The struggling bandit Kokushibo felt under his grip was minuscule. His fingers wrapped around both wrists of the bandit behind his back as he thrashed and twisted. Kokushibo, annoyed by his prisoner, decided to bring his hand down onto the side of his neck, the bandit going limp into unconsciousness. He quickly tied a restraint for the bandit, letting him fall over onto the dirt cave floor. Bodies lay strewn about throughout the dimly lit cave, some breathing still. He dug through the pockets of each bandit searching for his mission’s objective. It wasn’t until he dug through the pockets of a separated pair of legs’ trousers that he found what he was looking for: a shipping manifest stolen from one of Luna’s forts now covered in the legs’ owner’s blood. The scroll, with its seal broken, was relatively undamaged. He stuffed the scroll into his nagagi. Exiting the cave, he was met by royal guards now moving into the deep and expansive cave to arrest any individuals still alive. He approached the officer who had originally requested Kokushibo’s assistance.
“Excellent work, Mr. Kokushibo.” The commanding officer commended, his palm open and outstretched. “The manifest?” Kokushibo brought the scroll out and placed it into the officer’s hand. He immediately noticed the discrepancy, to which Kokushibo explained.
“They had already opened the manifest. My apologies I could not get here sooner.” Kokushibo bowed slightly in apology, to which the officer waved dismissively.
“We got it back in one piece. That’s what matters.” He opened it and quickly skimmed through it, checking for any tampering. He rolled it back up in a huff before putting it away in his trouser pocket. “But to think simple bandits intercepted a scroll mid-transport.” He thought for a moment before turning to Kokushibo. “Were there any magic-born within?”
“No magic was performed.” Kokushibo responded curtly as the officer hummed in thought, watching his men walk out the new prisoners to a guarded corner. He shrugged his shoulders.
“No matter. If there is one, he won’t get far. Thank you again for assisting in the recovery, Champion.”
It had been three years since his recruitment into Luna’s private task force. Only a month ago, Princess Luna named him her Champion of the Moon. Beating out many other candidates by a landslide, Kokushibo was the obvious choice for Luna. Sending him on solo diplomatic and combat missions, Kokushibo completed each one with minimal mistake or deviation. He completed each mission down to its finest details. Now as Champion of the Moon, Kokushibo would be spending more time with the Princess and less time on the farm. This, of course, bothered him. Redwood and the Smiths were happy and proud of their adoptive family member. So Kokushibo spends his free time away from his work to be back at the farm, keeping in touch with the only family he has.
He preferred walking to and from his missions when time was not of the essence, even though Champions have their own flying chariot. He chose to walk as it gave him the time he needed to reflect more on who he is and, more importantly, what he was becoming. With each passing step, his previous life felt more and more like a whole different life. He was now on the outside looking in, watching his old deeds pass him by. With the Smiths at his side, he was determined to move on one step at a time. Besides rebuilding himself within, he walked to experience Equestria’s beauty as it was intended. He had been to many places in the past four years. Visiting each corner of the kingdom, he found the Smith’s farm and Ponyville to be unmatched.
Reaching the Castle of the Two sisters after the sun had sunk below the horizon, Kokushibo made his way to Luna’s workroom. He entered to see the Princess gazing out the large window behind her desk, her hands clasped behind her. She stared at the rising moon, occupied with its action. Kokushibo approached the desk and stood in silence, allowing the Princess to complete her work. Once the moon was in its position, she continued to stare at it. Without moving a muscle, she spoke out softly.
“Dreary the night must be for all who sleep under it to miss such an ecstatic beauty.” Her head dropped with a sigh. She turned and approached her desk opposite of Kokushibo. He extended his parchment with confirmation of his mission’s completion. Luna tapped her desk with her palm, to which Kokushibo placed the parchment upon the slightly unkempt workspace.
“Was there anything else, your Highness?” Kokushibo did not move, only following the now pacing Luna with his head. Her brow had now furrowed, bringing concern to Kokushibo.
“With you as Our Champion, Kokushibo, We believe it is time to discuss something rather…personal with you.” Luna stopped her pacing and turned her attention to Kokushibo. “Tell Us…have you ever felt…” She paused, her mouth slightly open, the thought caught in her throat. Obviously frustrated, she shut her mouth and returned to the window. “Come here!” She said with more volume than intended. Kokushibo was sure now that something vexed her. In a hasty response, Kokushibo joined her at the window. From the window, he could see nearly the whole Everfree Forest. The moonlight was the only source of light illuminating the tree canopies. At the corner of his eye he could see Luna’s face relax a little bit, although he wasn’t sure if it was because of his approaching presence or something else. “I pity the people of Equestria.” Luna bluntly stated this. Kokushibo’s eyebrow raised slightly.
“And what brought these feelings forward?” Kokushibo asked, unsure what to expect.
“Equestria is a beautiful kingdom. But only the night reveals details and effects only visible under moonlight.” She sighed once again. “And they miss the effort put into each and every night…” She pursed her lips looking up at the sky she had worked on the entire day.
“Princess, if you wish to tell me something…you may do so plainly. I have no intention of sharing anything said in confidence.” Kokushibo had more to say, but he stopped abruptly, noticing a faint shimmer on her opposite cheek. It was subtle, but Luna was too late in turning her head slightly to hide it. She returned her gaze forward, the shimmer now gone.
“Kokushibo,” she began, her voice somber, “have you ever felt…overshadowed?” She turned her head more towards him to hear his answer. Kokushibo knew exactly what she meant. He almost chuckled, the parallel being cosmically comedic.
