Discovering Friendship

by Saro0fdemonz

S2EP20

"That is most strange..." Luna murmured.

"I know!" Nyx cried out. Luna let out a sigh as she paced back and forth.

"Perhaps it is Destiny..."

"Destiny that a little girl suffers pain that isn't hers on top of all she's already dealt with?" Nyx demanded.

"Destiny that her fate would be tied to yours," Luna smirked.

"I don't know how I feel about that. I understand she has Twilight's Magic, but when Nightmare attacked, she was still an average Skyborn," Nyx pointed out.

"Magic is more than simply the ability to wield mana. Magic comes in many forms. Your friend seems to be rather sensitive to the feelings an experiences of others. Perhaps a Latent Psy Ability?" Luna mused.

"In a Skyborn?"

"Why not a Skyborn? Psy Ability is most often connected to suffering. Her entire life until that point was every Skyborn's worst fear. Grounded with no hope of flight; The two dearest people in your life stripped away by the thing that has forever ruined your birthright, Watching as the rest of your kind freely floats along the breeze..."

"You speak as if you've known her for years..." Nyx scoffed.

"Nay child...We speak from a very different experience..." Luna sighed. She shook her head and put on a smile.

"We appreciate the trust you have put into us. Though it seems it is time for you to awaken. We wish you luck with your friends little one,"

Nyx frowned as her eyes opened.

---

"Captain, if I may speak freely?"

"Granted"

"You're a fucking idiot and your girlfriend is going to kill you,"

"Noted," Shining mumbled. He took a slow breath and put on a smile.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Like a man ready for war," Steelheart scoffed, punching his shoulder.

"I couldn't land a single hit on him before and he wasn't even fighting back..." Shining admitted suddenly.

"T-Then why the fuck did you challenge him?!" she screamed at him.

"I don't know. Just a gut feeling..." he shrugged. She froze at that, her face shifting from anger to understanding.

"Then I'll just have to watch," she sighed, patting his shoulder.

"Don't tell my parents..." he chuckled weakly.

---

"HE WHAT?!" Twilight shouted, Celestia hiding her mirth behind her hand.

"He sought out a simple duel. No harm will befall either of them. You know how men can be Velvet," Celestia smirked. Twilight glared at her.

"I bet it was you that put him up to this!"

"I have considered it, but this was all of his own volition. You know how ambitious Sparkles can be," Celestia teased smugly.

"You've tugged her strings enough Sister. We can speak upon her behalf. Twas something that sat on Young Armor's mind for quite some time. He believes himself inept due to the need for The Guardian in the first place," Luna interrupted.

"It fills his dreams that, were he a better guard, such a group as the Solar Knights woulds't be obsolete. A foolish thing to dream, but fools have achieved much," she chuckled.

"He isn't ready,"

"You thought quite the same of your daughter, did you not? We understand that you care for their safe being, but you cannot downplay their strengths. They have both done a great many things," Luna pointed out.

"There are only good things that can come of this Twilight. Shining Armor might very well surprise us all in this bout and pull one over Spike. Or, he may fail, but have the chance to show what he is truly made of for all to see and at the same time Spike gets to let loose, just a little bit," Celestia tossed in.

"You two are betting on this fight, aren't you?" Twilight deadpanned.

---

"I-Is this really okay?" Nyx stammered. A Skyborn girl smirked at her as she spread out her wings.

"Oh come on, you can't tell me you haven't dreamed of doing this," she scoffed. Nyx chewed her lip and glanced around before letting her own wings out.

"Okay, maybe just once...B-But then we go back inside!" she compromised.

"Alright, alright. Just one jump. Race ya!" the Skyborn laughed as she took off at a run, leaping from the rooftop and spreading out her wings. Nyx shook her head.

"This is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid!" Nyx chanted as she mimicked her friend, throwing herself from the roof and spreading out her wings.

"This...is...AMAZING!" She laughed as she glided gently behind her friend.

"Told ya! C'mon! Don't fall behind!"

Nyx smirked and gave her wings a powerful flap, quickly catching up.

"Okay, so. You were right this one time..." Nyx admitted.

