//------------------------------//
// 67. End of peacefulness 
// Story: Rebirth of the Damned 
// by Borsuq 
//------------------------------//

	“Where are all my quills? Brbrbr.” Twilight stuttered nervously as she run around her library, until she found them and throws them at Spike, who was ready with a bag and caught it; although the quills pierced it. Twilight then moved to the bookshelves. “No, no, no, no, no...ugh! I need the Magical Compendium volumes one through thirty six! Where is it?”
“Oh, for the love of...” Matthias thought irritated as she found the humongous book she was looking for and then dropped it on the little dragon.
He decided to talk to Celestia later about stopping the streak of peaceful days. It was barely a second morning since they returned from Altomare, and despite that journey being their vacation, Matthias went through some seriously stressful situations. He was looking forward to resting some more before the builders would arrive. But, the ruler of Equestria decided now to give Twilight some kind of test.
And so, he, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack watched; some worried, some amused, and some irritated, as their nearly hysteric by now friend was preparing herself for the test before she would go to the train station.
“Flash cards!” she suddenly exclaimed, and run towards her desk “I should make some flash cards. Spike, I'm gonna need you to quiz me.” the unicorn said, throwing the dragon that just now managed to crawl back from under the book ridiculous amount of paper cards. “On everything, everything I've ever learned. Ever-” Twilight paused and scratched her chin. “That isn't going to be enough cards.”
“I’m surprised that you haven’t tried to calm her down yet.” Rainbow whispered to Matthias, loud enough for the other three mares to hear.
“I already died once, I don’t look forward to reliving the experience anytime soon.” the paladin replied automatically, before he snapped. “And I’m still not talking to you for telling the rest about Ripple.”
Dash snickered as she heard his offended tone. Once they were done with their... prolonged exercises, which made her unable to flight straight later that evening, Matthias accidently mentioned to the cyan pegasus about the sea pony when she asked him did he rutted a pony before; the very next day he learned in a rather unpleasant way that mares talked about everything.
Not that any of them made a big deal out of it, but each of them frowned when talked to him, or smirked, or laughed... it was simply irritating. However, despite his refusal to talk to Rainbow, they still bucked at the same place later.
Matthias wasn’t sure what to think of this. Never before he has been in that sort of relationship, or even heard much of it, but he did know that some did this. The paladin couldn’t tell that he personally know anyone or anypony who had a ‘bang-buddy’, as Dash called it, other than the two of them. It felt... wrong to Matthias, to be still just friends and yet be intimate, but perhaps that was why he was somehow attracted to this sort of deal with Rainbow.
Not to mention how good it felt.
He was surprised that the other mares seemed to be okay with this; especially Twilight who, as he learned from Dash, even given the pegasus permission. Matthias himself was pretty sure that if it was the other way around, he would buck the stallion’s teeth out, and it made him very uneasy.
He put those thoughts away as Twilight started to look for more cards, and Spike came up to her.
“Twilight, calm down. It's just a test.”
“Oh, no...” Matthias thought with dread, amazed by Spike’s stupidity.
“Just a test?” Twilight asked quietly, glancing at her assistant, before she lunged at him and shouted: “Just a test!? Princess Celestia wants to give me some kind of exam and you're trying to tell me to calm down because it's just a test?!”
As she continued to scream at the baby dragon, she advanced at him, causing Spike to back away. Once Twilight stopped, demanding an answer; Spike grabbed a nearby cushions and a helmet, trying to soften the blow everypony knew was coming to him.
“Uh...Yes.” Spike said.
“Oh, for the love of Light...” Matthias facehoofed as Twilight’s horn began to shine with power.
“Ah'd say she's handling things pretty well,” Applejack concluded, both she and Rarity smirking, “considerin'.”
Matthias just rolled his eyes in response, as he calmly asked the Light for protection for them all.
“Uuuurgh!”
 
