New Beginnings

by Saro0fdemonz

Old Tricks

When Chrome Mist came to wake them that morning he found Piper already up and pacing around the room.

"How long have ya been up boy?" Mist asked him.

"Not long." he lied, never looking toward the old commander. Chrome mist sighed.

"Alright then, help me get the rest of em up. We've got a helluva day today." Piper nodded, shaking the ponies awake.

"Come on guys, get up." he said to them. Strawberry sprang up in her bed, stretching as she yawned loudly.

"Morning already? I was having a fantastic dream though. I was flying and there was a chocolate river and cotton candy clouds!" she continued rambling on, Piper having already forgotten what she was going on about as he shook Emerald awake. The Kirin jumped a little in surprise.

"Oh Piper...thank goodness." she mumbled as she sat up.

"Is it morning?" he nodded, looking up at Amethyst.

"Uh, could you wake him?" Piper asked. He knew he was still on thin ice in the Kirin's eyes and preferred not to slip as the Kirin was easily angered. She nodded, nudging her brother gently.

"Come on Amy, time to get up." she said softly.

"I'm already up." he said softly, still staring at the wall. He sighed and sat up.

"Couldn't sleep." he slipped out of his bed, stretching his wings a little as the others sprang out of their beds.

"Alright, gather 'round everypony. We'll be pairing up and practicing hoofblade techniques. Strawberry you'll be co-teaching today, we need everypony to have your balance." she nodded.

"Yes Sir" she saluted with a smile.

"Amethyst, you'll be practicing Draconic Magic, Emerald Unicorn magic. After which you'll be paired up. Emerald with Nova and Amethyst with Piper." the pegasus stiffened hearing his name.

Oh great...now he gets to beat me up...

"Penny, hayseed, you two'll be paired up. Your parents tell me you work best when you're together so I won't tear you apart." they smiled and hugged each other.

"Sunburst and Honeycrisp, you two will be paired up. I want to see some Aerial combat from you two." they nodded.

"Alright, follow me." the ponies and Kirin quietly followed Chrome Mist through the halls, guards stopping to salute them as they passed by.

"Why do they keep doin that?" Penny Apple asked.

"Because you outrank them." He said simply.

"W...We do?!" The twins said together.

"You are official Knights of Equestria. You stand high in the ranks of the Canterlot Elite and in times of crisis you are our first line of defensive and offensive power."

"But...we're jus' a bunch o' kids." Sunburst pointed out.

"I don't recall age having anything to do with greatness. You're parents were just young adults when they fought against Nightmare Moon. As a matter of fact, I became a guard when I was only just a bit older than you." he said as he led them to the training grounds.

"Alright, get into your pairings." Strawberry stood on her hind hooves, pulling a soldier cap from the air behind her and placing it atop her head, her fore-hooves behind her back as she walked

"Alright everypony, I wanna see you stand, I do not wanna see you fall, do you hear me?!" she asked, giggling a little as they nodded. Chrome mist shook his head at the zebra's antics. Though she was the Element of Laughter, he silently reminded himself. Riku walked onto the field, dressed from hood to hoof in battle armor, blades strapped to his wings and fore hooves. A curved blade held tightly to his tail and a small spike rested on the tip of his horn.

"This is the armor that was worn ages ago by Celestia's warriors in time of war. The wingblade." Riku's wings snapped open, spread out wide so they could see the mentioned blade.

"The perfect weapon in Aerial combat. The blade folds with the wings and spreads along them as the wings open. Next, the hoofblade." Riku closed his wings, throwing his hoof outward, the blade sliding along his hoof and out of its sheath around his leg.

"The blade stays attached to the hoof, sliding free at a moments notice and working as a form of protection in case of attack. This keeps a pony from having to carry a shield." Chrome Mist explained, Riku bent his leg slightly, the blade sliding back into the sheath with a quiet click.

"The Tail blade." Riku lowered the front half of his body, a target springing up in front of him only to be cut down as he spun, slicing through it with the blade on his tail.

