//------------------------------// // Taking Up Arms // Story: Leap of Faith // by A bag of plums //------------------------------// Sunset Shimmer’s eyes fluttered open, noticing the dirty beige ceiling above her head. The girl groaned as she rose to a sitting position, rubbing at her head. “What time is it…?” she mumbled to herself, looking around her room. “Eight AM, Sunset,” Morning Blade said. She was seated on the floor, next to the door. “You slept well,” she ended with a yawn. “What are you doing here?” Sunset patted at her hair. “Shouldn’t you be out in the living room with Keila?” “I was going to see if you wanted breakfast, but I didn’t want to wake you,” Morning Blade rubbed at her eyes. By the looks of it, she was the one that needed sleep; she had dark circles under her eyes and seemed to be swaying on  the spot. “Morning, did you even sleep last night?” Sunset asked. “Hmm? Well… not exactly…” the Assassin scratched at her white hair. Sunset shifted her feet off the bed and stretched her arms and back. “I know you’re protecting me and everything, but you still need to sleep. It’s important.” Morning Blade got up and dusted her brown coat. “We’re Assassins. Sleep isn’t something high on our list.” “It’s still important,” Sunset countered. “How can you protect me if you’re about to collapse from exhaustion?” “Don’t you worry,” Morning placed a hand against the wall to steady herself. “I can still catch a fly with my hidden blade, no problem.” At that moment, Keila popped her head around the door, a breakfast roll in her mouth. “Sunset’s right, you know. After a good night’s sleep, I feel so much better.” “What if the Templars decide to attack at night?” Morning Blade retorted. “What then?” Keila rolled her eye. “Morning, the door is made of solid reinforced steel. If the Templars show up, we’ll know. Besides, our acting Mentor assured us that they won’t show up, remember? If anything happens, it’s all on him.” Morning Blade looked unconvinced, but then she yawned widely. “Well, maybe a couple of hours of sleep couldn’t hurt…” she said quietly. “But that means Keila’s your bodyguard now. At least until I wake up.” “No problem,” Keila said brightly. “Do watch out for her, Keila,” Morning headed out the door. “She’s… pretty fun to talk to.” “So…” Sunset looked around the room after it got quiet. “What are we going to do?” “That depends entirely on you, Sunset Shimmer. I’m fine with whatever you deem worth doing.” “Well, uh…” Sunset scratched her head and thought. “I’ve been kind of wanting to go back to my apartment. You know, get some fresh changes of clothes? Can we do that?” Keila stepped aside and gestured with her hand. “Lead the way, Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset waved to Morning Blade as she headed back to her room, her feet close to shuffling themselves, encountering Frigid Night at the living room table. Sunset had never seen him sleep, but he looked like he didn’t even need to, and that made him less human than the girl already thought he was. “Any word on Velvet and Dewdrop?” Sunset found herself asking the yellow-skinned Assassin. “When are they coming back? You said it was a quick one.” “They did it,” Frigid said without facing her. “They’ve taken care of the target. The Templars have lost their hold on the media.” “Good,” Keila placed a hand on Frigid’s shoulder, and by the looks of it, she was putting a decent amount of pressure on it. “Now call them back. I don’t care what you say. You are not sending them on another mission.” “I told Dewdrop she could come back,” Frigid shrugged. “But she wants to go after Wolfgang, seeing as he was spotted in Manehattan not too long ago.” “You told her, didn’t you?” Keila raised her voice and squeezed harder on the acting Mentor’s shoulder. “You knew she would want to go after him. Call them back now, Frigid. Do it.” “I told you, Keila, I tried,” the male Assassin shrugged out of Keila’s grip and stood up. “I told her to come back, but she insisted she take down Wolfgang first. If you have any beef, you take it up with Dewdrop. I’m simply doing as she requested now.” Keila gritted her teeth and pushed past him, walking for the main door. “You’re full of it, you know that? Come on, Sunset Shimmer, let’s go.” Sunset gave Frigid one last look, before following after Keila. Sometimes she really wondered what was going on in that man’s head for him to do what he did. “Really, you know?” Keila said after she locked the door behind them. “Frigid is just the worst. I tried to be nice, back when we first met, but he just refuses to open up or trust us.” “Morning Blade said to give him time,” Sunset pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. “She thinks there’s still good in him.” “Yeah right,” Keila shook her head. “If there was any good left, it went out the window when he sent Velvet