//------------------------------// // 7 - Choices // Story: Bat's Academy // by Meep the Changeling //------------------------------// Sherbert - 1st of Solarus, 26 AoE Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone Today was a big day! The last day of school! For a few months... I could hardly believe it! Back in Equestria, school was well, less rigid. Less time consuming. Two weeks on, one week off. All year every year. Except during the month of Harvestide, then it was two on two off so young ponies could help clear farms. After all, we still depended on farms for food. Heck, why would we go full industrial on our farms? Earth pony grown produce is superior in every way to natural food. ████████████████ - 9th of Plantation, 29 AE ███████████ - ████████, Neighpone “Hold it!” The obscured mare demanded. Rojā jumped at the loud barking command, his hooves fumbling for the button to pause the recording. “Is something wrong, Ma’am?” He asked with a nervous frown. That order, that single barked command… The force and urgency behind it suggested the worst. It was the same way any pony with power would gain their command’s attention when there were kaiju inbound. “Yes!” She insisted. “You skipped ahead eight months. Clean to the end of her first year of training. Are you absolutely certain that nothing of importance to her case occurred during that time period?” Rojā nodded to himself, both relieved and a bit saddened that a Class Five wasn’t storming up the beach. All of this would have been forgotten in the wake of a great tragedy. “Completely. I trained her to basic proficiency in hoof to hoof combat, stealth, and survival skills,” Rojā summarized. “I taught her nothing special, nor did I do anything outside of typical basic training. Had we also drilled her in small unit tactics she would have been equivalent to the standard Defence Force Trooper and nothing more.” “I see… I had assumed with her talents you would have advanced her training schedule,” the mare said, leaning forwards just enough for Rojā to see the pink fur on her brow arch in suspicion before she leaned back into the full cover of the arch. Rojā shook his head firmly. “No, Ma’am. That’s how you get problem students. Individuals who are exceptional must not be allowed to know it until they have mastered the foundational skills upon which their talents lay. “Respect. Discipline. The fundamentals of the art. These things are more important for the gifted than they are the average person. You don’t want to fan the flames of arrogance and ruin your sculpture before it’s even time to put it into the kiln.” The mare chuckled. “You quoted me at me. That so rarely happens,” she said with an amused hoof wave. “Very well, continue. After you indulge my curiosity. Did those two hook up yet?” Rojā frowned “Who? Sherbert and Kazumi?” He asked. The mare nodded almost sarcastically. “Who else?” “Oh well, you see,” Rojā began, doing his best to drag half remembered events to the forefront of his mind without losing track of the more important information. “At the time Sherbert and Nahrina had become friends with benefits.” “Pardon? I’ve never heard of that sort of arrangement,” the mare asked in an extremely exaggerated, feminine, innocent voice. Rojā rolled his eyes and ignored his superior’s joke. “You know how it is with changelings. Eventually, no matter what your relationship, they want to have dinner with you. Their kind of dinner. “I’m sure you noticed how Sherbert is constantly aroused? Kazumi went over her medical files and noticed that her genetic structure caused an error in her thyroid gland during puberty and- In short, Sherbert will never lose the teenage libido, and refused to take suppressants when they were offered. “I didn’t force her, she’s perfectly functional and in control of herself. She’s just in the mood at the literal drop of a hat. However that did mean when Nahrina inevitably asked if she wouldn’t mind giving him a fresh meal, she didn’t even say yes. She just jumped him. I uh… His room is beside mine. I heard everything. “After that, there was some anger from their dwarf friend, which went away after both Sherbert and Nahrina explained it was just the standard changeling friendship, not romance. Kazumi then apologized for being jealous, asked if it was true that Equestrians are typically monogamous, learned that they usually are but Sherbert’s always wanted at least two partners anyway, yadda yadda yadda! “Oh, and Sherbert STILL didn’t understand that her other friend was actually a tiny tsundere.” “All of that sounds pretty important,” the mare accused. “In terms of her life? Sure. In terms of this case I’m presenting? No,” Rojā said bluntly. “Alright, then show me what you find important, Captain,” the mare ordered. Sherbert - 1st of Solarus, 26 AoE Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone The last day of school for months! I would have time! I would have so much time! Rin and I could go into town and check out the shops like we had wanted to. And Rin had totally proven that we liked exactly the same sort of mares, and he was still up for his quest to find me a special somepony. Frankly, I was happy enough with Kaz and him as my friends. But I wasn’t going to say no to someone I could be intimate with. Sure I could be sexual with Rin, but meh. That’s just a fun game to play with other people. I wanted something real. Like what mom and dad, or Dash and AJ had. I’d say that I wanted what Uncle Sky and Pinkie had, but I did NOT want the kind of relationship where my mates would leave a paintball gun and a note at the door to inform me that the loser makes dinner tonight. Only for that paint war to engulf the whole town, getting every vet in the whole darn place to quickly bodge together paint guns, grenades, and even a Luna damned tank cannon, rally around dad’s friend David, and proceed to enter as a third faction. Only for that to get my mates and I to team up, resulting in a three hour firefight, um, I mean paint fight, which locks down the court house, and gets Twilight involved