“Princess…” he started, feeling the importance of the moment. “Because you live in the shadow of another does not mean you must walk a dark path. All it means is you must light your own way. On the path of darkness, you may find power, but you will lose something gravely important to the people relying on you. I’ve walked that path, as you already know.” The Princess now fully turned to the demon, keeping her voice to as much of a minimum as possible.
“Countless festivals, holidays, and parades; all of them praising the other!” Her emotions began to unravel in front of Kokushibo, her frustration coming forward as Kokushibo figured who she was referencing. “No amount of work, beauty, or strength that We can bring to Equestria will award the recognition We so rightly deserve! What must be done for these people to look in Our direction and Our direction only?!” Her face was the most angry Kokushibo’s seen her. It’s the most emotion she’s exhibited since meeting her. Her eyes shined with a light glaze and her fists clenched. He felt her frustration and anger at every fiber laced into each word that left her mouth as he developed his response.
“Frankly, Princess…people like you and I…are not meant to be the faces of greatness.” The look on her face did not change for better or worse. “My own brother, a man beyond words, bested me in every aspect of life.” Luna’s face softened and fists loosened at the mention of his brother. She knew he had a brother but Kokushibo looked sore about the topic whenever brought up, even when he would inadvertently bring it up himself. “It led me down the darkest road possible: becoming a demon.” Luna’s eyes trailed off to outside the window, her anger melting into a mixture of frustrated empathy. “The world may be unfair for some people, but it’s what we do with the unfairness that shows our true strength. I am not strong…but you still have the potential to be.” Luna looked off blankly, her thoughts a mystery to Kokushibo. Silence fell over the two of them. It wasn’t a tense or uncomfortable silence, rather it was calm and serene. Kokushibo gave her the time she needed to say whatever she needed to say. However, the look on her face told Kokushibo that she needed time to muse over his words and her feelings.
“Thank you, Kokushibo.” A mixture of bitterness and genuine thanks interweaved her words. “You may go.” She remained by the window, her eyes unfocused yet vigilant.
“As you wish.” Kokushibo bowed and let himself out of the room. On his way out, he heard what sounded like a very faint whimper emanating from where she stood. He was tempted to turn back and say something else but decided it best to leave the Princess with her own thoughts. The doors shut behind him and an elderly man’s voice nearly startled him off to his side.
“She’s upset.”
Kokushibo knew the voice.
“That information is not within my right to say, Starswirl.” Kokushibo responded informatively to the elderly magic-born. “It would be a disrespect.”
“Oh do not worry.” Starswirl said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I have no intent on partaking in schoolhouse gossip. I was simply stating an observation. An observation I am sure you’ve also noticed these past months.” Kokushibo turned down the hallway and began making his way towards the main exit, Starswirl appeared next to him just outside his peripherals. “Tensions are rising, Mr. Kokushibo.” He matched Kokushibo’s speed, following him closely, the bells of his attire making a constant, slight jingling.
“I’ve noticed.” Kokushibo responded knowingly. “What do you propose?” He asked the bearded wizard this, knowing Starswirl’s wisdom surpassed Kokushibo’s intelligence. Starswirl hummed in thought for a moment before answering as best he could.
“I recommend we tread carefully in every aspect from here on out.” Starswirl answered seriously. “A storm is coming. Best we keep our wits about ourselves, lest we are swallowed by it.”
Kokushibo glanced over his shoulder to agree, but Starswirl was gone without even so much as a flicker of light or a jingle of a bell. Working alongside the powerful wizard, Kokushibo knew not to trifle with him. Making an enemy of someone so powerful would’ve been foolish. His magic far surpassed any magic-born Kokushibo’s ever seen in his time in Equestria, short of the Princesses themselves. Starswirl mastered every school of magic from explosive and offensive to nurturing and healing. Above all, Kokushibo respected the wizard’s humility. Despite not having any friends, Starswirl still knew how to behave in front of others even through his long list of achievements. He focused on his skills of wielding magic to its highest potential, so Kokushibo couldn’t judge him for being a little bit anti-social. Kokushibo generally enjoyed his presence yet he always heeded the old wizard’s word and advice today as though it were the most important information he was to receive. He could only hope that these “tensions” do not rise any further.
~
The throne room was silent. Kokushibo added nothing to the ambient silence as he waited for the Princess who had summoned him. The dais with both thrones stood unoccupied and ruled over the room as ever. Yet even with such power, they began to crumble against the march of time. The time in question being what Kokushibo looked up to at the mural upon the ceiling once again. It told the story of Equestria that he loosely put together:
The two regal figures created all that was darkness and light around Equus. Creating the sun and the moon, the two figures fell in love, raising the sun and moon and so day and night came to be. The people of Equus were created next from what Equus had to offer. The sky-born were brought by the clouds, the earth-born by the soil, and the magic-born by the air in between. It was then, the king and queen bore forth three children: an older brother and two sisters. The five of them lived in harmony for millennium, it seemed. That was until the older brother desired responsibility of one of the celestial bodies that took precedence over Equus. When the parents denied his responsibility, instead having him be the watchman of Equus’ people, the older brother’s frustration grew to the point that he rose up against his loving parents some eons after. With the pure and everlasting love for their children, the king and queen manifested six Elements of Harmony. At first, they tried to use them to contain their son, but to no avail. They then used the Elements’ true power, sacrificing themselves and splitting their son across the universe in small pockets of his power. Thus, the stars of the sky came to be and the Elements of Harmony scattered across Equus. Meanwhile, the king and queen became the space between, bounding them together, and the galaxies that populate the universe respectively. Celestia and Luna were then given the power required to raise and lower the sun and moon for the rest of the foreseeable eternity.
