//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: The Solar Empire // Story: A Broken Balance // by Spell Bound //------------------------------// The Solar Empire. A week had passed since the 5th Solar Legion was devastated. Now, under the caring eye of the Peace Corp and nurse Lyra, the survivors where brought back to the Solar Empire command bunker. This was not an unusual occasion. Fluttershy often brought the wounded back to make sure they returned safely. It was an unwritten agreement that no harm would befall those under the care of the Peace Corp. What was unusual was that Lyra oversaw this operation instead of Fluttershy. This could only mean that something bad had happened. And given how many people where coming in alive, or rather how few, could only mean that Fluttershy heard something about Spell Bound, Twilight thought. “Fluttershy is still so naive. Still believing this war can be stopped by kindness.” Twilight muttered to herself. “What was that Admiral?” Twilight turned around and looked at the soldier. It was Aloe, from the Ponyville spa. She followed Twilight to the Solar Empire after the war broke out, believing that her sister and Rarity would follow, but she was mistaken. Now she was alone, Admiral Twilight Sparkle being the only link to her past now, aside from her memories. “Nothing sergeant Aloe. I was just talking to myself. Give me the causality report.” “Very well. As you know the 5th Solar Legion consisted of 5 squadrons, each with 50 men. Squadrons 2,3 and 5 no longer exist. 1st squadron have 15 men able to fight, and 5 wounded. 4th squadron were lucky and have 25 men still able to fight and 10 wounded.” “Not the best statistics we could have hoped for. Where were they?” “Thunderhoof valley.” “Why? What were they doing there?” “Hunting down the children of Discord Madam.” “WHAT! Why wasn’t I informed of this?” Twilight shouted. She was furious. She always wanted to be updated when they performed an operation to get spell. After all, was he not like a big brother to her? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Come on Twilight you can do this!” “But spell it’s so difficult.” “That’s never stopped you before.” “Be gentle with her spell it’s her first time.” Spell face palmed and looked at his two closest friends. There was Twilight, who had been like the little sister he never had, trying to cast nature magic. And then there was Cotton Needle. The seer who specialised in clothes, picked fights with the element of generosity, and very, very dirty minded. “My dear Cotton, please be serious. Or do I need to remind you what happened when you first tried this?” He couldn’t help but smile as she blushed and quickly shut up. Twilight looked at them confused.”What happened?” “She made jokes like that and ended up making flowers grow out of her ears.” This sent Twilight into a fit of laughter, making spell join in while cotton just sat quietly fuming. “Now! Without anymore interruptions, can we get back to the matter at hand? Focus on the ground and your internal magic. Picture the flower you want to grow. Now expel that magic into the ground and grow the flower.” Spell briefly explained. Twilight, focusing on the ground and within her, tried to think of all the flowers she knew. Spell was testing her magic skill, and knew just how to impress him. She started to think of his favourite flower, and did as she was instructed. Sure enough a flower grew out of the ground. “Well done Twilight. Now......Is...is that a snow dragon flower?” “Yeah....” “That’s impressive Twilight. It took me years to be able to grow one.” Bending down he picks the flower and breathes in its smell. “Well now that you’re done with your magic and when Spell’s done being such a girls blouse can we get on with our picnic?” Her snide remark made him roll his eyes, a action which he seemed to be destined to do whenever in the company of Cotton. “Being able to appreciate nature’s beauty does not make me a girl’s blouse cotton. But yes. Let us get on with it. You have dresses to make, Twilight her reports to Celestia and I promised to help Apple Jack with cider making.” “You seem to be getting close to her...you sure it’s just cider you’re going to be making?” Cotton said with a smirk on her face. Spell proceeded to throw his shoe at her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaking her head sadly, sighing, Twilight sits down at her desk. “I miss him Aloe. It’s not just because of his skill I want him found and brought into the Solar Empire. He was like a brother to me.” “I know admiral.” “And he was always the voice of reason. I mean I know i have a brother, and I love shining armour, but it’s not the same as with Spell. He always helped and protected me, even though it brought attention to him, which he hated.” “I’m sure that one day he’ll join us. Even if that’s not until this war is over. I only hope they’ll forgive us for what we’ve done.” Twilight looks up at her, seeing she’s talking about herself as well. “Where is your sister Aloe?” “Lotus? I don’t know. She’s either with the Peace Corp or Sweet Apple Munitions. Seeing as I’ve never seen her in the Peace Corp I’m assuming the latter. Or she’s hiding from me” Aloe looks down at her feet sadly. Ashamed that once again she was being selfish, Twilight offers comforting words. “I’m sure she’s fine, and when all is done I’m sure she’ll forgive you. Now go check up on those left of the 5th legion.” “Your will be done.” As Aloe left the room Twilight once more looked to her desk thinking. Now alone she could think back even further about her relationship with Spell. More precisely, when she first met him at Celestia’s school for gifted seers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight was new to the school. She had barely managed to get through her entrance exam. If princess Celestia hadn’t stepped in when she did, she never would have gotten in. Even though the princess said she was full of potential she didn’t feel like it and was really nervous. Her first class was about the different types of magic and how far the ranged. From wide spread magic, to specialised talent specific magic. The second class was about levitation, and that’s where things went downhill. It wasn’t that it was difficult, or that it was hard to pay attention. It was her fellow class mates. When the teacher left to pick up so books for them to take home they started being cruel. The older years was using magic to levitate object and throw it at her. They picked her out because she was small and shy. And the girls picking on her because she was cuter than them. Then a voice called out and everyone froze shocked. “ENOUGH! THIS IS PATHETIC. PICKING ON A CHILD BECAUSE SHE’S BETTER LOOKING THAN YOU OR BECAUSE SHE’S QUIET!” “Look here boy’s. Freak eyes is standing up for someone more pathetic than him!” One of the bullies called out. Twilight, confused looked up to see who was defending her, and saw a student a year or two older than her standing up on the desk. His hair was in a pony tail, and was black with streaks of red. If that wasn’t memorising enough there was his eyes. They seemed to be a shining turquoise, and they had no pupils. “Freak eyes? That’s the best you can come up with. You’re more than pathetic. You’re pitiful.” “At least we don’t have a fear of cupcakes freak eyes!” One of the girls responded. “I do not fear cupcakes. We are just not on friendly terms as they keep on flying into my eyes. Now! Are you going to stop bulling this young girl?” “Of course not. And now you’re gonna get it to.” “Oh I very much doubt that, fools.”The boy smirked as he said this. His seer marks glowed and all the bullies floated up and hung upside down. “WAAAAAA!” Cried the girls scared “PUT US DOWN PUT US DOWN PUT US DOWN!” Called a majority of the boys, while others just fainted from shock. “No. You can stay there until the teacher returns.” From that day forward, the bullies stayed away from Twilight, and she became good friends with the strange seer, who she later found out was called Spell Bound. In later years another female seer named Cotton needle would join their group as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ‘I’m so sorry Spell, but please come to me. I really need your guidance’ Twilight thought to herself, tears falling onto the desk.