//------------------------------//
// A Little Grit to Sharpen a Blade 
// Story: Tricks, cloaks and wands: The Lost Tales of a Traveling Magician 
// by divinearcadia 
//------------------------------//


To get this out of the way, I have no control over the characters of and related to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. This is a piece of literary fiction, the events of this story are not intended to reflect the actions or incriminate anypony.

Chapter Eight: A Little Grit to Sharpen a Blade


Trixie wakes the next morning with the rising of the sun with none of the weakness that had plagued her yesterday though she was a bit sore. She never woke again for the rest of the day after Whetstone had told her to get some sleep after her abrupt meeting with Twilight Sparkle. Getting up and attending to her morning ablutions, she wanders down to the kitchen with only a few corrections from servants when she felt she was lost. The kitchen remains much the same as she finds a seat and is served a light breakfast suitable for sustained activity but nothing that would make her feel sluggish. Finishing her meal she leaves her plates on the counter and walks out to find Whetstone waiting for her just outside. She has the sneaking suspicion that Whetstone makes it a point to be unassumingly punctual when he deals with anypony, keeping them in the dark and wondering when he will show up next with something to fill their schedule.
“Good morning Miss Lulamoon. I'm glad to see you're out and about on your own volition today. For the morning, we'll assess your physical condition and allow you the afternoon for yourself. Later tonight you will begin your arcane training with Mistress Luna and Miss Ice.” He keeps a neutral expression the entire time but she has the feeling that she's in for a long day. “We will also move you and your belongings you left behind in Ponyville into the Night Tower as befitting the protege of Mistress Luna.”
“Wait, what?! Protege? Since when am I the student of Princess Luna?” Trixie says startled.
“I think I mentioned yesterday that you've been taken on in a 'public capacity' by our Mistress. I thought it would have been evident from my wording. But I must give you a small concession in the light that we were quite suddenly interrupted by Miss Sparkle. You have indeed been chosen as the sole understudy by Mistress Luna with all the privileges and responsibilities associated therein. This may be surprising for you, but much thought was given to her decision and she would never chose a pony who couldn't shoulder the title. Be proud in and of yourself Miss Lulamoon.”
His words pierce through the shock. But surely there must be some mistake. She hasn't done anything especially astounding to be the student of one of the most powerful entities in the world. Why me?
“If you're ready Miss Lulamoon, shall we go to the training grounds for your physical assessment?” Whetstone says after a moment, breaking her increasingly panicked train of thought. Trixie looks at Whetstone and nods, following him as he walks off. “Over the next year and many beyond, you will become quite acquainted with the training grounds and the ponies who oversee them. Physical conditioning will become intrinsic for your lessons as a strong mind is housed in a strong body. Discipline and focus in any situation will be taught to you on the grounds, your life may depend on being able to think clearly and quickly amidst chaos.”
“I can see the discipline and focus being important, but why would my life be in danger?” Whetstone is quiet for some time as they walk. He doesn't speak until they exit the castle and are walking by their selves along a shadowed walkway along the base of the castle. He stands in the shade as though his words aren't meant to even be uttered under the light of the sun.
“You are now a member of a small group of individuals whose skills fall under the domain of Mistress Luna. Many of them were, and still are, quite dangerous and were contained by Princess Celestia until our Mistresses return, creating a stability they sorely needed as their powers ran amok. They were not prisoners, but they were not allowed to leave for fear they would cause much harm. They now have the chance to properly learn to control their abilities and put them to use in one way or another. Equestria has many enemies, both abroad and within its boarders. Many do not know this because Princess Celestia has been most stalwart in her efforts to protect her citizens. But where ever the sun shines, it creates shadows. We are the ponies who walk where the sun cannot and will not. As the sun guards its citizens, the moon is the talon that rends and destroys. We are the Lunar Talon and we destroy that which seeks our ruin.”


It takes them the better part of an hour, making it close to ten in the morning by the time they reach the training grounds as they had to take a special large capacity transport train to reach the grounds at the eastern base of the mountain. The training grounds seems unnaturally bright as Trixie walks through the tall spiked gates surrounding it. She and Whetstone haven't said another word to one another after he explains what she is involved in. It still seems unreal to her. But this was what she had sworn to do. To serve Luna in any capacity she was able to. As they walk, Trixie looks around, seeing that the grounds are split up symmetrically into six distinct sections that takes up close to twenty acres each. Scattered around the area and along the base of the wall are a large amount of buildings ranging from a distinct group of building that serves as barracks and mess hall to several administration buildings. The symmetrical areas range greatly from a grassy area to densely forested and even a small lake was seen in the distance.