because of all the panicked ponies screaming about the town being under attack, and then Twilight orders the Eventide Guard in to form a fourth faction in that fight because she just shampooed her fur and doesn't want to break it up personally. And then THEY lose because of course they do, but all the vets decide to help out anyway, and the whole thing turns into a block party since about a hundred ponies and one diamond dog have to cook dinner so there’s like a billion dishes that get made which have to be eaten. Ponyville could only handle one of those kinds of relationships. No more, no less. And only twice a year at that. Nah, all I needed was someone I could bear my soul to. One who was also interested in sexytimes! Rin was close to that, but well, not quite there. Meh, whatever. His favorite sexual flavor turned out to be cunnilingus and after being hospitalized twice he wanted to be fully topped up with love every morning. Victory for me! I smiled and opened my blinds to look out the window at the rising sun. We could spend the whole summer working on finding me a nice mare, and finishing up that Rock Opera sequel he’d been trying to make for months. If Kazumi was willing to hang out with us on her days off now that she was going to be working full time again, she could help too. Primarily by just hanging out with us. She was a great muse! So cute. Heh… It helps to have a muse in the room when you’re doing art. Too bad she had no interest in romance. Or did she? I mean it was really clear she wanted to just be friends. She’d pushed me away when we first met. And kept insulting me ever since. Not that I minded much. She simply didn’t want to be a couple or hook up, and she was a snarky mare. Which made her not wanting me that way sting all the more. Maybe I should call her… Not to pester her in any way. Asking her out would only cause… Problems. I didn’t want to lose a friend. I only had two, and while I called Rin my best friend, that was really only because we lived together. Kazumi and I had been friends a whole school year, soon to be a whole sixteen months, a real year. She’d started hanging out with me almost free day she had way back in the beginning of well, my new life. We should officially become best friends. She deserved it and nothing said you couldn’t have multiple best friends. Best isn’t an exclusive term. You can say ‘these wines are the best the world has to offer’ and there are no logical or grammatical problems. And then Kazumi could probably help me find a nice stallion. Rin wasn’t interested in getting me one of those, so someone had to help! I sat down in my desk chair and flipped open my watch, quickly tapping the speed dial button for Kazumi. The watch buzzed five times before the call went through with a click. “Hey, Bakka!” Kax greeted cheerfully, but with some stress in her voice. It was so weird how she called me an idiot affectionately. “Hey, Chibi,” I greeted back. Heh heh. It was the perfect counter friendly-insult! Directly translated as ‘tiny’, culturally used to mean ‘a character drawn in a small sized, simplified, nubby pre portioned art style’. Kazumi laughed. “Okay, you found one. Good job. I’ll stop by to make you eat your own spleen in three days,” she teased. “A few days?” I asked with a frown. “I figured you’d be storming over her to punch me for that nickname right away.” “No can do, Bakka,” Kazumi sighed. “I’ve got to go into surgery in a few hours. I forgot to call you because it’s really routine for me.” My eyes widened in terror. “Oh no! What’s wrong? I can call my dad immediately and-” “Nothing life threatening,” Kazumi interrupted with an irritated huff. “Look… This is embarrassing but, you know how I have an adult mare’s proportions and shape?” I nodded. “Uh, yeah! Your flanks are perkier than mine,” I confirmed with a happy blush. “Yeah, well, you see… That’s all silicone implants,” Kaz admitted with an embarrassed grumble. “I’m like, about fifteen percent silicone. I never developed the right curves on my own. Brain grew up, body just stopped… I got tired of being called a child so I saved up and got implants. “I should have saved more because they are shitty, and leak. SO I need to get them replaced once a year before the leaking starts. I basically get just enough cash to afford the replacements by the time I need them and-” Kazumi stopped talking as I facehooved hard enough for it to echo through my watch's speaker. “-And your uncle owns a megacorp which does medical work in addition to basically everything,” Kazumi finished for me. “I was going to say my dad is a biomancer,” I corrected with a laugh. “Um, well yes. Also that,” Kazumi agreed, clearly embarrassed. “Now who's the bakka?” I asked, grinning ear to ear. “Stay on the line, I’ll call dad on my Mage Gem and see if he’ll get you an appointment. Personally, I think you look great at your current height, but he could fix that too if you like! It would take multiple sessions though.” “I like being partially artificial,” Kazumi said quietly, her voice softening slightly, as if she were opening up. “It’s… It’s a hard thing to explain. But I enjoy the feeling of my subdermal padding. “Flesh is… Weak. At least, mine is. I’m not like you, Sherbert. I can’t just transform myself into a living weapon or an athlete through force of will and exercise. I’d tear myself to pieces. That’s why I like technology so much. It does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. It’s the ultimate equalizer.” I blinked twice. “Uh, and you see implanted body shaping pads as a… Beauty equalizing technology?” I asked, wanting to make sure I understood things right. “Yeah,” she confirmed. “My only complaint is that they are of terrible quality and too hard. I’d prefer leak free so I never get silicone poisoning ever again. And also softer, more jiggly, with full body coverage so I’m extra soft and snuggly, to the point where I can feel like I’m snuggling myself and-” She paused mid sentence, her voice resuming her usual sarcastic snarky quality, with a hint of fear and anger thrown