//------------------------------// // 2-Magic, I ain't explaining shit // Story: Gear Knights- Initiations // by Amalvi //------------------------------// Some years later Amalvi walked outside the train. After such a long time having a hard military training the only thing he wanted now was to have a shower and something that didn't taste like dust and dry thistles. However he was told to return to the headquarters as soon as possible. The earth pony walked outside the station and melted with the multitude that just came from the express. He just barely walked a few steps when there was already a pony following him, just some steps away. Amalvi tried to ignore him, but even when he walked through empty streets it was just too obvious that said pony was after him. Then he finally spoke -"Amalvi, I presume?." The colt then bothered to turn his head for a second to face the follower. It was a tall pegasus with cream colored coat and light brown hair. Without stopping Amalvi answered. -"Perhaps, do I owe you money?" -"You have to come with me" -"What I have is no intention of doing so" -"You act like you have an option" -"Oh, is that so?" Amalvi quickly bucked the face of the stallion. Taking him off guard he surely gave him the classic earth pony kick that was guaranteed to be able to knock out anypony if hit in the head . But this guy showed that he wasn't anypony when he stood up nearly undamaged. Amalvi couldn't believe the endurance that pegasus had, but trying to maintain calm he looked with arrogant expression and said: -"Make me." The stallion wasn't unharmed. Sure he had an incredible and anomalous resistance, but it was still an earth pony kick right in the face and it surprised him. He didn't expect that anypony would be stupid enough to dare to attack him. He wouldn't make the same mistake ever again. -"Oh, it is on now, fucker." Then he proceeded to attack Amalvi. He moved fast and with the help of his wings he managed to stay airborne to hit with his back legs, launching Amalvi on his back. The blue colt managed to roll to his side just before the hoofs of the pegasus stomped where his head was laying one second ago. Then he jumped and stood up and quickly launched a kick to the side of the stallion, but this managed to block it with his wing and then hit Amalvi with his front hoofs several times while he poorly tried to block the shift of hits he was receiving. The colt received a direct hit in the face and then managed to avoid the next one and connect a kick on the back leg of the pegasus. Now, when fighting a pegasus the objective of an earth pony is to break as many bones as possible. Pegasus complexion make them strong as earth ponies, but the major difference is that they are faster, thanks to their hollow bones, which makes them lighter, more agile and overall faster, but more fragile too. An earth pony and a pegasus can hit both really hard, but never expect a pegasus to resist hits like an earth pony would do. Also earth ponies have a natural ability of overall hitting harder than the other two races for their roots as farmers. Keeping in mind all of this and remembering all the training he received, Amalvi hit just in the right spot to shatter in pieces the leg of the pegasus. But for Amalvi’s surprise, it didn't, not unlike other times. It wasn't the first time he tried it, as he had many fights with some other cadets in the training fields, and more than once he had completely destroyed the legs of rival pegasus. But this guy wasn't a rookie, and although it was obvious that Amalvi had managed to do some havoc on him because of his pain shout, he was still able to walk normally. The pegasus felt the pain, no doubt, but that only made him more angry. Amalvi couldn't believe that he resisted his kick. The pegasus did notice how Amalvi was stunned and smiled at him with superiority. He looked at his leg and moved it freely, showing that it was unharmed. Then he turned to Amalvi and said: -"Do you actually think that you stand a chance?" Amalvi couldn't give credit to what it was happening, but without hesitating he charged towards the pegasus once more, who just jumped backwards as he threw some dust into Amalvi's face with his wings. Then, taking advantage of the momentary blindness of his adversary, the stallion kicked Amalvi with his two back legs and threw him to the floor. Amalvi was completely stunned, and he was hit too hard to be able to stand up again. The pegasus slowly walked towards him. Amalvi said: -”Care to tell me who are you?” The stallion smiled and answered. -”I am Tejero Marble, but everyone calls me Tejer. I’m going to be your superior and I am in charge right now of showing who are the people you are going to work with and give you missions in the future.” Tejer tended the hurted pony a hoof. -”Welcome to the Palladium Couriers” Amalvi smiled and grabbed the hoof, that’s when he noticed the watch Tejer was wearing. -”Okay, let’s get started, shall we?” --------------------------------------------------------------------- Amalvi and Tejer walked through the empty streets. It was already night time so nobody saw the fight they’ve already had, but they had to leave