They walk to one of the larger buildings and stop before it as Whetstone turns to Trixie. “Starting today, you will come here as instructed. You may eat meals here, but I recommend you take them in the royal kitchens. I will introduce you to your instructor, you are to follow any order he gives you. If you would wait here, I will not be long.” Trixie just nods as her throat has become slightly dry. Whetstone walks into the shadowy interior. While waiting, Trixie looks around the area which is neatly cobbled with a durable stone more suited to the heavy wear and tear of heavily loaded wagons than what she normally sees used. The buildings are mostly painted a simple off white with golden trim while the one she stands before is trimmed in a blue so dark as to be mistaken for black. In the distance, she spots a group of heavily armored earth ponies marching in synchronized motions. As they get nearer, she notices that their armor is a dull gray, incredibly thick and battered. Their horse shoes not only cover their hooves but also up their fetlocks as well. A big stallion in similar armor, easily half again the size of the stallions who are close in size to that big red stallion with the carrot colored mane she had seen in Ponyville on occasion, leads them.
They march into the center of the parade ground and stop at the loud cry of their leader, his voice muffled and indistinct from the distance. They break formation a moment later at another command, walking deliberately slowly under the enormous weight of their armor. Their commander begins walking towards the administration buildings. He covers half the distance before he seems to notice Trixie, changing direction to walk over to her. As he gets closer, there's a noticeable grinding sound, she notices very small puffs of dust blow away from under his hooves at each step. As he gets nearer, Trixie sees that his left foreleg has a large puckered scar extending up under the shoulder plate as well as the fact that he has a large leather eye patch covering his right eye.
“What're you doing here, pony? Civilians aren't to be on these grounds unless you're to be a recruit and you don't look like any recruit I've ever seen.” His voice is as gravelly as the rock he seems to be made of, thick slabs of muscle moving under his coat with no fat to dull their edges.
“She's here for elite training Landslide.” Whetstone says as he walks out of the building. He eyes the much larger stallion with dull apathy. He gets a derisive snort in response.
“I won't say a word except that her death is on your hooves.” Landslide turns amidst a slight squeal of tortured stone and metal to walk away. It's not long before he disappears into one of the buildings with an alarming sound of groaning wood.
“What kind of pony was that? He looks more like a force of nature than a real pony.” Trixie says once she's sure Landslide isn't coming back out.
“That. Is Landslide. Nopony but Celestia knows where he came from, but he leads the new Guard unit. He calls them Terra Asunder. They may not have the flight or magic of the other units, but they make up for it with specially enchanted heavy armor which makes them altogether another kind of beast. I've heard some of the other guard Captains talk about how glad they are that they don't have to face against them more than twice a year for inter-Guard mock combat.”
“What caused those injuries he had? I don't think I've ever seem a pony with scars or wounds like that before.”
“He says that they were caused when he fought against an alpha manticore during his travels in the Gryphon Empire. All I know is that he has the mounted skull of a very large manticore that has had the left side of its skull completely shattered behind his desk. Now, back to the business at hoof if you would follow me inside to meet your instructor.” Trixie follows Whetstone into the dark interior of the building. Once inside she notices how distinctly quiet it is as well as how the shadows seem to have a thicker substance here. Whetstone leads her down a hallway past the duty desk which is empty, up two flights of stairs to the first office down the dim hallway to the left, faint light from a single candle coming from the open door. Following him through the door, she spots a lithe unicorn with a light to dark gray mottled coat and a short cut ivory mane behind a small desk. The unicorn is distinctly male with a predatory gleam in his ash gray eyes that dismisses her with an evaluated glance. The feeling that she was assessed, tested and deemed worthless makes Trixie feel distinctly harrowed.
“Miss Lulamoon, this is your trainer. Flickering Shadow, this is your new student.” After the introduction, Whetstone addresses Trixie. “For the next hour and a half, you are in his very capable hooves. As I said before, you are to follow his orders immediately, unflinchingly. I will return to conduct you back to the castle once your session is over.” He immediately walks out of the office once done. Alone with Flickering Shadow, the silence seems to take on a distinctly tangible form as it oppresses and weighs down on Trixie. Trixie stands still, breathing deeply of the cool air, barely blinking as she watches Flickering Shadow. The unicorn behind the desk says and does nothing except watch her in turn with dark eyes that barely seems to blink. Thoughts and emotions race through Trixies mind as she stands, under his predatory gaze. The candle on a short bookshelf wavers slightly making Flickering Shadow seem his namesake as he seems to slightly shimmer under the wavering light. After a time something changes and the oppressiveness leaves the atmosphere. Shadow slowly stands, walking to the door in a casual manner.
