MLP-FairyTail crossover. Twilight Sparkle, a Mage in the land of Equestria bound for great things as she joins Breezy Horn, one of the best wizard guild around. Follow the story of her & her friends as they reach for the stars & keep their home safe.
Far to the North of Fiore lies Equestria, a land hidden from the world for centuries. A land just as prominent with both magic and wizards who utilize it. Along with wizards and magic are the guild halls that allow mages both new and experienced to use their magic for helping others. Equestria is also home to a young woman known as Twilight Sparkle, an aspiring mage looking to find her place in the world. It isn't long though until she finds it, and that place is a guild simply known as Breezy Horn. It's there that she'll meet new people, make new friends, experience new things, go places she's never been, and even save the world once or twice. She won't be doing it alone though, she has her little brother by her side, as well as her entire guild with her. Follow her story, as well as the story of the entire Breezy Horn guild as they take the world by storm and reach for the stars to find a better tomorrow.
My Little Pony FIM and Fairy Tail Crossover
OC's will be present in story but all main characters share the same amount of importance.
I may or may not put out OC request for future chapters, just keep an eye out.
In a land far far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation of seventeen-million and a place filled with magic, but you already know this tale and one you've probably heard many times. Well allow me to tell you a new tale, a tale about a land even farther away and filled with even more magic. I'm speaking of course about the magical land of Equestria. A continent that lies far to the north of Fiore, and like Fiore, magic is used in everyday life. From simply making life easier to being used in many forms of work and leisure, but if there's one thing magic is best known for in Equestria, it would have to be the numerous guilds that call the vast land their home. One particular guild stands out above all the rest, a guild whose name has been heard far and wide through the land, not for their success as a guild, not for the powerful mages brought up within the guild, but rather for their fierce determination that no other guild seems to possess, a guild simply known as, Breezy Horn.
Our story begins with a young aspiring mage who goes by the name of Twilight Sparkle, who under the orders of her mentor, has set out to find a town known as Ponyville. She doesn't quite know the reason yet, only that she's to meet someone important there. What she's not aware of is the fact that she is destined great things.
The city of Canterlot. The capitol and one of the largest cities within Equestria. This luxurious city is home to the some of the highest members of society and the single largest population of wizards in a single place. While it was at one time the home to Equestria's royal family, the throne now sits empty, leaving most of the capitol in turmoil. More importantly though, this city is where our story begins.
Just outside of the city's large walls stood two very eager wizards, a sister and a brother. The older of the two being a purple-haired young woman, adorned in a shirt and vest with a personalized skirt reaching just above her knees. Standing next to her was a green haired boy clad in almost all purple, from his shorts to the hooded coat he wore, he was also the young woman's adoptive younger brother.
" Today is finally the day, " The purple-haired girl seemingly spoke to no one in particular as the golden sun's rays beamed down upon her face.
" This young woman is Twilight Sparkle, an extremely talented aspiring mage to be, who's always eager been to learn something new about magic ever since she was just a little girl. Don't let her appearance fool you though she's more than just intelligent, shes quite capable of taking care of herself, however she often finds herself by things of her own interest. "
" The day we go meet the mystery person that Celestia told us would be waiting , " Twilight said. She might've not known who she was supposed to meet, but if her mentor told her to do something then she was more than eager to accept the request.
Her younger brother on the other hand wasn't as eager, what with having been woken up before sunrise. " ...Yeah I'm totally excited too...so excited that I could just pass out from all of it... "
" This young man is Twilight's younger brother who goes by the name Spike. He's quite the bundle of energy, although he detests most forms of transportation. Despite being the younger of the two, he was just as well versed in the art of magic as his sister.
The boy was so tired that he could hardly keep his eyes open, but knew if he didn't he'd never hear the end of it from Twilight. She took notice and began gently rubbing his head while giving a caring smile, " Don't worry Spike, you can get all the sleep you want on the wagon ride there. "
Spike suddenly put his hand over his mouth, " ...Please don't remind me that we'll be going by wagon... "
Sweat dripped down Twilight's forehead, " Oh yeah..that's right you don't like riding in wagons. I'm still not sure as to why you don't though. "
The young wizard shook away the feeling of nausea before adding onto his sister's statement, " ...Wagons, Trains..the occasional horse and buggy...if it's got wheels and moves I don't like it.... "
Twilight gave a slight giggled and pulled her brother into a hug, " Just shut your eyes and get some sleep, by the time you wake up we'll have already reached Ponyville, she spoke reassuringly to him.
Spike let out a small sigh of defeat and leaned his tired head on his sister's arm, " Whatever you say Twilight...say...why do they call it Ponyville anyway? "
That was a question that Twilight herself had asked herself many times, even the numerous books she read yielded few answers. " I'm still not sure Spike, maybe there's an abundance of equine within the town and they simply named the town after it, " although it wasn't the best assumption, at the moment it was all she had to go on.
" That's a dumb reason, " Spike bluntly commented on his sisters guess.
" Hey! " Twilight couldn't believe that Spike called her assumption dumb. " I'd like to see you come up with something better mister opinioniated, " she turned her head slightly and pouted a bit.
