Jumper

by lollipopchica

Chapter 7

“I was wondering when I’d see you again.”

She smirked not bothering to look over her shoulder. “What’s your name again?” The past month he’d found her on the bridge more often than not. She always pretended to not know his name to which he’d grin and try to guess hers.

“How’s the quiet?” Shining Armor rolled his eyes as he ignored her teasing.

“Why don’t you take a seat and find out.”

He leaned against the rail and sighed contentedly.

The stars twinkled brightly tonight and the breeze, while chilly, was refreshing to the fall dressed teens.

“Nyx.”

She blinked and looked over at the other teen as her cheeks flushed with more than just the chill of night. “What?”

“I’ve decided your name is Nyx… or Nyxxie if I’m feeling so inclined.”

“… Like the goddess of night?”

He grinned. “Yeah…” A primordial goddess that was a child of Khaos, a being who was present at the dawn of creation, he remembered reading in class.

“Tell me about her.” It was part of their thing- his stories. He didn’t know who she really was.

“It’s said that gods and men alike stood in awe of her. The very personification of night, some likened her to a veil of dark mists so thick and dark that she obscured the blue skies of heaven, only scattering at dawn.”

“Wasn’t she also the mother of strife, death, sleep and pain?” Her voice was soft as she turned to hold his gaze. “I take history too. She sounds… bad.”

“Those things are necessary. A being like that is beyond notions of good and evil.”

“Is she?”

He nodded. “Nyx was older than the titans themselves… And yet goddess is the best we can manage to capture her.”

“You sound smitten.” She deadpanned.

“You haven’t rolled your eyes and laughed in my face, so I’m going to assume you’re more than flattered at this point.”

“Maybe.” She chuckled as she turned her gaze to the horizon.

“Nyx, it is then.”

“Why are you so set on joining the Royal Guard if you’re obviously so in love with history and faraway places?” Once he’d spoke of aptitude test and fitness trials and yet every encounter they had was full of ancient stories and places.

“My father served, and his father served, as did his father’s father. It’s tradition for the men in my family.”

“And just like that you don’t get a choice?”

“Family is important. I’d be honored to serve. I’m doing it because I want to.” In a year or so he’d be a soldier under her uncle’s command.

“You really believe that, don’t you?”

“I do.” He was quiet. “What about you?”

“I’m going to leave Equestria one day and make a place for myself where I can be like this all the time and no can hurt me for it.” While they mostly talked about him, every now and again she would let something slip.

“Hurt you how?”

“It’s not important.” Shining Armor frowned at her hardened expression. With a sigh, he hoped he hadn’t ruined the evening.

“Where do you want to go?” He asked sincerely.

“I’m not sure yet, but I know it’s out there,” she nodded towards the dark blue horizon.

***

Humming to the music playing through her headphones, Twilight Sparkle spun around as she tossed her hair careful of her headphones. Side stepping and shuffling as she moved in rhythm with the beat, she lost herself to the feeling and the carefully rehearsed steps she’d been working on.

Never have been pegged for a person that was rhythmically inclined, she sometimes surprised herself with the way she picked up the movements. She thought of the fun loving girl who had quickly become a good friend.

Cadence was a vivacious girl with a playful attitude. Unlike Twilight, she was comfortable with her body and knew how to wield her sex appeal. Watching her dance was amazing. And the more Twilight practiced the better she felt about herself and what she was doing.

As she spun around laughing freely and letting the music take her, she ended in the final pose. Homecoming was a couple weeks away and she was beyond ready.

Looking down at her watch, she squeaked as she realized she’d need to hurry if she didn’t want to miss her first period class. She didn’t notice a fellow classmate watching her performance with a lovestruck grin on their face.

***

“Are you guys going to talk the whole time or are we going to play volleyball?” Applejack drawled as she stood with her arms folded across her chest.

“Give it up Trixie!” Rainbow Dash was shouting. “The Rainbooms are going to mop the floor with you and those dweebs come Bragging Rights!”

Bouncing the ball playfully in her hand, Trixie Lulamoon glared back with all the mischievousness and arrogance she was known for.

Most of the students rolled their eyes at the competitive streak the two girls displayed. Gym class was always a spectacle when Trixie and Rainbow Dash were pitted against each other.

“We’ll see about that, Rainbow Turd!” Trixie smirked before serving a lightning fast ball the other team was barely able to return.

When it became obvious the two were only interested in outdoing each other, everyone else slowly floated to the bleachers and watched the show.

“So what do you guys think of the new song?” Twilight Sparkle asked her remaining friends as they were huddled together on the benches. After a vivid moment of clarity, Twilight was inspired to write a complete new set of lyrics to a song they were working. She had presented her results to her friends just last weekend.

“I think it’s smashing!” Rarity praised. “The lyrics are so catchy! And the heroine’s frustrations are just so relatably delicious.”

Twilight blushed at the compliment. “Thanks!” She’d been hesitant to sing the new song as everything had been coming together with the original song before these new lyrics poured out of her.

“I had my doubts at first, but it’s pretty good.” Applejack smiled.

“Where did you find the inspiration?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“Yeah, it’s a little more daring than your normal stuff,” Pinkie Pie observed with a mischievous grin.

Twilight’s blush made the other’s laugh. “I’ve been talking to Cadence and she kinda encouraged me to just let loose and say all the things I feel inside about a specific situation.”

“Are we talking about Flash Sent-“

“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight screeched to her friend’s amusement as she somehow managed to smack a hand over playful lips.

“Calm down, Sugar Cube,” Applejack rolled her eyes. “No one knows about your animalistic love for Flash Sentry.”

“Applejack!” She moaned petulantly.

“Yea,” Rarity giggled, “Your heart will be safe tonight, girl.”