"An effective weapon to cover your rear...so to speak." Chrome said, Strawberry giggled a little at the unintended pun.

"And finally, the horn spear. A last resort weapon for Unicorns. Though it is dangerous if used improperly. At the wrong angle it could snap the horn of its user." Riku demonstrated the proper technique, slamming the spear through a target, leaving a large hole in its center.

"The spear can also be used as a projectile when shrouded in magic; a simple modified teleportation spell will return it to its place on the unicorns' horn." Chrome explained, Riku turning toward three targets, the spear flying through one and quickly returning to him and flying through the next two targets.

"This is the usage of these weapons, know these techniques and practice them today. You will be given protective gear instead of armor and practice weaponry. We don't want to cause any real harm to one another. Understood?" Chrome said, mostly to Amethyst. The Kirin nodded as guards strapped the practice wingblades to him and Piper as well as the hoofblades, helmets and armor.

"Get use to that weight. I want to see you move and move fast. GO!" Chrome said, Amethyst leaping forward and sweeping forward with his wing. Piper leapt up in surprise, tumbling in the air as gravity dragged the armor heavily against his body. He leaned forward, turning the loss of balance into a mid-air roll over the Kirin, throwing a hoof forward and smacking the wooden hoofblade against the back of the Kirin's head, the blade slipping into its sheath as he landed and skid across the ground. Amethyst spun and charged once more, smoke drifting from his nostrils. Piper leapt backwards as the Kirin attacked again and again; A few recruits who were training stopped and watched the two battle, cheering them on.

This is nuts, he's gonna tear me to shreds with those claws, he can just grab the blades! Piper barely managed to raise one of his hoofblades in time to stop Amethyst's tail. The pegasus, having had enough of this, grabbed the tail in his teeth and pulled, throwing Amethyst off balance.

Piper placed the wingblade to his throat and Chrome Mist chuckled.

"Seems yer parents told the truth. While you are tough Amethyst, you let your anger blind you, while Piper, you're quick on your hooves but yer lackin a bit on the muscle department. Piper help him up and practice flyin in that armor."

"Sir, why are we doing all of this?" Piper asked as he tried to help Amethyst up. The Kirin shoved him away, glaring at him for a moment before taking a seat. Piper sighed, turning back to Chrome Mist, clearing his throat to get the stallions attention.

"I heard ya boy, but if ya really want to know you should ask the Princess. My job is to prepare you for whatever she has in store for you."

"So you don't even know?"

"I know that I have to do what I have to do. I know my role in all of this boy, its time you learn yours." The stallion walked past him, Amethyst chuckling a little.

My role? the pegasus thought, ignoring the Kirin.

"Shouldn't you be flying?" Amethyst asked, stretching his own wings a little.

"Why do you hate me?" Piper asked. Amethyst said nothing, taking to the air.

"Fine, be that way." Piper kicked off the ground, flapping his wings as hard as he could. Though with the weight of the armor all he could manage was a low hover, while Amethyst was easily flying high above him. Piper landed for a moment and looked up at the Kirin, watching the way his wings worked. Piper looked around and ran to one side of the training field, smiling to himself. Chrome watched him.

"Now what is that pegasus up to?"

---

Sunburst sighed a little as Honeycrisp struggled with her hoofblade. She flew beside her cousin, helping her fling the weapon out of its sheath.

"Ya gotta really throw it out there." She explained. Honeycrisp nodded, wobbling a little. She was use to tucking her hooves against her stomach when she flew. Sunburst giggled a little, helping her cousin once more, tucking the blade away.

"Sorry Sunny..." the pegasus sighed sadly.

"Ah'm th' oldest and ah can't even do anythin' right..." she mumbled.

"Hey thats not true. Ya'll flew before ah did." Sunburst said.

"Ah'm not even one of th' Elements and my momma was Kindness!"