in for good measure. “And I let my emotional shields down! Hahahaha! You heard NOTHING!” Kaz barked. I rolled my eyes. “Kaz! My aunt Rarity is a cyborg. I have no problem with understanding some ponies just like that sort of thing. Heck, I’ll admit that she’s prettier now than before she got the chrome. Besides, we’re best friends! You can share stuff like that with me. I won’t judge,” I promised. I would not judge. But I would remember, and take note for later… Just incase I got to lucid dream again. Kazumi stayed quiet long enough for me to glance down at my wrist to see if she hung up. Noticing the display indicated she was still on the line, I decided to do what a real friend should. “Now that you’ve told me you have Flim Flam Co level terribad implants in you, guess what?” I asked. “What…” Kazumi asked worriedly. I reached down and tapped a few commands on my watch, starting a three way call. “I, your best friend, refuse to let you continue to have those,” I informed as my watch chimed, the other call connecting. “Hey, Sherb! How’s my favorite slash only niece? What’s up? Laptop bricked again?” Uncle Sky asked casually. “EEEP!” Kazumi squeaked. “Hey, Uncle Sky! Laptop’s fine. It’s actually my friend Kazumi who's got broken hardware this time,” I explained. “You know how she’s a dwarf? Well, it turns out she uses implants to achieve adult proportions and she just told me that she’s going into get her yearly replacements before the current ones get too old and leaky and-” “Right, penciling in one surgical operation,” Sky said immediately. “Was that her eeping on the line just now? Is this a three-way? Hey, Tiny Neighponese Mare? What day works for you? I’ll have a shuttle fly down, no need to come here. Free home delivery is a family friend perk, we'll just do everything in your backyard.” “It’s-an-honor-to-meet-the-stallion-responsible-for-the-current-era-of-safety-my-people-enjoy!” Kazumi blurted out. “Hey, it’s really no problem. I’m a nice guy, and you have a giant monster problem, I like improving robots, I had some plans for giant robots laying around when your Empress put out that call for foreign scientific and arcane aid… And I really, really wanted to see a giant robot punching giant monsters. “But seriously, what is a day that works for you? We can fabricate what you want on site, get that garbage out of you and get the new stuff in no problem. I’ve got great doctors on the payroll, and you’ll already have the flesh pockets done so it’s really just opening those up and changing out the stuff then sewing you shut. Nothing hard… I mean I assume so. I’m not a doctor. Well… Not a medical doctor anyway... “Speaking of docs, you could also go see my little bro and get real curves if you wanted. I’ll pay for it. Nopony should have to deal with yearly replacements of what I can only assume are polyethylene bags full of plumbing grade silicone.” I nodded in agreement. You'd think there would be some law against medical devices of substandard quality… Oh wait, there are. But when has something being illegal stopped someone who doesn't care about the law? That’s right, never. “Ummm… Well… As a doctor myself… They are slightly better than that,” Kazumi admitted, voice still squeaking nervously. “Elastomer silicone filled with a fifty fifty mixture of saline and silicone. The filling is… Basically lethal and the shells are very thin. I have to pay my parents rent, so despite the doctor’s salary, I don't really have much spending money and-” “Your friend babbles a lot,” Uncle Sky said to me with an amused ‘heh’. “Did she tell you what she wants?” “Mhm,” I answered. “She wants the implants. Likes having ‘hardware’. I think her exact words were ‘softer, more jiggly, with full body coverage so I’m extra soft and snuggly’.” “DON'T TELL HIM THAT!” Kazumi exploded. “WHAT IF I RAN UP TO PRINCESS LUNA AND TOLD HER YOU LIKE YOUR FROGS LICKED!?” Sky laughed. “Luna would probably agree that licks there feel nice, and then question why you’d assume anypony didn’t like that. Then, she’d likely go back to her apartment and ask if her marefriend would like to have a bit of fun, because you reminded her that the most common fetish in Equestria exists.” “Oh…” She said, the wind falling out of her sails. I blinked once. “Wait, does this mean that Uncle Sky is Neighpone’s Luna?” “K-kinda!” Kazumi admitted. “Yeah, if she was popular with the general civilian population and not a politician,” Uncle Sky agreed then pasued. “So um, actually, no, not really. Okay, you’re looking for basically a full body prosthesis, that’s interesting. Never built something like that before. Let’s make this less awkward. Kazumi, was it? Call your doctor and abort your surgery. “Then call me at this contact, I’m sending it through Sherbert’s watch to your own… There you are! As soon as it’s canceled, call me and we’ll talk one on one professionally. Figure out what you want.” “I- Um, I can’t afford what I want…” Kazumi mumbled. I pursed my lips. “Kazumi, Uncle Sky is… Well, himself. I know for a fact that he made himself a set of power armor out of a business suit just because he thought it would be cool. He’s not going to judge you for weird seeming tech you want. “And I’m me! I’m not going to judge you or ruin your rep over a personal dream you share with me. You’re my best friend! Heck, I’ll share something embarrassing with you- Oh wait, you already know that my cutiemark is an illusion spell and that I’m a blank flank. Come on, you can tell us what you want. It’s okay!” “What she said! Well spoken, kid,” Sky agreed, sounding especially caring and empathetic. “Go ahead and just rattle off all the dream cybernetics you want.” “Well… Okay. But this NEVER gets quoted to anyone. At all. Ever again,” Kazumi demanded. “I want smart implants. Ones which make me look the same size, I’m happy with my height, but give me proper adult proportions and about four centimeters of soft padding. And that padding has built in climate controls, not just for me but stuff I’m in contact with so I can choose how warm or cool I am, and how I