to your school. He’s a coward, Sunset Shimmer.” “No offense, but Frigid wouldn’t exactly blend in well as a student.” “There are other ways to get things done. It’s because he was afraid, Sunset Shimmer. He was afraid he’d run into Mirror Match.” Sunset heard the stories. “But why? Doesn’t he have history with her? Like, that kind of history with her?” “He’s afraid that he can’t do what is needed, and believe me, he can’t.” Keila picked up her speed, forcing Sunset to move faster. “He needs to stop chasing her and do the right thing.” Sunset Shimmer watched the Saddle Arabian Assassin as she walked beside her, her brown coat flapping in the wind behind her shoulders. Not too long into their walk, Sunset felt she needed to address the problem. “Umm… Keila? I know you’re used to wearing your coat only on your shoulders, but… don’t you think it’s a bit… suspicious to walk around with all your bandages showing?” “Nah, not really.” “But aren’t you cold?” Sunset asked, looking at Keila’s bare arms and abdomen, and back to her own scarf and leggings. “I don’t feel the cold,” Keila explained. “Haven’t been able to since my fight with Sombra back in Masyaf.” “Is that because of the explosion?” Sunset watched the Assassin stride alongside her. “The one in Saddle Arabia a few years ago?” “Remember how I told you I was the only survivor from Masyaf?” Sunset nodded. “Well, after the explosion I went back to look for anyone else who might have made it, and I ran into Sombra. He… kicked my ass, pretty much. Blasted me with the Apple. Since then, I’ve been unable to feel things like cold, or heat, or even some kinds of pain.” “So that’s why…” Sunset folded her arms. “But feeling is one thing. Doesn’t it still affect you the same way it affects us? What if you get hypothermia? Or heat exhaustion? You can still get those, right?” Keila shrugged. “I dunno. Never really cared to find out. Well, enough about my life, Sunset Shimmer. It hasn’t exactly been all rainbows and sunshine. Tell me about yours. I heard you were a magical demon once.” As they walked along the streets of Canterlot, Sunset explained to Keila all about her travel from Equestria to the human world when she had first left Princess Celestia. She already knew what to say, seeing as this was the third time she was explaining everything within the month. They had only just passed Sugar Cube Corner when Sunset ended with the defeat of the sirens and her acceptance by the student body. Unsurprisingly, Keila wasn’t shocked or even a little bit impressed with her tales of magic and creatures. “Well, I’m glad you’re on our side now, then,” she said as she moved out of the way of a fairly large man wearing a black coat. He didn’t seem bothered by her lack of winter wear. “Imagine if you were to ally yourself with Sombra. Now that would be something to fear.” “Yeah…” Sunset remembered Sombra tearing apart the crystal ponies and wiping out the majority of the Assassins back at the Trottingham bureau. She didn’t want to have any part in that. “I’m glad I found the magic of friendship before he found me.” In order for Sunset to get home, she had to make a trip past Canterlot High School. It was on the pavement on the other side of the street did Sunset notice there was something new at the front of her school. Standing next to the pavement were several construction workers, each of them crowded around a truck. A small crane had been set up on the side, and it was currently in the process of lifting a tall spire of black crystal that was at least three meters tall. Two other similar spires decorated the lawn around the Wondercolts statue. As Sunset and Keila watched, the crane lowered the spire onto the grass, where it settled into a pre-dug hole, standing at attention and pointing skyward. “Black crystal…” Sunset immediately recognized the dark colored obelisks. “This must be Sombra’s work, but…” “This must be the auditorium Frigid mentioned in the reports,” Keila narrowed her eyes at the construction project. A group of workers lugged a cart of metal plates over to one of the spires. “They’re building it here, right at the front lawn of your school. What are they up to?” “We should go around,” Sunset pulled on Keila’s coat sleeve. “They might recognize you.” Keila pulled her coat out of the girl’s grip. “I want to know what they’re up to.” The Assassin stalked up to the construction site, only to be stopped by a portly man in a fluorescent jacket and a yellow hard hat. “Sorry miss, no entry past this point. We’re still working here, and it’s dangerous.” He didn’t seem to be bothered by her bandages. Keila looked like she was about to brush past the man, but Sunset grabbed hold of the Assassin’s hand, holding her back. “We can’t do that, Keila,” Sunset hissed, pulling the Saddle Arabian back to the border of CHS’ lawn. “You’ll get in trouble.” “But