"I don't think thats how it works Crisp. The Elements go to who best fulfills the given trait." Nova explained, hovering with Emerald, the two practicing with the wingblades.

"She's right. Twilight Sparkle was the previous Element of Magic and her special talent is Magic itself. Rainbow Dash had the chance to be famous like she always wanted, but instead she threw away the chance because her only other choice was to abandon her friends. Only reason Strawberry got her mother's Element is because...well...just look at the two of them." Emerald said with a small laugh.

"Ah guess yer right...but what can ah do t' help if ah'm not an Element?"

"Well, I could teach you the STARE" Fluttershy said from beside them, surprising all of them. She giggled a little.

"And I've got somethin I wanna teach you too." Rainbow said from their other side. The ponies landed and smiled seeing their parents around them.

"If ya'll are gonna be Knights fer th' Princess, then ya'll are gonna need t' know all of our tricks." Applejack said with a wink. Rainbow's ear twitched and she quickly pushed the ponies to the ground as Piper zipped past them, running as fast as his hooves could carry him, leaping into the air and taking off with enough power to drag the ponies in his wind tunnel. Piper screamed as he was flung back by a cone of air, skidding across the ground and rolling a few times.

"PIPER!" Sweetie Belle rushed over to him, followed by Scootaloo. He rubbed his head, taking off the helmet.

"Ugh...what the hay was that?" he thought aloud.

"That, was you almost doing the impossible." Rainbow Dash said with a smile. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow as she helped Piper to his hooves.

"You mean..." Scootaloo began, Rainbow nodding with a smile.

"The Sonic Rainboom."

---

Nyx watched Riku out of the corner of her eye, though the stallion kept his eyes focused on Piper.

"You're still mad aren't you? he asked her softly.

"Somewhat. What were you thinking Riku?"

"I was thinking that he reminds me a lot of myself." Riku said simply.

"...huh?"

"He's just a kid, his friends aren't even his friends and he is doing everything he can to prove himself to them. He's alone but he still tries to do what is best but his judgment isn't the best and he makes stupid choices. But when pushed to the limit he does what has to be done without thinking about it and thus he can't make any stupid choices." Nyx just stared at him for a moment.

"That's genius Riku."

"You're still mad though right?" She kissed his cheek.

"Yup, but I forgive you if he does." the sound of armor bouncing across the ground drew their attention to Piper, Rainbow Dash smiling at the pegasus as he was lifted to his hooves.

"Looks like he almost did a Rainboom." Nyx said.

"A Rainboom?" Riku asked. Nyx smiled and nodded.

"Come on, you don't want to miss this."

---

Pipers' eyes lit up.

"You think I can do a Sonic Rainboom?!" Piper asked.

"I know you can. You almost pulled it off just with a ground take-off and while wearin that heavy armor. Let's give it another shot, but this time without the armor and when you get into the streamline make your body fit it, fold up your wings as close to you as you can while keepin them flappin and keep your hooves forward. You don't want that smashing into your face, trust me on that one."

Pipers excited mind absorbed each tip like a sponge. His grandmother, the Rainbow Dash, the only pony to ever perform a Sonic Rainboom repeatedly was telling him he had what it took to do it and was teaching it to him! Sunburst stood beside him, slipping out of her own armor.

"Ah wanna give it a try." She said, taking off her glasses. Applejack placed them back over her eyes.

"Oh no ya don't sugarcube, ah..." Rainbow put a hoof against her shoulder, the work pony sighing quietly.

"Alright...jus' be careful ok?" Sunburst nodded, smiling up at Rainbow Dash.

"Alright, we're gonna start off with you guys sticking to me. Don't push too hard and just do what I do." they nodded, standing on either side of the pegasus, walking around the training grounds with their wings held out, mimicking her.

"Piper, I want you to show me that take-off again, but this time throw your wings backwards and loop." Rainbow said, the pegasus nodded, pushing himself forward and tucking his wings against his body. he slammed his hooves into the ground and snapped his wings open, throwing them backwards, his eyes wide as his speed tripled, throwing him into a steep loop-de-loop. He quickly rolled in the air to avoid crashing into the ground, unable to slow himself.

