” AJ stated. Grey couldn’t help but laugh as he remembered his interaction with the pink girl that very morning. “What’s with the bottle Pinkie?”

“It’s time for truth or dare!”

“I have a terrible foreboding about this.” Grey said as Dash stood up.

“Hold up Pinks, lets make this game a bit more interesting.” She said holding up a few bottles of liquor. “If you’re unable to complete the dare or lie, then you take a shot. Last man standing wins!”

“I’m game. I need a drink.” Winter stated. The other agreed as well and the game began. The dares started of simple and quickly escalated to the craziness. The bottle landed on Grey after Twilight spun it.

“Okay Grey, truth or dare?”

“Dare me Sparkle.”

“I dare you to tell us something personal about you.”

“Boring.” Dash and Eris said. Grey sat back and thought. 

“Okay, when I was a kid I’d always go to this park that had a pond. One year there was a bad drought and the water was low. I saw a hand sticking out of the mud.” 

“A hand?” Dash gulped.

“A stone hand from a statue.” Grey stated. “I managed to dig the damn thing out and found out it was a statue of a woman. Beautiful craftsman ship, it looked old, like really old. I’d say at least fifty years old.”

“Who was it?” Twilight asked.

“No idea, but she looked beautiful.”

“So what did ya do?” AJ asked. 

“Cleaned the thing up and stood it back up. Went around every once in a while I’d check back and clean the graffiti off of it.” 

“Some people have no appreciation for art.” Rarity said in a high and mighty tone. 

“Tell me about it. Anyway, about three weeks before I came here I go down and found out that someone had stolen it. Tore everything within a mile a new one looking for it and found squat. Needless to say, I was, and still am, pissed.”

“So what happened to it?” Pinkie asked.

“No idea, but when I find the son-of-a-bitch who stole my statue,” An evil grin spread on his face. “there will be hell to pay.” 

“It’s only a statue.” Grey looked at Dash and scowled.

“Hey I worked hard to restore that thing and take care of it. How would you feel if I stole your Wonderbolt posters?” Dash snorted and growled.

“Just try it!”

“See, you don’t want anyone stealing your shit.” He said as he took the bottle and spun it and it landed on the ice mage. “Okay Winter, truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“Okay, what’s with you and Summer?” The ice mage opted with taking a shot. The mage spun the bottle and it landed on Eris.

“Okay, Eris you’re up.”

“I’ll say truth this time.”

“Are you a virgin?” All eyes turned towards the chaotic being who was chuckling.

“No, what did you-”

“Liar.” AJ interjected. “Ah can smell a lie a mile away missy, and you’re stinking right now.” Eris gritted her teeth and hissed like an angry cat. Grey summoned the water gun and sprayed her agin. 	

“Down kitty and tell the truth.” Eris scowled at Grey and groaned.

“Yes, I am one! I’ve been trapped in stone for a millennia, cut me some slack.” She crossed her arms after she spun the bottle. Winter and the other two men left to head back to their dorms and Dash was just forced to kiss Pinkie Pie courtesy of Eris.

“Ugh, why the hell do you taste like cotton candy?” She said as she threw back a drink to kill the taste in her mouth. Grey couldn’t help but take a snapshot and save it as blackmail. Her magenta eyes then narrowed on the man. “Okay my turn.” She shot Eris a glance and grinned. She gave the bottle a hard spin and it ‘just so happened’ to land on the man. “Ha! Truth or dare?”

“Bring it skittles.” That definitely struck a nerve as Dash grew an evil grin.

“I dare you to make out with your roommate for one minute!”

“No way in-” He was cut off as a firm familiar form collided with his body and was pinning him to the booth’s seat. Eris looked down at him like a tiger about to eat it’s prey. Eris was straddling him as she leaned forwards and purred. Grey’s face flushed red and gulped as Eris’s face got closer to his own.

“Don’t act like you don’t want this.” She said in a soft voice before locking her lips with his. Grey’s brain was a war zone, on one side he was kissing his teacher’s daughter, on the other he was kissing a crazy hot girl. Eris put her arms around Grey and slowly slid her forked tongue and started exploring his mouth. There may come a day where Grey would loose the tongue war, but it is not this day! 

He started a wrestling match with their tongues. The girl’s eyes shrank at the sudden change and let out a soft moan as she felt her tail wrap around her leg.

“Times up!” Pinkie chimed as her watch went off. Grey and Eris broke the embrace and her cat like ears dropped in disappointment. Grey regained his senses and heard Heat yell ‘damn’ followed by a series of ‘woots’ from the other men at the party. 

“Damn it Eris! Don’t do that!” He said with red cheeks looking up at the girl who was still straddling him.

“Before you go on a total bullshit rant about how you didn’t enjoy that,” She said with a smile and half lidded eyes. “you might wanna check where your hands are.” The man raised an eyebrow and gave a small squeeze to feel something round, soft and firm. What ever it is it made eris throw her head back and moan. He followed his arm down and saw that he was groping the girl’s ass.

After Eris got off of him, Grey sat back up with crimson red cheeks. Rarity and AJ had coy smiles on their faces, Twilight was just as red as Grey, Pinkie and Dash were laughing so hard that Grey though they might cough up a lung.  Eris sat back with a smug grin on her face and pulled out a small box. “Oh relax, consider this your gift.” She said as she tossed him the box. Grey opened it up to show a silver key.

“What’s the key to?”

“Oh that’s a surprise.” She said with a giggle. Not one of those cute giggles, more like a ‘I’ll turn you into a newt’ giggle. The hours ticked by and the group headed back towards their dorms before it got too late. Grey dragged himself into his dorm and the two roommates went their separate ways. After Grey changed into a pair of gym shorts and turned his hair back to black, he noticed a large bag sitting near his desk with a lock around the top.

He pulled out the key Eris had given him and hesitantly inserted it into the lock. As he turned the key something large and firm tackled him on the bed. He looked to see the cat suited Eris sitting on his chest. “Looks like the cat’s out of the bag.” Grey gulped as the girl leaned down to him and pressed her nose against his.

“Eris, get off me. Now.”

“Nope.” She smiled. “You opened your present.” Her tone was low and sultry. Grey’s face was blushing harder than ever.

“Look Eris, you’re very pretty but-” He was cut off as he felt a familiar pair of warm lips on his own. The girl moaned as she pressed herself against his body.

“Oh don’t say you didn’t enjoy that. Besides,” Grey followed her gaze and saw he was pitching a tent in his pants. “I need to pay you back for taking such good care of me.” She kissed him again and her face was blushing brightly. All thought’s stopped in Grey’s mind and he broke the kiss. Eris sat up and started to remove her costume. 

This is going to be a long, long night. 
> Chapter 12: The Gift (Sex)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Warning! The following chapter contains clop. 
If that is not your thing then skip this chapter. 
If it is then enjoy.
~Silentpegasus



Chapter 12

The Gift


Eris’s eyes were filled with lust as she gazed down on the man’s upper torso. Grey was by, no means muscle bound, but had a defined six pack was clearly visible. Eris removed her skin tight costume and her ears, along with her tail, vanished. She had worked up quite a sweat from her dance with the man and the hormones racing through her system. She panted heavily as she brought her lips down on his neck and started to lick the perspiration off his skin as she worked her panties off her body. A thought came to the man that made him re think his decision. 

“E-Eris are you in heat?”

“No, and don’t worry about me getting pregnant.” She said as she ran her tongue down the middle of his abs resulting in his shaft to grow stiffer. When she reached his pant line she gently rubbed the clothed tip with her finger before making his shorts vanish with a snap of her fingers. Her eyes grew wide at the man’s shaft. “Not too shabby. A bit bigger than I expected.”

“Is that a compli-” He was cut off as he felt a soft hand take his member and started stroking it. Grey’s face was as red as the vixen’s eyes and was groaning in pleasure. Eris gently rubbed the tip with her erect nipple and moaned as she squeezed her own breast. Eris decided to tease him a bit more and run her forked tongue over the length of the shaft. The wet sensation nearly sent Grey over the edge but he held on. “Now what should I do with this?” Eris said in a teasing tone. 

The man was biting his lip as he felt the tongue wrap around his member and bring it into Eris’s mouth. Eris moaned as she savored the flavor of his pre-cum and slowly started to bob her head up and down. Grey could just make out the feel of her sharp canines rubbing against his skin while she picked up the pace and started making sucking noises. “~Mmm, you taste good.” She said with her tongue hanging out. 

Grey was almost at his peak and Eris was going faster than before. Grey looked down and saw that she hat placed both her breasts on either side of his shaft as she sucked harder. The combination of her voluptuous breasts and her tongue dancing across his member as she sucked harder was enough to bring Grey to the edge. Eris moaned as she felt the man’s liquid coat her mouth and she slowly started lapping up the remainder of his cum from his shaft. Eris got to her knees and swallowed the man’s seed with a smile on he face.

“Quite a load you gave me.” She said as she crawled on top of him.

“I-It’s been a while.” 

“Awe, and here I thought I was your first.” Grey knew he wouldn’t last long if Eris stayed in control. He needed to turn the tide and fast. Eris pressed her lips against his and Grey tasted something salty on his tongue.

So that’s what I taste like? A little gross, but no time to focus on that. While kissing, Grey managed to snake his leg around hers and with a some ingenuity he flipped their positions and pinned Eris on the bed. 

“Oh, someones getting naughty~” Grey was now on the offensive and traced his hand down between her legs and started to rub her already moist slit as he rubbed her breast with his other hand. Eris let out a moan and arched her back as she bit her lip. Grey gently pinched her button and a shiver went through her body. Grey looked down at her free breast and gently wrapped his lips around her nipple and started rubbing it with his tongue. “Kyaa~” She said in shock as she tightly gripped the bed frame. Grey rolled her breast as he nibbled on the other and Eris’s moans grew louder as he played with her button. 

Slowly he inserted his middle finger into her moist folds and started to apply pressure. He removed his hand from her breast and started to kiss her lean wall of muscle leading down to her folds. Eris raised her head and was panting. Her legs were shaking and Grey put a firm grip on her legs and started to lick her moist slit resulting in another loud moan. Grey gently nibbled on her button and she gripped the metal bed frame hard enough to bend it. 

Now that she was starting to waver, Grey quickly darted his tongue inside of her and he felt her body shiver. Grey continued to eat her out as she continued to moan. He felt her slit contract on his tongue and he knew he had her. He inserted his pointer and middle fingers and worked them in and out. Her muscles contracted and her love juices coated his fingers. Grey stopped the motion and looked at Eris as he got on his knees. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“Nothing.” Eris figured out what he was doing and she frowned.

“C’mon, I’m not finished yet!”

“What’s the magic word?”

“Fuck you!”

“Not until you say it.” Eris blushed hard with anger as the burning in her loins started a new.

“P-please.” Her tone was barely audible.

“What was that? Couldn’t catch that.”

“Please fuck me! I need it!” She said as she started panting. Grey smirked in seeing her like this. He put either hands on her hips and rubbed the tip of his cock o her moist folds. Grey looked at her and she gave a nod of approval to continue. Grey gently pushed the tip of his throbbing cock into her mist folds. Eris grunted in pain as she felt the man inside of her. Slowly Grey slid his member inside until he felt her back wall. Eris was panting heavily and Grey saw tears in her eyes.

“I’m fine.” She breathed out. “I just need to get use to it.” She slowly sat up and wrapped her arms legs around the man’s back. “Okay, I’m ready.” Grey slowly slid out of the girl and worked his way back in. 

He felt her nails dig into his back and moaned as she felt her body tear at the man’s length. She rolled her head back as Grey continued the thrusts, getting a little bit quicker each time. “F-faster.” She said as she kissed him passionately. Grey returned the kiss and he fell forwards as Eris’s back hit the mattress. 

He massaged her breasts in a circular formation as he continued to thrust. “H-harder! I’m...uh..so close!” Her nails were digging into his back and were drawing blood. The pain mixed with pleasure caused his rate to quicken and Eris was loving it. Something on Eris’s stomach, around her naval, started glowing. It looked like a magic seal. Grey felt a familiar pressure building in his loins.

“E-Eris I’m gonna-”

“Don’t hold back!” She said as she began to tighten around him. “I want it inside me.” She wrapped her arms around him and rolled so she was on top. Grey could fully see her body in all it’s glory and the seal on her stomach was shining brighter than before. He felt her clit clamp down on his shaft and a familiar fluid coat his shaft. He instinctively put his hands on her hips and gave one final thrust before releasing his load inside of her.

Eris threw her head back and moaned as she felt the cum coat her insides. Grey, in his moment of clarity saw the seal shatter as Eris looked down at him with a satisfied smile on her face. The girl slowly inched her way off his cock and kissed him. Grey then felt a splitting pain in his neck. He looked in the mirror and saw that Eris had bitten through his shell and sunk her teeth into his neck like a vampire would do to a victim.

He moaned as pain and pleasure were mixed. He felt an odd sensation circle his body and the woman’s arms ensnared his torso. “It’s done.” She said as she nuzzled his chest.

“What is?” He asked as the day’s activities stared to take it’s toll.

“I’m yours now.” With that the two drifted off into sleep in a warm embrace.

~~~

Outside the school a hooded figure, wearing a white mask made it’s way towards the front gate of the school. The night guard looked up from his TV that was playing his DVD copy of ‘Game of Thrones’ and spotted the hooded stranger approaching. He set his cup of piping hot coffee down and paused his show as he pointed his flashlight at the figure.

“Hey buddy this is private property and there ain’t no candy here for ya either.” He said as he got out of his booth. The figure kept coming towards him. “Hey, I said you have to leave!” As he got within arm’s reach the guard saw that the figure was a foot taller than him. He looked at the mask and only saw two red eyes glaring back at him. The figure waved it’s black gloved hand and the guard felt a haze cloud his mind.

“Open the gate.” The stranger said in a deep voice. The guard wanted to break out his nightstick and rip the man a new one, but his body didn’t obey. He felt his body walking over to the gate and undoing the locking spell he’d put on at curfew. “Now sit down and wait.” Once again he tried to fight it, but he felt his rump sit back down in the same uncomfortable chair he’d previously been occupying. 

The stranger only walked forwards and the gates swung in on their own. The guard wanted to call for help and let someone know that there was an intruder on the grounds. He tried with all his might to yell or stand but some force was keeping him pinned. The guard relaxed as he saw the man approach the front doors. He mentally smirked. 

There’s a separate spell that you needed to use to open the doors to the main building. Even I don’t know them so now you’re up shit’s creek without- His mental celebration halted when he saw the man phase through the doors like a ghost. If he was able to move, his jaw would be on the floor right now. The stranger made his way through the stone walls of the castle and froze another guard in the same stated as the first. He soon came to the dormitories and made his way into the far wing. He phased through one door and saw a girl with golden blonde hair asleep across from another girl with her purple hair in curlers.

He phased out of the room and checked the one across from it. The room was much larger than the previous one and had a kitchenette that appeared to be unused. He looked through the wall and saw a girl with indigo hair and a pink stripe running through it. He phased back into the hallway continuing his search. The next room was similar to the last in size, only there was a different feel in the air. He checked the small room on the left side and found it abandoned. The next bedroom however answered that mystery. 

Lying in the bed was a gorgeous woman with black and white hair nuzzling a twenty-one year old man with jet black hair. Behind the mask the stranger smirked as he found his target. He froze as he heard the girl stirring. 

“Grey, you get the chocolate...I’ll get the...pancakes.” She said before letting out a soft snore. The stranger phased back out into the main room and summoned a large box. He set it on the counter before going back out into the hallway.

“What the?” A female voice said in shock. The stranger turned around to see the once sleeping indigo haired woman in a lavender robe and wand in her hand. “Who are-” Was all she got out before a strong gloved hand came over her mouth and another gripped the hand that was holding the wand. He forced her against the wall and held her up a few inches off the ground by her face. She tried to scream but the stranger’s hand was muffling her cries. 

The mask leaned in and dark red eyes locked with her amethyst eyes. Twilight’s mind got cloudy and she couldn’t focus. The stranger put a finger to where his lips would be if he wasn’t wearing a mask.

“Sleep and forget.” With that, Twilight’s limbs went limp and her eyes shut faster than Pinkie Pie devouring a cupcake. The man caught her and set her back in her bed before leaving the school. He phased out of the building and made his way back towards the front gate where the guard was waiting obediently. “Lock the gate.” The guard complied and re did the seal. 

The stranger turned to leave and walked away from the guard. “I was never here.” With a snap of his fingers the guard shook his head and looked at his surroundings. 

Strange, could have sworn I was talking to someone just now. He thought as he scratched his head. “Bah! I’m getting too old for this shit.” He sat back down and continued reading. “Oh Tyrion, what you lack in height you triple in sheer awesomeness!” He chuckled as he sipped his now cold cup of coffee. 
> Chapter 13: Explanations Would Be Appreciated
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 13

Explanations Would Be Appreciated


Normally Grey considered himself a morning person. A good night’s rest and he was ready for whatever craziness the world presented him. This morning however felt different. The sun’s rays shined through his window and made the man stir. He sat up and lightly shook his head. Even though he slept, his muscles felt very sore.

Would you like to run brain start up?

Confirmed.  He looked around his room and squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light. He felt a certain freedom down below and lifted the covers to reveal his suspicion. 

“Where’d my pants go?”

“Ugh, keep it down would you? Some of us like sleep.”

“Sorry Eris.” After the words left his lips he froze on the spot. Like a rusty hinge, Grey slowly turned his head to see the sleeping woman next to him with only a blanket to cover her nude body.

Brain start up complete. 

Analyzing...Analysis complete. 

Status: You’re fucked. Grey sprang out of bed and landed on the floor with a thump. He scrambled for some sort of clothing to cover himself with and found his gym shorts that had been crumpled up in a heap. He slipped them on and stared at Eris.

What the fuck happened last night?

Calm down. Retrace your steps.

I went to the party, played a few games, made out with Eris on a dare. I came back here, opened up the bag and then...oh fuck. The memories of the night before came rushing back to him and he sat on the bed trying to focus. He then felt something rest against his shoulder. He turned to see Eris resting her chin against him with a smile on her face.

“Morning lover.” Grey sprang up and was panting heavily.

“Eris, do you remember what happened last night?”              

“You mean when you rocked my world?”

Ha! I still got it!

Not helping! 

“Oh calm down you have nothing to be ashamed about.” She said as she got to her knees and stretched her arms up causing the blanket she was using to fall off. Grey’s face went red and turned around. “Seriously, I sucked your dick and you still turn away from me when I’m naked?”

“I can’t deal with this right now. Not without my coffee.” He said as he grabbed some clothes and ran into the bathroom. He groaned as he turned the shower on and the events of last night played out in his head. He reached for the soap and found it missing. 

“Here.” A slender hand poked through the curtain holding a bar of soap.

“Thanks.” As he washed his arms he froze and peeked out of the curtain to see the girl on the toilet. “What the hell Eris!?”

“What? I had to pee and you were taking forever.”

“I just got in here! Just leave!” The girl stood up and crossed her arms.

“Fine.” As she left she snapped her fingers and flushed the toilet causing a surge of hot water to hit the man. Grey rolled his eyes at the failed attempt to scald him and stepped out to get changed. As he walked out he noticed the box sitting on the table. Curiously he approached the box and opened the lid to see a large black object. It was rounded, and was as big as a basket ball. Coming from the bottom were white flames reaching towards the top.

“Hey Eris.”

“What?” She said from the other side of her door.

“Did you get me anything for my birthday?”

“Did the sex not count in your mind?” She grumbled.

“I’m asking because there’s some sort of egg thing here.” He heard the door open and Eris came out fully clothed. “This wasn’t here when I got in last night. Did you sneak out and get something?”

“Dude, I couldn’t move last night after our session.” Grey blushed. 

“Yeah about that. We need to talk.” Eris lowered her head.

“Let me guess, it was a mistake and you never want to see me again?”

“No, I just want to know why me?” Eris looked at him in confusion. “You could have any other guy here. So why me?” Eris had a smile on her face.

“I was just returning a favor.”

“What favor?”

“You taking care of me.”

“How? We’ve only been roommates for two months.” Eris raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. 

“Do you really not know who I am?”

“Huh?”

“Just because I have skin you can’t put it together?”

“Now you’re just not making sense.” Eris face palmed.

“I guess showing you would be better than trying to explain it.” She grabbed Grey by the back of his neck and pressed their foreheads together. Grey’s mind was buzzing as he only saw a blinding light. When his vision returned to normal he saw that he was outside with trees around them and a dirt road in front of them.

“Where are we?”

“You tell me.” She said gesturing towards the bench. In an instant it hit him. It was the park he always used to visit when he was a kid. He sat down on the bench and saw the statue he had pulled out of the swamp so many years ago. 

“But how? Someone stole the statue.”

“Just watch.” She said as she pulled a remote from her pocket and hit the play button. The two saw a flash of yellow light and a familiar brown suit wearing spirit of chaos appeared before them. On instinct Grey jumped behind the bench and hid. “What are you doing?”

“Um hiding. I thought that was obvious. If your old man find out we...ya know he’ll send me into a black hole.” Eris hit the pause button on the remote and walked up to her father. She ran her hand through him like he was a hologram. “What the hell?”

“These are just memories idiot. We can see him, but he can’t see us. Now shut up and watch.” She played the memory and Discord stopped in front of the statue.

“So this is where you were hiding.” With a snap of his fingers the statue started to shake and crumble until a flash of yellow light filled the area. When Grey unshielded his eyes, his brain did a double back flip. Standing next to his teacher, where the statue once stood was a very confused and very naked Eris. “It’s been a long time Eris.” Discord said as he took off his coat and wrapped it around her.

“Wh-where am I?” She said as she slowly got to her feet.

“Come. We have much to discuss.” Eris paused the scene and looked at Grey with a bemused smile. Grey looked between the two and his eye twitched.

“You were the statue!?”

“Ding. We have a winner!” She said as they found themselves back in their dorm room. 

“And you didn’t mention this before because?”

“After dad broke me out and I got my powers back, my memories were a bit jumbled. I only remembered it was you until you told that story last night.” She had a small hint of guilt on her face. “I just didn’t know how to tell you.” Grey rubbed his eyes and turned away from the woman as he processed the info. 

This was all way too much to take in without his coffee. He felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around him and Eris’s head resting against the back of his neck. He felt a wetness and heard a sniffle.

Is she crying? He turned around and saw that the chaos girl was in fact crying.

“You were my only friend.” She sniffled. “You are my only friend and now I’ve fucked it up.” Grey knew what it was like to be alone, but over a thousand years? That’s gotta be rough. He wrapped his arms around Eris and gave here a small kiss on the forehead.

“Eris, I don’t regret last night. I was just shocked and I felt vulnerable.” He said as he broke the embrace and sat down. “The last girl I was with I really cared about, and things...didn’t work out.” He sighed. “I’m not saying I don’t like you in that way, but it’ll take a bit for me to accept those feelings again so can we please take things a bit slower?” Eris smiled and gave him a soft peck on the cheek.

“Anyway,” Turning his attention back to the black object. “if you didn’t get this thing then who did?” Eris tapped on the surface and scratched her head. 

“Looks like some sort of egg. Oh! We can make the worlds biggest omelet!”

“Hell no! We don’t even know if it’s an egg or not.” Grey thought of something and stood up. “I’ll be right back.” He exited his room and went down the hall to Pinkie’s room that she shared with Dash and Shy. He knocked a few times before a very tired pink chicken answered the door.

“Oh hey Grey! Last night was so awesome!” She chimed.

“Yeah, is Fluttershy here?”

“I think she’s sleeping. Why?”

“Well, I’ve got some weird looking egg thing and-” With speed that could rival Rainbow Dash a pink haired girl zoomed out of a door and landed in front of the man.

“An egg what kind?” Grey’s face went bright red and he covered his eyes. 

“Um Fluttershy, you might wanna look down.” The timid flyer then remembered that she slept in the nude. She gave a small ‘eep’ noise and rushed back inside. After a few minutes she returned wearing a yellow turtle neck sweater and pink pants.

“I’m so sorry about that.” She said with crimson cheeks.

“It’s okay. I didn’t see anything.”

I saw EVERYTHING!

“So what about an egg? What kind is it? Where did it come from? How-” Grey put a finger to her lips to silence the barrage of questions.

“I have no idea. That’s why I came to you. Everyone know you’re the go to gal when it comes to animals and we’d better get back before Eris decides to make it into her brunch.” The two walked back down the hallway and into the dorm to see Eris holding the egg in a giant frying pan. Once again, Fluttershy displayed her amazing speed by tackling the woman while Grey caught the egg in his arms.

“Get off me!” Eris said while Shy was staring her down.

“Don’t you dare touch that egg! It’s a poor defenseless creature!”

“Um girls.”

“It was going to be my lunch!”

“Girls.”

“How would you feel if you were just an egg and someone just came up and ate you?”

“GIRLS!” Grey yelled finally catching their attention. The two looked at the man who was holding the now glowing and cracking egg. Fluttershy approached it and felt a large heatwave knock her back. The egg exploded and something shot out and landed on the counter.

“What in tarnation?” A familiar southern accent yelled out. Several foot steps could be heard as Grey shook his head and saw five familiar girls standing in his dorm with their PJ’s. Some of them were a bit more revealing than he would have liked. 

“Grey, you have to ask me about things like this first.” Eris said with a giggle. Grey ignored her and focused on whatever was moving in his hands. He saw a tuff of black and white feathers and heard a screeching sound. The sound was coming from a small bird that had hatched from the egg. It was no bigger than a duck, only it had a sharper beak, talons and longer wings. 

“Well, that’s different.” He said as he stood up and put the bird on the counter. The small bird stretched it’s wings. The bird’s wings, back and beak were jet black while it’s wing tips, stomach and face were white. It had a large crest on it’s head the same color as it’s bright red eyes.

“What is that thing?” Dash asked.

“Looks like a big chicken.” Eris said. The bird immediately turned it’s head and shot white flames from it’s beak at the woman. Eris quickly ducked and made the flames vanish.

“Whoa!”

“I think it’s a phoenix, but I’ve never seen one like this before.” Fluttershy said as she looked at the hatchling. The bird craned it’s neck as it looked at Grey. The man hesitantly reached towards the bird to touch it’s head. The bird rubbed it’s beak against his hand. 

“See it’s harmless.” As he said that, the bird cawed and sunk it’s sharp beak into his hand and blood started to run. Grey then felt a burning sensation in his hand and quickly ripped it from it’s beak. “Ow!”

“You were saying?” Twilight stopped her condescending as she saw the man’s injured hand glowing. Grey felt a small burning sensation and a small symbol showed on his skin.

“Okay, what the hell?” The bird flew over to his injured hand and tears formed in it’s eyes. As the tears fell on the skin, the wounds started to close. The group looked at the bird who only tilted it’s head to the side. “Um, thanks?” The bird cawed as it hopped off his arm and went back to the table.

“Where did you get that thing?” AJ asked.

“No idea, just found it sitting here this morning.” He said with a shrug. “Um Shy, you’re the expert here, any ideas?”

“I really don’t have a lot of experience with phoenixes.” Fluttershy said in her usual timid tone.

“Didn’t you kidnap Princess Celestia’s when she came to town that one time?” Fluttershy blushed at Rainbow’s words.

“Wait Celestia has one?”

“Yeah, her name’s Philomena.” Twilight stated.

“Well, looks like I need to talk to her. Since she has the most experience.” As he turned to leave, the bird quickly ran and jumped onto his shoulder. “No, stay-” He was cut off as the bird sunk it’s talons into his shoulder solidifying it’s spot. “Okay, you can come. Just no nails!” 

The bird retracted it’s spike like nails. “I’ll be back later.” He said as he made his way out of his room. Grey’s muscles were still sore from last night’s session and groaned as he limped his way through the hallways. He was getting odd stares from people passing by as he made his way to the office. He knocked on the door and heard a familiar commanding voice.

“Enter.” It was Princess Luna he saw siting behind Celestia’s desk.

“Morning Princess, do you know where Princess Celestia is?”

“She is out on personal business.” Luna then noticed the bird on his shoulder. “May we ask why you have a bird?”

“That’s kinda why I’m here. I got this phoenix and-” Luna’s eyes shrank.

“Where did you get it?” She asked as she walked closer.

“Long story. Anyway, I heard that Celestia has one so I was wondering if she had any tips on training it.” As Luna extended her hand the bird snapped it’s beak at her. “Cinder behave.”

“Who?” He pointed to the bird.

“Figured he, at least I think it’s a he, should get a name.” The bird flared it’s wings in approval. “Cinder it is!” Luna walked over to a bookcase and started searching. She pulled out an old leather bound book with a bird on the cover. She opened up the table of contents and flipped to another page.

“Ah yes here we are. Male phoenixes are a bit larger than the females. As chicks they have a larger beak, head crest and wing span. They are very proud and won’t hesitate to attack if that pride is threatened.”

That explains why he scorched Eris. 

“Phoenixes are very loyal to their owners, who are usually marked by the bird by biting them and injecting a bit of their magic into the person so they may find them wherever they are.”

“You tagged me?” He blankly stared at the bird who gave a wing shrug. “That book tell ya how to train em?”

“It should.” She levitated the book over to him. “Just be sure not to loose it. It’s a first edition.”

“Deal and thanks Princess.” He said as his stomach let out a loud growl. “Heh, sorry. I haven’t eaten yet. I’ll see you later.” He gave a wave as he exited the room. Luna bit her lip and walked over to her mirror and tapped the surface. The glassy surface rippled as though someone had just thrown a stone into a stagnant pond. Soon the image of Princess Celestia filled the shiny surface.

“Oh good morning Luna.” She smiled.

“Am I interrupting sister?”

“No, I’m just waiting until they get her out of lock up.” Luna rolled her eyes.

“Why do you continue to associate yourself with a criminal?”

“She’s an old friend. So what did you call me about?”

“Grey Newhope just came in with a phoenix on his shoulder.”

“What!? Where did he get one?”

“We do not know. We thought that we should bring it to your attention.”

“Thank you Luna. I must go. The guard is coming.”

“Very well, and be careful Tia.” The transmission cut out and Luna sat back down at her desk.

~~~

Canterlot Maximum Security Prison.
Time:11:35 am.
Prisoner 00975.
Time served: Two decades out of life sentence.
Crime: Treason.
Parole meeting four. 

Celestia watched from high above the proceedings as three armed guards escorted a woman down the block. She looked like she was in her mid to late forties, but her body looked as fit as a twenty-five year old. The woman was donning a prison jumpsuit and had her hand and legs in chains. Her long black hair was messy and her bangs hung forward covering her eyes. The guards sat her down and were ready to put her down if necessary. Across from the woman sat three people in suits with stacks of papers in front of them.

Around the woman’s neck was a collar that would shock her if she attempted to charge any of her magic. All prisoners wore one as it served as a tracking device and guards could activate it by remote in case of a riot. The man in the middle stood and cleared his throat.

“Prisoner 00975. Birth name, Raven Rapier. Charged with treason against Equestria and the crown. You have served twenty years out of your life sentence and have gone with little to no complaints, aside from your first year here.” The woman stayed silent. The man on the left leaned forwards.

“Do you believe that you have been rehabilitated?”

“...”

“I’ll repeat the question, do you feel that you have been rehabilitated and ready to rejoin society?”

“...” The three looked at one another and nodded to the guard. The guard on the left walked forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Answer the-” With blinding speed, the woman broke her chains and flipped the man forwards onto his back and robbed him of his nightstick before pressing it to his throat.

“Don’t touch me.” Her tone was sharper than a newly forged blade. She heard several spell guns being cocked and pointed in her direction. She let the guard go and dropped the weapon. “Now take me back to my cell and stop wasting my fucking time.” The guards cuffed her and took her away. As she was escorted back, she glared up at the one way mirror and frowned. Raven knew she was there, she was always there.

The three suits sighed and stamped ‘Denied’ next to the parole square. Celestia put her face in her hands and sighed as an older man in a black suit walked up to the mirror.

“It’s strange. On any other day she’s usually as tame as a house cat, but on every one of her parole dates, she’s acts like a tiger on the hunt.”

“She doesn’t want to leave.” Celestia sighed. The warden walked over to the phone.

“The usual room?”

“Yes, please.” He nodded and made the call. Celestia waited until a guard came to escort her. She walked through the prison halls. No prisoners made a sound and only looked at her through the bars. She made her way to the meeting room where the woman was sitting under armed guard. Celestia entered the room and motioned for the guard to leave. 

“It’s been a while hasn’t it Raven?” Celestia stated. The woman kept her head lowered. “You can’t be stay in here for the rest of your life.”

“Wanna bet?” Her tone was ice cold.

“There’s a whole world out there. You can have your life back.”

“What life? I lost everything I had. My career, my friends, my family. The world is better off without me.”

“There has to be something, anything I can do to convince you to leave. It kills me to see you in here. You weren’t just my guard you were and still are my friend.” Her tone was nurturing like a mother’s. The woman raised her head and her hair fell back showing her beautiful hazel eyes.

“Can you bring him back?” Celestia’s throat went dry and hung her head in shame. The woman stood up and knocked on the door. “I’m done here.” As the door opened the Princes stood up with tears in her eyes.

“Raven please!” The woman turned with a vacant expression on her face and her eyes were like two of the deepest rifts, cold and emotionless.

“Raven Rapier is dead. I think it’s time you realized that Princess.” The words struck Celestia’s heart like a thousand knives as the woman left the room with the guard. Celestia clenched her fists hard enough to break the skin and tears ran down her face and dropped on the table. 

“Are you okay your highness?” A guard asked. The Princess gathered her strength and sighed.

