The Mystics

by TheMysticBrony

Ch6- Pain and Agony

Scootaloo slowly opens her eyes as sunlight peeks through her orange shades. She flinches from the sunlight before sitting up with a groan. She rubs her eyes and stretches out her arms and legs before peering over to her clock that sets on a nightstand next to her bed. She pushes off her blanket and slowly gets to the ground and trots out of her room to the bathroom across the hall. She pushes the door open and turns on the shower before stepping in and closing the glass slide door. She sighs with delight as the warm water hits her skin, trickling down her face and back. Her wings unfold and flex out catching the water soaking her feathers.

“Ah that’s the stuff!” She says as she reaches for her shampoo bottle. She squirts the purple shampoo, setting the bottle aside, and begins lathering her mane on top her head.

“Okay, what am I doing at school today? Hmm, Oh right! The test in chemistry!” She says as she washes out the soap before getting soap into a loofa, rubbing down the rest of her body. She extends her wings in front of her chest softly rubbing her feathers, sending small shivers down her spine before washing them soap off and turning the shower off.

“I know AppleBloom will get an A no problem. Maybe I should just sit next to her and see where it goes. Eh” She says with a shrug as she opens the glass down and grabs a white towel from the towel rack. She grips the towel with her wings and dries off her back and head before reaching down to her legs and tail. Trotting up to the sink she puts keeps the towel wrapped around her back and looks up at the mirror. She chuckles at how fluffy her mane is but shakes her head sending water droplets all over the room. She looks into the mirror again and smiles seeing her mane has laid in place the way she likes it before picking up her toothbrush. She squeezes some toothpaste onto the brush before brushing her teeth and tongue. She spits into the sink and washes her mouth out with water before smiling into the mirror. She shrugs and trots out back into her room. Throwing the towel into a hamper with other cloths before opening her closet where some t-shirts hang on hangers and more than a dozen of scooters lay on the bottom.

She puts a hoof to her chin, “Which one should I take today?” she says as she glances over them before reaching for a blue and silver. “I think less showy today” she says as she takes it out and gets her helmet that lays next to her door before going down her stairs. She trots up to her front door then stops looking at the corner of the door.

“Where’s my saddle bag?” she says as she starts searching the down stair rooms. She stops back at the door and thinks.

She sighs and face hoofs, “Damn it! I left it at Fang’s” she says with a grunt. “Oh well, I can’t get to his place and back to school before the bell in time.” She says as she straps on her helmet and ready’s her scooter. Trotting outside, she shuts her door before hopping onto her scooter and flaps her wings sending her shooting forward like a speeding bullet. Dodging out of the way of other ponies as she picks up the pace before getting up to Sweetie Belle’s house. She slides against the ground slowing herself to a halt at Sweetie Belle’s door.

“Yo Sweetie Belle! You ready yet?” Scootaloo yells up at an open window.

Sweetie Belle peaks out the window with a toothbrush in her mouth and nods before ducking back in. Within five minutes the front door opens with Sweetie Belle walking out with her blue saddlebag on her back.

“Sorry Scootaloo, I woke up a little late this morning.” Sweetie Belle says as she walks next to Scootaloo.

“It’s fine. I am never in any rush to get to school anyway with the chemistry test waiting.” Scootaloo says as they get to the middle of Ponyville then the park. Scootaloo looks around spotting several royal guards talking to other ponies. She leans over and asks Sweetie Belle, “Hey do you know what’s up with all these Royal Guard? There seems to be a lot more than usual and I mean A LOT more.”

Sweetie Belle shrugs and says, “I’m not sure. Maybe Twilight just wanted more guards around. I mean she does have that giant castle with barely anyone in it. She probably wanted more security around it.” Scootaloo nods as they come up to the school. Scootaloo smiles as she spots Apple Bloom talking with her sister. Apple Jack hugs her before trotting off.

As Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle get up to her Apple Bloom smiles, “Hey ya’ll! How you girls doing this morning?”

“Great thanks.” Says Sweetie Belle as she hoof bumps Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo shrugs buts gives off a smile, “Eh, I’m doing well I guess. I am not looking forward to the test today I can tell you that.”

“It’s not that hard. Just over the basics of element bonding and carbon atoms.” Says Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo blinks at her and laughs nudging her shoulder before saying, “That may be easy for you to say Apple Bloom. You have always been amazing when it comes to chemistry.”

“What can I say? I just study a lot.” Apple Bloom says in reply.

The three of them laugh together before Scootaloo looks around the front of the school.
Apple Bloom nudges Scootaloo, “Some thing wrong Scootaloo?”