Her brother let out an exhausted yawn, " Can't...Too tired, maybe later. "
Twilight rolled her eyes and rubbed her brothers head, when suddenly the wagon that would take them to Ponyville came into view. " There it is, hey Spike it's he- " but when she went to get his attention she quickly noticed that he was sound asleep. Twilight could only sigh as she lifted his unconscious body into her arms, " What am I gonna do with you. "
When the wagon finally pulled up next to them Twilight quickly took notice of the driver's appearance. He was tall man wearing rather normal clothes but what unnerved Twilight the most was the straw hat that concealed his face from view. " Twilight Sparkle? " he only spoke her name, only adding onto the uncomfortable feeling Twilight had developed.
" Uh...Yeah, I'm Twilight, " she hesitantly replied. He didn't say anything else, only motioned with his covered head for her to hop on in.
The driver whipped the reigns of the large boar like creature that was attached to the wagon, causing it to start moving forward. " Pardon for scarin' ya miss, I was told by the woman who hired me to keep mah face covered, " he spoke in a deep, but polite voice, easing Twilight greatly.
She gave a small smile as well as a small nod, " It's alright, I mean it's not every day you get picked up in a wagon by a tall guy wearing a large straw hat. "
" Eeyup, " he simply responded.
Twilight decided that with nothing better to do, she'd just look out the window of the wagon and watch as the landscape passed by them. The still-young mage had spent the majority of her life within the walls of Canterlot and rarely had chances to see much of the outside world. For her to see so much in such a short time was a dream come true for her, " We'll be able to see so much of the world now that we're not confined to Canterlot anymore Spike, " but as she waited for a response she remembered that he was sound asleep. She could only shake her head and sigh while rubbing his head, " I guess it's a good thing you're sleeping, otherwise you'd be getting sick all over the back of the wagon. "
" Your little brother hate cart rides? " the driver asked her.
Twilight nodded, " Yeah, for some reason he get's motion sickness real bad on them. We've seen doctors about it but nothing seems to help him, just sleep. "
The driver gave a light chuckle, " Sounds like this feller I know, "
" Someone you know get's motion sick like my brother? " Twilight curiously asked.
" Eeyup, " he replied with the same simple response.
" You're not a man of many words are you? " Twilight had picked up on the fact by how little he spoke during the drive.
" Eeyup, " it was the same response, perhaps something Twilight should get used to during the ride.
Unbeknownst to the three travelers, three sets of greed filled eyes watched the wagon from atop a nearby rock formation. " Look at that boys, a carriage from the "illustrious" city of Canterlot, " the figure in the middle spoke while looking through a pair of binoculars only to pass them to another shorter figure.
" Boss there's gotta be all sorts of goods and loot in that wagon! " the smaller of the three said with manic enthusiasm.
The larger of the three took the binoculars from the smaller one before soon shaking his head, " Passenger...not loot. "
A big grin crept up on the one in the middles face, " A passenger carriage you say, why think of the ransom we could get for someone from Canterlot. "
The smaller of the began jumping in place, a wild look in his eyes, " Let's do it then!! "
Back in the safety of the carriage, Twilight found herself staring out into the distant horizon as she took in the sights. " It all looks so amazing when it's not in a book, " she thought out loud. However something caught her attention, something that shouldn't be where it was, " ..What in the world..? " She could have sworn she was looking at the moon, but at this time of day such a thing was preposterous.
Waiting in bushes alongside the road, not too far from the oncoming wagon, the three mystery figures readied themselves to make their move. " Alright boys here comes the carriage, remember to go when I go, " the two nodded in agreement before readying themselves.
It wasn't long before the carriage began passing by, to which the leader of the three gave the order, " Now you two!! " the three leapt out with their hands held in identical ways, creating magic circles. " Stone Make: road block!! "
Twilight's focus was completely absorbed by the lunar oddity in the sky, " ..It's so stra- WAH!! "Twilight as well as the driver was completely caught off guard as a literal block of stone shot up from the ground, sending the carriage into the air and crashing into the ground.
The suddenness of the impact had left the young woman unconscious and incapable of defending herself. The three assailants hastily rushed towards the tipped wagon and opened it, quickly spotting the unconscious Twilight. " We hit the jackpot boys, this little damsel has got to be worth something! "
The larger of the three lifted the unconscious girl from the wagon and threw her over his shoulder, whilst the smallest shook fearfully, " Let's hurry boss she wasn't alone in there! " They all three agreed before comically rushing off, leaving a trail of dust behind them.
Right after the trio took off a small groan came from within the cabin of the carriage followed by the smaller of the two travelers popping his head out of the wagon. Spike looked around with a rather confused expression, " What the heck happened...? Hey wait a second..the wagon stopped.. " A large grin formed on the green haired boy face as he jumped out of the carriage, " I'm free!!! Twilight I'm free!! " However when he didn't get a response he knew something was wrong, " Tw-Twilight??? " Nothing but panic ran through his mind when he saw she was absent, " OH NO TWILIGHT'S MISSING!!! " He grabbed his head and began frantically running back and forth.