“Yes, I’ll be taking my leave now.” She said as she wiped the tears away. She soon left the prison and her carriage took off towards the castle.

~~~

After finding a cage to temporarily house the baby bird and fireproofing the interior of the cage so there’s no chance of escape, Eris and Grey went down to the cafeteria to join the other six girls. AJ noticed the man’s limp and raised an eyebrow.

“You okay partner?”

“I’m fine, just pulled a muscle.”

“Doing what?” Grey blushed at the question while Eris grinned like a cheshire cat.

“I know that limp anywhere.” A familiar voice came from the pyro mage. Heat sat down next to him and grinned. “You got laid didn’t ya?” All eyes fell on the grey eyed mage who wanted nothing more than to go find a rock to crawl under.

“Um..I-”

“We fucked.” Eris said in a ‘no fucks given’ tone. Twilight’s jaw dropped and felt a small wave of anger wash over her. Heat fist bumped the man while the other five girls looked like they’ve been hit with a stun spell.

“Nice!” Heat laughed. Grey only face palmed the table. Face tabled? He groaned as he felt a red mark forming on is head. 

“Awe, don’t be like that dear.” Eris said as she rested her head on his shoulder. A thought came to the man and he looked at the chaos girl.

“Oh yeah, Eris last night you said, ‘I’m yours’ mind explaining that?”

“I believe I can.”Grey froze and all the color from his face drained away. Dash was stifling her laughter while the other girls gulped. Like a rusty door hinge, Grey turned his head to see the brown suited messenger of destruction and chaos.

“Well, death, you had to catch up with me eventually.” Discord grinned and put a hand on his and Eris’s shoulder. “Shy if I don’t come back, then remember to feed Cinder.”

“Let’s talk.” With a flash of light the three vanished and found themselves in his office. Grey was internally screaming on the inside that he thought Discord could hear him. The man sat behind his desk and crossed his hands. “I only have one question.” He said as he stroked his beard. “Did you sleep with my daughter?” Grey gulped and gathered every scrap of courage he had.

“Y-yeah.” Grey could feel sweat forming on his brow. He felt it coming, he’d be turned to ash and dumped off a cliff or be scattered to the winds.

“Well, it’s about time.” The words hit Grey like a ton of bricks. A silence fell over the room. His eye twitched as his brain stopped working.

“Um what!? That’s all you can say?”

“I suppose I should explain.” Discord said in a flat tone. 

“That would be appreciated.” Discord got up and looked out the window as he thought.

“You see Grey, as you can guess that Eris and I aren’t exactly human.” He said with a swish of his red tail. “We’re called Draconequus, an ancient race that pre dates the founding of Equestria. I could go into more detail, but it’d only bore both you and me half to death. Anyway, Eris and I are the only ones left.” Grey felt a little sorry for the two. “We need to keep going as a species, unfortunately, females mate for life and mark their mates by biting them.” Grey grabbed the bite mark on his neck.

“WHAT!?”

“Yup, congratulations. You’ve been selected to repopulate the Draconequus race.” Grey felt dizzy and sat down.

“S-so, Eris and I m-married?” Discord blinked and threw back his head in laughter. 

“No, nothing like that. There’s no legal binding contract, but now you’re the only one who can impregnate Eris when the time comes.”

“How the fuck does that work?” Discord gave a shrug.

“I blame magic and ancient mating rituals. The whole thing is a bit melodramatic if you ask me.” Grey face palmed.

“Talk about giving an answer without giving an answer.” He sighed. “Okay, let me ask you this, why me? I mean I know I dragged you out of that lake and all, but I don’t think that makes me breeding material.” Discord sighed.

“A Draconequus neesa a stable partner in order to balance out their chaotic nature. You seemed like a good candidate.” Grey frowned.

“So my name just got picked out of a hat!?”

“Oh heavens no. I’m not that daft, I’ve been watching you for a long while now Grey.” He grinned lie a wolf about to eat a sheep.

“How?”

“I may have been locked in stone, but I could still see the world around me, not to mention temporarily brainwash people and walk around. I didn’t have any of my powers when I did that, but I made due.” He chuckled. “I’ve been watching you for a very long time.”

“How long?” Discord’s face grew serious.

“Since your awakening period.” Grey felt ice form in his spine and a familiar vomiting sensation stewed in his gut. “Perhaps I said too much?”

“No shit Starswirl.” 

“Now that’s no way to talk to your future father-in-law.”

“JUST SHUT UP DAMN IT!” He slammed his foot on the ground and Discord felt the room shake. Grey was panting heavily and Discord could see the anger in his eyes.

“I should also mention that our race is attracted to high level mages. I know you purposely held back on that power test Celestia gave purple smart and motor mouth. Yet what I don’t understand is why? You could crush that show girl like a bug and could go toe to toe with Sparkle.” Grey was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.

“I need to process all this shit.” He said as he turned to leave, but stopped as he reached the door. “Did you drop off a pet phoenix for me last night?” Discord raised an eyebrow at the words.

“No, I wouldn’t even know where to get one.” Grey sighed and slammed the door as he left. Eris looked at her father and frowned.

“You shouldn’t have pressed him like that dad.” Eris said as she crossed her arms.

“He’ll be fine. He just needs to cool off.”
> Chapter 14: Make Up?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 14

Make Up?
             

The next few days were not going well. Grey was giving Eris and Discord the silent treatment. Twilight, for whatever reason, was giving Grey the cold shoulder and the second match of the season was coming up. Grey still had not chosen a symbol for his squad yet. Out of professionalism for the team, Grey treated Eris the same way he treated the other squad members. 

He had managed to house train Cinder over the week. It’s a good thing that Phoenix crap burns up after about an hour of it hitting the air, but it does leave scorch marks. The bird had not learned to fly yet and would still hiss at Eris whenever it saw her. Grey decided to take the role of the oblivious owner and chuckle when the bird pecked at her calling it a ‘love peck.’ The mages in training were in Princess Cadence’s class waiting for the bell to ring. There was only one day left before they left for Trottingham University to fight their team.

“Grey,” A voice called out to the man as he walked towards the door. He looked back at the Princes of love who was sitting at her desk. “a moment of your time?”

“Sure. Need something Professor?” He asked as the rest of the class left.

“Just a question.” Grey stood in front of the Princess’s desk. “I noticed that you’ve been unusually quiet as of late. Any reason?”

“Just nervous about the fight.” Cadence frowned.

“Grey I’m the Princess of Love, I know when someone is having troubles with their emotions.” The man furrowed his brow.

“No offense Princess-”

“Please, call me Cadence.” 

“Okay, no offense Cadence, but it’s none of your business.”

“Matters concerning the heart are my business.” She said with a straight face. “I know it has something to do with Twilight and-”

“What? No issues with Twilight.” 

“So there is an issue then.”

Damn it! She’s craftier than she looks. 

“So if there’s nothing wrong with Twilight then why was she giving you a glare?” The Princess made a glare that copied the indigo haired scholar’s look she’d been giving Grey and eris for the past few days. He couldn’t help, but chuckle at the face.

“I’m not sure what Twilight’s deal is, but my issues are with Eris and a certain spirit of chaos.” 

“What’s Discord got to do with it?” Grey sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t trust Cadence, okay maybe a little. Definitely more than Celestia, Luna, or Discord. At the very least he could vent.

“Okay,” He waved his wand and the door to the class room closed along with the blinds. “I’m trusting you can keep this under wraps?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She did a series of hand gestures to go with the chant.

“What was that?”

“It’s a Pinkie Promise, once you make it you can’t ever break it.” The door was then kicked open by a familiar pink haired chef.

“FOREVER!” She yelled before running down the hallway. Cadence waved her hand and the door was fixed.

“Pinkie scares me.” Grey stated.

“No doubt.” Cadence cleared her throat and adjusted herself in her chair. Grey sighed and started with the events of Nightmare Night at the club. He skipped some of the more explicit details of the night, much to Cadence’s delight and finished up with the contract he had been hoodwinked into. Cadence bit her lip and cracked her neck as she processed the information. “Well Grey, I can see why you’re upset with Eris and Discord.”

“Thank you.”

“I can also see why Twilight was pissed.” She said to herself in a low tone.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, just talking to myself.” She adjusted her posture. “So there’s no way out of this deal?”

“Not unless I kick the bucket, and I don’t plan on doing that anytime soon.” Cadence adjusted her glasses and sighed. 

“Well, that is quite the situation.”

“I got tricked.” He clenched his fist and cracked his knuckles. “I hate being tricked.” His tone was sharp enough to cut through steel.

“Sounds like you had a bad experience?” He shot Cadence a dark glance.

“Look Cadence, you’re not my therapist. I’ll handle things on my own.” He said as he looked at hit watch and stood up. “I’m late for practice. See you tomorrow.” With that, the man left the room and made his way towards the gymnasium where the team had gathered. Grey spied his team and made his way over to the pair of women and men. 

“Where’ve you been?” Shining asked.

“Just some personal business.” He sighed.

“I need a better excuse than that.”

“I was talking with your wife. Just ask her later, she’ll back me up.” Shining raised and eyebrow and shrugged. 

“Fine, I’ll confirm that later on. Just be sure to be on time in the future.” Grey nodded and sat with his team. “Okay everyone listen up, we have our second match against the Trottingham Slashers. They’re tough, but nothing we can’t handle. So long as everyone works hard then I’m sure we can win this.” The team then split into their own squads and started conversing strategies with one another.

“Okay guys, I know that this’ll be our first fight as a new team and the opponents look tough, but Roach and I have been working things out and we’ve made up a few battle formations.” He said pulling out a binder.

“Speaking of which, did you decide on a team name yet?” Winter asked. Grey had a guilty smile on his face. “Moron.” She face palmed. “You know the rules, every team has to have a team name and sigil or they get dissolved!”

“What’s a sigil?” Eris asked.

“It’s a symbol for the team, like the Wonderbolts have a Pegasus stallion as their mascot.” Bolt stated. “Most noble families have one that represents what the family is known for. They’re also another term for your Cutie Mark.” Eris then looked at Grey.

“And you haven’t come up with anything?”

“Get off my back woman. I’ve had a lot on my plate lately and it can’t just be some random animal. It’s gotta have flow.” Eris rolled her eyes at the words. “Anyway, I want your guys’ opinion on these plays.” The group started reading through the positions. Some looked manageable, but some seemed over kill.

“Grey these are inane.” Bolt stated.

“I know right? Pretty awesome huh?” He said basking in the glow of his pride.

“He means you must be bat-shit crazy if you think we can pull half this shit off.” Eris stated blankly. “Granted, I can, but these guys? No way.”

“We’ll never know unless-” He was cut off as winter stood up and shot a look at Eris.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Winter asked as she glared at the woman.

“All I’m saying is that these moves are way to big for some people of your skill level to handle. I can since I’m an immortal, all powerful being.” Winter furrowed her brow.

“Look missy, just because you’re Discord’s daughter doesn’t make you any better than the rest of us.” Roach gulped and got between the two women.

“Ladies, let’s all calm down and-” He was pushed aside by the demigod.

“Um, I have more magic in my pinky finger than you do in your whole body. So learn your place Ice Queen.” 

“At least I didn’t sleep my way onto the team.” Eris’s eyes flared and got ready to turn the woman into a mouse.

“ENOUGH! Both of you.” Grey said. His calm demeanor broke and he glared at the two with ferocity in his eyes. He took a few deep breaths and calmed down. “Eris, while you are on this team you are to treat everyone with the same respect, you want to be treated with.” Winter smiled. 
“Wipe that smirk off your face Winter. What Eris, or any of you do outside of the team I couldn’t care less about, so leave it alone. You two have been on each other’s cases since Eris joined the team. Now I want both of you to stop this bickering and focus on the task at hand. Are we clear?” The two shot each other one more glance and groaned.

“Fine, Captain.” Eris said with spite in her voice.

“Yes sir.” Winter spat out as the two turned back to their exercises.

These girls are going to be the death of me I just know it.  

~~~

The next day Grey met with Twilight and motor mouth in the meeting place beneath the school. Twilight was still acting distant towards him for whatever reason.He still didn’t bother to talk to Trixie. “Afternoon everyone.” Celestia chimed. “Before we begin I’d like to know how you’re all coming along with learning your wand’s names.” Twilight stepped forward and extended her wand.

“Athena.” She called out and the air around her glowed with purple magic. Grey had to admit it was a sight to behold. Twilight was strong on her own, but with her magic working in sync with her wand. Now she was something to keep an eye out for. Grey gave a clap while Trixie only glared as she got to her feet. 

“Azure.” Trixie’s magic flared and radiated off her body. Grey had to give her a clap or two. She may be annoying, but she’s good at magic. “Yes, be in awe at Trixie.” If it weren’t for her attitude, Trixie would be pleasant to be around.  

“Very good.” Luna said with a smile. “Grey, you’re up.”

“Yeah, I don’t know my wand’s name yet.”

“Why not?” Discord asked.

“It’s got an attitude.” Grey felt a shock in his pocket from the wand and he winced.

“It’s been weeks since we’ve talked about the concept.” Celestia stated. 

“Hey, I’ve got a lot on my plate.” Trixie only chuckled. Grey ignored her and pulled out his wand. “I’m working on it.” 

“Anyway, on with today’s lesson.”

~~~

Across campus, Eris sat in her dorm room with magazine in hand. She was still bugged about Grey’s silent treatment towards her. Her thought were halted at a knock on her door. She waved her hand and the door opened to show Princess Cadence.

“Afternoon Eris.”

“Sup teach?” She asked.

“May I come in?” Eris shrugged and the Princess of love entered before closing the door. “Is Grey here?” Eris rolled her eyes.

“He’s at that special class with my old man, Celestia and Luna. Why are you looking for him?”

“I’m actually looking to talk to you.” Eris raised an eyebrow at the words and put her magazine down as Cadence sat down across from her. “I heard about you and Grey?”

“Hasn’t everyone?” She said in a flat tone.

“I mean the contract.” Eris raised her head and sighed. “These walls have ears.” She stated. “Grey seemed a bit...upset about it.”

“Oh and you think it doesn’t bother me?” She said defensively. “I didn’t know that that would happen, it was just...I don’t even know, instinct I guess.” She crossed her arms. Cadence sat back and folded her hands. “That’s the way things work. Everyone tells me what to fucking do and no one asks me about it.”

“So Discord ordered you to,” She paused trying to find the right words. “become intimate with Grey?”

“He never told me too outright. Not his style, but why else would he put me in a dorm with him? All the other dorms I’ve seen are same sex. Sure, the floors are mixed, but not rooms.” She huffed. “He’s always pulling some sort of strings.”

“Very true. Have you told Grey that you didn’t know?” Eris looked at her a cat would look at a bath.	

“What’s it to you anyway? Why do you care?” 

“I care about my students and their well being.”

“Are you even qualified to give me advice?”

“I have a masters in psychology and adolescent behavioral therapy.” Eris blinked in surprise at the words. “I’m more than just a pretty face, besides I needed to keep myself busy.”

“Why? You look too young to have those degrees.” Cadence smiled.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, and like my aunts I am immortal. Before I met Shining, I went to this University and got my degrees. After the Crystal Empire incident and order was re-established I got bored, asked for a position here and,” She snapped her fingers. “here I am, but back to you and Grey.” Eris sighed.

“He doesn’t talk to me, except when we’re practicing. I doubt he’d listen.”

“Then make him listen. Just be careful.” Eris raised an eyebrow. “I know I don’t know Grey that well-”

“Join the club.” 

“But, I can tell that Grey has been betrayed before. Possibly an ex-girlfriend, a friend, I don’t have all the details.” She looked at the clock and stood up. “I have to set up for class. Just be honest with Grey.”

“You really think that’ll work?”

“You can’t get it wrong if you’re honest.” She opened the door to leave. “Don’t be late for class.” Eris sat back and sighed. The woman soon grabbed her books and made her way towards class. Cadence’s words buzzed in the girl’s mind like angry hornets. She took her normal seat. Since their night together Grey had chosen to sit across the room from her. Halfway through class, Grey saw a piece of folded paper appear on his desk. He unfolded it and sighed.


We need to talk.
~Eris.


The man sighed and looked at Eris who was focused on the lesson for once. Grey rolled the paper up and turned his attention back to the lesson. There was no practice after class, Shining wanted everyone well rested, the train going to Trottingham would be a long one. Grey took out a piece of paper and discretely sent it Eris’s way. The woman unfolded it and raised an eyebrow.


After class.


Twilight snuck a peek and quickly turned her head to avoid the red eyes of death slowly turning towards her. Class ended and Grey walked back to his room in silence with Eris trailing behind. When they were in the room Eris opened her mouth.

“Grey-”

“Not here.” He said as he walked over to the far wall. “These walls have ears.” He whispered. The man walked into his room and came back out in a pair of street clothes and the bird on his shoulder. Cinder had gotten bigger in the bast two weeks. He was now as big as a falcon.

“Why are you bringing your devil bird?” The phoenix flared it’s wings as if to say, ‘bring it on.’

“Exercise.” Grey and Eris walked out of the school and into the forest.

“Where are we going?”

“Someplace where no one can hear us.” The two kept walking into the forest until Eris saw a clearing. It was spacious, a small pond that had a waterfall running into it that came down from the hills above. “So what did you want to talk about?”

“The other night.” Grey knew this was coming.

“I don’t-” He was cut off by a pair of burning red eyes cut him off. 

“You don’t have to say anything just listen to what I’ve got to say, then you can do whatever the hell you want.” Grey sighed and sat down as the bird jumped down on the log next to him. Eris sighed and gathered her thoughts. “Look, I didn’t know about the whole ‘you being my mate forever’ thing. Okay?” The man raised an eyebrow. 

“How could you not know?”

“Being trapped in stone for a couple centuries can mess with your head.” Her words had enough venom to put down an elephant. “You said that you didn’t regret that night, was that a lie?”

“I’m not quite sure anymore.” Eris frowned at the words.

“Look, I don’t know what broad broke your heart, but don’t take it out on me.” Eris saw fire in the man’s eyes and Cinder tilted it’s head at the man. Grey released his clenched fist and sighed.

“She didn’t break my heart, I broke hers.” The woman cocked her head in surprise.

“Why’d you-” 

“Things changed. I changed.” The man stood up and sighed. “I admit, I’ve had trouble letting people get close. I just don’t like being tricked.”

“But I’m not the one who tricked you.”

“I suppose I should have seen this coming from Discord. He does have a track record a mile long for this sort of thing.” The man rubbed his eyes and sat back down. “Look Eris, I’m sorry I blamed you. I really have no idea what to do about this whole situation.” Eris put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed his back. 

“So what do we do now?” Eris asked.

“Okay so this contract, or whatever, how does it work?”

“From what dad told me,” She said the word ‘dad’ in a drawn out tone. “when I decide to have a child you are the only one who can get me pregnant.” 

“And that’ll happen when? Like the next time we do it you’re gonna have a kid?”

“No, my body works the same as any other woman.” Eris then blinked and smiled. “You were thinking of screwing me again weren’t you?” Grey’s face went red. “You like me~” She teased.

“Fuck you.” He crossed his arms and hid his blush.

“You already did.” She rested her head on his shoulder. The woman grabbed her head in pain as the bird pecked her scalp. “That’s it! I’m gonna roast that overgrown turkey!”

“Won’t do you any good.” 

“Why not?”

“Cinder is a Phoenix, even if you do kill him he’ll be reborn from the ashes.”

“You’re kidding.” She groaned.

“Nope, he’d come back.” The bird cawed as Eris growled. “That gives me an idea.” He grinned.

“Hold up there lover boy.” Eris said as she stood up. “What about us? What now?” Grey sighed.

“Now?” He rubbed his scalp. “Play it by ear.” Eris smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek making him blush. “But, we’re gonna do this slowly and no flirting while we’re with the team.” 

“Fine.” She pouted. “Since we’re together, I think I should know a few things about you.”

“Oh lord, you’re turning into Twilight.” Eris frowned. “Fine I guess that’s fair, just don’t press me on certain topics.”

“Okay, my dad said that he’s been watching you since your awakening period. What’s that?” Grey sighed at the words.

“An awakening period is when a mage, like myself or Twilight, get our full powers. When mages are young, they have very little magic so their bodies can adjust to the magic within the. It’s sort of like training wheels. Awakening is triggered in adolescence and they get their full magical potential. When that happens, there are side effects.”

“Like?”

“It’s different for each person. A friend of mine practically blew out the windows in my school when he stubbed his toe and yelled.” The girl blinked in surprise. “During the awakening process, you have no control over your magic and it tends to act out.”

“So what happened with yours?” Eris saw the man’s face grow pale and there was something she’d never seen before in the man’s eyes. Fear.

“I..uh don’t wanna talk about it.” 

“O-okay. Another time then. You mentioned that you had an ex-girlfriend.” Grey frowned. “I don’t want the details of the break up, yet. How long ago did you two break up?”

“About seven, maybe eight months ago.”

“For how long were you two together?”

“Four years.” Eris blinked in surprise.

“So I’m guessing that you two...ya know.” She waggled her eyebrows, causing the man to blush. 

“Y-yeah, she was my first and I was hers.”

“Awe~” Eris cooed thought. “Here I thought I was your first.” A memory came back to her and she cocked her head. “Wait was it that red head you brought by my statue from time to time?” Grey shot her a dark look. “Dude, she was hot!” 

“Next question?” He deadpanned signaling the end of the topic.

“What’s with the cracks on your face that show up?”

“That? Oh I smother my body in compressed magic. It acts as a shell, if you want to call it that.”

“What else?” She narrowed her eyes and Grey knew she saw through his bullshit.

“I use it as a restraint.” Eris raised an eyebrow. “It keeps my magic in check and controllable.”

“You can’t control your magic?”

“No, I just don’t like using it to it’d fullest extent all the time.”

“Why? If you can just blow everyone away, then why don’t you?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Grey noticed it was getting late. “C’mon we gotta go see Rarity.” 

“Why?” 

“Just send Bolt and Roach a message to meet us at Rarity’s dorm and tell them to bring their uniforms. I’ll get Winter on the horn.”

~~~

Twilight laid on her bed with book in hand staring at the page. She’d been staring at it for thirty minutes straight. What started out as some casual reading, turned into a staring contest. Twilight shut the book and groaned as she sat up. Maybe I just need some tea. Twilight stood up and unwrinkled her shirt and skirt before going into the main floor where Trixie was reading a magazine. 

She looked through the cabinets, but to no avail her precious tea was gone. The scholar sighed and headed towards Rarity’s room. As she reached to knock, a familiar voice rang out.

“Jeez Rarity why is it so tight?” Twilight’s eye twitched as she recognized the silver eyed mage’s voice.      

“Oh quit whining. You really should have given me heads up before arriving unannounced and asking for me.” Twilight put a hand to her mouth in shock as her face went red.  “No stay still and it’ll go on easier.”

There’s no way that Rarity would-

“Hey watch where you’re sticking that thing!” Eris’s voice rang out. Twilight’s face was crimson red and she threw open the door.

“What is going on in-” She stopped in her tracks when she saw Grey wearing his dueling cloak and Rarity with a needle in her fingers threading Eris’s cloak. She looked to the left of the room to see the three other mages on Grey’s team staring at her in confusion.

“Oh hello dear, did you need something?”

“I came here to see if you had and tea. What are you all doing here?”

“Just modifying our dueling uniforms a bit.” 

“Dear, this is not a bit.” Rarity sighed. “I’ll have to do a complete overhaul.” She sighed. Grey took off the cloak and folded it neatly on the designer’s desk. 

“If it’s too much to tackle then it’s okay. I don’t want to put you out.”

“Oh please dear, you make it sound as if it’s going to be hard.”

“Well, if it won’t be a bother, then go for it.” 

“And you need these by tomorrow afternoon yes?”

“Will that be a problem?”

“No, I don’t have any classes tomorrow so I’ll work on these.” She said as she adjusted her horn rimmed glasses. “Now gents I need the room.”

“Why?” Bolt asked.

“I need to take Winter and Eris’s measurements.” The gents nodded and exited the room. Eris started stripping until she was down to her undergarments. Twilight only blushed and turned away. “So Eris,” Rarity said as she wrapped the measuring tape around her waist. “are you and Grey a couple?” 

“I guess you could call it that.” Twilight looked at her in surprise. “I mean all we’ve really done is have sex so we’re working it out.” The scholar felt another ball of unknown rage forming in her gut. Twilight had to admit that Eris was beautiful from a physical point of view, but she did have a mysterious air around her. Not as thick as Discord’s, but it was still present.

After the measurements were finished, Eris went back to her room and saw Grey and a clone with a chess board in front of them. The pieces looked like they were hand made figured made to look like people. “What’s with the chess board?”

“It’s a hobby. Helps me think.” He said as he moved the knight in front of the white bishop. “You play?”

“Nope, too boring. So are you an expert?”

“Far from it. My sister Rogue is a genius at this stuff.” He said as he took the clone’s white rook with his bishop. “It teaches you patience and strategy.”

“Boring.” Eris said as she turned on the TV and threw in her newly acquired game, Destiny. It soon got late and Grey headed off to bed. He felt a nudging and turned to see Eris in her usual pajamas with a smile on her face. “Move over.” Grey was too tired to argue and obliged. He felt the woman wrap around his torso.

“Better enjoy this, cause for the next few nights, you’ll be sharing a room with Winter.”

“What? Why do I have to share a room with Ice Queen?”

“No way in hell is Shining gonna allow you to sleep in the same room with a male teammate, let alone the same bed.” Eris whined as Grey felt her fingers trace his muscled and start to go down south. “Keep it above the waist missy.”

“You’re no fun.” She said as she rested her head on his chest.

“Just go to sleep.”
> Chapter 15: Phoenix
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 15

Phoenix


It was late afternoon when the train arrived to take the team to Trottingham. The ride would take a few hours. While the students were chatting, Grey opened up his spell book and was reading about a new spell that would prove invaluable. A knock on the cabin door brought the man to his senses. He frowned when he saw the blonde haired Prince.

“Need something Blueblood?” He asked turning back to his book.

“That’s Captain to you.” The Prince spat out.

“Did you need something?”

“I came to offer you a deal.” Grey raised an eyebrow and looked at the Prince. “I’m willing to pay you for it of course.”

“Depends on what it is.”

“I have an agreement with the opposing team captain. If you agree to ‘go easy’ on them then you’ll get a piece of the action.” Grey closed his book and stared at the Prince.

“No thanks.” He stated as Blueblood took a seat.

“Come now, surely someone like you needs money.” Grey furrowed his brow.

“I said no, now scram. I’m reading.” Blueblood frowned. He always got what he wanted and he wasn’t going to let some stupid street rat ruin his money making business. He grabbed Grey by the collar and glared daggers into his eyes.

“Look here worm-” The two then heard a knock on the door to see Eris.

“There a problem here?” Blueblood didn’t know too much about the woman, but he knew that she was Discord’s daughter. That was reason enough to fear her. At the same time she was stunningly beautiful and Blueblood always liked rare beautiful things. Blueblood let the man go and he cleared his throat.

“No, just having a chat.” Blueblood stated. “Perhaps you’d like to come back to my cabin ad we can discuss a d-”

“I don’t date guys with vaginas.” She sat next to Grey and wrapped her arms around his. Blueblood’s eye twitched as Grey gave him a smug smirk. The fuming Prince walked out of the cabin. Grey snickered and realized Eris was still clinging to him.

“Eris, you can let go now.”

“Why would I want to do that?” She rested her head against his shoulder and smiled.

“Eris, I’m trying to read and-” The girl’s body then morphed into a small black and white tiger cub. The feline then walked onto his lap and curled up into a ball as it purred. Damn it Eris. He thought as Bolt and Roach walked in and sat across from the man. “Sup guys?”

“Blueblood just came around.” Roach said.

“Asked you to throw the fight?” The two nodded. “Yeah he just came by, told him to buck off.”

“You do know he’s a Prince right?” Bolt said.

“So what? He’s got no leverage.” Grey could see that there was something else on their minds. “There something else you wanna ask?”

“It involves Eris.” Grey felt the cat adjust itself on his lap.

“Oh, well what do you want to know?” Bolt looked at Roach who shrugged.

“How is she in the sack?” The man felt the cat’s gaze fix on him and it's nails starting to dig into his leg.

“She was okay and-” The cat dug it’s nails deeper into his thigh. “I mean she was awesome. Crazy good.”  The cat purred in approval. The door slid opened to show Winter with an annoyed look on her face.

“What’s with the tiger?” She asked as she sat next to Grey. The tiger turned and hissed at the ice mage. Winter glared at the feline resulting in the cat showing it’s claws making the girl gulp. “Anyway, Blue-balls just came by and-”

“Wanted you to throw the fight?” The men asked.

“Yeah, you guys too?”

“Told him to screw off.” Roach stated.

“Same.” Grey and Bolt said.

“Why would he ask us to throw the fight?” All eyes turned towards the cat. 

“Did that cat just talk?” Roach yelled. The cat’s body started glowing and Eris took her original form. Grey sighed and face palmed trying to ignore the woman on his lap.

“Anyway, I know Blueblood is betting on our team to lose and is purposely throwing fights. Like he did in the fist match.”

“He did what?” Winter growled.

“Armor can’t do anything without proof. So I intend to get proof and then kick his ass off the team.” The group felt the brakes engage and the train pulling to a halt. The teams got their bags and made their way through the small city of Trottingham to a hotel. Grey and the other two men were given a room with three beds and the girls were across the hall. After unpacking the teammates were allowed to wander around the city so long as they were back by eleven.

“So what do we do now?” Grey asked.

“How about the zoo?” Eris said.

“You’d let the animals out in a heartbeat.” The woman stuck her tongue out at the grey eyed mage. As he walked forwards he accidentally bumped into someone.

“Hey watch where you’re going!” The girl snapped. 

“Watch where you’re standing.” Grey said as he stood up. His eyes shrank when he saw the girl. She had dark skin and shoulder length green hair that was styled in a ponytail. The girl squinted and stared at Grey with her deep red eyes.

“You look familiar. Do I know you somewhere?”

“N-no, sorry about that. My head was in the clouds.” He said as he adverted his eyes.

“Well, I’ve never see any of you guys around-”

“Jade? Where’d you go?” Grey’s eyes shrank at the male voice yelling.

“Over here Sage!” The girl stuck her hand up and waved. Soon a tall man with dark green hair appeared next to her.

“Jade you can’t just run off like that.”

“Oh stop being such a worry wort.”

“I’m your brother, it’s my job.” He then noticed the two. “Who’re these two?”

“Just bumped into them.”

“Literally.” Eris said. “I’m Eris.” She stuck out her hand that the green haired man proceeded to shake and then kiss it. Eris giggled while Grey frowned.

“Sage Fullbuster. A pleasure.” He noticed the man’s icy stare and let her hand go. He then gestured to the woman. “My sister, Jade.”

“Hi!” She smiled. The two then looked at the dark haired man.

“Grey.” He said.

“So what brings you two to our fair city?” The man asked.

“We got a fight.” Eris said with a grin.

“Really?” Jade asked. “Us too. We’re going up against some school kids.”

“What my sister means is that we’ll be facing the Starswirl Sages tomorrow.” Eris and Grey looked at one another. 

“You two are part of the Trottingham Slashers?” The siblings nodded. A silence fell between the group and the brother looked to his sister who shrugged.

“There a problem?”

“I’m a squad leader for the Starswirl Sages.” The two winced and sighed.

“Oh, well this is awkward.” Jade said.

~~~

Back at the hotel, Shining had just finished a shower. He wasn’t sure what it was about train rides that always made him feel dirty. He got changed and sat on his bed. He saw his communication gem vibrating and he levitated it into his hand. As he ran his magic through it an image of Celestia appeared before him.

“Princess.” He saluted.

“Oh come now Shining, we’re family now.” Shining gave a weak chuckle. Even though he and the Princess were family, the instinct to salute Celestia and Luna came to him involuntarily. “How was the train ride?”

“Can’t complain, we arrived an hour ahead of schedule.” He sighed and looked at the Princess. “How is she doing?” 

“Same as ever.” Celestia said with a hint of sadness in her voice. “She might like a visit from you.” The man hung his head and gritted his teeth.

“I-I don’t think that that’d be the best idea.”

“It’s been over twenty years. Aside from me, she doesn’t have anyone else to talk to.”

“What would I say to her Princess? ‘Sorry for arresting you?’” The man rubbed his face and sighed. “I’m sorry about that Princess.”

“No, I understand. I know how close you two were. She always did say that you were her favorite student.”

“Ironic that I ended up throwing her in the same cage she helped build.” Shining rubbed his eyes and sighed. “Sorry Princess but it was a long train ride and I need my rest for tomorrow.”

“Of course. I’ll be watching on the TV.” Shining broke the connection and set the gem beside him. The man laid back and sighed before picking up the remote and turning on the news.

~~~

Back down in town, Eris and Grey allowed the sibling to show them around the city, so long s they avoided the fact that they were going to fight tomorrow. Eris and Jade had loads in common and were chatting away while Grey stayed relatively silent. As the evening started turning into the night, the two were lead into a bar. Grey made sure Eris didn’t drink too much for obvious reasons.

“So how long have you two been in the dueling team?” Jade asked.

“This is our first year.” Eris said.

“And you’re already a squad leader?” Sage said as he looked at Grey. The man only gave a nod. Jade felt the conversation going stale.

“So are you two a couple?” Both faces blushed.

“Um, it’s compli-”

“We just fuck.” Eris cut the man off in a flat tone. Grey hung his head and sighed.

“Been there.” Sage said.

“So have you two lived in Trottingham all your life?” Eris asked as she sipped her drink.

“No, we moved here from Canterlot.” 

“Where in?”

“The Osiris.” Eris almost choked on her drink.

“No way! I’m from there too!”

“Bullshit.” Sage said.

“I’m not lying. Grey back me up here.” She looked to her left to see a vacant seat. “The fuck?” She saw a note on a napkin.

Went back to hotel. Don’t stay out too late. Eris face palmed and sighed.

“He doesn’t say much does he?” Jade asked. 

“He's just tired. See you two tomorrow, you’re gonna lose to us.”

“We’ll see.” Eris exited the bar and Sage looked at his sister.

“Something bugging you bro?”

“Was it just me, or did that guy feel familiar?”

“Yeah, talk about deja vu. Something just felt off about him.” She rubbed her arms and shivered. “I haven’t felt a chill like that in years.” The man nodded and the two called it a night. 

Eris made her way back to the hotel. She made her way into her room and sighed to see Winter reading a book. The two girls ignored one another and Eris went to bed to get ready for tomorrow. 

~~~

Back in Canterlot, Scarlet had just came back from her five mile run and wanted nothing more than to relax in a hot bath and ease her aching muscles. As she walked into her dorm she saw Nova with a bag of popcorn sitting on their couch.

“Hey Rosy you’re just in time!”

“For what?”

“The National Dueling Team Fights! Its the Starswirl Sages against the Trottingham Slashers!” Scarlet only rolled her eyes at the words. She had heard of the NDTF, but never paid enough attention to care. 

“Put me down for ten bits on the Slashers.” She said as she got a change of clothes and went into the bathroom.

~~~

The team arrived at the local field where they would have their fight. The arena was a large dirt court with bleachers several feet off the ground surrounding the field. Grey and his team were getting suited up before Grey spoke up.

“Guys listen up.” The group looked towards him. “There are two mages you should watch out for. They both have green hair.”

“You mean Sage and Jade?” He nodded at the chaotic girl.

“If you’re put up against them, then forfeit the round.” The group looked at him in surprise. “With any luck I’ll be fighting them and take them out.”

“So you do know them!” Eris said as she crossed her arms.

“We were in he same guild for years. They left a few years back, haven’t seen them since and I don’t know what kind of tricks they have up their sleeves.” 

“So what do you know?” Winter asked.

“As far as I know, they both use fire magic.” The group then got dressed and hung back from the rest of the team. Soon, the two coaches approached one another and shook hands before the announcer spoke into the mic.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls. On the right our pride and joy, the Trottingham Slashers!” The crowd cheered as several magic blasts filled the sky forming a bear’s head with a three lined scratch going across it’s face. Soon the image changed to a twin headed green dragon breathing brilliant emerald flames from it’s mouth. The two green haired siblings walked forward and took their bows. The team heard a terrifying shriek and looked to see a large bird made of white fire swoop down from the sky and latch one of the dragon’s heads with it’s talons and rip it from the body. 

The beak of the large bird then ripped the other head off before swallowing it. The large fire beast flared it’s magnificent wings and let out a caw that shook the stadium. The massive bird looked at the opposing team before changing into a cloud of smoke. The two fire mages looked in shock as the smoke started to clear and saw a hooded figure in the smoke. The shadow had on a dark gray coat with a hood and coat tails that went down to the back of his legs. The cuffs were a midnight blue that matched a vest underneath the coat.

The siblings noticed the two silver eyes staring at them like two gun barrels waiting to be fired. The green haired man cracked his neck and Grey could see the anger in his eyes, along with a dark grin. Grey walked back towards the rest of the team and sighed.

“Let the show begin.” Shining looked at Grey’s altered uniform and noticed the rest of his squad had similar alterations. Eris had a yellow cloak with a brown, modest looking vest. Bolt’s was an electric blue with a darker vest. Winter’s was icy blue and had a white version of vest similar to the others. Finally, Roach’s was dark green with a lighter shaded vest. Shining took note that the two women were wearing modified versions of their school skirts that matched their color coordination. On their backs showed a magnificent white bird flaring it’s wings as if it were flying through the sky. 

Shining saw the modifications and approached Grey. “What is that?” He pointed to the emblem.

“That is a phoenix, my squad’s sigil.” Eris shot Grey a dark look and realized that’s what he thought of when they were in the woods together.

“I hate you.” Eris pouted.

“Liar.” 

“You deformed the uniform!”

“Only altered, not deformed.” Grey waved his wand and summoned a small book with sticky notes sticking out of the pages. He turned to one of marked pages and grinned. “It stated in the rules that all uniforms must have at least eight inches of the royal blue color showing.” He pointed to the cuffs that were each four inches in length. 

“Those two are wearing dresses.” He pointed to the two women.

“It’s a combat skirt.” Winter said.

“Yeah.” Eris stood next to the ice mage and the two high five’d one another. 

“Rules say that skirt length must be the same as their school uniforms. They still are.” Shining felt like ripping out his hair. “I’m not breaking any rules coach, just working around them.” The coach gritted his teeth and sighed.

“We’re going to talk about this afterwards.” Grey nodded and the team sat on the sidelines. Soon Heat sat next to him and they started talking. 

“So how’s the whole wooing Trixie plan going?” The pyromage took in a deep breath and  sighed.

“Wanna trade Winter or Eris for her?”

“No way in hell. I warned you she was a handful.” Grey sighed.

“Who redesigned your uniforms?” The fire mage asked.

“That’d be Rarity.” Heat raised an eyebrow. “Purple hair, always has make up on and has an accent.”

“Oh! She’s in my history class! She is so hot!”

“Very true.” Grey chuckled. He didn’t think of Rarity in a romantic sense, but he had to admit that she was a knock out. “She lives across the hall from me.” 

“You lucky prick.” The matches was winding down and Shining, most likely out of spite for the man dodging the red tape, had chosen to make Grey’s squad sit out. Thanks to Heat’s team, the Sages were ahead in points and would undoubtedly win. Trixie had earned her striped by taking out two of the opposing squad’s mages. The performer decided to rest in the back seeing no more need for her being there. 

The last match was selected. Unlike the others, this would be a double battle. Two members from each team would fight it out and the point were worth double. The two green haired pyromancers were the Slasher’s chosen team. Sage waved his wand and summoned a microphone and cleared his throat.

“On my challenge,” The crowd grew silent. “I select the phoenix squad captain as our opponent.” All eyes turned to Grey who kept his face still like a sphinx. “Choose one of your squad to be your partner.” The arguing started almost immediately. Luckily, the man anticipated this and calmed them down.

“There’s only one way to settle this fairly and equally.” He said in a serious tone.

“You don’t mean!” Winter said as Grey reached inside his coat.

“Oh I mean.” He then pulled out four straws. “The straws.” The group gulped. They all knew the implications of breaking the straw code. “Now we draw.” He held out the straws so they were all level in height with one another. The four drew their respective straws and Eris got the shortest of the four. 

“Yes!” She pumped her fist in victory while the others pouted. The two walked onto the field and got ready. Eris cracked her neck and grinned. The two met in the center and waited for the buzzer to begin their match.

“I hope you’re ready for this.” Jade said.

“More than ready.” Sage noticed Eris’s hands were shaking.

“You’re trembling. Nervous much?” The woman cracked a smile.

“I’m trembling with excitement.”

“Don’t underestimate them.” Grey said as he primed his muscles. The group waited, the bell finally rang, and all hell broke loose. Grey immediately fell back from his position while Eris charged in. “Eris don’t!” His warning came too late as a fire covered punch connected with the woman that sent her flying backwards. Grey quickly jumped and caught her before she was thrown out of the battle area.

While he set his feet down on the ground he felt a fire blast hit him from the side. He stood up and already felt his shell beginning to crack. Eris shot several bolts at the two mages who dodged them with ease. Jade then shot out several fire balls that acted like homing missiles and went after the girl like a cat after a mouse. Grey had his hands full avoiding similar blasts from Sage. Grey saw an opening and shot a small blast through the onslaught that hit the mage and made him stagger back.

“Not bad.” Sage said as he cracked his knuckles. He looked over towards his sister who had her hands full with Eris who was now shooting rocks at her like a machine gun. Jade was taking damage no matter how little it was. “Jade! Time to end this.” The girl nodded and back flipped next to her brother before pulling out her wand and closing her eyes. Grey could feel their magic mixing and the air become humid.

“Oh no.” He said as they both their eyes started to glow a light green.

“What’s wrong Grey? Got cold feet?” Eris said before charging in.

“No Eris, you don’t understand!” The girl didn’t head his warning and charged her magic into her fists. Both of the siblings smirked and both unleashed a fire blast that spun end over end like a drill. Eris lowered her right fist and waited. As the blast got into proximity, she gave it a swift uppercut. The blast shot up into the sky and eris cracked her knuckles.

“That all you got?” The Twins still held their cocky grins. Eris looked up to see the fire blast coming down like a flaming comet. “Oh come on!” Eris shot several blasts of magic at the fire ball that would not change it’s destination. Eris gather a large amount of magic in her hands and fired a large beam headed for the center of the fire ball. 

The beam hit dead on and was starting to push the large ball back. The siblings were more than surprised by the effort and put in more of their magic. Eris was struggling to keep the beam going as the ball increased in size and ferocity. The fireball was pushing towards the woman as she grunted in exertion. The ball was getting closer to her and Eris put all her strength into her beam, but it wasn’t enough. The boost only gave her another few seconds.

The woman felt the ground rumbling and saw something large come out of the ground and catch the fire ball. She turned to her left to see Grey with both his hands on the ground with seals around each palm. She looked towards the ball and saw that it was a giant armored hand that had caught the ball and crushed it in it’s palm. Both siblings looked in shock and confusion at the armored hand that had stopped their spell. 