Kokushibo examined each minute detail of the mural. It almost breathed and shifted left and right in his sight. He could feel the force and heat from the portion depicting the older brother’s banishment. The mural’s colors bled into each other into one long portrait. It sparkled and shined with the exuberance of a setting sun over an ever-shifting ocean. He couldn’t help but lose himself in the designs, cracks, and flow of each stage of the mural. It spoke to him in a way he could begin to understand.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A soft voice spoke, Kokushibo recognizing it to be Princess Celestia herself. Kokushibo couldn’t help but twitch at the sound as he hadn’t felt the tiniest breeze or shift in his environment at her arrival. He turned to her quickly and bowed deeply at his waist.
“Apologies, Princess.” He said flatly. He felt her hand raise itself, to which he responded by rising from his bow. “I…became distracted.”
“Do not fret, Champion.” Her gaze slid smoothly back to the mural above their heads. Kokushibo’s eyes followed hers. “We too lose Ourself in this piece. The Long Sorrow. This piece was painted by a man so miraculous and selfless, he never gave Us his name. The Artist is all he preferred to be known by. Such a wonderful piece of history was created, and then We never saw or heard from him again.”
“It’s undeniably beautiful.” Kokushibo agreed, going back to examining the mural but now with company. He pointed towards the two smaller sisters with a curious movement. “Is that…?”
“Mhmm.” Celestia hummed in affirmation with a light nod. “That is a striking likeness of Us and Our sister as babes.” She giggled lightly, now focused on the younger version of herself. “Even then, We were quite the sight.” With Celestia’s eyes glued to herself, Kokushibo decided now was the time to bring attention to the purpose of their meeting. He turned towards her and asked his next question politely.
“Princess, you ordered me here to discuss something?”
“Ah, yes.” Celestia’s gaze fell to Kokushibo’s eyes, her gentle smile hiding her emotions and thoughts. “You have proven your loyalty to Equestria and the crowns for approximately five years now. Above all else, you’ve proven your proficiency in diplomacy, discretion, and skill with your sword. And for that, We thank you.” She dipped her head once at her expression of thanks.
“Thank you, Princess.” Kokushibo bowed slightly in return for her compliments. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in his chest that filled a small space in his heart.
“Now to why We invited you here today,” Celestia continued, “was not simply to offer praise and thanks.” She took in a small breath. “We would like for you to know that you have been reassigned as Champion of the Sun.” Kokushibo kept a neutral face and posture, but his mind was now filled with concern and questions. Before he could even open his mouth to voice any opinion, Celestia continued. “Fret not, Captain Arrowhead has been reassigned to your old position. You are not usurping him, more as you are simply being laterally moved to Our time of the day. We believe your effectiveness would be far more valuable at Our side now rather than Our sister’s. Not only that, but so that our subjects become used to the face of their Champion.” Kokushibo chose this moment to interject.
“I am grateful, Princess.” He jumped in, hoping he hadn't been rude. “However…will Princess Luna not feel as though you are undermining her decision to make me her Champion? Is that such a wise decision?” He almost wanted to take back that final question, as he felt it came off far more aggressive than he’d intended. Even so, with the rising tension between the two sisters, it felt like a necessary question for him to ask. However, Celestia seemed unfazed by his question.
“This of all reasons is why We need you and not Captain Arrowhead.” She turned and began ambling towards the dais, Kokushibo following at her side. “The Captain is a good soldier. But that is all that he is. All he sees of Us is a crown and nothing less. We make a suggestion, even an obviously catastrophic one, and he will follow it to the ends of Equus. He has no sense of charisma with anyone who cannot match or best him on the field of battle. Diplomatic missions given to him are usually failures or have unfavorable outcomes.” She stopped in front of the dais, turning around to face Kokushibo. “You, on the other hand, have a soft tone and a strong disposition. If We are to make a disadvantageous decision, We would take your opinion into consideration. You are more…one with yourself. We simply feel your and the Captain’s skills have simply been…misplaced and unwisely allocated.”
“While all of that may be true,” Kokushibo began his counterargument, “may I advise you to reconsider your decision?” The corners of Celestia’s lips dropped slightly.
“And what reason brings this advisory?” Celestia asked in a more serious tone. Kokushibo shifted slightly to the foreign tone of the usually cheerful Princess. Her voice carried something in it that made Kokushibo begin to think he was on thin ice. How contradictory… Kokushibo thought to himself. She doesn’t seem too accepting of this… particular opinion. Perhaps this is what is frustrating Princess Luna…?
“Well,” Kokushibo tried to be respectful while still being firm in his opinion, “the people of Equestria see you as the face of the kingdom. Meanwhile, Princess Luna appears to be marginalized or…forgotten about. Living in your shadow… Because of this, she could become…disgruntled, to say the least.” Celestia let out a well-mannered chortle, her hand coming up to her chest.
“Preposterous, Kokushibo!” Her chortling came to a slow halt. “We are Princesses. We are equals. We are not a queen. Our sister knows she is Our equal.” Her facial muscles didn’t falter and her body language told Kokushibo that she was sure in her mind that they were both equals. Kokushibo, as well as everyone else able to think for themselves, felt otherwise. “But we are off topic.” Her tone now with a small disgruntled huff to it. “Your first mission will be in a week. You will be attached as Our guard and advisor. Oh! We had almost forgotten.” She stepped up the dais and took something from her throne. She came back to Kokushibo with ghostly silence. Her open, pale hand extended to him. A large, ornate pin in the shape of a blazing sun sat in the center. “We made sure our blacksmith forged it to be more subtle for your apparel.”