what are they building here?” Keila turned her head back to the construction site, where some plates were now being arranged against one of the black spires. “What is this auditorium for?” “Sunset Shimmer?” Sunset and Keila turned to see Vice Principal Luna approaching them from the main building. Besides her usual attire, she had on a blue scarf and a purple jacket going down to her knees. “Vice Principal Luna?” the fiery haired girl raised both eyebrows in surprise. “What are you doing here?” “Why, I’m overseeing the construction,” she pointed a finger at the spires. “Someone has to make sure they don’t damage anything. So, who’s this? A friend?” Sunset looked and Keila and smiled. “Umm… Yeah, she’s a friend. She’s from… out of town.” Luna eyed the Assassin from head to toe and nodded. “I can tell, no offense, of course.” Sunset decided to quickly change the subject, in case her vice principal decided to ask about the bandages. “So, Vice Principal Luna, what is this that they’re building here?” “Oh, this? It’s a new auditorium, Sunset. A gift from the Board of Education.” “An auditorium? Out in the front lawn?” “They insisted our Wondercolt statue be the centerpiece of this new building. The… prize of the auditorium.” “Prize?” Sunset wasn’t buying that reason. Did Sombra know of the portal to Equestria? “But on the front lawn?” “I don’t know, Sunset,” Luna shrugged and folded her arms. “That’s all the Board informed me. I know it’s strange to have it block the school building, but it’ll be a new place for us to host events and such.” “You should ask about it,” Keila finally spoke. “Don’t you find this any bit suspicious?” The vice principal tilted her head. “Suspicious? Why on earth would I think that?” Sunset quickly intervened, pushing Keila back towards the streets. “Well, it’s nice to see you, Vice Principal Luna, but we’ve got to go. I still need to grab some stuff.” “Well, take care, Sunset Shimmer,” Luna smiled and waved as Sunset pulled Keila along. “Enjoy the break!” “Why did you pull me away?” Keila asked once they were out of earshot. “We still don’t know what they intend to use it for.” “I can hazard a guess,” Sunset looked back one more time to the school’s statue. “I think I understand Sombra’s plan. We need to get to my place. I need to warn the princess.” Vice Principal Luna looked down at her phone, pressing the send button as she watched the bar fill up. On her screen was a picture of Sunset Shimmer and her bandaged friend, walking away from the site. Tapping on the text box, the vice principal began a new message. Sighting of Sunset Shimmer as you have requested, Chairman Wood. I’ve done as you’ve asked. I hope you remember your promise. She sighed and kept her phone in her jacket, looking up to the sky as the sun shone its rays down around her. She felt guilty for ratting out a student’s information like that, but she had no choice. Celestia remained adamant about giving the Board the information they want, but Luna didn’t want to sit back and watch her sister lose her job. She knew Celestia wouldn’t like what she was doing, but Luna knew she was doing it all for her. CHS was their home and if they wanted to stay, one of them was going to have to do as the Board of Education requested, and Luna was that person. I’m sorry, Sunset, but this is for my sister. I hope you understand. As soon as they arrived at her apartment, Sunset Shimmer wasted no time in grabbing the extra clothes she needed, before unzipping her bag and retrieving her book. The floor was a little dirty, seeing as she hadn’t been home in a few days, but otherwise, everything was as she had left it. “So what do the Templars want?” Keila leaned back against the wall and folded her arms. “You seem to be in a hurry to let your friend know, so I guessed it must be important.” “That statue in the middle, Keila?” Sunset said as she flipped the book open to a blank page. “That’s the way to Equestria, my world.” Keila stayed silent for a few seconds as Sunset put her pen to her paper, starting her message to Twilight Sparkle. It was only when Sunset had written her fifth sentence did Keila speak again. “So what do you think he wants?” “I’m afraid that Sombra knows about the portal, and is trying to do something with it, like maybe siphon off more magic from it or something. If that happens, I’m afraid the portal might lose its magic, closing the way between our worlds...” “Siphon? He can do that?” “Maybe,” Sunset nodded her head. “We don’t exactly know what that auditorium is for, but it might just be that.” “You’ve seen what he can do with the Apple,” Keila said. “More magic? Sounds bad.” “That’s what I think,” Sunset continued to scribble in her book. “We won’t know for sure, but I have to let my friend know. Maybe she can do something about it.” “What about us?” Keila pointed out the nearby