“Oh sorry, I was looking for Fang. He is usually here before any of us” Scootaloo says.

“Maybe you worked him too hard with the skating yesterday?” Sweetie Belle chimes in as the bell rings for first period.

The three mares start to trot in as Scootaloo looks over her shoulder before walking into the school.

Fang pants as he runs out the front door of Twilight’s castle. His saddle bag swings from his neck while Scootaloo’s rests on his back.

“Damn it, I can’t believe I over slept! I need to hurry or I will be late!” He says to himself as he sprints through Ponyville, weaving through ponies as they go on their daily lives. He jets past the park and stops panting with sweat running down his face at the school. He shakes himself whipping the sweat off his face and forehead but before he can turn to go inside he hears some pony calling to him.

“Hey Fang!” says a hoarse voice. As Fang turns around he sees a pony in a cloak waving to him. He tilts his head and walks over to the pony who ducks into an alleyway. Cautiously Fang walks into the alley but stays at the entrance.

“Who are you? I couldn’t see you because of the cloak.” says Fang as he sets down both his and Scootaloo’s saddlebags. I don’t have a good feeling about this guy. I should prepare to run if need be. Fang thinks to himself.

The cloaked pony laughs then says, “Are you serious kid? You don’t remember me at all?” The pony walks out of the shadows and flicks his hood off. The stallion was a unicorn with a coat color of dark dirty yellow. His mane is dark green and long covering most of his shoulders. A long scar goes down his neck to his chest while his yellow eyes rest on Fang with intensity.

Fang blinks at him and tilts his head before saying, “Yea I have no clue who you are.”

The stallion blinks and sighs rubbing his head with his hoof, “I guess it has been a while but still! I mean I thought all of what you did with us would be burned into that skull of yours.” the stallion says.

With us? What is he talking about? Fang thinks to himself.

“Fine, I know for a fact that this should jog your memory” he says before turning to the side lifting his cloak showing a tattoo of two unicorn heads crossing their horns within a triangle.

Fang looks at the mark and his breath stops. His body starts to shake and he looks down at the ground standing still and quiet.

The stallion turns and faces him before saying, “Oh yea that did the ticket. Now then the...” before he can finish Fang runs forward and grabs the stallion by the throat slamming him into the wall. The stallion tries to shout but only gags for air as Fang holds him against the wall by his throat. He kicks his legs as he struggles to get out of Fang’s grip.

Fang breaths heavy while his arms shake with anger. He looks up at the stallion with eyes wide in anger as he says, “What the hell are you doing here? I cut ties with you guys years ago.” He waits for a reply only to slam the stallion against the wall again hard enough where the wall cracks yelling, “Answer me damn it!!”

The stallion spits out blood taking small breaths as he can, “They weren’t kidding when they said you wouldn’t be easy to talk to...” He gasps in a breath before continuing, “I am only here to pass on a message. Nothing more.”

Fang grinds his teeth then grins bringing him down to eye level, “I don’t care about that stallion’s message! Maybe I should just kill you. Do you think that will be a big enough message for him?”

The stallion laughs, “You can certainly can but you know that my death won’t mean a damn thing to him. Plus he could just send more and more members and they might not be as nice as me” he says with a snicker.

Fang stares at him before throwing him to the ground at the back of the alley walking back to his saddle bags and stops, “What message does he want me to hear?”

The stallion coughs and breaths heavy for air, “The master only told me to say this to you. ‘Meet me in ManeHatten’.” he says as he shakily stands spitting up more blood.

Fang chuckles and picks up the bags walking out of the alley. He stops and looks over his shoulder saying, “Here is a message for him. If he comes after me again, I promise that I will kill him and the entire Tirade.” Fang walks out and heads toward the school as the stallion watches him go.

The stallion chuckles and folds his cloak over his head, “That one sure is interesting.” He said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scootaloo sits in her math class looking out the window with a board daze. She puts a hoof under her chin holding her head up. She sees birds flying from tree to tree while the wind rustles the leaves that shimmer in the sunlight. Wish I could have had the day off. Today is just so beautiful. She thinks as she turns her head toward the chalkboard again as the teacher writes several different equations. Scootaloo recognized some of them but she didn’t know the correct names for them. She only knew when to use them in homework and tests.

The teacher turns her head and asks, “Does anypony know what the answer is if we apply a logarithm?”

All the students stay quiet but one stallion breaks the silence by replying, “Yes, if you apply the logarithm to this problem the answer would be one over four.” He said. Scootaloo chuckled as she notices that Rumble was the one who replied. The stallion smiles at his answer as he adjusts his blue and white class jacket. Rumble looks back at Scootaloo and smiles winking at her before turning back. Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at the wink but giggled at the gesture.