Eris heard a groan and saw that Grey’s right hand was severely burned. “Grey what did you do!?” She asked as she crouched next to him.

“You’re such an idiot.” He said as more cracks appeared on his face and he coughed up some blood. “You can’t just charge in like that.” He said as he slowly stood up and panted. 

“It’s been quite a while since anyones deflected our comet. Well done.” Jade said as she cracked her neck. “But what about the second one?” Eris and Grey looked to the sky and saw another, bigger fireball coming down on top of them. Grey felt sweat forming on his brow and he looked at his partner. 

“Eris, please tell me you’ve got some sort of inter dimensional trick up your sleeve.”

“Nope. I may be Discord’s daughter, but I don’t have that kind of magic.” She gulped. Grey looked at the sky and waited for the fire to rush him.

What will you do? A familiar voice echoed in Grey’s mind and a familiar shadow appeared in front of him. Time seemed to slow and everything turned dark.

What do you want? Grey groaned.

Only to see you what you do in this situation. The figure started to walk around the man and looked up to the sky. You’re certainly in a predicament.

No shit Starswirl. The figure snapped its fingers and a large par of black double doors appeared before the man. 

You know this door, you know what’s on the other side. Grey gulped at the dark door. If he opened it then evrything he'd worked so hard to conceal would be undone. The images would flow once more. Grey gulped and shivered at the thought. Are you willing to do what is necessary? Grey looked at the door and ran his hand across the seam of the doors. Either he lose now or risk his sanity once more. 

Mind if I ask something? The figure gave a nod. What’s your name? The figure grinned and the shadows vanished. A woman in slimming golden armored chest plate that matched her golden arm and leg bracers stood before Grey with a long sharpened spear in her right hand, a round shield on her back. The figure’s dark red locks of hair were held back by a golden headdress that wrapped around her head and matched the rest of her outfit.

My name is Nike Titania.

Not a bad name. Grey kicked open the door and knew there was no going back. The world around him changed back and Eris felt something grab her by the collar and throw her out of range of the large blast. 

“Grey!” She yelled as the large fireball came down on the man and exploded. The crowd gave a wince and waited fro the fire to subside. Through the smoke they saw a figure covered in soot getting to it’s feet. 

“Okay, that hurt.” Eris breathed a sigh of relief. She checked the overhead board and saw that his health was in the red. The woman heard a loud cracking noise and saw what she assumed to be his shell breaking off his face revealing his normal skin, but his once midnight dark hair now showed to be white as snow like she had seen on Nightmare Night. Grey cracked his neck and made ‘the bring it on gesture’ to the siblings who were staring at him with eyes the size of pin tips.

“Eris, how much magic do you have left?” He asked as Eris ran up to him.

“I’ve got a bit.” 

“I have an idea. It’s crazy, but it might work.” He said as he spat out a bit of blood. “Gather your magic and wait for my signal.”

“What about them?” She looked at the two pyromages who were getting ready for another attack. 

“I can distract them. Just build up your magic and get ready.” Grey saw two green bolts of magic coming at him and swatted them away like flies. He aimed and fired two bolts of his own that exploded just before they got in front of the green haired mage. As the smoke from the tiny explosion cleared, Sage saw a magic charged fist coming out just as it collided with his face. The man slid back a few feet before a strong kick slammed into his gut.

Jade rushed Grey with a spell ready to flatten the man. Grey backflipped over the woman and fired a blast of magic point blank in her face, sending her face first into the ground. The crowd winced at the move and a few groans escaped the woman as she shook her head.

“Where’d he go?” Jade looked around and saw no trace of the man. She felt a massive amount of magic being manifested and set her sights on the woman. Grey was standing beside her and had two of his clones charging at them.

“Got enough power Eris?”

“Yeah, but for what?” Grey let out a long breath and folded his hands.

“You’re gonna feel strange in a second, but trust me it’ll work out. Hopefully.” Eris only gulped. She then felt a small electric tingle on her skin. The woman felt her body flooded with power and grinned.

“I don’t know what you did Grey, but I like this.” She grinned marveling at the power running through her.

“I took a play from their playbook.” He said as he saw his clones fall at the siblings. “I synchronized our magic. If this doesn’t work then we’re fucked.” Grey then turned his attention to the two green haired mages. “You two think of yourself as dragons.” He said in a flat tone. “As I’ve said before, you’re just two snake masquerading as them.” Grey summoned a blade and pointed it at the man. “Bring it Sage, or do you prefer Commandant?” 

Both of the fire mages froze in place and sweat formed on the man’s brow. Eris and Grey charged at them. Sage shook off the shock and fired several fire balls at the two. Grey brushed the blasts off with his blade and Eris punched them out of her way as she closed in on the two. “Eris how’s you’re throwing arm?” She saw the man’s eyes flash and had an idea of what he was going to do. 

She grabbed the man by his arm and spun him around multiple times before throwing him straight up into the sky. Eris levitated several rocks and stared firing them at the two mages like a machine gun. With a slam of her foot a large boulder shot up from the earth and was hurdled towards the two siblings who barely managed to dodge the piece of rock. 

Jade cursed in frustration and wrapped her hands in flames and went after Eris, who stuck her hands in the ground and rocks accumulated on her fists and fore arms. The two locked blow after blow while Sage fired off more bolts of magic that Eris was dodging. Eris felt a large amount of magic gathering above her.

“Sorry folks but I gotta,” She pulled out a pair of sunglasses from nowhere. “duck out.” The two saw her vanish and a hole going deep into the ground was made where she was standing. Sage ran up to the hole and aimed his wand.

“I’ll burn her out of there.”

“Um bro.” He looked at Jade who was wide eyed and was staring up at the sky. Sage looked up and felt his blood run cold. Coming down at an insane speed was a large fire bird similar to the one that had beheaded their dragon at the beginning of the fights. This one looked bigger and was headed straight for them. 

The two stood together and threw up a shield just as the large bird hit it’s mark and exploded in a flash of fire. The force sent many crowd members out of their seats and debris covered the field. The smoke cleared to show Grey on one knee panting. He had put everything he had into that last attack and he was dangerously low on magic. The grey eyed man saw Jade down for the count, but her brother was still standing wit a pissed look on his face. 

“No question about it now.” He said as he started to approach the man. “Never thought I’d see you again, Sentinel.” As he got within three feet of Grey he aimed his wand and gathered his magic for a blast. “Any last words?”

“Yeah.” Grey threw on a smirk. “Checkmate.” The ground burst open and a rock covered fist collided with the fire mage’s chin. Eris came up from the ground and struck a pose as Sage was knocked on his back and no movement came from him. The bell signaled the end of the match and the crowd cheered. Grey let out a sigh of relief before succumbing to his exhaustion. As he fell back he felt Eris grab his arm and drape it over her shoulder. As they made their way back to their side the rest of their team came up to them.

“Wow, you guys certainly did a job on them.” Heat said.

“That bit with the giant bird was a bit much.” Roach said.

“Overkill is underrated.” Grey said before he coughed up more blood. “I need to sit down.” Eris brought him in the back and down on a bench as the rest of his team joined them.

“So are you like a Super Saiyan or something?” Bolt asked.

“No. Why?”

“Well, you got a power boost when your hair changed colors.” Winter said.

“My hair was always white. Sort of.” He coughed up another mouthful of blood and sighed. “It’s a very long story and I am so tired that I could fall asleep standing up.”

“Just get some rest.” Eris said. “You’re gonna need all the energy you can get for later on.” She said with a seductive grin on her face. Grey blushed as the other three face palmed.

~~~

Back in Canterlot, Nova was bouncing off the walls in excitement at the fight she had just witnessed. She was so worked up that she barely noticed her roommate sitting frozen. Scarlet’s eyes were the size of pin tips as she stared at the screen that showed the white haired mage’s face. 

“That was the best fight ever!” Nova screeched. The flyer then saw the red haired guard and cocked her head. “You okay Scarlet?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”

“You sure? You look kinda pale.”  Nova said as she raised an eyebrow. 

“I said I’m fine!” The woman snapped causing Nova to cringe back. “Sorry about that Nova, I’m just really tired. I’m gonna take a quick nap before dinner.” The woman got to her feet and went to her bunk.

“C’mon Rosy, you can talk to me. That’s what friends are for!” Nova chimed as she sat down on the bed.

“I just don’t want to talk right now.” Nova could hear the shake in her voice and decided to leave her be, for the moment.

~~~

The Starswirl Sages were still swelling with pride over their victory against the Slashers. Grey sat alone in one of the train cars with his right arm in several bandages. He hadn’t gotten enough of his magic back in order to repair his shell so his hair remained white. He stared down at the pages of his spell book and was analyzing the next spell he was going to add to his arsenal. A knock on the door snapped the man out from his gaze and looked up to see Eris along with the rest of his squad.

“We need to talk.” Winter said as she sat across from the man with the other two mages while Eris took a seat next to Grey.

“What about?” He asked as he closed his book.

“You’ve got a lot of secrets Grey. I understand that everybody has them, myself included,” Bolt said. “but if you expect me to follow your lead then, I need a reason to trust you and its hard to do that if you’re keeping some stuff we need to know from us.” His eyes were like two blue arrows ready to strike the man.

“Well, what do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with the hair.” Winter said. Grey adverted his eyes and felt a pang of fear ripped through him.

“If you can’t tell us something as simple as you real hair color, then I’m out of here.” Bolt said as he stood up. He paused for a moment before walking towards the door.

“It’s a medical condition.” Grey said without looking up. Th group looked at him in confusion.

“What medical condition?” Roach asked.

“It’s called canities subita, or Marie Antoinette Syndrome.” Roach bit his ip and tried to remember the name.

“Never heard of it.” Winter said.

“It’s a rare psychological condition.” Roach said. “I don’t remember the full definition, but it happens when someone witnesses something so frightening that it literally causes someone’s hair to turn white. It was named after Queen Marie Antoinette, she was the Queen of Prance three hundred years ago during the Prench Revolution and her hair turned white while she was awaiting execution after being captured by the revolutionaries.” The group looked at Roach in surprise. “What? I’m studying medicine. It’s important to know the history of a disease.”

“What he said. My hair used to be black, but it changed. I tinted my shell so it would look like it used to. Too many people were mistaking me for an old man.” Grey said in a flat tone. Everyone looked at one another. They all had one question they wanted to ask, but they were afraid to ask it. Eris let out a sigh and put her hand on Grey’s.

“You don’t have to tell us what happened.” Eris felt a tremor go through his body and she squeezed her hand around his.

“Thanks.” He gulped. “I was getting tired of hiding it anyway.” He cracked his neck and thought of something else. 

“What was that thing you did with Eris after you got hit by that fire ball?” Bolt asked.

“I synchronized our magic wavelengths.” Grey said with another cough. “Which is probably why I’m like this.” He groaned.

“I don’t get it.”  Winter said.  Grey thought for a moment while rubbing his temples.

“Okay, you know how you run your magic through your wand?” The group nodded. “Well, I acted as a sort of conduit for her magic, along with adding my own into the mix giving both of us a temporary power boost. The draw back is that it leaves who ever the conduit is in bad condition.”

“Why’s that?”

“Think of magic like sound wavelengths.” Roach said. “If you tune a radio right then it will play music, but if not, then you only hear static. Grey here managed to match his magical wavelength with eris, just not perfectly. Even getting it off by a little bit means severe pain for whoever’s regulating the magic.” Their eyes turned towards Grey.

“What? I was out of options.” The group decided that it was best if they let Grey rest after such a hard fight. 
> Chapter 16: The Partner from Hell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 16

The Partner from Hell


Two hours earlier.

The green haired siblings were sitting in the bar that they were in the night prior. They had bandages on their arms and some across their ribs. Sage threw back another shot of liquor as most people do after they got their asses kicked. 

“So, you think it was him?”

“You saw him sis. It had to be him.” Sage groaned. “To think we’d ever see him again.”

“Yeah I was surprised as you two are.” Both mages froze as they felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. Like rust door hinges the two turned around to see the bandaged white haired man. “Been a while guys.”

“You son-of-a-bitch.” Sage said as he turned in his seat.

“Wouldn’t know, never met the woman.” Grey said with a sigh.

“Why didn’t you tell us it was you!?” The girl asked as she crossed her arms. 

“Because I don’t go by that name anymore and you two would have withdrawn if you knew it was me. I always did want to see how you two would match up against me.” He said as he sipped his drink. “I was not disappointed.” Grey paid for his drink and stood up. “It was nice seeing you two again, glad that someone made it out.” He smiled. “Of course I can’t have you two going around knowing my secret.”

Before either of them could react Grey’s fingers dug into their faces and sent a magical bast into their brains. The two stopped squirming and sat motionless as two spell circles appeared on their foreheads and eventually faded. Grey started to walk away and his shell changed his hair back to it’s raven color.

“Hey, new guy.” Grey turned back towards Sage. “You need a place to sit? My sis and I were just leaving.”

“No, I was just heading out myself.” Grey waved to them as he exited the bar. “Good day.”   


~~~


The team soon found themselves back at their school by the evening. While they were departing, Grey spied an odd sight. A small boy, about twelve or so with spiky green hair and had a caged great horned owl next to him. The boy was looking at a sheet of paper and was mumbling something to himself.

“Darn it Twilight. Where are you?” He groaned.

“Hey.” Grey said as he walked up to the boy. As he turned his head, Grey saw that the boy’s eyes were emerald green and spliced. On his cheeks were what looked like scales. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Are you looking for Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yeah, who’re you?” He asked as he crossed his arms.

“Name’s Grey. My room is next to Twilight’s.” The boy smiled. 

“Mind showing me the way?”

“No problem. I was on my way back anyway.” He said as Spike picked up the cage and followed the man. “So you a friend of Twi’s?”

“No, I’m her little brother, Spike.” Grey vaguely remembers the scholar mentioning she had a little brother staying with her in Ponyville.

“So what brings you here Spike?”

“Well, I usually stay in Ponyville and look after Twilight’s library and Owlicious.” The bird gave a hoot. “But, Twilight wanted me to visit and bring the bird.” Grey thought for a moment and realized that this was a golden opportunity to get some dirt on Twilight. Grey knew how chatty kids were. 

“Hey Spike, since I’m living next to Twilight can I ask you some questions?”

“Like what?”

“Well, is she always nosy?” The boy raised an eyebrow at him.

“Trust me, Twilight is relentless when she’d trying to figure something out.” The boy sighed.

“Is Twilight crazy?”

“Have you met Twilight?” The boy had a point. “One time she made the whole town fall in love with an old doll of her’s just so she had to write a report to the Princess.” Grey raised an eyebrow. “I’ve lived with Twilight all my life and I’ve never met a girl as crazy as her, well, aside from Trixie.” The boy shivered at the name. 

“You know Trixie?”

“Unfortunately yes.” Spike groaned. “Do you?”

“Yeah, she’s Twi’s roommate.”

“She’s what!?” The boy’s yelling spooked the bird and it flapped its wings. “Twilight is sharing a room with Trixie?”

“Yeah, I just said that.”

“And those two haven’t killed each other yet?”

“No, but if they keep arguing I might have to do it for them. I take it they have a history?”

“Boy do they ever.” Spike said with a roll of his eyes. “A few years ago Trixie came into our town to do her magic show.”

That explains the boasting.

“She continued to show off and-”

“Be Trixie?”

“Yeah, she ended up dragging an Ursa Minor into town.” Grey had read about Ursa Minors in class. They were easily twenty meters tall and had nasty tempers. “Thankfully Twilight took it down.”

“Wait a second, your telling me that Twilight killed an Ursa Minor?” Grey immediately fabricated a scenario of Twilight slaying the Ursa with a large magical purple sword.

“No, she only put it to sleep and sent it back to it’s cave.” The man’s fantasy was crushed. He still had to admit that it was a great feat of magic. The duo then found themselves in front of a familiar door. Grey knocked on it twice and the two waited. He pulled out a pen and paper before he started writing. 

As he finished the last word, the door opened to show a familiar indigo haired scholar. Her shirt and skirt were ruffled, her hair was a mess and their was dried drool on her chin. Grey held back a chuckle as Twilight rubbed her eyes.

“Afternoon sunshine.” Grey teased.

“What do you want Grey?” She was still waking up.

“Just dropping something of yours off.” He stepped aside and Twilight immediately scooped the boy up and gave him a bone crushing hug.

“Oh Spike it’s so good to see you!” Grey though that the boy’s eyes would pop out of his skull.

“C’mon Twilight, stop.” Spike said trying to wiggle out of his big sister’s grasp.

“But It’s been forever since I’ve seen my favorite little brother.”

“I’m your only little brother.” He dead panned.

“I know, but still.” Spike knew that Twilight always over reacted and decided to allow her this moment. “And you brought Owlicious too!” The bird hooted in happiness. The scholar blinked and face palmed. “ Oh Spike I’m so sorry. I was studying and then I put my head down for a second and-”	

“Relax Twilight, I know how you get. Besides Grey helped me out.” He said as he looked at the man. Twilight’s eyes shrank as she saw the man’s hair.

“Grey your hair-” The man stuck a piece of paper to her forehead before going to his own room. Twilight took the paper off her forehead and read it to herself.

Yes, Twilight, my hair is white. It has been the whole time. No, you can’t ask, you can NEVER ask. I’m tired from the fight and I need PEACE and QUIET! If you or Trixie rob me of this, then I’ll send Eris over and let her do whatever she wants to the two of you. Twilight shivered at the words as she folded up the letter and let her brother inside her room.

Grey sighed as he made his way out of the bathtub and into his room. He stopped when he saw Eris laying seductively with only the sheets covering her. The man dead panned and sighed.

“Like what you see?” She teased.

“I’m too tired Eris.” The mage said as he laid down and sighed. The man then felt something fuzzy wrap around his mid section. He picked up the covers and saw what looked like a black and white striped tail. “The hell?” He looked at Eris who now had a pair of black cat ears sticking out from the side of her head. “Why do you have cat ears and a tail?” 

“What? My dad has horns, wing and a tail. I need something cool too.” She then rested her head against his chest and purred.”Besides, you like it.” Eris cooed as Grey turned over and closed his eyes.


~~~


Back on the Royal Guard trainee firing range, Scarlet, Nova and a woman with rusty orange hair by the name of Fox were blowing off some steam. “You two catch the match yesterday?” The woman asked as they reloaded their pistols.

“That fight was so awesome!” Nova said with a smile. Nova was having difficulty reloading her pistol. She always preferred the up close and personal approach.

“You didn’t clean your gun did you?” Scarlet sighed. Nova only threw on a guilty smile. “Here let me see.” She waved her hand over the gun and the metal object started to shake apart. The screws came from the gun and the bullets were levitated next to the pieces of scrap metal. 

“How’d you do that?” Fox said.

“You’ve got your wood magic. I use polarity.”

“You can control poles?” Nova asked. Both of the other girls looked at her in confusion.

“No, I have control over magnetism.”

“Magnets are cool too.” Scarlet rolled her eyes and reassembled the gun. Scarlet slammed a fresh clip into the handgun and emptied the clip at the paper target. All the bullets landed in the red rings in the chest and head.

“Damn, how’d you get so good?” Fox asked as Scarlet levitated her target over to herself.

“I’ve had a lot of practice.” She switched the safety on and handed her roommate her gun. “Make sure you clean this.” Scarlet got out a new target and set it up at the seventy-five yard line. 

“So back to the fight.” Fox said.

“Oh it as so awesome! What’d you think Scarlet?”

“I lost ten bits.” She said as she reloaded her weapon.

“Oh come on, that last match was so epic.” Fox chuckled. “The guy with the white hair was kinda hot.” Scarlet’s ear twitched and she slammed her clip into her weapon and aimed.

“Yeah, what was his name?” Nova asked. The red haired woman was breathing heavily and tried to focus.

“Some color. Silver, or some crap like that.” Fox bit her lip and scratched her head. “Oh, I think it was Onyx.” The sound of twenty bullets flying across the range caught the girls’ attention. Nova gulped when she saw her roommate empty the gun and reload it in three-seconds flat. She fired twenty more rounds and panted heavily. 

Nova saw that Scarlet was leaking magic and she had her teeth clenched. Scarlet stared at the two girls who gulped. 

“What?”               

“Just put the gun down Rosy.” Nova said as she hid behind Fox. Scarlet looked down at the firearm and sighed.

“Sorry.” She sighed as she packed the gun away. She then levitated the target back to her and sighed. “Crappy shooting.” She crumpled up the target and tossed it in the trash can. “See you two later.” Fox shivered as Nova picked up her crumpled target.

“Man it scares me when she does that.”

“Me too.” Nova said as she saw that the shots were all in the area above the heart.


~~~


Grey was going to his private lesson with Discord and he ragged his tired legs through the halls of the school. He made his way down the familiar stone staircase and yawned as he entered. The man saw the usual crew and groaned. 

“Morning.”

“It’s noon.” Twilight said.

“Feels like the morning.” He yawned.

“You changed your hair?” Celestia asked.

“Yeah, so what?” 

“Are you trying to copy Trixie?” The performer stated.

“If I wanted to do that then I’d just get the words ‘pretentious bitch’ tattooed on my forehead.” Before Trixie could say any thing the man started coughing. It soon changed into a hacking noise.

“You okay Grey?” The scholar’s question was answered by white flames suddenly erupting from his mouth and spewing them like a dragon would burn down a village. Soon the flames subsided.

“Oh that feels so much better!” He said as he stretched. “That crap has been in me for two days.”

“What the buck just happened?” Trixie yelled.

“That was my body filtering Eris’s magic out of my system.”

“What!?” Even the god of chaos was surprised by the statement.

“Yeah, in the match over the weekend I had to sync my magic with Eris’s to win. My body just needed to get rid of all her remaining magic that was still present in my system. Simple.”

“It is far from simple Grey!” Celestia said. “You bonded your magic with a chaotic being.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Putting it bluntly, you die.” Discord said. “Well, more like you’d burn up from the sheer amount of power you came into contact with. It was only dumb luck that you managed to come out of this unscathed.”

“Everyone makes their own luck teach. I’m bound to get something right on a few occasions.” Grey said as he looked at the group.

“Thou are either really stubborn or really stupid.” Luna said.

“I’m probably both, with a touch of badass thrown in the mix.” He cracked his back. “So what’s today’s lesson?”

“Right, today we’re going to test your problem solving skills.” Celestia snapped her fingers and a table showing one of those mazes you’d put mice in. “You three will be shrunk down one at a time and you’ll be timed to see how fast you can solve the maze. You may use any spell available to you.” The three students nodded and Twilight was up first.

The scholar shrank to the size of an action figure and was teleported into the maze. Twilight looked at the walls around her and got a chilling reminder of when she and her friends were in the hedge maze while facing Discord. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused on the task at hand. The scholar conjured a small ball of light and sent it flying up over the walls. Her eyes glowed a lavender color and she saw the top of the maze and the pedestal in the center.

Twilight gathered her magic and teleported next to the pedestal. As she touched it a buzzer sounded and she was returned to normal size. “One minute fifteen-seconds. Excellent work.” Twilight smiled at her mentor’s praise. Trixie was up next and the maze shifted into a different format. The performer gathered her magic and her eyes glowed a cerulean blue color. Trixie smiled as she looked through the walls of the tiny prison and fired a small beacon that landed next to the pedestal.

Following the beacon’s signal was easy and the mare soon found herself at the pedestal. Luna looked at the clock and smiled as Trixie was returned to her normal size.

“Three minutes twenty-seconds.” Trixie silently cursed herself. “Grey you are-...What are you doing?” The group looked at the man to see that he had taken his shoes off.

“What? I run faster on my bare feet than I do with dress shoes on.” Twilight nodded as she remembered the last time she had to run in heels. She had to ask Rarity how she’d managed to keep up with the rest of their group on their adventures while wearing the stupid lady stilts from hell. Grey was inside the maze and saw the walls shifting around him. The man stood still for what seemed like hours.

“Are you going?” Luna asked.

“Don’t rush me!” He snapped. The man took a deep breath and slammed his right foot down onto the floor. Grey felt the small pulse he sent out go through the walls of the maze and keep going until he found the center. The man smirked and dashed forwards. Twilight lost sight of him for a moment, but found him again as he stopped at the first corner.

He placed the tip of his wand on the hard surface and smirked. A deafening blast erupted from the wand as a beam of magic ripped through the walls until it reached the center. Grey then rushed forward with the same speed and touched the pedestal

“Two minutes thirty-seconds.” Celestia said as the man went back to normal size.

“Cheater!” Trixie stated.

“She said I could use any spell I knew. So instead of wasting my time running around I just decided to make one path.” He stated blankly. Trixie crossed her arms and pouted. The lesson ended and the three made their way into Cadence’s classroom. Grey took his seat next to Eris who purred as she rested her head against his arm. The pink Princess made her way into the classroom and smiled.

“Good afternoon class. Today I’m going to assign a project.” Several groans escaped the students’ lips. “Now, now, it’s a fun project. You’ll be broken up into pairs.” She levitated a piece of paper in front of each student. “I want you all to write your initials on the slip of paper and pass them up.” The class complied and they saw Cadence summon two top hats. She poured half the slips into one hat the other half in the other hat.

“I’ll select the partners and there are no changes allowed.” One by one the Princess called the students’ names. Cadence lifted the two names and cleared her throat. “Eris and Twilight are a pair.” Grey heard the two women on either side of him groan and pated them each on the shoulder. 

“Sucks to be you.”

“Grey and Trixie.” The man felt his spine freeze and didn’t need to look at Eris to know she was smiling like a cheshire cat.

“You were saying?” Eris chuckled. Grey slowly turned his head like a rusty door hinge towards Trixie who was giving him the death glare. The woman immediately turned her head away from the man and pouted. After all the names were called Cadence cleared her throat.

“The project is on magic wavelengths. You and your partner’s job is to synchronize your magic and produce a spell. You both must act as a conduit for each other’s magic.”

“Professor,” Grey said. “in the matter of Twilight’s health, I think I should be Eris’s partner. I’ve already synced with her once so I’ve got a much better chance to not burst into flames.” Twilight thought back to what Discord had said and gulped.

“Not to worry, I have a spell that will prevent that.” Grey silently cursed at the thought of working with the show off. After the class ended Grey dropped his books off and knocked on Trixie’s dorm door. Grey sighed as the silver haired mage answered the call.

“Let’s get one thing straight Trixie. You don’t like me and I sure as hell don’t like you. So let’s get this done as quickly and easily as possible so we can go back to out mutual hatred dynamic.” Trixie let out a grunt of frustration. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

“Just be sure to do it right.” She said as the man walked inside and he sat down on the couch. 

“Fine Princess.” He groaned. “I’ll be the conduit this time around, just don’t send too much of your magic my way or we’ll have to start all over again and it’ll just add both our suffering.” Trixie sat down across from him and the two closed their eyes and the two took each other’s hands. Grey felt Trixie’s mana manifesting and connecting with his own.

Everyone’s mana is an expression of themselves and their emotions can be sensed through it. Trixie’s was soaked in arrogance and a hint of sadness. Grey mentally raised an eyebrow at the last one. He pushed it aside as he matched up with the show off’s wavelength. “Okay I got it. I’m transmitting it back to you know.” Trixie felt a surge of power come from the man and enter her body. The woman mentally smirked as she felt the amount of power rushing into her. The feeling was short lived as the magic faded.

“What happened?” Trixie yelled.

“I only put a small bit of magic through to test the connection.” He panted.

“Well, make sure you do it right!” Grey rolled his eyes. “Trixie will be the conduit.” The man panted and focused his magic. He felt Trixie’s magic fighting his own.

“Trixie, you need to adjust your wavelength to mine.”

“Why should Trixie have to lower myself to your level?” Grey’s patience was at it’s limit and went back to his own dorm to see Eris with a change of clothes in her hand heading towards the bathroom. 

“Taking a shower?”

“Yup.” She smiled. 

“Well, make it quick. I gotta take one before I head to work.” He sighed. The man then felt the woman’s chin resting on his shoulder.

“You know it’d be a lot faster if we share the water.” Grey contemplated it. He was frustrated and the two haven’t really done anything physical except that one night. Eris grinned as she felt the man’s heart starting to race. “I’ll turn the water on.” Grey gulped and followed the woman into the bathroom as he removed his shirt. 


~~~


Twilight was going to Eris’s room with the spell Cadence mentioned. As she was about to knock on the door she heard a yelp come from inside the room. The scholar slowly turned the handle and opened the door to see it empty. The bathroom door was cracked open and steam was coming out of it. Twilight raised an eyebrow and peaked through the crack to see a large cloud of steam.

She stood frozen as Something leaned against the glass slide door of the shower. Her face reddened when she realized that it was the woman’s front portion of her body. Eris’s body seemed to shake as she panted. Twilight was so shocked that she didn’t notice the door slowly opening giving away her position. Eris snapped out of her bliss and grinned.

Mustering up as much coherent thought as she could, she snapped her fingers and her face and hair changed to that of Twilight’s. The double let out another moan and Twilight’s face went dark red as Eris threw her head back and let out a final moan as a tremor of pleasure ran through her body. The gears in Twilight’s head stopped turning as she realized that she’d just seen. Eris had just climaxed disguised as her.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” A voice yelled out that snapped Twilight out of her trance. The scholar looked past Eris, who was back in her original form, to see the grey eyed mage glaring at her. 

“I...um...”

“GET OUT!” He yelled. Twilight instantly ran into the hallway and ran past Dash and AJ.

“Hey Twi we-” The scholar ignored them and ran into her room and buried her head in her pillow before screaming into it. 

Oh my Celestia! I can’t believe I just walked in on them! She thought as she rested her head against the back of the wall. 

Not a bad view of Grey though.

Shut up! A knock on her door made the scholar look up.

“Twi?” The girl recognized the southern accent of her friend. “Are ya okay? It looked like ya saw a ghost.” Twilight waved her wand and the door swung open to reveal the farmer and athlete.

“H-hey girls.” She said with a gulp. Both of the visitors raised an eyebrow at the girl’s bright red cheeks.

“So why’d you just blow by us in the hallway?” Dash asked as she crossed her arms. Twilight’s face flushed red at the question.

“You see-” The girl was cut off as the group saw an ethereal blade jut from Twilight’s wall. The blade cut down and a doorway sized chunk of the wall fell forwards onto the floor. The trio of girls looked to see the gray eyed mage holding the blade on the other side of the hole. 

“Twilight, we need to talk.” The man walked through the hole and glared daggers into the woman.

“Whoa partner. Let’s calm down now.” AJ said getting between the two.

“I just need to have a chat with Twilight about privacy.” He gritted his teeth.

“It was an accident!” She exclaimed with a blush on her face.

“When a bathroom light is on and the shower is running, it usually means there’s someone using it.” The farmer and the athlete made the connection and looked at the scholar.

“You walked in on Grey in the shower?” Dash yelled with a chuckle. “Priceless!”

“That’s not exactly what happened.” The group turned to see Eris wearing normal clothes. “Twilight here walked in on Grey and I screwing in the shower.” Grey’s face went bright red and Dash was holding her sides as she tried to keep her balance. AJ pulled her hat down to hide her blushing face.

“Why did you transform your face to look like mine?” Twilight asked. 

“I was just,” She pulled out a pair of golden sunglasses and put them over her eyes. “fucking with you.” A long silence fell over the group and Grey picked up one of Twilight’s magazines laying on her nightstand. He rolled it up and hit Eris over the head. “What was that for?” She asked rubbing the spot.

“Bad Eris. Bad.” The mage said as he crossed his arms. “Go sit in the corner.” He pointed back to their room. 

“But I-”

“Corner. Now.” The girl stuck her nose in the air and walked back through the hole before repairing it with her magic. The man then turned his attention back to Twilight. “I told you that your nose would lead you to things you don’t want to see if you let it control you.”

“I am not nosy!” Twilight growled. “Right girls?” She looked over to Dash and AJ. The flyer gulped and scratched her head. Applejack was adverting her eyes and biting her lip. “Right?”

“Well...uh...Ah know ya mean well Twi but...” Dash sighed and looked at her friend.

“Look Twilight, we all love ya, but you can be a bit...invasive at times.” Twilight’s jaw dropped at the words. “Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s a good thing. I always guessed that’s how you’re so good at magic, but you tend to take that too far when it comes to personal stuff.” The flyer rubbed the back of her head. “I mean remember how you practically forced AJ and I to talk the morning after we woke up in bed together completely hungover?”

“You didn’t hear that!” AJ yelled as she pointed to the white haired man with burning cheeks and eyes to match.	

“I didn’t hear what?” Grey said innocently as he envisioned the scenario. 

“Right, it really wasn’t any of your business. No offense.” Twilight looked at her friends in disbelief.

“Thank you!” Grey said to the two women. “Look Twi, it’s one thing to be curious, it’s another to be a pest and you’ve been on the border as of late.” The man said as he pulled out his wand. “There are just somethings that no one should know.” The man gave a small wave and he faced the wall again.

“Wait Grey-” The scholar froze as she saw the man step through her wall as if he were a ghost. 

“Okay, now that was a cool trick.” Dash said looking at the wall.
> Chapter 17: The Duel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 17

The Duel


Grey groaned as he sat at the lunch table with the rest of his squad. He sipped his drink and face tabled. “Something wrong Cap?” Roach asked.

“I got assigned this project in my advanced magic class.”

“The wavelength thing?” Bolt interjected.

“Yeah, my partner is Trixie.”

“Ouch.” The ice mage said as she put a spoonful of her vanilla ice cream in her mouth.

“Honestly, I’d rather try to sync with an enraged manticore than her.” The white haired man raised an eyebrow as Roach mad a throat slicing motion across his neck. “She’s right behind me isn’t she?” Grey turned and was met with a dark purple eyed stare. “I stand by what I said.”

“You think it’s any easier for Trixie to associate herself with a scruffy looking buffoon like you?” The performer scoffed.

“Who’s scruffy looking? Least I’m not some traveling circus act.”

“Shots fired!” Eris chuckled.

“Trixie would wipe the floor with you in ten-seconds flat!” The performer growled.	

“I’ll believe that when I see it.” Grey said as he stood up and yawned. “I’m gonna go practice.” Trixie could feel foam forming in her mouth and she pointed at the mage.

“Trixie challenges you to a duel!” The entire room fell silent as Grey continued to walk.

“No way.”

“It makes sense that you’re frightened.”

“I’m not gonna beat on a girl that has no chance of wining. Bad for my image.” He said as he reached for the door. 

“Do not underestimate the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She stamped her foot. “I’ll have you know that Trixie is the strongest mage in the Zodiac guild!” Grey froze at the words and his ear twitched. 

“Pardon me, but I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say that you’re the strongest mage in the Zodiac guild?”

“That’s correct.” Trixie smirked. Grey cracked his neck loud enough for the sound to echo through the room. He turned with a darkness in his eyes and an expression that would make a dragon drop it’s haul of stolen gems.

“Okay Trixie, I accept your challenge.” The man’s team gulped as they felt the magic rise in the room. Twilight suddenly got between them.

“C’mon guys. Isn’t there another way to-”

“Stay out of this Sparkle.” The man snapped at her. “I think it’s fine time someone knock the Princes of her self proclaimed throne.”

“Th-this is a cafeteria!” Twilight yelled. Grey looked around and nodded.

“It is a bit cluttered, besides I want people to see this fight.” He chuckled. “How about Saturday at noon? The school’s dueling arena should suffice.”

“Trixie does her best work in front of an audience.” She grinned. 

