//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: War Criminals // by Dirty Bit //------------------------------// Chapter 5 The Mind of an Assassin The humans all stood, facing the army of diamond dogs, with their own respective emotions. Rainbow Dash hovered overhead, wanting a cut of the action herself. Applejack pawed at the ground, while Rarity leered at her many opponents, both ready to deliver retribution for the kidnapping of their sisters. "Lucci..." The silent agent looked back at Kalifa, who held a calculating glance at the diamond dogs that held the fillies hostage "Before you and the others lose yourselves in combat, let me take care of the rescue situation. We have to make sure they're safe, after all." "Of course. Make it quick, though. I grow restless at the sight of these worthless mongrels." Lucci replied as his smile widened "I'm certain they'll at least put up a fight if they've come this far..." Kalifa huffed before she bent her knees. "Soru!" Kalifa vanished in the blink of an eye, much to the surprise of the diamond dogs and the many ponies that were watching. Three surprised yelps in unison signalled the blonde woman's location next to the bound fillies. The diamond dogs surrounding them brandished their spears and went to attack, but they paid no attention to Kalifa rearing a leg back. "Rankyaku!" The diamond dogs were all knocked back by glowing green waves that carried them across the air, as Kalifa sent out several kicks. The fillies watched in awe as Kalifa had her right leg flexed upward before she brought it down, and quickly grabbed the fillies and jumped into the air. "Geppou!" As if their awe did not end there, everyone, pony and diamond dog alike, witnessed how Kalifa was practically flying across the sky as she kicked at the air. When she landed on the ground next to her fellow humans, she set them down next to the element bearers and looked back at the dogs, ignoring the many looks of shock she had earned from her feat. "Now we can dispose of these repugnant beasts." Kalifa hissed, as her glasses gave off a glint. "Excellent. Now we can have our fun..." Lucci replied as he earned the irate looks of the three leaders. Rover turned to one of his soldiers and snatched a spear from them, much to their confusion, then presented it to Fido. "Don't just stand there! Attack funny thing! Show him not to mess with diamond dogs!" He snapped as he waited for Fido to take the spear. When he did, the large diamond dog managed to glare at Lucci before he roared and ran towards him, his spear raised. While the ponies called out to him in warning, the silent agent merely stared at Fido before he uttered a word. "Tekkai..." When Fido slashed at Lucci, he yelped in bemusement when he saw the pointed tip flying off of the stick, not even so much as nicking its target. Before he could look up at his opponent, Fido felt three quick and deep stabs in his chest that caused his eyes to widen in pain. He looked down at his chest to see a finger lodged into his chest, above two fresh wounds. "Shigan..." Lucci said as he drew his bloodied finger out from Fido's chest. Rover and Spot beared the same reactions of shock as the element bearers and Spike as they watched. "Did you see that? He moved so quickly and..." Spike could barely finish his sentence as his eyes were locked on Lucci. Meanwhile, the silent assassin brought an arm back before he knocked an injured Fido back into his allies with a palm strike. The ponies gawked at the easy feat performed by Lucci. 'How strong are these humans? Can they actually do this all by themselves?' Twilight wondered as she looked at each assassin with intrigue. "Perhaps this will go quicker than expected… Let us begin." Lucci said to the other humans. "Finally!" Jabra said, as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's take 'em down!" He said as he transformed into his hybrid beast form, grinning savagely. His grin widened when he noticed the blank stares of the diamond dogs directed towards him "Are you all terrified? You're dealing with-" "Another diamond dog? But why are they with funny things?" Came a question from one of the soldiers, causing Jabra's form to freeze, his left eye twitching. "I AM NOT A FREAKING DIAMOND DOOOOOG!!" Like a destructive force, Jabra clawed through the ranks of diamond dogs in a fit of rage, sending whomever was in his way sailing skyward. His claws easily tore through their metal armor. Applejack felt her bravado diminish from witnessing Jabra's fury when he rushed into battle. As much as she wanted to punish the diamond dogs herself, she never saw this much strength directed at them. "Wow… And he says I'm the one who gets angry easily..." Kaku said as he watched Jabra unleash his fury, with an arched eyebrow. He then straightened his hat and gave a smirk. "Well, I guess I should be fighting as well. This should be fun." He quipped, before he dashed into battle and did a quick spin before sweeping his leg across the air, releasing a wide green wave that shot towards his enemies, "Rankyaku!" Kaku's wave managed to push back and take down a good number of diamond dogs. Rover, Fido and Spot groaned in pain as they struggled to get off of one another. Seeing their numbers rapidly decline after getting up, Rover stammered before turning to the rest of his army. "Attack!!" The diamond dogs stood blankly before Rover angrily pointed at the humans. They managed to get the message as they roared battle cries and ran towards the remaining humans. While Rover watched his troops charge, Spot was licking the wounds on Fido's chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding as the large diamond dog sat down. "Chapapapapapapa! You think you can take me on?" Fukuro laughed before he leaned forward and began to spin rapidly, launching himself forward at the approaching targets like a circular drill. "Tekkai Dama!" Much like Jabra's frenzy, Fukuro easily plowed through several of the diamond dogs with relative ease. "Yoyoi~! Now is the time for ju-ju-judgement to rain down from the heavens~!" Kumadori bellowed as he gripped his shakujo with both hands and slammed the end of it into the ground. He shut his left eye as he hummed in concentration, then his hair began to wave about and extend "Saaaa~, saaaa~, saaaa~!" The element bearers' jaws dropped as Kumadori's hair grew more prehensile, and each set of locks shifted to resemble pointed fingers. As the dogs got closer, Kumadori's left eye shot open. "Shishi Shigan~!!" There were cries of agony as the diamond dogs within Kumadori's radius were constantly pierced by his swiftly moving locks. This doubled the shock from the ponies as they beheld the obscure spectacle. "Tekkai Rin!" Blueno shouted as he readied himself and began rolling across the