feel to anyone or anything touching me independently of each other. “I want all of my joints replaced entirely because they are junk. I’m tired of drinking potions every few hours to be able to simply tolerate moving. Anything I brew up strong enough to get rid of the pain entirely puts me to sleep. They have to go, they are garbage. “I want a built in mage-amp to fix my magic being well, filly level. Something to step that thaumaturgic current up to a normal thestrial range so I can carry the same weight as a normal adult, fly as long as I want to, and maybe also gives me telekinesis because I like being short, but I hate not being able to reach things. “I also want a full medical sensor package, so I can just wave a hoof over a computer and see if any of my bits are going bad. Oh! And basic muscle enhancements to get me up to the adult average. That’s it really.” I blinked. I’m pretty sure Sky blinked. That’s all she wanted? To be normal? I already saw her as normal… But well, Tartarus! If there’s one thing I understood, it was the need to be normal. For me, how others saw me didn’t matter. I needed to see myself as normal, and I was getting there. It felt good. Kazumi deserved that good feeling too. “Hey, Sherbert, I want to fix your friend up with something that is not just medically necessary but also bucking awesome. Is that worth a birthday present to you?” Uncle Sky asked me seriously. I didn’t even have to think about that. “Yeah, easily,” I agreed. Heck, he only spent like, maybe seven hundred bits on any given present he’d ever given me. “Cool. See, Tiny Neighponese Mare? It's just been paid for. The budget is set for the six million bit mare,” Sky announced casually. “Six million bits!?” Kazumi and I asked together, my ears and tail raising in shock. “Yep! Six mill,” he confirmed. “Let’s gadget up your meatbag! Heck, we could replace it with carbon fiber and titanium for days! We can go full brain bucket if you like. I have android designs we could adapt. Unless you aren't looking for semi-solid robotics and subdermal implants.” “No, I just want fixes. Not replacements,” Kazumi said firmly. “I haven’t lived in a normally functioning body. I don't know if I would prefer going android over being normal. All I know is that I want a normal functioning body and a built in air conditioner.” “Can do!” Sky applied casualty. “Cancel your hack doctor’s appointment and call me back!” “Six million bits!?” I asked, still quite hung up on that. “Yeah,” Sky said with a dismissive snort, as if that weren't a lot of money. “You’re not a filly anymore Sherb. You’re learning real skills to become an actual ninja. I’m your tech guy who is also your rich uncle, and Pinkie’s husband. She’d pester me to do the trope if I didn’t already want to. “I can’t NOT offer you cool gadgets and things once you're done with training there. And while you’re training there. I was going to engineer you an armored training gi to reduce sparring injuries, but I’ll dump the funds for that into this instead. Sound fair?” “More than,” I agreed, the shock wearing off. “Kaz, you’re important to me, okay? Please accept this.” Kazumi remained quiet for a long time. When she at last spoke, her voice was calm, even, and sincere. “I absolutely relish the opportunity to finally have a properly working body, Trigger-sama. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to get real permanent fixes for many of my problems, which do not rely on my already bad biology. “Thank you, Sherbert. Thank you, Trigger-sama. But you never heard me say this! Because I’m a tough mare with a reputation for being a hardflank and I LIKE that. Trigger-sama, I will call you back shortly to discuss the possibility of-” “Built in shield generators?” Sky asked hopefully. “I- um… Y-you’re just a big colt, aren't you?” Kazumi asked unbelievingly. “Pretty much, yeah,” Sky laughed. “Cool. And um, yes. If there’s room in the budget. That would be cool,” Kazumi said eagerly. “Bye!” Her comm clicked as she shut it off. “The budget is infinite, isn’t it?” I asked Sky with a smirk. “Mmmmmhm,” he chuckled. “I read your letters home. I know you have a crush on her. I’d help anypony get a proper prosthesis, heck, why wouldn’t I? It’s the right thing to do AND a tax write off. But her? A mare you’ve been into for a year and who I have money on you getting together with? I’ll trick her out, do my niece a solid, and make her remember your family as the best thing ever, and remember you as the pony who gave up millions for her. “Should help you reel in that fish. Anywho, I’m going to hang up and lurk by the business line. Talk to you later, Sherbert. Oh hey! I’ll get lunch with you after her surgery. Later!” I had just enough time to hang up and sit back in my chair, smiling happily at making a marked improvement in the life of a pony I loved, when the familiar tap of Rojā’s hoof on my door frame drew my attention. “That was very compassionate of you, Sherbert,” he said with a proud smile. “Do you have a few minutes? There are some important decisions for you to make now that you’ve finished your first year.” Rojā reached behind the doorway with his rear left hoof and slid a large plastic crate about the size you’d expect the box for a motorcycle helmet to be into view. “Additionally,” he continued, “Your potions have arrived. We need to make sure you know exactly how to take them. Right sequence, right doses, right times of day, all that fun stuff.” My ears parked eagerly at the thought of finally doing something about sleep consuming so much time. When the school year began I’d only hesitantly agreed to take these. But after the last year? Sweet Luna’s tits, if I had to sleep I would have NO time to do any gods damned thing other than train and learn! In just two weeks I would at minimum only need seven hours of sleep. That extra hour alone was more precious than gold. That was enough time to go on a date, get properly invested in a book, take care of personal issues… I’d say do Twilight’s logic classes but I’d finished them. Yay? Kinda missed those. Maybe