“We’ll see.” Grey said as he walked out of the cafeteria chuckling to himself. 


~~~


Many Years Ago.

A young girl with long red hair sat in her classroom with a bored expression on her face. Her green eyes were barely focused on the teacher as she scribbled notes down in her notebook. “Ms. Rose, do you know the answer?” The sound of her name made the girl snap out of her daze. She suddenly felt all eyes on her. She looked towards the instructor. He had spiky golden hair and a piercing blue left eye while his right was covered by an eye patch. His wrinkled white shirt was messily tucked into his dark blue pants.  

“Er, what was the question?” Some classmates chuckled while the instructor sighed and adjusted his round glasses on his nose.

“History is important Ms. Rose. If you do not know it, then you are destined to repeat it.” He stated in an oh-matter-of-fact manner. Scarlet lowered her head and groaned. She saw a red blur and some of her papers scattered on the floor. After she picked them back up she looked towards the front to see a child, about the same age as her wearing a red hood. The teacher looked to his left and saw the child making him jump a bit.

“Ah Grey. I see you’re entrances are as theatrical as ever.” The boy reached inside his coat and pulled out a letter. The teacher opened the letter and adjusted his glasses. “I see. Tell them I’ll be there.” He turned to put the note on his desk. 

“Is there anything else from-” The child was gone. As the red blur passed the girl she saw what looked like white hair and piercing grey eyes under the hood. A faint gust of wind exited the door. “I guess not. Anyway on with the lesson.” The red head raised her hand. “Yes, Scarlet?”

“Mr. Swift, who was that?”

“Oh, he’s just a messenger that works for the local guild.” The children all knew that their instructor was a member of the guild he was talking about. “You’ll see him from time to time around the neighborhood delivering letters. Best leave him be.” The bell suddenly rang signaling the beginning of lunch time. “Okay, we’ll pick this up after class.” 

The students all funneled out of their classrooms and made their way into the lunch room and took their seats. Scarlet sighed as her brother sat down next to her. 

“I’m telling you Carmine, he teleported!” Scarlet said as she sat beside her older brother. The man beside her had short spiky red hair and dark red eyes. The boy was a year older than her and would be graduating that year.

“Scarlet, for the last time, a kid your age can’t teleport. The spell is too complex. I think your eyes were playing tricks on you.” The girl furrowed her brow and pouted. Her light green eyes then drifted to the back corner where she saw the red hood nibbling on a sandwich.

“There he is!” She pointed. The man followed her finger and saw the red hood. He raised an eyebrow and could have sworn he should have seen him when he walked into the room. Scarlet got to her feet and started walking over to him.

“Hey what are you doing?” Carmine said. “Swift told you not to bother him.” Scarlet brushed off the warning and kept going towards the boy.

“Hey!” She said as she stood in front of the child. He didn’t bother to look up to the girl. “Hey, how’d you do that teleporting thing?” No answer came from the child. “I asked you a question!” She slammed her hands on the table making a loud sound. 

The vibrations made the boy look up. Scarlet raised an eyebrow as she stared into the child’s deep silver eyes. There was a hollow feeling to his stare that seemed to go on forever.

“Sorry didn’t see you there.” He said in a stagnant tone. Scarlet felt her rage building. The nerve of him not even seeing her. She reached for his collar, but gripped nothing but air. 
She blinked once as her brain tried to comprehend what had happened. 

“Trying to grab someone isn’t very nice.” Like a rusty hinge the eight year old turned around to see the red hood walking away from her before vanishing entirely, the door on the far end of the room slammed open. Scarlet stood frozen as the entire lunch hall were wide eyed and their mouths were hanging low. Carmine came up to his sister and scratched his head. 

“Well, that was a thing.”

“I told you he could teleport!”

“He didn’t.” The voice of Scarlet’s teacher caught their attention. “He’s just very fast.” He said before taking a sip from his coffee. “He’ll be around again.” Scarlet pouted as the bell rang and she went back to class. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get the boy’s silver eyes out of her mind. The end of the school day couldn’t come soon enough and she started walking home. 

Her brother Carmine left to go hang out with his friends and Scarlet needed time to think. As she rounded the corner, she saw the red hooded child walking in the crowd. Scarlet ducked behind a trash can followed the child’s movements. She soon found herself near the outskirts of the city. A large concrete building came into view. It was tall, and looked like a school. The windows were blasted out and there was a sinister feeling hanging in the air.

Something really bad happened here. The girl thought as she felt a chill run down her spine. The child crossed the barbed wire fest that surrounded the school and walked up t the main entrance. Scarlet ducked into the bushes and coughed, a familiar smell filled her nostrils and she tried to place the scent. She squinted and saw a large red stain on the front door. Her face went pale as she realized the scent and the red mark were both dried blood. 

Quickly, Scarlet got out of the bush and started to run back to the city. She suddenly tripped over something and she fell on the ground. She picked herself up and looked down to see a wooden sign; Rosewood Elementary. A familiar shiver came over her and she turned to see the silver eyes of death on her. The girl got to her feet and booked all the way home. She ignored the stinging in her leg muscles and threw open the door to her home and collapsed as she panted.

“Scarlet? That you?” The girl gathered her things and went to her room. A hard knock made the girl jump.

“Y-yeah?” The door opened to show a tall man in his late twenties with dark red hair and light red eyes. 

“Are you okay? You seem off.” He said as he sat down beside her on her bed.

“N-nothing.” The man gave her a deadpanned look. “Fine. I saw this boy today and-”

“Oh dear, you’re starting to notice boys eh?” The girl gave her father a small shove and blushed brightly.

“Not like that! He was strange. So I followed him after school.”

“Scarlet what have I told you about spying on people?” He scolded.

“I know, I know.” She said with a roll of her eyes. 

“I swear you’re just as stubborn as your mother.”

“I followed him to this old building near the outer rim.” The man frowned.

“I told you to stay away from that area. It isn’t safe.”

“Nothing bad happened, but the building had this weird vibe to it. Like something out of Carmine’s scary stories.” She shivered as she remembered the one about the rolling disembodied head. 

“What was the building?”

“It was some old school. Rosewood Elementary.” The man’s eyes shrank at the name and a gulp could be heard from the man’s throat.

“Wh-what did he look like?”

“He had a red hood up, but I think he had white hair and silver eyes. Why?” The man stood up and looked at his daughter.

“Scarlet I want you to promise me to leave that child alone.” 

“Why?”

“Just promise me!” He said as he put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her deep green eyes. Scarlet saw a shine in her father’s eyes, something she’d never seen before; fear.

“O-kay.” The man sighed and nodded.

“Thank you, dinner will be ready soon.” When her father left, the girl laid on her bed with her arms spread out and stared at her blank ceiling.     


~~~


Present.

The red haired woman woke up in a cold sweat and was panting heavily as the morning sun shined through the window onto her skin. She sat up in her bed and calmed her heart. She walked to the bathroom and splashed some cold water in her face.

“Something wrong Red?” She looked behind her to see the physical manifestation of her wand. He was waring a suit of white armor to contrast his white hair and a long bow was slung over his shoulder while a small axe hung on his belt. His eyes were like two deep pools of emerald green water.

“Nothing Apollo. Just a dream.” She said to her wand partner, Apollo Oberon. Scarlet had received him when she went through her awakening when she was nine.

“Another one?” She gave a nod as she ran her hands through her hair. “Was it about him?” A look from the woman answered his question.

“Anyway, you seem to be more active than usual. What gives?”

“My counterpart has been awoken.”

“Counterpart?” The woman asked as she poured herself a glass of water. 

“I suppose you could call her my wife.” Scarlet did a spit take at the words and coughed. 

“Your what?”

“Remember that not all wand cores are artificial. Some, like myself, have a core that holds the personality of a person that once walked this world.”

“So who owns this wand?”

“I don’t know, but I can faintly sense their presence.” He squinted out the window. “I have a feeling that we’ll meet whoever it is very soon.”    


~~~


Grey was walking back from his workout in the forest and was minding his own business when he felt his wand vibrating and glowing. The image of Nike then appeared next to him.

“So you’re really going to fight her?” Grey had since learned that Nike could appear to him in a ghost like form and talk to him. The only problem was that only he could see or hear her.

“Damn straight. She’s been getting on my nerves since day one.” He chuckled. The man then saw the woman vanish and he heard the click of high heels against the hard marble floors. Grey turned to see none other than Princess Luna. “Evening Princess.” 

“Same to you too Grey.” She said as her icy blue eyes were fixated on the man. “I heard that you will be locking horns with Trixie tomorrow.” 

“Word travels fast and that’s correct. Trying to talk me out of it?”

“No, nor will you face any punishment if she gets hurt, since it’s a formal duel.”

“I figured. So why are you here?”

“I heard you talking to someone.”

“Nah, just myself.”He said as he continued to walk. “Well, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, I need my rest. I have a big day tomorrow. Goodnight Princess.” He said with a wave. Luna watched the man turn a corner down the hall as he headed off to his dorm.

The next day, almost every student was gathered in the stands. The three headmasters and Cadence were also in attendance. Grey was in the locker room on the far side of the arena donning his dueling uniform. A knock on the door caught the man’s attention as he slipped his shirt on. He turned to see Twilight and Eris.

“Trixie’s waiting outside.” Eris stated. 

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Be careful Grey. Trixie may be a show off but she’s Luna’s student for a reason.” Twilight said as they stepped out onto the field. Trixie was donning her usual hat and cape with tight fitting shirt that hugged her form and showed off her impressive curves. She also had a purple skirt that matched the rest of her outfit. 

“Oh that’s adorable, you think she’s a threat.” He said as he tapped Twilight’s head like a basket ball. “Sit tight kiddo, show’s about to start. Careful though, the first few rows are a splash zone.”

“What do you mean by that?” Twilight gulped as she teleported back to her seat beside Celestia. Eris then gave Grey a kiss on the lips which resulted in the crowd whistling.

“For luck.” She said before she teleported up to her seat next to Discord. The crowd grey quiet as Grey cracked his back.

“This won’t take long.” Trixie grinned.

“Getting cocky eh? Tell you what Trixie, let’s make this interesting.” Grey said as he crossed his arms.

“A wager? Now Trixie is interested.” The girl tapped her chin and grinned. “When Trixie beats you, you must acknowledge that Trixie is the strongest.”

“What about if I win?”

“Trixie doubts that’ll happen, but I suppose you may choose something.” Grey thought for a moment and smiled.

“Fine, if I win then you have to be my personal slave for a full day.” The crowd let out an ‘oh’ sound at the words.

“Trixie accepts this challenge, not that you’ll win anyway.” Trixie laughed o herself as she got into position. Shining walked onto the field and looked at the students.

“Are both combatants ready?”

“Always.” Trixie said with a grin.

“As I’ll ever be.” Shining looked at both of the students and threw his hand down.

“Begin!” He yelled as he teleported back to the sidelines.

Trixie moved first and fired a volley of missiles at the man who remained still. The blast created a cloud of smoke around the man. Trixie then started firing her wand off like a machine gun, dangerous and fast. She gave a pause as the smoke cleared and charged her next attack. The smoke subsided to show Grey unharmed. 

“You finished?” He asked in a bored tone. Trixie growled and fired a few more blasts at the man. “My turn.” Grey pulled out his wand and something started forming around it. The mass of magic formed a briefcase and the man grinned as he used it to swat the blasts away. After the shots subsided the briefcase opened and transformed into a mini-gun. Several blasts of magic erupted from the spinning barrels and Trixie was barely keeping ahead of the bullets. 

The performer waved her wand a magical shield appeared before her that deflected the blasts. “That all you got Lulamoon?” Trixie growled again and focused her magic. A cloud of purple smoke then wrapped around the woman. When the smoke cleared Grey was surprised when he saw close to a dozen Trixie’s standing before him.

“Ha!” They all yelled.

“Great, one of you was annoying, but this? I don’t think that there’s a word to describe the annoyance I feel right now.” He sighed. “So you can use the clone spell, I dare say I’ve underestimated you Trixie.” He said with a nod. “But it won’t matter.”

“We outnumber you!” The clones then rushed the man.

“True, but ten times zero is still zero!” Grey charged the pack with blinding speed as the group shot several spells at him. The man easily avoided the blasts and slammed his elbow into the first clone’s face, making it’s nose break before vanishing into smoke. He summoned and ethereal scythe and became a twister of slashes that cut through the pack like a hurricane. One of them caught him off guard and shot his wand out of his hand. Trixie saw her opportunity. 

She and the five remaining clones fired a synchronized blast of magic aimed directly at the man. Grey bit his lip and knew he didn’t have time to get to his wand. The man breathed a heavy breath and knew he had no choice. He channelled his magic into his hands and swung towards the blast. The crowd’s eyes shrank as the large magic bomb was cut down the middle by a large ethereal blade that was in the man’s hand. The arena grew silent as they stared at the blade.

“How did he do that?” Dash yelled what most of the crowd members were thinking.

“What trickery is this?” Trixie yelled.

“No tricks, just skill.” He said as he made the sword vanish. “Ya see, I’ve been holding back Trixie. I can use magic without a wand, I always have been able to.” Trixie glared at the man as he summoned his wand and pocketed it. “Don’t believe me? Ask Discord, he knew.” The chaotic being then felt a several sets of eyes on him.

“I am as shocked as you are.” He said in a dumb tone. 

“Let me ask you something Trixie, what was your score on that power test Celestia gave us during our first private lesson?”

“I’m a level seven mage, easily stronger than you!”

“Yeah about that, I lied. I held back to see how you’d react. Originally I’d say I’m about a level seven mage, same as you, but that was at the beginning of the term.” Trixie saw the man’s eyes starting to glow white with magic a grin appear across his face. The ground started to shake and bits of rock began to levitate around him. “Let me show you what real magic is.” 

In the blink of an eye, the man vanished from sight and appeared in front of one of the Trixie’s with his hand in front of her face. A blast of white magic came from his palm and he clone was consumed by the blast. “Darn, only a clone.” He then turned to the other girls. “Oh, well, I have three more chances to get it right.” He vanished again. 

One of the clones screamed and the group saw two ethereal blade coming out of her chest before vanishing showing the grey hooded man with a smirk. Trixie growled and fired several volleys of magic at the man. Grey dodged them with ease as two circular saw blades the size of manhole covers formed in each hand. Grey threw them at the three girls. The group easily dodged them and turned to face the man only to see what looked like him hitting the ground and two large rocks came up behind the two clones as the saw blades came back around. 

In the light, Trixie could see that there was string attached to the spinning disks that suddenly wrapped around the clones pinning them to the slabs of earth. Grey then let out a large breath of white flames that incinerated the two rocks and the clones pinned to them. “And then there was one.” He said with a crack of his neck. Trixie flared her nostrils and cursed. 

An idea came to Grey and he vanished as a large cloud of smoke enveloped the arena. “Ya know Trix, I heard a funny story about you. Something about an Ursa Minor?” Trixie gritted her teeth at the words. 

“Show yourself coward!” The girl then felt one of the man’s ethereal blades graze her skin.

“So you got chased out of town by an angry mob. What you couldn’t get a job as a rodeo clown?”

“Shut up!” She shot several random spells into the fog.

“There’s a reason why I agreed to fight you Trixie.” His voice echoed through the fog. “You said you were a member of a guild.”

“Trixie is the strongest in the guild!”

“Funny thing that.” The smoke cleared and she saw the man standing on something. As she raised her wand her blood ran cold. Standing in front of her was a gray ethereal Ursa Minor. The large beats towered over her and roared. “Ya see, I know for a bucking fact that you lied.” 	
The man reached inside his coat and pulled out the badge he’d received through the mirror on his birthday. The badge was silver and had a shield with a symbol etched into it. 

“Anyone who messes with my guild better have their last will written.” The giant Ursa then ate the performer in one swift motion before swallowing. The crowd could see Trixie in the Ursa’s stomach and she pounded on the magic that acted as a wall. Grey hoped down from the top of the beast’s head and looked at Trixie. “With this I call check.” 

With a snap of his fingers, the large bear exploded and the man drove two blades into the ground to keep him upright. There was a large scorch mark where the Ursa once sat, at the center was Trixie getting to her feet. “I suggest you give up Trixie. You can’t beat me.” The girl cursed and ignored the man. 

She summoned the large shield that she had used earlier and started to pant. Grey fired a few blasts from his palms only to have them bounce off. “I admire your determination,” The man started building up magic in his right hand. “but this is where it ends.” He grabbed his right arm with his left hand and focused. “I’ll let you see something not many have seen, my own technique.”

His right hand and forearm was wrapped in white flames. As he moved, the crowd only saw a white blur shooting towards the shield. Trixie felt fear entrap her as the man closed in. His right arm slammed into the shield and it crumbled like a cookie. Trixie saw the flaming fist on a collision course with her face and slammed her eyes shut as she waited for the pain. Nothing was felt, no crushing defeat, no pain. 

Trixie opened her eyes to see the flames were gone and the man flexing his middle finger against his thumb. “Checkmate.” With a tiny flick to the forehead, the woman fell on her back. Grey panted heavily and looked down at his right hand that was scorched. “Game over Trix. I like my coffee black.” Grey said as he started to walk away. Trixie was fuming as she stood back up. 

“Don’t you dare turn your back on me!” She yelled with a pant. Grey looked at her and shook his head. 	

“Trixie, look at yourself, you can barely stand let alone fight and you’ve barely got any magic left.” 

Same could be said for me. He said as he coughed up a bit of blood. 

“The Great and Powerful Trixie will never admit defeat.” She pointed her wand at the man and focused the last of her magic. Her body started to glow, and she started gathering a large amount of magic. Grey shivered as he felt Trixie’s magic running out. Trixie felt something hard slam into her gut, knocking the wind out of her and breaking her concentration. 

She looked down to see the man’s clenched fist. The woman dropped to her knees before passing out. Grey shook his head and sighed as the bell rang signaling the end of the duel. Something shiny caught Grey’s eye and picked up what looked like a badge similar to his own. He pocketed the item as Luna and Celestia teleported onto the field next to Trixie. Grey turned to leave the arena and saw Twilight teleport in front of him. Before she could get a word out, the man ran through her like a ghost would leaving a chilling feeling in the scholar’s bones.
> Chapter 18: Recovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 18

Recovery


Many years ago.

Once again, the red haired girl dragged her feet into the same classroom with the same teacher preaching the same things about history being the ‘backbone of society.’ Scarlet wanted something new and exciting to happen just once in her mundane life. “Ahem, class I have an announcement.” The girl rested her head on her hand and sighed as she looked forwards. “We have a new student joining our class today and I want you all to help him feel welcome.” 

The class looked towards the door and Scarlet’s eyes shrank as she saw a familiar, red hooded child. When he faced the front, she got a better look at his face. His white hair went to his earlobes and his steel grey eyes seemed to penetrate everything in view. His gaze had a chilling effect on the girl. “Why don’t you introduce yourself?” Swift said as he looked at the child.

“G-Grey.” He said in a nervous tone.

“Grey, why don’t you take a seat next to,” As the teacher looked around the room Scarlet silently prayed he wouldn’t notice the vacant seat next to her. “Scarlet.”

Darn it! She thought as the child walked past her and took the vacant seat next to her.

“Now on with the lesson.” Swift said as he wrote on the chalk board. Scarlet tried to keep her eyes front, but found them sometimes drifting towards the child who sat on her right. It was the longest class ever, of all time. She let out an audible sigh as the class heard the lunch bell ring and went to the cafeteria. Scarlet sat with her brother and stayed quiet as she ate her lunch. In the back corner of the room her eyes drifted to a familiar red hood. 

“Hey Scarlet,” The sound of her name brought her attention back to her brother who had a confused look on his face. “you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Carmine followed her gaze and grinned.

“Looks like the Princess has finally found her Prince.” He joked to the older boys at their table. Scarlet’s temper and cheeks flared at the comment.

“Shut your face! He just moved into my class and sits next to me.” She growled

“I’ll get the wedding plans.” One of the boys joked. The red haired girl grunted and picked up her lunch tray looking for another place to sit. Scarlet never really fit in with the other girls in her age group. She was more of a tomboy and felt more comfortable around boys. The cafeteria was packed and there was only one place left to sit. Grey’s table. Seeing no alternative, the girl made her way over to the table and sat down. The boy looked up at her in surprise.

“By no means does this make us friends.” She said as she took a bite of her food. The boy  kept quiet as the girl ate. “Why don’t you ever say anything?” Grey still remained silent. Scarlet huffed and focused on her meal. There was a disturbance across the lunch room. The two turned to see a larger student with short brown hair and large brown wings tugging on a Changeling student’s antenna.

“Please stop. It hurts!” She was close to tears.

“See, told you they were real. I wonder if they’re regrow if I pull em off.” Scarlet gritted her teeth.

“Whose he?” The white haired child asked. Scarlet looked at him in confusion.

“That’s Condor. Prime candidate for world’s biggest jerk.” She grumbled.

“Why doesn’t anyone do anything?” He asked.

“Look at him! He’s a mountain with feet. If I could I’d-” Ever since he could remember, he was told to ‘Leave it alone’ or ‘It wasn’t his business.’ He could hear Willow’s words echoing in his mind right now, but another voice in his head that told him, ‘Teach this punk a painful lesson.’ Grey shot up and began to stomp his way towards the scene in front of his grey eyes. Scarlet was yelling at Grey to prevent him from doing whatever he was doing. 

Grey took a metal bowl that was filled with the menu’s chili from a nearby student’s lunch.

“Hey!” The student yelled as Grey dumped the beans and meat on the floor.

“Hey Condor!” The brown winged bully’s eyes rolled at his name being yelled behind him.

“Who’s calling-” The last thing the bully saw was before he fell to the floor with a hard thud, was the silver bowl being held by a white haired boy in a red hood and the bowl was crushed as it crashed against his skull. Time in the cafeteria seemed to slow down, silence fell over the room like a thick fog. Scarlet, who had been following Grey, stood with her jaw hitting the floor. The thugs who were hanging out with the bully and the changeling girl mirrored Scarlet’s expression. The only two in the room who didn’t seem shocked were Grey, who was sporting a blank stare, and Condor, who was out cold. 

Grey dropped the crushed bowl before looking down at the bully who was off in la-la land. No one dared made a sound, Scarlet soon changed that.

“Holy shit!” Scarlet was taught not to curse, but the words just fell out of her mouth. The thugs copied the girl.

“Holy shit!” The entire room then erupted with the words.

“Holy shit!” Grey remained silent as he walked towards an exit passed a still stunned Scarlet. The adrenaline rush he’d gotten had worn off and he was now fully aware of all the stares on him. Grey clutched his head in pain and he felt like he was about to puke. He felt his heart beating a million miles a minute and he started gasping for hair as he felt like walls were closing in around him.

“Hey, are you all right?” Scarlet asked as the doors burst open to see the green haired history professor.  

“What in the name of Celestia’s beard is going on in here?” He saw the bully on the ground. The sound of doors bursting open and the red haired girl being pushed to the ground caught his attention. The professor then saw a red blur run out of the room. 

“Hey!” Scarlet yelled as she stood up and saw the blur exit the room. Grey ran out of the school and found a dumpster in the city to hide behind as he opened up a capsule with several pills inside. He took out three and dry swallowed them. As the pills took effect he buried his head in his knees and let the tears he’d been holding back fall out. 

“Hey are you okay?” He looked up to see two kids about his age, a boy and a girl. They both had dark skin and emerald green hair.

“Jade? Sage?” A woman’s voice called out. Both children looked to the left and saw a woman with long green hair and blue eyes. Her forest green overcoat fitted her well and showed off her curves. “Honestly I can’t take my eyes off you two for a minute or else you’ll disappear.” She sighed.

“Sorry mom.” The two said in unison.

“What are you two doing anyway?” The two pointed to the child behind the dumpster. The older woman looked at Grey and her eyes shrank. “Sage, Jade go home.”

“But mom-”

“Now!” She said taking their hands and dragging them off. “I don’t want you to ever talk to that boy again!”

“Why?” The young boy asked.

“He’s dangerous! Don’t talk to him, don’t play with him, don’t even look at him.” She said as she dragged the children away from the boy. He was alone again. Grey hated being alone.


~~~

Present

Trixie lay awake in one of the the school’s infirmary rooms hooked up to an IV and heart monitor. Her curtain was pushed aside to show nurse Red Heart, Princess Luna, Celestia and Discord. 

“How are you feeling Trixie?” The nurse asked. Trixie only grunted at the response and looked at the ceiling. 

“What are her injuries nurse?” Luna asked. Red Heart picked up her chart and scanned it. 

“Very minor injuries apart from some bruises. The real problem is that she’s used too much mana.” She sighed. “If the match hadn’t ended right there, then you’d be in really bad shape Ms. Lulamoon.” 

“No need to thank me.” All eyes turned towards the window to show the white haired mage standing in the open windowsill. Trixie’s eyes shrank, her temper soared, and her heart monitor lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree.

“What do you want?” Trixie’s words were laced with enough venom to put down a manticore.

“Just making sure you didn’t bite the big one. It’d be no fun if only the nose and I were left.”

“The nose?” Discord asked.

“Twilight is very nosy wouldn’t you say?”

“Preaching to the choir on that one.” Trixie growled. Grey felt the Princesses’ eyes on him and he sighed.

“No doubt you two have questions.”

“When did you learn to use magic with your hands?” Luna asked as Grey took a seat on the windowsill.

“Since I was eight. I could never afford a wand and I liked not being bound to a device.” He said as he pulled out his wand. “I have to say, that I was genuinely surprised at the increased power output when I do use her. Should have gotten one a long time ago.”

“Her?” Celestia said with a raised eyebrow.

“My wand partner.” He said with a smirk.

“So you’ve figured out it’s name.”

“‘Her’ name and yes it’s-” He froze when he saw an ethereal depiction of said partner.

Don’t tell her my name.

“Why not?” Nike shot a glance at Celestia.

She and I have a history. She growled.

“Really now? Care to elaborate?”

Not now, later.

“Fair enough.” He said as the image vanished and he turned his attention back to the group. “Look’s like she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Why not?” Grey shrugged at Luna’s question.

“Why didn’t you tell us you could use magic without a wand?” Celestia asked as she crossed her arms under her chest.

“There are two very good explanations.” He said as he cleared his throat. “First, I didn’t want everyone constantly pestering me about it, a certain indigo haired scholar to be precise.” He eyed Celestia.

“The second?”

“He told me not to let anyone know.” He pointed to Discord.

“Why throw your teacher under the bus?” The chaos lord sighed. Grey chuckled and hoped back onto the windowsill.

“Well, this has been fun, but I’ve got a date tonight. See you later Pops.” He chuckled at Discord as he fell back out of the window. Luna rushed to the window and looked down to see that the man was gone. 


~~~


Twilight sat in the library surrounded by a mountain of books. Her eyes dancing across page after page. She had magic texts, anatomy of the average mage and any other type of magic book relevant to human bodies. There was no logical explanation for the white haired man’s abilities. It took decades of training and concentration to attain hand magic and now, a mage weaker than herself had attained that power. She gripped her indigo locks of hair and groaned.

This doesn’t make any sense!

Who knew he’d be strong enough to beat Trixie?

No one in our age group should be able to do that!

Sounds like you’re admiring him. The voice teased. 

“You won’t find what you’re looking for in there Sparkle.” The scholar’s head shot up as an all too familiar voice came from behind her. She picker her head up making the stack of books collapse around her. Grey chuckled at the sight. “Nice book canopy you got.” Twilight rose from the pile of books with determination in her eyes. “No doubt your nose is back on my trail, again.” The man said as he walked past the woman and sat down at another table.

Twilight shook her head and saw the white haired mage shaking his head as he walked past her and pulled out a book from his bag, along with an eyeglass case.

“What are you doing?” Twilight asked as she looked at the man.

“I’m studying. That’s usually what libraries are for. Figured you’d know that better than anyone.” Twilight sat across from him and continued to glare at the man. “I heard from Rarity that constant frowning causes wrinkles.”

“How did you use magic with your hands?”

“I always could. I just chose not to broadcast it.” He sighed.

“It’s impossible! No one your age should be able to do that!”

“There’s no such thing as impossibilities. Your fights with Nightmare Moon and Discord should have proven that.” Dash, being the braggart that she is, had told him of their exploits as the Elements of Harmony. “If you’re wondering if I’m more powerful than you, the answer is no. I’m just better at fighting and using my magic to it’s fullest extent.”

“How did you beat Trixie?”

“You saw the fight. The answer should be simple.” Twilight still looked puzzled. The man rolled his eyes. “Her use of the duplication spell is what did her in.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I thought you were in the gifted program?” The woman frowned. “Fine, let me spell it out for you. The duplication spell evenly distributes the magic you currently have to how many clones you create. If I make a clone, then I half of my magic, I make ten, I have a tenth, etcetera. Trixie had already used a bit of magic and she was fairly new to the spell.” 

Twilight nodded. “I knew this, which is why I usually don’t use clones in a fight and even when I do I set a time limit so I don’t waste my magical energy. Like this clone.” He gestured to himself. “The real Grey set a time limit for two hours.” Twilight stood up. “I wouldn’t go to my room if I were you.”

“Why?”

“Because I have a feeling that he and Eris are going to ‘celebrate.’” Twilight blushed at the words. “Unless you want to see something like that again.” He chuckled at the scholar’s blushing cheeks.

“It still doesn’t make any sense!” Grey sighed.

“Look Sparkle, there are a lot of things in this world that doesn’t make sense. I just happen to fall into that category. Accept it! Now if you don’t mind, I have some reading to do.” He said as he puled out a set of clear rectangular glasses.

“You wear glasses?”

“They’re enchanted so I can read twice as fast.” Twilight still glared at the white haired man. “God when does it end with you?” He complained. “Look, If I tell you something, will you leave me in peace?”

“Maybe.” The man closed the book and thought of something.

“When I was a kid I had really bad social anxiety.” He said in a flat tone.

“You? Seriously?” Grey nodded.

“Couldn’t say two words to someone without going into a panic attack and I popped anxiety pills like they were skittles.” He winced at the memories of his youth. “I tried therapy, didn’t really help much due to my inability to open up.” Twilight looked at the man and almost found it impossible to imagine that the mage who sat before her had trouble communicating with people.

“So what did you do?” 

“Well, after I re-enrolled in school, this one girl wouldn’t stop bugging me. Sometimes she’d follow me home, or spy on me when I went to practice magic.” A sly grin then spread across his face. “Sound familiar Twi?” The scholar blushed at the words. “Anyway, her stubbornness paid off and she became my first friend after-” he stopped himself not willing to say anything else. 

“Anyway there’s your bit of information. Now shoo. I’ve got to read before my time is up.” Twilight grumbled and went back to her work station sometimes looking over at the man who’s eyes were glued to the book.

He cares about his studies? 

This just gets better and better.

Shut up!


~~~


Trixie was staring up at the ceiling in the infirmary as she replayed the fight in her head. She cursed herself for not being able to best the white haired mage in a duel. “Penny for your thoughts?” Trixie shot up and saw the white haired mage standing in the doorway. Trixie opened her mouth, but she felt something clamp her mouth shut. “Relax Ms. huffy, I’m not here to fight.” 

Trixie felt something hard yet squishy on her mouth. “Silence goo. You can breathe, but it’s sound proof. Gotta thank my boss for giving me the recipe.” 

“Mph!”

“Oh calm down, it’s not permanent.” He said puling out a spray bottle. “I have the cure right here.” Trixie grumbled. “Don’t bother calling for the nurse, she’s probably having the best sleep she’s had in months, courtesy of some tea I brewed.” He chuckled. 

“Anyway, I’m here to ask you something Trix and depending on that answer I’ll give this back.” He said as he held up the badge he took from her after the fight. The woman growled again. “I’m gonna take the goo off so you can answer, try to scream it’s going back on. Deal.”

“Mph.” The grunt sounded more tame.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He sprayed the solution on the goo. “Now think of something pretty.” He said as he quickly ripped the goop off like a bandaid.

“Ow! How dare you damage Trixie’s-” Grey help up the goo again. “Just ask your question so you can stop bothering Trixie and return that to me!” She said looking at the badge.

“Where’d you get this?” He asked looking at the badge. “This is authentic and I’ve never seen you in the guild before. You’re not even on the listings, I checked. So either you stole this, or you’re borrowing it.”  He said as he narrowed his eyes. 

“If it’s the former then I’ll have to report you to the guild master and let me tell you, he’ll make the beating I gave you look like a game of two hand touch wingball.” Trixie gulped at the warning. The woman sighed and looked at the badge.

“Trixie did not steal it. It was given to her.” Her tone was somber.

“By who?”

“My...mother.” She said in a slightly saddened tone. “Trixie inherited it after she passed away.” Grey immediately felt guilty for asking.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s not a fresh wound she died a year ago.” Trixie blew a pie of her hair out of her face.

“What was her name? Since she was a guild member I might have known her.”

“Doubt it. She left the guild when she found out she was pregnant with me and she never went back.” The woman stated. “Her name was Aurora Mirage.”

“Aurora Mirage?” The name rang a bell and his jaw dropped. “You don’t mean the legendary illusionist do you?” 

“Know any other woman by that name?” She said dryly.

“No way! She’s a legend in the guild! She’s got her own statue in the Legacy Hall!” He said in shock. The Legacy Hall was a reserved place for the best mages that were in the guild. “I didn’t know she had a kid.”

“Trixie prefers not to let anyone know.” She grumbled.

“Why? Your mother was powerful. I’m sure people would be amazed.”

“That is precisely why I don’t want people to know.” She huffed.

“I’m confused.”

“Trixie prefers to be acknowledged as ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ rather than ‘Trixie, the daughter of Aurora Mirage.’” Grey sat back and sighed.

“You want to make it on your own steam.” He smirked. “I can relate. I daresay I’ve misjudged you Trix. Here I thought you were just some bratty girl filled with a lot of hot air that was only out for herself.” The woman frowned. “Granted that incident with the Ursa Minor-”

“That was not Trixie’s fault!” The woman snapped.

“Oh really?” The man raised an eyebrow. “Twilight’s brother, Spike, told me that you lead an Ursa Minor into town and Twilight took care of it.”

“Trixie did not lead that thing into town!”

“Care to elaborate?” He asked sighing. Trixie then went into detail about the show she did in Ponyville two years prior. “You tied up AJ in her own rope?” The man chuckled as he imagined the farmer hogtied on stage. He wasn’t mean towards the farmer, but the thought was a bit amusing to him. “So where does the giant bear come in?” 

“During the show, Trixie said that she vanquished an Ursa Major.” Grey raised an eyebrow. “I only said it to boost my publicity! What’s wrong with that?”

“Quite a few things, but lets move on.”

“After the show, these two small boys were so impressed by Trixie’s magical abilities that they wanted to see more.” She said in her usual proud tone. “Trixie did not realize that they had gone into the nearby forest and lead an Ursa to town expecting me to beat it. That’s when Trixie came clean and Twilight Snarkle came in to save the day.”

“Oh, then it wasn’t your fault.”

“Trixie is not at fault! They-” Trixie blinked as the words registered. “Wait what did you say?” Trixie raised an eyebrow.

“That it’s not your fault. Those two kids dragged that thing into town. They’re the ones to blame.” The woman just froze and stared at Grey in shock. “What?”

“Trixie is just surprised. Most people blame me for that whole incident.”

“Most people includes?”

“Twilight and her band of misfits.” She grumbled.  Grey gave a nod at the words and tossed her the badge.

“Well, that was enlightening Trixie and a deal is a deal.” He said as he turned to leave. “Take it easy.”

“Wait,” The word made Grey stop. “why ask Trixie all of these things? Why do you care?” Grey turned and stared into Trixie’s purple eyes. 

“The look in your eyes says there’s something special about you.”

“Trixie is confused.” Grey leaned in closer to the woman and Trixie felt a small blush on her cheeks.

“I can tell that you’ve seen some shit Trixie.” He said as he squinted. “Shit that people like Twilight and most people here can’t, or are scared to imagine.” Trixie gulped and adverted her eyes from the man. “In that way we’re alike. I’m not going to ask about it for two reasons; I’m not Twilight and I am in no position to know about them.”

“Trixie is happy that at least someone understands the concept of privacy.” She said rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, that is something Twilight needs to work on.” He sighed. “Oh, right. Here.” He threw her a container with a single red pill in it.

“What is this?”

“That will get you back up on your feet by tomorrow.” Trixie looked at him in disbelief. The doctors told her that she’d need to stay in bed for at least three days. “Put that in the tub the next time you take a bath and it’ll bring you back up to full health.” Trixie grinned. “However, the process will be painful.”

“How painful?” 

“Whatever pain you feel before you get into the bath, will double as it heals you.” Trixie gulped. “Hey, nothing’s free.”

“Why give this to me?”

“Well, I was the one who got you into this situation. Better on my conscious if I help you get out of it.” He grinned. “Not to mention since I won, I own you for a day.” Trixie groaned as she remembered the bet. “You can pick the day and only when you’re feeling better. See you around.” The man’s form instantly went into a cloud of smoke.

The young woman looked at the pill and sighed. She took the pill and started running a bath in her hospital room. The water soon got to her liking and she dropped the pill into the water. The water soon started to turn red and boil like water in a hot pot. The woman stripped down and looked at her bruised body. There were dark mark’s on her ribs, arms and legs. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She slipped her feet in first and soon sat down letting the water go over her shoulders. Trixie dunked her head in and washed her hair. The young woman waited. “Knew he was-” Trixie’s eyes shrank as she felt a thousand needles stinging her skin. She was in too much pain to move or scream. A few tears filled her eyes as she silently prayed for her torment to end. 

The next five minutes were the most painful of the woman’s life to date. Then as quickly as it came, the feeling stopped. Trixie immediately bolted up and drained the tub. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw all the bruises were gone, more than that. She felt like all of her anxiety and pain had been ripped from her body. The woman smirked as she got changed and decided to catch a good night’s sleep. 
> Chapter 19: Tickets and Unity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 19

Tickets and Unity


Many years ago.

“You’ve had quite the week Grey.” The child’s eyes were locked on the ground. His white hair covering his grey eyes. The sound of the ticking clock echoed through the silence. “Are you okay Grey?” 

The boy gave a slow nod. “Grey, you don’t have to lie to me. I can see that you’re the farthest thing from okay.” Grey let out a sigh and looked back at the woman. She was young, possibly in her early thirties and had her hair tid in a bun.

“What’s wrong with me Dr.V?” The woman sighed and sat up in her chair.

“Nothing is wrong with you Grey.”

“Then why am I like this?” He said in a louder tone.

“Because of some...unfortunate factors that have effected your well being. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It just means it will take time and effort on both our parts to heal.” The boy sighed in aggravation.

“I doubt anything can fix me.”

“You aren’t broken Grey.”

“Now who’s lying?” The boy said in a flat tone. The woman fell silent at the words. She picked up her cup of tea. After taking a sip she started to speak again. 

“Grey, I won’t say that what you went through hasn’t damaged you. Nevertheless, you are still here. The fact that you’re still able to move forwards proves that you’re still in working condition.”

“How am I in ‘working condition?’” He said in air quotes. “I can’t go a day without popping three pills to calm myself down. I can’t even handle answering a question without running to the nearest closet to take my daily dose of crazy pills.” The woman folded her hands in her lap.

“So you think it’s your social anxiety?”

“The fact that I can knock a kid out twice my size easier than I can talk to someone should answer that.” He sighed.

“I see. So lets work on that. That girl you knocked down that you told me about; did you say you were sorry for knocking her over?” Grey raised an eyebrow at the woman.

“No, I just...freaked out and I pushed her aside and got out of there as quick as I could.” The child said sinking lower in his seat.

“It’s alright Grey. I’m not angry with you, but I think you should apologize, which is what you’re going to do.” Grey looked at her in confusion.

“What?”

“I want you to find this girl and formally apologize to her.”

“You just said I have this social problem and now you want me to go talk to some girl I don’t even know? You’re saying it like I don’t need pills to keep myself from going bat shit-”

“Language.” She said in a stern tone.

“From going bonkers.” He sighed.

“The first step in fixing any problem is admitting you have one. Which you have done, the next step is confronting it and this seems like the perfect opportunity to do just that. I’m not saying that you two should become best friends, but I think you owe her a simple apology.”

“I-I don’t know Doc.” He said in a hesitant tone. The doctor raised an eyebrow. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good, but on one condition.”

“Here we go.” He groaned.

“I want you to do it,” She held out the capsule of pills. “without these.”

“They help.” He gulped.

“These are just a temporary fix Grey. They aren’t supposed to fix the problem, they just to calm you down.” 

“And what if I freak out? What then?”

“Then you try again the next day.” Grey gulped and cracked his fingers. A nervous habit of his.

“Fine.” He was already sweating nervously.

“Grey, when someone goes through a traumatic experience one of two things can happen.” She said holding up two fingers. “Do you know what they are?” The white haired boy shrugged. “Some people, get stuck. They can’t move on. It happens to most people when they go through a traumatic event. Do you know the other reaction?” He shook his head. “They come out stronger than ever.”

“I don’t think I have that kind of strength.”

Present.