Another groan came from the wrecked wagon, this time it belonged to the driver. Spike saw the hat-wearing man struggling to pull himself up and quickly rushed to him, " Hey guy are you OK?? " the young mage said as he pulled the grown man from the flipped mode of transportation.
" E-eeyup.. " The man said as he pulled himself up with the help of the boy. The driver took notice of how quickly the boy had recovered despite how sickly he had appeared during the carriage ride, " You really do remind of this feller I know. "
Before Spike could respond he quickly noticed he was lacking the bag he had with him the whole time, " Oh man! He's never gonna forgive me for this!! " Spike hastily jumped back into the carriage before picking up his bag. He wiped his forehead and let out a sigh of relief, " That was close...he's still asleep. "
However a sudden rustling within the bag, instilling the boy with sudden panic. And without warning a white cat with a big black spot over the right half of it's face popped out of the bag with an angry expression on his face. " What's the big idea!!!! " it shouted.
" This little ball of joy is Spike's best friend Rex, a talking cat with a bit of an attitude. Having been found by the boy at such a young age the two have been inseparable ever since, however this doesn't stop them fighting from time to time. "
Sweat ran down the boys head as he bowed apologetically to the cat sitting in his bag, " I'm so sorry Rex don't be mad! It was an accident! "
The cat pulled himself out of the bag and looked at the boy, still looking rather angry, " How can I not be mad when you're tossing me around like luggage!! "
" ...Well you do ride around in my bag like luggage... " Spike mumbled.
" I heard that!! " Rex shouted
Spike furiously shook his head, " We don't have time for this Rex, Twilight's missing! "
" Well why didn't you say so in the first place grass head! " the cat said with an intended insult.
Shaking off the insult, Spike started heading off in no particular direction, " Let's hurry then! "
Rex climbed up onto his friends shoulder, still slightly irritated over being treated like carry-on earlier. " Do you even know which way to go? "
Spike froze in his tracks, nearly falling onto his face, " ....maybe..? "
" Then try using your nose and while you're at it, your brain! " the cat shook the young mage's head comically before the two took off in another direction.
The driver couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the two set off, " Eeyup, just like those two back home. "
Nearby Inside of a Not-So-Inconspicuous Cave
The sound of bickering could be heard throughout the poorly hidden cave, each of voices reverberating against the walls of the cave until finally reaching the ears of Twilight Sparkle. Twilight sat up while rubbing her head, the sound of the argument wasn't doing anything for the splitting headache from the carriage crash. "What's with all the noise... " her eyes scanned the surroundings, she quickly took notice of the stone cage she was in before searching for the source of the bothersome noises.
It wasn't long before she found the culprits, a group of three bickering bandits. She couldn't help but watch in slight amusement as the three argued like a couple of children, " I told you we ransom her for a hundred thousand! " the one in charge exclaimed.
The taller of the three criminals shook his head with a grunt, " ...Too much, not worth it. "
" What do you mean not worth it! She's obviously worth something! she had her own carriage!! " the leader stomped his foot as he continued to get angry.
" ...Not worth that much. Half at most, " the larger crook explained with few words.
Twilight could only tilt her head in confusion, she understood the situation she was in, but hadn't felt as if she were in any danger. " Um, excuse me? Are you two going to just stand there and argue or are you going to let me go? " she asked.
The head bandit turned towards the sound of her voice, his eyes widened by surprise, " Sh-she's awake! " he quickly began glaring at his smaller companion, " You idiot! I told you to keep an eye on her! "
" S-sorry boss..I was too caught up watching you guys fight... " he shamefully admitted.
" You three don't get along very well do you? " Twilight asked in a confused tone.
This caught the three off guard, " O-of course we get along! We'd have to in order to keep our reputation, " said their leader.
" Reputation? " Twilight repeated, even more confused than before.
" Yes our reputation as the greatest bandits around! " they quickly stood side by side before doing ridiculous poses, " Because we are!! "
" The Diamond Dog Bandits!!! " they shouted in unison.
Sweat dropped from Twilight's forehead as she watched the three, " Who are these clowns? " " Sorry, but I've honestly never heard of you before, " she admitted honestly.
The three fell face forwards upon hearing that their own captive had no idea who they were, " How could you have never heard of us! We're the most infamous bandits in this valley! "
" Well, " Twilight began to reply, " It's not exactly a big area, and you three are the only other people I've seen here. "
Her response caused the three to freeze up, " ...My pride...It's been ruined... " The leader profusely cried comical tears as he laid out flat on the cave floor.
" Um...sorry about that, " Twilight gave an apologetic smile as she spoke, " But could one of you three let me out now, I need to get back to my brother. "
The leader of the diamond dogs shot back up, he was tired of listening to her mouth, " That's enough! No we will not let you go, you are our hostage! Isn't it obvious by the cage you're in?! "
" You mean this? It's just a crummy cage made out of rocks, " she ran her finger across one of the bars, letting small bits of dust and rock fall as she did.
" C-c-crummy!!! " the three exclaimed in unison.