The teacher was about to continue her lesson but the bell for next period rings. All the ponies stand to leave. Scootaloo stands up and heads to the door but is stopped by Rumble who gives off another smile.

“Hey Scootaloo! How you doing today?” Rumble says.

“I am doing okay. I am so glad that the bell rang when it did. I don’t know what I would do if that lesson continued.” She said as she and Rumble trot toward the door then out into the hallway.
Rumble laughs letting her trot out first, “That lesson so hard. Well with a calculator it isn’t anyway. Just have to know what goes where in the equations.” He says. They trot up to Scootaloo’s locker where she puts her combination in and reaches in grabbing a binder.

She looks up at him and playfully nudges him saying, “Maybe it is easy for you big guy but to me it’s just numbers.” They both laugh as she shuts her locker.

“So you busy this weekend? Thought we should catch up over a shake or something.” He says as they head down the hallway passing four doors before stopping at the chemistry classroom 176.

Scootaloo turned and looked at Rumble replying, “Oh I’m sorry Rumble but I have plans with another friend of mine. He and I made a bet on a basketball game and I intend to win!”

Rumble tilts his head a little confused replying, “He?”

“Oh yea, you haven’t met Fang. He just enrolled to the school about a month ago.” Scootaloo says. Before Rumble could reply something catches Scootaloo’s eye. Fang walks into the school with his gaze down toward the floor. She lowers her ears as he trots through the hallway ignoring the ponies around him. Scootaloo walks past Rumble and up to Fang.

“Fang you alright?” She asks with a worried tone.

Fang raises his head and tilts his head confused, “Yea I’m fine. I have a major crick in my neck though.” He says rubbing the back of his neck. Scootaloo smiles and slugs his shoulder giving off a smile. Fang rubs his shoulder, “What was that for? I swear one of these days you’re going to break my shoulder with one of those hits.”

Scootaloo laughs putting a wing around him pulling him up to Rumble, who patiently waited at the chemistry room. She unwraps her wing putting it against her side again, “Rumble this is Fang.” she’s says before turning to Fang, “Fang this is Rumble. He has been a friend of mine since elementary school.”

Fang holds out a hoof and smiles, “It’s nice to meet you Rumble.” Fang says as Rumble shakes hooves with him.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Rumble says with a small smile.

Fang smiles back then turns to Scootaloo holding out her saddlebag saying, “I think this belongs to you. You left it at my place yesterday.”

Scootaloo rubs the back of her head with her hoof giving a small embarrassed laugh taking it from Fang saying, “Yea, sorry about that. I guess with all the excitement it didn’t even cross my mind.”

Rumble blinks looking at both of them then smirks nudging Scootaloo’s shoulder before saying, “what kind of excitement are we talking about Scootaloo?”

Fang laughs when Scootaloo turns with her cheeks red. She slugs Rumble in his shoulder before putting a wing to cover her face, “Not that kind of excitement buddy! Plus it’s none of your business!” She says from behind her wings.

Rumble and Fang laugh but afterward Fang hugs her before the bell rings for class. Rumble waves trotting down the hall to his class as Scootaloo and Fang trot into the chemistry room. Scootaloo and Fang sit down, taking the saddlebags off and placing them onto the floor next to their chairs.

Fang looks over at Scootaloo and sees her face still red with embarrassment. Fang puts a hoof onto hers saying, “Sorry Scootaloo we were just playing around.”

She turns to him and smiles softly, “I know and it’s okay. Oh and by the way...” She starts as she rubs his hoof before taking hers away and nudges his shoulder with it, “Don’t get too sappy on me.” She says with a smile. Fang smiles back then turns toward the front of the classroom as the teacher walks in with a stack of papers.

Fang groans and takes out a pencil, “This test is going to be brutal. I wasn’t able to read the last two chapters.” He says as the teacher starts passing out the test papers.

Scootaloo laughs saying, “Oh please, you just didn’t want to read them.” The teacher gets to their desks and gives them the test papers. She then walks to the front of the class and sits down at her desk and says, “Alright class you have 45 minutes to complete the test. Good luck and begin.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fang sighs putting down his pencil flipping the final page of his test. He looks around the room seeing that several other ponies have finished before him and were patiently waiting for the bell to ring. Fang got out of his seat and walked over to the teacher handing in his test before going back to his seat where Scootaloo rubs the top of her head with her pencil before shrugging. She puts her pencil down and gets up passing Fang. He grabs his bag as Scootaloo trots back. He tilts his head at her and she just shakes her head and shrugs sitting back down in her chair. Scootaloo puts her head in her hooves and closes her eyes trying to take a quick nap before the bell rings.

