//------------------------------// // The Court of Midnight Castle // Story: My Little Mages: The Lost Student // by Foxhelm //------------------------------// A woman that appeared to be in her mid to mid-fifties with grayish fuchsia eyes and hair of five different shades of purple. She wore a pair of half-moon reading glass that rested on the bridge of her nose, three pearl earrings in addition to a woman’s business dress suit looked out a window in the castle. This was Baroness Abacus Cinch, the current Lady of Midnight Castle and ruler of the realm. Next to her was a small table with a teacup on a saucer. Also in the room was a much younger woman in her twenties, she wore what was expected of a young secretary, also with glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose, but were more akin to glasses worn by women her age. The younger woman also had azure eyes with cerulean hair with very green like arctic blue streaks did in two low ponytails. On her blouse was a blue-and-green juniper leaf on a pocket on the left side of her chest. Baroness Cinch finally spoke, “Miss Montage,” the Baroness addressed her much younger secretary. “Yes, Baroness,” Miss Montage, given name Juniper, answered as she took a pen and notepad and prepared to take notes. “We should be expecting my daughter and her associates soon,”  Cinch said as she picked up the saucer with her left hand and then took the teacup with her right hand and drank some of it. “While this arrangement she has with this Lady Shimmer is… questionable, I must concede putting a potential rival of hers in her debt now that she doesn’t have power was clever.” “Not to sound out of place, Baroness, but I do have concerns about you allowing her to engage in what can be viewed as treason.” Cinch only gave Juniper a slight scowl, which caused the younger girl to take a couple steps back, “But you are prepared nonetheless.” Juniper gulped as Cinch returned to look out the window. A second later the door to the room opened as a man in his thirties stepped in, “Milady, your daughter has…” “Send her and her associates in.” “But they’re…” “All of them,” Cinch ordered as she looked at the large ornate wooden desk. The man left as Cinch opened a drawer in her desk and took out Twilight’s tiara which housed the Element of Magic. “Let’s see how Sunny will play,” Cinch whispered to herself. Half a minute later, Sunny Flare, Sunset Shimmer, and a young woman Cinch didn’t recognize with purple and gold metallic wings coming from her back entered with Sunny Flare’s four friends, the five were collectively referred to as ‘The Shadowbolts’ which was actually a nod to the Baroness's late husband and consort, who also happened to be Sunny’s father. Also, with that group were two Earthborn women, two Skyborn women, a Magicborn woman, a purple-furred dog and a Skyborn man. “It seems that you have made quite a few friends in your adventure to Mystica,” Cinch said starting the conversation directing it to Sunny. “Don’t play games with me, Cinch!” Sunset said as her hands ignited in red fire, “I know you conspired with Longhorn to get the Elements of Harmony once we came through the portal!” “I didn’t, Miss Montage can be quite stealthy when needed.”  Cinch countered which made Sunset pout as her hands returned to normal. Cinch didn’t express any emotions but anyone could tell she was happy with the result. Turning to Twilight, “So I assume you too have a claim to this, Miss?”   “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle.” “It seems that Princess Celestia has issued a bargain sale for the title, this what, the third princess added to her reign in just as many years.” “Princess Luna use to rule with Princess Celestia…” Twilight started. Trying to find the best way to put it, “there was...an incident a thousand years ago that resulted in her prolonged absence, she has since begun reclaiming her duties.” Abacus gave a look that said she believed the timeline wasn’t quite that long. Nobody seemed to notice Sunset Shimmer’s look of astonishment for a moment. While Sunset had been aware Celestia had not been the sole ruler of Mystica for some time she had also had fragmented knowledge regarding Celestia’s personal life that few were privy to, one such set of pieces was information regarding Princess Luna’s relationship with Celestia. “I am well versed in Mystica’s history, in fact, I might be more versed in it than you.” Cinch countered, which gave Twilight some pause, this was so much like the incidents with Nightmare Moon and Discord. If Cinch noticed she didn’t show any sign and continued, “I should be surprised that the name of this place seems to mean nothing to you, but it seems that Midnight Castle means little to Princess Celestia.” “So this place is called ‘Midnight Castle’, so what?” Rainbow Dash asked rather tactlessly. “Pardon my friend, your grace, Baroness Cinch was it?” Cinch nodded silently, “ Well Dashie can be rather cranky when she doesn’t get enough sleep.” Rarity attempted to defuse a potentially explosive situation before things got too far out of hand. “Let’s just cut to the heart of the matter, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Lady Sunset Shimmer each has presented to you a claim that the Element of Magic is theirs. The question is now, how do you intend to resolve this dispute.” Sugarcoat said as she took off her glasses and cleaned them rather mindlessly utterly ignoring the concerns everyone that know Cinch was expressing with nervous faces. “Miss Montage, when are the games scheduled?” Cinch asked as if unphased by the blunt statement made by the Truenamer. Juniper started to look through her notes, “Um, they start tomorrow, but the Shadowbolts and Longhorn’s band of… well...um...thugs better known as the Rustlers are the only two teams confirmed…” “Not much of a competition, since the better part his gang got busted three years ago. And then there was Longhorn’s internal shakedown last year.” Indigo gloated. “Wait! You can't offer my tiara as the prize! Sunset here stole it, she and her friends stole the Elements of Harmony from me and mine.” Twilight exclaimed trying to reassert her claim. “I won’t call the Shadowbolts my friends, we have … arrangements.” Sunset stated begrudgingly, Twilight did pick up on that