//------------------------------//
// Episode 29: Noble 
// Story: EoH Evolution: Season 2 
// by Bahamut0 
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I don't know why I'm here. But this tingling feeling in my arm only decided to stop when I decided to make the trip here! The young man thought to himself as the train headed for Unityville's station came to a stop. First I need to leave by boat to get to Castalot. Then I need to take a train. All this sitting around is tartarus on my legs.

The young man stretched as he exited the train. His outfit consisted of red-and-blue sneakers, tan pants, and a shirt with a magnet on it coupled with a grey jacket that had one blue sleeve and one red sleeve. Furthering the color scheme was his grey skin and red-and-blue hair. The magnet mark on his hand designating him as a Magi. "Unityville. So this is where the lad leading the Elements of Heroism resides." The young man said as he took in the sights. "He's also the one who sent out that mental message. So I've got him to thank for my arm tingling. But no sense dwelling on it." His green eyes steeled in determination.

"Best get a move on North. If you received his message, you might as well have the courtesy to answer it and see what you're in for." Magnet North slung his bag over his shoulder, and set about exploring Unityville. However, he was detoured from his main goal when he caught sight of a line of people gathering. "Hello now. What's this?"

Magnet North decided to take a quick look at where the line had assembled. Sweet Apple Acres. "Wonder what's got everyone whipped into frenzy?" North managed to peek over the line of heads, and saw a stand selling mugs of cider, "Oh. Well that question's answered."

"Since I'm here, I might as well see if this cider's worth the hype." Unfortunately, North wouldn't get the chance to sample some of the famous cider as the stand had sold out the last of their batch for the day. North noticed a certain rainbow-haired Skyborn girl groan in distress. "No loss. I guess this frees me up to search for the Elements of Heroism."

But before Magnet North could even turn around to leave, a strange vehicle arrived. Two individuals leaped down from what looked like the seat, and their vehicle turned into a strange contraption. "Say brother. These folks sure look like they're in need of cider." Flim said with a grin.

Magnet North narrowed his eyes as the Flim Flam brothers got to work showing off their cider machine. He wasn't upset that they were displaying machine, but more along the lines of that they had rudely crashed the Apple family's cider stand. North took to inspecting the machine. Making a gesture that looked like he was overviewing the design.

"Um, there's no need for an inspection sir." Flam said. "We assure you that this machine is fully operational! And if quality's an issue, we have built-in quality control!"

Magnet North paused, and stared in Flim and Flam's direction. "Oh, that's not an issue lads. It truly is a fine machine." A small smile then crept across North's face. "However, there IS one small matter of concern that a person in my position can't overlook. You two lads wouldn't happen to have a permit to operate this machine, would you?" The frozen look on Flim and Flam's faces couldn't help but make North smile. "Furthermore, do you have permission of the current property owners to demonstrate your contraption?"

"They don't have squat!" Apple Bloom hollered from the cider stand! "We didn't even ask for them to show-off!" The crowd quickly turning on the conmen brothers. 

Magnet North nodded. "Yes yes. Quite troubling news indeed for you two." North glared at Flim and Flam. "I'm afraid you lads are going to have to come with me. My superiors have just a few little questions to ask concerning your business. You wouldn't mind taking a little detour, would you?"

"Eh-heh!" Flim chuckled nervously. "Actually, my brother and I have a pressing engagement! Far away! Anywhere but here!" The con men duo jumped on their contraption, and sped off! Desperate to avoid any possible legal trouble.

Magnet North couldn't help but watch the brothers' departure with a content smile. "Serves those two crooks right." North then felt someone tugging on his pant leg. He looked down to see Apple Bloom smiling up at him. "Hello there lass. What's got you so cheery?"

"Thanks fer running those varmints outta town!" Apple Bloom said with a huge grin. "Are you some kinda inspector or something? Also, you talk funny."

Magnet North couldn't help but smile. "Wasn't any trouble at all. And I am from far away." He tilted his head up, and his green eyes soon met Applejack's. And she didn't look to happy. "Is there, something I can help you with?"

"You can start by telling the truth." Applejack said crossly. "Ah know yer not any kind of inspector." The Element of Honesty then sighed. "But as much as Ah hate liars, I can appreciate you sticking up for me an' mah family."

Magnet North let out a sigh of relief. "You got me lass. I'm no inspector. But I can't very well stand and let good people get trampled on." He then winked at Applejack. "Just wouldn't be proper, now would it? Not all lies are without good reason lass. But honesty usually is the best policy. That being said, I'd best leave before my presence upsets you anymore." North gave a bow, and left Sweet Apple Acres.