field with his legs stretched out, tearing into the ground and making another trail along with Jabra and Fukuro. Lucci fought effortlessly as he easily dodged the diamond dogs that lunged into the attack, blocking with his with his Kami-e, before retaliating against each attacker and causing their numbers to dwindle. He was bored with how weak each diamond dog he fought appeared, and annoyed by his orders of keeping them alive. He looked over at Kalifa, who was visibly pushing herself into making her opponents suffer; a look of sheer anger on her face. He stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight, but then turned his head to face and punch an oncoming diamond dog in its muzzle. Rover and his cohorts watched in terror as their well-formed army was falling drastically. Their leader growled as he turned to his teammates. "We dig now! Save all you can and leave no dog behind!!" He barked as he dove into the ground and burrowed at a breakneck pace, Spot following suit. Fido managed to muster enough strength to follow his comrades underground, bearing through his pain. As the humans fought with relative ease, the element bearers and the now-free fillies watched the battle from the sidelines, enraptured by the sight, despite how harsh it appeared. "How are they doing that? Even we can't fight like that!" Rainbow Dash said incredulously, somewhat happy she hadn't choose to fly in. "Whatever it is they're doin', they're doin' a mighty fine job if ya ask me. Kinda bummed not t' join 'em like this, but it's fer th' best, ah suppos.," Applejack responded. "I dunno what those things are, but they're pretty cool!" Scootaloo, the orange filly said brightly as her wings fluttered. "Do you see how fast they're moving? Those diamond dogs are toast!" "Ah know! Can ya believe th' one that saved us can fly?" Applebloom, the yellow filly chimed in with glee. "You think maybe we could learn that too?" Sweetie Belle, the white filly wondered out loud to her friends, as she thought about being able to walk on air herself. "The only thing you three will be doing is explaining yourselves once this is over." Rarity said sternly as she looked down at the three fillies, who hung their heads in shame as their ears folded back. She looked back at the ongoing battle with a shudder. 'I'm glad they're helping us, but those humans can be so ferocious.' The humans stood as the ground was littered with injured diamond dogs, a majority knocked out from the intense pain of the blows that they received. Lucci stared down at the bodies and scoffed. "I was wrong. These pathetic dogs could barely last against our assault. They're far too weak to think themselves as formidable opponents." Lucci said coldly, as Hattori flew down and landed on his right shoulder. Jabra brought his head upward and let off a howl of triumph. "They have themselves to blame for taking us on!" Jabra said with a grin. His left ear twitched and Jabra instantly brought his head down "Something's happening under us..." He noticed how a hole opened up in the ground next to him, and the body was brought down. He grunted before calling over to his allies. "Jump into the air! There are holes in the ground!" The humans instantly caught on to the warning and shot upward into the air, keeping themselves airborne through their geppou. They noticed how there were holes opening up under the injured diamond dogs and watched each body disappear underground. When the battlefield was nothing but a myriad amount of holes, they decided to land on more stable ground, though the citizens quickly moved away as they did so. Jabra reverted to his human form as he looked upon the holes with the others. "Wow! The ground swallowed up all of those diamond dogs, chapapa!" Fukuro blurted out as he gazed upon the holes that took up a good portion of town. "No doubt this is the work from some other diamond dogs. They happen to be adept burrowers according to our intel." Blueno said as he watched one diamond dog pop out from one of the holes. Rover snarled at the humans and pointed a claw at them. "You stupid things! You haven't seen the last of...of..." When his eyes fell on Lucci, Rover was gradually intimidated by the intense leer the silent assassin was giving off. After staring back silently with pursed lips, Rover instantly grinned sheepishly. "Bye-bye!" He chirped before diving back down into the hole he came from. "Well, I guess that's that then." Kaku said as he brushed off his left shoulder with his right hand. "Not yet..." Kalifa said as she calmly strode towards the hole Rover sank under, flexing her arms around her elbows "These cretins deserve a parting gift for their efforts." She streaked her hands along her arms to reveal a flowing cascade of bubbles. "Those dogs are so filthy… It's only proper that they get cleaned!" Kaku, Jabra, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared at Kalifa before simultaneously tilting their heads to the side. "She's worried about that?" Rainbow Dash asked blankly. "Apparently she is..." Kaku responded in exasperation. Kalifa let off a yell as she swung her arms downward and led her torrent of bubbles flow down into the hole. As the bubbles continued to flow down one hole, several geysers of bubbles spewed out of the others, and with them, some oddly shaped diamond dogs. They resembled laminated dolls with smooth, but curved limbs. Rainbow Dash and Jabra stared at them before pointing and laughing at their appearance. Spike stood by his friends and gawked at the diamond dogs before he grimaced. "I guess I better clean myself more often..." He said to himself with a shudder. The bubbles from the other holes gave out as the diamond dogs fell back into the holes with panicked howls and yelps. Kalifa made the bubbles disappear as she pushed her glasses towards her eyes "Now it's over," she said firmly. "That was marvelous!" Rarity beamed as she approached Kalifa "Not only did you give those ruffians what for, but a much-needed cleaning as well. I must say I'm quite pleased with your efforts." Before Kalifa could respond, the ponyfolk that had been watching, cheered with joy at the humans' success. She was then met with three sets of hooves grasping her legs and looked down at the fillies she had just rescued. Jabra looked around at the audience before he grinned, as he rested his hands behind his head. "Well, what do you know? We're heroes now." He said, enjoying the praise from the citizens. Lucci looked upon the many ponies that cheered for him with his cold expression unchanged. He didn't care for their praise, nor did he need it; he was still dissatisfied with letting a threat live despite their cruel intentions stated at their arrival. Hattori simply waved at the ponies while cooing cheerfully. "Yoyoi~! We've