To Hunt a Beast

by Blackdrag-rose

13: One Week Later

The sky flashed and the wind howled as it rained over the vast forest area that was riddled with at least a dozen rock formations, one of them being a familiar flat leveled plateau. Above the forest sat clusters of black clouds while below the treetops waited clusters of soldiers that waited for the signal to start. The forest, usually devoid of life that wasn't the animals that ran around, was now home to five different and very unique armies. The same five armies that had, at one point in time, gone to war against each other in the war games.

Northern knew the rules of the war game and, now that she was wearing her armor, she was a part of her father's Changeling army, using her strange and unique magic against the other armies. After they had returned home Eclipse had taught her how to use magic in the general sense, seeing how nopony knew exactly what her magic was. Sure, she couldn't use her father's dangerous magic, but she had some skill with her own magic that allowed her to defend herself whenever she needed it. From the letters she had received it seemed like Princess Twilight was thinking it was possibly chaos magic, but other than that nopony knew exactly what it was.

"Its good to be back in the war games," Ironside said, twirling a spear around while he stood guard over the princess, "It gives us the chance to use what we have learned against our allies for fun. Who cares if we lose? As long as we have fun it doesn't matter if we win or lose."

Northern chuckled softly, just after her father came back to the Hive she had taken Ironside to her parents and he had been given a lecture about his appetite for battle. When he came out of the throne room he was a changed changeling, he no longer cared so much about the actual beating he gave and transferred it all to practicing on dummies for the war game. Northern had been there when her father sent the other Princesses the news that he and his army would be joining the war games yet again. She had been overjoyed to hear that they would be joining the games yet again, but even more when she learned that she was going to be involved.

"Look at my little angel," came a voice as her mother stepped out of the treeline, "all armored up for her first war game. I'm surprised that you didn't want a weapon."

"No need for one mom," Northern happily said, bouncing just a bit in anticipation as a bit of purple magic sparked around her horn, "No need for one at all."

Viscarias smiled. Her husband had returned to the hive and, more importantly, to her daughter and Northern was extremely excited for her first ever war game. She was also excited about practicing her magic and had almost laughed when they got the letter back from Celestia asking if they were serious. Apparently the Solar Princess thought they were kidding about rejoining the war games, but they had been telling the truth and here they were.

Her ears twitched as she heard the familiar drum roll of the Solar Army, the cue that the war game had begun.

She didn't need to turn around as a Princess Celestia sized changeling flew over head, paying him almost no mind as she wondered when an enemy would arrive. Her husband Eclipse was already on the move.

Northern stopped bouncing as she came face to face with a familiar sherbert coated mare, one who wore a smaller set of armor that resembled Nightmare Moon's. Even without the vampire teeth, the bat wings, the ruffled ears, and the blood red eyes Peachy Keen was still a frightful pony to be around. She still had her shadows around her, some of it seeping into the ground and the trees, as the two stared at each other.

"It's a shame Northern," Peachy said, eying the armor her friend's daughter was wearing, "Your first war game and you happen to run into me. I feel sorry for you, losing to the first pony you run into at the very beginning of our war game."

"Don't say anything that you can't deliver Peachy," Northern remarked, her own magic sparking a little, "You have to get past my magic before you have a chance of defeating me."

Peachy stared at Northern and she back at her. Peachy lowered her body back and sprung right at Northern, a sword appearing out of her shadows. She swung at Northern, who bounced back in an instant and allowed her magic to whip right out of her horn, bashing Peachy into the air. Had she still owned her vampire wings she would have caught the air and used it to her advantage, but she landed, bounced back into the fight, and swung her shadows right at the second wave of Northern's spell. The area between them was torn apart, rocks and dirt flying in all directions as black and purple charged shards landed all around the two combatants.

Northern dashed at Peachy and kicked her into the air, allowing her to get to the treetop before pulling her straight back down with her magic. Once she was closer Northern kicked her even harder in the stomach, tossing her into the trunk of a tree while cutting her own leg just a bit. The tree trunk exploded as soon as Peachy made contact with it, the upper half of the tree collapsing as Peachy popped in front of her and hit her hard square in the chest. Northern flipped over and landed gracefully, thankful that her armor absorbed the majority of the attack like her mother had said it would.

Neither one of them were getting anywhere, just breaking up the surrounding area and causing several of the bystanders to be sure they didn't get caught in the crossfire. The Lunar Guard knew of Peachy's abilities and knew that if she was tearing the place apart with an opponent it was better to be out of the way then in the way. The Princess' guards just watched, curious as to the powers that had suddenly awakened in the daughter of their King and Queen.

"This might take some time," Peachy growled, coughing just a bit as she prepared herself, "I have a feeling that we'll be doing this for many years to come."

"Always ending in a draw," Northern remarked with a smile, "Fighting to best the other while everypony else wages fake war on each other."

Even when the rest of the ponies slinging spells and weapons at each other Peachy and Northern would always meet in the same area, trying to beat the other while ignoring the other ponies. To them a war game was just a training exercise, something that they could do with each other while the others focused on the glory of the battle. To them it was fun and they made the most of their time until either King Eclipse or Princess Luna were taken out of the running.

Comments

[Oubliette]

Soo…
Northern gets a sequel, right?

[Blackdrag-rose]

3711906
That's the plan at the moment. Though if you liked these stories you might consider some of the others I've worked on.

[Blackdrag-rose]

3711906
The sequel has been made and posted in case you weren't aware.
I'm interested in what you have to say about the final piece of it all.