Breezy Horn: Beyond a Fairy's Tail

by DarklordAxel20

Guild Life

The Town of Ponyville, September, X790

The sun was beginning to set on the small, but busy, town, and in an ironic way, this was the time of day that Ponyville was its busiest. It was this time of day that the streets of the town was packed full with both wizards and citizens alike, each either heading home or to some other destination. In the middle of it all was the town's pride and joy, the Breezy Horn guildhall, which at this time of day was brightly lit up for all to see.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the town, three young figures were racing towards the train station with looks of excitement and anticipation plastered on their youthful faces. " They're on their way here!!! " they yelled out in unison, each one having a wide, gleeful smile. The three weaved their way through the crowded streets, making sure not to run into any oncoming obstacle, whether it be human or otherwise. " I'm gonna get there first!!! No way, I am!!! No, me!!! " they would also argue in unison as they sped through the busy streets and towards the docking platform.

Meanwhile, the train from Everfree was nearing its destination, and it couldn't get there any sooner. Twilight was just about fed up with the pain-filled groans coming from Spike. It had been both Spike and Shade, but at some point during the ride, Shade's groans turned into inaudible pleas for death. At this point, she was just about fed up with it all, " ...Alright you two, knock it off. We're just about there, so you have no reason to keep acting like that. "

" Th-that's not...how it works...Twilight... " Spike groaned painfully.

Joy shook her head with a smile, " It's just something you gotta get used to Twilight, yessir! "

" Yessir? " Rex repeated curiously, " You say that a lot, you know, " he remarked.

" Yeah, " Twilight added, " why is it that you say that? "

In all honesty, the thought had never actually dawned on the pink feline, " I'm not entirely certain, I've always said it, " she momentarily paused, " it was actually my first word, yessir, it most certainly was. "

" ...Don't question it... " Shade weakly whispered.

Twilight sighed; the only thing she could do for the next fifteen minutes was watch the town grow larger the closer they got to it. However, even with all the annoyances of the train ride, Twilight couldn't help but smile at the fact that she had accomplished her teacher's request, albeit with "minor" difficulty. " Just about there, " she said to no-one in particular.

" ...So close...can feel it... " Spike mumbled.

" That's right, grass head, we're almost there, " Rex said to his momentarily-pathetic slayer partner.

" ...Not that...so close to vomiting... " he suddenly covered his mouth to keep from making a mess of the rather nice train floor.

Twilight let out her own groan and looked up at the ceiling, " Pleeeaaase just let this train ride be over with already. "

As Twilight predicted, it took approximately fifteen minutes for the train to pull up to the platform and release its passengers. Because she had to drag two bodies behind her, Twilight was one of the last people off the train, much to her own displeasure. Thankfully, the second the two slayers were back on solid ground, they instantly sprung back to life. " FREEDOM!!! " they cried out simultaneously, unaware of the numerous sets of eyes that were on them as a result.

Another groan escaped Twilight's mouth, " Please stop, you two, people are staring. "

Stares or not, Shade felt better than ever, " It feels so good to be home, " he stretched his arms behind his head and grinned as he looked on at the town.

Twilight wanted to speak up on just how differently Shade was acting compared to before, but as she began to speak, three new voices suddenly came from seemingly nowhere. " There they are!!! " the voices shouted at the same time.

" Well I'll be, I get a welcoming committee? I must be in more trouble than I thought, " Shade's grin grew wider as he spoke without a care in the world.

All attention began focusing on the owners of the three new voices, " Huh? There wasn't any mention of someone waiting for us, " Twilight stated.

The voices belonged to three young girls who were standing side-by-side, somewhere around Spike's age, possibly a little older. The one in the middle was a red-headed girl with orange eyes, and in her hair was the biggest pink bow Twilight had ever seen. She was dressed in a light-yellow shirt and over that was a set of blue overalls that ended at the top of her knees, and embroidered on the overalls was a big red apple. " We found ya! " she said with a cheerful smile, which helped show off the red guild mark on her cheek.

To her left was a girl of similar height who possessed magenta hair and purple eyes. She had a more sporty look to her, wearing an orange tank-top, along with a purple vest that covered half of her torso. She also wore a pair of pants that ended at her shins, and along with them, a set of knee pads that already bore a few scuffs and scrapes. Lastly was her guild mark, which was proudly presented upon her left shoulder, " Master told us to greet you! "

And last, but certainly not least, to the red-headed girls right was the most "colorful" of them all. She had pink and purple hair that was held together by a pink hair band, as well as bright green eyes. Her outfit was unique, in a way, as she wore black pants with a grey stripe going down the side of the legs. On her top was a grey tank top, and atop that was a mini, dark-purple hoodie that covered the top half of her torso. Her guild mark was unseen, firmly placed over her heart, " And we were really excited to see you big brother!! "

" Big brother?! " Spike, Twilight, and Rex exclaimed in unison.

These three excitable youths are known as the Breezy Horn Crusaders, or to their fellow members, the little sisters of Breezy Horn. Before Spike, they were the youngest members in the guild, having been practically raised in the guildhall. Their names are Applebloom, the fiery appleseed and Applejack’s younger sister, Scootaloo, the little Rainbow Dash who’s always ready to race, and lastly, Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little rebel. While the three see Shade as an older brother, Sweetie Belle personally looks up to him as a role model. They're loved throughout the guild and town alike, and always bring smiles to those that meet them.

