After the events that happened in the Crystal Empire, Twilight sent a message to Princess Celestia hoping she could meet with them about the situation. The Princess answered in a letter stating she would come to the Crystal Empire in the morning, so the group stayed in the Crystal Empire overnight.
The next morning as the group was enjoying breakfast, the doors opened and Celestia walked in with one of the guards announcing, "Her royal Highness, Princess Celestia!"
The group got up, and the ninjas bowed, "Welcome, Princess Celestia." they greeted her.
"Good morning, Princess." Twilight greeted her mentor.
"And a good morning to all of you." Celestia greeted them.
"Isn't Princess Luna joining us?" Shini wondered.
"I left Luna in charge of Canterlot while I'm here," Celestia answered, and decided to get down to business, "Now then, you're certain the enemy you mentioned about over a week ago is named Blade Swipe?"
"That's right, Princess," Sunset confirmed, "I looked into his mind as well. He was once a guard in training years ago."
Celestia sighed, "And all this time I thought he vanished into thin air."
"Technically he did for awhile, but he returned not as his former self." Donnie noted.
"You mentioned he was turned into a mutant by the alien creatures you've been fighting called the Kraang?" Celestia asked.
"Correct," Leo confirmed, "Princess, the Kraang were some of the most viscous aliens in our world and the ten dimensions. The mutagen they experimented with is what made me and and brothers who we are."
"And it made Blade the way he is too." April added.
Celestia spoke, "I did know Blade well, but I could never imagine he'd become the way you've mentioned him in your letter."
"The mutagen can do more than just alter one's physical appearance," Donnie said, "It can mess with the mind as well."
"Yeah. It messed with mine good." Karai said knowing that personally.
"Plus with what the Kraang did to him and ponies running in fear of him is enough to make anyone lose hope in anything." Raph put in.
"Even so, the Blade I knew back then was a dedicated trainee with an ambition." Celestia began, as she reminisced about fifty years ago.
Celestia was taking a nightly stroll around the castle before taking a detour by the guards training field. She spotted Blade was training against some practice dummies by using his magic to keep a sword up and struck some of the dummies. He was galloping around to perfect his speed while pretending he was being attacked. He finally channeled his magic into his sword giving it a lightning charge and zapped the last training dummy. He sheathed his sword and powered his magic down.
She approached and spoke, "An impressive display, Blade Swipe."
Blade gasped while feeling startled, "Princess Celestia! Good evening."
"And a good evening to you." Celestia greeted.
"What brings you out so late this night?" he inquired.
"I was just taking a stroll. And I could ask the same of you," Celestia replied, "Has your instructor got you running solo night training?"
"This is more personal training outside our usual drills," Blade explained, "Graduation is not too far away and I wanna make sure I'm in the best of shape in mind and body so I can pass."
Celestia approached, "Why do you want to be a royal guard, Blade?"
Blade did a double take at the princess' question, before answering, "Well, who wouldn't? A chance to serve at the great princess' side is an honor. However, if I'm being honest, I joined because I want to protect those I care about. My parents, my little sister, and my comrades. When I discovered my talent with the sword I knew I was destined to be a protector. And the greatest kind of protector would be with the royal guards. I'm hoping I can prove my worth as a guardian to not only you but to everypony I care about."
Celestia smiled, and used her wing to hold him close to her, making the unicorn get flustered, "You have a good heart, Blade Swipe. Being a guard isn't just about being the fastest or the strongest. It's about being willing to put the safety of others ahead of yourself. I know you will make a fine member of the royal guard." she smiled down at him.
Blade blushed at Celestia's kind words, before snapping out of his stupor, "I better turn in for the night. Tomorrow's drills are going to be tougher and longer. Goodnight, Princess." he took his leave.
"Goodnight, Blade." she bid him a goodnight.
Celestia's flashback ended, as she spoke up, "I'm just so surprised he's fallen so deep."
"I want to believe that there's still a part of the old Blade Swipe in there." Sunset said.
"How can you say that, Sunset Shimmer?" Raph asked in confusion.
"Call it a gut instinct, but I feel like the Blade Swipe Princess Celestia remembers is still somewhere inside him." she explained.
"I'm pretty sure fifty years is a long enough time for that side to be completely erased." Raph said skeptically.
"Yeah I mean it was less than twenty years since Shred-head went bad," Casey began, "Fifty seems to be more than enough."
"You guys really shouldn't jump to conclusions like that." Leo said.
"I agree with Leo," Twilight stood up, "There's always a chance the pony he used to be is still a part of him."
"If there is, it'll take a lot to help him remember." Karai noted.
"Master Splinter would want us to have faith," Sunset explained, "Even the tiniest bits of light can be found in the deepest of darkness."
The group was moved by Sunset's words, while the ninjas could tell that was wisdom straight from Splinter's mouth. The moment didn't last long, as the doors flung open and two Crystal guards came inside, "Your excellencies!" one of them called.
"What's the situation?" Cadence asked, as she and Shining Armor stood ready much to everyone's worry.
"We were on patrol and Crystal Thunder got attacked by one of the Mountain Snow beasts."
"Oh, not one of those." Pinkie shivered recalling the one she ran into when first traveling to Yak Yakistan.
"How is Crystal Thunder?" Shining Armor inquired.
"He's ok, but his one leg got busted while fending off against the creature." the guard explained.
"Oh, dear." Fluttershy gasped.