window, overlooking the streets. “We can go back, smash everything they’ve built up.” “That sounds like a terrible idea,” Sunset said flatly. “Won’t that just draw a big target on Canterlot and have Sombra send in all the Templars to look for us? Besides, if those black crystals are magical, they could explode if we try to break them. Crystals tend to do that when magically charged and put under pressure.” “You’re right, Sunset Shimmer,” Keila blew at her hair. “I hate that. Well, are you finished? We should head back.” “Here’s hoping my friends can do something about Sombra from the other side.” Sunset lifted her pen and reread her work, before closing it and replacing it in her backpack. “I’m ready. We can leave.” “Good,” Keila smiled and walked for the apartment door. “When we get back, I’ve got something planned for you.” “You want to teach me what?” Sunset stared at Keila, her mouth agape. The two had earlier returned to the Canterlot Bureau, situating themselves in the living room, before Keila returned from the armory. “I want to teach you how to defend yourself,” Keila said plainly. “If by some freak chance the Templars manage to track us down and catch us unawares, it would be good if you knew how to fight, just in case we’re unable to do it for you.” “Yeah, but…” Sunset shook her head. “So what, you’re going to teach me some martial arts moves?” “Better than that,” the Assassin smiled and reached behind her back, drawing a thin sword and offering it hilt-first to Sunset. “I’m going to teach you how to wield a blade. Now as there’s no time to teach you the finesse required for a hidden blade, I think that we might be able to make some headway with a sword.” “But I can’t go around carrying… carrying that!” Sunset took a step back. “What would people think?” “I’m not asking you to go around carrying it, but in the case that the bureau is attacked, I think it would be wise to know your way around a blade.” Keila’s expression softened. “I’m not asking you to kill anyone. That’s our job. But you should at least learn how to look the part; it might give any attackers pause enough for us to get to you.” “Well…” Sunset didn’t see anything wrong with that. Maybe it was a good idea to at least learn how to handle one. She accepted the sword from the Assassin and held it firmly in her hands. “Okay, I guess I’ll give it a try, but I’m sure it takes years to learn how to use one. What are you going to be able to teach me in a day?” “Well, for starters, we can work on your stance. Looking ready to attack is the first stage of actually attacking. Put your feet apart like so, and raise the sword in front of you.” Keila demonstrated the correct form, which Sunset did her best to copy. “Blade higher up, and not so much of a hunch… and there! You look ready to fight.” Sunset looked at herself and then back at the Saddle Arabian Assassin. “I’m sure anyone can be ready to fight.” “Sure. That’s why I’m teaching you.” Keila turned her body to face Sunset, lifting her blade high. “Now, let’s move on to protecting yourself from another’s blade. I’m going to teach you a disarming maneuver. You see, when an opponent comes at you like so…” Keila swung her sword in slow motion at Sunset. “You catch it with your own sword and rotate it so that your opponent is forced to drop their weapon.” She then demonstrated the move. “Now we’ll practice. I’m going to come at you-” And that was as far as Keila got before Sunset’s blade darted out and twisted the sword from the Assassin’s hands, sending it clattering against the wall, before it fell to the ground. Even Frigid Night looked over and pulled his hood back in surprise. “How did you…” Keila looked down at Sunset’s hand, which still held the sword. “How did you do that so quickly?” Sunset looked equally perplexed. “I-I don’t know. It just felt like the right thing to do,” She looked up at Keila’s face. “Beginner’s luck?” “Hmm…” Keila moved over to pick up her sword and readied herself again. “Let’s try it again.” Sunset swallowed and got her stance ready again. She was aware the acting Mentor was now watching them, his eyes away from the computer screen. Keila swung her sword again, this time a little faster than the first, aiming it for Sunset’s head. Without thinking, Sunset raised her own sword to block, then twirled on the spot to knock the Assassin’s blade wide before bringing her own sword up to Keila’s neck. “Okay, that’s definitely not beginner’s luck.” The female Assassin raised both hands and grinned at her. “Are you sure you haven’t done this before?” “I-I don’t believe I have…” Sunset lowered her arm and inspected the sword. “What’s going on, Keila? How can I do all this?” “I don’t know…” Keila put her hand to her chin and looked down. “You don’t think the Mentor’s sword did something to you back at the Trottingham bureau, do you?” “I