Shining sat in his office and sighed as he stared at the papers on his desk. Finally got you, you son-of-a-bitch. He looked at a file that had a photo of a fair skinned man with his dark green hair tied into a ponytail. A pair of aviator glasses covered his eyes. Another photo showed what lied beneath the glasses; a pair of spliced golden eyes, altered by magic. The top of the file read 'Dr. Lazarus. Formerly second in command of the mercenary group, BlackHawk’s research and development faction.' The man was currently being held in the dungeons beneath Canterlot castle for questioning. Soon, Princess Cadence came out and wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck before giving him a kiss on his cheek.

“Hey hun. How are things?” She asked in her usual warm tone.

“Recently, good. We just managed to capture a dark mage that may have info on the Black Hawk Mercenary group.” He said closing the file. Under the file was a picture of Grey. “One less mystery anyway.” He sighed.

“Are you still trying to find something about Grey?” She asked.

“Trying and failing.” The man grunted. “The kid is like a ghost. No birth certificate, no school records. Nothing and yet he’s able to use hand magic at such a young age.” Shining looked down at his hand and made a few sparks arc between his fingers. “I had three years in the royal guard under my belt before I even attempted it.” He sighed.

“It was a big shock.” Cadence said. “I knew the boy was talented, but not that talented.” The guard captain let out a sigh. 

“No need to worry. I have my ways of gathering intel.” He smiled.


~~~


Grey waited outside his dorm with his spell book in hand. Out of the corner of his eye He saw a familiar ice mage and enchanter making their way towards him. “Hey guys, you two seem to be getting along quite well.” He smirked. Both of the teammates blushed.

“Shut your face!” Winter snapped. “You know why we’re here.” Grey looked at Roach who had the same look on his face.

“Right. Let’s talk inside. These halls have ears.” He said looking down the corridor. He opened the door to his dorm room to see a medieval styled hall with a large chair made of molten swords stood at the far edge of a long rectangular table. “Eris! You’ve been watching Game of Thrones again haven’t you?”

“What? That show is awesome!” Eris said. She was wearing an outfit that Cersei would wear.

“Is it always like this here?” Winter asked. 

“It’s a grab bag. Sometimes a lava pit other times it’s a giant sand castle.” Grey said as he took a seat on the end. “At least make this a round table.” Eris snapped her fingers and the table shifted to a circular shape. “Thank you.” He said as he rested his chin on his hands. “Now I suppose you’re wondering why I called you here today.” 

“Where’s Bolt?” Winter asked.

“Couldn’t reach him. Must be busy.” The white haired man shrugged. “Any who, no doubt you saw my little hat trick against Trixie.”

“Um yeah! The whole school saw it.” Roach said. “Mind explaining that?” He asked.

“I intend to do that, but I want to make sure this stays between us as a team. That sound fair?” The three teammates looked at one another and shrugged.

“Fine. So long as you don’t bullshit us.” Winter spat out. Grey sat back and started to tell his tale.

~~~


Canterlot Castle.

Scarlet sighed as she, Nova and Fox made their way through the barracks. “Ugh! When are we going to see some action?” Fox groaned. “I signed up for the Royal Guard to kick ass, not guard some dumb prisoner.”

“What did this guy do anyway?” Nova asked.

“Don’t know, plus it sounds easy.” Scarlet frowned as she saw a tall man with short blonde hair leaning against the doorway. Sargent Striker, he was a muscular man that made up for his lack of brain power.

“Hello ladies.” He smirked. The trio of women rolled their eyes. 

“What do you want Striker?” Scarlet spat out.

“Is that anyway to talk to a superior officer?” He frowned.

“No, it’s how you talk to a dick.” She said in a firm tone. “Now beat it.” 

“I love feisty women.” He said reaching to touch the girl’s shoulder. Scarlet ducked and grabbed the man’s balls and squeezed. Fox and Nova cringed while the man’s voice went up several octaves.	

“Touch me and it’ll be the last thing your hand ever touches.” She said in a tone that could cut through steel. The man grunted as the woman put more pressure on his neck.

“C’mon Scarlet, we need to report for duty.” Nova said putting a hand on her shoulder. The redhead sighed and removed her hand.

“Good point, plus my hand cramps up whenever I hold something that’s smaller than three inches.” She said cracking her fingers. The man crumpled to the ground and curled up in the fetal position.

“Y-You’ll pay for this witch!” He said in a high pitched tone. The red head didn’t respond as they made it to the far end of the barracks. 

“Remind me never to get you angry.” Fox gulped. The three then arrived in the armory to see a man with silver hair and blue eyes. His golden armor shining in the sunlight.

“Ah, good afternoon. I am Sergeant Tucker.” The three saluted.

“Private Scarlet Rose, reporting.”

“Private Nova Dust, present.

“Private Fox Marigold, reporting.”

“At ease.” The man smiled. “Now, the criminal you’ll be guarding is very crafty and dangerous.” He said as they walked through the armory. The three soon saw the scenery shift from the pristine white walls to dull cobblestone set of spiral steps that went down. The officer grabbed a flashlight and the group made their way down.

“Sir, permission to ask a question?” Scarlet said.

“Granted, and there’s no need to be so formal.” He smiled. 

“Who is it we’re guarding and what did they do? I know that the catacombs are for serious criminals.” The man sighed.

“We have a dark mage down here.” Scarlet gulped. Dark mages, as the name suggests, are mages that had broken the laws of magic and gone into the dark arts. She bit her lip and frowned. “He’s killed dozens of people, even children. The only reason he’s alive is to see if he’ll give us any info on a mercenary group.”

“So why are we here?” Fox asked.

“You’re job is to make sure he doesn’t try anything while the interrogator is speaking with him.” He said as they came to a room with a one way window and several glyphs were placed on the glass, door and walls. He turned on the lights and the group saw the man sitting in a chair, his hands shackled to the table in front of him.

“Who’s interrogating him?” Nova asked.

“That would be us.” The group turned to see none other than Princess Luna. The four immediately saluted. The woman nodded and the four lowered their arms. “So you are the guards?” 

“Yes, your highness.” The officer smiled.

“Tucker, why are thou still a Sergeant? You could easily become a Colonel if thou wanted to.” Nova giggled at the Princess’s dated words. Fox and Scarlet both kicked her gently.

“Bah, you know how much I hate paperwork. Besides, I like being with the grunts more than officers. No offense ladies.” He said looking back at the three women.

“None taken sir.” The three answered.

“Still, I heard you were teaching at some fancy school.” The man said.

“We have left a clone in our stead.” She said looking into the room. “Let us begin.” She said stepping inside the room and the glyphs activated. 

“What are all those glyphs?” Nova asked.

“They neutralize all magical energy.” The officer stated. Luna sat down in front of the man and held a stoic look on her face.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Princess Luna. Tell me, how’s the moon this time of year? Thinking of making a summer house up there.” The Princess didn’t even blink.

“This is going to be a long interrogation I can already tell.” The Sergeant sighed.


~~~


Grey sat back having finished the story of his awakening, the reactions were as expected; fear, disgust, sorrow and uneasiness. Roach looked like he was about to puke, Eris’s face was as pale as her hair, and Winter was both. “So that was my awakening. Any more questions?” The three shook their heads. The man then saw his school handbook ringing. “Hello?” He said as he saw the image of Princess Celestia.

“Grey, meet me in my office.”

“Be there in five.” He said closing the book. “Sorry folks, but I gotta bounce.” He said as he stood up and left the room. Eris gulped and turned to the other two mages.

“Eris, did you-”

“No, and I’m starting to wish that I didn’t know.” The woman said with a shiver.

“We’re gonna go.” Winter said as she and Roach stood up.

“Yeah, see you two later.” Eris gulped as she made the room normal again and went to her own bed to lie down.  Grey made his way through the halls of the University until he came upon the office. He gave a series of knocks on the door.

“Come in.” He opened the door to see Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence along with Trixie and Twilight.

“Ladies, Trixie.” He nodded.

“Hey!” Trixie said gritting her teeth.

“I kid, I kid.” He chuckled. “So, what do you need?” He asked.

“You see we need a favor from you.” Celestia stated folding her hands.

“Okay, where do you want me to hide the body?” Luna chuckled at the words.

“I’ll save that one for a rainy day.” Celestia said in a serious tone. “The offer is for something less deadly.” She smiled. “During the Hearth’s Warming break coming up, there is a Winter Gala taking place in Canterlot castle.” Every student, Grey included, was counting the days until Hearth’s Warming break started. It was only a week away. One long, agonizing, dreadful week.

“Okay, and?” There was a flash in the room and Discord appeared before them.

“Tia wants you to play dress up and attend.” The chaotic being said as he sat in a floating chair.

“Seriously?” Grey said looking at Celestia. 

“Putting it bluntly, yes.” Grey bit his lip and looked at the group.

“Not gonna happen.”

“What?” Twilight and Trixie said.

“Why the hell would I want to hang out with a bunch of stuck up, upper class snobs?” He scoffed. “Besides, I have to protect my rep.”

“What?” Luna said.

“Look, I have a rep to protect. If my friends see me getting chummy with the upper class of society, then there goes my credibility.” 

“So you are embarrassed to be seen with us?” Twilight asked.

“Around my hometown, yes. Why ask me to go anyway?”

“Well, you’ve sort of become the poster boy for our dueling team.” Cadence said. The Princess then pulled out a small flyer that had the white haired man in the center. “The team needs a representative to attend.”

“So get Blueblood to go! He’s the captain of the team.” Luna rolled her eyes at the words.

“Blueblood is attending as a Prince and...we don’t want him representing us.” Celestia said. “His attitude should speak for itself.”

“Wow, a noble with a superiority complex. Never seen that before.” Grey said in a dry tone. He then heard his wand partner reaching out to him.

Go! The wand spirit pestered

No! Why do you even care?

Because my husband will be there.

Your what!?

I’ll explain later! Besides didn’t you forget to get someone something? Grey thought for a moment and face palmed.

Fine. You win. Grey sighed and looked at the Princesses. “Fine. I’ll go, but I want an extra ticket.” The group looked at him in surprise at his change of heart.

“You can bring a plus one if you’re inclined.” Cadence said.

“Except for Eris.” Luna stated. “Her...nature would not bode well.”

“While that would be hilarious to see, I understand.” Grey sighed. “But you have to be the one to tell her. I’m not pulling the pin on that grenade.” He shivered.

“Fine.” Discord sighed. “She won’t be happy.” Grey shrugged and yawned.

“Well, if that’s it, then I’m out.” He then looked at Trixie. “Don’t forget Trix, we need to practice synchronization. Presentation is tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Trixie groaned following the man. The two walked together through the halls of the school.

“So how’s your wounds?” Grey asked.

“Fine. That pill hurt like hell, but Trixie is fine.” She stated as they arrived at the man’s room. When they walked in the room had shifted to it’s normal state. Eris was on the couch with a magazine. The woman looked up and saw the two.

“Grey, you have to ask me about things like this before.” The two mages blushed at the words. “I mean Trixie is hot but-”

“We’re here to practice synchronizing. You need to do the same with Twilight.” The woman pouted at the words before leaving. Grey groaned and closed the door behind her. “Sorry about her. She has a perverted mind.”

“Let’s just get this over with.” Trixie stated sitting down on the couch. Grey sighed and started focusing his magic. When it came to him syncing with her magic there was no problem, but Trixie’s stubbornness would be their undoing. After an hour of practicing the two decided to take a break. “Ugh! Why isn’t this working?” Trixie groaned.

“Hate to break it to you Trixie, but you need to learn how to cooperate.” The man sighed. The woman only grunted at the words. The man couldn’t help but be impressed by Trixie’s stamina and skill. “So where’d you grow up Trixie?”

“Why do you care?”

“I figured if we know more about each other, then it’d make this process go smoother.” He sighed. “How about we play the question game. I ask you a question, you answer. Then you ask me a question, I answer, and so on.” Trixie blew a piece of hair out of her face and rolled her eyes.

“Anything to make this go faster.” She sighed. “As you know, Trixie’s mother was a famous mage. We went from town to town performing for various people.”

“So that’s where you get your swagger from?” Trixie frowned. “Relax it’s a compliment. You’re always sure of yourself.” Trixie fought back a her blush with a scoff.

“What about you? Your parents?” She asked.

“No idea. Was left on a doorstep of an orphanage when I was born. Although, I suppose the woman who owned the place, Willow Newhope, raised me. So she could be considered my mother.”

“And what about your father?” Grey put a finger to his chin.

“I suppose I had a father figure. My friend’s dad was the closest thing I had.” He shrugged.

“No one adopted you?”

“Hey, I answered your question, two in fact. So now it’s my turn. What about your father?”

“I don’t know. My mother only mentioned him a few times and only had one picture of him.” She shrugged. “I do know that my mother was in a herd for a time.”

“I see. Who were the other members?” Trixie shrugged at the question.

“Trixie never asked. Now back to my question.” Grey crossed his arms and sighed.

“Well, no one really wanted me.”

“They didn’t want a powerful mage as a child?”

“Was that a compliment?” Trixie blushed at the question as she frowned.

“T-Trixie was just stating an observation!”

Daww, she’s blushing! He thought with a chuckle. “Trixie, when I was a kid I could barely levitate a spoon and I couldn’t control my magic until Owl took me under his wing.”

“Who’s Owl?”

“Quid pro quo Trixie.” He said in a Hannibal Lecter like tone. “How did you become Luna’s student?” The woman looked down and gripped her arms with her hands.

“T-Trixie doesn’t want to talk about it.” She gulped. Grey raised an eyebrow as he saw her shiver.

“Okay, I’ll leave it alone. So why did you come here to the school?” Trixie bit her lip and sighed.

“Trixie wants to improve her craft and gain enough power to defeat Twilight Sparkle.”  She said with determination in her voice.

“Why do you want to beat her?”

“Quid pro quo, remember?” She smirked. Grey’s face deadpanned.

“Owl, was my mentor. He taught me how to use a blade and control my magic. Crazy old cyclops.” He chuckled.

“Cyclops?” Grey pointed to his right eye.

“He had an eyepatch. Never asked about it.” He said pointing to his left eye. “Now why do you want to beat Sparkle?” Trixie crossed her arms and huffed. 

“Sparkle is the only one who beat Trixie.”

“You mean since before our little match?” Trixie glared at him. “Sorry, just saying.”

“Because of her, Trixie was run out of town, Trixie’s home was destroyed and became a laughing stock!” Grey raised an eyebrow.

“You’re home?”

“Trixie lived in a magical trailer.” The man looked at her in surprise. “It was bigger on the inside. A lot of memories were lost when that happened.” The girl tensed up at the words. “Trixie has had enough for today.” She said standing up.

“I guess we’ll wing it tomorrow.” The man sighed.

“Please, Trixie does her best when she’s under pressure.” The girl walked back to her room and didn’t pay Eris and Twilight any mind as she walked into he room and laid down on her bed before she started to cry.


~~~


The next day, the school was still buzzing over Grey’s victory over Trixie and his hand magic. Thankfully Grey managed to dodge the hordes of curious students and made his way to his Advanced Magic class. The class would have the demonstrations outside to avoid collateral damage. He stood next to Trixie and waited for them to be called on. Twilight and Eris were up and the group took a few steps back. 

Twilight took in a deep breath and she readied her wand. Eris did the same and focused her magic. The two stood next to each other as their wands started to glow purple and gold. Thanks to the item Cadence gave Twilight she was able to protect herself from Eris’s magic. Cadenced used a crystal to measure their synchronization rate.

“Synchronization at 95%” She said with a smile. Twilight panted and took a moment to collect herself before it was Eris’s turn to mediate the magic. “Eris, your turn.” The woman nodded and focused her magic. The crystal started to glow again, but the connection was soon lost. “Synchronization at 65%” Twilight casted a dark glare at Eris who shrugged.

“Next is Trixie and Grey.” Cadence said as the two stepped forwards. “Trixie you’ll go first.” The two focused their magic and Trixie felt the man’s magical energy go into her. She pointed her wand ahead of her and unleashed a spell that sunk into the ground. The earth started to shake and a twenty foot tall statue of the performer came from the ground. Grey rolled his eyes at the woman.

“Synchronization at 75%. Well, done.” 

“Trixie always impresses.” She said with a smile. “Don’t screw this up.” She said under her breath. Grey stuck his tongue out at the girl.

“Grey, you’re up.” Cadence said. Grey nodded and took a deep breath. The man focused and felt Trixie’s magic link with his own. There was some resistance and he felt a pain in his head, but he kept up the power. He pointed his wand at the statue and a ball of white energy formed at the tip. The ball was only the size of a marble. He shot the ball at the statue’s chest. As it made contact, the sphere exploded fully engulfing the statue and reducing it to rubble.

“Synchronization rate at 100%. Excellent work Grey.”

“I aim to please.” He smiled as Trixie gritted her teeth. The class came to an end and everyone was buzzing with thoughts of going home for the holidays. Once Grey got back to the dorm room eris kicked in the door looking very angry.

“WHY CAN’T I GO?” She yelled at the man. 

“Nice to see you too dear.” Grey sighed. “Hey blame Celestia, she thought that you’d cause a ruckus and I agree with her.” He said in a flat tone. eris gritted her teeth as she glared at him. “Are you saying that you wouldn’t cause problems?” Eris opened her mouth to complain, but she just mumbled to herself. “That’s what I thought.”
> Chapter 20: Homecoming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 20

Homecoming


It was the day every student and teacher had been waiting for, the day they could leave the school for a month and spend it relaxing with their family and friends. Grey was eagerly packing his things in hopes of getting home faster. He had been away from home for close to six months and was eager to see his family again. Just as he finished packing, the chaotic hurricane that is Eris walked in and jumped on his bed. “So what are we doing?”

“I am going home.” He said as he continued to pack.

“Yeah, but I’m coming with you.” She said with a smirk.

“Why subject yourself to the slums when you could spend it at the castle?”

“Because that place is boring.” She whined. “Besides, if I see Blueblood staring at my tits again I may just have to kill him.” She said in a deadpanned tone.

Do the human race a favor and kill him now. He thought with a chuckle. “Fine, come along if you want, but expect company.” 

“Like who?” She asked as they heard a knock on the door to the main dorm.

“Perfect timing.” He stood up and opened the door to see the other three mages from his team. “Ah good I was hoping you guys would come before you left.”

“Whatcha need?” Bolt asked crossing his arms.

“As you’re all aware, we have a match the week after we come back from break.” Grey said in a neutral tone. “The month off gives us a good opportunity to learn some new tricks and hone our skills. I’m sure the other team is thinking the same thing.”

“Who’re we playing against?” Roach asked.

“Not sure yet, but Armor said they’re good.” Grey stated. “Anyway, I want you all to practice during the break.”

“No shit Starswirl.” Winter said.

“And if you feel like it, you can come to me for some real training.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Bolt asked. 

“Only one way to find out.” Grey smirked. “I don’t expect you guys to come before Hearth’s Warming. I have family plans of my own, but after that it’s fair game. Just give me a heads up first.” The mages rolled the idea around in their heads as they left the room. Grey and Eris finished packing before leaving their room. On the way, the lightning mage caught up to the two.

“Hey Grey, sorry I missed the meeting last week. Had some...personal issues to address.”

“Fair enough. I won’t pry”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, who taught you about magic?” The man asked.

“An old cyclops by the name of Owl. Taught me how to use a blade and how to fight. Why?”

“Figured he could give me a lesson or two.” Bolt said as the white haired man laughed.

“Good luck with that one. He doesn’t teach anymore.” He said as he neared his train. “See you later Bolt. Take it easy.” Grey said as he and Eris put their bags above and found a seat.


~~~


Canterlot Castle.

Scarlet was walking with Fox who was grumbling to herself. “Oh calm down Fox.”  The redhead sighed.

“Calm down? How can I calm down when all they’re doing is giving us shit jobs?” She huffed. “Want to know how many suits of armor are in the East wing? Three-hundred twenty-six. I know because I had to polish each and every one of them!” The girl was close to ripping her hair out. 

Scarlet hated to admit it, but she had a point. Most of the jobs they were doing were menial tasks. “I’m gonna give the CO a piece of my mind!” Fox walked into Tucker’s office.

“Ah I was just about to call you two here. Saved me the trouble.” He smiled as he hung up the phone.

“We want a mission sir!” Fox said. Tucker leaned back in his chair and smirked. 

“Oh really?”

“Sir, with respect, all we’ve been doing is bottom of the barrel work.” Scarlet said. “We’re ready for a real mission.” Tucker raised an eyebrow and glared at the two women.

“You’re right.” 

“And another-....wait what?” Fox’s rant was cut short as she heard the words.

“You’re right. You two, along with Private Nova are by far the best privates we have and I believe you’re ready for a real mission.” He said getting up to a filing cabinet. The officer pulled out a red file sealed with tape that said, ‘Classified’ in big black letters. He threw the file on his desk and sat back down. 

“This mission was put in by Princess Celestia herself. A mission like this can make or break a soldier’s career.” His tone was deep and serious. “I’m warning you, this mission will test every fiber of your being and every ounce of strength you have. Once you accept and open that file, you’re committed. There’s no going back, nor can I guarantee that you’ll make it back alive.” He said in a serious tone. “Do you accept?”

The two girls looked at one another and gulped. They both reached for the file and nodded. “Then may Celestia have mercy on your souls.” He said turning around in his swivel chair. “Please, don’t open it here. These walls have ears. You’re dismissed.” The two nodded and quickly made their way back to Scarlet’s room where Nova was lounging on her bunk.

“Sup gals?” she asked sitting up.

“Get up featherbrain. We’ve got a mission!” Fox smiled.

“Never knew you’d be excited about cleaning toilets.” Nova said in a perplexed tone.

“Those days are over.” The redhead stated. “We got ourselves a genuine mission.” She said opening the file and pulling out a sheet of paper. Her green eyes scanned the page and her blood boiled. “THAT SON OF A BITCH!” Both girls were taken back by the shout.

“Rosy, you’re scaring me.” Scarlet hissed and forcefully handed them the assignment. Fox was close to ripping her hair out, while Nova was giddy. “Yay! We get to go to a Gala! I’ve always wanted to go to one.”

“I’ll kill him. I swear I’m gonna kill him.” Fox hissed.

“Get in line.” Scarlet said jumping up to her bunk.

“Hey guys, it says that we need to buy dresses for the ball so we blend in better.” Nova squealed.

“How could this possibly get any worse?” The redhead said into her pillow.

“It says that the royal family, including Prince Blueblood will be attending.” Scarlet cursed again and rolled on her back.

“Why universe? Why? Is it money you want? Take all the money.” She had seen the Prince before and he was the pure definition of a pompous ass hole from what she’d heard from the maids. The girl stood up headed towards the door.

“Where’re you going?” Nova asked.

“To blow off some steam.” 

“Firing range?” Fox asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, get it out of your system, because we need to go shopping~” Nova giggled.


~~~


Grey awoke as the train pulled to a halt. His eyes adjusted to the light and he noticed Eris was napping on his lap. He gently nudged the girl slightly. “Eris, we’re here. Time to get up.”

“Five more minutes.” She whined.

“No.” He said as he started to stand up. The girl pouted and stood up as she yawned. The two collected their bags and made their way off the train. The man chuckled as he passed a cabin and saw Winter asleep, using Roach’s shoulder as a pillow. The man took Cinder out of his cage when he collected him, much to the bird’s delight and sat itself on his shoulder. Grey snapped his fingers and his shell changed his white hair back to black.

“Why do that?” Eris asked.

“Because I want to.” Grey said as they exited the train station. He looked up when he saw a familiar indigo haired scholar. “Hey Twilight.” He said coming up to her.

“Oh hey Grey. You changed your hair?”

“People recognize me better with my hair like this.” He said with a shrug. “Home for the holidays?”

“Mhm.” She smiled. She then noticed Eris and glared.

“What?”

“Thanks to your screw up, we did horribly on the synchronization!” The girl yelled as they started walking.

“We got a B on that.” Eris shrugged.

“That’s what I’m talking about! I’ve never gotten a B before!”

“Why do I believe that?” Grey sighed. “Twilight calm down, a B is not the end of the world. You need to relax.” The scholar crossed her arms and huffed. “Anyway, are you taking anyone with you to the Gala?”

“Rarity. She knows more about high society than I do. What about you?”

“My mother.” 

“What!?” Eris glared.

“Her birthday is coming up and I’d like to do something nice for her. Besides it’s been a long time since she’s been to the castle.”

“Really?” Twilight asked.

“She was in the Royal Guard for a while. Then took early retirement.” 

“What rank was she?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t know. She doesn’t like to talk about it.” The two stopped in front of a beautiful three story white house with a front gate. “This the place?” 

“Yeah, it’s good to be home again.” The girl said as the door opened to show a woman with silver hair and a purple stripe running through.

“Twilight!” She said as she ran out and hugged the girl. “It’s so good to have you home again.” The scholar returned the hug and smiled. 

“Nice to see you too mom.” The girl smiled turning back to the couple. “Grey, Eris, this is my mom, Velvet Sparkle.”

“Oh are these some friends from school?” She smiled. 

“Sup?” Eris said. Grey walked up to her and stuck his hand out.

“Now I see where you get your nosiness from Twilight.” Grey said looking at the woman.  Twilight pouted at the words. The older woman looked at the man’s silver eyes.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” Grey’s shell cracked revealing his white hair.

“It’s been a while Dr.V.” As his hair went back to it’s normal color. The name, the hair and eyes registered in Velvet’s mind. 

“G-Grey!? Is that really you?” The man nodded. 

“Wait, how do you know Sparkle’s mom?” Eris asked.

“I was her patient for a few months.”

“What kind of doctor are you?” Eris asked.

“Psychiatrist.” Velvet said with a gulp. “How have you been doing?”

“I survive.” He said in a flat tone has his shell turned his hair back to black. “Sorry, I can’t stay and chat.” He said picking his bag back up. “I’ll see you at the gala Twilight.” Grey and Eris started to walk away. 

The remainder of the walk was spent in silence until they came to the far end of the city and approached the security checkpoint. 

“Man that gorge is huge.” Eris said looking down over the edge. The two made it across and the bridge and made their way through the district. The two continued through the streets and the two were hit with senses of nostalgia. They passed a building slowly being rebuilt with red brick. 

“I used to buy books there.” He said as they kept walking and saw several more buildings tor to pieces. 

“The hell happened here?” Eris asked.

“War.” He said as they kept walking down the cobblestone road. 


~~~


Bolt sighed as he dialed a number on a payphone in Baltimare train station. He waited as the dial tone range three times before being picked up. “Hello?” The voice belonged to the dueling team coach.

“Captain Armor? It’s Bolt.”

“Ah yes, how are you?”

“Fine. I just got off the train in Baltimare.” The lightning mage gripped the receiver and mentally cursed himself. “I have some new information regarding Grey.”

“Do tell.”

“He didn’t say much.”

“Figures.” The man sighed. 

“He told me about his mentor. The person who instructed him in magic.”

“Well, it’s something to go on. What’s their name?”

“Not much to go on he said, and I quote, ‘some old Cyclops named Owl.’”

“Cyclops?”

“I’m guessing he has one eye.” The line went silent for a few minutes. “Sir?”

“Bolt are you absolutely sure that’s what Grey said?” The man’s tone shifted from confident to worried in a flash.

“Yeah, it’s what he said.”

	“Okay, keep doing good work.”

“And our arrangement?” Bolt asked in a blank tone.

“The funds have been transferred to your account. Call me if you find anything else.”

“Yes, sir.” Bolt said in a jaded tone before slamming the receiver on the call box. He bit his lip and stormed off towards his home.


~~~


Canterlot Castle

The guard captain rolled the news over in his head as he looked out the window of his office. He rolled the name over and over in his head and looked through his files. The door to his office opened to show Princess Celestia. “Shining?” She looked around to see the files scattered. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Just looking for a file your majesty.” He sighed as he sat down. “I finally get a lead on Grey and I can’t find a file.” 

“What file?”

“I found out a lead on Grey. His mentor’s name.” Shining stated. “Well, I think it may be more of an alias. Some guy named Owl.”

“Owl?” Celestia said in confusion.

“Yup, my contact claimed that Grey said he had one eye.” Celestia crossed her arms as she tapped her arm. The words passed through her mind and her eyes shrank as she let out a gasp. “M’lady?”

“The One Eyed Owl.” She gulped. Shining’s eyes flared as he put the pieces together.

“Y-You mean THAT Owl, but he vanished years ago! I thought he was dead!”

“He’s a sentinel. He won’t die so easily.” Celestia said. “You met him once.”

“Yeah, he refused to train me.” He bit his lip. 

“Can you blame him for not wanting to train anymore guards?” Celestia sighed looking out the window. “I know a way to talk to him, but I doubt he’ll agree to see me.” The woman sighed as she left to find her office. Shining sighed and bit his lip as he processed the information.


~~~


Eris and Grey made their way to the far end of the city and came upon a house that looked newer on the outside. “Glad to see my money was well spent.” He said as he opened the door. Silence was all that was there. Grey let out a small sigh as he remembered the sounds of the previous occupants of the house. “Home sweet home.” He said as Eris stepped inside and he closed the door. 

As the wooden door slammed shut the lights flicked on and the Changeling siblings came out with noise makers.

“SURPRISE!” They both yelled as they came out from the kitchen. 

“Somehow I saw this coming.” Grey smiled as he gave them each a hug. Eris felt a little awkward in the situation. Sure grey had told her about his ‘siblings’ but never really knew anything about them. Dusk peered over his shoulder and saw the white haired woman. Grey then broke the embrace.

“Right, Dusk, Rogue, this is Eris.” He gestured to the chaotic being.

“Hi.” She smiled with a wave.

“Eris is-” She wrapped her arms around the man.

“I’m his lover.” She purred. Grey face palmed at the woman’s words.

“She’s also Discord’s daughter.” That made the siblings shiver a bit.

“Again, why do you always go after the crazy girls?” Dusk shook his head. Grey chuckled and joined his family in the kitchen where Willow was standing.

“Grey, it’s nice to have you home.” She then noticed Eris. “And you brought company.”

“Sorry, it was really last minute.”

“Oh it’s no trouble.” She smiled. Grey took a seat and let out a sigh.

“It’s good to be home.” The man smiled.

> Chapter 21: Unexpected Guests
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 21

Surprise Guests


“Mom! Why didn’t you tell me about you being Grey’s psychiatrist?” Twilight asked as she sat across from her mother with a cup tea in her hand.

“Because this has never come to light before.” Velvet said as she sipped her tea. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Grey is about the biggest mystery at the school.” Velvet grinned.

“I think there might be something else you’re not telling me~” She teased in a sing song voice. Twilight’s face went red at the words.

“Not like that! It’s infuriating!”

“Oh that’s how your father and I started out.” She chuckled.

“Mom!”

“Oh come now, I have to tease you when I can.” Twilight crossed her arms and pouted as the front door opened to show the guard captain. “Shining!” The woman said as she embraced her son. “What are you doing here? I thought you needed to coordinate things for the gala?”

“I figured I could get away from the sea of paperwork for a little while.” He chuckled as he sat down next to his sister and gave her a hug. “So, what’s new around here?” He asked as he poured himself a cup of tea and lifted it to his lips.

“Shining, it turns out mom was Grey’s psychiatrist.” The man did a spit take and choked on the warm liquid.

“What?”

“You know him as well?” Velvet asked.

“Yeah, he’s on the dueling team.” He said cleaning up the mess he’d made with a paper towel. “What can you tell me about him?” Velvet furrowed her brow at the words.

“Shining, you know that I cannot legally allow you access to my patient records without consent from said patient. That goes for former patients as well.”  Her tone was calm, yet determined.

“Mom, I’m captain of the guard. I can-” That made Velvet angry.

“No! It’s not just the legal repercussions. When I became a doctor, I took an oath and I will uphold that oath.” She said in a firm tone. “Even if you get a court order, it won’t do you any good.”

“Why?” Twilight said.

“Because, a lot of my old files were destroyed during the changeling attack.” Twilight remembered hearing that her mother’s main office was hit by a magic salvo and several records were lost. Thankfully no one was in the building at the time.

“But-”

“Once again, the answer is no. If you continue to pester me about it then I will have to tell Cadence about your tenth birthday party.” She grinned. “The red present.” Shining shivered at the memory and admitted defeat, for now.

“You win. I’ll drop it.” He sighed. Twilight groaned at how her brother gave in.

“Ugh. Anyway mom, Rarity is coming over tomorrow and will be staying for a few days so she can make some adjustments to my dress. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course dear. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. Not since Shining’s wedding if I remember correctly.”


~~~


Canterlot Castle

Celestia sat at her desk contemplating on how to approach the situation. With a heavy sigh she pulled out a large crystal ball and a stand for it to rest. The Princess shot a small bolt of yellow magic into it. The two guards in the room watched as swirling light appeared inside the ball. There was a crackling sound coming from the orb.

“Who are you and how did you get this frequency?” A dapper voice said.

“This is Princess Celestia. I need to speak with Owl.” There was a long silence.

“One moment ma’am.” The voice said. Celestia tapped her finger patiently as she waited.

“Well, you’ve got some nerve Tia.” A gruff voice said through the sphere.

“Owl. I’d like to have this conversation face to face.” The orb glowed again and showed a three dimensional image of a man in his mid sixties. His once jet black hair was combed back and had faded to a silver color along with his goatee. He was wearing a white suit that matched the eyepatch over his left eye. He had a cane in his right hand that had an owl’s head as a handle. 

“So what do I owe the pleasure?” His tone was thick with sarcasm. One of the guards then stepped forwards towards the image with a scowl on his face.

“How dare you talk to our Princess in such a-” The image of the man flicked a finger and the guard was sent crashing against the far wall. The other guard moved, but felt an invisible grip around his neck. He gasped for air as he was lifted off the ground.

“You should keep your dogs on a tighter leash Celestia. Else they might bite off more than they can chew.” He said as he released the guard from the hold. The man gasped for air as the other stood up. 

“Guards, leave us.” Celestia said.

“But, your highness-”

“Now.” The two guards grunted and left the room. Celestia faced the image. “I see you’ve been keeping your skills sharp.”

“Get to the point.” He folded his arms.

“Very well.” Celestia huffed. “Do you know a man named Grey Newhope?” Owl raised an eyebrow.

“What if I do?”

“He’s currently enrolled in my school. Is there anything you can tell me about him?” The man look at her bewildered. He started chuckling, then threw his head back in laughter.

“You know something Celestia? For a woman, you’ve got some real balls you know that?” His face grew more serious. “Last student I had you put on the run. So what in the hell makes you think I’m going to talk to you about anything related to what I do or anyone I might instruct?” The Princess frowned at the words and bit her lip.

“I didn’t have a choice.” She said in a half guilty tone.

“We always have a choice.” He bent forwards so he was inches away from Celestia’s face. “I figured you of all people would know that.” Celestia was gritting her teeth at the man. “Are you finished?”

“I will be hosting the annual Winter Gala in Canterlot Castle.” She sighed. “As usual, you are invited.” The man rolled his eye at the words. “Grey will also be attending.”

“Is that all?” His tone had not changing a bit.

“Yes.” The man snapped his fingers and Celestia’s crystal ball shattered. The Princess let out a heavy sigh and remade the crystal ball with a wave of her hand.


~~~


It had snowed during the night and there was about a foot covering the cobblestone ground. Grey and Eris decided to go for a walk around the city. Most of the buildings were repaired, but many were still being reconstructed. They soon found themselves inside the park where a petrified Eris once resided. “How long were you under there?” He asked as he looked at the lake and sat on a bench.

“Close to a thousand years, give or take a few years.” She shrugged. “I made friends with several fish.” She sighed.

“That’s....cool?”

“There isn’t much choice for company when you’re stone.” She deadpanned. 

“How did you mange to keep it together? I think I’d go nuts spending close to a thousand years of isolation.” She casted a dark look at the man. “Sorry.”

“Wasn’t easy.” She then rested her head on his shoulder. “It got really lonely down there. Then you came along and pulled me out of the drink.”

“No big deal.” Eris then took his hand in hers and nuzzled his neck. The woman then purred as he cat ears flickered. The two then heard a buzzing sound. A golden haired Changeling man then landed in front of them.

“Hey you Grey?” He asked as he looked at the raven haired man.

“Yeah, why?”

“Some guy named Roach is looking for ya. He’s near the clock tower.” Grey nodded and tossed him a few bits before he flew off. 

“Wonder what Roach is doing here?” Eris said as the two of them stood up.

“Only one way to find out.”


~~~


Out in the streets of Canterlot, Scarlet and Nova were making their way through the crowded streets of Canterlot’s high end shopping district. The redhead was being dragged by her winged friend from shop to shop. “Nova, why do I have to spend my day off trying on dresses?”  

“It’s part of a mission. We need to look awesome!” She said in a chipper tone. 

“Then get Fox to go with you. She’s into all this stuff.” 

“She’s already got her dress and she’s on duty today.”

“Doing what?”

“She’s guarding that prisoner in the dungeons. Boring.” The flyer said in a loud tone. The two went into several dress shops and tried on dozens of different dresses, but none of them seemed to fit right. No doubt Nova was dragging this out for as long as she could. She loved playing dress up and feeling like a Princess. Scarlet, not so much. The duo decided to stop for a cup of coffee and to rest their tired feet.

“Thats shop number six down.” Scarlet said as she took a sip of her drink.

“I still think that brown one looked good on you.” Nova said with a sigh.

“It exposed too much cleavage.” Scarlet mumbled.

“So? If you’ve got em flaunt em missy.” Nova said as she made the shape of an hourglass in the air with her hands. “I know half the girls in the guard wish they could have your figure and-”

“THIEF!” A high pitched voice yelled out. Scarlet’s head whipped around to see a man with red wings flying away from a girl with curly purple hair who had her wand out and was firing spells at the man. The flyer was good, really good and dodged the blasts with ease. Nova quickly jumped in the air and gave chase. The wind whipped by the girl’s orange hair as she zoomed after the purse snatcher. Nova was gaining ground fast and tried to grab the thief, but he out maneuvered her. The culprit ducked down into the city streets and started to weave between the buildings.

Nova was great when it came to speed, but not so much when it came to tight turns. He looked back to see the woman barely keeping up. He gave a chuckle at her efforts and decided to gloat.

“Are you even try to catch me?” He blurted out.