"Eh, I'll take it. So, ready to head back?"

"I guess...we have been here awhile today, huh?" Nyx realized, glancing over the landscape. Her little library had stretched out to so much more in such a short time. Just in the distance she could see the schoolhouse and in the opposite direction she spotted Applebloom's clubhouse.

"You've got a nice little field goin' here," Rainbow chuckled, gliding backwards. A door opened up behind her, the Skyborn sailing through with ease. Nyx relaxed her mind, a door opening before her and opened her eyes to find herself on a couch.

In front of her sat Rainbow Dash, a bit out of breath, but wearing a proud smile.

"M-Miss Rainbow...maybe we..."

"How ya feelin' kid?" Rainbow interrupted her. Nyx sighed, a sad smile touching her lips.

"Confused more than anything else...Nothing in my memories really adds up..."

"Well, they aren't YOUR memories. Just memories of someone else's life. A thousand years in the muck might've twisted em a bit," Rainbow pointed out.

"Maybe...But there's still truth buried in there...Celestia is still guilty," Nyx argued. Rainbow only shrugged.

"Can't say I know what you are talkin' about kid. But I started thinkin' about what she said before. I don't like it, and I'm still on your side of things here but...Maybe she was right, about a few things at least," she scoffed.

"At the same time, just how in the right is Nightmare? She took on a power that warps minds and destroys souls in order to tear down her own sister," Nyx mumbled, glancing at her hands

"Yea...that's enough serious talk. You're dismissed kid, go have some fun, k?" Rainbow grinned.

---

Vinyl glanced over at Shining Armor's Lieutenant. Steelheart Swiftblade. She had quickly risen through the ranks after joining the guard. Youngest and brightest of her class. And here she stood, just a crazy vampire wrapped up in someone else's nonsense.

"The rules of this match are simple. The battle will continue until either are unable to fight or we call it to end. A winner will be determined by our agreement. The fighters may begin when they are ready!" Steelheart declared.

"And a fair warning. Should I feel the life of either fighter is at risk, I will step in," Vinyl added.

"Understood Lieutenant Commander. But should you step in, we will do our best to battle around you," Spike teased, his cape melting away slowly. Shining Armor gripped his shield tightly, hand resting over the hilt of his sword while he crouched low.

"An interesting stance. Not one they would've taught you in the guard," Spike commented.

"I had a little home schooling," Shining remarked with a smirk. Spike gave a nod and drew his sword, giving it a little twirl. He shifted his left foot forward, raising the blade overhead and holding out his left arm, beckoning the captain to attack.

Shining grit his teeth as he dashed forward, unsheathing and slashing with his blade in one swift movement, losing his balance as Spike parried the blade away and stepped forward, burying his fist into the captain's gut, sending him sprawling across the ground.

Shining righted himself, rolling to his feet and staring as Spike retook his position.

"Rather unfair of you to hold the line, don't you think?" Shining scoffed.

"Would you prefer I take the offensive?" Spike questioned. The armored giant took a few steps forward, his form seeming to flicker and suddenly appear before Shining Armor. He swore under his breath, raising his shield in time for Spike's sword to scrape across it, his world flipped upside down as his legs were literally swept out from under him.

Shining dropped his sword, freeing his hand to push off the ground and flip back to his feet. A muttered chant summoned his blade back to his hand.

"You are holding back Captain," Spike pointed out.

"So are you Commander," Shining Armor chuckled

"Why don't we step it up then?" Spike asked, sheathing his blade and retaking his stance from earlier, sans his sword.

"CQC?" Shining realized, the punch from before making a bit more sense. He stabbed his shield into the ground, sheathing his sword within.

The Magian let out a slow breath, pushing his right foot forward and cupping his right hand as he stretched it outward, his left palm upward at his hip. He cried out as Spike's knee slammed into his gut, but held his position, wrapping his arms around the commander's midsection and kicking off the ground to bring him down.

Spike grinned within his armor, hooking an arm under the airborne Magian and kicking off the ground, shifting the Captain's momentum into a flip and slamming him unto the unforgiving ground below.

"You are still holding back Captain. Give me all you've got. I haven't even seen a flicker of Mana about you," Spike taunted.