Fang looks out the window putting his hoof under his chin. The Triade... I thought I got away from them, but no matter how far I go I just can’t get away. I bird flies by the window landing into a nest that casts a shadow through the window over Fang. He closes his eyes then looks down at his hoof. If I’m going to live a normal life the Triad is going to have to be dealt with. He clenches his hoof around his pencil but relaxes as the bell pierces his thoughts making him turn around. Scootaloo yawns and stretches out before picking her saddlebag up and trotting out into the hallway. Fang picks his up and trots out after her as she meets up with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Rumble.

As Fang walks up to them Scootaloo says to Apple Bloom, “I must defiantly bombed that test. The energy conversion equations were the most difficult though.” She says.

“Aye wouldn’t worry about it too much Scootaloo. It’s only the second test of the semester.” Apple Bloom says. She tilts her hat as Fang walks up to them.

Fang smiles in greeting hoof bumping Sweetie Belle and Rumble who hesitated at first. “I do agree on those equations. Those things seriously kicked my ass and I just couldn’t figure out what went where. Ugh it just sucked over all.” Fang says.

Sweetie Belle giggles saying, “Well maybe you two would have had more time if you laid off on all the fun you two had yesterday.” She grins at the two of them.

Fang and Scootaloo turn red making Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle laugh while Rumble looks at the two of them. Scootaloo extends her wings stomping both of her front hooves on the ground in annoyance, “Would everypony stop that! All we did was go out roller skating! I mean seriously!” says Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom rubs her head and smiles, “Sorry Scootaloo we just couldn’t resist. Rumble told us that Fang brought your saddle bag from his place and it was just too good to pass up.” Says Apple Bloom.

“Whatever its fine…” Scootaloo says before turning around pointing a hoof at Rumble making him jump a little in surprise, “And you better not start telling ponies stuff that isn’t their business.”

Rumble swallows and pushes her hoof down softly, “Okay, okay sorry Scootaloo. If it helps I didn’t tell any other pony.” He says.

She snorts but nudges him before turning back around to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Fang trots over to his locker while the three mares talk and opens it up. He puts his textbooks in and then pulls out his magic history book along with a red folder putting them into his saddlebag.

He closes his locker and turns back towards his friends only to see Flare down the hallway. Fang sighs looking at him and his companions walking down the hallway bumping other ponies out of the way. When Fang gets up to his friends he points to him saying, “Look who decided to show back up.”

“I was wondering where he went. Maybe he got into more trouble than he could chew.” Says Sweetie Belle.

“Pfft who cares why he wasn’t here? All he does when he is here is cause trouble.” Scootaloo says.

Fang nods in agreement then looks back up at Flare who he noticed is looking right at him. He starts walking a little faster not taking his gaze off Fang. Fang turns to his friends again then before walking away from them. He turns around the corner looking over his shoulder to see Flare following him. The three colts go past Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom and quickly turn the corner.

Scootaloo turns her head at them giving off a disgusted look only to notice that Fang isn’t there. She looks around going up to his locker then further down the hallway. She gets back up to her friends asking, “Where did Fang go?”

Apple Bloom shrugs and replies, “Maybe he went to class early. It is almost time for the bell.”

Scootaloo nods but feels a nervous shiver go down her spine. What is this feeling? I feel like something bad is going to happen.

Fang comes stops at a dead end in the hallway with lockers on either side of him and sets his saddle bag down. Flare rounds the corner and grins at Fang. Fang looks at him as his two companions get on either side of him breathing hard from almost jogging to follow him.

Fang sighs, “What do you want Flare?

Flare snickers replying, “Oh nothing much. I mean you did take my position in the Fighting Club and embarrass me in front of everypony. That is behind us though isn’t Fang?” Flare glares at Fang.

Fang picks his bag back up and takes a step forward saying, “good, then if you don’t mind I would like to get back to class. I am already late as it is.”

“Yea I don’t think so.” Flare says as he taps his hooves together making both the colts to his sides rush Fang. Fang throws his bag to the side only to catch a punch to the left side of his face and a kick to his stomach. He falls backward but quickly gets up dodging a right hook while he throws a left jab into the purple stallion’s chest knocking the wind out of him and a round house to the other brown stallion’s head sending him flying into the lockers. Both stallions roll on the floor in pain while Flare grits his teeth.