" ....But we made it with our own magic... " the smallest sulked at the girl's comment.
The condition of the cage got Twilight thinking, " You know you probably don't have to let me out after all, " her statement got a sigh of relief from her captors, only she wasn't finished speaking. " Because with such a shabbily made cage I could probably break out on my own with ease. "
The leader began snickering, " You? Break out!? Hahahahah! " his snickering turned into full on laughter, to which his companions joined in on. " We'd love to see you try, cause the only way you could even dream of getting out of our "crummy" cage would be if you were a wizard. "
" Yeah and we bet that you weren't one! " the smaller of the three added on.
Twilight could only smile, " I wonder, have you boys ever heard of a star mage before? " she asked innocently.
" A star mage??? " they repeated all at once.
The leader looked at the other two then back towards their captive, " What the heck is a star mage? "
Twilight's smile turned into a small grin as she held her hand forward, " I'm a star mage. " " Constellation Summon: Bow of the Hunter, Orion! " a magic circle formed before her hand, pulling light towards it and creating a shining bow made of magic energy.
" ...B...b..boss....Sh-she is a wizard!! " the smallest criminal panicked.
This time Twilight held out her other hand creating a second magic circle, bringing forth the same light that made the bow, this time making a shining arrow, " Here's a little demonstration boys, " she smiled before pulling the arrow back in the bow, " Shooting star arrow!! " she released the bow's golden string and released an arrow of magical light, one that tore right through the cage and went flying right towards her would-be captors.
" Boss what do we do!! " the two bandit's were panicking as the arrow shot towards them.
But before their leader could give an order the arrow shot by them, seemingly doing nothing at first, " Hah! you misse- " the bandit was cut off as a line of magical energy shot up past them, creating a small explosion and sending the crooks sky high.
Twilight blinked a few times before realizing just what she did, " O-oops...I think I put a little too much into that, " she sheepishly grinned as sweat dropped from her forehead.
" Twilight I'm coming to save you! " she heard from a familiar outside of the cave.
" Spike? " she stepped out of the remains of her prison and walked towards the mouth of the cave.
When suddenly her little brother jumped into view, his fists coated in a bright green magic, " Don't worry Twilight your little brother is here to....rescue....you...? " he stopped himself right as he was finishing his "heroic" entrance, only to finish by pointing at his already free sister.
She pulled him into an apologetic hug, " I'm sorry for worrying you Spike, I would've been out sooner but those three just wouldn't stop acting like little kids, " she let out a giggle before walking out of the cave.
Rex simply walked up to his wizard partner. Great annoyance could be seen within his glare, " I thought you said she was in trouble grass head! "
" I never said she was in trouble I said she was missing! Clean out your ears you overgrown hairball! " Spike retorted.
" Hey you two quit fighting and hurry up before the wagon driver get's impatient and leaves without us! " Twilight called out as she walked off without them.
The duo's eyes widened, " Wait for us!! " they cried out in unison.
However the driver would do no such thing. Using the spare time he was given by the young mage who went to search for his sister, he had managed to fix the wagon up, at least to the condition so they could reach their destination. He smiled when he saw the three enter his eye view, " Hurry along now ya'll three, the town ain't much farther. "
" Wait Twilight! I changed my mind I'll walk! " Spike suddenly announced before trying to run off past the wagon, only to be grabbed by the back of his coat and dragged towards the wagon, " Twilight please!! "
" Ya'll ready? " the driver asked.
Two of the three nodded and climbed back into the wagon, much to Spike's dismay, and they were off again, this time without interruption. Once they passed into the town Twilight caught a glimpse of a sign with the words " Welcome to Ponyville " written in big letters, " Ponyville? why's it called that? " she asked the driver while rubbing her unconscious brother's head.
" We don't really know, just sorta got that name, " the driver replied.
A smile came to Twilight's face, " Ponyville, " she repeated, " I like it. "
The wagon soon stopped once they had reached the center of the town. Twilight picked Spike up and the bag that Rex was resting in and stepped out of the wagon, and standing before her was a large building built out of a massive old tree. Atop the building sat a large decorative sign with the name " Breezy Horn " printed onto it. But before she could say anything, her eyes landed upon the last person she had expected to see, her teacher who was looking at her with a loving smile. " Celestia! " Twilight gleefully called out and ran towards her.
The multi-colored-haired woman covered her mouth and let out a slight giggle, " That's Master Celestia now Twilight, Welcome to Breezy Horn. Your new guildhall. "
Elsewhere in a Dark Corner of Equestria
While Equestria might be home to many legal wizard guilds who help those that request them, there exists another type of guild, dark guilds. Dark guilds are those that exist outside the rules of the Equestrian wizards council and openly take jobs that would be otherwise banned or simply not allowed within an official guildhall. These jobs can be as simple as theft to something as heinous as an assassination, but those who attend these dark guilds care not for the consequences of their work, so long as they get paid in the end.
Of of these illegal guilds is one known as Crow's Murder, while not as infamous as other it still has gained a slight reputation within the local towns surrounding it.