"KEEP GOIN!" Rainbow called out as she realized he was trying to slow down. He nodded and snapped his wings back once more, rolling back in the air. Up became down, then left, then up again as he rolled and weaved through the air. He could feel the pressure building around him as he rolled.

"Alright now Sunburst, do the same thing but go the other direction." the pegasus nodded, mimicking her nephew. Rainbow smiled as she watched them roll in the air, waiting for the right moment. Her eyes latched onto the tell-tale sign of a Rainboom in progress. A small cone of air forming around each pegasus.

"NOW CROSS PATHS!" She called out, quickly turning to everypony else.

"EVERYPONY BETTER GET DOWN!" She yelled. The ponies gathered there quickly ducked for cover as the two pegasi snapped themselves backwards in the air in perfect sync, flipping over backwards, smiling as their paths crossed high in the air.

As soon as they passed one another the cones around them shattered, sending them soaring through the air, cascading mixes of red, yellow, and orange bouncing around the training grounds, the very walls of Canterlot Palace shook with the force of the Double Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow Dash could only smile as the explosion of color deafened her for a moment.

Though her own Booms had made her somewhat immune and she quickly recovered while the other ponies watched in awe; The pegasi looped in the air, whooping and laughing as their contrails traced over one another. They finally managed to slow down, skidding to a stop near Rainbow Dash, the colors they left in the air slow to fade.

"THAT WAS SO AWESOME!" They said together, high hoofing with a smile. Piper blinked and pointed a hoof.

"Sunburst! Your cutie mark!" he said. She turned to see a yellow ring with red and orange swirling inside of it.

"The Solar Sonic Burst. I think that's what you should call that." Rainbow said, hugging her daughter tightly. Applejack whooped and threw her hat in the air with a laugh, easily snatching it out of the air as she ran over to them.

"That was amazin' Sunburst! Ah told ya didn't ah? When th' time is right ya'll are gonna shine and ah'd say ya sure as sugar just shined brighter than anypony here." Sunburst blushed and smiled, though Piper hung his head after realizing he didn't have his cutiemark.

Applejacks words cut even deeper than his missing cutiemark. It had been his takeoff maneuver that had allowed them enough speed as well as Rainbow's coaching. Sunburst smiled at him, lost in her excitement as her friends gathered around her. Piper raised his head a little, spotting Chrome Mist. The commander only smiled, giving him a small nod. He remembered he had said to him earlier.

My Role huh? Maybe this has somethin to do with that... he thought to himself. He turned to Sunburst and smiled.

"Way to go Sunburst." he said, hugging her.

"Hey, ah couldn't have done it without ya." she said with a laugh.

"What about you Piper? What are you gonna call that?" Rainbow asked. He looked up at the sky then back at her.

"Nothing yet. It's not mine or my day, its Sunbursts. I'll have my day eventually."

"That's a very grown up thing to say Piper, but you should still be proud of yourself. A Sonic Rainboom is near impossible to do." Twilight said, Nova sitting beside her, her ears tucked back against her head as they were still ringing.

"I think that's enough flyin fer today. Let's get back to work. Piper, sunburst, you two sit out for a break. Don't want to overwork yourselves." Chrome said, taking a seat.

---

Amethyst sighed as he listened to his father drone on about the origins of dragon magic and its uses. It was all useless to him. Magic just wasn't his strong suit. He was a fighter, a defender, a protector, a flier. He wasn't some magician.

"Amethyst, pay attention. I know you hate magic, but this is important. Even with limited magic this spell will be useful. Watch."

Spike grabbed a rock from a nearby pile, mumbling something under his breath. His eyes shone for a moment, markings covering the rock he held in his claw. Slowly the rock began to change, pieces of it tearing away and swirling around his claw. It began to piece itself back together, little by little into a stone hoofblade.