li-li-liberated a peaceful town from unchecked savages~!" Kumadori spun his shakujo and struck a pose "A celebration is in order, do you not agree~?" He asked as rotated his head. "Way ahead of you, Koomy!" Pinkie appeared on top of Kumadori's head, much to his surprise "You guys deserve it for getting rid of those diamond dogs!" "So we're gonna have a party? That's great, chapapa!" Fukuro smiled as he raised his fists in the air. Discord smiled at how the assassins were easily being accepted by the ponyfolk for their heroic efforts. Looking over at Lucci, he wondered if he would actually change his mindset if he stayed in Ponyville long enough. He watched how Twilight approached him and silently observed the exchange. "Thank you so much for your help, Rob. It means a lot to everypony in town." She said with a grateful smile. Lucci shifted his eyes down at her. "Think nothing of it. We only act in your best interests as far as enforcing justice. Those wretched dogs will think twice about attacking your village now..." He said his last sentence icily as Hattori cooed in agreement. Twilight recoiled slightly at Lucci's tone and folded her ears back before smiling awkwardly "Well, I hope you'll enjoy the party Pinkie's gonna throw for you and your friends." Lucci's eyes narrowed "First of all, they are not my friends. Merely allies with a common goal. Secondly..." He looked over at Pinkie, Kumadori and Fukuro dancing "I don't see the point in celebrating over stopping a simple threat. Is this common etiquette in Equestria?" "No, it's just Pinkie being Pinkie. She can be very passionate about her job." She said in a straight tone, though felt inwardly troubled at how Lucci described his fellow humans. What would cause him to act so distant around the others? Before she could ponder any theories, she saw Pinkie hop over to Lucci, approaching him from the right with a chipper smile. "Don't worry, Robby. I'll be sure to turn that frown upside-down with this party for you." She said as she hopped up and down. "Please refrain from using that idiotic name for me..." Lucci said as he looked down at Pinkie. "Sorry about that, Rob. Pinkie just has a tendency to give nicknames to anypony she considers a friend." Twilight explained before looking intrigued "I have to say that I'm surprised at how you humans are capable of flight without wings. Not to mention the way you all fought against those diamond dogs." "What you've witnessed is a style that is taught to certain humans, known as Rokushiki. Myself and the others are all skilled in the very art." Lucci stated briefly. "Sounds like a funny dance name." Pinkie giggled as she reared onto her hind legs and began shaking her hips "Rokushiki! Rokushiki! Rokushiki!" Twilight covered her mouth as she chuckled at the display while Lucci watched in disapproval. Discord stroked his goatee as he observed Lucci, and hummed to himself. 'Well, it's only his first day here. Maybe he'll come around eventually, provided everypony doesn't work his nerves.' He thought to himself with a confident smile. This human couldn't possibly be as bad as King Sombra if he claims to act in the name of justice, right? Discord looked over at the many holes and with a snap of his talons, caused each and every one of them to fill up instantaneously, earning the attention of the humans. "Whoa...That was pretty good, chief! Just how powerful are you?" Jabra asked as he looked at the ground, appearing as if the battle had never happened. "Powerful enough, Jabra, my boy..." Discord said as a pair of sunglasses appeared in his eagle claw, placing them over his eyes to appear cool "Powerful enough..." He said as he donned a toothy grin, a glint coming from his snaggletooth. "Oh brother..." Rainbow Dash said as she rolled her eyes. _____ Sometime after the battle, Pinkie had arranged for an outdoor party for the humans, though she had boggled their minds when she had pulled what she had called a 'party cannon' out of nowhere. Twilight simply advised them that Pinkie can be unpredictable at times. Meanwhile, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were staring at the ground with penitent eyes, as Applejack and Rarity towered over them. "Jus' what in th' hay were y'all thinkin', messin' around near diamond dog territory? Y'know them varmints 're trouble!" Applejack chided. "Tell us your story; and, mind you, the truth is all we’ll accept." Rarity added as she awaited an explanation from the fillies. "Well, we were tryin' t' get our cutie marks in excavatin', and we knew we could find some fossils or gems 'round those parts. We didn't go too close t' their home; honest!" Applebloom said. "After we found a small bone, they just ambushed us out of nowhere and tied us all up. They said something about ignoring their defeat for too long." Scootaloo added as she held up her hoof. "Then one of them said, 'Why stop with Miss Rarity when we can have all of Ponyville?', and they just assembled an army and brought us back here." Sweetie Belle concluded before she beamed up at Kalifa, who was standing behind Applejack and Rarity. "But at least we were saved by those… hoo-mans?" She said as she looked down pensively. "Humans, Sweetie Belle." Rarity corrected, before smiling up at Kalifa "And thank you once again for rescuing our sisters. While I am disappointed that I couldn't end the situation with Applejack, I'm glad to see my little Sweetie Belle safe." "It was nothing. We can't turn away from innocent folks in need." Kalifa said as she stroked her hair back "We're no strangers to these kinds of situations back home." "You mean to tell me that you weren't just a secretary before you met us?" Rarity asked inquisitively. "Not exactly. We were all taught self-defense before we pursued our respective occupations. Our world is rather… wild, as it were." "How wild we talkin' exactly? Is it anythin' like th' Everfree Forest outside o' town?" Applejack asked. "Everfree Forest?" Kalifa parroted with curiosity. "Yeah. If y'all could take down them diamond dogs easily, Ah wonder if any of ya can last a day in that place." "It would sound homely to some of my subordinates, but I prefer to relax right now. Perhaps we can talk about something else?" She noticed how the three fillies flocked up to her, swarming her with questions about herself, her world and her fighting style. She took a deep breath before she pressed her glasses against her face "One at a time, girls..." While Kalifa talked amongst her own group, Rainbow Dash and Jabra were seen drinking apple cider from flagons. They gave a simultaneous sigh of contentment after finishing their drinks, before they went to refill their glasses from the same barrel. When their hand and hoof touched, they shifted their heads and glared at each