the place as soon as possible to make sure. Instead of going to the Ponex building as he was first told, Amalvi followed Tejer to a clockwork shop nearby, owned by Ponex, of course. No lights were on and the sign of “closed” was hanged on the door so there wasn’t any sign of anypony being inside. Tejer took a key that was hidden between the feathers of his right wing. Amalvi thought of how was it possible that said key didn’t fall during their fight. Tejer used the key and they entered inside. It was very dark but Amalvi distinguished several counters with watches and clocks exposed, all of them with the Ponex emblem of them except for some that were in a separate showcase in corner. Since he was young, Amalvi has been always amazed by clocks and watches but he never had a chance of being in a shop and admire so many of them. Sure Amalvi had a watch of his own, and as much as he loved it it was getting dented and old. Tejer allowed Amalvi to look for a while until he finally made him a sign to pay him attention. Amalvi nodded and followed the pegasus to some stairs that lead to the basement. Down there there was a unicorn mare seated on a chair and giving her back to the colts. Amalvi at first thought that she wasn’t aware of their presence there as she totally ignored him and only payed attention to a watch she was working on in the total darkness, only broken by the glowing blue light of her magic. Tejer finally broke the silence. -”Lightrod, here is Amalvi, I’ve already told you about him.” Without even bothering to turn around she answered. -”Took you a while, huh? Don’t need to answer me I already know that the train was delayed. Let me give this the final touch and in a moment I’m with you.” The mare levitated some little bolts into the air and cautiously she screwed a tape on the watch she has been constructing. After doing so she turned the lights on and relaxed on her chair. -”Well, why don’t you let me... Oh my Celestia! What happened to you guys?” Both stallions looked pathetic. Tejer had all his coat full of dirt, his mane and tail totally messed up and a big bruise covering half of his face. Amalvi looked even worse, lacerations covering his legs and face, and his coat was begging for a bath. The colts looked at each other and smiled. Then Tejer said -”This pony thought he could beat me” -”Well, true is that I’ve never seen anyone able to hurt you before.” Light said referring to the face of Tejer. -”I have a medikit over there, feel free to take anything if you think you need it.” Amalvi went towards said kit and opened it. After retrieving some rubbing alcohol and bandages he proceeded to close his wounds. Then Tejer walked to the kit and looking into it he asked -”Are there any painkillers there?” -”I think I may have some, take them if you need” After the nursing, Amalvi had more time to inspect the mare. She was a unicorn with soft yellow coat. Her indigo mane and tail were sharp and pointy like if she had received an electrical discharge. Amalvi couldn’t see her cutie mark but it looked like a lightning or something similar. -”So you are Amalvi.” -”That’s correct miss” -”Here I have your profile data. Born in Maredrid, I suppose that means that you are bilingual, right? -”I learnt this one after my long stay in Equestria” -”Aha... You have some major studies of linguistic and political sciences, as well as your military training, which consisted of? -”Oh! It was just the regular training that the soldiers of the Equestrian Army receive, the only difference being that nopony knew I was sent to later be part of this organisation. There I learned combat tactics such as close quarter combat with barehooves, how to use several weapons and even how to shoot firearms.” Light raised an eyebrow. -”I thought that guns were banned in Equestria. Not even the Royal Guard uses them, and the only weapons left are used only by freaks in the wild west.” -”Don’t look at me. I’m telling you that we were taught of how to fire guns.” Lightrod and Tejer looked at each other. It was obvious that they were worried about something, but Amalvi had no idea of what it could be. -”Is there anything wrong?” Tejer turned to answer. -”The situation is getting worse by moments. Regardless, is not something you need to worry for now, Amalvi.” The unicorn turned to her papers and revising them she continued. -”High score on the IQ test, signs of some mental instability diagnosed, no vision problems, no hearing problems, overall perfect medical condition and not so perfect mental condition.” Amalvi smiled, she didn’t know she was actually complimenting him. -”You didn’t have such a great performance on the physical exam. You are the average earth pony when it comes to strength, but nothing special. Here it says that you have high agility and that you are good runner and swimmer. That actually surprises me.” -”So, what is your opinion?” The unicorn took a pause and looked at the papers, then at Amalvi, then at the papers again, then one more time at the papers and she finally throw them to a the corner of the room and said: -”Well, you are pretty much good at everything but also you don’t stand out in any aspect. Which is