“Hey!”

“AHH!”

The four looked up just in time to see both Rainbow Dash and Trixie jump up the net at the same time.

Everyone winced at the sound of both girls catching stiff arms and falling back onto their asses groaning and muttering.

“Not so great and powerful after all,” Rainbow Dash moaned.

“Bite me, Rainbow Ass!” Neither had yet to get up properly.

“Let’s go help ‘em out,” Applejack sighed as she shook her head.

Twilight giggled at the familiar antics.

***

Today for art class everyone was working on their Fall Showcase pieces. While students would have the option to compete for votes, everyone had to do a piece for a grade.

Staring down at her charcoal sketch, Chrysalis cringed at the sinking figure, whose spilt skin gave way to a rotting and skeletal being looking to free itself from its previous form.

Lately, her sketchbook had been full of darker portraits. She kept another book for school, but for now focused on her personal book. Her private sketches would probably end up with her in the guidance counselor’s office. But she could tell her teacher wasn’t too invested in her, so she wasn’t worried about her peering over her shoulder to ‘comment’ on her work.

The only person who actually spoke to her in this class was Shining Armor, but that was mostly because she didn’t want to associate with anyone.

He was one of the few not completely put off by her saucy attitude and bouts of acrimony. It also helped that he was the only person aside from her family that had seen her in her changeling form.

She peered sneakily at his work and felt her heart stutter.

“Who is that?” She vocalized, almost in a whisper. The person looked like their namesake.

Nyx.

Chrysalis could vividly recall the lesson from their Culture and Civilization’s class. Shining Armor had been so interested lingering in his studies while their teacher had moved on.

The person on paper looked disturbingly familiar, making her comment when she normally wouldn’t.

“Just a girl I know...” The teen blushed fighting the urge to shy away from her sharp eyes.

“She looks like me...” Chrysalis managed to joke, albeit shakily. “What’re you a stalker?”

“No...” Shining Armor quickly shuffled through his sketch book and began to work on something else.

The only sounds between the two was that of pencils scratching paper. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him, but she could tell she had.

“Are you going to enter it into the competition?” Chrysalis kept her eyes trained on her own paper, afraid that he’d see how affected she was.

“No way!” He sputtered.

“Why not?” He had her full attention now. “It’s really good!”

“It’d take away from football. Between practice and my studies I really don’t have the time.”

It was odd seeing herself through his eyes as she actually liked the way the picture looked. She looked exalted, not at all like what ‘that’ boy and his friends made her feel like. “Pity...”

“What?” He glanced at her out the corner of his eye.

“I feel like you’d win first place with talent like that.”

***

“Cadence,” Blair Wish huffed, collapsing after the music stopped ending their routine. “I think that’s as close as we’re going to get to perfect tonight!”

The other girls agreed as their bodies were covered in sweat and their faces were flushed from exertion.

The air in the gym was hot and stifling as the younger girls had worked up quite a sweat.

Cadence looked back on the girls with a rueful grin. Gemma Gold, the team captain had entrusted her to lead practice as she had an orthodontist appointment that afternoon. Homecoming was creeping faster than anyone realized, and Cadence was determined for the dance team to be the talk of the night.

“C’mon, Cadence!” Another girl whined. “We’ve been at this for two and a half hours! I still have that English assignment to finish for that nazi Ms. Tomes!”

“Me too!” Chimed in two others.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, the Halfling drew in a deep breath and conceded to the will of her dance mates. “Fine! Practice adjourned... for now.”

There was a chorus of happy and tired sighs. “Thank God!” Some stood shakily, while others kinda laid there breathing heavily.

“See you girls tomorrow!” She called at the winded dancers.

“Cadie, did you write down the homework assignment for Trig?” A russet colored girl named Aria Fuego asked, still trying to calm her breathing.

“Oh yea!” She motioned for the other to follow her to the bleachers where everyone’s bags were. Pulling her phone out of her designer gym bag, she opened her menu to a few random messages. One stood out that made her blink and pause.

“Cadie?” Aria’s voice snapped her back to reality.

“Sorry!” Cadence laughed sheepishly. “Pages 630-631 problems 1-25, odd numbers only. And pages 523-525, Parts A, C, E are mandatory and H is extra credit.” At the look on her friend’s face Cadence laughed. “I’ll text you.”

Aria’s face broke into a smile filled with relief, “thanks girl!”

Shaking her head as the other rushed off she turned her attention back to her phone.

She had an Instagram message request from RegalKing69.

‘Still need a friend?’

Comments

[The Voice in the Water]

She had an Instagram message request from RegalKing69.

Oh no.

[Moonriseoversunset]

!*#&*÷×*!& Luna! Celestia! Do something!!! Last thing Chrysalis needs right now. I hope he doesn't transfer to the school. Please oh please don't let that happen. Big sis already went through enough.

[Janyo]

Oh shucks, here we go again! I was afraid Cadance, Chrysalis, and this motherfucker met again one day, but it seems they'll do sooner rather than later. Anyways, nice chapter, I'm glad Shining and Chrysalis' relationship has progressed a lot in a month, but I found a bit odd (and sorta sweet) she hasn't revealed give her name yet (and remembered his, hehe) and he keeping gave her nicknames, also I'm not sure if Shining is aware she's the same girl of the bridge, I wanna think both are playing but sometimes it seems he hasn't connected the dots. Or did I lose something?

Chrysalis and Cadance's parents' scene from the previous chapter was remarkable too, it seems "Nyx" has business with the changeling monarchy in this universe too, maybe her mother should let her visit this side of the family more, but I guess she considered she could be a bad influence for Chrysie. Also, I liked both spouses miss and love each other.

RegalKing69

Fuck you and your fucking basic dick nickname!