other. "Back off, wolf boy. I'm going first." Rainbow Dash warned. "Screw you, you stupid pony. I don't move aside if I wanna get my fill." Jabra shot back. They got in each others faces, ignoring the cider barrel. "Don't think I was too thrown off by your performance back there. I could've handled those stupid dogs all by myself." Rainbow Dash said brashly, slamming her flagon onto the party table where the barrel rested. "Ha! You and what army? I didn't see you do anything other than stare like an idiot." Jabra jabbed as he slammed his flagon on the other side of the barrel. "If anypony's the idiot, it's you! You were so sloppy back there, even a filly could fight better than you." "Big talk coming from the same pony who failed to ambush me!" "Big talk coming from some mangy mutt!" "Winged rat!" "Take that back!" "Make me!" Both Rainbow Dash and Jabra bared their teeth as they looked ready to harm each other. Jabra reeled back and flexed his right arm and balled his hand into a fist, gripping the bicep with his left hand; Rainbow Dash hovered as she pounded her forehooves together. "I'm gonna knock some sense into you!" They said at the same time. Before they could take first swing, Pinkie appeared between the two, pushing them away with a flagon full of cider in each of her forelegs; a patient smile on her face. "Here's your cider! Drink up!" She chirped as she hopped away from the two confused individuals, who held their flagons. Kaku was seen close by with a flagon of his own as Pinkie passed him. "Honestly you two. The fight was over a moment ago." Kaku chided with an unamused expression "It's a party. At least enjoy yourselves, rather than kill each other." He said before taking a drink. Rainbow Dash and Jabra glanced at their cider, then briefly shot a nasty look at each other before looking away and drinking from their flagons. Meanwhile, Blueno was seen talking with Twilight, who was writing away frantically on a parchment with a quill, both levitated by her magic. "Can you tell me more about Rokushiki? I'm sorry if I'm troubling you, but Rob recommended that I speak with you about it, since he seems so distant at the moment." She said as she looked away for a small moment before focusing back on Blueno "I would love to know about the style's origin." Twilight said eagerly. "Well, the style we practice consists of six powerful techniques and one secret technique that can only be taught by those who have absolute mastery over the art. These techniques include Shigan, Tekkai, Rankyaku, Soru, Kami-e, and Geppou." Blueno said nonchalantly, not minding a conversation with a curious pony "Some of the techniques are commonly taught to marine soldiers back in our world for means of self-defense. The training process itself is very arduous to obtain the expected results you've witnessed earlier from me and my comrades." "So is there a secret to your flight capability?" Twilight asked, briefly stopping her notes. "You're referring to our Geppou? That is merely a result of our leg strength. We've trained so that we're able to kick at the air to float." Blueno explained "It is the same with our Soru and Rankyaku techniques, respectively. We're capable of moving at high velocities and even creating slicing winds with our movement." "Is it possible to teach other ponies these particular skills?" Twilight asked as she jotted down more notes. "I would believe so, if anypony manages to grasp a variant of the art and remain consistent with their training. But Rokushiki isn't something that you learn overnight. It takes several years of practice to master the art itself." Blueno closed his eyes "Regrettably, we have no interest in passing teachings of any sort with our limited time here in Equestria." Twilight frowned at this. "That's too bad. Your style would be miraculous if earth ponies were to learn from you and your friends." She said in mild disappointment. "I'm sure you'll make enough advancements with your magical abilities. Speaking of..." Blueno held a thin smile "Would you care to share with me more about the magic you're demonstrating? And perhaps the Magic of Friendship as well?" He earned a warm smile from Twilight. "I'd be delighted to talk about that with you." She then raised an eyebrow "Although, I have one more question, if you don't mind..." Blueno nodded to Twilight, letting her ask "What's with you and your friends saying the names of your attacks before doing them? Doesn't that seem...mundane?" Blueno had never felt to question his life so much after hearing such a question. Near the snack table, Spike was busy examining the locks on Kumadori, while the kabuki giant was busy eating a cupcake. He was so enthralled by how Kumadori's mane doubled as a weapon rather than the shakujo he was always carrying around. Carefully taking a lock, he felt it and noticed how it wasn't exactly hard, then tried doing the same to the rest of his hair. He was unaware that Kumadori had caught Spike in his curious fervor after finishing his cupcake. "Yoyoi~! Can I help you~?" He asked, startling Spike as he jumped away and fidgeted his claws. "S-Sorry about that, Kumadori. I just wanted to feel your mane was all. I can't believe something so soft was able to beat those diamond dogs so hard." Spike said admirably. Kumadori faced the purple dragon and stuck out his free hand as he struck another pose. "A lion must be strong, as his mane is ma-ma-majestic~!" Kumadori replied. "But you're not a lion… I mean, yeah, that mane of yours almost makes you look like one, but your mane moving on its own? You're like the Mane-iac!" Spike said mirthfully. "Maniac~? There lurks a malevolent, maniacal monster mimicking my mastery over my mane~? Yoyoi~!" Kumadori said in outrage. "What? No! Not maniac, Mane-iac. This fictitious comic book villain who uses her own mane as a weapon. You remind me of her, only you seem more formidable than her..." He then winced "And less insane." Spike then smiled "Not to mention you fight in the name of justice, so that's a plus." “Yoyoi~! Was she a once-pure maiden who abused her po-powers for evil~? My friends and I would not stand for that~!" "Actually, she was pretty mean before she got her powers, but that doesn't matter." Spike pointed a claw up at Kumadori "How do you do that with your mane?" "Ah~! You're curious~!" Kumadori said, dramatically waggling his eyebrows, much to Spike's confusion. The kabuki performer placed his free hand on his chest. "I am capable of a skill known as Seimei Kikan~! From enduring all sorts of rough obstacles in my training, I was able to ha-ha-harness the power to utilize complete control of my body~!" He waved his free hand towards Spike. "Humans are able to, from the hair on their head to their intestines, their toes, even to their most