Outside of the seemingly run down and decrepit guildhall stood a tall cloaked man with a much smaller figure floating above his head. " ...So, this is the rat hole, " the man said in an unamused tone of voice.
" Seem's like it, " a smaller voice replied.
As the cloaked figure made his way to step foot into the hall, one of it's members stepped out, obviously drunk as shown by the mug in his hand and deep redness in his cheeks. " H-hey pal...this is Crow's Murder's territory..."hic" unless your looking to get your ass handed to you..you better take a hike. " The man didn't move, only stared at the drunkard, " Oh I get it.."hic" you're wantin to join us...Well too bad!...We aren't accepting anyone...especially not some freak... "
The cloaked man gave a toothy grin as he began walking forward , " Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't come here to join your sorry excuse for a guild. "
The town of Ponyville, a small quaint town located to the east of Canterlot city, a place that welcomes those from all corners of Equestria, whether they be users of magic or not. Where peace and harmony are prosperous and new beginnings happen every day, but among the things the town is known for, one thing stands out above all else; the town's very own wizards guild, a guildhall that goes by the name, Breezy Horn, one of the most well-known guilds in Equestria. A guild where dreams come to life, where wizards can make names for themselves and where a better tomorrow is what each member strives to make while finding a new adventure every day.
Breezy Horn Guildhall
" M-m-my new wh-what?? " Twilight stammered as she tried repeating what her mentor had just said. To say she was shocked was an understatement as her mind was having the hardest time comprehending the situation. She hadn't expected to see Celestia in the quaint little town, but what shocked her even more was what she had been told.
Celestia stifled a giggle at her student's reaction, " What's the matter Twilight, you look like you're a little surprised," she said with a smile.
" Th-that's b-because I am.. " Twilight shakily replied.
" Don't worry Twilight, I'll explain everything shortly. " She momentarily stopped herself, noticing something, or someone was missing, she looked towards her student, " Twilight, where's Spike? I was sure that I told you to bring him. "
However she quickly got her answer when a small thud came from the wagon. Spike slid onto the ground as if he were made of liquid, before suddenly springing to life, " I live!!! " He jumped for joy as he found freedom from the deathtrap of a wagon, receiving a giggle from the older woman in response.
" He's uh...right there.. " Twilight slightly pointed as she still attempted to wrap her head around what Celestia had said.
A big grin formed on Spike's face when he saw Twilight's mentor standing before him, " Celestia! " He ran towards her, stopping just a few feet from her, " I never expected to see you here, but man it's awesome that you're here. "
Rex popped his head out of Spike's bag and gave a similar grin, " For once I can agree with lamebrain here, I wouldn't have thought you'd be here miss Celestia. "
Celestia's smile turned into more of a smirk at this point, " Just like I told Twilight, it's not just Celestia anymore; from now on I'm master Celestia. "
" Master Celestia??? " The pair repeated in confused unison.
" Can I please get an explanation!! " Twilight cried out in frustration as she literally fell to her knees.
Spike looked on at his sister with sweat running down his forehead, " Sheesh, I've never seen Twilight act so dramatic. "
" I'm not being dramatic spike..." She picked herself up and dusted herself off before turning back towards Celestia, " I'm just so confused as to what's going! "
A much louder laugh came from behind Celestia's hand, obviously amused by Twilight's behavior. " Calm down Twilight, the explanation is simple, " she started, the smile not leaving her face for a moment. " Welcome to Breezy Horn you three, a guildhall stationed here in Ponyville, run by myself of course, " she placed her hand over her chest as she referred to herself then pointed towards the trio, " And you three are our newest recruits, so I'll say it again, Welcome to Breezy Horn. "
While her explanation cleared things up for Spike and Rex, it had left Twilight with even more questions. The biggest question however was one that made Twilight want to collapse, " Just how long have you been the master of this place if you've been my teacher since I was a little girl?? "
Celestia's unwavering smile remained, " That's a simple question Twilight. I've been the master of this guild hall for a long time now, of course that's probably hard to discern seeing as how elegant and youthful I look. "
" You forgot to mention vain... " Spike mumbled with a sweat drop.
" ..All this time and I never knew...then again, I didn't exactly go asking...all I ever really cared about was learning about magic, " Twilight spoke to herself about the information she was just given.
A hand was suddenly placed on her shoulder, " It's quite alright Twilight, I was actually hoping you would never ask. "
" Y-you were?! " Twilight asked in a slightly surprised tone.
Her question was responded to with a nod, " I was. You see Twilight I've had this day planned out for the longest time now, and now that it's finally happening, I have nothing to hide from you, so ask me anything you'd like. "
A small smile appeared on Twilight's face, " Alright then, " she said with a small nod. " If there's nothing you need to hide then answer me this, " she took a slight pause, " How exactly do you get your hair to flow all the time like that? "
" ACK!! " Both Spike and Rex fell over with their mouth hanging open. " She says you can ask her anything and that's the first thing that comes out of your mouth!! " Spike cried out in annoyance and shock.
" But I've wanted to know for the longest time now, " Twilight whined.