“Follow.” He says in a deep and calm voice sounding like soft velvet barely concealing a deadly sharp blade as he passes Trixie, leaving the office slightly ahead of her. They follow the same path down as she took up and into the searing light of the late morning. They walk close to the buildings as they make their way across the grounds. They continue around to the back last building on western edge of the cluster of buildings before a large stretch of shortly grazed grass. Along the back side of the building is a large variety of constructs consisting mostly of metal and high tensile rope. He walks over to one that has a small bench with two flat panels positioned about shoulder high if one were to sit on it. Flicker walks around the back and she hears a mild metallic clink as his horn glows with a smoky aura. “Come over here and sit on the bench. Place your back completely against the rest and your forelegs flat against the panels. Do nothing until I tell you what to do next.”
Trixie does as instructed and waits until he tells her to push with her forelegs slowly then return to her original position just as slowly. The construct makes little clanking noises as she pushes with a louder one when she returns to her original position. She repeats this process several more times meeting more and more resistance until she's barely able to push all the way out and return slowly as her legs and shoulders have become slightly shaky from the localized effort. She gets moved from one construct to another requiring her to use a different set of muscles and motions each time. By the time she's done, her entire body feels as though it has the heat of a comfortable fire sunk into it and a light sheen of sweat covers her.
“Run around the border of the plains sextant once and you'll be done for the day.” Flickering Shadow says in that calm voice. Trixie looks out across the sextant and her gut clenches instinctively as she looks across the daunting expanse. She says nothing though as she walks over to the edge and slowly begins to pick up speed until she barely reaches a gallop, knowing that she will need endurance. Her muscles flare to fiery life as she reaches the first turn. Thoughts leave her mind as she soon reaches that exhausted apex where the conscious mind gives up and will alone keeps tired muscles moving. She doesn't know how long it takes her to reach the far end to run alongside the encircling wall, but her legs begin to have small sporadic cramps partway along the way. She makes another turn, her upper lungs dry and searing as she continues to barely maintaining a gallop, sweat like acid drips into her eyes causing her to run with her head angled downwards. The cramps in her legs get progressively worse as she begins to develop a stitch along the left side of her barrel. The last turn shows the area scattered constructs and a lone figure standing in the shadows in the distance. Trixie grits her teeth as she reaches deep within herself to find the energy for one last effort and gallops quickly to the finish. She quickly slows down once she passes the border of the area, Flickering Shadow walks over to her as she walks slowly through the constructs. “Walk for ten minutes in the shade to cool down, I'll be back shortly with water for you.”
He walks off leaving Trixie to wander over to the shade with his instructions echoing faintly in her fatigued mind. He returns to her side with a bucket and drinking ladle without her noticing. She drinks from the ladle levitated before her, the water blessedly cool as it flows down her dry and inflamed throat. She drinks half of another ladle proffered to her before she feels like she's completely full. She walks around a bit more and is slightly shocked by the sudden coolness that flows across her back and down her sides as Flickering Shadow slowly pours water down her back to help her cool down. The trek of pouring water progresses up her back and neck, eventually over her head washing the stinging sweat from her face. She drinks some more water as she gets led back to the administration building, her mind slowly returning to full faculties albeit a very minor headache. Her body reminds her of the early days she spent with Olive on the road with the soreness that would promise retribution if not addressed. Once they reach the small patio at the top of the steps, they wait in silence for Whetstone to return. During this time, Trixie walks as far as she can manage on the patio away from Shadow and begins to perform the stretches drilled into her by years of practice. She only winces once in a while when she stretches a particularly stiff muscle.
She completes her set of stretches just as Whetstone is seen walking down the main thoroughfare. He stops at the bottom step and looks from pony to pony, nods to himself with a small smile and motions Trixie to follow. Flickering Shadow watches from his spot as the pair walks away towards the train station, face expressionless and dark eyes lit from within by thoughts that would make many brave ponies quake at their slightest contemplation. A small, cold smile turns at his lips as he looses sight of the pair. Mistress Luna has finally found somepony worth my efforts. I just hope this little pony doesn't break like the others.


Trixie and Whetstone ride in silence for most of the trip back to Canterlot, one too tired to talk and the other not being one for small talk. About few minutes from Canterlot Trixie recovers enough to ask Whetstone about what Landslide had meant about Flickering Shadows.
“What did he mean about 'my death on your hooves?'” She asks.