minute hairs, to concentrate their senses and stretch them to their limits, making it possible to control every part of their bodies~!" "Whoa..." Spike uttered with an awestruck gaze. He heard hoofsteps and noticed Fluttershy approaching the two of them. "Excuse me, but have any of you seen Mr. Lucci anywhere?" She asked in concern "I want to make sure that his bandages weren't messed up after his fight." "Well he certainly isn't playing with the fillies and colts like Fukuro over there." He pointed towards town square at a group of children galloping in pursuit of a rolling Fukuro, who merely laughed with them as he rolled off, despite dirtying his clothes. "Yoyoi~! I believe I've seen him standing, standing away from the party~! Over by a bridge, if I'm not mistaken~!" Kumadori said as he gave a curt bow, to which Fluttershy gave a grateful smile. "Thank you very much. I hope you're enjoying the party." Fluttershy said as she trotted away, leaving Spike and Kumadori by themselves. _____ Two reflections waded in the stream of water, one of which did not seem too pleasant. Lucci continued to scowl at the water as his companion rested on his shoulder. 'A powerful being claiming to be on the side of justice, and he would spare the lives of those miserable peons? They're nothing but a plague on these ponies… Though, they do not hold a candle to the teachings of this world.' Lucci's eyes narrowed 'Friendship… How strong is friendship if they speak so highly of it? If I treated my allies as such, what good would that do? I would only end up disgracing myself and all that I stand for...' "You're not thinking of jumping in, are you?" Lucci looked to his right at a relaxed Discord staring down at the water before shifting his head towards the silent assassin. "Of course, you say that the Devil Fruit causes you to turn into a hammer once you jump into water, right? What's that like, exactly?" Discord asked genuinely "Does it actually happen like this?" He said as he dove into the stream as if it were a large swimming pool, submerging himself after causing a large splash. There was a moment of pause before a work hammer floated up to the surface. Hattori stared down at the hammer with a tilted head, then gave a startled coo as the hammer grew a set of eyes and a snaggletooth mouth. "Correct me if I'm wrong. I want to know if you humans are more chaotic than I give you credit for." He said giddily. "You are. The term 'hammer' is used figuratively in Blueno's explanation. For those of us with Devil Fruit powers that linger in seawater, we end up drowning in the process." He was already bothered by the fact that Discord happened to be a hammer that was floating in water, as if taunting his logic as a Devil Fruit user. There was a flash before Discord teleported back to Lucci's side in his normal form. "You know, you don't have to stand around like a statue all day. I've been there myself, actually. Trust me, it isn't fun." He said as he held out a claw "There's the weather problems, the plants, and the pigeons..." He cringed with a grimace "Oh, Celestia, the pigeons..." Discord murmured in contempt. "If you're referring to me joining the party, then I'm not interested. I've no need for such tomfoolery." Lucci said, causing Discord to crane his head back. "And I thought Celestia was a stick in the mud. Is something on your mind, champ?" He asked in a mock comforting voice. "Only three things. My world, this talk of friendship, and our earlier scuffle with the diamond dogs." He answered instantly. "Well, to help with each of your thoughts in that order..." Discord balled a claw over his mouth as he cleared his throat before speaking "I won't stop you if you wish to leave so soon, friendship is a lot more powerful and meaningful than you think, and..." He frowned at Lucci "It really is for the best. These ponies are rather squeamish about gory scenes. And the diamond dogs? Well, they don't know any better, you see. There hasn't been a display such as yours since the war of the three tribes, but even they were tame in their confrontations." Lucci turned to face Discord. "Is this world so sugarcoated that they would refuse to see justice for what it truly is? Please, Chief Discord. I need an answer..." Discord let off a sigh and a roll of his eyes. "Lucci, you have a lot to learn about tenderness." He said with a smirk as he snapped his fingers "Why not show your feminine side for once?" Hattori looked over at his owner, but cooed in bemusement. In place of Lucci, stood a female with some of his features. There was no goatee, and the woman's body was more thin and lean. It wasn't until she felt her cheek that the female Lucci's eyes widened. Discord guffawed before he changed Lucci back to his normal self. "But you get what I mean. I don't wanna make demands, but you need to open your heart and at least try to adjust to this world for the time being, so you can walk a mile in their shoes. Experience is the best knowledge, is it not?" Discord said persuasively, with a smile to match. Lucci began to ponder why he and his associates agreed to Discord's offer, as he was inwardly questioning his superior's sanity. Opening his heart was one thing, but he had no desire to emulate the behavior seen in Equestria. He had to count himself lucky that what Discord had said was not an order. "... I'll be more open-minded, but I cannot make any guarantees to your advice." Lucci replied after his small pause. Discord smiled contently at the reply. "Glad to hear it." Discord heard approaching hoofbeats and noticed a certain pegasus trotting towards him and Lucci "Looks like we’ve got company. Hello there, Fluttershy." "Hello, Discord." Fluttershy said warmly, though focused her gaze on Lucci. When she stopped in front of them, she hovered in the air "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, Mr. Lucci, but I wanted to make sure you haven't pushed too hard back there." "My bandages, correct? You needn't worry." Lucci replied coolly "As you may or may not know, I haven't pushed myself during my fight, so there is no cause for concern." Fluttershy sighed in relief. "Good… But why aren't you enjoying the party with your friends? I'd figure you would at least share the moment with them." She cringed when she noticed Lucci's hardened gaze on her. "They're not my friends. They are allies and nothing more..." Lucci said before he looked at the water "Besides, what they do is their business. I'll remain here for the time being..." Hattori stared at Lucci with a quiet and disheartened coo before he flew off and landed on Fluttershy's mane, earning his owner's attention "Hmph… Perhaps Hattori would like to spend time with you rather than myself." "Oh… Well… that's good I guess. You're free to join us at