“Thank you, Princess.” He reached for the pin in her hand and took it into his own. He held the pin closer to his eyes, examining each hand-carved line and cut. He removed the already pinned crescent moon adorned on his left shoulder, replacing it with the one of the sun. He handed the crescent to Celestia, who paid no mind as she moved the emblem behind her back. She examined his appearance with a returning smile at the new addition to his garments.
“And worry not, as We will make sure the Captain receives his new emblem.” Celestia finished with a smile as she ascended the dais to her throne. She sat upon the throne with no sound. “Was there anything else, Champion?” Kokushibo had a nerve rubbing him wrong. His instinct rang bell after bell within his head, but he couldn’t decide what needed to be done. He considered being blunt and forward about what should be done, but the Princess before him could send him off in unceremonious fashion with a simple wave of her hand and he knew it. He opted for the opposite.
“Nothing else, Princess.” Kokushibo bowed once again. “I will do my best to be as vigilant and effective as when being the Moon’s Champion.”
With that, Kokushibo left through the main hall’s large double doors as peasants and business owners began to file in with their requests of the Princesses. A heavy weight slammed upon his shoulders at the sound of the door’s closing. Keeping the peace was his top priority at this point. As the thought crossed his mind, he noticed a singular guard patrolling the courtyard. The muscles and blood vessels becoming more and more faded and difficult to make out. The details lost sharpness as the inner workings of his body became blurred. The man marched past Kokushibo, who was now troubled as every guard after took the same blurred shape as the first.
~
The carriage rattled softly and shook occasionally. Celestia was looking over the schedule for the day and briefing her new Champion. It was a simple day of showing face for the Princess. Breakfast with the mayor of Fillydelphia, fundraiser event with the local hospital’s child patients, kick-off the city’s market festival, and finishing off the day with a firework show after sunset. It was a day well worth the pay. All she instructed Kokushibo to do was to stand by her at all times and, when photographed mostly, to look friendly. He agreed that his ever-stoic expression did come off as hostile and he promised to use today to try and appear more friendly. By the time they had covered every inch of the day’s itinerary, they were only halfway to Fillydelphia. The sun continued to rise above the horizon as she inquired with her Champion.
“How are you feeling, Kokushibo?” Celestia asked with her trademark smile. “We know you aren’t used to such public missions.” Kokushibo was watching the emerald fields zip underneath them as the carriage flew between clouds and the earth below. “You seem…distracted.”
“I am as well as I could be, Princess.” He answered with little inflection in his voice. “Simply preparing myself for the day. I apologize if…” Her hand slowly came up again, compelling Kokushibo to stop dead in his tracks. Her hand returned to its folded position on her lap.
“You need not feel compelled to answer Our questions while obscuring the truth.” She cocked her head slightly, still smiling. “Simply say that you are troubled, if you are. And if that is all you wish to share, then so be it.” Kokushibo felt the words caught in his chest as they ice-climbed their way to the back of his throat. He swallowed and spoke forth.
“I am…troubled.”
“About the mission?”
“No.” He made sure to keep his voice as calm as possible. “I assure you that it will not affect the quality of my work today. My… troubling feelings will pass.”
“If you need anything of me today, you let Us know. We will do what We can to assure your focus and comfortability alike.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
“Please,” she said, her smile looking more genuine, “in private, you may refer to Us as simply Celestia.” Kokushibo only gave a quick nod, knowing something like that would be far too difficult for him to grasp.
They arrived to Fillydelphia on schedule. The growing city was large for its very young age of 70 years. The tallest building, the city hall, stood at an impressive five stories. The intricate architecture emitted an energy of power and civilization. It was the most advanced city Kokushibo had seen in Equestria. Even the Castle of the Two Sisters kept a more traditional feel to it, being candle and torch lit. Meanwhile, the streets as well as city hall are lit by electric bulbs. Being a massively successful city of production, it made its advancements from within and is slowly sharing its reliable knowledge with the rest of Equestrian cities. After having breakfast with the mayor, Celestia and Kokushibo moved through the streets towards the hospital. The hustle and bustle of Fillydelphia made Kokushibo feel more human, as the people were too busy with their daily lives to pay much attention to Kokushibo in passing. Passing citizens only noticed and acknowledged their Princess with the deepest bows they could muster in their busy schedules. No matter what, Celestia kept her head up and her eyes forward with her violet shadow in tow.
The hospital event proved to be the more interesting part of their day so far. It gave Kokushibo a good feeling to be here accompanying the Princess as she helps serve food to the citizens in the hospital for the fundraiser event. Seeing the families that refused to leave their injured family member’s side resonated with Kokushibo. He couldn’t help but smile here and there as he saw and felt the strong connection between family members and their community. It was times like this that made him miss the Smiths. Every child that ran around him laughing reminded him of Sweet, all the while homesickness began creeping through his body once again. His heart beat with longing for his surrogate family as they left the hospital to move on to the market festival. He put aside his thoughts to refocus on his mission. His eyes scanned every crowd to the best of his ability. While he could see each person in perfect clarity, the inner machinations of each person became more blurred by the day. It worried Kokushibo, to say the least, but he carried on. Celestia led Kokushibo into a nearby shop that was nearly empty. He was surprised as Celestia closed the distance between them two.