“Nope, I’m just distracting you.” She smirked

“From wha-” Out of the corner of his eye he saw a large metal object appear in front of him. He didn’t have time to stop and slammed into the dumpster hard enough to leave a perfect imprint of his face on the back wall. Scarlet levitated the dumpster down and pulled the man out before shoving him into a trash can. She gripped the sides and crunched it around his body like it was cardboard. The pristine white purse fell out of the dumpster and was retrieved by the flyer.

“From that.” Nova chuckled at the barely conscious flyer. Scarlet walked out with the flyer still trapped int he trash can. 

“You two won’t get away with this!” He hissed. “My father’s a noble and-” Scarlet clenched her fist and the metal tightened around him. He cried out as he felt the metal put more pressure on his wings.

“Tell someone who cares.” Scarlet said as the owner of the purse came up to them. She was out of breath. Scarlet was actually surprised she managed to run four blocks, especially in heels.

“Thank....you....both...” She panted as she held up a hand. After she composed herself she started again. “Thank you both for getting back my purse.” She said as Nova handed it to her. Rarity looked though it and saw that all her belongings were there. As soon the police arrived to collect the thief, Scarlet released him from the trash can, while the cops took him into custody. 

“No problem ma’am. We’re just doing our job.” Scarlet smiled.

“Are you two police?”

“Nope, royal guards.” Nova chimed. The flyer reminded Rarity a lot of Pinkie.

“Well, if there’s anything I can ever do to-” Scarlet heard the sounds of a struggle and turned to see the thief wrestle his way out of the cuffs and grab the officer’s pistol. He pointed it at the redhead and fired. Scarlet’s hand shot out in front of her. Rarity noticed that the woman’s right hand and forearms seemed to change to a black color. Scarlet opened her palm to show the bullet that had been fired. The thug had a confused look on his face and got ready to fire again. 

The bullet spun in her hand and was shot back at the handgun. The bullet went back inside the chamber and exploded, burning the man’s hand. In the blink of an eye Scarlet slammed her armored fist into the man’s jaw, shattering his teeth and jaw bone. He was on the ground in an instant. Scarlet walked up to him and crouched next to him.

“I see you around here again, you’ll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life. Got it?” The man whimpered and nodded. “Good.” The man was picked up and taken to the police station. 

“Well, that was impressive.” Rarity said as Scarlet’s hand turned back to normal. “Anyway, before we were so rudely interrupted, if you two ever need anything. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you Miss.... Sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“Rarity.” She chimed. “I don’t believe I caught yours.”

“I’m Private Scarlet Rose and this is Private Nova Dust.”

“Hi. Nice to meet you.” Nova chimed.

“A pleasure.” Rarity smiled. “I simply must repay you two somehow.”

“Thank you Ms. Rarity, but we were just doing our job.” Scarlet stated. “No need to thank us.”

“Oh no I insist!” The woman persisted.

“Well, we’re shopping for dresses and-” Scarlet lightly slapped Nova’s stomach.

“Nova. No.” The woman scolded.

“Dresses? Why?” Rarity inquired.

“It’s a mission.” The flyer said. Rarity looked at her in confusion.

“We’re going to the Gala that’s two weeks away.” Scarlet clarified. “We need dresses to blend in with the crowd, but they’re all super expensive and none of them have really caught my interest.” Rarity tapped her chin with her finger and smiled.

“I believe I may be able to help you two with that.”

“Ms. Rarity-”	

“Oh please, just Rarity is fine.”

“Okay Rarity, but I can’t let you pay for us.” Scarlet said.

“Oh no, you misunderstand dear. I’m a tailor by trade and I can make you a dress free of charge.” She chimed. “It’s the least I could do.” Scarlet weighed her options of finding a dress that she liked and one that was affordable. The odds were not in her favor. With a heavy sigh she agreed to Rarity’s offer. “Splendid, I’m staying with a friend right now, but I’m sure she won’t mind.” 

“Lead the way.” Nova smiled as Scarlet trudged behind her.


~~~


Grey and Eris made their way towards the large clock tower in the center and saw Roach leaning against the building. “Roach, what brings you down in my neighborhood?”

“Well, you said you’d be going through some training.” The enchanter stated.

“Yeah, after the holidays.” Eris answered. “Why aren’t you with your folks?” The man bit his lip at the words. 

“Let’s just say my family life is a little....complicated.”

“Join the club.” Grey stated. “Well, You can stay with me, we got plenty of room. So long you don’t mind squeaky floor boards.”

“You sure man? I can get a hotel or something.”

“Not the best idea. Pick the wrong hotel and You’ll wake up the next morning with only one kidney.” Roach gulped at the words. “Anyway, we can start tomorrow if you feel up to it.” 

“Yeah, Winter may be coming here soon too.”

“I’m sure you’re excited about that.” Eris cooed. Roach’s cheeks went red at the words. “Oh relax, I’m just messing with ya.” Eris chuckled.

“Eris, head back and let the other’s know we’ve got company coming. Anyone messes with you just smack em around a bit.”

“I find these parameters acceptable.” She said before vanishing in a flash of light.

“How do things work with Eris?” Roach asked as they walked down the street.

“Well, before I answer that I have a question for you.” Roach raised an eyebrow as Grey stopped walking and looked at him. “Why do you continue to hide?”

“I’m not following.” Roach deadpanned. Grey rolled his eyes and took out his wand and tapped it against Roach’s forehead. “What was-” There was a sound similar to breaking glass and roach’s face seemed to break revealing jet black skin and spliced green eyes. The enchanter stood frozen and felt a wave of fear wash over him.

“That’s wha-” Roach grabbed Grey by his coat and lifted him up.

“ARE YOU INSANE? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME KILLED?” He bellowed.

“Dude, no one around here cares.” Grey said as he gripped his friend’s wrist. Roach hissed and looked around at the snowy streets. The crowds were still passing by. There were still a few onlookers, but they just shrugged the scene off and continued on their way. “Like I said, here no one cares. People are too poor to be racist. Call it one of the pro’s of being dirt poor.”

“How long have you known?” Roach narrowed his eyes at the man.

“Since I first met you. I’ve lived with Changelings for years. I know when they’re using an illusion spell. Also, ‘Roach?’ You couldn’t come up with something that sounds a little less obvious?” Roach grit his teeth at that.

“Who have you told?”

“No one. I didn’t want Armor to kick you off the team so I kept my mouth shut.” Grey said as they continued walking down the snowy street. “So, does Winter know?”

“No. I figured she’d freak out.” Grey sighed at the words.

“Dude, the longer you put it off the more it’s going to blow up in your face.”

“I know.” Roach groaned.

“Who else knows?”

“Besides you? Celestia.”

“Celestia let you in knowing you’re a Changeling?” Grey said in shock.

“My uncle is a noble and has a lot of influence.” He sighed. “He’s a great guy, took me in after-” Grey noticed that he winced as he stopped. “Let’s just say he’s the only family I’ve got left.”

“Fair enough. We’ve all got our own little secrets.” Grey stated. “Some more than others. Let’s head back. I’ll introduce you to the rest of my little family.”


~~~


Rarity arrived back at Twilight’s house and knocked on the door. It was soon answered by Velvet. “Oh hello Rarity.” The woman then noticed the other two standing behind her. “Oh you have company?”

“Yes, I’m terribly sorry for this. You see these two helped me out a of a pinch and for helping me out I wanted to make them dresses for the Gala Twilight and I will be attending.”

“Oh there’s no need to apologize.” She smiled. “Thank you both for helping out.” 

“No problem ma’am.” Scarlet said as they followed Rarity inside to the guest room she was staying. Rarity tapped her wand and summoned her tape measure and a pair of horn rimmed glasses while she put er hair in a pony tail. 

“Now, let’s get your measurements. If you’d both be so kind to remove your shirts.” The two complied and removed their tops, only leaving their bras and underwear on. Rarity noticed that Scarlet had a large scar in the center of her chest. It looked as though she was stabbed with a hot piece of metal. There was also an identical one on her back.

Rarity put it out of her mind as she started taking their measurements. There was a knock on her door as she wrapped the redhead’s neck. “Come in.” The door opened to show Twilight.

“Hey, Rarity I-” She stopped when she saw the two women. “Oh, I didn’t know we had company.” 

“Oh I’m terribly sorry for not telling you dear.” Rarity told Twilight what happened with the purse snatcher while she finished taking Scarlet’s measurements. The redhead put her clothes back on while Rarity started on Nova. 

“Well, thank you both for helping out my friend.” Twilight smiled.

“No problem.” A bell seemed to go off in Scarlet’s head. “Wait, did you say your name was Twilight?”

“Yep, Twilight Sparkle.” Scarlet gulped at the words.

“What’s wrong Rosy?” Nova asked.

“This is Captain Armor’s little sister and an Element of Harmony.” Nova’s jaw dropped at the words.

“You know Shining?” Twilight asked.

“Only by name and reputation. We’ve never met him personally.” Nova stated.

“Well, he was here two days ago.” Twilight stated. “Tuns out mom was Grey’s psychologist.” Twilight huffed. The mention of the name rang a bell in Scarlet’s mind.

“Are you still obsessing over him dear?” Rarity sighed. 

“I am not obsessing!” Twilight growled. Nova tapped her lip.

“Hey Scarlet wasn’t your old guild partner’s name Grey?” That caught Twilight’s attention.  Scarlet gave a hiss at the name. “Yeah, he was that guy with the white hair on that one dueling team.”

“That’s the guy I’m talking about!” Twilight said as Scarlet finished getting dressed. “Is there anything-”

“All you need to know is to not get to close to him if you know what’s good for you.” Twilight was shocked at the words. “Trust me, he’s more dangerous than he lets on.”

“How do you know that dear?” Rarity asked as she finished taking Nova’s measurements. Scarlet turned back at them and pulled her shirt down to show them her scar.

“He gave me this scar.” Twilight and Rarity both gulped as they looked at the healed injury. “I cut ties with him and you should too unless you don’t mind getting hurt.” With that, the redhead turned to leave.

“Um Scarlet, about the dress-”

“Just do what you want. You’re the expert on this type of thing. Just don’t make it pink.” She said as she walked out the door. Nova looked at the two and gave them a nervous smile.

“Sorry about her, she’s got a complicated past and all. Not easy to talk about.” She thanked Rarity and Twilight, before zooming after her compatriot. Twilight looked at Rarity who started on the dress designs.

“He did that to his own partner? Why?”

“Twilight, dear, it’s none of our business what happened between them. Clearly the two have some long history together and Scarlet would prefer it stays in the past.” Rarity said as she levitated more materials over to her bench. “Now on to a much more important matter.”

“What’s that?”

“Why your dress of course dear.” Twilight just rolled her eyes at the words.
> Chapter 22: New Trainee
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 22

New Trainee


True to what Roach said, Winter arrived a day later and in a bad mood. The ice mage was at least a little at peace seeing Roach who kept his disguise up in front of her. Winter decided to get a room for her and Roach in a nearby hotel that promised that they would wake up with all their organs in the same place they left them when they went to sleep. Grey lead them out to an abandoned part of the city. It was, in every sense of the word, a ghost town.

There were more destroyed buildings than ones still standing. Dust and crushed brick covered the streets and there was an erie feeling about the place that just spelled ‘something bad happened here.’ The visitors felt chills go down their spines and Winter took Roach’s hand in hers. “Creator, what happened here?” Winter asked.

“War.” Grey answered as they walked into an empty lot that had a broken swing set and what remained of a jungle gym. “I used to come here to play when I was young.” He said as he took a moment to collect himself. “Anyway, onto-” He halted speaking as he caught something from the corner of his eye. He charged his magic in his hand and focused his eyes on one of the few buildings still standing.

“You okay Grey?” Eris asked noticing the tension in his stance. The man nodded at the woman.

“Yes, it’s just that,” He shot a blast at a nearby building and he heard a yelp of surprise. “we’ve been followed.” The group got their magic ready to blast what or whoever it was to bits. “Come out now or I’ll blast you out.”

“Ugh, so uncivilized.” The four looked at one another as they heard a familiar voice.

“Please tell me that’s not who I think it is.” Winter groaned. A figure stepped out from behind the corner of a building.The figure was dressed in a light blue cloak with stars and moons stitched into it. The figure threw it’s hood back to show her purple eyes and light blue hair.

“Trixie demands why you shot at her!” She hissed.

“Thought you were gonna try to mug us.” Grey said. “Why are you here?” Trixie bit her lip as the thought of an excuse.

“Trixie was only observing.”

“You mean stalking?” Trixie growled at Eris. Grey scratched his chin and thought for a moment.

“Hey if you want a magic lesson then you’re more than welcome to join.” The gears in the group’s heads stopped turning for a moment. 

“What!?” Eris, Roach and Winter yelled out.

“Why would you want to help Trixie?” Winter said. 

“We’re all part of the same team, and a chain is only just as strong as it’s weakest link.” Trixie grumbled at the comment. “I’m just saying it’s good to mix things up once in a while. Keeps you on your toes.” The three grumbled as Trixie stuck her tongue out at them.

“So what exactly did you have in mind?” Eris asked.

“Magic control.” Grey said.

“That’s it? I thought you were gonna teach us how to blow shit up!” Eris whined.

“No, during our matches I’ve noticed that we waste too much magic for doing the most basic of spells. It’s important to budget your magic so you can fight longer.” He turned to Eris and Trixie. “That’s a mistake you two made.”

“Say what?”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not make mistakes.” The performer folded her arms under her chest and scowled.

“Then how was I able to beat you then?” Trixie grit her teeth at the mention of the duel she lost. “You certainly had the edge Trixie and enough power to do me in, but you were careless and way to overconfident. Had you been a bit more careful, the outcome could have ended in your favor.”

“Don’t throw me in the same league as the rest of you.” Eris hissed. Everyone turned to look at the demigod. “I’ve got more power in my pinky finger than you all have combined.”

“True, but you don’t know how to use it properly.” Roach muttered, earning him a scowl from the woman. “I mean, look at the fight you and Grey had with those fire twins. You used up so much so quickly Grey had to synchronize with you.”

“Roach is correct.” Grey said. “You wasted a large amount of energy using basic spells. So that is what you’re going to work on for now.” Eris huffed at the words.

“So how do we do that?” Winter asked.

“Simple, climb the walls.” He said pointing to one of the buildings. “Just don’t use your hands.” The three teammates looked at him in confusion.

“Give Trixie a challenge.” She walked forward and started to walk up the wall as if the laws of gravity were nonexistent. “See?” She said in a cocky tone.

“Good, now stay up there for as long as you can.” Trixie gulped and felt her magic cut out making her fall. Grey snapped his fingers and a large ethereal pillow cushioned her fall. 

“So you’re good for about ten-seconds.” Grey said as the pillow vanished as Trixie got to her feet.

“Mind telling me what the point of this is?” Winter asked.

“Rushing your magic to a particular body part is the first step to unlocking hand magic.” He said as he made a sword in his hand. “Despite popular belief, you don’t need to be an all powerful mage to do it. In theory anyone can. It’s just tricky.”

“So how did you do it?” Trixie inquired. Eris and the other two gulped at the words.

“Through pain, sweat and blood.” He said in a flat tone. “Now get to work.”


~~~


Canterlot Castle

Captain of the Guard Office

Shining Armor sat back in his chair as he finished up another stack of paperwork. It seemed as if the sea of paperwork was endless. Such is the life of a Captain. He thought with a sigh. He needed a distraction. Something, anything to get his mind off of the paperwork still yet to do. The sound of his desk phone going off almost made him jump for joy. He picked up the receiver and cleared his throat.

“Captain Shining Armor.” He said

“Sir, there’s someone on the line for you.”

“Who?”

“It’s a Commissioner Iron Shield.” Shining quirked an eyebrow at the name. It had been nearly three months since Shining had contacted him Still, he figured it would provide him with a good distraction from his paperwork. 

“Patch him through.” There was a soft click as the line was transferred over. “Commissioner?”

“Hello sir, I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“Not at all. You just gave me a break from the endless amount of paperwork.”

“Ah yes, the perks of being in charge. I know your pain.” Shining chuckled at the words. “Anyway, I know it’s been a long while since we talked. The Sins have been causing me more trouble as of late.”

“The who?”

“I guess you could call them the six council members down here. They run things.” 

“The glorious world of politics.” Shining groaned knowing how it was to deal with nobles.

“Anyway, I told you that the name Newhope rang a bell. I did a little digging and I found something.” That got Shining’s attention.

“Really? Anything on Grey?”

“No, but I managed to find something on the woman who owns the place. Willow Newhope isn’t her real name. She legally changed it about thirty years ago.” Shining shrugged at the words. Changing names wasn’t rare, but uncommon.

“What was the real name?”

“Well, that there lies the question. When I tried to access that I got red flagged by The Royal Guard’s security system. She must have been part of the guard for a time. I managed to get some info from a friend of mine, but there was enough black ink to print a phone book. I have her picture here, see if you know her.”

“Sure.” Shining waited a moment for the picture to come up on his computer screen. The image was of an older woman with brown hair that had streaks of silver in it. Were it not for her hair, shining would have guessed she were only in her mid forties to early fifties. “Thank you for your help Commissioner. I know you must have stuck your neck out to get this.”

“Way out.”

“Which is why as a reward I’ll send you an invite to the Winter Gala that’s happening in two weeks.”

“I’m honored sir. Sorry I couldn’t be more help, but there are a lot of people here with hazel eyes and black hair.”

“Oh turns out there was a new development. Grey actually has ashen hair.” There was a long pause over the phone.

	“Ashen hair?”

“Yeah, like snow.” Shining heard the man gulp over the phone.

“S-sorry sir, but I have to check something.”

“Have a good-” The line went dead. Shining looked at the receiver and hung it up as he looked at the photo on screen. something was bugging the guard captain as he stared at the photo. “Where have I seen this person before?” He said to himself.


~~~



“Keep up there for as long as you can.” Grey said as he looked at the mages who were standing on the side of a brick wall.

“Easy for yo-” Eris was cut off as she fell off the side. Grey used his magic to make a large catcher’s mitt and caught her. “This is so pointless!” She hissed as she got to her feet

“No, you just need better control. So far, Roach is the best out of us when it comes to magic control. Better than me even.” He said as he looked at the enchanter. The green haired man smirked and looked across the way to see a silver owl with an eye patch over one eye glaring at the group. His concentration faltered and he fell. The man turned in the air and landed on his feet. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just that bird.” He said pointing.

“Bird?” Grey said looking in his direction.

“Yeah, that owl there. The one with the eyepatch.” Grey squinted and saw the owl. His eyes shrank as it spread it’s wings and bolted towards them. As it got within striking distance, the owl’s body morphed into a man with silvery black hair. In mid air, he kicked Grey in the chest. 

The white haired man was sent flying into a nearby two story building. The group could hear the sound of brick and support pillars giving out. The building shifted slightly before it fell down on itself. Bricks broke, I-beams snapped like twigs and windows shattered.

“You’re rusty.” The man hissed as the others got around him with wands drawn. He looked at the group and smirked. “Oh that’s just adorable.” He snickered. There was movement in the rubble of the building and Grey’s magic charged fist broke out of a piece of concrete.

“Stop!” Grey called out as he came out from the wreckage. “Don’t even try it. You’re no match for him.” The mage had a few cuts and bruises across his body and face. Eris quickly rushed over to his side and saw the cuts glow white before they were sealed up. The mage brushed himself off and walked back over to the group. “That hurt you old buzzard.”

“You’re just out of shape.” Owl said as he cracked his neck.

“What are you doing here Owl? Thought you were busy up on your perch.” 

“I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d drop by.”

“Um, Grey who is this old geezer?” Eris asked. Owl glared at the woman. 

“This is my old mentor, Owl.” Grey said as he looked at the man. The man’s un-patched eye glowed as he looked at the woman.

“Odd magic about you girl.”

“She’s Discord’s daughter.” That got the man’s attention.

“Intriguing.” He said stroking his beard. “So you’re training this rabble?” 

“They’re my team, minus Trixie. They’re going to need the edge if we plan on making it to the Crucible.” The man’s eye shrank at the words. 

“Are you mad? Do you honestly think that you can handle that of all things? Especially when you’ve got a bunch of rag tags like this lot.” The group frowned at the man.

“Which is why I’m training them. If we’re to stand a ghost of a chance then they need to be ready.” He said in a firm tone as Owl shook his head.

“You honestly think that the committee will let anyone else besides their dogs win?” He sneered.

“If the dogs are beaten then what choice do they have?” Owl rolled his eye at the words. 

“I figured you of all people would know that those crones will do anything and screw over anyone to make sure they win.” Grey frowned at the man. “After what happened to Saffron-” An ethereal blade edge then pressed against Owl’s throat. Grey’s face grew cross at the words as he put a little pressure on the man’s neck.

“Don’t even.” He hissed. The older man put his hand on the blade and squeezed. The blade cracked along the middle before it shattered and vanished.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself boy.” He stated as he started to walk away. “By the way, I hear you’ll be attending the Gala. Figured it wasn’t your scene.”

“It’s not. I have my own reasons for attending.” As he said the words, Titania appeared next to Owl. Her green eyes started looking him over. There was an odd aura about the man but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

I don’t know why but I’m getting a familiar vibe from this guy. She stretched her hand out to touch him. Like a cobra striking, Owl gripped her wrist and twisted. 

“Don’t even think about it.” He said as he let her wrist go.

What the hell? Can this guy see me? 

“I can sense your presence.” He said as he looked in her direction. He squinted and tapped his cane while he sent out a small pulse of magic that revealed a red outlined form for a few seconds. It was all Owl needed to recognize the woman. “Titania?” He looked back at Grey in confusion. “Of all the wand partners in this world it had to be her?”

“Wait you know her?” Grey said as he looked at the man.

“More like know of her. She’s been dead for hundreds of years.” He said as he looked at Grey and squinted. “No matter. You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll see you at the Gala I suppose.”

“Hey wai-” The older man transformed back into an owl and took off at breakneck speed.  “Cryptic as always.” Roach walked up beside Grey.

“Why is everyone you know crazy, cryptic, or both?” He sighed. Grey gave him a steely stare.

“I’ve been asking myself that question since I was ten.” He sighed. “Lets just get back to work.” He sighed.

“Not before you explain to Trixie who that was and what just happened and a building just dropped on you!” The girl said as she crossed her arms under her chest. Roach then stepped forwards.

“I’ve survived worse.” Grey shrugged.

“As annoying as it sounds, I have to agree with Trixie on this matter. I know everyone has their secrets Grey, but you, we literally know nothing about you aside from that...thing you told us.” Eris and her teammates felt a shiver run down their spines as they remembered the conversation. “If we’re gonna continue to work together, then we need to trust you and right now  my trust is wavering a bit.” Grey looked at his team and saw that they seemed to agree with the enchanter. With a sigh, Grey scratched his head.

“Okay, fair enough. I’ll explain, let’s just get inside somewhere. It’s starting to snow and the buzzard wrecked my coat.” He looked at the cuts in his coat and sighed. “Such a waste.” The group found a nearby building that looked somewhat stable. Grey pulled out a fire crystal while Eris found some old office chairs and put them around the gem. The crystal gave off strong heat and the group was content with it’s warmth. Grey pulled out his wand and burned a pattern in the concrete floor.

“Owl is a member of the Sentinels.” Grey began. “They’re somewhat of a secret society.”

“Never heard of them.” Trixie said.

“Yeah, like I said; ‘Secret Society.’” Trixie frowned at the man. “The Sentinels were founded sometime during the Discord era.” They had covered brief patches of the Discord era in their history class. It was all kill or be killed and mages ran wild with power. Experimenting, making forbidden magic that could make some real trouble for the common folk. 

“Which was caused by your mentor.” Winter said as she eyed Eris. “And your old man.” Eris stuck her tongue out at the ice mage.

“Hey, I didn’t hurt anyone during that time.” The ice mage had a skeptic look on her face. “Okay maybe I messed with one or two towns, but I never killed anyone.” 

“Contrary to the history books, the Discord Era didn’t end with his and your imprisonment. Several mages went rampant and power mad. Equestria was still trying to recover from Discord and their government was in shambles. To help combat these mages, Starswirl the Bearded founded the Sentinels, a group of gifted mages were assembled and they waged small skirmishes against them. The Sentinels remained as dark mage hunters after the mages were put down.” 

“An organization like that sounds kinda hard to keep secret and why keep it a secret? They sound more useful then the Royal Guard.” Roach interjected.	

“They were....for a time.” Grey sighed. “They aren’t around anymore aside from Owl.”

“Why?” Trixie asked.

“After the rebel mages were put down, there were some bad seeds in the mix.” Grey stated with a sigh. “Some of them started using dark magic and turned on one another.”

“Oh here we go.” Winter said rolling her eyes.

“The splinter group called themselves the Inquisitors. They started delving deeper into dark magic that soon consumed them. They even managed to turn some of the Sentinels to their cause.” He said making another symbol in the ground.

“What was the end game?” Roach asked. “Usually all that power is a means to an end.”

“No idea. They were very good at keeping secrets. Doesn’t matter they and the Sentinels are long gone.”

“So just to be clear. You were trained by some badass secret organization of dark mage hunters?” Eris said. 

“Sort of, I never finished the training. I had more pressing matters.” He said as he narrowed his eyes. “Anyway, lets call it a day and get some food.” The group stood up and Eris put her arms behind her head.

“I worked up an appetite.” She said as a loud roar erupted from her stomach. A rosy blush rose to her face. 

“I know a few places not to far from here.” The group soon wandered out of the ghost town and back towards the more populated area of the city. Grey led them to a Griffonian barbecue grill and sat down at one of the large tables with the grill built into the table. They took turns cooking their own pieces of meat and vegetables. 

“You know, this place isn’t half bad.” Winter said.

“It used to be way worse.” Grey said as he took a bite out of his food. “Couldn’t walk down the street without getting shaken down.” He stood up and went to use the restroom. 

“Hey Trixie.” She perked her head up at Eris’s words. “Why did you come here? I doubt you’d ever willingly ask for Grey’s help.” Trixie reached into her pocket and pulled out the badge she got from her mother.

“This belongs to the guild Grey was a part of. Trixie was hoping to find out more about it. Trixie doesn’t even know where it is.” Eris shrugged at the words. Her ears perked up at the sound of a commotion coming from the front. She poked her head out of a booth and saw an older man with faded spiky blonde hair and an eye patch over his right blue eye. Trixie noticed that the badge started glowing a light blue color. As she reached towards it a symbol appeared shine above the badge.

“What the heck?” Trixie and the others looked at the badge in confusion.

“What’s with the light show?” Winter commented. The badge started moving and shot off the table. Trixie’s head whipped around to follow the flying badge that landed itself in the man’s hand. His blue eye narrowed as he looked at the badge. He turned his attention back to the performer.

“Where did you get this girl?” His voice was stern, yet had a sophisticated sound to it.

“None of your business. Now give it back.”  Trixie hissed as she stood up. The man stood a full head taller than her. His blue eye sharpened at the words and the air became thick with magic that sparked like yellow lightning. The other mages slowly reached for their wands. 

“Don’t even try it.” He said as yellow lightning danced across his body. An ethereal blade shot in front of the man and all eyes turned towards the wall.

“Seems I can’t leave you guys for five minutes without attracting some sort of attention.” Grey sighed sheathing his wand. “Nice to see you’re still as spry as ever Swifty.”

“Grey. Why am I not surprised?” He said with a smirk. “You always seem to find trouble.” The man waved his hand and the sparks subsided. Grey turned towards the group and nodded, they let go of their wands. The white and blonde haired men then shook each other's hands.

“Ladies, gent and Trixie.” The woman huffed at the words. “This is Swift, he sort of runs things in this section of the city.” The man gave them a nod.

“I didn’t know you lot were with Grey. Apologies.” He said as he nodded to the group.

“You two have a history?” Roach asked.

“Swift here is my guild master.” That got Trixie’s attention.

“Former guild master.” The man sighed. Grey and Trixie looked at the man in shock.

“What?”

“The guild is in shambles. The hall is all but destroyed.” He sighed. “After everything that happened with the Mad King most of the members left.” 

“I saw the twins a few months ago. Still able to fight.” The blonde chuckled.

“Well that wasn’t very fair. Those two against you? Like lambs to the slaughter.” Trixie slammed her fist down on the table.

“So Trixie’s time is wasted here.” The performer crossed her arms. “Now give me back my badge.”

“Yes, about that.” Swift turned his head to the girl. “Where did you get this?” 

“None of your business.” 

“Oh I believe it is my dear,” He narrowed his eyes on the woman. “this used to belong to a very close friend of mine and I’m just itching to know why you have it.” The air around the man felt like trigger that was about to be pulled.

“It was willingly given to her.” Grey interjected. “Trixie’s no thief.”  Swift raised an eyebrow at the words and looked back at the girl. “She’s here to find out more about the guild I figure. Her badge must have reacted to yours. You still have it right?” Swift nodded and reached inside to pull out a similar looking badge. It glowed yellow before showing a different symbol. 

“Well, it wouldn’t glow like that unless it wasn’t given to her willingly.” Swift said pocketing the badge. Swift then tossed Trixie back the memento as she huffed. He narrowed his eyes on Trixie and smiled. “So, you want to know more about the guild?” Trixie gave a slow nod. Unsure to trust the stranger. “Then let’s head to what's left of the hall.”
> Chapter 23: A Mother's Test
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 23

A Mother’s Test


Grey, Eris, Trixie and Swift walked through the streets of the city. Swift constantly keeping an eye on the young enchantress. Trixie pretended not to notice. As they walked, Trixie took note of the crowds parting the way for them. “Nice to see Trixie getting some respect.” The woman smirked as she crossed her arms under her chest swelling with pride.

“They’re not doing it for you.” Grey said deflating her ego bubble. “Swift here is sort of  a city councilmen.”

“So?”

“He also has enough mana to power the whole city for seventy two hours non-stop.” Swift chuckled at the comment.

“Possibly back in my prime, but not so much now. Paperwork and politics take their toll on you.” He chuckled pointing to his faded blonde hair that was once shining like gold. Now it was yellow as a field of wheat. The group soon arrived at an old, blown out building. It looked more like an old cathedral that had been neglected for years and fell into disrepair. The stain glass windows were shattered, the pillars lining the front had several cracks, some weren’t even left standing.

“What a dump.” Both men gave Eris a stern glare.

“You should have seen it during the glory days.” Swift said. “It was a symbol of hope for these people. Now,” He paused for a moment, lamenting about the past. “now it’s just a reminder of what we lost.” Grey walked up to the entrance to see it barricaded not just by rubble, but by a ward spell as well.

“What’s with the ward?” Trixie asked.

“Security. I found out the Guardians were activated not too long ago.” Swift said. “I sealed the entrance to prevent them from getting out.” 

“Guardians?” 

“They’re a security measure. Should some idiot break in, a series of golems are activated and deal with the intruders. A little something I came up with when it was still running.” He put on a pair of glasses and looked at the seal. “This may take some time to break through.”

“How long?” 

“A few hours at most.”

“Trixie does not have time for that.” The woman walked forwards and pointed her wand at the circle. 

“Why does she talk in third person?” Swift asked.

“I think it’s a speech impediment.” Grey shrugged. Trixie ignored the comment and put her wand on the seal. she quickly started turning the seals around and rotating parts of the circle that was cut up into eight parts. She sped up her wand movements and her eyes focused on the puzzle. 

“And done.” She tapped the center of the circle and it crumbled away. Swift’s jaw dropped as he looked at his seal crumble.

“How in the name of Celestia’s beard did you do that? That was an eight barrier lock. Took me months to make that.”

“Trixie learned from the best.” She said proudly. Grey used and ethereal chainsaw to take down the boards blocking the doors. Grey put his hands on the faded bronze handle and pushed inward. The doors creaked open and sunlight poured through the entrance for the first time in months. The once great hall was in shambles, tables were broken, the large pillars had several cracks in them. It was like a knife in Grey’s heart to see his home like this.

Swift felt his pain as he looked at the rubble. “It pains me deeply to see this once great 
hall reduced to this.” The blonde sighed.

“So this is the hall Aurora spoke of.” Trixie said a she looked around the halls. 

“That reminds me, how do you know Aurora?” The man asked as he glared at the young woman.

“Trixie....was her apprentice for a time.” She said not wanting to tell him her true relation. “She gave the badge to me in her will.”

“Yes, I heard about that. Such a tragedy.” He said in a hurt tone. “I didn’t hear about it until a month or two after it happened.” The blonde wiped a tear out of his eye and cleared his throat. “Hopefully our presence will go unnoticed.” He said as they made their way through the hall. Eris felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it felt as though they were being watched. 

As they went deeper into the crumbling building Trixie realized that her, Grey’s and Swift’s badges started glowing. Swift halted and stood still. “What are you-”

“Shh!” He said as he put his hand on the ground. Eris looked down and saw some of the small bits of rubble started shaking. “They are coming.” The ground burst open and the group jumped back while pulling out their wands. A human like figure climbed out of the floor. It was made of rock and hand glowing yellow eyes. It changed it’s arms into battle axe blades and charged at the group. 

“Well, time to get serious.” The blonde pulled out his badge and bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood. He wiped his thumb on the seal before slamming it on the ground. A large spell circle appeared under the man’s feet. Yellow light came from the badge and formed a tall man with white hair, with matching goatee. He was wearing a dapper looking suit. Coming from his head were a pair of long horns coming from the front of his scalp and reaching back into a curled formation. 

“You rang sir?” It said in a proper tone.

“Capricorn, if you’d be so kind as to help with these pests.” The butler nodded and with a few swift kicks and punches, the golem shattered. Trixie could feel her heart beating and sighed trying to calm herself. 

“Trixie,” The mage turned her head towards Grey. “can I have my hand back?” Trixie looked down and saw that in the sudden attack, she grabbed the man’s hand. Her face flushed red and quickly let go. 

“L-Let’s just keep moving.” She said with a huff.

“So who’s the goat?” Eris asked looking at the dapper figure.

“He’s my partner you could say.” Swift started. “There were two types of badges in this guild; normal ones made of metal and ones like mine, Grey’s and Trixie’s. With these you can make a contract with a zodiac spirit. Hence the name of the guild.” He turned to the man. “Mine is Capricorn, the goat.” The butler gave a bow at the words. 

“So how many of these things are there?” Eris asked.

“Twelve. Each representing one of the zodiac constellations.”

“So how do I get mine to do that?” Trixie asked looking at the figure.

“You have to prove yourself worthy.” He said as they continued through the ruined building. Their steps echoed through the empty halls of the once great guild. They encountered a few more golems but dealt with them quietly. The group soon came upon a large metal door with star constellations etched into the door. Swift pushed the large doors open to show a large stone round table with twelve seats around it. 

At the far end of the table was a larger chair than the others. “What’s this place?” Trixie asked.

“The meeting hall. This is where the twelve captains would consult one another on important guild affairs.” Swift said as he touched the wooden surface. Eris looked around the room and saw several portraits hanging up. All the photos had at least twelve people in them. Eris didn’t recognize most of them, but the last three showed a girl with blood red hair, a man with black hair and sapphire blue eyes and in between them was a familiar white haired mage.

“Hey Grey, found your photo.” Grey walked over to the girl and looked at it. “So you were  big shot in the guild huh?”

“That was a long time ago.” 

“The date on the photo says it’s from five years ago.”