"Is this really okay?" Steelheart whispered to Vinyl.

"I mean...He hasn't broken anything yet...Honestly I expected it to be over already..." Vinyl mumbled.

"Broken?!" Steelheart glared at Vinyl, the vampire giving a shrug.

"I guess my boss has a soft spot in his heart for yours," She answered, "Don't worry. If things get rough for the Captain, I'll stop the fight, no matter what Commander butt munch has to say," she promised.

Shining Armor let out a sigh

"Sir, as strong as you are, why did you not battle the Chaotician?" he asked suddenly. Spike chuckled.

"I did fight him,"

"what?"

"I fought with Discord, and I was swiftly defeated. I stood no chance against him,"

"But t-that's impossible!" Shining shouted.

"Why? Because you were capable of fighting him? Strength is not so easily measured by who can defeat who. Being the right man for the right situation changes things. Try fighting me as your true self and see the difference," Spike pointed to the shield.

Shining Armor lifted his shield, casting the sword aside as Mana flared around him.

"That's more like it Captain...Now, COME AT ME!" Spike roared, causing the gathered crowd to flinch. Shining stood his ground as he rushed forward, roaring with all of his might.

Spike slid to the side to avoid a strike from the shield, throwing out his leg to catch Shining in the gut, but the Magian reacted quickly. With a smirk, the Captain lifted his free hand, throwing up a barrier and letting it coil around the leg, jumping and letting the spell rebound, allowing him to flip over the attack.

The two fighters spun toward each other, the crowd watching with bated breath as a cloud of dirt and dust was kicked up, blinding them from the result of the clash.

As the dust settled, the two fighters stood, staring each other down. The bladed point of the shield was pressed to Spike's throat, a trickle of blood running down his armor. At the same time, Spike's fist was buried against Shining's rib, trapped in a barrier but most definitely having done some damage from the way the armor was bent at impact.

Shining smirked weakly, his legs shaking as he coughed up blood onto the Captain Commander.

"S-Stop the match!" Steelheart cried.

"Captain Armor, do you hold the will to continue?" Vinyl called out, holding her arm out to keep Steelheart back.

"I'm fine Lieutenant Commander. Just a flesh wound," Shining answered without delay.

"I agree with Steelheart. This match is over," Spike stated.

"S-Sir!" Shining argued.

"I cannot escape his barrier. My hand is trapped. His shield could end me at any moment, but the movement would free my hand. We are at a stalemate," Spike continued.

"It seems you've just barely bested me Captain, but not quite enough to hold my spot. I fear I will have to remain in my position for a while longer," he chuckled.

"W-We can continue..." Shining stammered, he blinked as the Commander shook his head.

"There are times when you must know that you have done all you can...Do not push your luck Captain, too many care for your well being," Spike whispered, tilting his head to where their Lieutenants stood.

Shining glanced over, seeing Steelheart glaring at him. He let out a sigh and gave a gentle nod.

"Very well Sir. I agree to a Draw," Shining caved. The two let down their guard and took a step back, giving a salute to each other.

Vinyl quickly teleported down, slipping herself under Shining Armor's arm and surrounding the two Captain's in her magic. As an afterthought she glanced over at Steelheart, snagging her as well and teleporting the group away.

"W-What the fuck?!" Steelheart yelled.

"Sorry, I don't like crowds," Vinyl chuckled, helping Shining Armor into a chair. Spike sat nearby with a soft sigh.

"Now, we've proven a point to the Guard...So let's get to what really matters. Shining Armor...you deserve to know the truth," Spike placed his hands on his knees.

"What is revealed in this room, can never be known to any other living being. Am I understood Captain?" Spike asked. Shining Armor gave a quick nod, glancing at his Lieutenant and finding her staring blankly at the wall.

"Sorry, I wanted to include her just so she could see you safe, but what we've gotta say is for your ears only kid," Vinyl chuckled and raised her hand, showing a line of mana connecting her finger to his Lieutenant.

"I understand..."

"Now then...ask away Captain."

Comments

[Stardust-pony]

Thanks for the chapter

I will wait for more