"Using this transformation spell you can take one object and make it into another. The only downside is you end up with the same material you started with. You can't make wood from stone. Get it?" Spike asked. Amethyst put a claw to his chin, mulling it over. A simple spell that could turn one thing into another. It might be useful.

"Maybe Emerald should learn it."

"She's practicing with your mother right now. I'll teach it to her but this is important Amethyst. At least try it." The Kirin nodded and picked up one of the rocks. He took a slow breath and spoke each word slowly to himself before beginning the chant. It was strange, he could feel the strands of the stone fade away, literally feel it, like sand drifting between his claws and wrapping around his arm. He smiled as it formed around his claws, making a sort of stone gauntlet, the edges as sharp as his own claws. Spike smiled.

"See? You've already got the hang of it!" Amethyst stared at the gauntlet for a moment.

"So this is why Emy likes magic so much." he mumbled.

"It's an amazing feeling isn't it? I never understood Twilight's need to always study and try new spells. I figured it was just a unicorn thing. But she was the only unicorn I knew who was studying like that. But then Princess Celestia began teaching me Draconic Magic." Amethyst looked away from his claw and to his father.

"But...she's an Alicorn. How does she know anything about Dragon magic?"

---

The group sat together, quietly eating their lunch. Though the twins were chatting loudly about nothing in particular. Strawberry scooted closer to Piper.

"What was it like doing a Sonic Rainboom?" she asked with her mother's signature smile.

"It wasn't a Rainboom. It was just a boom." he said quietly

"Come on Piper, it was so much more than that. T' be honest ah barely had enough speed to keep up with ya and ah wouldn't have been able to make the Solar Sonic Burst. You probably could've jus' done it without me." Sunburst said from across the table.

"You're just saying that..." he sighed and stood, pushing his food away. He wasn't hungry.

"Where are ya goin' Piper?" Strawberry asked him.

"Nowhere." he said, leaving the room. The zebra pouted and laid her head down on the table. Emerald nudged her side with a knowing smile.

"Well? go after him" she said. The zebra blinked and sat up with a determined look on her face.

"Thanks Emy!" she stopped in mid-air and shoved the Kirin towards Nova before zipping out of the room.

"Piper wait!" she called out to the pegasus. He stopped but didn't look at her.

"Somethin is wrong Piper, I know it. You always finish everything on your plate." He chuckled a little and turned to her.

"Look at us Berry. Don't you see what is going on here?" he asked her. She looked at herself then at him, shaking her head.

"Is there something on my face?" he sighed.

"No, just hear me out real quick." The pegasus paced back and forth in the hall as he spoke, the zebra following him with her eyes

"Out of nowhere Princess Twilight calls all of our parents here for a reason she can't tell them. That or our parents are just hiding it from us. Either way they aren't telling us everything and the way they are training us, it's almost like..."

"Like we are going to war." a unicorn said as she walked into the hallway.

"Dinky!" Strawberry hugged her. The unicorn smiled, returning the hug as her mother and the Doctor appeared in the hall beside her.

"Piper, I know you are curious. But please trust me when I say that the Princess' secrecy is necessary. Though you should know you and your friends play a very important role in all of what is to come." The Doctor said. Ditzy placed a hoof against his shoulder and he nodded.

"I'll leave it to you Dinky." he said softly, walking past Piper and Strawberry with the pegasus close to him.

"So it is war isn't it? With who? the Dragons? the Gryphon's? Do they plan on just throwing us out onto the frontlines to fight their war?!" Piper demanded. For a moment the Unicorn said nothing. She only stood there watching the only pony she could ever call Father walk away and sighed.

"I'm going to do something that I shouldn't Piper. Something that could get us all killed." she said, never tearing her eyes away from the fading form of her parents. Piper gulped, watching her.

"I'm going to use the TARDIS."

Comments

[Spirit Shift]

...........im going to get an umbrella and some air freshener cuz their might be a storm of the brown variety hitting soon.