“We have just received word of an issue.” Celestia informed Kokushibo suddenly, bluntly, and covertly. He blinked his eyes in the speed of these chain of events as he gathered what to say.
“An issue?” Kokushibo worried, hoping he hadn’t made a mistake and left an avenue of approach open for someone to do harm. “What kind of issue?”
“The pyrotechnician for the fireworks display tonight reported to the guards that more than half of his pyrotechnics had been stolen.” Celestia looked out the window to the shop at the passing people on the other side of the window, watching each passing citizen pay them no mind. “Normally this wouldn’t be too much of a concern and We would simply let the local guards handle it. However, these fireworks in particular are large and powerful enough for the small towns adjacent the city to see the show. That amount of firepower could be used to make weapons to disrupt infrastructure and potentially injure or kill many citizens.” Her attention returned to Kokushibo. “We will be okay alone for the time being. But this problem needs to be solved on a time-sensitive schedule. Make haste!”
Kokushibo nodded once, moving quickly out the door and into the street. He made his way onto the rooftops and traversed them at great speed. In no time, he approached the venue for the festival market. The market spanned five city blocks that were closed off for preparation. He made his way to the firework staging area, where around 13 men and women were scrambling to put together a firework show without the stolen pyrotechnics. Multiple workers noticed Kokushibo’s arrival. Many were immediately stricken with fear, expecting another robbery. However, a couple of workers had the wherewithal to notice the small emblem on Kokushibo’s nagagi and rushed towards him.
“Champion! Sir!” One worker ran up to him with his co-workers hot on his trail. They all bowed deeply, quickly raising themselves. “Our equipment! And the fireworks! They took them all!”
“Slow down.” Kokushibo raised a relaxed hand towards the frantic man and apprentices. “Calm. Now, who are we talking about?” The man took a breath and gathered himself.
“Bandits, I’d guess.” The apprentice said with urgency. “They had armor I haven’t seen before. It was black. And light looking. That’s all I know.”
“Where did they run off to?” Kokushibo asked the apprentice who shrugged, turning to his co-workers for help.
“They went that way!” A female voice among them said, her outstretched arm pointing to the northeast cluster of buildings and alleyways.
“Okay. And where is your boss?” Kokushibo asked, looking around for the lead pyrotechnician. The first apprentice spoke up to answer Kokushibo.
“He went back to our company warehouse to look for more spare pyrotechnics. He should be back soon.”
“Understand.” Kokushibo responded. “Continue your work, I will try to retrieve your equipment.” Kokushibo moved away at a speed so great, he may as well have disappeared right before their eyes as they all scattered their eyes in every direction looking for the Champion. He moved along the rooftops again, keeping his eyes open for any suspicious activity. The streetlights for dusk came on as each street became illuminated by the electric lights and the rapidly setting sun. He stopped occasionally to examine his surroundings and the now thinning sidewalks of the city. It was then that a light smell invaded Kokushibo’s nose. It sizzled the back of his throat, even in this small quantity. He knew the smell and looked in all directions, trying to find its potential source.
Sulfur? No…gunpowder. They’re here somewhere. There must be a lot of fireworks for me to be able to smell them so early before seeing them.
He transitioned to focusing his senses into his nose, trying his best to sniff out their location. He stopped on top of a small business, using his nose to scan his environment. Although his nose wasn’t precise, he could tell he was close. The smell only got stronger from where he stood. He began looking across at the small buildings for anything suspicious. He leapt to ground level, hoping to get a more accurate response from the smell. He stayed low to the ground, as the smell lingered closer to the ground as it began to dissipate. People continued their day as they simply walked around him as he tried to trace the origin of the smell. It got stronger and stronger as he crept down the sidewalk. He came across an egress window at the base of a communal abode. The smell was at its strongest. He got down on hands and knees to peer into the window.
A large basement with various machines and pumps lined the walls while the center of the floor remained relatively barren, safe for a few meters and pipes. It was dimly lit but Kokushibo could detect movement within. Multiple bodies passed left and right as Kokushibo struggled to get a clear picture through the muggy window. It was then he could see what he was looking for. The fireworks were being roped together, covered with disguised produce tarps, and stacked on crude pallets.
Hmm, smugglers it seems…
He daintily checked the window with his palm to, surprisingly, find it unlocked. He pushed it inward and slid his person within the basement. Landing on the floor with an inaudible tap, he remained crouched and in the shadows. He counted seven men moving things around, all of them armed with swords. He was about to approach one and eliminate him when he stopped to listen to the conversation they had apparently all been having.
“Off to the east with this batch.” A bandit with a clipboard said, his voice elderly and rough.
“Don’t they already have enough?!” Another voice, deeper and younger than the first asked angrily.
“No!” Clipboard bandit replied with aggression. “The boss said they’re going to need at least another 2,000 pounds worth and we can only get 800 to him this time around.”
“And what about us? We’re just supposed to fend for ourselves?!”
Hmm, Kokushibo thought to himself, fend for themselves..? From what?
“We’re to follow orders to the details and make sure these explosives are where they need to be when the time comes. Then…the fun begins.” Clipboard bandit paused on his last sentence, as though he were going to say something else but changed his wording. He sighed, passing his hand over the clipboard and then dropping it to the ground. He rolled up his sleeves while his comrades stopped what they were doing to look at him. “It seems we have an…unwanted guest… in the shadows!”