" We missed you big brother!!! " the three shouted as they practically tackled the dragon slayer.

Shade could only chuckle at their reaction to his return, " H-hey, easy now you three! "

This brought a smile to Twilight's face, " How adorable! "

The trio of young wizards looked at Twilight with big smiles, " If Shade's back, that means yer Twilight right? " Applebloom asked, " Master's told us all about ya! "

" Yep, that's me, " she said with a nervous smile, " I hope Master Celestia only told them good things about me, " a sweat drop formed from her forehead as she internally spoke.

" And I'm her brother, Spike! " he stated his name proudly.

" You know, girls, " Shade said with a small smirk, " he's a dragon slayer, too. "

Three heads turned towards Spike, and six big eyes were practically glued to him, causing the younger slayer to flee behind his sister for protection. " Twilight, help! I know that look too well! "

Shade chuckled louder this time, " Ok, you three, no need to tear him apart now. You got one more new member to meet. "

" Hello, " Rex waved, " I'm Rex. "

" D’aaawww!!! " the three pulled the poor, unfortunate cat into a death grip hug, similar to the one Fluttershy gave.

" H-help!!! Please!!! Can't…breathe!!! " he pleaded desperately as he tried squirming out of their grasp.

Feeling somewhat sorry for the pained creature, Shade removed him from the grasp of the three young wizards. " Alright, that's enough. You're gonna scar the poor kid for life, " without a second thought, he tossed the poor cat like a ragdoll into his partner's arms, " There ya go, Spike. "

" Um, not to be rude or anything, " Twilight spoke up, " but wasn't the reason you three were waiting was to bring us back to the guild? "

" Oh yeah! " Sweetie Belle said in realization, " We totally forgot! " she replied with the most cheerful, sincere smile ever, causing Twilight and spike to fall over.

" We just got really excited was all, " Scootaloo added.

" So let's get goin' ya'll! " Applebloom pointed in the direction of the guild and took one step before stopping. " Uh, big brother Shade, ya wouldn't mind if the three of us rode on yer back, our feet kinda hurt from rushin' over here, " she sheepishly grinned.

Shade cocked an eyebrow before giving a grin in return, " You know, you three are starting to get a little old to be carried around, but what the hell, one time won't hurt! "

" YAY!!! " they cried out in joy. Shade held both his arms out and knelt down, to which Applebloom latched onto his right arm, Scootaloo his left, and Sweetie Belle hopped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his head. When he stood up, Scootaloo and Applebloom gleefully swung on his arms like they were part of a playground, " You're the best big brother! "

" To the guild!! " Joy shouted and flew ahead of her friends, new and old alike.

" I, uh, suppose we should follow her, " Twilight sweated, as she watched the eager feline leave them behind.

" Yup, " was all Shade said as he started walking down the path to Breezy Horn.

Twilight watched the young mages happily swing on Shade's arms as he walked, bringing an even bigger smile to her face, " He's like a completely different person. "

" Yeah, " Spike responded as he too began walking, " it's kind of weird…just a couple hours ago, he beat us to a pulp, now he's like the nicest guy ever. "

" Well, it's certainly a change for the better, " Rex stated.

As the trio made their way through town, they looked around at all the stands they passed by, seeing all the happy faces of both buyers and merchants alike, but there was something else they took notice of; it was how the denizens of the town acted when they saw Shade passing through. Their smiles got bigger and they all happily greeted him.

" Heya Shade! " a merchant yelled.

" Hey there! " he greeted back.

" Welcome home, Shade! " another person called to him.

" It's good to be back, " he responded in a cheerful tone.

" Thought you'd gotten yourself lost, Shade! " another voice said.

" Something of that sort happened, " he said with a chuckle.

Twilight didn't really know how to react, everyone seemed so happy to see him, almost like his return was something they were all looking forward to. " They adore him, it's so interesting. "

" He's probably been here so long that he's become a part of their regular life, " Rex concluded.

The three of them remained silent for the time being, choosing to use the walk to the guild as a chance to get to know the town. Twilight marveled at all the different shops they passed by, each one having its own variety of magical and non-magical items. Spike eyed the different food stands they went by. He had never seen such a wide variety of foods before. Lastly, Rex was merely taking in all the different people; it was easy to see which ones had come far and wide just to visit the little town. It wasn't until Shade spoke up that their attentions were pulled away from everything, " Hey, you three must be pretty hungry, huh? "

As if on cue, their stomachs began to growl, which was more than enough for an answer, causing Shade to chuckle. " N-now that I think about it, we haven't eaten since this morning... " her stomach growled once more, causing her to blush lightly from how loud it was.

" Yeah...food sounds good right about now, ‘cause I'm staaarviiing! " Spike loudly groaned, holding his aching, empty stomach.

His feline companion shook his head, " How pitiful can you get? " but his criticism was silenced by his own stomach growling, " …I'll shut up now. "

" Oh! Oh! Hey, Shade! " Sweetie Belle called out from atop his head, " We know the perfect place to bring them! "

" Yeah we do! " Scootaloo chimed.