anytime, Mr. Lucci... but whatever you want to do is fine..." Fluttershy said with a polite bow before she trotted off with Hattori in tow. Discord crossed his arms "I suppose I'll go follow Fluttershy back to the crowd and have my own fun." He went to follow Fluttershy, but stopped to look back at Lucci "Remember, Lucci. Open your heart..." He said with a wink and a click of his tongue before he flew off. Lucci stared at the three going back towards the party, as he remained where he stood, looking at the water, as he thought to himself. As they distanced themselves from Lucci, Discord smirked down at Fluttershy "I'll leave you to bond with Lucci's pet if you like, Fluttershy. You've yet to make good conversation with him." He said as he flew off, leaving the timid pegasus behind. She looked up at Hattori and donned a smile. "Is it alright if I got to know you better?" Fluttershy asked Hattori, who cooed down at her. "[Not at all. You seem rather nice, and you're the only one around here who actually understands me.]" He replied politely. "Thank you. I've always wondered if Mr. Lucci ever treated you with kindness and care, or even considered you a friend." Her smile faltered "I don't want to sound offensive, but I feel bad for how Lucci seems so… so..." "[Cold?]" Hattori cooed morosely. "[I'll admit, he isn't the best person to talk to at times, but he'll always be a friend to me. In fact, he was the only friend I ever had before I met the others.]" Fluttershy let off a light gasp. "Really? May I ask how you came to meet him?" The timid pegasus asked inquisitively. Hattori flashed a nostalgic smile as he looked up at the shifting clouds. "[Sure. It dates back to when I was about to leave my nest...]" _____ A small bird stared down at the ground from his nest; the extreme height from his perspective making him nervous. His feathers ruffled before he took two steps back. "[You know it's time. You've gained your wings. I need to know that you're ready to live on your own.]" A feminine coo was heard from behind, and the young pigeon looked up to see his mother bearing an expectant gaze directed towards him. He ducked his head down, almost ready, his face behind a wing. "[But… But I'm not sure if I can last on my own. Can't I stay with you?]" The youngling cooed hopefully. "[We've been over this. You're to leave the nest with your siblings the moment your wings have developed.]" His mother draped a wing on top of his head "[I know it's tough to realize that you'll be on your own at such a young age, but it's the best way for you to learn how to live.]" She cooed in comfort. Meanwhile, her offspring looked down sadly. "[What if I can't live on my own? How can I live without anyone to help me, or be there for me?]" After the question, his mother stared at him for a moment before smiling warmly "[Then I'm certain you'll live comfortably knowing that whomever you make friends with will be at your side. I'm not saying you should live on your own permanently. Go on and find someone to share your life with. I'll be watching over you from this very spot.]" She cooed compassionately, earning a tearful smile from her son. "[Thanks, Mom… I'll go live my own life and make you proud.]" He cooed with renewed vigor. "[You're welcome. Now I believe it's time for you to follow your siblings' footsteps.]" "[Yeah… I know I'm the only one here, but I'm going now.]" Hattori turned to face the sky and stepped towards the edge of his nest, then stared down at the ground below him, gulping before he steeled his resolve. He softened as he took one last look at his mother "[Goodbye, Mom. I'm gonna try and make the best of my life.]" "[See to it that you do, my son...]" Hattori's mother said with a tear running down her right eye. The young pigeon nodded and quickly turned away, trying not to imitate his mother's gesture as he took a deep breath, spread his wings, then dove out of his home and into his new life. As he was headed towards the ground, the young pigeon squinted his eyes before he began to flap his wings and arched his body to where he was gliding in the air horizontally, then found himself flying as if it were second nature. All of the bird's previous doubts about him flying were cast away as he enjoyed his new wings and flew carefully in the sky, moving over the trees with ease. He swooped downward into the forested area and took in the scenery of where his nest rested nearby, cooing in awe at the structure of the objects that looked foreign to the forest. Up ahead were bipedal figures that were seen doing some weird and synchronized dance moves; some big and some small. A bald old man wearing black robes and circular-shaded sunglasses was standing on the side opposite of the dancers and watching them with a grin on his face while holding a wooden sword. Wanting to see more of the display that piqued his interest, he flew over the figures that were dancing while shouting with each move. He noticed how one of them was faltering with each step; they looked to be small, and had something on their head. After the next couple of moves, he tripped with a yelp, then fell on his back. "Lucci!" The old man called out in a stern voice, despite his grinning face "You know better than to slip in your training! This is the second time today this has happened! If you keep this up, we may just have to cut you loose!" The boy named Lucci grasped his top hat and looked away with a frown as he sat on the ground. Next to him was a shirtless boy that was older than him, that wore a ponytail, grinning wickedly at Lucci's misfortune. "One less problem to deal with, then. Not that he had a chance to begin with." He chuckled teasingly. "Quiet, Jabra, or we'll get in trouble." Whispered another shirtless boy with dark skin and black hair that resembled horns. "Now get up so we can continue your training! You'll get nowhere with that sloppy footwork!" The old man barked, his grin refusing to leave. As he was told, Lucci picked himself up and nodded wordlessly to the old man before he went back to practicing with the other children. Up above, the young pigeon soared around in a circle while he surveyed the scene below him, and felt sorry for Lucci's treatment. He wondered if he should try and meet him if he were nice enough. _____ In the early evening, a small group of children were chatting amongst themselves outside, as they stood next to their dormitories. While some snickered, others were pensive about the current subject. "Can you believe that Lucci kid?" A kid with whiskers on his face and three black mohawk-like strips asked with his arms spread "I almost thought we were all gonna suffer for his mistake back there. It's a good thing teacher let us off easily." "I hear ya." Jabra said as he slouched against the wall, his arms crossed "That kid's gonna slow us down if he keeps screwing up trying to learn Rokushiki." He looked over at the aforementioned child sitting next to the wall of the dormitories, a good distance away from the others. He appeared to be holding a branch "Why do shrimps like him have to cramp our style while we're learning how to fight?" He asked with a sneer. "You know we've got a long way to go ourselves, right?" Jabra looked over at the horn-haired kid frowning at him "I'm sure he'll come around eventually." "Ha! That's rich! He'd probably end up stealing the first girl I'll go out with too, huh?" He asked mockingly. "That's sexual harassment!" Said a blonde girl with glasses, an angry look in her eyes. Her outburst drove Jabra to stare blankly at her. "What? How's that even-" Jabra grunted before he shook his head "Look, the bottom line is that Lucci's lucky enough to even be here. Personally, I think he's good as gone by tomorrow." "Heh, me too." The whiskered child said with a grin "He's not cut out to be strong like the rest of us." While the four children talked amongst themselves Lucci held his knees together as he curled up in his sitting position, holding his olive branch and staring at it with a distraught frown, his left cheek adorned with a bandage. He gripped it firmly as he gritted his teeth before he tossed it a few feet forward with a frustrated grunt. "Stupid stick..." He mumbled as he held his knees with both arms and hung his head down, hiding his face beneath his top hat. There was silence before a sniffling was heard. Lucci had tears welling up, as his eyes were clenched shut "I need to get stronger… Stronger than justice, just like teacher told me and the class. But they keep mocking me..." He stole a glance at the four children a far distance away from him "I need to show them that I can be strong too… but how?" A coo was heard, snapping Lucci out of his thoughts, as he looked up at the trees that blended in with the evening shadows. Flapping was heard until a small object flew at Lucci, causing him to flinch and duck his head down. A tap was felt on the brim of his hat, and the small child lifted his head to see what was there. He yelped when a bird's head came into his sights, looking at him while upside down. The bird tilted his head at Lucci before he flailed his hands, shooing the bird off of his hat as it flew off and landed in front of him. The child glared at the bird. "You stupid bird. What are you-huh?" When Lucci got a better look at the small bird in front of him, it appeared to be white in color, much to his intrigue, as he gave a low gasp "A dove? Here?" His spirits dampened when he heard the bird coo at him "Oh… It's just a pigeon..." He said in disappointment. The bird looked sad as it noticed Lucci's disappointment, before it hopped forward and cooed again, gaining the child's attention. Lucci merely scowled at it. "Look, just go away. It's bad enough that I'm not doing so well in my Rokushiki training, but I don't wanna talk to a pigeon." Lucci spat. The bird tilted its head, then looked over at the olive branch that sat a few feet away, before focusing back on Lucci and cooing again. Lucci, following the bird's gaze, knew what he was thinking (or so he thought, at least.) and scoffed. "That old thing? It's of no use to me anymore. I need to find something better." The bird cooed again, making Lucci continue "Teacher said that we needed something to carry with us as a reminder to strive and be stronger than justice in our training. What am I gonna do with that stick, knowing that it didn't help me one bit today?" The bird shook its head before it hopped towards Lucci and fluttered up to land on his knees, cooing again. Lucci stared before he looked away despondently. "You birds have it easy. You're well on your way before you even become adults, and you can even survive on your own. I'm lucky to even be alive without any support other than my teacher..." A peck on his bandaged cheek caused Lucci to look back at the pigeon while he rubbed his cheek, a look of resolve seen on its face. It pointed a wing at Lucci and cooed again. "What are you even saying? I'd say I was able to assume what you said so far, but I don't speak bird." Lucci said pointedly. The bird flew off of his knees and over towards the olive branch that rested in the dirt, landing behind it and nudging it towards Lucci with its beak. Lucci blinked before he scowled. "I already told you I don't need the stick. Why even bother?" The bird hopped over the stick and spread its wings, with its look of resolve unchanged. Lucci stared at the bird, then the branch behind it, shifting his gaze between the two before the message sunk in. At that moment, he felt a hint of confidence build up in his heart. "I get it… You're saying I shouldn't give up so easily, and that I need to keep at my training while trusting in myself, right?" The bird cooed and nodded with a smile "But it's too tough on me… and no one's there for me..." Lucci leered at the gossiping children "Especially not them..." He murmured in contempt before looking back at the pigeon "I know you're a pigeon and all, and I can't understand you, but you've really helped me understand that it's not gonna be easy growing up right now. That, and you looked so much like a dove when I first saw you. They’re a good symbol of justice.” He let go of his knees and let them fall onto the dirt with his hands as he neared his face towards the bird "Do you… want to be my friend?" He asked cautiously. The bird smiled and held up a wing with an eager coo. It then hopped over to the olive branch and nudged it closer to Lucci again, the child picking it up and looking at it. He then gripped it again, though held a look of determination as he did so. "I'll do it… No matter how long it takes, I WILL become stronger than justice. I'll be the best student anyone has ever seen!" He said with confidence, before he looked down at the pigeon with a thin smile "Thank you..." His smile faltered "Oh, right. You need a name." Lucci rubbed his chin with a free hand as he hummed in thought, then looked down at the pigeon "How does Hattori sound to you?" The bird nodded and cooed in agreement, much to Lucci's content as he smiled again "Alright, then it's settled. From now on, your name shall be Hattori." Hattori then flew upward and landed on the top of Lucci's top hat, the small child looking up at his new friend as he smiled genuinely at him. _____ Fluttershy looked up at Hattori with a frown "You mean Mr. Lucci wasn't accepted by the others as a child before he met you?" She looked down "I know how he feels..." The timid pegasus looked back up with a smile "It's a good thing you kept him company at the time. I don't know what I'd do if I never made friends with