A bolt of azure energy left his quickly outstretched hand and passed over Kokushibo’s shoulder, striking the concrete wall with devastating power and focus, leaving a burnt hole in its wake. Kokushibo moved back into the shadows deeper to make himself harder to hit as he moved through the border of the room. “Pesky darkness.” The clipboard bandit brought his other hand up as a bright light emanated from his palm, shattering Kokushibo’s only cover. The remaining bandits dropped what they were doing, drawing swords and cornered a Kokushibo, who also drew his sword and stood upright and strong. The blinding light from the magic-born bandit made it hard to see his targets, yet he did not take a single step backward.
“You all are in violation of royal decree for larceny and smuggling.” Kokushibo gripped his sword, ready for what was inevitably to come next. “As Champion of the Sun, I am placing you all under arrest for the aforementioned charges. Please…do not resist.” Another bolt of energy was hurled towards him as he finished his warning. He deflected it with his sword, the bolt redirecting into the ceiling above. The remaining bandits charged the short distance between Kokushibo and them. Kokushibo readied his sword. Deploying his attack, Kokushibo moved with grace and speed, cutting each bandit down into a bloody and gorey mess with ease. The magic-born was all that remained, dimming his light magic so that Kokushibo could see his face. An older man hid behind the light he cast. Nothing was out of the ordinary except for the cat-like eyes he had. His expression did not change as he took stock, realizing all of his colleagues were now dead. “It’s over.” Kokushibo surmised out loud. “Surrender now and you will live.”
“I’m sorry…” The old magic-born said to no one in particular. Kokushibo squinted, unsure of what was to come next. “I’ve failed you…” Tears formed in his eyes as he looked to the ceiling, dousing his light spell completely now. He brought his hand up beneath his own chin, his index and middle fingers loosely touching it. His fingertips began to glow as Kokushibo’s eyes widened.
“No, wait!” Kokushibo was only able to get that out as another bolt of magic zipped out of the bandit’s fingertips, piercing his skull and striking the ceiling. The force exerted from the spell was so great, his skull stood no chance as it shattered into countless fragments. Brain tissue, skull fragments, and teeth littered the floor and ceiling as the magic-born’s decapitated body fell over into a puddle of mixed blood and entrails from his colleagues. “Dammit.” Kokushibo cursed himself for not capturing at least one of the miscreants.
He sheathed his sword, approaching the corpses before him. He knelt over the magic-born bandit, reaching for his pocket to begin searching them. Without warning, a black flame rapidly spread from nowhere and engulfed the corpses. Kokushibo jumped back in surprise, readying for a counterattack. No such attack came as he watched the flame burn all of the remains down to blood and bone into ash. It only took a minute, as Kokushibo could tell that the fire should not be disturbed in fear that he too could ignite. The flame did not feel hot as he approached the now dying flames. Waving his hand over it, they didn’t generate heat. The last bit of ash burned away as the basement was now empty of any signs of bandits except for the stolen fireworks. Kokushibo looked over and saw the overturned clipboard. He approached and brought the board up for him to see its contents. The letters and numbers were jumbled and moved in a hypnotic pattern. The magic-born placed a spell on the contents, encrypting it to be unreadable. As he examined it, he heard rushing footsteps coming down the stairs, the steps sounding heavy like knights armor.
“It came from down here!” A gruff voice called from the descending staircase. Multiple guards showed themselves as they flooded the room, noticing Kokushibo first. Once the space was taken up, they looked around, all of them unsure what to be ready for.
“All of the bandits have been eliminated.” Kokushibo informed the guards of the bandits’ fates. They responded by slowly lowering their weapons one by one. The sergeant who had spoken earlier on the way down spoke again, this time to Kokushibo directly.
“Where are they then? Where have they gone?”
“Well, they…” Kokushibo felt like he’d sound ridiculous if he told the truth, but he gave the sergeant his honest answer. “burst into a…black flame.” Now saying it out loud, it worried him thinking it sounded like he was trying to cover the true outcome of the scuffle. However, the sergeant looked unfazed and even scoffed as he approached the stolen pyrotechnics.
“Sounds about right.” The sergeant said, surprising Kokushibo. “We’ve been having these bandits in particular hiding amongst the citizens here in Fillydelphia. We’ve also received word from other growing cities where they could hide amongst the crowd and have been spotted doing so.” The sergeant cut the ropes and lifted the tarp, exposing the fireworks and equipment. He looked closely to make sure they were untampered with. “Anyhow, my men and I will handle this, Champion. Return to the Princess.”
Kokushibo agreed to let the guards return the fireworks to the pyrotechnicians. He ascended the staircase and exited the building. Once out on the street, he noticed the sun had set and the night was well underway. Stars began to fill the sky and made a perfect backdrop for the night. The streets and sidewalks had nearly completely thinned to a few people. Traffic was still busy but nowhere near to the bustle of the morning and mid-day. Fillydelphians were no doubt filling the streets hosting the market. It made Kokushibo’s walk there much quicker. He retraced his steps, making his way back to where Celestia would be presiding over the market. Once he arrived, the crowded ambience returned as people moved between and around each other to different stalls and merchants in the market. Warm colored lights hung up on posts crisscrossed overhead of the walkways. Kokushibo, although in lack of practice, was no stranger to navigating these types of bazaars. He joined the flow of foot traffic, letting his eyes wander free in search of the Princess.