" Really now? " Sweetie nodded, before leaning her head down and whispering to him, " That is the perfect place, " he grinned.

Curiosity got the best of Twilight, as she quickly began to wonder what this perfect place was. " Say, Shade, where exactly are we going? " she asked.

He retained his grin, " You'll see, just be patient, " was all he said, as he kept walking.

They had been walking for nearly ten minutes before finally stopping in front of what looked like a bakery. It was adorned with a rather colorful hanging sign with the words "Sugarcube Corner" printed atop a cupcake design. " Here were are, Sugarcube Corner, best damn bakery in this whole town. "

The three new guild members looked into the establishment through the front window, gawking at all the different pastries and baked goods displayed inside. " It all looks so delicious... " Twilight said, her mouth hung agape at the sight of it all.

Shade looked at the three girls clung to his body, " Alright, you three, climb down while we get a bite to eat. "

" Aaaawww...Ok, Shade, " the three of them said in a tone of disappointment.

Once inside, the group was greeted by an incredibly cheery woman with pink, swirling hair, " Do my eyes deceive me? " she said in an equally cheery tone.

" Hey there, Mrs. Cake, " Shade said with a wave, " been awhile since I've been in here. "

" It most certainly has, " her eyes panned to the three girls at his side, " and it looks like you brought my three favorite wizards along with you. "

" Hi there, Mrs. Cake! " the trio greeted.

Shade held his arm back towards Twilight, Spike, and Rex, " And these three are our newest members, I was just showing them to the best bakery in town. "

" D’aw, Shade, you're such a flatterer, " she smiled at his compliment towards her establishment, " I know I haven't seen you four in here together in a while, but something just came up before you walked in, so instead of me, you'll be served by someone you're more…acquainted with, " she said before leaving.

Shade's eyes widened slightly and he brought his palm to his face, " ...Oh no... "

" W-what? What is it, Shade? " Twilight asked with slight unease in her voice, something she couldn't help, what with Shade's reaction.

He remained silent for a moment before answering, " Not what...who, and to answer that, the source of many, many headaches throughout my ten years in the guild. "

" Hi there everyone!!! " a familiar voice loudly rang throughout the room, followed by the owner of said voice popping up from behind the counter, " How may I help you today!!! "

Shade kept his hand over his face and slowly shook his head, " ...Hello, Pinkie Pie, " he groaned with much annoyance .

She let out an unnecessarily loud gasp with her eyes widened before she suddenly vanished, surprising the newer members. However, in an instant, she was right in Shade's face, giving him no time to avoid the body-crushing hug he was soon enveloped in, " SHAAAAAADE!!! You're home! You're home! I can't believe you're home!!! " she kept her grip on him and continued rambling.

A loud growl escaped Shade's lips as he fought to escape Pinkie's grasp, " Pinkie... " no response, " Pinkie! " still nothing, " Pinkie Pie!! " he had reached his limit with the girl now, " PINKIE PIE! SHUT UP AND PUT ME DOWN!!! " he roared loud enough to practically shake the building.

While Twilight and the other recoiled at his outburst, Pinkie Pie simply smiled and dropped her friend, " Okie dokie lokie! " and she was back behind the counter as quick as she had appeared before them.

" ...I hate my life... " Shade grumbled, causing Joy and the three younger girls to laugh at his misfortune.

" Pinkie Pie? " Twilight hadn't expected to see her until they reached the guild, but here she was, behind the counter and ready to serve them.

" Yup, yup, yup! " She nodded her head rapidly with a wide grin.

Another sigh came from Shade, " Pinkie works for the Cakes part-time to make a little extra spending money when she isn't taking a job. "

" And it's the best part-time job ever! " Pinkie shouted, " They even let me rent out the room upstairs! " This little bit of information gave Twilight the impression that the owners of the bakery must really value Pinkie Pie.

" Hmm, that's very nice of them, " Twilight noted.

" Enough chitchat!!! " Joy suddenly shouted and flew around Shade's head in a circle, " We came here to eat and we haven’t done anything remotely close to that and my tummy is eating itself! "

With a sigh and a roll of the eyes, Shade stepped towards the counter, " You already know what we want Pinkie. "

She quickly shook her head, " Not aaallllll of you, " she said in a sing-song voice as she pointed towards the new members.

" Just give them the same thing I'm having, we're already behind schedule, " he said dryly, not even giving them a chance to look at anything.

" Okie dokie lokie then! One moment! " she then sunk beneath the counter without a trace, leaving the group to just grab a nearby table and wait.

" Is…uh…is Pinkie Pie always like that? " Spike hesitantly asked.

" ...Unfortunately, " was all Shade replied with.

" Pinkie Pie and Shade's attitudes are like fire and ice. Shade prefers things quiet and peaceful, Pinkie prefers things loud and outgoing, " Joy explained, " that usually leads to Shade getting a headache or yelling at Pinkie, or in extreme cases, a good ol' fashion guild fight! "

This caused the newer members to sweat at the thought of the fight they witnessed earlier, " Let's hope that doesn't happen... " Twilight mumbled.

Without warning, Pinkie Pie shot up next to the table, causing Spike to fall backwards and out of his chair out of surprise, " Here you go!!! " Her voice was always full of such energy, which unfortunately meant she shouted just about every other sentence. " Heeey! I don't shout that much. "

" Pinkie...who the hell are you talking to? " Shade questioned with a sweatdrop.