“For people like us five years is a lifetime.” Swift said as he put his hand on the desk. “We should keep moving.”


~~~


Canterlot Castle.
Royal Guard Training Ground.

The recruits were gathered in a ring around a sparring circle. A tall man with dark brown hair was kicked to the ground by Scarlet. The man panted and wiped his chin. “Enough.” The drill sergeant said. Scarlet relaxed and stood still. “You think you’re host shit don’t you girl? You think you have what it takes to be a Royal Guard just because you can fight?” 

Scarlet was used to getting tongue lashed by the sergeants who didn’t like the fact that their noble relatives who couldn’t hold a sword straight were getting beaten by a girl of low birth. “Let’s see how you handle something a bit more difficult. Bolt, Crag, Comet. Spar with our little celebrity.” Three large, muscular men stepped into the ring. each of them cracked their wrists and neck. The group of recruits whispered about Scarlet’s odds.

“Ready? Begin.” The three charged at her and each swung a fist at the woman. Scarlet ducked and slammed her fists into two of the men’s ribs. Scarlet jumped back as the third one threw a haymaker at her. Scarlet relaxed her posture. Someone from the crowd tossed the three men some wooden sparring swords. The trio smirked and picked up the weapons.

“Good. Now its fair.” Scarlet smirked. The three grunted and slashed at her. Scarlet quickly side stepped the first one and brought her knee up to meet the man’s gut. He coughed and dropped the wooden weapon. 

Scarlet turned and caught the sword before it his the ground. She turned around with just enough time to block another one of the men’s swords. The man was clearly stronger than the redhead and he was bearing down on her while the other man charger at her. Scarlet adjusted her footing and redirected his blow to the ground. She side stepped the charger and gripped his wrist and slammed her knee into his hands. 

He grunted in pain and Scarlet bashed the side of his head with the hilt of the sword. He crumpled to the ground like a sack of bricks. She picked up his tool and turned her attention to the last one. Scarlet went on the offensive and unleashed a storm of quick jabs and slashes that the man could barely block. Scarlet kept up the pace and delivered a strong blow to the man’s hands making him drop the sword. She pointed one of the swords at the man’s chest. He grunted and put both his hands up signaling his forfeit.

Scarlet smirked and stuck the three wooden tools to the ground as she walked out towards the rest of the group. One of the men charged at her and slammed his fist into her right cheek. Scarlet staggered to the left as he came around for another blow. Her emerald eyes flashed and she caught the man’s fist in her hand that was black as night. There was a loud crunching noise as she closed her fingers around his fist.

“That hurt.” She hissed as she caught his other fist that was meeting the same result as his other hand. She applied more force and slowly bent him to his knees.

“Enough!” A voice bellowed. The recruits parted the way to show Captain Armor being escorted by two golems in guard armor. Scarlet and the rest stood at attention as he approached them.

“C-Captain Armor.” The drill sergeant said as he stood as stiff as a board.

“What is the meaning of this Sergeant?” His blue eyes piercing him like hot butter.

“This recruit was-”

“Defending herself from another recruit who obviously has some trouble controlling himself.” He said looking at the attacker who now had mangled hands. “Everyone is dismissed. That’s an order.” The recruits saluted and started going about their business. “Not you private.” Shining said looking at Scarlet. The redhead halted and turned to face the captain. “I want to speak with you.” He gestured for her to follow him.

“Of course sir.” She said as she started walking with the captain. The two golems lagged behind on Shining’s orders so the two might have some privacy. 

“I apologize for Sergeant Iron’s behavior. He shouldn’t have pitted you against those three.”

“Nothing I can’t handle sir.” Shining chuckled.

“I can see that. You’ve got quite a talent. You certainly didn’t learn to fight like that from our instructors.” He chuckled. 

“I learned from a crazy old buzzard.” She smirked.

“Now that hurts.” Scarlet and Shining both froze at the sound of a some-what familiar voice. They heard two slashing sounds and turned to see the two golems on the ground missing their heads. Scarlet’s eyes shrank as she saw Owl holding one of the golem’s heads. 

“Owl?” Scarlet said in surprise.

“You just destroyed two prototypes that costs dozens of man hours into making.” Shining said with a huff. Owl looked down at the bodies and shrugged.

“Fancy toys you got here. Yet I can barely tell the difference between these puppets and actual guards.” He said as the head turned to dust in his hands. Shining bit his lip and clenched his fist. Owl reached into his coat and pulled out a flask and took a swig. “Frankly that’s not my opinion of people of your caliber Armor. You’re more of a dog on a leash.” A small crowd started to gather around the commotion.

“I suggest you shut that beak of yours before I do it for you.” Shining hissed.

“Scary.” Owl chuckled as he pocketed the flask and pointed his cane at the guard. “Let’s see if your bark is as big as your bite mutt.” Once second Shining was standing beside Scarlet, the next he was a foot away from Owl with his saber drawn. Owl swatted the blade away with his cane like it was a nat. Shining quickly started slashing at the older man. Owl simply adjusted his footing and dodged the blows with ease all the while holding his grin. Shining jumped back as Owl brought down his cane. A large crater formed as the cane’s end hit the stone.

Shining panted and ran his magic through the blade giving it a rose pink color. Owl relaxed his stance and made the bring it on gesture with his free hand. With grit teeth, Shining charged and aimed for the man’s chest.

“Captain Armor!” Shining stopped with the blade an inch away from the man’s chest. He turned to see Princess Celestia standing with her arms folded under her chest and an irritated look on her face. 

“Princess Celestia.” He said as he lowered his sword.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“He started-”

“Don’t even try it. You attacked me.” Owl said taking another swig from his flask.

“Is that right?” Celestia looked at the captain. 

“Yes, your highness.” He said through grit teeth. 

“That’s a good boy. Maybe now she’ll give you a treat.”

“And you.” Celestia narrowed her eyes on the man. “We’ll discuss this in my office.” Shining ordered the group that had gathered to go back to their business before following Celestia, while Scarlet walked up to the man.

“Nice to see you kid.” Owl smirked at Scarlet.

“What are you doing here Owl?” She chuckled.

“I could ask you the same thing kiddo. Don’t tell me you joined these clowns.” Scarlet sighed and hung her head in defeat. “You’re too good a person to get involved with these people.”

“Owl!” Celestia barked.

“We’ll talk later.” He said as he ruffled her hair. Scarlet pouted and shook her head as Owl walked towards Celestia. The two didn’t say a word to another as they walked through the pristine halls of the castle. The doors to Celestia’s office opened to show Luna, Cadence and Armor waiting for them.

“What were you thinking?” Luna barked. “If you were in the Royal Guard you’d be courtmartialed and shot!”

“If I was in your guard I’d shoot myself.” Shining clenched his fist at the disrespect.

“Captain Armor, you should know better then to escalate the situation.” Celestia said as she sat at her desk.

“But-”

“However, you should know better than to goad him.” Shifting her focus on Owl.

“Sorry mom.” His tone was dripping in sarcasm. Celestia groaned and rested her head on her folded hands.

“Now why are you here?”

“I’m here because some of my birds have been squawking.” He took another sip from his flask. “In fact my reports say that something big is coming this way and I’m here to make sure you don’t botch this info like the last time I decided to help you.”

“What are you-”

“The Changeling invasion.” Owl cut Shining off. The Prince grumbled and crossed his arms. “I warned you about a possible invasion and what happened? Right, the Queen replaced your fiancé and almost took over Canterlot.” He took another sip from his flask. “You tightened your grip and that only made it easier for Chrysalis and her forces to slip through your defenses.”

“What were we supposed to do?” Luna interjected.

“What I told you to do; be patient and don’t panic. When you tightened the guard it put the people and your soldiers go on edge, which made it infinitely easier for her to slip behind your lines.”

“We have security taken care of. We’ve got some of our best recruits on he job.” Shining stated.

“Great. Green horns.” Owl rolled his eye. “Another thing, quit pestering my former students. Grey and Scarlet don’t need it.”

“Students?” Celestia said.

“Scarlet Rose is in the Royal Guard is she not?”

“Wait, you trained her too?” Celestia asked.

“You know how I work. I train them in pairs. Granted she started later than Grey did, but she was a good student.”

“So you know his past?” Shining asked.

“I do and before you even ask, no. It’s not my story to tell and if you pester the girl about it then so help me I will knock you down so hard people in Griffonia will feel the vibrations.” Shining hissed at the threat. “Why are you so obsessed with him anyway? The past is in the past and that’s where things should stay.”

“Just trying to make sure you didn’t teach another pair of lunatics.” All eyes fell on the guard captain and a long silence fell over the room. Owl let out a puff of air and vanished from sight. The next thing Shining felt was his own blade being pressed against his neck. Shining dare not gulp or move for he knew better than anyone how sharp he made his saber. 

Owl hissed as he put a little pressure on the blade making a small bit of blood appear on his skin. The azure guard winced at feeling his own blade cut his flesh. Celestia stood up, her wings and eyes flaring. “Owl enough!” Celestia said standing up. Owl withdrew the sword and tossed it on the ground before storming away.

“Keep in mind that if you keep opening that big mouth of yours that a hawk might swoop down and take your tongue.” He hissed as he turned to leave. “I’ll be at the Gala on my own volition. Keep your people off me. There’ll be more vacant beds in the infirmary that way.” He left with a  wave of his hand and the doors slammed shut behind him.


~~~


Swift and Capricorn stayed in the office trying to find a way to shut down the Golems while Grey, Trixie and Eris ventured deeper into the guild. Grey kept his wand out in the event of more of the automatons showing up. Sure enough, more of the golems came out of the rock and the group stated firing blasts from their wands. 

Several of the golems changed their arms into cannons and fired blasts of mana at them Grey pulled out an ethereal blade and started deflecting them with swift circular motions. He managed to redirect several of the blasts back at the guardians, making them shatter. The group quickly ran through the hall before getting to a wide open area that looked similar to small sparring arena.

“Um Grey, we’ve got company.” Eris pointed to more of the guardians coming from behind the group. Eris and Trixie were doing their best to shoot them down before they got closer to them. One managed to slip through and slammed it’s stone fist into the girl’s stomach, knocking her wand out of her hand and her back to the ground. As the golem closed in, Trixie’s badge shined brightly and caught the guardian’s attention. As it stared at the shining object, it’s eyes turned blue and it gripped it’s head in pain.

The other golems stopped their assault as they saw the golem cry out in agony. The badge levitated a moment before latching itself onto the golem and swallowing it in blue light. The guardian’s form changed and gained a more feminine physique. It also grew long silver hair and light blue robes cloaked it’s body. It’s stone skin turned pale and more like that of a person. The golem dropped to one knee and raised a hand.

“Pests.” It said before snapping her fingers and making all the golem’s head shatter. Trixie froze as the figure turned it’s head, showing it’s light purple eyes, her face was flawless safe for a small scar under her left eye, yet it didn’t detract from her appearance. Trixie dropped to her knees and shivered. The words in her mouth turned to ash. “Hello Trixie.” The figure smiled.

“M-mom.” Trixie said as the figure hugged her. “H-How? How is this possible?” 

“When you make a contract, like I did when I was with the guild, a piece of yourself remains inside.” Aurora smiled. “But now that I’ve exposed myself I won’t last much longer.” She sighed as she let go and walked away from the woman. “I wanted so much for you Trixie. I wanted to see you grow into the mage I always knew you’d become.”

“All thanks to your teachings.” Trixie sniffled. The woman smiled as she looked at her.

“Well I’m happy to see you’ve made some friends.” She said looking at Eris and Grey.

“Making a lot of assumptions there.” Grey kicked the woman in the shin. “Ow!”

“I suppose there’s only one thing I can do now.” The woman walked to the other side of the sparring area and let out a sigh. “Draw your wand.”

“Wh-what?” Trixie said in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“I can’t simply give you the power. You have to win it from me.” Trixie was shaking as she stood up. There were too many emotions running through her mind for her to focus. Grey took one step forwards but was stopped by Aurora putting up a dome shield around her and Trixie.

Trixie hesitantly pulled out her wand and tried to get her mind right. The figure pulled out her wand and shot a spell at the performer who dodged out of the way. The second blast made contact with Trixie and knocked her to the ground. “I taught you better than that.”

The performer shook her head and stood up before firing a magic blast. Aurora redirected the bolts back at her daughter with ease. Trixie threw up a shield at the last second. Her feet slid backwards as the blasts hit the barrier. Grey took a step forwards. “Trixie. I know she may look like your mother, but it’s not. It’s just a golem using her form to test you.”

“Shut up! Like you have any idea what it’s like to fight your mother.” Trixie hissed as she shot a more powerful blast at the golem. Swift scratched his chin as he watched the two carefully. Grey raised an eyebrow as he noticed the larger output of power. Trixie focused her magic and shot volley after volley at the golem that either deflected or dodged the blasts. Trixie counterattacked and managed to knock Aurora off balance just enough for her to gather a large amount of magic and shot the bolt at the golem. 

Aurora felt h magic bolt his her and her body started to crack from the pressure of the blast. “Not bad Trixie, not bad. I definitely trained you well, but it’s going to take much more than that to beat me.” She stuck her hand out and Trixie’s badge flew out of her pocket and into her hand. The badge glowed brightly and slammed it down onto the ground. A large blue spell circle appeared from under her feet. 

“Oh no. This is bad.” Cerulean gulped. 

“What?” Eris asked.

“She’s summoning her partner!” A figure made of blue light soon hovered out of the circle and the circle vanished. The light faded from the figure faded and it took the form of a woman with long dark blue hair, her lower half was a long tail covered in rainbow colored scales. In her right hand was a large golden jar with two wavy lines etched into the side.

“It’s been a while Aquarius.” Aurora grinned.

“Never thought I’d see you again.” The spirit smiled. She turned her head to see Trixie. “Who’s the brat?”

“My daughter. She’s trying to take my place.” Aquarius looked back at her master and then back at Trixie before cracking a smile. The performer gulped as she stared at the creature.

“Oh this should be entertaining.” The mermaid put the jar on her shoulder and aimed it at Trixie. water swirled inside the jar.

“Trixie dodge!” Grey exclaimed as a focused stream of water was shot from the jar. Trixie summersaulted out of the way as the water blast hit the floor. The volume and force of the liquid chipped away the stone floor. Another blast shot at the performer. Trixie threw up a barrier, but the water cut through it like butter. 

The water was boiling hot and singed Trixie’s right arm. She yelled out in pain as she felt the water scorch her flesh. Aurora looked away and grit her teeth at the scream. “Get up Trixie. You have to win this!” Trixie grunted as she stood up and shot a few volleys at the spirit. Aquarius smirked and sucked the blasts into the jar.

The spirit shot two bigger blasts back at the performer that exploded just in front of her, knocking her off her feet again. She winced as pain shot through her body. She propped herself up on one knee and panted heavily. “This is beyond Trixie.”

“Giving up so easily?” Aurora said with a shake of her head. “I suspected much more from you Trixie. If this is the extent of your power than you will never truly become great and powerful.” Trixie’s body shook as she clenched her fist. “If you’re just going to sit there like a frightened child then so be it! Aquarius, finish this.” The spirit gathered more of the boiling water and shot it at the performer. Trixie stood up and didn’t move. 

The water enveloped the girl and the sound of hissing could be heard. Only a scorch mark remained where Trixie once stood. Heavy mist encroached on the arena. Aurora could barely see three feet in front of her. A blast of magic came from the mist that slammed into Aurora’s back. More blasts came from the sides and front. 

Aurora kept her senses sharp and deflected more blasts that came from the mist. “Enough of this game!” She pointed her wand to the ground and fired a pulse that pushed the mist from sight. As the fog cleared, Aurora saw that there were at least a dozen of the performers standing in a circle around her. “Impressive,” She smiled. “but not good enough I’m afraid.” A pulse erupted from her body making all the clones burst into smoke. The real Trixie was nowhere to be found.

Aurora looked around to try to find her opponent yet only saw the empty floor along with the barrier. A bright bolt of pink lightning came down and shocked the spirit before it passed to it’s master. Aurora cried out in pain as she felt the magic rip at her body. The lightning made cracks formed along her arms, face and legs. Trixie reappeared on the far side of the barrier. Something was different about her, her body was tense, but not enough to hinder her and there was an air of power around her.

What was most different was her eyes. Where uncertain lavender once lay was now replaced by a pristine blue. Six tailed dots circled the lavender pupil with their tails pointing towards the center. A smile cracked across the older woman’s face as she stared into her daughter’s new eyes. “I see. So you’ve managed to finish what I started.”

“Finished and perfected.” Trixie said as she vanished from sight. 

“We’ll see.” She looked at Aquarius and gave her a nod. The spirit understood and flew next to her. Their bodies started to glow and draw close to one another before becoming one. A blinding flash of light blinded the spectators and shielded their eyes with their arms. Grey blinked several times as his sight returned. “Oh no.”

“What?” Eris’s question was answered as she looked at the woman. The spirit was gone, but the woman’s lower half was now engulfed in a swirling cyclone of water. There were blue fins coming out from behind her ears and scale like armor covered her shoulders, hands and arms. She clutched a large vase in her left hand and a long trident in her right. 

Her eyes were a deeper blue than any ocean and bore three spheres circling the pupil in an endless cycle. Aurora struck the ground with the back end of the trident and sent out a shockwave of water. The liquid splashed against Trixie’s form and with a wave of the trident, grabbed her by the leg and threw her against the barrier. Trixie coughed up blood and writhed on the ground in pain as she clutched her stomach in pain. The water user pointed the vase at the downed woman and blasted her weakened body with a torrent of magic. Eris looked away as she heard Trixie cry out in pain. 

Grey made an ethereal sword and tried slashing at the barrier. The shield responded by blasting him against the wall. Grey shook his head and knew that Trixie’s pain was far more painful than the shock he felt. After the blasts subsided, Aurora fell to one knee and steadied herself on the trident. Trixie was on the ground motionless as the woman’s armor and weapons vanished. 

Aurora walked closer to Trixie and looked at her body on the ground. As she knelt down the body vanished in a puff of smoke. Before she could react, a large spell circle formed under her feet. She spun around to see Trixie with her want pointed at her. Her breath was heavy and she was barely on her feet. “Trixie will surpass you!” The circle crackled with magic before it exploded in a light that could rival the stars.

Trixie dropped her wand and steadied herself on he knees. It had taken nearly everything she had to set up the trap. Balancing her illusion spell with a clone and explosive ward had taken it’s toll. Her magic was almost completely depleted. The woman felt conflicted. she should feel happy, proud and relief at vanquishing her foe, but the emotion she felt more than anything was despair.

“Was this the victory you imagined?” The woman’s pupils were the size of pin tips. She raised her head to see movement from the blast area. Slowly Aurora stood up with a long staff in hand. There were several more cracks along her body and face. 

Aurora slowly strode forwards as Trixie who was in disbelief, she had put everything she had left into that attack. She backed away from the mage until her back was against the barrier. She attempted to raise her wand to defend herself, but little to no strength remained. The performer was shaking as Aurora drew closer and closer to her. 

Aurora was inches from Trixie’s frightened face. Unable to watch, Trixie slammed her eyes closed and waited for the inevitable. She did not feel a crushing blow to her head, nor a blast of magic against her body, but a soft kiss against her forehead. She cracked open her eyes to see her mother smiling. “You did very well Trixie.” 

More cracks appeared on her body.  The barrier around the sparring arena started to crumble. Grey and Eris quickly went towards the two.“I knew you could do it. I apologize for being so rough with you, but it was necessary.” Trixie slowly reached up and hugged the woman as she cried into her shoulder. “I-I missed you so much.” She sniffled.

“And I you, but you mustn’t dread on the past.” Aurora ran a hand through her daughter’s hair. 

“I-It was my fault that-” A slap to the face silenced Trixie.

“It was not!” Aurora said with fire in her eyes. “I told you to run and I protected you.”

“If I had gone with you-”

“You would have been killed and I wasn’t about to let an overgrown bear take my daughter from me.” She hugged her daughter and felt tears running down her face. “There’s so much I wish I could tell you, but I haven’t the time.” Trixie looked up at her mother as the cracks became more prevalent. “Just know that I love you and I’ll always be with you.” with those last words her body started breaking apart and crumbling like the other golems. Soon all that was left was dust and amidst the pile the was the badge.

The events of the day took their toll on the woman and she collapsed into unconsciousness. The two bystanders quickly went to check on the performer. The doors to the area burst open to show Swift with his wand drawn. “What in the name of Luna is going on around here?” He noticed the collapsed performer and put his wand back inside his coat pocket. 

“Trixie just passed the test.” Grey said as he put his fingers to her throat and checked her pulse. “She’s fine. Just used up too much magic, again.”

“Can we please get out of this freaky place?” Eris whined.

“Agreed. You got rid of the golems?”

“Yes, I managed to give the order for them to stand down and not to attack anyone.” He said as Grey picked up Trixie and made his way out of the old guild hall. 

~~~

Trixie groaned as she opened her eyes. She felt like she had been trampled by an elephant stampede. She was on a twin sized bed and hooked up to an IV. The door to the room opened to show the silver eyed mage, his chaotic partner and the former guild master. “Welcome back from the brink.” Grey smiled. 

“What happened?” 

“You pushed yourself too far, again. On the bright side, you won.” Trixie tried to move, but she recoiled in pain and cursed under her breath. “You need to rest Trixie.”

“Grey’s right. Your body needs to recover from the thrashing you received.” Swift said as he took a chair and sat beside her bed. He squinted and glared at the girl’s eyes.

“Trixie would appreciate having some personal space.”

“Your eyes. They’re the same as Aurora’s.” Trixie turned her head not in the mood for playing games. She could tell that he wasn’t going to back off with the questions.

“It’s common for a daughter to resemble her mother.” The man sat back in his chair and sighed. 

“I suspected as much.” His eye held sadness and grief. “If what you’re saying is true-”

“It is true.” Trixie snapped at the man.

“Then I suppose that makes me your father.”
> Chapter 24: Madam Widow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 24

Madam Widow


The room was dead quiet. Swift had just dropped one of the biggest bombs any man could for a woman. “Um what?” Eris had been the brave one to ask what everyone, aside from the eyepatch’d man, was thinking.

“If I do the math it adds up. Last time I saw Aurora was twenty-two years ago.” He ran a hand through his faded blonde hair and bit his lower lip. Trixie was glaring daggers at the man unsure of how to take the declaration. Grey felt the tension in the room rise and knew this was going to be trouble if he and Eris stayed. “C’mon Eris, these two have a lot to talk about.”

“But I wanna see how bad this gets.” Grey took her by the hand and pulled her out of the room and closed the door behind them. 

“How does Trixie even know what you said is true?” She hissed.

“I figured you’d have doubts.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old photo of the blonde man, Trixie’s mother and a woman with bright blue hair. “This photo is from a long time ago. Your mother and I were on a team together with another woman. We....were a little more than friends to say the least.” Trixie took in a deep breath.

“Mother mentioned that she was in a herd at one point, but she never mentioned you.” 

“No surprise there. Aurora was always aloof when it came to personal things.” Trixie gritted her teeth.

“Let’s say I believe you. If you really are my father then why didn’t you come for us?” She shouted.

“I had no idea where your mother went, let alone she had a daughter. I tried to find where Aurora went, but I never was able to find out where. The woman was always good at covering her tracks. Every time I thought I had a lead she’d already be gone.”

“We were always on the road. Never stayed in the same town for more than a month.” Trixie said in a soft tone. “Wasn’t always easy, but she did her best for us.” She wrapped her arms around her knees and felt tears welling in her eyes. 

“How did she....No I can’t ask that. Forgive me.”

“Ursa Major.” Trixie hissed. “We were traveling and came across a trader’s caravan that had accidentally taken camp in it’s cave and woke it up. My mother said she’d help them. She managed to scare it off, but at the cost of her life.” She buried her face in her knees. Swift slowly put a hand on her shoulder.

Trixie immediately shook it off and retreated. “Trixie doesn’t need your help or charity!” She glared at the man with angry, tear filled eyes.

“I was just trying-”

“Well stop! Trixie has been fine on her own and doesn’t want your help.” Swift shivered slightly at the harsh words.

“I understand. I was never there for you or your mother Trixie and for that I am truly sorry. I know that if I spent a hundred years apologizing it’d never be enough and I know you must have been through some truly rough times.” Swift stood up and hung his head in defeat, his blonde bangs covering his forehead. Trixie turned her head towards the window, refusing to look at the man.

“Just leave Trixie alone.” Swift made his way out of the room, but pause as he got to the door.

“If you ever need anything Trixie, I’ll be there.” She remained silent as the man closed the door to her room. Swift sighed and saw Grey standing a few feet away from the door.

“Well that went well.”

“She definitely takes after her mother.” He sighed. “I can’t blame her for acting the way she is.” The man bit his lip and gripped his hair. “What should I do?”

“Why are you asking me? Not like I’d know what to do in either of your situations.” Grey shrugged. “Anyway do you know where Widow is?” Now it was Swift’s turn to look surprised.

“Her? What do you want with that spider woman?” His tone was jaded.

“She has some information I need.” Swift sighed and gave Grey the name of a club not too far away. Grey and Swift parted ways. Eris walked beside Grey as they passes several streets. Many vendors were trying to sell their goods despite them being somewhat mediocre.

“So where are we going?” Eris asked as they walked down a alleyway.

“I need to see an old acquaintance.” He came to a large iron door and knocked on it three times. A slide at eye level opened up and a set of brown eyes looked at them.

“What do you want?” He said in a gravely voice.

“I need to see Madam Widow.”

“Take a hike kid.” Grey pulled out a folded slip of paper and dropped it in the chute.

“Tell her to take a look at that immediately.” The man slid the slide shut and huffed as he stormed off. Grey leaned against the wall and waited for the man to return. Minutes ticked by and the door opened for the raven haired man. 

“The Madam wishes to speak with you.” Grey smiled as he and Eris walked inside. There was heavy smoke in the air and the smell of alcohol and incense filled the building. There were men and women sitting at amy of the cushioned booths. Most of the girls were scantly clad and were dancing for the patrons’ amusement. 

Grey walked past all the patrons and came to a set of spiral stairs. He walked up with Eris keeping close behind him. The stairs led into a long hallway with a large red door at the end. Grey walked down the hall and stopped to knock on the metal door.

“Come in.” A woman’s voice said from the other side. The door opened to show a female changeling with long orange hair lounging on a couch. She was wearing a loose kimono that left little to be imagined. “Grey, it’s been far too long.” She said with a seductive smile. Eris furrowed her brow as a small wave of jealousy washed over her.

“Nice to see you’re doing well Widow.”  Grey nodded.

“So, what brings you to me?”

“I need some information.” He said as he sat down across from the woman. “I’m going to the Winter Gala next week and I have no idea who is who and how to act. Your girls handle all the big time clients and know everything.” Widow smiled at the compliment.

“Wait a second. She’s a pimp?” Eris asked. The Changeling frowned as she glared at Eris.

“Pimps? You know what pimps are? Men with sever anger issues and take it out on their employees who provide an essential service that has been around since the founding of civilization. I treat my girls with respect and dignity and if anyone decides to get rough with them,” A sly smile spread across her lips and her eyes flashed a glimmer of malice. “they don’t call me The Widow for nothing.” 

Eris gulped at the woman’s words. The Changeling sat back and turned her attention back to the raven haired man. “Quite the woman you have there Grey. The three of us could have some real fun.” She licked her lips as she thought of all the things they could do.

“Sorry. We’re not on the menu.” Grey’s tone was serious and glared at the woman. This had not been the first time Widow had been this lewd towards him. She pouted at the remark.

“You’re no fun.” The woman stood up and cracked her neck. “So you need info about the upper crust of Canterlot?” Grey nodded and stood up. Widow put her hand on his fore head and sparks came from her fingertips and arced across the man’s head. Grey suddenly started to fall, but was caught by his white haired companion.

“Grey?” She looked noticed that the man hand slipped into unconsciousness. “What’d you do?” Eris said as her temper and magic flared.

“Ugh, doing that with non-changelings really gives me a migraine.” Widow said a she rubbed her temples. She helped Eris bring the man over to her couch. Eris rested his head on her lap, still waiting for an answer from the woman. “I directly transferred the information he needed into his head. It’s a lot quicker than listening to me talk for hours, but whenever I do it with non-changelings it always gives me a headache and puts a lot of strain on the recipient. He’ll come to in a few minutes.”

Eris calmed down and ran her fingers through his hair. “So are you two a thing?”

“Kinda.” Eris paused as she remembered the contract they both had unknowingly gotten themselves into. “It’s complicated.”

“What isn’t when it comes to Grey?” Widow reached into her robe and pulled out a long cigarette holder and lit the end.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Widow smiled as she puffed on the long pipe.

“You really don’t know do you?” Eris was confused by her words. “Back in the day, Grey was a really scary guy. Most people were afraid to even cross his path.”

“Why? I don’t think Grey would actively hurt anyone that didn’t deserve it.”

“True, but that didn’t change the fact that everyone was frightened of him.”

“But why? What’d he ever do to them?” She hissed.

“It’s because he survived something horrible. People instinctively fear what they don’t understand or think is impossible.” She inhaled a large amount of smoke before blowing a ring of smoke that floated around the room. “Let me tell you of the Rosewood Massacre.” She inhaled deeply gathering her thoughts. Eris cringed at the name. Grey had told her, Roach and Winter about what occurred there. 

“Grey told me about it.”

“Oh really? What exactly did he tell you?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That a bunch of crazy guys came in and shot up the place. Grey and a few others got out.” Widow chuckled at the words.

“He left out a few details.” She puffed another ring of smoke form her lips. “Thirteen years ago, a group of mad men went into a school and decimated the entire student body and faculty. Grey was the only one to walk out of that place alive.”

“You were there?” Eris asked.

“Of course not, but I’ll never forget what I saw that day. I looked out the window and I saw a large pillar of white flames shooting into the sky. It burnt the clouds and ash fell like snow. I heard that a few of the mad men came running out in pure fear of this small boy who looked more dead than alive.” She puffed once more and let the smoke slowly escape her lips. “When they tried to flee they suddenly caught fire and in a flash all that remained of them were piles fine white ash and scorch marks that looked like shadows burned into the ground.”

Eris felt her blood run cold as she looked down at her lover. “One of them did make it out and confessed to what he did to some weird guy. Didn’t do him much good since they found him strung up in his holding cell. Apparently he was driven mad by the man clothed in flame and ended his life. After that, the area was sealed off.”

“No one was allowed anywhere near the place.” She chuckled a little. “Me and a bunch of my friends got dared to go in there when we were younger and to this day I wish I hadn’t.” Her tone got more serious and grim. A shiver crept down her spine. “Even to this day I don’t know how he walked out of that mess.”

“So everyone was scared oh him for just surviving?” Eris said in disbelief.

“Think of how desperate the families of those lost felt. They needed something, or someone to blame. With Grey being the only one left naturally they hated as to why he made it and not their daughter, son or friend. It’s stupid I know, but such is the nature of people.” She puffed another cloud of the smoke. “Although, I’m not completely convinced that that’s how things really went down.”

“What do you mean?”

“All I’m saying is that there’s a lot of inconsistencies. What spell rifle has that kind of power? Why didn’t they find any weapons if they used them? Where did these psycho’s come from?”

“How do you know the case files?” Widow chuckled softly at the question.

“You’d be surprised how much guys talk when you’ve literally got them by the balls.” 

“Why didn’t they just ask Grey what happened?” She figured that he would have been eager to clear the rumors surrounding him.

“They did and at the time his story coincided with the reports,” Widow looked at the dark haired man. “but there’s still no certainty what he remembers to be the truth.” Eris was beyond confused at this point in the conversation. “This wasn’t the first time I’ve passed info to him with the mind melding and every time I did, I felt a little resistance. Almost like a wall around his mind. I don’t know if it was just a way to deal with trauma or something else.” The man groaned as he felt Eris’s hand on his head.

“I’m actually surprised he shared as much as he did with you. He hates discussing personal matters as I’m sure you’re aware. I can only think of one other person who he trusts with that information.” 

“You mean his ex? What was her name; Scarlet I think?” Widow shot Eris a stern glare. A flicker of hatred mixed with fear showed on her face.

“Never say that name within the Osiris.” She whispered. “There are eyes and ears everywhere. It’s best if you forget about her entirely. Even mentioning those of the Red Keep will rue terrible repercussions.” Eris was even more confused about the situation. What did the girl do to get the entire city against her? “And don’t mention to Grey that I told you any of this. He’ll be furious. I’ve seen that once, I pray I never doo again.”

As if on cue the man opened his eyes and groaned. “Man that always smarts.” Grey rubbed his head after he sat up straight. His head was pounding and felt like someone had used his head for a punching bag. “How long was I out?”

“Not long. Just a minute or two.” Widow lied as she sat back and extinguished her cigarette. “Is that all you need? I have many other clients today.” She smiled seductively. “Unless you’d rather stay here with me.” Eris hissed and her feline ears pointed back as she glared at the madam.

“I don’t think that’d be wise.” He stood up with Eris who locked her arm around his. “Thank you for the help Widow.”

“Anytime dear. It was the least I could do.” She gave him a nod. Grey and Eris made their way out of the establishment and onto the city street.

~~~

Scarlet sat at a cafe with a cup of hot tea. Sitting across from her was Owl who sipped his tea. He se the cup down and cleared his throat. “I will give the nobles one thing, they know how to make a cup of tea.”

“Agreed.” Scarlet smiled. “So what brings you to the capitol? I thought you hated it here?”

“Oh don’t get me wrong, I do. Everyone here is so sickeningly uptight and have their noses pointed up so far it makes my neck hurt just thinking about it.” He set his cup down and sighed. “I’m here to make sure Armor doesn’t screw things up. He’s a good leader, but he’s too impulsive.”

“It’s ironic. There’s so much rot in the city that’s supposed to be pure.” Scarlet nodded in agreement. So many people got away with so much just because they were born into the right family or had a vast amount of money. “Which only begs the question; why are you here?” 
Scarlet bit her lip at the question. “I just wanted to do some good. Seemed like the best place to start. I thought the only thing people care about here was skill.”

“And?”

“Turns out I was wrong, again. Here it’a all about who you know and where you come from.” She looked at her darkened reflection in her tea cup and sighed.

“Don’t beat yourself up kid. It’s been like this for decades, maybe centuries and you’re definitely better than most nobles around here that’s for sure.” She smiled at the words from the older man. “Not to bring up old wounds, but I saw Grey not to long ago.” Scarlet furrowed her brow at the words. “Now I don’t know what happened between you two and frankly I don’t want to, but Grey doesn’t do something with out a viable reason.”

Before Scarlet could put forth a counter argument, a familiar voice called her name. She turned and saw Rarity accompanied by Twilight approaching them with a bag in hand. “I’m glad I caught you dear. I was just on my to drop off your dresses.” The fashionista smiled. Owl couldn’t help but chuckle.

“This one in a dress?” He pointed to the redhead. “Oh I’d pay big money to see that.” Scarlet scrunched her nose at the man and took the bag.

“Thank you Rarity. I’ll be sure to give Nova her’s too.”

“So I take it you’ll be attending the Gala?” Owl chuckled. Scarlet grumbled slightly. “Things are starting to get more interesting.”

“I’m sorry, but we haven’t been properly introduced.” Rarity said as she looked at the man.

“Name’s Owl.” He said flatly.

“Owl is an old acquaintance of mine.” Scarlet said as she set the bag down beside her.

“What she means by that is I taught her everything she knows.” Owl sipped his tea as the two girls each grabbed a chair from an unoccupied table and sat themselves down.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m-”

“I know who you are Ms. Sparkle. The same with your friend Rarity Belle.” Owl stated. “You don’t meet many people who haven’t heard of the Elements of Harmony.” The Elements and their wielders weren’t a well kept secret. Practically everyone in Equestria and beyond had heard of their successes against Nightmare Moon, Discord, the changeling invasion and the return of the Crystal Empire. 

“So Scarlet was your apprentice?” Rarity asked as she ordered a cup of tea for herself.

“One of them yes, and one of the few I actually like.” He sipped his tea once more.

“What kind of training did scarlet go through?” Twilight asked. Scarlet grimaced as she remembered the years she spent training with the one eyed man.

“Well I surprised attacked her whenever she had her guard down, made her walk on sword blades without getting cut, I also made her fight my other pupil as much as possible.” He smirked as he remembered the many times the two locked horns. “She and Grey fought over almost every little thing. It was very entertaining to watch.” Twilight looked at the older man in surprise. Yet another person who knew of Grey’s past.

“You trained Grey as well?”

“I suppose I have a weakness for pretty girls and broken things.” He shrugged at the words. “Frankly the two enjoyed fighting one another. I rarely had to instigate it.”

“You encouraged them to fight?” Rarity asked.

“Fighting is the only way you can see a person’s true colors.” The older man grinned to himself. “In a fight, nothing is hidden between the fighters.”

“That sounds sociopathic.” Twilight stated firmly.

“Have you ever been in a fight before?” Owl asked as he rested his chin on his hand.

“Yes. My friends and I fought Nightmare Moon and-”

“No.” He cut her off. “Not you as an Element of Harmony. I’m talking about you as Twilight Sparkle. No help, no friends, just you.” Twilight thought for a moment. She’d never really faced anyone in a duel or physical confrontation by herself. “How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?”

“I was always taught that fighting is wrong.” Twilight stated firmly. Owl let out a small laugh at the words.

“Sometimes there’s no way around it and sometimes it’s needed. It’s good to cut loose every now and again. Relieves a lot of stress.” Scarlet added as she sat back. Sometimes you need to take your rage out by beating the crap out of something, or someone. Owl then stood up and stretched his back.

“Well I’m going to get going, but I think I should give you something.” The man reached into his coat and pulled out a medium sided rectangular box. “Consider it a Hearth’s Warming gift.” Scarlet looked at the box, unsure whether or not it will explode or something terrifying might pop out. Scarlet delicately opened the box and saw a sword handle with a beautiful rose shaped guard and a wolf head pommel.

“What is that?” Rarity asked as she looked at the silver handle.

“That is a mana blade.” Owl stated. Twilight couldn’t help but marvel at the device. Mana blades worked similarly to wands. There was a central core crystal inside the handle and the user focuses their magic and gives it physical form. They were very popular in the early days of the royal guard. The only down side was that it used up a large amount of magic. For that reason the mass production of them was stopped.

“I thought I lost this.” She said as he held the handle. “Thank you for finding this.” She smiled at her former mentor.

“Don’t thank me. I’m not the one who found it.” Scarlet was but to ask, but the man vanished from her sight. She looked up to see an owl flying away.

“I hate it when he does that.” Scarlet sighed before standing up. “Well, I’ll see you two at the Gala. Thanks again Rarity.” Scarlet said before paying the bill and headed back to the barracks.
> Chapter 25: Appropriate Attire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 25

Appropriate Attire


After the meeting with Widow, Grey and Eris met up with Winter. She needed to get Roach a Hearths Warming’s gift and she had no idea where to look. Thankfully Grey knew the city like the back of his hand and lead her to a nearby book store where they could find the aspiring doctor some medical books. Eris trailed off on her own and started to look at different books, quite the rare occurrence.

Something about the ice mage had been bugging Grey for a while and he figured that this was the best chance to ask. “Hey Winter,” The blue haired girl looked up from the book she was holding. “what’s the deal with you and Flare?” She narrowed her eyes and sneered at the mention of her sister. “I mean I know siblings fight, but you two go at it like a cat and dog twenty-four seven. What gives?”

“That is none of your business.” She hissed.

“You’re my friend and it’s obviously something that troubles you. So it is my business. Especially since we’re all on the same team.” She let out a heavy breath of frosty air as her anger spiked. “I mean you two are twins right? So there should be at least some sibling connection.” She figured she might as well tell him just so he’d know the real story and not Flare's heavily abridged version.

“We’re not twins.” She stated flatly. “We were born on the same day, but we have different mothers.” Grey had not been expecting that. 

“So your dad is in a harem?” 

“He was in a harem.” She put the book back and picked up another. “Flare was born about an hour ahead of me and there were complications with my mom. Long story short, she died a few hours after she delivered me. Leaving my dad and Flare’s mom to raise us.” Grey bit his lip as he listened to her story.

“According to my uncle, my dad had a deeper emotional connection with my mom and after she died, he just sort of shut down emotionally. Flare’s mother blamed me for his emotional problems. That lead to Flare and I constantly trying to get him to notice us. I eventually moved past it and did what I wanted, but Flare thought it’d be more fun to make my life a living hell.” She closed the book in her hand with a fair amount of force causing a loud slapping sound to echo through the air.

“How so?”

“Everything I’ve ever done she’s either one up’d me or ruined it. Whenever I made a friend, she’d become their best friend and turn them against me. She’d steal my diary, steal my clothes, any guy I was interested in.” Now Grey understood why she and Roach were keeping things on the down low. “She didn’t even want to go to Starswirl Academy until I got accepted and I worked my ass off to get there, while she just slept her way to the top.”

“She did what?” Grey’s eyes widened.

“My sister is a slut.” She said in a harsh tone. “Not afraid to screw a few teachers to get her way.” Flare started to sound a lot more like Widow, but with less morals. “So I tried to join a club that she’d hate, but that didn’t work.”

“Have you tried being nice?”