It wasn’t long until he saw her speaking to someone just outside of the market in the direction of where the firework staging area was. He couldn’t get a good look at the person speaking to Celestia but her posture told Kokushibo that she was in no immediate danger. As he pushed passed person after person, he reached outside the flow of the market, his vision now unobscured. He quickly approached the Princess as the man she had been talking to was now rummaging through a crate behind himself. With her Champion back at her side, Celestia spoke to him.
“We have received word that you were successful in retrieving the pyrotechnics. Excellent work, my Champion.” She turned her head and attention to Kokushibo. “Thanks to you, the firework show remains on schedule. And to show his appreciation, the lead pyrotechnician here wished to relay a gift to you through Us. But since you are here, he may reward you in person.”
“Oh…” Kokushibo’s eyes drifted to the back side of the pyrotechnician who was still reaching around the crate. “That’s…unnecessary.”
“Preposterous!” The man said in a powerful voice. “It’s no full compensation, but it will show my appreciation! Once I find it…” He chortled a little at his displacement of the gift. He hummed and spoke to himself from within the box when suddenly he exclaimed at his find. “Aha! Here it is!” He stood back up straight and turned to face Kokushibo. He held something in his outstretched hand. Celestia had only just begun to look at what the gift was in the man’s palm when it was suddenly dropped to the floor. Her expression became serious as quickly as the gift fell as she saw the pyrotechnician was now several feet off the ground. He wriggled and squirmed in the intense grip placed at his throat. Celestia looked towards the man who now had the pyrotechnician in a death grip with a threatening gaze.
“Kokushibo!” She thundered. “What is the meaning of this?!”
Kokushibo’s grip did not loosen as he stared down the face of the man before him in his clutches. The man’s short, spikey, black hair was now frazzled and unkempt at the sudden offense. His sky blue eyes widened and were accentuated by his long and tended-to eyelashes. The man clawed at Kokushibo’s unyielding hand and wrist, the man’s face was stricken with terror against Kokushibo’s rage-filled one. Kokushibo looked at each feature of his face to confirm what he believed to be nothing short of the truth before him.
“Akaza…!” Kokushibo’s voice was laced with hatred and disgust. Thoughts ravaged every corner of his mind. It was obvious as he couldn’t think of anything else to say as his grip tightened. The man bearing the striking resemblance of the Upper Rank Three demon was released from Kokushibo’s grip suddenly against his volition. His arm fell to his respective side, losing all feeling and strength in it. The pyrotechnician fell to the earth and began coughing in an uncontrollable fit while trying to catch his breath. Kokushibo looked over his shoulder to see Celestia with her hand outstretched, a shimmering golden glow undulating around her hand. She aimed for his arm and caused the sudden loss of feeling and control, but she widened her range to target all of Kokushibo.
“That is quite enough, Champion.” Celestia said with a serious tone. Her eyes bored into Kokushibo’s, striking what he could only imagine to be fear deep in his heart. He tried to put up a strong face, yet he could not. Celestia lowered her hand as Kokushibo’s senses and control returned to his arm as though it had been asleep. Celestia stepped to the crumpled man on the floor as he caught his breath and felt his throat and neck. She knelt down and hovered her hand over the man’s neck. “Please, hold still.” The same golden glow from before enveloped her hand as it flowed forward like floating water and wrapped around the man’s neck. The bruises began to disappear and the man was able to breathe normally again.
“Thank you…Princess…” He stood back onto his feet, grabbing the gift on his way up. Celestia followed suit. The man looked up to Kokushibo’s still angered face. Although fearful and wary, the man stepped forward with his hand outstretched, gift in hand. “For you, sir. I am sorry if I was of disrespect or offense to you or Princess Celestia.” Kokushibo squinted at the man, the face of Akaza still clearly before him. If not for the different colored hair and lack of rank kanji upon his eyes, Kokushibo would’ve attempted destroying him right that second, even with the Princess present. Kokushibo’s eyes shot down to the gift in question: a glass orb, the intricate shape of a snowflake blown into it. It glittered sparkles of azure and sky. The glass itself lacked any imperfections. A perfectly smooth sphere. “My wife, Flurry Snowfall, is a glass blower. This is one of her best works. I’d like for you to have it.” He awaited Kokushibo’s response. His face began to relax as he stared into the man’s eyes, having no trace of Akaza’s bloodlust and thirst for battle. Kokushibo sighed, setting himself down to his knees, bowing deeply with his hands upon the soft dirt, the top of his head hovering inches above the dirt.
“I apologize for my behavior.” Kokushibo said genuinely. “Please, find in your heart to forgive me.” The man reeled back, unsure what to do as a man so high in rank was now bowing to a peasant in public. Passing eyes drew to the group as the man dropped to his own knees and pushed on Kokushibo’s back, urging him to stand.
“Oh please, sir! Stand! I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding!” He pleaded, looking up to Celestia who’s gentle smile had already returned and was looking down to the man and her Champion. “I-I accept your apology! Now please, to your feet! You’ll dirty yourself!” Kokushibo complied, returning to his feet along with the man he nearly killed. The man dusted Kokushibo’s hakama pants and stood back. He handed Kokushibo the gift, which he accepted gracefully.
“Again, I apologize. I mistook you for…someone else.” Kokushibo reiterated, still stunned that this man had that impeccable resemblance. “All of this and I have yet to be introduced. My name is Kokushibo.” He extended his free hand to the man. The man responded by taking Kokushibo’s hand into his own and shaking hit firmly.