Twenty minutes later, after Twilight finished packing and library was back to normal, they all went to the train station.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to go as well?” Rarity asked their nervously pacing friend.
“Oh, yes, I’m sure.” Twilight replied, as she stopped murmuring something, most likely magic-related. “The Princess isn’t expecting me for four hours, so Spike and I will first drop by my parent’s first, and then go to the castle. You can come by the next train, after I...” she was about to say ‘either fail or pass’, but being so nervous, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Instead of trying to calm her with words, which could only end in a disaster, Matthias reached for the Light. When he could feel it gather within him, he pressed his hoof to Twilight’s shoulder and poured it into her, blessing her and granting her mind peace.
“Better?” Matthias asked, her, and she nodded.
“Yes, thanks...” Twilight began, far more calm and collected than she was since the moment Celestia’s letter appeared, but then looked thoughtful. “This is going to wear off soon, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes, and while normally such blessing last around hour, you are most likely going to start worrying within the next ten minutes.” the paladin replied with a smirk.
“Very funny.” the unicorn scowled, although Matthias caught a glimpse of amusement in her eye.
“Anyway, you are going to do great.” he told her.
“Yeah, ya’re obviously gonna pass.” Applejack agreed.
“Duh,” Pinkie Pie said. “And once you do, we’re gonna have a party to Celebrate!”
“Just do your best, Twilight.” said Rarity
“Of course she’s going to do her best; this is Twilight we’re talking about.” Rainbow Dash stated.
“Thanks everypony.” Twilight smiled hearing all of them cheer her. “See you soon.”
With that said, she and Spike stepped on the train. The others stood at the station, and as the train soon moved, they started waving after her even though they were going to see each other in few hours.
“The next train for Canterlot leaves in two hours.” Rarity said once the one with Twilight and Spike disappeared into the distance. “See you all then.”
Matthias, like everypony else, nodded, and trotted towards the library. To his mild surprise, one pony followed him.
“So, we’ve got two hours for ourselves.” Rainbow told him seductively once the others were all out of earshot. “And Twilight’s not home...”
The paladin remained silent.
“Oh, come on!” Dash exclaimed, annoyed. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think you would make such a big deal out of it. Nopony else did...”
“Maybe, but I dislike the way the others looked at me.”
“Ha, you talked!”
Matthias rolled his eyes and continued, while still walking:
“As a paladin, I’m supposed to be seen as a beacon of righteousness, and I’m kind off failing with it when everypony starts thinking that I’m mating with random mares.”
“Then why did you do it?” Rainbow smirked. “Or, for that matter, how does bucking with your friend helps with this image?”
“I never said I was the role model of paladins.” Matthias replied with a half-hearted grin.
The cyan pegasus chuckled, and at the same moment, they reached the library. Once Matthias opened the door and they both went inside, Rainbow immediately brushed his side with wings and kissed him on the neck.
“So?” she asked. “It would be nice to actually do it in bed.”
“And who is so insecure that she won’t invite me to her place?” the earth pony asked with a raised eyebrow.
“For the last time, you would fell through my floor!”
“Sure...” Matthias laughed in response, despite knowing she was right.
“Why you-”
Her further words were cut off as the stallion kissed her, causing her to moan instead of talk. Matthias would love this kiss to be just a warm up, but unfortunately, he knew they didn’t have the time.
“While I think it would be lovely to completely disrespect Twilight by bucking in her home,” he said, breaking the kiss, “knowing my Iuck, I’m pretty sure that both she and Spike would somehow appear here because she forgot something. And while Twilight may have no problems with this, I’d prefer not to think how she’d react if she saw us, not to mention Spike as well. Besides, don’t you need to find somepony to take care of Tank?”
“Oh, right.” Rainbow said regretfully. “Who are you leaving Spottedleaf and Owlowiscious with?”
“With Daisy, she’s also taking care of Angel.”
“So, you think that he and Spottedleaf are really...”
“I hope not.” he sighed. “The last thing Ponyville needs is Junior Angels running around with big sharp claws and fangs.”
They both chuckled at the thought, despite Matthias being quite serious. He wasn’t certain it was possible, but considering everything that happened, he wouldn’t be surprised.
“Sure you don’t want a quicky?” Rainbow asked one last time as she began heading towards the door, flicking at him with tail.
“Go home, you lust-driven mare.” Matthias replied, chuckling.
She threw him a scorn look, but shrugged it off as she left the library. The paladin shook his head and called out the pets.
“Alright you two, get up!” he commanded, trotting over to Spottedleaf basket. “I will be leaving soon too, so somepony needs to watch you.”
While Twilight’s owl almost at once landed on his shoulder, his cat took her time to unroll from the ball she was when she slept.
“Angel will be there.” Matthias told her, curious about her reaction.
“Dammit.” he thought as she quickly jumped out of her basket and padded over.
“What in Light’s name do you even see in him?”
Spottedleaf sniffed him, glanced at the door, and then back at him. Matthias could swear she was smirking.
 