"Ya didn't have to be mean to him about it Applejack." Apple Bloom said with a pout. "Ah know lyin's bad, but he did it for a good reason!"

Applejack sighed. "Ah know lil' sis." She then patted on Apple Bloom's head, and smiled. "Ah might've. . . gone a little overboard back there." Applejack then noticed Apple Bloom shooting an 'Oh really?' look at her. "Okay. A LOT. Ah'll see if Ah can track him down."

As Applejack began her search, Magnet North had stopped in the town square to rest a bit. He'd been exploring Unityville, and his exploration had taken a lot out of him. "Least I'm familiar with the place now." North then heard his stomach grumble. He took out his wallet, but was reminded of a none too pleasant fact. Right. With the life I had back home, I made it a point not to keep too much for myself.

As Magnet North lamented his lack of pocket money, Applejack had finally tracked him down. She noticed his distraught expression, and decided to investigate. "Hey there." She greeted. "Don't worry. Ah'm not here to lecture you again." Applejack took a deep breath. "Look. Ah'm sorry Ah got all ornery just because you lied to get those two varmints away."

"No need to apologize lass." Magnet North said with a smile. "You didn't even offend me in the first place. But since you're so keen to start over, we might as well introduce ourselves." North extended his hand, and smiled. "Magnet North. And it's a pleasure to meet you miss-?"

"Applejack." Applejack said as she shook his hand. "Judgin' by yer accent, you're not from around here. So what brings you all the way to Unityville? Ah didn't think mah family's cider was that good."

North let out a chuckle at hearing this. "Applejack, I didn't even get to taste a drop." He then composed himself. "You'd probably think the reason I'm here is crazy."

"Shoot." Applejack said with a shrug. "In this town? Crazy is the definition of normal. We had Nightmare Moon's return, the Nightmare Forces attacking, Discord, and a bunch 'a mutant changelings. Ah'm pretty sure whatever brought you here is normal by comparison."

Magnet North took a deep breath. "Okay. A while back, I heard this message going off in my head. I trust you're familiar with Burst Stream, the Element of Power? He sent out a message telling me and others who could hear it that we would be joining his team. I ignored the message, but my arm would occasionally get a tingling sensation. Usually whenever a battle that the Elements of Heroism had took place. Sure enough, I decided to get involved. What if they fell one day?" North's gaze was contemplative. "What if they needed one more person to help tip the odds in their favor?"

"Gee Sugarcube." Applejack said with a whistle. "Yer kinda late to the party. A bunch of new elements joined the Elements of Heroism. Ah reckon there're about ten of 'em. Plus, there's me and myfriends. The six of us make up the Elements of Harmony." Applejack would've continued, but her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of Magnet North's stomach growling. "Wanna grab some grub? Ah'll pay. It's the least I can do to return the favor."

Magnet North smiled. "You're going to have to in this case. I've barely got enough on me to buy an apple." Once their stomachs were filled, North slung his bag over his shoulder. "Well, I appreciate you going out of your way for this. But I'd best be going. I need to find a place to sleep." He patted his bag as indication of a sleeping bag being one of its contents.

"Wait." Applejack said as she grabbed onto North's shoulder. "You mean to tell me you came all the way here because you wanted to join the Elements of Heroism, stuck your neck out for me and mah family, and you didn't even think to find a place to stay at or money for food?" North just nodded in confirmation. Applejack was utterly stunned. "North. You must be either really foolish, or really noble."

Magnet North shrugged. "Maybe I'm a noble fool who didn't want to see a beautiful girl lose everything to a pair of con men trying to trash her life." North noticed Applejack blush when he said beautiful. "What? No one's ever complimented you like that?"

"Most guys aren't into girls that could beat 'em at arm wrestling." Applejack said with a small smile. She then shook herself out of her thoughts. "Well, how about this? Normally Ah'd call us even. But, since you lied to get to this point, Ah've got proposition fer you. You can stay at Sweet Apple Acres for as long as you want, but you need to put in honest work in place of rent." Applejack smirked. "A fitting arrangement. A liar putting in honest work."

Magnet North couldn't help but smile. "You're not giving me much of a choice in the matter lass. But I'm not one to pass up free room and board." He then extended his hand. "You have yourself a deal Applejack." The two headed back to Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom greeting them when they arrived.

"Hi Applejack!" Apple Bloom said with a big smile. She then noticed Magnet North, and her eyes darted between him and Applejack. "So, are the two of you boyfriend-girlfriend now?"