“Pitiful! You two can’t even take this weakling? I guess I am going to have to do this myself.” Flare says as he gets into a fighting pose. Fang whips his face where he was hit getting into his own pose. The two colts stand looking at each other for a moment before Flare charges forward throwing a right punch which Fang blocks with his shoulder only to send a left hook to hit Flare in the ribs making him wince and jump backward. Flare aim kicks up to Fang’s stomach making Fang back up into the wall behind him. Flare grins sending a volley of punches at Fang who can only get his guard up covering his face. Fang keeps his guard up as best he can wincing at every punch that connects. He takes a deep breath and pushes forward catching a punch under his arm pulling Flare toward him hitting him with an elbow in his throat then slams Flare’s head into his knee knocking him back holding his head in pain.

Fang breaths heavy holding his left arm which is thoroughly bruised from the punches, “Give it up Flare. You aren’t going to feel any better if you keep this up.” Fang says as he looks down at Flare.

Flare looks back up at Fang with anger burning in his eyes, “Like hell you scum!” he screams as he stands up with his horn glowing bright red.

Fang’s eyes widen as he sees the horn glow, “Flare what are you..!” Fang starts only to be cut off as his body glows bright red and is thrown backwards into the wall with immense force that the lockers cave in. Fang lets out a howl of pain as he slams into the lockers coughing up droplets of blood only to be thrown into the wall to the right then back and forth without any sign of stopping. Flare pants with anger but grins as he slams Fang against the back lockers again pinning him against them. He walks up to the beaten stallion and chuckles looking eye to eye with him.

“You are trash Fang. Nothing more and nothing less.” Flare says as he increase the pressure of magic making Fang wince. “I am going to show every pony that whoever crosses me gets punished.” Flare says before chuckling and whispering into Fang’s ear, “I think I should start with Scootaloo. Don’t you think? She would be a perfect and she would have to do every little thing I say. And there is nothing you can do about it.” He says laughing as he drops Fang onto the floor coughing and beaten.

Fang coughs feeling his body pulsing and numb unable to even lift his head up off the floor. Fang cocks his head up against the lockers as he hears several pairs of hooves coming down the hallway. The first pony to turn the corner was Scootaloo who looks straight at him and freezes with horror across her face.

“Fang! Dear Celestia what happened to you!” Scootaloo says as she runs over to him.

Before she could get to him Flare steps in her path and grins, “Oh you don’t have to worry about him my dear.” Flare says as he steps up to her making her back up. Rumble turns the corner next followed by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

Rumble steps between Scootaloo and Flare, “Flare back the hell up or else!”

“Pfft please, you aren’t worth my time so move it!” Flare says as he levitates Rumble and throws him aside with magic making him hit the wall. Rumble lets out a whine as the wall knocks the wind out of him as he falls to his side. “Now where were we hehe.” Flare snickers as he advanced toward Scootaloo again.

Fang watches as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle try to get in the middle of the two of them push Scootaloo away from Flare. Fang’s ears ring as he watches the three ponies talk and argue. He musters up the strength to speak under them, “Stop it…stop it... leave them alone… Leave them alone!!” Fang shouts as he musters the strength to stand up and rush Flare. Fang tackles Flare in the side rolling with him on the floor. Fang manages to pin Flare under him raising his hoof to punch. Before Flare can put up his hooves to block his face Fang strikes one after another hitting Flare harder with each punch.

Flare shouts in pain yelling out, “Stop! I give! I give!” Fang ignores his pleas as he keeps punching eventually knocking Flare out.

When Fang notices Flare is knocked out he stops, sitting there panting looking down at his bloody faced opponent. Silence overtakes the moment as the noise of hurrying hoof steps gets closer and closer. Fang turns his head slightly looking at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who are looking at him with shocked and fearful eyes. Fang stares at them for a moment before turning around and stands. He gets off the now unconscious Flare and limps down to the end of the hallway and pushed open a security door leaving a bloody hoof trail behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fang watches from an alleyway as several royal guardsmen medics rush into the high school. He watched as Rumble is helped out leaning against a guardsmen who lets him sit down on a bench. He sighs at the site and limps out of the alleyway and out toward the western hills of ponyville. He looks down as he comes across the hilly field getting up next to a tree and lays down. Fang looks at the sky and takes a deep breath letting the wind blow onto his mane. The faces of his friends flash into his mind, the faces full of fear. Fang closes his eyes and grits his teeth letting tears go down his bruised face. They were scared of me. I just got here and I already lost my friends! Damn it! Fang thinks as he opens his eyes again looking at his blood covered hooves. Will I ever have the normal life you wanted for me? Father? Mother?