she had an advanced version? I could put the extra hour into that! “Awesome! Here’s hoping I take to it like Tamiko,” I said with a happy smile which turned into a suspicious frown as I remembered what Rojā had said first. “What do we need to talk about? Is this another ‘pop quiz type challenge thing’?” Rojā sighed. “I need to make up a better name for those,” he decided with a shallow nod. “No. It’s not. We need to decide how you will be spending your summer.” I blinked in surprise, and then cringed, my eyes dilating in fear. “Wait! I um, I can’t stay here for the summer?” I asked in horror. Rojā shook his head. “No! Of course you keep living here! Sort of. For most of the summer. You may wind up spending a week or so away with one of us doing things,” he poorly explained as he walked into my room to stand at a more comfortable distance, pushing the potions crate into my room as he moved. “Oh, then… There’s summer training?” I asked, relieved that I wouldn’t have to spend summers at home. Rojā nodded. “Of course there is. But it’s not daily training like during the school year. Mid-year training is when you work on your specialization, as opposed to the rest of the year when you learn the standard skills appropriate to your level of training. “Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to do things you want. A personal life is something everyone needs for proper mental health, and I do think students are overworked in our schools and require time to unwind and then brace for the next year before it hits them. “However, you need to learn the skills unique to whichever of the two paths you choose. This will be achieved in many small two day sessions where you learn a particular specific skill from one of the Academy's masters. The summer is when you learn your ‘special techniques’.” My eyes lit up in pure unadulterated joy. THIS is what I had been hoping for the entire year! The chance to learn a skill that would shape my future as a hero of Equestria, and also the obvious choice I had to make today… I was ready to choose. “That means I have to choose the route of Ninja, or Shinobi today,” I stated, just to let Rojā know I was on the same page. “Yes. Have you given it thought, or do you need time?” He asked calmly. “Neither choice is wrong.” I had. And I understood the difference much better now. The lessons about the history of ninjutsu, the lore behind the ancient clans, all of it had been to allow me to make this choice and know exactly what each option would give me, so I could find my way. The Ninja, the path which became the name both kinds of Shadow Warrior were named for. Of course they were, Ninja were the most socially visible of the two. The Assassins. Or rather, the skilled duelists trained to expert levels so as to be able to take on any single elite warrior, but also trained how to kill them without direct confrontation, which was preferable. Able to kill a single target quietly and leave no trace behind, or stand up to them in single combat and win through cunning, and rigging the game. The Shinobi, the ones no one really talked about. The Agents. The skilled spy who could enter any stronghold, obtain any information, acquire any item, and escape unscathed. Warriors trained to avoid battle, but proficient enough in combat to handle a squad of soldiers if needed. However… Through all of the lessons Rojā had taught me, both martial, and historical, I had found holes. That was to be expected, I was living with ninjas. But the information that was left out formed a pattern. “What’s the third option?” I asked with a curious expression. Rojā smiled for a moment, giving me a proud look. “The Enforcer. Also known as a Samurai. We do not teach that here.” “Is that the truth?” I asked skeptical, raising one eyebrow. “Yes,” Rojā answered with an honest look in his eyes. “And congratulations, the last pony to realize my lessons concealed a third branch of our clan’s members was Anoobus, my third disciple. The two of you are the only living people who solved that puzzle. “The ancient clans relied on the Spy, the Assassin, and the Enforcer as the three prongs of a sai. The spies found the way to achieve a goal, the assassins did the delicate work, and the enforcers would protect the other two as they worked and any covert operations the clan required. “Samurai training is far different from what we teach here. It’s all about weapons, armor, tactics, and learning to work with a squad. It’s not learning to think, to blend in, and how to fight with anything at hoof when in a pinch. We don’t train soldiers, we train operatives. I’m afraid Samurai is not a choice.” I nodded, satisfied I had figured bought the mystery and the reason for the mystery. They didn’t want me getting off track. I was here to become an operative, not a soldier. “I choose Shinobi,” I said decisively. “You don’t need to choose that simplify to make your master proud,” Rojā said immediately, but kindly. I flashed him a smile. “Master, I am here so I can learn to be a hero. While being able to break into an evil overlord’s bedroom without tripping any wards and driving a magic-nullifying tano through his heart would definitely keep the world safe… Well, I’d have to find that bedroom first, now wouldn’t I?” Rojā gave me a pleased nod. “Twilight’s logic lessons have paid off, Sherbert. You have made a very wise decision. Your first training block will begin the day after tomorrow at noon. Master Yoshi will find you, your first lesson will be with him. The other Masters and I sort of made plans based on your decision. He won the draw to teach you first.” “But I still can’t see through his concealment spell,” I pointed out. “He said I can’t learn from him till I can see through it.” “He’s making an exception for you as he has a skill to teach you which will be of value to you and reduce strain on the Academy's operations,” Rojā said vaguely. “It’s just the one, and after the next two days, if you ever want to learn another thing from him, you’ll have to find him. “I am confident the utility of his gift will