" Oh, no-one in particular. Anyway, here's your order Shadey, and I'm guessing it's to go, " she smiled as she handed him the bag of baked treats, then tossing a raw fish into the air, to which Joy lunged at, gleefully yelling, “FISHY!” leaving Rex to wonder why she got a fish and he didn’t.

He took the bag from her, " One, stop calling me that, two, yeah, we're already running late, so I'll have to reschedule you talking my ear off for another time. "

" Well, ok, bye then! " She waved as they got up and made their way out the door, " Bye Twilight! Bye Spike! Bye Rex! We gotta do a job together sometime! "

Twilight returned the smile and wave, " I'd really like that! Bye Pinkie! "

Shade handed out the baked goods and they resumed their trek back to the guild hall in blissful silence…well, as silent as a group of people eating can be. " So, how was it? " Shade asked his company as they reached the front steps of the guildhall.

" It was absolutely delicious, " Twilight said as she finished her snack, Spike and Rex agreed as they gave contempt nods while finishing theirs as well, Rex still feeling a bit down he couldn’t enjoy a fish as well.

" We're here!!! " chimed the trio of young wizards, as they giddily hopped for joy.

Shade's head hung low and despair could be seen on his face. In all honesty, this was something he wanted to prolong as much as possible, but knew the longer he waited, the more trouble he'd cause. “ Oh well, let's get this over with, " he then turned to Twilight, " I'd appreciate it if you visited my funeral. "

A nervous sweat could be seen on Twilight’s forehead as her still-new friend said this. She didn't really understand why he said it, but it made her feel uneasy, " Well…I guess we should go in now, " but she was stopped from reaching for the door by Joy.

The pink cat smiled and shook her head, " Nope, just watch. "

Meanwhile, inside the guildhall, everyone was going about how they usually would at this time of day. Some had gone home, others were getting ready to go, and the rest were just relaxing. Applejack was neither of these three, she was impatiently awaiting her younger sister’s return, as it had been taking longer than expected. " Now where in the blazes is that girl? She shoulda been back by now! " Applejack stomped her foot angrily, unintentionally shaking the entire building in the process.

Rarity was simply sitting at a nearby table, drinking from a wine glass and reading a magazine. " Calm down, Appplejack darling, I'm sure Applebloom is just fine. She has Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with her, " She paused to drink and turn the page, " and if my gut feeling is correct, then the three of them have more than likely found our darling Shade already. "

She let out a small sigh, " Suppose yer right, Rarity, guess I'll just- " she was cut off by the sounds of the front doors being kicked in.

" I'M HOME!!! " Shade shouted as he practically kicked the doors off their hinges, which would've happened had he not held back.

" SHADE!!!!!! " the guild erupted all at once, leaving Twilight to marvel at the sheer size of the reception he received, despite the fact he basically broke in. Some members waved to him, others raised their glasses and cheered, but it was Fluttershy who gave him a personal welcome first, " W-welcome back, Shade, did your job go well? " she asked with a sweet and tender tone.

The abyssal dragon slayer stretched and cracked his neck, " Went off without a hitch, and it feels good to be back, " this earned a smile from his shy friend.

Snickering could be heard from a nearby table of other random guild members, " You wouldn't be saying that if you knew how badly Sunset was going to kick your a- "

" Mind your own business!!! " he cut the member off with a kick that sent him flying into a nearby wall. This action shocked Twilight, Spike and Rex. He just attacked one of his own guild mates over a remark, but this seemed to phase no-one else.

The crusaders smiled; it always made them happy to see Shade act like himself, " That's normal, Twilight, " Sweetie Belle said with a smile.

" Eeyup, " a voice came from behind them.

Twilight and the others turned to see the same hat-wearing man that drove the wagon from Canterlot, " It's you! " she pointed out in surprise.

Shade crossed his arms and walked up beside her, " How long are you gonna keep wearing that stupid hat? "

A small, but hefty, chuckle came from the individual, " Guessin' I should take it off then, " he removed the hat, revealing his tanned and freckled face, as well as his orange hair.

This tall individual is the oldest of the Apple siblings, Big Macintosh, or Big Mac to everyone in the guild. He's a man of few words with a big heart. He has a talent when it comes to caring for plants, but is quite modest when it comes to his magic, often saying he's not very good, when deep down, he has potential. He's not the most prominent member of the guild and goes on less jobs than Applejack, but is always willing to lend a helping hand, just don’t ask him for a meaningful conversation.

" This tall drink of water is Big Mac, the guilds handyman, garden expert, wagon driver, etcetera, etcetera, " Shade explained.

" I knew the wagon driver part, " Twilight said, " he's the one who drove me, Spike, and Rex to Ponyville earlier today. "

" Eeyup, " was all Big Mac said, but he said it with a carefree smile.

A whistle came from Shade, " Damn, you've only been here one day and Celestia's already got you playing fetch for members who should be here. " Twilight tried explaining to him, but he merely shrugged and began walking through the guild, with the new members close behind, " Lively as ever, " he said to no-one in particular.