" Sorry Twilight, " Celestia laughed, " But even I have secrets I'm not willing to part with. "
" Wah?! " Twilight nearly fell over, " But you said I could ask anything Cel- I mean master! "
" Again, I'm sorry Twilight but there are just some things that should remain clandestine, " Celestia explained.
Twilight turned away and began pouting, " So much for having nothing to hide, " she mumbled.
Celestia stepped towards the three, " If that's all you wish to ask me Twilight then I suggest we head inside so you can get acquainted with the guild and your fellow guildmates. "
" W-well, alright then.. " Twilight said nervously.
And without another word, Celestia led the trio towards the guildhall, slowly pushing the doors open, revealing to them their new home. " I've said it before, and I'll say it once more. Welcome to Breezy Horn, and welcome to your new family. "
Twilight stared in awe at the interior of the guildhall, which appeared much larger than the exterior. What really had her in awe was how populated the guildhall was. She had read about guilds and how wizards were drawn to them during her time as Celestia's student, but she never expected them to be so lively. " ..Amazing.. " She loudly mumbled.
" Look at all the wizards Rex! " Spike said with excitement.
" They're kinda hard to miss Spike, " Rex deadpanned.
" Each and every one of them are your new guild mates, so it's a good idea to get acquainted with them all, " Celestia said with a smile.
" E-each and every one of them??? " Twilight's eyes widened as she repeated her teacher. There were so many wizards just in the lobby of the guildhall, and she was expected to get to know all of them. " I-I think I'll take it one step at a time master..."
" I don't think she was serious Twi, " Spike added.
Celestia let out a small giggle, " Sorry Spike but I'm quite serious, this is your family now, and I'd prefer if all of you knew one another. "
Spike's eyes widened, but he remained silent, so Rex spoke for him, " She must have a lot of faith in Twilight's socialization skills, cause I sure don't. "
" HEY!! " Twilight shouted.
" Oh, master you've returned, " another voice suddenly spoke up, albeit in a slightly hushed tone.
A tender smile appeared on Celestia's face as she turned towards the source of the voice, " Well hello Fluttershy, I figured you would be the first person to greet me upon my arrival. "
Twilight, Spike, and Rex all turned towards the owner of the voice, revealing to them a young woman around Twilight's age. Possessing light-blue eyes, and adorned in a floral dress with a butterfly-shaped pattern embroidered into it and a bow wrapped around her waist. She had long pink hair, as well as the most tender smile they had ever seen, only adding to her gentle appearance. Finally, her guild mark was located on her left hand and was colored pink.
This young woman is Fluttershy, Breezy Horn's barmaid as well as the one in charge with approving missions. She's a very tender soul with a very big heart, and is always willing to help her fellow mages. As her name would imply, she's very shy, and while still being an active wizard, she rarely takes anything more than C-class jobs.
" H-hello, m-my name's Fluttershy, " she spoke in the same hushed tone and a faint smile, as she held her arm and lightly swayed in place.
Something about the woman made Twilight feel at ease, " Hello Fluttershy, my name is Twilight Sparkle, " she spoke with her very own smile.
" My name’s Spike! " The green-haired boy said with a toothy grin, " and this is my best friend Rex! "
" I can introduce myself gem breath! " the cat shouted at his "best friend". " Ahem, " he coughed into his paw before turning towards Fluttershy, " My name’s Rex nice to me-Ack! "
He never got to finish his introduction as he had been pulled into a bone crushing hug by Fluttershy, " Oh my goodness, a little kitty! You are just so adorable! "
" I guess she likes animals, " Spike said, grinning at Rex's uncomfortable facial expression.
" Please let me go...please.. " he begged.
" And you're a talking kitty, too!? " her voice gained volume with her excitement, " That means there are two of them in our guild now! "
" Two? " Twilight was curious now.
The faint smile on Fluttershy's face had grown into a full on grin, " Uh huh, two. "
" Um, if Rex is one then who's the other? " Spike asked, " I don't exactly see any other cats in here, and I'm pretty sure a talking cat is kinda hard to miss. "
" I'd like to know the same thing, " Twilight added.
" That's simple, " Fluttershy walked the two towards the job board, still holding Rex in her love-filled death grip. " She's out on a job with her partner, our resident dragon slayer. "
" Dragon slayer!!! " Spike's eyes got wide with excitement.
" Yup, they're inseparable and always have been, " Fluttershy replied.
While Spike was daydreaming over what the other dragon slayer was like, Twilight was eyeing the job board curiously. " Um, Fluttershy, can you explain this to me since we're here? "
" Oh, of course I can Twilight, I'm so sorry, I should have done that first, " she gave an apologetic bow.
" N-no need to apologize Fluttershy, " Twilight said with a sheepish grin and a sweat drop.
Fluttershy finally sat Rex down on the floor, causing the poor feline to collapse from lack of air, " I'm sorry mister kitty. " She gave a small, embarrassed smile before turning her attention towards the board, " This is the job board; it's where wizards of the guild pick different requests which are put out by the people of Equestria. "
" So anyone in the guild can take a job? " Spike asked.
Fluttershy responded with a nod, " Uh huh, you can take just about any job, so long as you qualify for it. "
" Qualify? " Twilight echoed.
