//------------------------------// // Beaten Path (Part 3) // Story: Kaiser // by MellowSoul //------------------------------// The party awoke at dawn. They tore down their shelters, sorting the parts and setting them aside for whatever lost soul would need them next. "Hey, Twilight," Maple spoke, "could you do me a favor?" "Sure. What is it?" "I want you and Spike to spar. I want to see the extent of your combat abilities." "I guess we could give it a go. You up for it?" the Alicorn asked her brother. "Sure." Maple stepped back, giving them room to face each other. They assumed similar stances, guarding their groins and faces from direct attacks. Spike opened with a kick. Twilight managed to block, but just barely. He was bounds quicker than the last time they fought. "How did you get so fast!?" "One of the few benefits to being alone with your thoughts; there's nothing to distract you from your goal." "The core of Spike's training is rooted in the kyokushin style," Maple pointed out, "His mind and body are sharp as a blade." "I know that style," Twilight recognized, "The philosophy around it entails extreme physical and mental discipline. No wonder I can barely keep up." "No. He's holding back." "What!?" "Now you know how his thoughts became so warped. Modern martial arts lean more towards entertainment. Spike's reflect what he feels." "A threat to life and limb..." "I had nothing to live for," the dragon poured out, exposing the depths of his emotional turmoil, "My only options were to break down completely or rebuild myself into the ultimate weapon. I needed that strength to protect myself and the people I care about. You guys were all I had." "Spike..." "I won't let the innocent suffer - not like we once did." Twilight nodded. "Yeah. Our mission was..." "...To make the world a better place..." Maple witnessed the solidarity radiate between the two siblings. Ever since the day Spike was born, their bond had been unbreakable. Now, it was stronger than ever. Rested and revitalized, the group rushed full speed toward their destination. Maple estimated they were flying around the speed of supersonic jets. Despite being dead, the pace caused her an unexpected level of anxiety. Fortunately, the adrenaline was just enough to ease the fear. Three hours later, they were in Twilight's college home - Somnus. "How does it feel to be back?" she asked her brother. "Brings back memories for sure. Doesn't look like things have changed much." "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Maple looked around. The campus was fairly sizable, but still small enough to accommodate more introverted crowds. Spike reminisced on the time he spent there with his sister. "For a while, this place felt like home, but...After a while, it didn't feel that way anymore..." "I think you needed time away from the world so you could find a pace that suited you," Twilight inferred, "The problem was, you spent too much time away. You started believing there was nothing for you to gain no matter where you went, but that's the thing about believing - the word 'lie' is smack in the middle." "That's a profound observation, Twilight. This is my first time seeing this place, and right now, what I feel is wonder and curiosity. I want to know more about your past - the places you've gone and the people you've seen." "There's something I have to do first. I'm sure Spike won't mind showing you around, though." "Where are you going?" the dragon asked. "If I'm right, there should be a wad of cash stashed somewhere in our old room. There are a couple things I need to pick up before we really get into the thick of things. It shouldn't take more than an hour or two. I'm sure you can find ways to kill time until I get back." "Well...I guess..." "Before we forget, we should activate the spell." "Right." Twilight agreed. The Alicorn ignited her horn once more, casting what she now referred to as the second life spell. "That should do it." "Take care." Maple cautioned. "I will. We'll meet back here later." Twilight disappeared from view, leaving the lovers to find their way. "There's somewhere you want to go." Maple ascertained. "We'll go later." "What should we do until then?" "Why don't you pick? It's your first time here, so there's probably a lot you wanna do." "It's been a while since I've kept up on fashion trends." "Guess we'll have to fix that, won't we?" Maple smiled. While it was true the world had moved on without her, she didn't mind. Her goal was far grander than she dared let on for now. Twilight knocked on the door to her old room. She was surprised to find the current occupant was a stallion with a shaggy mane and soul patch. "Hey," she greeted, "Sorry for disturbing you. This is the room my brother and I were assigned about a decade ago. We're on a bit of a road trip right now, and I was wondering if I could pick up something I left behind." "Sure," the mysterious male replied, "Have at it." "Thank you." "No problem." The stallion stepped aside, granting Twilight access to the chamber. She trudged to the northwest corner, shifting her gaze across the lodging. For the most part, it was exactly as she remembered. "Mind if I ask your name?" the young man inquired. "Twilight - Twilight Sparkle-Sentry. "That explains the bracelet." "Yeah. I got married a few years ago." "So...You were here in 2000?" "I studied here between '98 and '02." "Ah. I remember a little about that period. I was just a kid back then." "So was my brother. Technically, I snuck him in. Nobody really noticed because we kept to ourselves most of the time." "Don't blame ya. It can get lonely workin' all day." "Yeah." "What'd you get your degree in?" "My major was physics. I got a minor in math to help me understand the technical aspects better." "So you're one of those brainiac bookworm types." "Pretty much. How 'bout you?" "Fine arts. I wanna pursue a career in graphic design." "Definitely sounds more fun." "It's got its share of challenges. Doubt they're anywhere near the level you had to deal with, though." "What's your name?" "Everyone calls me Larry." "Well Larry, as a memento of our meeting, I have a gift for you." Twilight tore a strip of carpeting from the floor, lifting the board underneath. From its depths, she extracted a small tin. Inside was the stack of money she'd been searching for. "How much cash you got in that thing!?" "A little over a grand. Here." Twilight levitated a hundred-dollar bill into Larry's hoof. "I know how tough it is being a college kid. Hopefully that should help with food for a bit." "Thanks. I appreciate it." "In exchange, we can swap contact info. Be sure to call us sometime. I doubt Spike would mind meeting some people here." "Spike?" "My brother." "Ah. Gotcha." The pair programmed each other's numbers into their phones. "Well, I guess I should be off," Twilight concluded, "I'll talk to you later." "Hell yeah. I'll be lookin' forward to it." "See you around."