there was more at play here with Sunset and the locals but she was not here to resolve a domestic dispute. “Actually I believe my mother was thinking more along the lines as the prize just between you two, the one whose team has more points than the other of the two would have the Element of Magic as the prize, dearies." Sunny explained correctly inferring what her mother was implying. As she gave it some more thought, "Although the populace would love to see Twilight and Sunset go head to head in a full-on magic duel, there is an older version of the games, in which someone can empower the members of their team, but they themselves cannot compete.” Everyone else froze at that suggestion, however, Flash saw an opportunity that might also help get the other Elements back. “If I may speak, Baroness, Lady and Princess,” he started, “How about we put each of the Elements of Harmony as stacks for certain games. Applejack here would compete against Sugarcoat and both against this Reges Longhorn’s team and the winner between Applejack and Sugarcoat would claim the Element of Honesty. Rainbow Dash would compete against Indigo Zap for the Element of Loyalty, Pinkie Pie against Lemon Zest for Laughter, Fluttershy against Sour Sweet for Kindness.” As Flash listed off the pair off he pointed to each of the contenders pairing them off. “And I will face Sunset’s Champion for the Element of Magic.” Everyone fell silent and for good reasons, Applejack had everything to lose and nothing to gain in her match up against Sugarcoat, and the same was true for Sunny, Indigo, Lemon and Sour, they each already had the Elements in question and as far as they were concerned Cinch already honored the later four’s claims to their respective Element. In addition, Flash had no claim or say in the matter. However, before anyone could verbally object, “I am game,” Sunset cut in, “There are actually five team based games, but a duel between my champion and soldier-boy would make a nice addition as the finale to them. But let’s go the way with it. Let’s make it a trial by combat!” Sunset finished with a devilish smirk. “A trial by what now?” Applejack asked. “A trial by combat, it’s an archaic way to prove a case, often for innocence or guilt concerning a crime. The two parties would have a champion, or one who could not fight either by age, sex or other circumstances would have one and they would fight to the death. If the champion of the accused won the accused was deemed innocent but if the champion lost…” Sugarcoat stopped allowing the others to infer the outcome. “And in a case like this, if Flash wins then I am deemed the legitimate owner of the tiara,” Twilight muttered not knowing she was actually thinking out loud. “I’ll take that chance,” Flash said without missing a beat. Before Twilight could counter, “Let’s do it.” Rainbow exclaimed. “We all got scores to settle make sure there are witnesses this time.” “You’re on! Let’s see if you can keep pace in the biathlon.” Indigo accepted the challenge “If Dashie’s in, so am I.” Pinkie joined in bouncing. “Let’s see if your clowning around can hold a candle to my gymnastics,” Lemon added. “I am going to make you tap out, ten seconds flat.” Sour challenged Fluttershy. “I am a lot stronger than I look. I am in,” Fluttershy stated with a degree of confidence few expected. Seeing the contestants more or less agree of their own accord, Juniper stepped in to address the last two events as she jotted everything down in shorthand, “That leaves two games, the pheidippidiadromos,… which is a three day 300-kilometer endurance race, with Sugarcoat being the reigning champion…” “Ah ain’t too keen on gamblin’ mah Element, but Ah ain't gonna give Sunny any room to opt out of competing with Rarity for the Element of Generosity. Ah'll see ya on the other side of the finish line, Salt Lick.” “I think you grossly overestimate your chances, Applejack. I have not only my true name magic but the home field advantage. This will be a cakewalk for me.” Sugarcoat countered with a smirk on her face. “Alright,” Juniper said while she finished jotting everything down in, “Now all that  leaves is the capture the flag.” “Uw, that is right up my alley.” Rarity exclaimed and finished with a giggle. “I’ve always had an idea for the details.” Seeing everyone look at her oddly, "I am fashion expert and an enchantress, darlings." “You won’t be giggling when my claim to the Element of Generosity is the one honored, dearie.” Sunny retorted. She then turned to her mother, and for a femtosecond, she could have sworn she saw her mother’s lips raise in a small smile. As Juniper finished jotting that and turned to Twilight et al, “That still leaves what you’ll call your team.” Before anyone else could offer, “We’re ‘The Rainbooms’.” Rainbow Dash declared if she was running or flying she would have made a sonic boom with that speed of response. “Rainbooms… like a Sonic Rainboom?” Twilight asked while the other four women groaned, leaving a perplexed Flash Sentry. Spike simply chuckled as the rest blinked in confusion. “What? It’s how we all discovered our aura marks!” Rainbow countered shocked that her friends did not agree with her a slightly insulted. After a second, “Alright Rainbooms is our team name. Now we are going to need rooms to sleep during our stay here…” Rarity started listing off with the matters settled as they can be for now. Juniper elected to be their guide with Lemon, Sugarcoat, Sour and Lemon also leaving, mainly to prepare for the games. This left Cinch, Sunny, and Sunset in the room alone. “So much for your plans, Lady Shimmer.” Cinch commented offhandedly. “Once I am finished with my replacement, I’ll deal with you.” Sunset growled, she then turned to Sunny, “Backstab me, and you’ll be the first I burn.” The pyromancer drove her point home by scorching the carpet at Sunny’s feet before she left. After the door shut, “You play a dangerous game with her.” Cinch commented. “I at least keep my greatest rival close enough to stab her in her heart while she expects the dagger in the back, mother-dearest. How is the Reges Longhorn matter going, if I might know?” Sunny asked before she too headed out. Not getting an answer she left Cinch alone in the room. Cinch gave a smirk, Sunny was shaping out well in her book.