" Yes, qualify, you see there are certain jobs which can only be taken by S-class wizards, those being S-class jobs, SS-class jobs, and then after that there are year-long quests, decade quests, and finally hundred-year quests. "
" H-h-hundred-year quests? , " Twilight stammered as she repeated Fluttershy.
" ...I'm just gonna guess that no-one’s ever completed a hundred year quest before... " Spike honestly didn't want to know, but couldn't help asking.
Fluttershy lightly shook her head, " I'm afraid not, however two years back, one of our S-class mages completed a decade quest, " she chimed.
" Were they gone for ten years? " Rex asked curiously.
This got a giggle out of Fluttershy, " No silly, just because it's called a decade quest doesn't mean it actually takes a decade to complete it. "
" Then why's it called a decade quest then? " Twilight asked, apparent curiosity in her voice.
" Personally, I have no idea, my only guess is that's their usual expectancy, " she explained. " As for how long it took for our S-class mage, he was gone a year and a half, but came back in the worst condition of his life... " A saddened tone could be heard in her voice as she recalled the event.
Twilight was just about to ask one more question before the sound of two voices being raised on the other side of the guild caught her attention. " Ah'd like to see ya try ya flat chested floozy! " a voice shouted.
" Bring it on you apple seed bimbo! " the other shouted back.
At the other end of the guild, two women had their heads pressed up against one another in temperamental bout. One woman with dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and small patches of freckles under eyes, her guild mark was green and present on her neck. She was dressed in blue jeans with an apple-shaped picture proudly sewn into them, a pair of fingerless gloves, as well as an open flannel coat with a plain white shirt underneath, and atop her head sat her trademark item, a simple cowboy hat.
This young woman's name is Applejack, a beauty with a southern drawl. She has more than just looks however, being one of the four S-class mages that calls Breezy Horn home, she's known as a member of the dual magic duo. Although she's usually a levelheaded individual and the voice of reason, she has a terrible habit of picking fights with one other guild mate.
" You're gonna regret that rain fer brains! " Applejack shouted, pushing her head harder against the other woman's.
The other mage that was quite literally butting heads with Applejack was a woman of equal age, and height. She had magenta eyes and a scar running from her jawline and up her cheek, with a red guild mark present just above her waistline. She was dressed in short light-blue pants, wearing nothing more than a sports bra and a vest with a rainbow lightning bolt sewn onto the back. She also had some bandages wrapped around her hands and legs.
This rambunctious woman is Rainbow Dash, the resident hot-head of Breezy Horn and the second member of the dual magic duo. Despite being a speedster at heart, Rainbow Dash leads a rather laid back lifestyle, although this doesn't stop her from getting in daily fights with the likes of Applejack. Fighting aside, the two are actually very good friends who care for one another dearly…they just happen to have the worst way of showing it.
" Then bring it on already applejerk! I'm tired of looking at your stupid face!! " Rainbow Dash shouted louder, pushing harder against her “friend”.
It wasn't until Fluttershy walked up that the duo separated, " U-um...um..excuse me you two.. " she spoke in a nervous, hushed voice. " ..c-could you two please not fight today..we have new recruits and I don't want them thinking this is a violent place...so please...stop if you could.. " she asked as politely as she could.
The two women stepped back from one another and let out a loud sigh. " Alright sugar cube, but only cause ya asked, " Applejack said with a bittersweet smile. She was a tad bit upset that she couldn't teach Rainbow Dash a lesson for running her mouth.
" Yeah, only because you asked us Fluttershy, " Rainbow Dash said in agreement with her sometimes friend, sometimes rival. The two remained silent for a moment, trying to calm themselves down, only for the silence to be broken by Rainbow, " So where are the newbies anyway? "
" Oh! " Fluttershy had forgotten to bring them with her. She quickly ran back over to the new trio and ushered them towards the two female wizards. " Applejack, Rainbow Dash, I'd like for you to meet. "
" Twilight Sparkle. "
" I-it's a pleasure to meet you, " Twilight said, slightly nervous.
" Spike. "
" What's up, I'm Spike, " he said with a toothy grin.
" And a new furry friend for the guild, Rex. "
" Uh...Hi there, " he said, giving a pitiful excuse for a grin and slowly waved.
A big smile appeared on Applejack's face as she looked at the newest members of the guild, " Well Ah'll be, three in one, and we even got a new winged partner. "
" H-hey, how did you know I have wings?! " Rex asked, slightly scared that a stranger knew something about him that only Twilight and Spike knew.
This time Fluttershy spoke up, " Oh that's easy Rex, she knows because the other kitty that's a part of our guild has them too. "
"..So Rex isn't the only one... " Twilight mumbled curiously.
" Anyway, " Fluttershy continued with the introductions, " these two are really good friends of mine. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, " she gave a sweet smile as she spoke their names.
" Pleasure's mine sugar cube, " Applejack nodded.
" It's sweet having some newbies around for a change, I'd be glad to show you guys the ropes, " Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.
" Uh, can I ask something? " Twilight raised her hand slightly, as if she were a student in school.