Both Applejack and Magnet North's faces were flushed red! "APPLE BLOOM!" Applejack snapped in her flustered state! "Ah know Ah brought him home, but that doesn't make us an item!" Applejack regained her composure, and took a deep breath. "North's gonna be stayin' with us fer a while. He's got nowhere to go, and not many bits in his pocket. So we came to an arrangement as compensation fer lying. He can stay so long as he puts in work."

"YES!" Apple Bloom pumped her fist in the air! "I get a shorter chores list!" Applejack sent a glare in her direction. "Ah mean, excellent arrangement big sis!" 

Magnet North chuckled at the siblings. They might drive each other crazy. But I guess that's how you know they care about each other. Applejack showed North to the guest room he'd be taking up residence in. "Well, looks like I won't have to worry about a roof over my head tonight." North unpacked his belongings, and went out for a walk around town to see if he could gather any more information on the Elements of Heroism. "Maybe they've got a secret base or something like that. . . " 

As fate would have it, Magnet North would meet the Elements of Heroism quite soon. Carapace, the mutant beetle changeling had just engaged some of the Elements of Heroism on the outskirts of town. His hide was far more resilient than any of his fellow mutant changelings. Making the fight against him all the more difficult. The sounds of blaster fire and magic could be heard quite clearly by North, and he decided to investigate. 

"AGH!" Burst Stream groaned in pain as an energy blast from Carapace's horn sent him flying! "Great. The mutant changelings just HAD to send their tank out!"

Tyrannus fired a blast from his cannon! Knocking back the mutant changeling! "Forget about getting through his defenses! Just focus on putting as much force into your attacks as possible!" Tyrannus resumed his volley of thunder blasts! The shots seemingly damaging Carapace!

"I don't have firepower to match. . ." Dark Ice said as he charged forth with his claymore. "But I can put force into my blade!" Ice swung at Carapace with as much force as he could!  Staggering the mutant changeling! However, Carapace countered by striking Ice in the stomach! Ice fell to one knee desperate to catch his breath!

"I have only come for one target." Carapace said. "I don't want to fight, but you're in my way." Carapace then clashed with Tyrannus! The two grappling with each other trying to push the other back!

"We're not letting you get Narico!" Tyrannus growled as he tried to keep himself rooted in place! "He has a home here! If any of you really cared about him, why did you let him run away?!"

Carapace was silent for a moment before his horn glowed and he threw Tyrannus with his magic! "We made him run because we care about him. He's like me and the others." Carapace looked at his own hand. "Ones who don't belong where we come from." Carapace was about to fire another blast from his horn when he felt something try to tackle him. Magnet North had leaped onto his back! "Where did you come from?!"

"Just visiting for a while!" North quipped as he held on for dear life! All the while not noticing the glow coming from his upper arm. "Hitting a guy when he's down? That's just plain low!"

Carapace struggled to get at North with his arms, and decided to land on his back! Making a crater as he did so! North lay in the crater battered. "You had no business here, and yet you risked your own life for those you didn't know." Carapace began to charge up his horn. "I'm sorry."

North managed a weak smile as he closed his eyes expecting to be wiped out. But when he opened his eyes, he saw that Carapace's blast had been blocked by a blue magical shield construct! Magnet North looked around, and saw Burst casting the spell! A bright flash then triggered, and North saw a shotgun-like blaster in his hands. Curious he pulled on the pump. The blue barrel had flipped and turned red! Not wasting time, North fired a blast point blank! Sending Carapace flying and cracking the armor around his chest! The mutant changeling burrowing away in a hasty retreat!

"Thanks for the save." Burst said with a smile as he dropped the shield around North. "Though I guess we're even now." He then saw the crest on North's upper arm still glowing. The glow fading as North got to his feet. "You know, you're pretty late to answer my message."

Magnet North managed a chuckle. "Hey. Don't heroes usually save the day at the last minute?" He then inspected his Duelist Arm. "Still, if I'm going to be a hero, I might as well learn how my tools of the trade work. Though I don't know what my heroic qualities would be."

Ice had recovered, and smirked. "You're kidding right? You risked your own life for us, and you didn't know who we are. Not to mention you didn't even care what happened to yourself. Probably the greatest show of nobility I can think of."

"If that's my heroic quality, then that's my element." North said with a smile. "Magnet North. Element of Nobility. Pleasure to finally join you lads in the fight at last."

Burst smiled. "Glad to have you aboard. With Steel getting called back to Castalot, we're going to need as much help as we can get. That, and we'll also be training with the Elements of Harmony. Whatever the changelings have planned, it's going to be big. And when the time comes, we'll take it on together."

Magnet North thought of what Burst had said. Then he pictured him and Applejack. The Element of Nobility blushing at the prospect. "Together. . ."