actually good because you are going to need to be suited for any situation. But anyway, tell me which enchantment would you like.” -”Which what?” Light face formed a frown as she turned to face tejer. -”Don’t tell me you didn’t explain the guy about the enchantments” The pegasus shrugged his shoulders and excused himself. -”I thought that you would do a better job explaining it” Light sighed and murmured some insults, then she proceeded to explain. -”Well Amalvi, do you know that the agents use special watches to help them in their missions, right?” -”Yes. I know that it allows them to materialise the messages they need to send and to put them in contact with a supervisor, is that correct?” -”It is, but they also grant the agents special powers depending of what their speciality is. For example, your boss here Tejer chose to have superior resistant. So we took his watch and charging it with the appropriate spell he has now the strength to resist the impact of a hammer” It all made sense now for Amalvi. He knew that there was no way a pegasus could resist a buck to the head or a bone breaking kick without cheating. -”Can I see your watch?” -”Yeah, sure.” Amalvi unwrapped his watch with his tongue and holding it with his hood he gave it to the Light. -”Hm... Indeed is a work of Sun. That old pony haven’t made a watch in ages, but he taught me everything about enchanting watches and making them. Adding magic to the watches to enhance the agents was his idea, you know?” -”No idea, but I see what you are saying. So if I tell you some power I want to have, it will be possible for you to cast it on my watch?” -”Yes, but you may want to see that book over there. It contains some possible enchants.” Amalvi grabbed said book and opened it. Although he didn't’ know what he wanted he started to look for something that he may consider interesting and more important, useful. Thinking about his skills, he thought of something that may help him to go unnoticed and don’t call any attention. After some time looking he finally found something: shapeshifting. -”Hey Lightrod, How about this shapeshifting spell? Tejer interrupted and said -”You wouldn’t like that. It didn’t work as good as the agent expected.” -”What do you mean?” -”Well, trying to copy another pony is harder than we thought. You see, every pony is unique and that means that when the agent tried to transform into other he first appeared without cutie mark. When he transformed into a unicorn he started puking for the sudden magic getting into his body and when he transformed into a pegasus his bones started to shrink and he died instantly.” -”Well, that pretty much sucks” Amalvi frowned. That ability would be awesome, but it didn’t look like he could change himself. What if he didn’t need to? -”What about... Age shifting?” -”Age shifting?” -”Yes, like shape shifting but instead of changing into a different pony the only thing I do is change my age to look like a little foal or a stallion.” Lightrod thought about it, then she levitated the book and read some lines, then she looked at Amalvi and said. -”It can be done. Let me grab your watch.” -”Wow, is already made?” -”Yes it is, look!” The horn of the unicorn glowed and a watch sphere came levitating. -”Here it is. Made of palladium, with three buttons that I will lately explain to you and the initials P.C. inside the sphere. How you like it?” -”Beautiful, but any of that is what I find interesting.” The watch was only composed of the sphere and there wasn’t any band or anything attached to it. -”How am I going to wear it?” -”First let me put the spell” Lightrod looked into the book and wrote some words on it. Then, she turned to the watch and concentrating her magic she shot some kind of beam into it, making it glow and then turn it gold colored. Light smiled at her work and then levitated some bolts and a big iron nail. Then she proceeded to to screw said nail to the sphere. -”You see, the reason this watch has no band is because we are going to use this nail to attach it to your leg.” -”Wait, what?” -”That way you can’t lose it. It’s also the only possible way of putting the enchantment in your body.” Tejer interrupted. -”Not going to lie to you, it hurts, a lot. Your leg is going to be sore for days, and soon it will turn purple from the blood pressure. Pray for it not to get infected. But don’t worry, after a couple of weeks it will heal and you will be one with your watch.” Amalvi was desolated, he couldn’t believe that he had to do such a thing. The stallion noticed his fear and said. -”After this there is no way back. Take this as your final decision, because once you put that watch one you will belong to the organisation. But you can still quit.” Amalvi walked forward. He looked to Tejer and Light and then at the watch. Then he smiled and put his leg on the table. -”Bring it!” Tejer smiled. Light levitated the watch with the nail along with a hammer, then she put it on Amalvi’s leg and lifted the hammer, preparing to hit with it. -”Wait!” The unicorn stopped for a second. -”Can I have some of those painkillers?” Light laughed. -”Save them for later” Then she lifted the hammer once more and hit with it.