 
“And don’t worry, just do your best.” Twilight Velvet told her daughter as she hugged her.
“Thanks, Mom, Dad.” Twilight replied nervously, the effects of Matthias’ blessing gone. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come later?”
“Yes, go celebrate with your friends.” Night Light said, smiling as if he was certain she was going to pass. “We will both be at work until evening, anyway.”
“Okay.” the lavender unicorn muttered, now even more nervous, seeing how much faith her parents had in her. “Bye, I’ll try to come home more often.”
“Bye.”
She and Spike waved back as they began trotting through the streets of Canterlot, armed with a saddlebag full of quills, books and scrolls.
Towards the castle.
Towards the test.
 


	

The train ride, while not nearly as long as the one they all previously took seemed to lengthen as they wanted to hear how their friend passed. Matthias spend most of it meditating, much to the Rainbow’s frustration.
Still, however, the Light’s voice was out of his reach.
“It spoke to me when I needed It.” he thought, more than a bit disheartened at the lack of progress. “Is it too much to ask for Light’s advice?”
He shook his heads. The path that lay behind those thoughts was dark, which he knew better than anyone else. Matthias sighed, and knowing that they would arrive in Canterlot soon, opened eyes.
“Oh, looks who’s awake.” Rainbow snorted.
“How long until we’ll be in Canterlot?” he asked, ignoring the remark.
“We’re...” Pinkie Pie, who sat closest to the window, said. “HERE!”
The moment she said that, the train slowed down and then stopped. Matthias and everypony else rose up from their seats and marched toward exit, besides Pinkie, who for some reason headed towards the one on the other side of cart.
“I’m not happy.” Dash hissed at him quietly at the end of the line.
“Why, you wanted to do it in the train’s bathroom?” Matthias asked, amused.
“Well, it would made the ride more interesting.” she replied with a smirk, and he had no idea if she was joking or being serious.
“Twilight!” Applejack suddenly exclaimed from outside of the train. “Did you pass?”
“That was fast.” Matthias thought as he and Dash quickly joined the rest of the group in congratulating the lavender unicorn.
However, before he could voice his praise of her, he noticed the expression she bore once Applejack released her from hug.
“What happened?” he wondered, alarmed at the sight of uncertainty and slight fear on her face. “She couldn’t possibly fail...”
“Are we gonna celebrate your awesomeness with Princess Celestia?” Pinkie Pie interrupted his thoughts as she strolled into the station with her Party Cannon, aiming it at the sky and firing the confetti while she bounced up.
“Not quite.”
Twilight voice, which returned to her usual tone, had a strange effect on both Pinkie and the Cannon, as they both receded to their previous positions.
“If I didn’t know better, I would swear she’s a bronze dragon.” the paladin thought, before turning back to listen to what Twilight was going to say.
“We're going to the Crystal Empire!”
Matthias’ eyes went wide as their friends murmured between themselves in confusion.
“The Crystal Empire?!” he exclaimed, shocked. “It’s back?”
Now it was Twilight who stared at him with astonishment.
“How do you know about the Empire?!” she asked, while the others’ eyes switched back and forth between them.
“The Princesses mentioned it to me.” he started to explain, but stopped as he noticed a royal guard marching towards them.
“Twilight Sparkle?” the guards asked, and once Twilight nodded, he continued: “We’ve arranged a train to carry you, Grand Master Matthias and everypony accompanying you back to Ponyville and then to the old station up north, near Crystal Empire’s borders. If you all would follow me, please...”
“Of course.” Twilight replied. “Come on, everypony, I will explain everything on the way.”
As Matthias and everypony else followed the guard, his mind whirled with thought. For starters, why did the Empire return now? And what it had to do with Twilight’s test?
“And,” the paladin thought with a slight feeling of dread. “did something else return with it?”