don’t know. She never taught me how to fight, unless…” Sunset recalled the dream she had last night. “I dreamt of the First Assassin again last night. Do you-do you think it might be something to do with it? She was using a sword and I swear she looked right at me before I woke up.” “Special dreams, hmm?” Keila continued to ponder. “Hey, all this magic and stuff is new to me, so it is a possibility.” “I don’t know,” Sunset admitted. Did the dream really give her the skills to swordfight? “I want to see this for myself.” The fiery haired girl turned her head as Frigid Night got up and walked over, standing across from Keila. “Come on, Sunset Shimmer. My turn to test your skills.” “Back off, Frigid,” Keila took a step towards him. “I’m training her. Don’t you have work to do?” “Does it matter who she learns from?” Frigid stared at her. “I just want to see what she’s capable of. If this dreaming thing is all real, she should have no trouble defending herself against me, correct?” “M-Maybe I should stop,” Sunset stepped back towards the way, further from the acting Mentor. “Just one round,” Frigid said as he unsheathed both hidden blades. “I’ll try not to kill you.” “Frigid, stop,” Keila stepped forward and raised a hand between the two of them. “You’re not going to hurt her.” “Yeah, I won’t be. Step aside, Keila.” Without waiting any longer, the grey haired Assassin ran forward, pushing past Keila and thrusting a blade at Sunset’s head. “Frigid, no!” Keila reached out. Sunset acted before the Saddle Arabian could pull Frigid away, raising her sword and redirecting the hidden blade strike away from her head in a plume of sparks. She blocked a second stab before following through on the motion, sweeping the sword at Frigid’s midsection. The acting Mentor leapt away to avoid it, but Sunset pressed the attack, raining down heavy, measured blows on the Assassin. Despite their difference in height, Sunset seemed to hold the advantage, seemingly able to defend against all Frigid’s attacks. How am I doing any of this? Sunset asked herself with much disbelief. Then Frigid did something Sunset did not expect. With a flick of his wrist, the single hidden blade on his left hand split into a trident formation and caught Sunset’s sword in between them. The acting Mentor then thrust at Sunset’s chest with his right-hand blade. But Sunset would not be so easily outdone. She kicked Frigid away before lining up for the big thrust, the Assassin temporarily off his balance. Stabbing forward, Frigid was barely able to twist aside as Sunset ran the blade through his coat. She laughed, the exhilaration of it overwhelming her. No longer was she a helpless human to be looked after. Now she could fight, and protect those she cared about. Flicking the sword to the side, she parried one more hidden blade before ducking under another incoming stab. Sunset was about to spin another attack in when Keila stepped between both of them, pushing them back. “Okay, that’s enough. Frigid, I believe you’ve seen enough for yourself.” “I have.” The male Assassin sheathed his blades and straightened his coat, looking at the new hole in the side. “You did well, kid.” Then he went back to the table and got back to work on his computer. Sunset panted and breathed, still trying to believe everything she just did. She looked at the sword in her hands once more, before handing it to Keila. “You did really well, Sunset Shimmer,” the black and white haired Assassin accepted the weapon. “Whatever it was that happened to you, I’m glad it did. For once, I get to see Frigid put in his place.” “I heard that,” the acting Mentor grumbled. Keila ignored him. “I thought I was going to train you to defend yourself, but look at yourself. You don’t need any training.” “But… How could all this happen? From one dream?” Sunset pushed her hair out of her face. “What is this dream?” “Maybe it’s not a dream,” Keila threw out as she sat on a couch. “Maybe it’s more than that. Perhaps a gift from the First Assassin herself.” “Whatever it is, I’m glad it happened,” Sunset smiled and clenched a fist. “I can now protect my friends and I owe it all to Mentor Steel Shine. Perhaps if she didn’t let me touch that sword of hers, none of this would happen. I’m sure of it, Keila. That sword is more than a weapon. It held her essence. Emerald Edge’s essence.” “That’s a lot you’re guessing, Sunset Shimmer.” “Yes, but the more I say it, the more reasonable it’s all starting to sound. Touching the sword must’ve given me these dreams. Emerald Edge wants to show me something. It’s my job to figure out what.” “You’re an interesting girl, Sunset Shimmer, I’ll give you that,” Keila wore an impressed face. “Well, training’s done. What would you like to do now?” Sunset was going to answer, but her stomach answered for her first, giving off a low growl. “How about lunch?”