convince you to try harder at piercing his camouflage. Now that that has been settled, let’s go over your potions. Pay EXTREMELY close attention-” “I will!” I interrupted eagerly. “It took a whole year and six doctor's appointments to get approval for this. I know it’s dangerous. I’m not going to mess this up!” “Good,” Rojā said as he opened the white plastic crate and began to arrange the two bottles inside on my desk. “Now, you start with the blue bottle…” Sherbert - 3rd of Solarus, 26 AoE Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone I had a bone to pick with Cherry’s Meals when I got back to Equestria. I’d gone my entire life thinking of Ramen as a bland tasting ‘nutrient brick’ which was cheaper than the basic survival ration packages the Crown gave out for free. Because it tasted worse and somehow offered you even less nutrition than if you’d decided to just starve. Now I knew better. I knew that ramen was a tasty soup that came with a side of fish, chicken, or rabbit strips, a boiled egg, and was flavored with all kinds of different things! It had a billion variations, and each of them would keep you full all day. Not only a good food for an athlete like me, but also one that appealed to my dietary preferences. So few Neighponeses dishes used meat. I had to shop in the foreign foods sections to find it. Which sucked because no meal ever felt right without it. Not in a ‘it tasted weird’ way, more like ‘I didn’t eat real food, body, go find real food! We lack nutrients!’ Naturally, I’d had a bowl of ramen for lunch almost every day for the last year and I STILL hadn’t tried each flavor! Sure I had miso ramen a lot, but not every day. I’d probably gone through about three hundred and eighty types. My ears drooped sadly as I finished off the last bit of broth in my bowl. My bowl. Now there was a cool Neighponese custom I was taking home with me was the concept of personal dishes. I had my dishes, you had your dishes. I take care of my dishes, you take care of yours. Nice and simple. I stretched my shoulders and slipped out of my chair, picking up my bowl and chopsticks to go and wash them when something suddenly rammed into my side at high speed! I instinctively slid the two legs opposite the strike outwards, using them to absorb the shock as I twisted to analyze the situation. This had to be another of Master Rojā’s tactical pop quiz things! No sooner than I had reacted, then I realized whatever hit me was absurdly soft, clinging to my side, and also was Kazumi. I hadn’t heard from her since she and I had talked to Uncle Sky two days ago. That conversation had definitely paid off. The difference was subtle, Kaz was still the tiny adorable patchwork colored mare from before. The only real difference I could say was now she looked like somepony had used illusion magic to give her perfect proportions for her body type, but I couldn’t sense any spells on her. No, magic here. She just had a truly perfect figure now, and by Celestia it made me want to pick her up and hold her for DAYS! So I did! Picking her up with my forelegs I hugged her to my chest. Instantly regretting it as her absurdly soft huggableness was more than a little arousing. Rin had just left. We’d had lunch together. Now I wanted to cook up thirds… And Kazumi could DEFINITELY smell that! I bit my lip nervously, not wanting to offend my best friend. Fortunately, she let go of me, which let me let go of her. As the little mare plopped to the floor she looked up at me happily “Thank you!” She said in the most heartfelt voice I’d ever heard her use. “I woke up this morning, and I didn’t hurt! I don’t hurt anymore! I can run as long as I want! I can carry heavy things without my spine wanting to strangle me. I don't feel these implants slipping and sliding slightly as I move. You have changed my entire life. Thank you!” I continued biting my lip. “You’re welcome. I only did what anypony else would if they could.” Kazumi laughed and hugged my left foreleg for a short wonderful second. She squished slightly, the implanted padding under her silky soft fur making her feel something like a memory foam mattress, or like a plushie with a firm core. That was so awesome! No wonder she wanted this! “Bakka, you're a silly mare,” she laughed. “Equestria is… Different. Good different. Ponies here wouldn’t help me like you did, not for free.” Good different? I blinked. Did that mean she was hinting at an exception to her weird no special someponies policy? Did she like me now since I changed her life for the better like this!? Should I ask her out? Would that sound like I was demanding payment for helping her? Yeah… Yeah, it totally would. No. Don’t do that. Leave it for a few days, maybe a week, then ask. She’ll still be really happy about this but it won't feel like a bank slapping you with a hidden fee. “Well, they're just jerks then,” I said with a blush. “Uhhh… Sorry about, well, you know. Rin had lunch with me and well, you’re super soft and it’s awesome.” Kazumi waved a hoof dismissively. “Yeah, I know. I could smell that from out in the hall. No big deal. I’m glad you like the padding. N-not that I like you or anything! It just means my plans worked, that’s all!” She insisted oddly urgently. I blinked, frowning suspiciously. Kazumi’s eyes flicked around the room for a moment before she raised an eyebrow. “Wait, was he here with Rin? That would be weird…” “He?” I asked in confusion, turning to look where Kazumi was. Nothing. Not a single thing. The space in front of my wardrobe was totally empty. “No, I waited for them to finish. I was just about to tell your friend it’s time for her first advanced training session,” Master Yoshi’s voice said from the ‘empty’ spot. “How did you spot me?” AAAA! Bucking- He needs a bell or something! Kazumi raised her other eyebrow, a perplexed look crossing her face. “Uhhh, because you’re standing right out there in the open. I think you forgot to cast an invisibility spell this morning, sir,” Kazumi said with a measure of politeness appropriate for telling a master ninja they had