“Lionheart Shore.” Kokushibo was impressed by Lionheart’s ability to forgive so seamlessly since he smiled as he delivered his name. They released each other's hands after their shake. “It’s funny, I’ve been told on multiple occasions that I have a very recognizable face. So it’s something I’m actually used to…minus the choking.” He laughed heartily while Celestia stifled a giggle herself. Kokushibo remained downtrodden, the image of what just happened now burnt into his memory. His eyes fell a little bit at the joke, feeling shame overcome him. Celestia moved herself next to Kokushibo, now ready to return to the market.
“Well, if all is well and settled, We shall be returning to the festival.” Celestia said, looking to her bodyguard with gentle eyes. Her pale magentas went unnoticed to the regretful swordsman. She took in a breath, returning her eyes to Lionheart. “We are eager to see your work, Mr. Shore.”
“And I am eager to entertain!” Lionheart exclaimed, crossing his arm across his abdomen and giving a quick bow. He made himself scarce as he intended to continue his work before falling behind. Celestia turned to continue her amble to the market.
“So, Champion, We were planning on purchasing some items from one particular shop where We saw some very intriguing trinkets.” After no response for a few steps, Celestia checked over her shoulder and noticed she was alone. Kokushibo continued to stand, looking off to where Lionheart had disappeared behind the street corner. Celestia approached the obviously unsettled Kokushibo. “What troubles you, Champion?” He said nothing in response, his eyes locked on the street corner. “You mentioned what sounded like a name. We wanted to wait until We returned to the castle to discuss this topic. But it seems that this situation is occupying much of your mind.”
“His face. His voice.” Kokushibo said suddenly. “It was a demon’s.” Celestia’s smile fell into a neutral curve.
“We were under the impression that you were the only…demon to have been brought here to Equus.” Celestia took a step forward from Kokushibo’s side and leaned to look into his eyes to see what he had to say in response.
“I had said that it was most likely.” Kokushibo defended himself, his eyes now snapping to Celestia’s. “If I’d have known, I’d have let Princess Luna know when she first asked me of it. But Akaza…looks different. He looks…human again.” His eyes wandered to the ground as he brought his thumb and index finger to his chin, thinking out loud. “I know it was him. I could feel it. But why wouldn’t he retain his demonic form?”
“Perhaps,” Celestia theorized inquisitively, “he is something else entirely. Perhaps he was never a demon in Equus.” Kokushibo pondered the thought.
While that may be true, why us two in specific..? And even if not just us two, what of the other Upper Ranks? Could others have..? Now I’m not too sure anymore. From here on out, I’ll need to be more observant of people here, as it doesn’t seem too out of this world to have more demons here. And yet, he didn’t recognize me. Perhaps it truly wasn’t him? If that’s the case, then I would prefer that over the alternative possibility of there being more demons hiding here in Equestria…
“Maybe.” Kokushibo replied after a few seconds of thought. His attention gravitated to the Princess as he bowed at his waist. “I never apologized to you as well, Princess, for my actions.” He raised himself, looking directly into Celestia’s eyes. “I simply acted at the sight of what I thought was potentially the most dangerous thing I could think of endangering Equestria.” Celestia almost seemed to glow at the words he gave her.
“Your concern for this land,” Celestia’s words lulled into Kokushibo’s ears, “is well-placed. We could not ask any more of you, as your priorities are very similar to Our’s. The simple fact that you had Equestria’s safety in mind as you acted gives Us hope and security of Equestria’s foreseeable future.” Celestia’s smile turned genuine again. When it shifted from a generic and ever-present smile to one she meant from her heart, Kokushibo felt a warmth similar to the sun bathing his own stained and blackened heart in sunlight. “Now then, We are missing the festivities. Come, Champion” She turned and continued her amble from earlier, this time Kokushibo following alongside her.
“As you wish, Princess.” Kokushibo replied sturdily, masking the smile he undoubtedly wanted to spread across his face at her words.
Celestia’s words rang back and forth in his thoughts, resonating with something deep inside him. His loyalty and alignment to the kingdom flowed into each fiber of every muscle. This was his home now. The children that ran by and the people that weaved and bumped into him. Every single person he saw fell under the Two Sisters’ reign, and so they were what he sought out to protect. Flashes of light and resounding booms emanated from above, echoing off the distant hills and mountains. Stars of many colors and flight patterns zoomed high above the city. The glittering tails of each explosion burning a brilliant array of colors ranging from aggressive reds to soft and calming blues to energetic yellows. Celestia and Kokushibo stopped amongst the crowd to gaze high above them and see each vibrant explosion. Kokushibo could see the best things to happen to him in each explosion. The first time he felt sunlight in centuries was a feeling he wished he could have again. Yet, he relished the sunlight every day on the Smith farm. The fireworks came alive and lit up the darkest recesses of his heart. Ironically, it reminded him of Akaza. His energy and style now showed itself here. He remembered the long time ago that they dueled, Akaza wanting Kokushibo’s place as Upper Rank One.
It saddened him now, thinking back to all the years demons like he and Akaza spent only getting stronger. He felt lucky that his purpose here was basically handed to him by the Smiths and now the Princesses. He missed his family, old and new, but his new sense of duty writhed within him. He looked amongst the crowd again. Each person looked up in awe at the spectacular show. Each person’s inner functions now blurred into obscurity for Kokushibo. The heart, brain, blood vessels, muscles, lungs, and all others lost total clarity. Kokushibo felt it in his eye sockets. He looked person to person, seeing nothing but the skin they exposed and the clothes on their backs.
The Transparent World…it’s gone…