“Gee, I never thought of that.” Her tone was dripping in sarcasm. “I tried many times, but she continues to be a bitch and she’s ‘mommy’s little angel.’” She gagged as she decided on a book. “Not to mention Flare and her mom have the same magic element, so they spent a lot of time together. I’m sort of the black sheep of the family.”

“So who taught you magic? Your dad?”

“Mostly my uncle,” Her expression shifted to a warm smile and grey could see light in her eyes at the mention of him. “Great man, taught me everything I knew.”

“Your sister didn’t try to suck up to him too?”

“He’s too smart for her bullshit.” She decided on two medical books and went up to pay. Grey picked out a book and met up with Eris who had two books in hand.

“Should I even ask what you bought?” Grey asked.

“You’ll see~” She teased. “Well, one is a gift for Sparkle.”

“It’s not gonna blow up is it?” He asked as the trio made their way out of the store. Eris just gave him an innocent look and batted her eye lashes like an innocent looking lamb. “Right. Anyway, Winter did you bring a swim suit with you?”

“It’s snowing, why would I want to go swimming?” She asked in a slightly confused tone.

“Just get one for yourself and Roach. You too Eris. You’re gonna need it for later.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” The three made their way into a clothing store and thankfully the swim suits were on sale. Grey waited for the girls outside the changing rooms. Once they made their selections they headed off to collect Roach and then went to Grey’s house to check on Trixie. The performer’s magic and vitality were replenished for the most part.

“So how’s our favorite patient?” Eris inquired in a half sincere tone.

“Up yours.” Trixie huffed.

“She’s fine.” Grey said as he looked her over. Aside from her unbrushed hair, the performer looked as normal as the day Grey met her. “You up for some training?”

“Trixie was born ready.” The woman stood up and cracked her back.

“You don’t perhaps have a swimsuit do you?”

“Yes, but why?” Trixie said as she raised an eyebrow.

“Because you will get wet.” Eris chuckled at the phrasing of the words. Grey rolled his eyes at the comment and lead the group back down into the snow-covered streets. “Not like that. I swear you’re almost as bad as Widow.” 

“Don’t rope me in with that nymphomaniac.” As the words left her lips, Grey shot Eris a stern glare. A small hint of fear was just barely visible on the man’s usually neutral looking face.

“Eris, please do not say anything derogatory about that woman, at least not out in the open. She has eyes and ears everywhere.” The man shot a glance to three women standing on the corner wearing some risqué clothing. “She may not look it, but she’s one of the strongest mages in this dump and holds a council seat.” Eris looked at him in surprise.

“Her? She’s got the same job as Trixie’s old man?” The performer hissed at the mention of him.

“Who?” Roach asked feeling lost in the conversation.

“An old friend of mine runs an escort service.” Grey said in an explanatory tone.

“You two seemed close.” Eris grumbled as she put her arms under her chest while making a pouting face.

“We go way back. She was a member of the guild when it was still up and running.” Grey stated. "She's very strong."

“So what do these council members do?” Winter asked.

“Basically they keep the city from falling apart. They’re each in charge of a section of the city so if something bad happens it’s up to one of them to handle it. Cops around here are basically useless, so they need to enforce it using their own means.”

“Just how many of them are there?”

“There are six. They each built up a reputation a few years back.”

“What kind of reputation?”

“The kind that makes you think twice before insulting them. We’ll be meeting another one soon.” The group stopped in front of a bathhouse. The group could feel the heat radiating from the building and could see the steam rising behind the fences made of bamboo. Grey turned to face the group. “Now before you go in, understand that the owner, Lily is a very kind, very patient woman, but she will not hesitate to strike if she feels insulted. So what ever you do, do not ask her about the blindfold.” The four looked at one another before giving Grey a nod of understanding.

The bell above the door rang out as the group walked into the establishment. There was a calm feeling about the air and the scent of herbs can be smelt. “Why are we at a spa?” Grey ignored Winter and rang the bell at the front desk. A woman with long straight pink hair walked out. She was donning a white shrine maiden outfit with long pink sleeves. She had a blindfold over her eyes and a white lily clip parted her hair to the right.

She held a long staff in her left hand and tapped it along the ground. She took a moment and sniffed the air before turning her head towards the group. “Grey, it’s been a while.” Her tone was gentle and warm to the ears.

“Lily, nice to see you’re doing well.” Grey kept his face neutral. “My friends and I were interested in a hot mud bath.”

“For what purpose?” The woman asked as she cocked her head to the side.

“I’m gonna teach them to walk on water.” The group looked at the man in surprise. Lily nodded and lead them to a large bath. Grey whispered something to the owner who nodded. The group went to the changing rooms and got into their swim suits. Grey and Roach had a normal pair of trunks and waited for the girls to come out. “So told Winter yet?”

“No,” Roach sighed. “it’s kinda hard to find the right time to drop a bomb like that. Especially since I have no idea how she’d react.”

“Worse case scenario, she dumps you.” He shot Grey an angry glare. “I doubt Winter would call the cops, besides Celestia allowed you into her school. I doubt she’d make a fuss about it.” Grey shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t want Winter to dump me.” He grumbled. “Thought that’d be obvious.”

“I’m just talking hypothetically. There’s no guarantee that she’d dump you.” The two put the conversation on hold as the three girls came out. Winter had on a white one piece, Trixie had a light blue bikini and what Eris was wearing could hardly be considered a bathing suit. It was more like three triangles barely covering her chest and crotch area. “Seriously Eris?”

“Oh like you’re complaining.” Eris said as she rested her hand on her hip. Grey felt a pink hue brush across his face and walked over to the mud bath and stuck his finger in it.

“Perfect.” Grey then pulled out a beach ball that he’d asked Lilly to fetch for him. “Okay, today’s exercise is to get this ball.” He threw it in the center of the mud pit that was about thirty feet away. “However, you have to pick it up with your hands and you can’t get wet.” The group looked at him like he had grown a second head.

“Are you nuts?” Grey ignored Eris’s comment and walked to the edge of the mud pit. He took a moment and stepped onto the surface of the mud. His feet glowed and he started walking on the surface of the liquid like it was solid earth. 

“Seems to work just fine.” Grey said smugly as he turned back to face the group.

“This will be too easy for Trixie.” The performer stepped forwards and as soon as she tried to step on the surface she fell in and the mud swallowed her up. Winter and Eris chuckled slightly. Trixie immediately shot out of the mud. Some of her skin was now red. “Hot! Hot! Hot!” She yelled as she quickly exited the pit.

“Oh right, I forgot to mention that I asked Lily to crank up the heat. Think of it as an extra incentive to not fall in.” 

“Grey, has anyone ever told you that you’re an ass?” Roach asked as he looked at the bubbling pit of mud. Grey put a finger to his chin and thought for a moment. 

“Only almost everyone I know. Now get to it.” Grey walked off the mud and sat to watch the four attempt the challenge. Roach fell in a few times once before he started to get the hang of it. Winter fell in several times before she managed to stand still on the surface, but couldn’t take a step without sinking.

Trixie fell in once more before she was able to slowly walk on the muddy surface with ease. Eris however was having difficulty holding her balance. She’d had trouble with controlling her vast amount of magic since day one and her continued failures only added to her aggravation. Every time she fell in she cursed and glared at Grey who kept a neutral look on his face. “What is the point of this?” She hissed.

“Sending your magic to any part of your body is a challenge at first. If you can send it to your feet and stabilize it, then you can focus it anywhere in your body. This is the first step to performing hand magic.” The group turned their heads towards a gruff voice that belonged to a familiar raven haired man.

“Owl, always swooping at the right moment to make a speech and sound impressive.” Grey said as he eyed the older man. “What are you doing here?”

“I was visiting an old friend. I see you’re still training the rabble and you’re still going easy on them.” He crossed his arms as he looked at the group and looked down at the pit. “Mud? Really?”

“I’m not going to make them stand on sword blades.” Grey huffed.

“It builds character.” He then turned his gaze to the mud covered Eris who was stepping out of the mud pit. “I see your pet hasn’t improved much.” Eris hissed at the older man. “For a demigod you aren’t that strong are you? Can’t even walk on water, something even a mortal can do yet you struggle with. That must sting.” Eris gathered a large ball of magic and launched it at the older man. 

The man swatted the blast as though it were nothing more than a fly buzzing around his head. “I’ve had bees who’s sting was worse than that.” Eris tried to run across to the older man with a magic charged fist, but she fell down in the mud as soon as she stepped on the surface. The man guffawed at her vain attempt. The other three mages let out a chuckle as the mud covered girl reemerged. 

“Screw you old man.” Eris said as she teleported out of the mud. The dirt had stuck to her like a second skin. She started to brush the mud off herself as she glared at the newcomer.

“Don’t call me old.” He squinted and saw something out of place. He stroked his chin for a brief moment before speaking up. “Hey brat, come here for a second.” He gestured with his pointer finger for her to walk to him.

“Why should I?” She huffed. Owl then teleported in front of her abruptly causing her to take several steps back. His eye seemed to glow slightly and he could see some magical runes etched into her stomach. “Quit staring at me. It’s creepy you old pervert.” Eris said as she covered her chest.

“No wonder you can’t do anything right. That seal on you is interfering with your magic flow.” Eris looked down on her stomach but saw no such seal. Owl gave her stomach a soft tap with his cane and glowing runes appeared on her mud covered skin.

“What the hell is this thing?” Eris said as the rest of the group crowded around her and inspected the odd symbols.

“It’s a stint.” Owl stroked his beard as his eye danced over the runes. “Think of it as a way to seal powerful magic. Not surprising that you have one, but this particular formula is odd.” He said as he started to analyze it.

“How so?” Roach asked.

“Normally a seal like this is meant to mix two magics in a stable way so that in the event any does leak out, it won’t go rampant and you’d get used to it so you could eventually control it.” Owl stroked his beard as she glared at it. “However, this seal seems to be stopping one of them in it’s tracks rather than filtering it.”

“Two magics?” Trixie said in confusion.

“Inheritance,” Winter clarified. “along with the magic you learn, mages can inherit specific types of magic from their parents. For example, my mother was a water mage and my father was a wind mage. I use both of those for my ice magic.” Owl looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I guess you lot aren’t completely hopeless. Your friend is correct and this seal is diverting power from your own magic in order to keep it in check and limit the amount of magic you can use. It’s also screwing up your control over it.” He said as he stood back up straight. 

“How’d this thing even get on me?” Eris huffed.

I’d put my money on Celestia. This definitely seems like her work, albeit a little sloppy. Owl thought as the finger tips on his right hand began to glow. “Hey kid, I may know a way to fix it, but you need to put your arms up.” Eris looked at him hesitantly and did as he asked.

“What’s the point of-” Owl quickly dug his glowing fingertips into her stomach and gave his wrist a sharp twist. The force knocked Eris back off the side of the pit. Eris quickly recovered and kept on her feet before dropping to her knees as she clutched her stomach in pain. “What the hell was that for you old crone?” She glared at the older man with fire in her eyes.

“Before you go shooting your mouth off take a look where you are.” Eris looked down and noticed she was kneeling in the center of the mud pit. As she slowly stood up it felt as if there were solid dirt beneath her feet. She slowly walked over to the ball and picked it up in her hands. “Feel free to thank me any time.” Eris grumbled at the older man’s remark.

Owl snapped his fingers and his clothes vanished and was replaced with a pair of swimming trunks. Despite his age, he had the muscle definition of a thirty year old fighter and a few scars going across his chest and back. He sat down in the hot mud and let his muscles rest. “Ah, this feels nice.”

“So who was this old friend of yours?” Grey inquired. “I’m more surprised you even have friends.” Owl scowled at the young mage.

“I was visiting a former pupil of mine. I had her mana blade and was returning it.” Grey’s pupils shrank. “The one you found.” Grey huffed and adverted his eyes from the older man. “Why did you have it anyway?”

“I borrowed it.” Grey muttered.

“Okay, what’s a mana blade?” Winter butted in feeling a little more than annoyed not being clued into their conversation. Owl summoned his cane and twisted the owl head piece at the top and the metal handle came free. There was a small handle grip below the owl head. He channeled his magic to the handle and a bright blade of blue magic erupted from the handle.

“Holy crap you’ve got a lightsaber.” Eris said.

“This is a mana blade.” Owl said as he gave it a swing. “It’s a concentration of my magical energy, focused through a crystal in the handle. It’ll cut through steel like hot butter.” He made the blade vanish and set the handle back inside the cane. A few hours passed and the other mages got accustomed to the water walking trick. Grey couldn’t help but feel a little jealous as he watched them. They had completed an exercise in one afternoon that took him close to two weeks to perfect. The group washed the mud off their bodies before getting dressed and leaving the establishment. 

It was late in the day and the group spit up, Roach and Winter headed back to their hotel room while Grey, Eris, Trixie and Owl mad their way through the city streets. As they got o the door, Willow came out and smiled as she saw the one eyed man. “Owl, it’s been ages.”

“I see the years have been kind to you.” He said as he took her hand and kissed it. Willow blushed and couldn’t help but giggle. Grey rolled his eyes and knew where this was going and he didn’t particularly want to be around for it.

“Grey, there’s a bird with a message for you.” Grey raised an eyebrow as he stepped in the house and sure enough a red and yellow Phoenix sat at the windowsill with a message attached to it’s ankle.

“That’s Philomena.” Trixie said looking at the bird.

“Who?” Eris asked.

“Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix.” Grey took the note as Cinder swooped down and landed in front of the new bird. He cocked his head and inspected the female phoenix before spreading his wings and puffing his chest out in a way of boasting to the feathered visitor. Philomena simply turned her head, huffed and flew off back towards the castle.

“Looks like your pigeon just got rejected.” Cinder spat a fire ball at Eris for the comment. She quickly grabbed a pan and shielded herself from the blast. “Who wants chicken?” She hissed as the large black bird flew back upstairs. Grey chuckled as he opened the letter and read it to himself.

Grey,
I am writing to you as a reminder that the Gala is four days away. Remember to dress accordingly and there has been a small change to the dress code. Everyone is required to bring a masquerade mask. It must fit the decorum.
~Princess Celestia.
P.S. Inform Trixie as well.

“Great.” He said in a sarcastic tone as he crumpled the letter up. “Trixie, we need to get some masks for the Gala. Luckily I know someone who can help us.” Willow and Owl then entered the kitchen. “Willow, you still have that old mask of yours?” She put a finger to her chin and thought for a moment.

“Yes, but it’s been a very long time since I’ve worn it.”

“Good, Celestia just changed the dress code on us and you’’ll need that to get in.”

“Very well.” Trixie sighed. As they walked towards the door, Grey noticed Eris was off to the side and looked in her direction with a questioning look on his face.

“Coming?”

“Nope, I’ve had enough walking today.” She said as she sat on the couch. “Besides, I can’t go to the gala so what’s the point of me going to a mask shop?” She was still miffed about Celestia saying she couldn’t go. Grey shrugged and made his way out of the house with Trixie at his side. They walked through the snow covered streets in silence as the people passed them. 

“It’s strange.” Trixie said. “That section we were in a few days ago was like a ghost town, but this place is thriving. Why?”

“No one goes into that section anymore. They think it’s haunted.”

“Haunted by what?”

“Ghosts, the man on fire, the phantom blade, monsters. Take your pick.” He said with a shrug.

“The what?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Just stories used to frighten children.” Grey found a shop that had several masks in the front window. He walked inside to see several pedestals with different busts that each had a mask on it’s face. “Shriek? Where are you?” Grey started to search around the vacant store as Trixie looked at each of the masks. She found a bust and pedestal that was covered by a large white sheet.

She pulled the she off and found herself face to face with changeling with dark purple hair and bright blue colored eyes sitting with his legs folded against his chest. “Boo!” Trixie shrieked and fell back on the floor as he spun and hopped off the pedestal. He landed and bent his knees so he was eye level with Trixie, a wide grin plastered on his face. He sniffed the air and thought for a moment. “You smell like fear,” He sniffed again. “and mud.”

“Shriek, what the heck are you doing?” Grey said as he walked over and helped Trixie up. The Changeling looked at him and cocked is head to the side. He had a light purple vest on and similar matching pants along with a black tie.

“I like surprising my customers.” He said in an innocent tone.

“You scared the daylights out of me.” Trixie said crossing her arms over her chest. Shriek stood up and cracked his back.

“I’ve been sitting there for hours.” He bent back until his spine was flush with the back of his legs. Trixie gawked at the man’s flexibility and it just hurt to look at someone bending like that. Shriek then stood up straight and cracked his neck before setting his purple cat like eyes back on the two. 

“So how can I help you?” 

“We need two masquerade masks.” He nodded and quickly gestured Grey to a chair in the center of the room. Grey took a seat as Shriek pulled out a tape measure and wrapped it around his head. 

“So what’s the occasion?” 

“We’re going to a gala and need masks to get in.” The changeling looked at Grey in surprise.

“Don’t tell me you’re going noble on us.” He said in a semi-fierce tone. 

“Of course not. I’m just going because I was asked to.” Grey would have to have a serious talk with his wand partner after this was over. Shriek finished taking his measurements and made quick sketch of the mask. It was Trixie’s turn and she let the man take her measurements.

“I was thinking of putting a star on one side. That okay miss?” 

“Yes, Trixie’s should look the best.” She smiled. He finished the measurements and made a sketch before he got to work.

“It will be some time before they’re ready. Come back later today.”

“Good, I need to get my suit anyway.”

“Trixie still needs a dress.” Grey gave her a blank stare. Apparently her big head was filled with nothing but air.

“Seriously? The gala is at the end of the week and you wait till now to get a dress?” Trixie huffed and stood up out of the seat while making a face at the mage. “We’ll be back at the end of the day.” He said to Shriek who was already hard at work. Grey and Trixie made their way out of the mask shop and back out onto the street. 

“You seem to have a lot of acquaintances.” Trixie commented.

“Having friends in certain places pays off. Maybe if you were nice more often you’d see what I mean.” Trixie stuck her tongue out at Grey as he made his way into a nearby tailor shop. “Giuseppe? You in here?” There was a shuffling in the back room and a Griffonian man with silver hair and a fabulous mustache above his lip came out. A smile graced his face as he saw the two.

“Ah my friend, how are you today?” Grey gave his hand a hard shake. The griffonian then noticed Trixie.

“This is a friend of mine and she needs a dress by the end of the week.” The tailor gave Trixie a look up and down before nodding in approval.

“A procrastinator?” The tailor chuckled. “Come, let Giuseppe take care of you.” Trixie reluctantly followed the man into the back room and started taking her measurements. “Your suit is in the back.” Grey nodded and fetched his suit and went into the changing room to change into his new suit. 

A few moments passed and Grey stepped out wearing a silver sport jacket, black collared shirt, silver pants with a black leather belt and a white tie. Trixie felt a small blush brush across her cheeks, but blamed it on the temperature in the room.

“You’ve out done yourself this time.” Grey smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror.

“I aim to please.” The tailor said before returning to Trixie. “I’m thinking something blue. Yes, yes, blue will do.” He said to himself as he finished her measurements and retracted the tape. 

“How long will it take?” Trixie inquired.

“You can’t rush art. Give me a day.” With that Grey paid the man and the two departed the tailor’s shop. 

“You did not have to pay for Trixie’s dress.” 

“With what money were you going to pay?” Trixie gritted her teeth and looked down at herself. “Thought so.” A growl then came from the performer’s stomach and Trixie felt her face blush. “Sounds like someone is hungry.” Trixie scrunched her nose and frowned at the man. “Calm down, I know a place not too far from here.”


~~~


Feeling bored, Eris sat up from the couch and pondered at what Widow had told her a few hours ago. To say she was curious about her lover’s past was an understatement. Her feline ears twitched as the door opened to show the purple haired changeling, Rogue. “Hey is there a map of this place I can borrow?”

“Yeah,  think I have one.” Rogue left the room and searched around in a nearby drawer before pulling out a folded map. Rose spread it out on the table and Eris took note that the map seemed to be divided into seven color coded sections. The sections were colored; gold, blue, green, orange, pink, purple and white. White seemed to be in the center of the city with the other sections around it.

“What’s with the coloring?”

“This marks which council member controls each section.” Rogue pointed out. 

“I met Lily, Swift and Widow.” She put extra venom when she mentioned the last name.

“Swift is green, Lily is pink and Widow is orange.” The three colors appeared to be in line with one another on the map. “They’re the more tame council members.”

“And the others?”

“Amber is in charge of the gold section and has the biggest fighting force. Cerulean leads the blues and has the biggest trade routes. Finally there’s Shriek, he runs the purple district that has a lot of thieves that work for him. Everyone is always in a land grab with one another or fighting over something.” She sighed.

“What about this one?” Eris pointed to the white section that was in the middle of the other six sections.

“No one lives there.”

“Why don’t one of them just take this place if no one’s using it?”

“Because no one goes in or out of there. They say it’s cursed.” Eris looked closer at the map. 

“A whole district of the city was walled off because of some ghost story?” She said in a flippant tone. “Here I thought things had changed in the last thousand years.” Rogue narrowed her eyes at Eris.

“A lot of people were killed there during the war and whenever someone went in there to investigate, they kept hearing voices screaming at them to leave.” She huffed. “Not to mention it brings back nothing but bad memories from that time. Memories a lot of people just want to forget.” The changeling left Eris alone as she walked back upstairs. 

Eris turned back to the map and examined it closely. The section wasn’t bigger or even as big as the other districts, but something caught her eye. A few blocks away from the edge of the district there was a building marked that stuck out from the rest: Rosewood Elementary. Eris packed up the map and threw on her coat as she made her way out of the small house and towards the abandoned section of the city. 
> Chapter 26: Dust and Echoes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 26 

Dust and Echoes


Grey and Trixie entered a small tavern that had several people eating, drinking and conversing with one another. The two young mages grabbed a seat and Grey ordered a tall drink. Trixie looked around at the different faces occupying the small tavern. “I’m surprised an old fashioned place like this still exists.” Trixie said as she sipped her drink. 

“This city is older than most folk think.” He said with a smile. “This city, this part of Canterlot anyway, was the first piece to be built. Then they expanded into what is now what everyone knows is Canterlot. Even built their own castle here too.” Trixie raised an eyebrow at the words. She hadn’t seen anything that looked like a castle.

“Where?” Grey paused for a moment.

“It’s in an old section of the city. Long abandoned for years since the last king who lived in it.”

“This place had a king?” Grey sipped his drink once again. 

“That was the old way of doing things, now we have the council members.”

“Was one of them the old king?” Grey gave her a hard look. His eyes sharp as knives. The performer shuddered slightly as their food arrived.

“No, he’s dead.” His tone was cold like ice. “He went completely mad with power and started a war.”

“A war?” Trixie looked at him in surprise. “I never heard of such a thing happening.”

“That’s because Celestia and the other Princesses didn’t get involved. They deemed it as civil unrest.” He said dryly. “Lasted for a little over two years.” Trixie bit her lip as she prepared her next question.

“Did you fight in it?” Grey was silent for a long span as he chose his next words carefully.

“I did what I could.” He said in a stagnant tone. There was a small shimmer of guilt in the man’s eyes as the words came out. Trixie drank from her glass and wondered if she hit a sore spot. The rest of the meal was spent in silence. 

The two left the tavern after finishing their meal, they went back out into the city and returned to the mask emporium to retrieved their masks for the gala. Trixie’s mask was light blue with decorative white swirls around the eye holes and a dazzling star was connected to the top right corner of the mask. Grey’s mask was white with black trim. Both edges of the mask were cut in a jagged shape making it look like feathers set a flame. The mask came down to the tip of his nose and was made to look like a bird’s beak. There was also a red faux teardrop in the center of the mask’s forehead.

Grey paid the mask maker and the two mages left the shop in somewhat good spirits. “Mind if I ask something?” Grey said as he looked at Trixie who gave a nod. “Why train with me? I’m sure Princess Luna would’ve been more than happy to instruct you. You are her personal protege after all.” Trixie rolled her eyes at the question.

“Unfortunately she had royal duties to attend to, preparations for the gala and all that.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “However, Trixie did hear something a few royal guards were saying.” Grey quirked an eyebrow up. “Apparently, the guard has captured a dangerous person and Princess Luna is interrogating them.”

“Interrogated by Luna?” Grey shuddered at the thought of being at the lunar princess’ mercy. Everyone knew that The Princess was quite old school when it came to most things. The man feared what kind of tactics she might use on whoever was in her custody. As they walked through the streets Grey felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around ready to defend himself. 

He relaxed slightly as he saw a familiar red haired changeling. “Dusk, what did I tell you about sneaking up on me like that?” He huffed.

“Sorry, but that friend of yours left a while ago.” He said as he scratched his head. “The chick with the white hair and crazy red eyes.” Grey sighed deeply as he thought of Eris going off on her own. He rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking back up at the man.

“How long ago did she leave?” 

“An hour, maybe two?” Grey sighed and asked Dusk to take his and Trixie’s masks home while he went and looked for her. Trixie butted in and demanded to help Grey look for Eris as she did not fully trust the red haired newcomer. He didn’t want to argue and agreed to have her help.

“How are we even supposed to find her?” Grey smiled and pulled out a small green jewel the size her fist. He channeled his magic and an arrow appeared on the surface that pointed ahead of them. “What is that?”

“It’s a dowsing stone. Think of it as a compass that points to whoever’s magic signature I have it set to. I figured Eris would eventually run off on her own, so I made a way to find her. ” The two walked all over the city following the gem. The sun started to set after a few hours of searching up and down for the white haired woman. Grey stopped when the gem started to blink a bright yellow color.

“Looks like we’re getting close.” He looked up from the gem and he felt his blood run cold. He looked ahead and saw a set of barricades lined up to separate the two districts in the city.

“Are you okay?” Trixie asked as she looked at the man.

“Yeah,” He said with a nervous gulp and swallowed his nervousness. “Let’s just find Eris quickly and get out.” Grey said as he and Trixie crossed the threshold.


~~~


Eris had been following the map for the better part of four hours. She could feel an odd chill in the air ever since she passed the barricades. The whole section felt dead. The streets were coated in snow and the only sound she could make out was the wind blowing through broken windows and door frames. She pulled her coat tighter to her body and she looked down at the map and made her way to the streets.

She came to a small clearing from the abandoned buildings and saw an abandoned concrete building that looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. She walked along the cobblestone path that lead up to the entrance. She passed a broken down sign that read ‘Rosewood Elementary.’ A small shiver worked it’s way up her spine as she went inside. She snapped her fingers and a small ball of light hovered a few feet in front of her.

Much of the building was in disrepair, and the white walls were charred black halfway up the walls. She searched the rooms but only found broken desks and a few chairs. Eris was about to give up when she came across a set of double doors that had been chained shut. Her curiosity spiked a little and she easily broke the chains with a quick chop from her hand. The chains landed in a pile and the doors sagged inward.

Eris pushed open the doors and stepped inside to see a large hole in the roof that let in the white light of the full moon. There wasn’t much left but she could clearly see the deep grooves in the floor that made up some sort of spell circle. She crouched and rubbed her hand against the blackened ground, but her hand came back just as dark. She rubbed her blackened fingers together and recognized the substance.

“Soot?” She said as she cleaned her fingers. She looked along the walls and saw that the scorch marks had shapes to them. They looked human.

“Eris!” A familiar voice rang out. She turned around and saw Grey marching up to him. His silver eyes were darker and rage was clearly present on his face. “What the hell are you doing here?” As the man walked towards her the spell circle on the ground started to glow as he got closer. It eventually burned a brilliant light as he crossed the outer edge of the circle.

Grey froze as if someone had just pressed ice into his spine. He clamped his hands over his ears and he fell to his knees before he started shaking in pain. 

“Grey!” Eris said as she and Trixie hurried over to him. He clutched his head as he curled up. He felt like someone was cracking his head open with a mallet. “What’s wrong?” Trixie let out a gasp as she pointed to the wall. 

Eris followed her finger and saw that something was coming out one of the shadows on the wall. It was small, no taller than a child and it looked at them with bright white eyes. Soon, more of the things came out of the walls. They were all of similar height except for a few of them who were more adult sized. They all looked at them with their heads cocked to the side.

Grey was still writhing in pain that had now turned to a burning sensation. Eris looked at her lover and saw a magic circle burning on his forehead. 

“Just get me out of here.” Grey said as he fought to stay conscious. Eris quickly picked him up piggy back style and rushed out of the room with Trixie hot on her tail. As they ran, more of the things seeped from the walls like sap from a tree in the Spring. As they got outside Trixie looked back and saw the creatures looking at them and they wouldn’t cross the school’s doors.

“He’s burning up.” Eris said as she put her hand against his forehead. The mark was still there, but it wasn’t glowing as brightly as it was.

“Let’s get out of here.” Trixie said. Eris nodded and followed Trixie through the streets. As they walked, they noticed that more of the things started coming out of houses and out of the concrete. “What the hell are these things?”

“No clue, and I don’t want to find out.” Eris said as they broke into a run. More of the things came out into the street, but they halted when they saw close to a dozen of them blocking the way. She gulped as they started shuffling towards the three. “Not good!” Trixie pulled her wand out and got ready to defend herself. She shot off a few spells at the creatures, but the magic bolt’s just passed through them as if they were just air.

“Over here!” A voice called out to them. Eris looked around to see a cloaked figure gesturing them to follow. “Hurry!” Seeing no better option, Eris ran with the man on her back as Trixie followed. The ran down several alleys all the while trying to avoid the pursuers that seemed to be staying at a shuffling speed. The cloaked figure lead them to where three alleys met and ended at a high wall.

“Dead end!” Trixie turned to see a horde of the creatures making their way down the alley way. She heard the sound of metal against stone and looked back to see the stranger moving aside a portion of the wall to reveal another passageway. 

“In here!” They followed them before the door slid shut. 

“Won’t those things just phase through the wall?” the stranger shook their hooded head.

“No, there are wards in here to keep them out.” The stranger pulled back their hood to reveal that they were a young woman. The white streaks in her wavy golden hair sparkled in the light of Eris’s magic orb. She kept walking down the tunnel. 

“What is this place?” Trixie asked.

“Think of it as an escape tunnel for VIP’s.” The woman said as she came to a door. She knocked in a sequence of four and the door swung open. As they stepped up, Eris saw they were in a massive hall that was fit for a noble. The stone pillars and floor were scorched black as if a fire had broken out. “This was where the boss of this city lived.” The woman stated. 

“Grey told me there was a king here once.” Trixie said. Eris laid the man down on the cool floor and put a hand to his forehead. The shining mark was faded, but it was still present and  he still had a high fever. Trixie looked around the hall and saw what appeared to be a large throne in an elevated part of the hall. 

The throne was colored black with veins of red stone running throughout. However, running down the middle of the chair was a large cut. Like someone had melted a large hole through the center of the chair. Trixie looked up and saw something carved into the stone wall behind the ruined chair. She could not make it out in the darkness, so she summoned an orb of light to illuminate the wall. 

The letters were carved into the wall the same way the chair was cut. There were only two words written. 

No more!

“No more?” Trixie repeated. She turned her head towards Grey who groaned. Eris gently put a hand on his head as something caught Trixie’s eye. Something shined in the light of her orb. She approached the dark throne and saw a silver handle of a sword without a blade. The handle was nothing special, it was just a simple leather wrapped handle, but the cross guard looked like a pair of wings and where the blade met the hilt was styled in the shape of a bird’s beak. Trixie took the odd item and put it in her coat’s pocket.

“We should get moving.” The stranger stated. The girls nodded and each girl put one of Grey’s arms over their shoulders and followed the cloaked figure through the halls of the abandoned castle.

“Why is this place such a dump?” Eris asked.

“No one has lived in here for years.” The stranger stated. “It frightens them.” She said as they reached a pair of large double doors made of hardened wood and braced with bands of steel. The stranger grabbed one of the large handles and pulled one of the large handles. 

The door creaked open and Eris felt her heart jump into her throat. On the border of the large palace were dozens upon dozens of the shimmering creatures.

“Oh shit.” She said as she looked to see that the stranger had vanished and a familiar owl swopped down and landed in front of the group. The man then shifted to his human form and he glared at the three with his one eye.

“What in the name of Celestia’s tits are you doing out here?” He looked back to the shuffling specters. Owl took in a deep breath and slammed the end of his cane onto the ground and a large dome came around them. He took Grey from Eris and tapped his cane three times, before there was a bright flash of light and Eris saw they were in front of the orphanage. “Let’s get him inside.”

Owl and Eris put a hand under Grey’s arms and helped him up the steps as Trixie got the door. In their rummaging, they woke up Willow who came out in a robe and a long pointed staff in her hands. She dropped the weapon as Owl brought Grey up the stairs and put him in his bed. She turned her attention to Owl and the two girls.

“What happened?” Her dark brown eyes were filled with anger. Owl turned his attention to the two girls.

“Grey and Trixie were going after her.” Eris shot Trixie a dark glare. Willow crossed her arms under her chest and narrowed her eyes.

“Grey told me about what happened there when he was a kid.” Willow took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I was curious.” Owl cuffed the side of her head making her hiss.

“Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, ‘curiosity killed the cat?’”

“Cats have nine lives.” She said as a pair of feline ears poked out of her head. Owl narrowed his eye.

“Don’t sass me brat.” His eye flashed and her body transformed the rest of the way into a white house cat. The girl hissed before she changed herself back to normal.

“You morphed me into a cat!” She yelled.

“Would a flea be better?” Eris closed her mouth. Owl pinched the bride of his nose and glared at the young girls. “There are things that exist in this world that are more powerful and unpredictable than you two can imagine.”

“You mean those glowing things?” Trixie asked.

“Exactly!” He stated. Owl walked over to Grey and put a finger against his forehead. The man’s fingers glowed and the mark on Grey’s head vanished. “Problem solved. I wiped Grey’s mind of this little misadventure.”

“Why would you do that?” Trixie asked.

“Because it’s what’s best. Now, you can either keep your mouths shut about it, or I’ll do the same thing to you two.” Both girls gulped and gave their word they wouldn’t mention it to Grey. “Good, Grey should be fine in the morning.” He said before he left the room. Willow gave them another pointed look before she stormed out. Eris stuck her tongue out at them after the door had closed.

“What were those things?” Eris shrugged at the performer’s question.

“How should I know?” She looked down at Grey and sighed. “I’m going to bed.” She paid no mind to Trixie as she started to undress herself. Trixie quickly left the room and headed downstairs towards the door, but stopped when she heard raised voices coming from the kitchen.

“I don’t care Owl! You’re supposed to be keeping him safe!” Willow said in an anger filled voice.

“I know that, but I can’t watch him every second of the day. Besides it’s only prolonging the inevitable.” He said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Sooner or later that seal will wear off and we both know what happens after that.” Trixie couldn’t see their faces but she could feel the tenseness in the air.

“You brought him into your fight!” She huffed. “If something happens to him, then no god will be able to keep you safe from me!” Trixie peered her head around the corner and saw that Willow was shaking and her eyes were filled with as much tears as rage. Owl nodded and walked towards the window and opened it.

“He get’s his stubbornness from his mother.” He said before he morphed into a bird and flew off. Willow slammed the windows shut and calmed herself. She quickly turned and saw Trixie staring. The woman was too tired to give a proper lecture on eavesdropping.

“You’re free to spend the night.” She said as she walked past Trixie. “It’s not safe on the streets.” Trixie thanked her and found a room for her to lie down in. Back in Grey’s room, Eris put her hand on her lover’s head and felt that his fever had dropped. 

An idea crossed her mind, a very bad idea. She pressed her forehead against his and focused as she closed her eyes. Her body went limp and she faded into darkness. 


~~~


She opened her eyes agains and saw she was in a replica of the city. The streets were vacant, but she couldn’t fight the feeling like she was being watched by someone, or something.

“Figures it’d be this place.” She dusted herself off and continued to walk through the empty streets that made up Grey’s mind.  She heard the sound of something soaring towards her and she whirled around just in time to dodge a sword that would have gone right through her heart.

She scrambled to her feet and looked around, but saw no one. Another sword soared at her, and another, and another each missing her by no more than an inch. As she ran more swords came down behind her. The flying blades were right on her heels, but as she ran past a corner something reached out and grabbed her.

Eris felt her back hit the wall and a hand gripped over her mouth. She looked ahead to see a pair of angry sparkling silver eyes. The figure placed a finger their lips. The swords had stopped falling. After several long minutes, the figure pulled their hand back.

“That was too close.” Eris quickly got in a defensive stance. “Oh please, you have no power in here. Neither of us do.” A woman in slimming golden armored chest plate that matched her golden arm and leg bracers stood before Eris with a long sharpened spear in her right hand, a sword handle with no blade was secured on her belt and a round shield on her back. 

The figure’s dark red locks of hair were held back by a golden headdress that wrapped around her head and matched the rest of her outfit. She looked Eris up and down and something seemed to click in her mind. “Ah, you’re Grey’s squeeze right?”

“Who the hell are you?” Eris asked.

“Nike Titania, I’m Grey’s wand partner.” She said as she crossed her arms under her chest. “What the hell are you doing here and how did you even get in?” Eris shrugged.

“My dad taught me how to get inside people’s heads, literally.” She peered out of the alley way. “What the hell were those things?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Nike stated. “apparently Grey has some spell to seek out foreign entities in his brain and kick them out.” She said as she cracked her neck. “I don't know what the hell happened out there, but things have been getting crazy in here.” As Eris opened her mouth she heard the sound of a what sounded like a battering ram hitting a large piece of iron.

The bangs stopped after the fourth hit, but picked up again after a few minutes of silence. “Then there’s that.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing good.” Nike said as she lead Eris through the streets of Grey’s mind, all the while avoiding the roaming swords. They soon came outside of the city to see a wall in massive scale. There were two massive doors made of metal that shook with each time the sound emanated from them.

“What the hell is this thing?”

“I have no idea, but this is the first time I’ve seen it do that.” Another rhythm of four crashed against the metal. “I think it’s some sort of barrier.” 

“No shit.” Eris said in a flat tone. “but why is something like this keeping us out?” Nike just raised an eyebrow at her.

“Are you really that thick?” Eris glared at her. “This thing isn’t designed to keep people out. It’s keeping something in.” Eris was about to protest when she felt a stabbing sensation coming from her chest. She looked down to see three ethereal blades coming from her stomach. Eris looked down at her hand and saw it fading. “Bye-bye.” Nike said with a wave.

“Bitch.” Eris said before she was exited from Grey’s mind.