The Manual of Heroes

by Kaliann25


Fifth Principle

Fifth Principle:
No matter the personal circumstances, a hero would always do its work

It was a beautiful and peaceful day in Cloudsale. And certain pegasus cuddled inside his bed, enjoying a good holiday from Canterlot’s school for gifted chefs.

All he wanted was to sleep late on his very first day of holiday. But, his parents had another plans for him. Unfortunately.

“LIGHT! Light Spectra!” shouted Rainbow Dash, as she stormed into her son’s room.

She shook the young colt, with a smirk. “Wake up, son, it’s time for the family training. You’ve been skipping it all the time you were at cooking school, but now that you’re here…”

And suddenly, Light’s head popped out, revealing that Rainbow Dash was shaking a dummy. A very realistic one.

Rainbow frowned. “Ha-ha. Where are you hiding, Light?”

“What’s going on here?” asked Soarin, entering behind his wife. “What’s with the dummy?”

“Light thinks he’s clever.” said Rainbow, annoyed. “Where did he hide?”

Soarin shrugged. “Come on! If he wants to sleep late, leave him. He’ll stay just for a few weeks, we cannot waste our time together arguing, Rainbow. Let’s go train just you and me, alright?”

Rainbow had no choice but accept it, and she left the room.

When he heard the door closing, Light Spectra removed the fake bottom from his closet, and went back to bed.

“Unbelievable! The things I have to do for some peace at this house!”

Later on, the family was walking around the streets of Cloudsdale, to see Rainbow’s parents.

But, first, they had to make a stop at a store. The only store in Cloudsdale that sold Japonese products.

“Seriously, why do we have to go through all Cloudsdale to get here?” complained Soarin. “Your grandparents live at the other side of the city, for Fasut sake!”

Light Spectra simply stroke his flank with his wing, precisely where his Cutie Mark was. A katana cutting through a sushi roll.

“Grandma and grandpa are dying to see my ‘sushi-show’ and also, try my sushi.” explained Light Spectra.

“Alright, alright” sighed Soarin.

“Look at the bright side!” smiled Rainbow Dash. “My folks will be so busy focusing on Light Spectra’s sushi show that they won’t be bothering us.”

“Why do you think I agreed to this?” asked Soarin. “Let’s go for the sushi ingredients.”

They were about to arrive to the store, when they saw a group of cops chasing a group of ponies, wearing black ski-masks, carrying huge bags of bits.

Soarin and Rainbow Dash turned to their son, but he was no longer there.

Instead, there was a note: I forgot the grocery list at home. I won’t take long.

“What is he talking about? I have the list!” said Soarin, showing Rainbow the piece of paper.
“He’s obviously going after the thieves.” sighed Rainbow. “We both know he’s a superhero. Why did he always does this act?”

“To keep it more like a comic.” shrugged Soarin. “So what now? Shall we go with your folks first?”

“What? No! I won’t put a single hoof there without Light Spectra. He keeps all their attention from me.”

“So, what now?” asked Soarin again.

“You go for the stuff on the list.” said Rainbow with a smirk. “And I’ll take the pictures for mom and dad’s album about Shadow Ninjutsu. Alright?”

“Be careful. Light can’t protect you if you get into trouble.” warned Soarin.

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” asked Dash. “I’ll be fine! Danger is my second name!”

“I know, and Light’s is ‘Deadly’.” sighed Soarin. “Alright then. Still, take care.

And, Rainbow flew after the police chase.

She looked everywhere, but she knew that Shadow Ninjutsu was a master in disappearing. Where was him?

But Rainbow Dash easily spotted her son.

Among the criminals, there was one who wasn’t with the group at first. But, because of the desperate of their predicament, they haven’t noticed yet.

Suddenly, the extra thief pulled a ninjato, a short sword, and cut the other’s bags.
The precious booty dropped all over the street, forcing the thieves to stop.

“Hey, that was low!” protested a thief.

The newcomer grinned. “Iie, that wasn’t low. Sore wa ninjutsu, desu!”

And he agilely sent a roundhouse kick to the leader, who fell unconscious.
The others tried to counterattack, but Shadow Ninjutsu was faster, and threw them several shuriken stars. “Did your moms never taught you that stealing is wrong?”

“Go to Tartarus!” said the thief, sending several punches to the hero of all Cloudsdale.

But Shadow N pulled out a bo-staff, and sent him down with a single punch on the back of his neck.

The thief lied on the ground, groaning in pain, as Shadow N posed.

“There aren’t any reporters nearby, stupid!” complained the thief.

“Oh, you never know when you cross paths with a fan.” said Shadow Ninjutsu, with a shrug. Knowing that his mother wasn’t too far, taking pictures for his grandparents.

Of course, Rainbow heard him, and smiled.

In the meantime, the police have reached the group of fallen criminals, and victorious hero.

“Doomo, doomo!” greeted Shadow N, bowing to the police. “Sore wa ore no pleasure. Dorobo-tachi will suffer the consequences for stain the good name of my city with crime.”

A police officer simply cuffed him. “Shadow Ninjutus. You know it’s a crime to be a vigilante. Come with me without…”

Soon enough, the police noticed he have cuffed a pole, and the hero was nowhere to be found.

He sighed. “I hate that ninja.”