" YEAH!!! " a loud, masculine voice boomed from one end of the guild, followed by a much smaller, and feminine " Yeah! "

" I know who those voices belong to, " Shade said as he pointed to two individuals sitting at a table with other wizards, " Twilight meet two of my favorite people who I don't see enough of. "

Shade gestured his arm towards the sitting wizards, a man and a woman. The man was rather large, with a blonde buzz cut and albino-red eyes, his most noticeable feature being his muscles, which far exceeded that of even a professional bodybuilder. He wore simple attire for what it was, a sleeveless white t-shirt with a dumbbell imprinted on the center, as well as rather slim blue jeans. Lastly was his guild mark, which was proudly shown off on one of his visible biceps.

The woman next to him stood out in her own way, she had blonde hair and yellow eyes, but there was something unique about her eyes, as they were pointed in two different directions. She was wearing a light-grey sweatshirt with a bubble design printed on it, as well as a pair of matching shorts. Around her neck was an interesting, muffin-shaped necklace, which seemed to be hand crafted, and finally her guild mark, which was placed on the palm of her hand.

This hulking brute of a man is Bulk Biceps, one of Breezy Horn's more excitable members, on par with Pinkie Pie in terms of hyperactivity, especially when it comes to showing off his muscles. He holds a spot as one of the top three physically strongest guild members, and believes that all you need to solve a problem is a big set of muscles. Despite this, and being a total meathead, he has a soft heart and is always there for those he considers his family.

And this special, young lady is Derpy Hooves, a very beloved member of the guild for one reason or another. She's not the brightest of the bunch, but this doesn't bother her one bit, and that attitude is what makes people around her smile. She has an odd affinity for muffins, something that no one can really explain, but most simply go along with it, only adding to how likable she is as a wizard and guild mate.

" Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Rex, this colossal meathead is Bulk Biceps, " the large man surprised Twilight a little by giving a rather small wave, " Yeah, he can be a bit loud at times, but his company is enjoyable. " He then stepped towards the blonde haired girl, " And this cross-eyed beauty, " he stopped to kiss her on the hand, and getting a giggle out of her in response, " is Derpy Hooves, Breezy Horn's foremost expert on muffins. Don't ask. "

And that's what Twilight did, or what she didn't do. Rather than questioning the innocent-looking young woman or her friend, she decided to look past the odd bit of information and greet them. " It's nice to meet the two of you, " she, Spike, and Rex gave the most sincere smiles they could.

" Yeah!!! New friends!! " Bulk raised his arms in the air.

Derpy kept the same smile on her face she had been wearing from the moment they walked up to them. " I'd love to be friends with you! Oh, but I can't teach you my muffin recipe, it's secret, " she placed her finger over her lips and went "ssshhh."

Still unsure of how to react to Derpy, Twilight simply smiled and nodded along with what she was saying, " No worries here, Derpy. "

Spike's stomach rumbled right at that moment, despite having already eaten earlier, " A muffin doesn't sound too bad right now. "

The elder dragon slayer rolled his eyes and grabbed his junior by the hood, dragging him off behind him, " You just ate. "

" Serves you right for being a glutton, " Rex chided.

" Yessir, he thinks with his tummy more than Shade does, " Joy chimed.

Twilight gave a slight bow to her new friends before chasing after Shade, " Wait for me! "

However, before the five could get much distance in, they were approached by a person whom the three new members met earlier. It was the cloaked woman with the tribal masks attached to her belt, " Do my eyes deceive me? It is Midnight Shade that I see, " she spoke in the same manner as their previous encounter. She pulled down her hood revealing her short, black and white striped hair, which was fashioned with a mohawk of sorts running down the center.

A smirk appeared on Shade's face, he didn't turn towards the voice like the others, but instead seemed to personally know the owner. " I know only one person who rhymes unnecessarily, " he did a full counter-clockwise turn before facing the owner of the voice, " Zecora. "

This mystifying woman is Zecora, Breezy Horns most knowledgeable member when it comes to medicine, and one of the four S-class wizards that calls the guild their home. She hails from a mysterious country tucked deep away within a jungle. She has a strange speaking habit where she tends to rhyme her words, but most don't seem to mind. She's more than happy to aid her fellow guild mates, even when there's little she can do, and to everyone else, she's an invaluable friend.

Suddenly, Spike shot up and accusingly pointed a finger at Zecora, " It's you!!! " he slightly trembled from the surprise of seeing the strange woman again, " I knew I saw a guild mark on you! See Twilight!? I told you I'm not crazy!!! "

" I still say you're crazy, " Rex said dryly, causing Spike to fall forward.

" Yup, definitely crazy, and I wasn't even there at the time, " Shade grinned.

" Come on guys!!! " Spike cried out exaggerated distress.

The antics of the three were enough to get a muffled giggle from Twilight and a light laugh from Zecora. " I see you are a joyous bunch, of that, I had a hunch. "

" You know, " Twilight began, " if things are like this all the time, then I think I can look past anything crazy that might happen. "

Zecora gave a slight nod, " It is quite fun to me, I am glad that you agree, Twilight Sparkle. "

Twilight's eyes slightly widened, not because she had said her name, but because she didn't completely rhyme, " H-hey, that didn't entirely rhyme! "

A chuckle came from Zecora, " In time, you will see that I don't always rhyme, " she pulled her hood over her head and walked off before another word could be said.