forgotten how to sneak. “No, he’s invisible,” I countered. “To me at least.” “It’s not actually an invisibility spell,” Master Yoshi corrected. “It’s a perception filter. Congratulations on having a very strong mind, young mare. If you ever care to apply that mind to the ancient arts, please return and speak to me. But for now, I must ask you to leave. Sherbert is due for a training session in genjutsu.” Genjitsu? Something art… Painting art? Nonono! Vision art. With jitsu also meaning skill, as in physical- Ah ha! He was going to teach me an illusion spell! “Oh, crap, this is going to take us forever!” I exclaimed in annoyed realization. “I apologize in advance, Yoshi-sensei. I am very bad at magic.” Kazumi offered Master Yoshi a polite bow. “I won't interrupt her training. Thank you for the compliment,” she said before turning to me and giving me a happy smile. A happy smile which became a look of genuine love for a split second, only to instantly snap to a look of panic, and then fake nonchalance. “I’ll see you around, Bakka,” Kazumi said before leaving the room just a bit too fast. YES! I did the thing! I just had to wait for her to be more comfortable and- Wait, she already had feelings! Buck waiting! I raised my left forehoof in preparation to run out the door after Kazumi. “Wai-” I felt a larger stallion’s hoof gently grip my shoulder as Master Yoshi guided me to my chair. “I am aware of your difficulties in magic. Don’t worry, this will be easier than you think,” he said soothingly. Oh… right… training… I sighed and took a seat, instinctively trying to look around for the spot Master Yoshi’s voice was coming from. “We are totally going to need more than two days of work to teach me a spell… I REALLY suck at learning them. I’m not saying I don’t want to learn, I just… I don’t want you to get mad at me,” I explained nervously, and a bit irritably. I had been THIS CLOSE to getting to cuddle little miss super softs! “Bah!” Master Yoshi dismissed. “It’s fine. You’ll get it.” “It took me a whole month to learn cloudwalking,” I informed with a worried frown. I felt a slight rush of air, as if someone had waved a hoof a few times in a loose, dismissive gesture. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” Yoshi insisted. “I know exactly what I am doing, and besides, sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.” I blinked twice. “Uhhhh…” “I can watch anime if I want,” Yoshi said defensively as a very large needle syringe appeared on my desk. “UHHHHH!” I exclaimed ears flattening in primal fear. “Relax,” Yoshi commanded. “If I wanted to kill you or hurt you, you would already be dead or wounded. Obviously. Besides, it’s just saline solution and an injectable implant.” I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “Okay? What is it?” “A Matrix Crystal,” Master Yoshi answered slipping into a lecturing voice. “In the distant past, very few unicorn ever became members of ninja clans. They were valuable and could work openly, earning far more wealth, fame, and power. Unfortunately, one can not fight wizards without a little help and in the days before hi-tech gadgets, magic was the only solution to counter magic. “The few unicorns a clan had would create these crystals. They are grown by a unicorn who very carefully guides the growing crystal so its shape forms the spell matrix required for casting a particular spell. The crystal would then be implanted beneath a non-unicorn Ninja’s skin, and after some training, they would learn how to feed their own natural magic into the crystal, which would allow them to cast the spell it was created for.” “WAIT!” I exclaimed. “You mean to say that a technology exists that will just let me INSTANTLY learn a spell!?” “No, these are entirely mythical and do not exist,” Yoshi said contradictorily. I raised an eyebrow. “But it’s right here! On the desk! In front of me!” I pointed out. “No, it’s not. There is no such technology. It’s just a historical myth,” Yoshi pressed further. “You can encode a matrix into a crystal but implanting it into a pony is useless. That’s why technoarcane devices have to be built to make a machine that can use a magical principal.” I turned to (hopefully) look at him with an annoyed glare. “Then why are you wasting my ti- OH! I get it now.” I said, cheeks flushing red as I realized he meant that the thing I was looking at was still a ninja secret. “Good. Now, ordinarily, we wouldn’t even joke about giving such a hypothetical tool to a pony of your training level,” Yoshi said as he resumed his lecture. “However, there are certain circumstances which make your case different. Such as, the need for you to maintain your illusory cutiemark, and the soon to be much busier schedule of Master Tamiko, and the preference the other masters have to teach you how to do it yourself rather than do it for you. “As such, here I am, with this crystal that doesn't exist, to teach you a skill that doesn't exist, which you will never tell others about, because again, it doesn't exist. Understood?” I frowned suspiciously. “This is a loyalty test, isn’t it?” I asked. He nodded. “It is. But it’s also a sign of our faith in you. Normally you’d be in your third year before gaining such mythical, and permanent, equipment.” My eyes widened in joy. They thought I was doing a great job! Awesome! I’d keep it up. Whatever it was they saw in me, I was clearly already doing it well. No need to change. Just probe a little and find out what it is. “Thank you! Sooo this crystal will let me cast the fake-mark spell Tamiko knows?” I asked curiously. “No,” Yoshi said rather harshly. “A pony has a limit to how many crystals their body will tolerate before… Before there are problems. Everyone can have three, most can handle five. If we gave you one with such a single use simplistic spell, it would be a waste. “Once applied, a Matrix Crystal can not be extracted. So we had to choose a more versatile illusion spell. This crystal will grant you the ability to create magical disguises, similar to a changeling, though nowhere near as versatile, and