//------------------------------// // Apple Jack: 1 // Story: Academy Wars: Season 1 // by JP Jackson //------------------------------// A.J. slumped into the chair, it had only been a week since the day she fought with the Dash kid, and she still couldn’t believe that it had actually happened. She had looked up to the Dash family for years, the greatest warrior family in the kingdom and the family famous for leading the country out of the Dragon War! And she had fought a member of it (and bested her)! A.J. looked up at the stage where the Colonel in charge of the school was giving a speech to the gathered students. But her focus wasn’t on the dry oratory he was giving. It was on the girl sitting behind him. Along with several other teachers students Rainbow Dash sat in a row of chairs on the stage, asleep it seemed, a dribblit of saliva running from her mouth, was this really the first female member of the Dash family? “As each of you know Armor Mages and Wing Mages have worked together since time immemorial,” the Colonel’s voice brought A.J. back to the stage. “Because of that we will be partnering each of you up with a respective Mage, the two of you will function as one unit, one warrior.” This was nothing new to A.J., her family had been Armor Mages since as far back as anyone could remember that had all had their own Wing Mage, some had even married their partner. The Armor Mage represented the body and the Wing Mage represented the spirit, the two parts of a warrior. When they worked together the two halves made a fearsome whole. “But now a new foe looms on the horizon,” the Colonel said leaning forward. “The Arcanists at Canterlot Academy threaten our way of life with their ‘Arcane Magic.’” hisses and curses flowed from the crowd. “We must show those egg-headed bigots that the kingdom has no use of their irrational spells and rituals. Just like 20 years ago, all the Kingdom needs to win a war are our students!” The students began clapping (just as much as the speech was over as the finish statement). “It falls to you then,” The Colonel said not quite drained yet. “To show us If you are the warrior that W.M.A. expects, or if you’d rather have your nose in a book all day, like those imposters!” *** A.J. unpacked her suit case. The dorm was small and spartan, with two flat beds with dull green sheets and a single dresser, to reinforce the idea that the two were one. A.J. was just glad they didn’t apply that philosophy to the beds! (Although she heard some students did so anyway.) Her Wing Mage had yet to arrive, even though it was already past noon. The two of them would be taking all their classes and do all their training together, so she thought it polite to reveal yourself promptly, but apparently her partner had a different idea. The door behind her slammed open. “Sorry! lost track of time!” That voice… it couldn’t be… A.J. turned to face her roommate. A lanky figure with long arms and legs, a small childlike face, and rainbow colored hair. “OH HELLS NO!” Rainbow Dash said when she saw her roommate. “I am not bunking with some C grade hick!” “You want to say that again!?” Misty orange gauntlets formed around A.J.’s hands, just one punch and the bitch would be in the hospital ‘till New Year’s day! “I am the elite! I’m the top of my class, I graduated from East Point with a perfect grade, and now I’m supposed to bunk with the cowgirl?” “I’d be mighty proud to show you just what this cowgirl can do! Or did you get enough in the arena?” “I’m not scared of you!” Rainbow dash hissed stepping forward. “You went and used Fire Magic, If you didn’t know, Cowgirl, while it may be okay on the farm, out here, in civilization, only sissy Canterlot Mages use Fire and Water Magic!” A.J.’s mind told her to break the bitch’s face and drive a stake through her black heart. But she knew better, she wasn’t a brute anymore. She relaxed and dissipated the summoned gauntlets.. “Well whether we like it or not, it looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together,” she held out her hand. “Truce?” Rainbow dash glared down at the offered hand, like it was something better left untouched. She shoved past A.J. and dropped her small suitcase on the unclaimed bed. Then turned to the floor and using her foot, drew a line of Earth Magic across the floor. “This is my side!” she said, then fell on the bed and went to sleep. Well, A.J. had had worse first impressions. She stepped out of the room, leaving Rainbow Dash to rest in peace. She shook with fright thinking of all the thing she had almost done. Her passionate nature was what made her such a good user of Fire Magic, but it had also gotten her into a lot of trouble. Before she had graduated from the military school in Crosswood City she had been a violent little child, she never had any friends. Her father had trained her, focused her strength into something productive and made her the great warrior she was now. She was proud of her Fire Magic, no matter what Rainbow Dash said. She rounded the corner and saw a group of students looking out a window. “What’s goin’ on?” One of the students waved her over. A.J. stepped up to the window and peeked out over the other student’s heads. In the courtyard of the school was Colonel Spitfire and a man s that A.J. didn’t recognize with a gold eye patch with several guards around him, they were talking but she could only see their mouths moving. “Open the window!” The students moved and snapped open the lock and lifted the window up. Voices flowed in from the courtyard. “...My jurisdiction, Colonel, you have no right-!” “I have every right, Goldspear,” Spitfire interrupted. “The one girl is an incredible Wing Mage considering she has no formal training, and the other, I’ve never even heard of that type of Magic before.” “The law allows you to take only one of the three! You can’t have both!” Spitfire was silent, contemplating what the Goldspear guy had said. “Give me a month,” she said. “By then I’ll tell you which one we’ll keep.” Goldspear glared at her. “These are stormy waters you’re entering Colonel,” he said, his voice cold. “These aren't just any pickpockets we grabbed off the street.” Spitfire shrugged. “I’ll take my chances,” she said.