Spike and Rex stood there frozen, they hadn't even gotten a chance to introduce themselves and she was just gone, " What...was that about? "

" That's just Zecora's usual behavior, don't let it bother you, " Shade waved it off like he had done so many other times and started walking once more, but before he got far, he froze dead in his tracks. He could feel a chill run down his spine, and began nervously chuckling. " M-master...just how long have you been watching... " a bead of sweat ran down his face as he slowly turned to see the tall, multicolor-haired woman that he called his guild master.

There was a dark glare on her face, and she radiated with a dark aura, " Oh, long enough, " she coldly said.

A wide, nervous grin grew on his face as she stared at him with what could only be described as killer intent. " N-now...I know this might seem bad...I know I'm three days late...but I have an excellent excuse, I mean...you did give me a job! " he held his hands out in front of him, and began backing away, only to be frozen in his tracks by a magic circle.

She slowly walked towards him, continuing to glare at him with an expression that could have killed just about any average person. " I'm well aware of any excuse you might have, I'm also aware of the task I assigned you, " she shut her eyes tight and shook her head back and forth, " But, it's the fact I had to send someone to bring you home that disappoints me, and what angers me is... " A tender smile formed on her face, which only seemed to make the dragon slayer grow paler, " What angers me is...JUST HOW MANY COMPLAINTS AND FINES I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COUNCIL IN THOSE THREE DAYS!!! "

Her shouts of rage shook the very foundation of the building and every member that resided within it, " M-master! I'm sorry!!! So please stop before you kill us all!!! " He pleaded.

She pulled an unnecessarily large stack of paper from seemingly nowhere, which caused the eyes of the three newest members to grow as wide as dinner plates. " Just what did you do before we met you!?!? " they cried out in utter shock.

" Uuuhhh...nothing really... " Shade said with a sheepish, but still nervous grin.

Without even a second thought, Celestia hit Shade over the head with her free hand, " And by nothing he means everything! " She regained her composure with a few steady breaths, but continued looking upon him with stern eyes, " In the three days you've been gone, you've: leveled an entire port town to the south of Manehattan, you've destroyed a museum of history in Griffonstone, and as of one hour today I received another complaint from the council stating, ‘magic reminiscent of Midnight Shade's came from within the Everfree Forest and hit a nearby train depot!’ And that's just from this stack of complaints!!! "

Twilight was dumbstruck; he had done all this and more in the span of three days, not even counting today, " J-just how could one person do all that on their own?!? "

He rubbed the back of his head, still sore from the impact of his Master's fist, " I-it was an accident, I swear! I...got a bit carried away, eheheh. "

" HE GOT CARRIED AWAY!?! " The trio of new members thought all at once.

A deep sigh left Celestia's lips and she shook her head back and forth. The annoyance on her face was as clear of day, as she pinched the bridge of her nose, but out of nowhere, she smiled. It was a genuine smile, too, not like her previous one which hid malice behind it. " However, " a magic circle appeared above the stack of paperwork, enveloping it a bright light, turning the paper into ash, " despite all this, you're still one of my children, and that makes you invaluable to me. No number of complaints or amount of damage could ever make me think any less of you. " She placed her hand on his shoulder, continuing to give her caring smile, " Yes, it annoys me greatly constantly hearing from the council that you destroy things, but nothing makes me happier than seeing you be you. Destroying things is just a part of who you are, whether you do it unintentionally or not. "

Shade relaxed himself, she wasn't angry anymore, which meant he was no longer under the threat of being struck with one of her spells. " I guess I could tone back on just how much power I use, " he gave a small smile of his own, " but not too much, I can't go changing everything now can I? "

This earned a chuckle from his guild master, " And I wouldn't have it any other way… " she suddenly smacked him again, catching them all off guard, “ …I’m still mad that you cause me to have so much paperwork, though! ” Celestia's face then took up a different expression, one that made her seem like she was getting lost in thought, " Oh, yes, that's right. "

Worry began building up in Shade as the pain subsided. He knew better than anyone that when Celestia got that expression, trouble was close behind, " Oh no... "

" What’s wrong, Shade? " Twilight asked, while she was still trying to comprehend just how destructive the wizard was, his sudden change of tone making her curious.

" Something bad is about to happen...to me in particular... " he groaned.

" I almost forgot, " Celestia's smile returned, only furthering the worry that was building up in Shade. Before she could finish though, a fiery explosion blew the front doors clear off the hinges, " Sunset Shimmer has been looking for you Shade. "

The entire guildhall grew silent, all eyes on the feminine figure that casually walked through the flames. " Uh oh… " Rainbow Dash said from her table at the other end of the guild.

A sigh came from Applejack, who was sitting across from her, " Guessin’ we'll just have to wait till tomorrow to catch up with Shade. "

Shade stood frozen with what seemed like pure, unadulterated fear, his eyes glued on the flaming-haired woman that emerged from the fire. Twilight watched the color flush from his face, " ...He's terrified of her... "

Spike clung to his sister’s leg, " ...S-so am I... " Even Rex was frightened to the point of clinging to Spike's head.

" Ooooooh Shaaaaaade, " her sing-song voice resonated throughout the silent guildhall, only furthering the terror the dragon slayer was experiencing.