“Flickering Shadow is a Talon. He grew up along the northern edge of the Zebra Nations grasslands with a small family consisting of his Mother, Father and younger sister raising and looking after large herds of cows as there were extensive grazing lands. They had a hard but good life there as the grass lions and occasional Diamond Dog would try to steal or kill their charges and Shadow quickly found that he had an aptitude for hunting and eliminating transgressors before they became a threat, being taught the art of the trap by Zebra stallions. It was a hard life and he became a hard pony who enjoyed finding new ways to stop them as they grew wise to his traps. So he started to set up the traps a diversions into his true trap. Himself. He discovered that his true talent was for hunting dangerous prey, his mark appearing as three crimson slashes on his flank. He spent years hunting these dangerous predators by himself until they learned that those lands held death for any who entered seeking to take by force. Once his parents lands became permanently safe, he left immediately left to find instructors in close quarters combat. He has traveled from Stalliongrad to Neighpon to Chineigh studying and excelling in all forms of combat, constantly seeking prey in one form or another.” He pauses for a little. “It was during the first year Landslide was here. He was still... Rough around the edges, so to speak and he scorned and taunted Flickering Shadow until he quietly challenged Landslide to a test of the hunter in the dense forest sextant. The winner was the one who forced the other to submit. Flickering Shadow gave Landslide a head start of ten minutes and emerged an hour later, shortly after a horrendous shriek thunders from the depths of the forest. Landslide had to be carried out by a stretcher as one of his forelegs had been dislocated completely. Nopony but Mistress knows what real magic he may have, but none have seen him use anything more than levitation to move nothing heavier than a cup of tea. It's really no surprise why Landslide won't talk about it.”
Trixie stares wide eyed at Whetstone completely dumbstruck. The tale is inconceivable but she has never known him to lie or embellish in all of the time she has known him, but surely. This had to be a lie of the grandest magnitude. Sure she may have fibbed a little about defeating an Ursa Major to gain popularity, but a pony scarcely larger than herself dislocating the foreleg of Landslide? No. Bucking. Way. Whetstone just smiles that dry smile of his as he watches her mind try to digest the facts. The train comes to a stop and they leave, Trixie slightly shaking her head as the tale of her new instructor is still livid in her mind. They make their way through the nearby warehouses to the castle and find their way to the kitchens. They eat a late lunch together before Whetstone leads her to her new living arrangements. After the long bout of extended physical activity, her body was becoming slightly unresponsive to her orders but she continued on through sheer force of will as she climbs flight after flight of steps. They reach the second tallest spire located in the western portion of the castle grounds by taking a spindle bridge across to reach her new rooms, another bridge on the other side leading to a larger and taller spire further west, they enter through a stout oak door banded in cast iron.
The first thing Trixie notices about this first room is the two story tall bookshelves filled end to end with books and tomes with a tall rolling ladder attached to each bookshelf. The smell permeating the room is a overwhelmingly heady mixture of parchment, ink and dark wood. A tall window bifurcating the shelves with a deep crescent desk resting immediately under it. A smaller door a pace to the right of the window presumably leading to the other bridge. To her immediate right is a flight of stairs circling up behind the book cases. Whetstone leads her up the staircase and through a trap door to a lavish circular room with many tall windows spaced evenly about the entire circumference of the room, thick dark blue curtains draping to the floor frames each window. Scattered about the spacious living quarters are a few tables and unique instruments but the object that grabs her attention immediately is the comfortable bed with a down comforter.
“From now on, this will be your room Miss Lulamoon. The silver lined chime on the night stand will summon a servant quickly when rung if you require anything. I will send somepony to attend you in three hour if you wish to sleep.” At which he get an emphatic nod in the affirmative. “Mistress Luna will expect you at nine o'clock after her initial duties have been performed via the opposite bridge access from your apartments. I will meet you tomorrow at daybreak at the foot of the bridge meeting the castle. Welcome to your new life Miss Lulamoon, and congratulations.” With that, Whetstone turns around and promptly leaves.
Alone and slightly dazed, Trixie resorts to the familiarity of her stretching routine before she turns down the comforter. A few minutes later finds Trixie lying on her new bed looking out on a azure sky through her windows as a gentle warmth soaks into her sore body. Her eyes slowly droop as her thoughts slow and surrenders herself to the gentle embrace of slumber and dreamless sleep. 