Rainbow Dash or the animals." "[The best part was that ever since we became friends, he was becoming better at a steady rate until he was the best in his class.]" Hattori cooed "[It was nice seeing him grow up that time.]" "Well, it makes me happy that he acknowledges you as a friend." Fluttershy said warmly "Nopony should ever be lonely all their life." "[I was glad to have ever met him, even if he is so distant right now. Personally, I'd like for him to try and acknowledge his allies as friends since they've been around with him long enough.]" Hattori cooed. "I agree." Fluttershy said as she nodded sagely and looked around the party, then spotted the snack table "Would you like some food, Hattori? You must be hungry. "[Would I?]" Hattori cooed happily as he was carried by Fluttershy towards the snack table. _____ Later that day, the party had ended, and it was just about time for Discord and the humans to head back to Canterlot. Blueno and Kaku shared a respective hand-to-hoof shake with Twilight before they were about to leave. "It was a pleasure to share knowledge with you, Twilight Sparkle. I look forward to the next time we can discuss our own topics further." Kaku said contently. "Same here. Thanks once again for your help today." Twilight replied cheerfully. "We'll be sure to find you by our next visit here." Blueno added. The fillies, known by Kalifa as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, flocked up in front of her as they stared up with reluctant eyes. "Y'all will be comin' back soon, right?" Applebloom asked hopefully, she and her friends showing their lower lips in a pout. Kalifa merely chuckled at their expressions. "Of course. Take better care of yourselves until then." Kalifa replied evenly, much to the satisfaction of the crusaders. "You can count on us, Kalifa!" Scootaloo said as she snapped a mock salute. "We'll be waiting for you!" Sweetie Belle said vigorously. "Yoyoi~! My-my apologies, young dragon~! But our time has now drawn to a close, and the es-es-essence of Tsukiyomi is sure to take hold if we tarry any longer~!" Kumadori bellowed as he struck a pose. Spike simply arched an eyebrow at the kabuki giant's otherwise dramatic, and loud dialogue. "Ummm… See you soon?" Spike replied quizzically. "Do come back when you get the time." Rarity said to Kumadori "I would still like to make you that robe, and I'll need proper measurements when doing so." "We'll be back later! Count on it, chapapa!" Fukuro said as he waved to the element bearers. Jabra and Rainbow Dash were caught glaring at each other, but the latter was snapped out of it by a light tap on her head, looking over at an unamused Applejack. She scoffed before glaring back at Jabra. "This isn't over, wolf boy." Rainbow Dash said warily. "Like you have the strength to decide the outcome, you little sh-" "I think you made your point, Jabra." Kaku said pointedly, causing the boisterous agent to growl. "Don't interrupt me!" Jabra snapped before pointing at Rainbow Dash "As for you, you're free to try and catch up to MY level of strength." "In that case, I'm already running circles around you!" Rainbow Dash spat defiantly. Applejack and Kaku merely planted their respective limbs towards their faces in exasperation. Fluttershy looked up at Lucci and Hattori "I hope you enjoyed your time here. Maybe we'll see each other again?" "Perhaps, if Chief Discord considers it an order..." Hattori looked over at Lucci with a disheartened gaze. "Oh..." Fluttershy said as her ears folded back. "I'd like to see you again too, Rob." Lucci looked over at Twilight trotting up next to Fluttershy "Maybe you'd like to join Blueno, Kaku and I in our conversations?" Lucci went to decline, until he noticed Discord's head floating behind Fluttershy and Twilight, mouthing the words 'open your heart' before disappearing. He stifled a sneer before looking down at the two mares. "I might just take you up on your offer if I have nothing better to do. We may see each other again after all." He noticed how Twilight and Fluttershy seemed more satisfied with his response than before. Hattori let off a friendly coo after Lucci's words. "Well, now that we've said our goodbyes, it's time for us to head on back to the castle. Which reminds me..." Discord looked down at Blueno with a curious smirk "You promised me a demonstration of your power?" "Of course. My Devil Fruit power." He walked a couple feet away from the others, facing away from them as he placed his hand on the air, then made a clenching gesture. As he did so, the ponies gasped when they saw him pulling out the air as if he were opening a door, showing what appeared to be a dark green-colored area on the other side. "Oooooh~! Neat!" Pinkie said with glimmering eyes. "This is my Devil Fruit power. I ate the Door-Door Fruit, meaning that I have the ability to turn anything I touch into a door." Blueno explained as his hand rested on his large air-door. "A splendid exhibition, Blueno! This is too chaotic for words!" Discord exclaimed with glee as he examined the door "So I guess your powers make for good transportation rather than just teleportation." "This is truly remarkable. Blueno, why didn't you wish to show us sooner." Twilight asked in excitement. "You could say I felt like surprising you before we decide to take our leave from Ponyville. I hope you're not too alarmed." Blueno said in his usual tone. "I'm not. In fact, I'd like to study more about your Devil Fruit power sometime once we see each other again." Twilight said with a grin. "Then expect us tomorrow, because these humans have a lot to see!" Discord said joyfully as he gave a wave of farewell and flew inside of the dimension behind the door, the other humans following suit. Lucci and Hattori were the last to leave, looking at the element bearers and the crusaders before he went inside himself. "Okay, I'm just gonna say it. Those humans are AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash cheered before she caught herself and looked away with a distasteful glance "Most of them, anyway." Applejack merely rolled her eyes at the cyan pegasus' second comment. "I know. Somehow, I'm glad that Discord even made that field of magic that doubled as a portal." Twilight said ecstatically "I'm even tempted to see their world with my own eyes." "Even when they said it's not safe?" Spike asked with an arched eyebrow. "I'm certain it won't be too bad, especially with their company." Rarity said as she held up a hoof." "I know! Those humans are so nice, it's hard to believe they're assassins!" All eyes were on Pinkie after her seemingly absentminded statement. She simply shifted her gaze between all of the wide eyes that were directed towards here "What? You mean Fooky hasn't told you all yet?" To be continued...