" S-S-Sunset...f-fancy meeting you here...uh...see you later!!! " he attempted to bolt for a nearby window, only to be struck with a giant fireball and knocked to the floor.

" Just where the hell do you think you're going?! " she rushed over to him and picked him up by the collar of his shirt, " Three days!!! You've been gone for three days too long!!! " She began striking him with her fist, " Oh, and need I mention the one day I told you to be here?! You didn't even have the decency to show up!!! "

" Agh!!! Sunset!!! I-Agh! I'm sorry!!! " he cried out, trying to free himself from his assailants grasp.

" Sorry doesn't cut it this time!!! " After releasing enough pent up rage on him, Sunset let go and took a deep breath to recompose herself. She watched Shade pick himself up and rub one of his bruised cheeks. " I'm sorry, " was all she said as she offered him her hand.

"...Oh, so you get to say sorry, but if I even try apologizing, you burn me to a crisp… " he spoke with the slightest hint of sarcasm, even though it wasn't the smartest thing to do.

She punched him in the arm and rolled her eyes, " Listen, I worry about you is all. " Her eyes narrowed as she saw a grin forming on Shade's face, " Hold that thought, Romeo, before you even try saying anything stupid, I want you to hand over every last bit you earned while out. "

His head hung in despair, " You're no better than a thief... " he knew it would stir things up again if he didn't comply. So everyone watched as one of the strongest members of their guild handed over a large sack of bits he had been carrying, " I don't see why I let you do this... "

She eagerly snatched the bag, " Because you love me, " she heard him scoff, which in turn made her grin.

Twilight watched in confusion, not even noticing as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, who also recently arrived, walked up beside her, " You're probably wondering what they're doing, " Fluttershy spoke in her usual hushed tone.

She received a nod from the star mage in response, " It looks like she's just taking all his money. "

" Oh, that's just something they do, " Pinkie smiled. This was something that everyone had witnessed at one time or another. Whenever Shade or Sunset took a job, they would split the funds, much to Shade's dismay. " They made an agreement waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when they first formed their team, so whenever one gets money they split it, buuuuuuuut, since Shade takes the most jobs, that usually means he’s the one losing money. "

" That...doesn't make any sense, " Spike said with a sweat drop.

" Yessir, it sure doesn't! " Joy chimed.

Sunset smiled as she handed back the now, more-than-half-empty bag of bits, " Nice haul this time. " She tucked away her noticeably larger wallet and grabbed Shade by the wrist, " Come on, you're taking me to the market, and then we're going home. "

An exasperated sigh came from Shade as Sunset drug him across the guild and towards the doorless doorway. He gritted his teeth as laughs, giggles, and chuckles echoed throughout the hall, " ...I hate all of you. "

" Wait for me! " Joy cried out and flew after the two people she lived with, who had just left without her.

The new trio were trying to wrap their heads around what the hell they just witnessed. Spike spoke up first, " So...is it always like that with them? "

By now, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash had joined them, " It sure is, " Applejack responded with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

" They live together…but that doesn't stop Sunset from being mean to Shade... " said Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash clenched her fist tightly, " And I don't see why he takes her abuse! Shade could kick her into next week if he wanted to! "

" That's the thing though, Rainbow darling, " Rarity placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, " Shade doesn't fight back because he's letting her vent her frustration. "

" …That's going to take some getting used to, " Twilight admitted.

A loud yawn came from her younger brother, " On another note...where the heck are we gonna stay? "

" Oh, don't worry about that, " they all turned towards the voice of their guild master.

" Oh, uh, hello master Celestia, " Twilight gave a small smile, " You...told us not to worry about where we're going to be staying? "

" That's correct, " She took out a set of keys and held them out to Twilight, " I've already taken care of your living conditions. You, Spike, and Rex will be living in a house near the guild, one big enough for the three of you, and any company you may have. "

Twilight happily accepted the keys and gave her teacher a hug, " Oh, thank you so, so, so much master Celestia!!! "

A satisfied smile graced the guild master's face, " There's no need to thank me, Twilight. Now, the three of you should get home, you'll be taking your first real job tomorrow. "

Twilight's eyes widened and she gave an understanding nod, " Yes, master Celestia! " She grabbed the arms of Spike and Rex and shot off towards the entrance, " Sorry girls, no time to chat, gotta get home!! See you tomorrow!!! "

" Heheh. She sure is a strange un' " Applejack said with a smile, " Then again, that only makes her better. "

" It most certainly does, " Rarity agreed.

Breezy Horn Guildhall, The Next Morning

Morning, the slowest time of day for the Breezy Horn guild, when most members are still waking up. The term "morning person" wasn't exactly one known by the wizards who resided there. Yes, there were those who rose earlier than others, but most tend to take things nice and slow when they aren't working. One such member was Midnight Shade, who despised mornings, more than likely due to the fact that he was constantly being woken up at that time, when all he'd really like to do after so many jobs, was sleep.

Fluttershy, however, loved mornings, she would tend to her animals right after waking, then head out to open up the guild. She happily sat behind the guilds bar, and wiped it down while watching as the members came in one at a time. " Good morning everyone, " she happily greeted them.