Leo hearing this spoke up, "Take me to him. I may be able to help."
The guards were curious by Leo's request, until Cadence spoke, "Take Leo to him." the guards nodded and showed Leo off, while the rest of the group followed him.
They went to the hospital wing as, a few more guards were stationed around a bed with one stallion laying down with its right back leg propped up in a sling. When the group entered, Shining Armor spoke, "Crystal Thunder, how do you feel?"
"Oh, other than my leg broken, never better." the guard answered in playful sarcasm.
"Maybe I can help you." Leo offered.
"You? How?" Crystal Thunder asked.
"I know a technique that can have you on your hooves in no time," Leo answered, as he went to the guard's leg, "Just hold still and relax," and with that Leo started forming hand signs while chanting in Japanese, "Rin. Pyo. Toh. Sha. Kai. Jin. Retsu. Zai. Zen." as Leo chanted, his hands glowed as he laid them on the guard's leg.
The girls, Spike, Cadence, Shining Armor, Celestia, and the guards watched in awe at what Leo was performing. When Leo's hands stopped glowing, he spoke to the guard, "How do you feel now?"
Crystal Thunder raised his leg out of the sling before moving it more, "I don't believe it. My leg is good as new!" the rest of the guards gasped, as their comrade stood up on his hooves and trotted around, "Sir, what kind of magic was that?"
"That wasn't magic," Leo answered, "It's a technique I learned from my late master."
"Excellent work, Leonardo. Truly an impressive feat." Celestia commended him.
"Thank you, Princess." he bowed his head.
"What kind of technique was that though?" Rarity wondered.
"It is an ancient technique that has been past down for many generations. It's known as the Healing Hands. This was something Master Splinter once taught me. And I was able to use it not just to heal myself but to heal my brothers and Casey, while Master Splinter healed April from the snake venom that Karai placed on them."
"Father also used that technique to remove the brain worm that was inside my head." Karai added.
Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight gasped together, "Wow."
Leo sensing their curiosity, spoke up, "Would you three like to know its secrets?"
Twilight spoke up, while sounding excited, "Oh, yes please. This is something I want to learn."
"Me too." Starlight voiced her excitement.
Sunset answered, "I'm all for it too...except there's only one problem. We have hooves, not hands." Sunset reminded Leo.
"Not a problem," Twilight replied, "There is a spell that can project aura hands over our hooves. It could make it easy for us to perform the technique. It's how I was able to hold my weapon while fighting against Blade and the Dusk ninjas."
"Can you teach us it?" Starlight asked.
"Of course." Twilight offered, as she showed her two friends off while Leo followed to keep an eye on them.
"Ok, so while Leo's teaching them, let's check some more of this empire out." Mikey suggested.
"I'm all for it." Shini agreed.
"We'll show you around." Cadence offered, as she, Shining, and Celestia led them off.
Later on inside a room within the castle, Twilight had finished teaching Sunset and Starlight the spell allowing them to project magical aura hands on their hooves, "Amazing." Sunset gasped.
"This can be very useful." Starlight admitted.
"I knew it would." Twilight nodded.
"Very impressive. Are you three ready?" Leo asked, as he was ready to begin. The three nodded, "Very well. Together with me..."
The four made hand signs, and the girls followed along with Leo, "Mu. Ryo. Ju. Son. Mu. Ryo. Ju. Son. Mu. Ryo. Ju. Son. E. Sai. Nyu. Rai." As they changed the girls magic aura started glowing brighter. They continued practicing while following Leo's words.
After they finished, Leo spoke to the three, "That's good work, girls. Keep practicing and you'll be naturals at this."
"And with a technique like this we can heal just about any injury we may receive." Starlight said.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Starlight." Sunset warned her.
"Sunset Shimmer's right," Leo confirmed, "A technique like this can only heal so many types of injuries, but it can't heal everything."
"Don't worry, Leo," Twilight said, "We'll be sure to use this technique with care."
"See that you do." Leo nodded with confidence in them.
"Come on, if we hurry we can catch up with the others." Twilight said, as the four headed off to find their friends.
Meanwhile in Blade's lair, the mutant pony was using his magic to project a memory from his past. The memory being displayed was of him as a younger normal pony playing around with a little unicorn filly. She had an aqua blue coat, gamboge eyes, and her mane and tail were colored mint green, with her mane tied in a little ponytail. Blade watched the memory of himself playing with his kid sister like happy siblings. He couldn't help but smile while watching, until a dark voice spoke up.
"You're watching this again?" Blade's head shot up but sighed. The voice continued as it came from the darkness of the cave, "How long are you going to continue to torment yourself by looking back on these sentimental moments?"
Blade answered, "It's memories like these that make me feel truly alive."
"It's the thrill of fighting worthy opponents is what makes you feel alive. Besides she like all the others has probably forgot you even existed. And for all we know would fear the sight of you just as everypony else."
Blade was pondering on what he was being told, "But would she really?"
"Blade Swipe, I am your only friend. I would never betray you or leave you alone unlike those others," from the darkness flew in the crow that's been at his side with its eyes glowing red. Coming out of it was the voice that was speaking to him, "Remember how the Kraang robbed you of everything, and your fellow ponies labeling you a monster. Continue to let your hatred guide you, and you will be stronger."
Blade sighed, "I understand," he looked at the memory of himself and his little sister while thinking, 'Melody.'