Back on the store of Asian products, Sorin was waiting patiently, when his son appeared.

“Sorry for making you wait that. In the end, I couldn’t find the grocery list anywhere!”

His mother landed right behind him. “Do you realize we know who you are, right?”

“Of course, but it feels more like a comic this way!”

Soarin rolled his eyes. “Told you!”

“Anyway, if you dislike my acting, I can use simpler, funnier excuses.” offered Light Spectra.

“Like what?” asked Rainbow.

He aimed a hoof to a nearby tree. “Look, a monkey!”

The older pegasi turned, and, when they turned back, there was no trace of Light Spectra.

“Okay, that was a good one!” said Soarin.

“Yeah, that’s what I call originality!” admitted Rainbow Dash.

In the meantime, the ninja have landed on the roof of a store, where he spotted Captain Awesome.

“Captain! What brings you to Cloudsdale?” asked Shadow Ninjutsu.

“Nothing, I wanted to see if you needed my awesome help, but it seems like you have everything under control. Awesome!!”

“A ninja asks for help, only if its needed.” said Shadow Ninjutsu. “But they were nothing but thieves. What about your territory?”

Captain Awesome sighed. “If I’m awesomely honest with you, I’m a scared. I mean, I know I have a responsibility with the Crystal Empire. It needs my awesome protection. But, after what happened, I have to think twice before going.”

Shadow Ninjutsu understood. “Oh, right, I talked to Watt, and he said he had troubles in Canterlot. The Princesses know we had something to do with the ‘Coronation Fiasco’ and questioned him for hours.”

“What about you?” asked Captain Awesome.

“It’s a matter of time, they tried. Demo, watashi used the excuse I had to take the next densha to Cloudsdale to see my folks. I wonder how long it took them to realize there is no densha to Cloudsdale, but kurumas, pulled by pegasi.”

Awesome shook his head. “Why do you always have to mix Japonese when you speak?”

“I don’t know, why you keep adding the word ‘awesome’ to everything?”

“Touché.”

They both laughed.

“So, what are you going to do?” asked Shadow Ninjutsu.

Captain Awesome took off his helmet. “I think, I’ll have to be brave, and follow the Manual of Heroes. It was written by a psychopath and a sociopath, but they’re right. A hero should always do his work.”

“Good to know. Anyway, see you, Captain! I have to go with my grandparents!”

“Take care!”

Flurry watched him leave, and took a deep breath.

“I hope they understand I do things my own way. Not theirs.”

Crystal Empire:

Princess Cadence, and Prince Shining Armor were in front of an orphanage, where they delivered a donative, in the name of the good citizens of the Crystal Empire.

“It’s an honor, to assure the future of our little ponies.” said the Princess. “And, with this donative of twenty five thousand bits, I hope you’re able to make the much-needed repairs in this establishment.”

All the kids, along with the personnel of the orphanage, and the public (nobles from the Crystal Empire), cheered.

Shining Armor was about to give the director the huge bag of bits, when a tremor shook the whole place.
A small statue of Spike was about to fell over the orphans, but Shining Armor protected them with his force-field.

Suddenly, somepony cried:

“The money is gone!”

They could see a bunch of unicorns running on the distance.

“Oh, no, you won’t get away with this. GUARDS!”

But the guards quickly dropped their weapons, and ran, joining the criminals, revealing they were part of the gang. But, before they left, they grabbed an orphan, and put a knife on her neck.

“Give us a reason!”

Not Cadence, nor Shining dared to move.

“Hey, do you actually think you’ll get away with this?” asked a voice behind the pony.

Before he could do something, somepony pulled the hostage away from the gang member, and punched him to the Prince, and Princess.

“Hostages are a good trick, but useless against somepony as awesome as I am!”

The rest of the gang ran faster, knowing that as stupid as he was, the superhero was a real problem.

Suddenly, they fell when a current of electricity ran through their bodies.

“Thank you, Watt!!”

Captain Awesome trotted to the thieves, taking the bag of money.

“You-can’t-do-this…” mumbled the thieves.

“I’m pretty awesome all by myself, but, with my friends, I’m actually invincible!”

Said that, the captain returned the money to Cadence and Shining. But they weren’t happy to see him.

“What are you doing here?” asked Cadence.

“Yes, give us a reason to not to throw you inside a dungeon.”

Captain Awesome looked at them, calmly. “First of all, I am a hero. And I have a responsibility with the people of the Crystal Empire. Both as my real self, and as the hero I want to become. And, second, I have the technological support of the greatest geniuses in the world.”

Cadence and Shining groaned.

“Great, this is just great.” sighed Shining.

“You have to wake up, you are no hero, Flurry Heart.” said Cadence. “Pretend you are in a comic, is no heroism.”

“No, it is you who have to wake up!” said Awesome. “I am my own kind of hero, and I’ll do things my way. Not yours, mine! And it is time for you to accept it.”

Then, he walked away.

“I would get angry, but I have to admit she’s faithful to her beliefs.” said Cadence.

“She’s not the problem. You know who the problem is. Flurry is just one of many things, but, the two of them are continuously doing stuff like this, proving us, to the Crown, that they can do whatever they want whenever they want.”

Cadence nodded. “I know what you mean. As long as Flurry have their support, she can do whatever they want too.”