it’s illusion, not transformation, so any ‘added’ parts are non-functional.” I raised an eyebrow. “Umm… Could you explain that better?” I asked hopefully. “This particular crystal has been made to allow you to cast Bodysuit Illusion spells,” Yoshi elaborated. “You will have the power to make yourself look like any pony you can imagine. But it’s only appearance. You could disguise yourself as a pegasus, and while you could touch your wings, flap them, spread them, and others can touch them too… Nothing inorganic can touch them. “The illusion only affects living organisms with the capacity for sapient thought. Your wing would clip clean through a tree, a passing dog could jump and pass clear through it as well, but a friend could grab you by that wing and drag you some place.” “That's… Really weird,” I said with pursed lips. “There's probably a reason it works like that… Is it complicated?” “Extremely,” Yoshi answered. “This is a very hard spell to learn, even though it’s only Third Tier. The Crystal will skip learning the spell for you, but we will have to teach you how to use the crystal, and what you can do with your new ‘spell’. And you will be calling it a spell you learned. Understood?” I nodded once. “I understand. Before we stick that in me… What exactly can I do with it? You said I could look like any pony, and have wings… Could I look like, say, a male alicorn?” “Yes,” Yoshi answered. “Though no one would believe that disguise. You can also hide body parts with it, though those parts are just concealed, your horn could still be felt if you hid it.” A few gears turned in my head as I realized what Yoshi had left unspecified. “Waaaaaiiit a minute!” I exclaimed curiously. “So I could look like a male if I wanted to, and if the illusory parts work enough for me to flap wings or move them like a pegasus could… Then I could-” Yoshi laughed. “Yes, you could have something like sex disguised as a stallion. From what I’m told, as Bodysuit Illusions provide you with a crude sense of touch it’s somewhat nice, though not a sexual feeling. Which will be useful to you in the future. “As you’ve chosen the path of the Shinobi you’ll be learning seduction techniques for all sexes and orientations in a few years. That’s a traditional tool for information gathering. Stallions are at a disadvantage for using this particular spell in that fashion, naturally, but there are other ways for us to do the same job.” I blinked twice. “I will?” “Mmmhm. It’s a valuable tool for espionage, and there have always been potions that swap one’s sex for a while. Many a battle was lost because a shinobi found out what sort of mates a Shogun liked, transformed or disguised themselves, seduced them, and copied their tactical plans,” Yoshi elaborated. “It’s a basic tool which will be in your arsenal one day.” “Huh… Yeah, I never thought about that,” I mused, tapping a hoof to my chin. “There totally is always a ‘seduce the enemy spy’ scene in every spy story, isn’t there?” “Quite true,” Yoshi agreed as the needle vanished from my desk. “I take it you consent to the injection?” I nodded once. “Yes! I never thought I’d get to play around with magic more complex than cloud w-” ”OW!” I yelped as the needle pierced the back of my neck. I hissed in pain as I felt something small, about the size of a grain of rice, push against the top of my spine, only to start radiating a dull burning pain. A heartbeat later a second much less painful prick in the same spot barely registered in my mind, and the pain started to go away. “There we are, a mild painkiller. We can’t have you in too much pain to focus as I teach you how to use your newfound power,” Yoshi said in a more instructorly voice. “You’re a unicorn. You already know how to actively direct power to your horn, yes?” I nodded. “Obviously. I can use telekinesis.” I answered with a wince, rubbing the back of my neck gently. “Good. This is similar. Imagine the crystal as a second horn. That will help you find it as I take you through a series of guided meditations. Now, close your eyes, and let’s begin,” Master Yoshi instructed calmly. I closed my eyes. I was more than ready for this! ████████████████ - 9th of Plantation, 29 AE ███████████ - ████████, Neighpone “Rojā,” the mysterious mare sighed. “I told you I don't have too much time for this today… Why did you show me her helping her somehow-not-yet-marefriend out with some medical problems?” “Because you expressed interest in their relationship and I thought you would enjoy seeing the first step in breaching Kazumi’s emotional armor,” Rojā answered simply. The mare paused, then sighed. “Touche.” “Besides, it was right before she gained her first real ability as a Shinobi,” Rojā continued. “Now, for the last three years, Sherbert has been able to convincingly disguise herself as absolutely anypony, at least enough to pass a visual inspection. This should say something to you about her right now.” The mare sat silently in thought before her lips parted in a thin smile. “She could easily leave custody if she wanted to. She’s letting the law do its thing,” the mare noted out loud. “Exactly, Ma’am. She’s not a criminal,” Rojā said adamantly. “She has honor.” “This does give me some reason to see things your way, Captain,” the mare agreed. “But, there’s still more I need to know. One point in your argument’s favor could be easily countered by two points in their favor.” Rojā nodded once. “I am aware, Ma’am… Do you want me to skip over everything but Sherbert’s skills? This summer was nothing else major, just special hoof to hoof maneuvers, and a few free running tricks she hadn’t figured out on her own.” The mare paused. “Ye- No. No… I do want to see how she and Kazumi finally got together. Assuming they did. If only because it’s bound to be hilarious and I could use a laugh today. Also if I do that you won't feel compelled to waste time showing me every last one of their dates.” Rojā laughed, the mare’s joke hiding his amusement that his plan to ensure his employer liked his Disciple had worked. “Yes, Ma’am. Coming right up.”