Her four best friends came in early as they always had, and seated themselves at the bar, where they began chatting away with the pink-haired barmaid. " That's some dream ya had, Pinkie, " Applejack chuckled as she drank her morning mug of apple cider.

" Yep! It sure was! " Their sugar maniac of a friend practically bounced in her seat as she drank hot chocolate with whipped topping and sprinkles, lots of sprinkles, with more sugar on top of that, then more topping, then sprinkles again...her usual morning drink. Not even waking up early put a damper on the hyperactive wizard’s energetic disposition.

Rainbow Dash looked back at the newly repaired doors and began laughing, " Hey girls, look who rose from the dead! "

A groan came from Shade, who had just stepped inside and made his way to the bar, " ...Too damn early, " he laid his head on the bar, before groaning once more.

Fluttershy looked at her grey-haired friend with worry as she handed him a cup of coffee, " What's the matter, Shade...did you not sleep well last night? "

He looked up at her, " Not really…It's kinda hard to sleep at all when you have Sunset's elbow jammed into your back... "

" You poor dear, " Rarity softly patted his back.

" Newbie alert, " Rainbow Dash looked back and saw Twilight cheerfully step into the guild.

" …How the hell can she be so happy at this awful time of day? " Shade mumbled just loud enough for them to hear.

She was dragging a half-asleep Spike behind her, and a fully asleep Rex in Spike's hoodie pocket. " Good morning girls, Shade, " she gave an acknowledging nod and took a seat next to the groaning dragon slayer.

" What's so damn good about it? " Shade growled while sipping his coffee.

Rather than indulging his bitter mood, she decided to ignore it and focus on Fluttershy, who was giving her a small, but tender smile. " You seem happy, Fluttershy, " she pointed out.

Fluttershy nodded, " I am, I adore mornings, everything is so peaceful and quiet...it reminds me of my hometown, " she kept her smile, but it had sadness in it now.

Twilight saw her friend’s eyes lower at the thought of her hometown and immediately felt sorry, " Oh! Fluttershy I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to upset you! "

She simply shook her head in response and brightened up, " No, no, Twilight, it's alright...I just get nostalgic sometimes. " She gave an incredibly cheerful smile, which seemed to make everyone around her smile as well. " Oh, before I forget, " she reached under the counter and pulled out a piece of paper, a request to be more precise, " master picked this job out just for you, Twilight, " she slid the job request across the countertop.

Twilight carefully read over the job with excitement, she was getting her very first official job, and in her eyes, it was another way of proving herself to Celestia.

" Museum guards needed: Looking for wizards capable of protecting the newest exhibit in our illustrious museum, which is home to artifacts from the world over. We have reason to believe that the items in our new lunar exhibit are being targeted by a group of thieves. The location of the museum is inside the city of Canterlot, just to the south of the royal palace. Pay for successfully protecting your charge is a generous fifty-thousand bits, travel expenses and sleeping accommodations shall be covered, free of charge. "

Twilight's mouth gaped at the reward, " F-fifty...th-thousand?! "

Shade let out a small chuckle, " Not a bad start, Sparkle. "

" Master told me that your train leaves within a few hours, " Fluttershy said, " and she also wants Rarity and Pinkie Pie to accompany the three of you...to, well, show you the ropes. "

" We'd be glad to help you, darling, " Rarity put her arm around Twilight and smiled.

" Yep yep yeppers! " Pinkie Pie bounced in her seat.

Light laughter began coming from Twilight, confusing the others, " It's funny, I just left there, and I'm already heading back. "

" The world works in mysterious ways...and by the world, I mean our guild master, " Shade said while finishing the last of his morning beverage.

" She most certainly does, " Twilight simply smiled and looked out the nearest window, and towards the sky, " I could get used to guild life, I guess. "

Author's Note:

Hey there everyone, nice seeing you all again Now, first and foremost, this is the last chapter that I give character intros for a while, and speaking of intros, two characters got intros that seemed out of nowhere, that's because I put them in because of a special request from my proofreader/ co-editor who adores the two characters. There wasn't any action in this chapter, that's upcoming, this was more about getting familiar with things that you're sure to see throughout the story. Well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, leave your thoughts below, just be nice with them though, I'll see you all again next time! buh-bye!

Next time on Breezy Horn: Beyond a Fairy's Tail- A Night at the Museum

Comments

[Ze1a7in]

Joy shook her head with a smile, " It's just something you gotta get used to Twilight, yessir! "

" Yessir? " Rex repeated curiously, " You say that a lot, you know, " he remarked.

I just realized that Joy is a reference to Happy! Joy, Happy, Aye, Yessir. Please tell me that was intentional.

[Ze1a7in]

So the four S-class wizards of Breezy Horn are Sunset, Zecora, Applejack, and Rainbow? Or was Shade the fourth, not Rainbow?

[DarklordAxel20]

8511784
That was very intentional, and to answer your other question, yes it's Shade as the fourth, don't worry Rainbows close to being a fifth

[Ze1a7in]

8512007
I like this even more now that I realized that reference. Either Happy and Joy will be best friends, or they will see the other as a copycat.

[R-Bot]

I hope in the future to see Shade and Natsu fight each other in the Grand Magic Games

[DarklordAxel20]

8512129
Oh don't worry it'll happen, I mean what kind of story would this be if the two slayers didn't fight it out at some point.