Trixie wakes a couple hours later as the sun begins on the second half of its trek across the sky and its golden rays fall across her eyes. She wakes with a deep, rewarding soreness of well worked muscles and a minor headache as she's not used to sleeping on such a large pillow. A brief flare of magic and a chilly note from the chime sees her throwing off her comforter to get out of bed. She finds herself on legs that are able to hold her up but of dubious ability to see her down the stairs safely. While waiting for the pony to attend her, Trixie slowly and carefully works her legs to a fierce ache but finds herself moving with confidence despite it. A polite knock from the staircase draws her attention to the top of a ponies head giving her any privacy she may want, waiting for the affirmative to enter.
“You may come in.” Trixie says.
“You required something Madam?” The liveried earth pony mare says as she crests the top stair looking at her with polite curiosity. The mare has a slightly curly dark brown mane and a cream coat under her vest and fetlock cuffs. Trixie looks away slightly sheepishly with a wry smile.
“Would help me down the stairs, please? I don't trust myself to make it down on my own volition after my exercises today.”
“Of course Madam, it would be my pleasure.” She responds with a genuine smile. She waits for Trixie to walk over and walks slightly ahead and very close, her proximity comforting yet maintaining Trixies sense of independence. Trixie immediately finds herself liking this pony with her bright earnestness and gently radiating happiness despite only knowing her for only a few moments.
“So, what is your name? You can call me Trixie...” She says after they reach the bottom of the stairs, leaving her statement open to be filled by her companion.
“I couldn't dispense with propriety Madam, but my name is Venerable Service.” She says slightly appalled at the suggestion.
“May I ask how long you've been in service to the Princesses?” Trixie asks curious as to how her skills seem almost second nature. Venerable Service brightens visibly with a smile at the question.
“My family has had the most esteemed privilege of being the most capable servants solely devoted to the Royal Alicorns since the earliest days of Equestria. Our family is moderately large, with a small manse on the castle grounds allocated to us by the Princesses along with the status of minor Nobility accorded to our position. As such, I and my siblings and cousins have been raised to be most capable in our duties.” She says happily as she briefly tells about her family.
“What to family members who find that their talents do not coincide with service?” Trixie asks out of curiosity. “What must the other Nobility say about your family?”
“When a pony finds that their talents are outside of service, they may remain with us until they become established. When they move out, we present them with a sizable retainer out of love and care for their well being. Those who remain in Canterlot and the surrounding areas frequently visit home, especially for the holidays.” She replies brightly with a smile reminiscing about fond memories that turns slightly mischievous. “As to the Nobility that occasionally think that we try to exploit our venerated position and tint our Princesses opinions, we simply tell them that 'we only seek to fulfill the Noblesse Oblige.'”
“It sounds like you truly enjoy your station.” Trixie says with a similarly mischievous smile. She looks away a bit a little nervousness halts her speech for a moment. “I would like to spend some time with you on occasion if it's not too much trouble. Maybe some day when you have time away from your duties?”
“I would be honored to Madam,” She says with an elegant dip of her head and neck. “Might there be anything else you require Madam?”
“Maybe a light snack and something cool to drink?”
“Very good. I shall be only a few minutes Madam.” She dips her head again before leaving at a dignified pace. With a lighthearted sigh, Trixie moves slowly across the room to sit at her desk in the warm sunlight. She looks at a medium sized book resting on the left side of her desk and begins to flip through it to discover that it is a codex listing the many various books stored in the room. Most of the names she has never even heard before, but a couple of the most basic books she remembers from her time in primary school. A few minute later, Venerable Service returns with a lightly laden trolly with a small bowl of fresh fruit and a crystal decanter with a matching goblet are filled with watered wine, small beads of water condensing on the outside. After asking to be sure Trixie needed nothing else, she departs to leave her be. She locates the book about magic basics on the bottom most self and brings it to her desk to brush up on her terms while she refreshes herself.
After reading the small book for an hour, she peruses the codex for another book to pass the time by and hunts down the chosen volume. She passes most of her time this way until her body demands more food. She looks around and sighs as she remembers that she had left the chime upstairs. She gets up and retrieves the chime very carefully, feeling stronger but still cautious about over stressing herself. She calls Venerable Service once again and eats dinner with her new acquaintance to keep her company with small talk, always perfectly deferential to Trixie even until her departure. The time after dinner passes without Trixie seeming to notice aside from the growing dusk. She stands from her desk and breathes deeply with a shake of her head to clear the cobwebs of mental fatigue as she prepares for her first meeting with her Mistress since her rescue. I'm surprised I haven't broken under the shock of the events. She thinks with a smirk. I guess they decided to throw me in the deep end and found out I could swim.
With that last thought, she opens the door into the cool evening air, confidently walking into the growing night.