" Sure thing sugar, the least we can do for makin’ ya'll see us like that, " Applejack replied.
Twilight slightly turned her head away, " That's, uh, actually what I wanted to ask about...why exactly were the two of you calling each other names and yelling? "
Applejack turned away with an embarrassed grin while scratching her head, " That's, uh...that's a long story... "
" Let Fluttershy answer that since she's in a chatty mood today, " Rainbow Dash said as she picked her mug up off the slightly broken table.
Letting out a sigh of defeat, Fluttershy nodded in agreement of the request. " Like Applejack said, it's a long story. You see, they've never really gotten along, but at the same time, they've been really good friends to each other. I personally think it's their magic. "
" Their magic? " this peaked Twilight's curiosity.
" Uh huh, " Fluttershy nodded, " You see Applejack uses a type of earth based magic, while Rainbow Dash uses a type of air based magic. "
" Hmm, that would make sense, those two are complete opposites... " Twilight thought aloud.
" But that still hasn't stopped them from becoming one of Breezy Horns best duo. In fact, they've gotten the title of the dual magic duo, and I'll just go ahead and explain what that means. " She gave a small smile upon watching Twilight mouth out the words "thank you" . " They're called the dual magic duo for one reason; they each use a type of hybrid magic, which is a type of magic they made themselves by mixing two different kinds of magic into one fighting style. "
Twilight was stunned. In all her time as a wizard she had never heard of such a thing. A wizard taking two different kinds of magic and making an entirely new magic out of the previous two types. " ..A-amazing.. "
" Yep, I sure am, " Rainbow Dash said with a smug grin.
" She was complimentin’ the both of us Rainbow Crash, " Applejack said with a hint of anger in her voice.
Another nearby voice suddenly caught the group’s attention, preventing another verbal argument from breaking out, and possibly preventing Fluttershy from crying. " Pinkie Pie, for the last time, please hold still! Otherwise you're going to tear it again! " The voice was rather elegant, or would have been elegant had they not been in distress at the moment.
" But it's sooooooooooo uncomfortable!! " another higher pitched voice whined followed by the sound of fabric being ripped, " Oopsie woopsie. "
The group turned themselves towards the source of the voices. Standing before them were two more women, one visibly angry, and the other blissfully unaware of her misdoings. The owner of the first voice was woman with an air of sophistication around her, from her regal hair to the graceful clothing she wore. The owner of the second voice was the exact opposite, possessing an erratic aura, accompanied by her poofy pink hair and unusual sense of style.
The more ladylike of the two merely shook her head as she turned away from her friend. Her actions and fluent movements only added to her graceful appearance. Her hair was long and royal purple; her eyes were a dark crystal blue that complimented her pale skin perfectly. While it wasn't visible, her guild mark was purple and placed firmly on her back. She was wearing a white dress shirt, as well as a periwinkle skirt with a crystal pattern carefully sewn on the right side and a pair of black stockings with a piece of black and purple cloth wrapped around her thigh.
This gem of a wizard is Rarity, one of Breezy Horn's most generous members, as well as their resident fashion expert. She’s a very finicky woman, refusing to wear anything she didn’t make and going as far as pushing this onto her friends for “their own good” as she puts it. This can also sometimes apply to jobs; however she tends to be more lenient due to her friends often being frustrated with her picky behavior, but all in all, Rarity is always there when a friend needs her, so long as there's no mud, dirt, or grime involved. "
" W-woah... " Spike mumbled aloud, catching his sister's attention and earning a small smirk from her.
" I swear, darling, if you and I weren't such good friends, I doubt I would be able to put up with any of your actions, " Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head in slight annoyance.
Standing in front of Rarity was her close friend, a woman with unkempt, curly pink hair, with a cupcake shaped hair clip seemingly put there for show. Her bright blue eyes wandered, looking all over the room in blissful ignorance. Her outfit was one that Rarity detested greatly, consisting of a long sleeved pink shirt which covered her hands, with a big balloon in the center. With it she wore a pair of blue shorts and an unnecessary skirt, and to tie the outfit together were a pair of long, mismatched socks she wore proudly almost every day. Her light blue guild mark could be seen on her tongue which she playfully stuck out.
This is Pinkie Pie, one of Breezy Horns more....enthusiastic members. Having been a member of the guild just as long as Fluttershy or Rarity, she is one of the guilds most well-known members, always eager to make new friends and even more eager to throw parties for said friends. Don't let her explosive personality deter you; once you get past her exterior...Pinkieness, she becomes a dependable mage, and even more dependable friend.
" Aw, don't be upset Rarity, I made a pinkie promise that I'd help you with your fashion fiesta thing and I never ever EVER break a pinkie promise, " she said with a genuine smile.
" That's fashionista Pinkie Pie, and I never said you would break your promise. I only wish you'd be more compliant when I ask for your assistance, " Rarity said, still pinching the bridge of her nose.
Fluttershy made her way towards the duo with her tender smile upon her face. " Hey there you two, " she said in her hushed voice.
The annoyance seemed to leave Rarity once her other pink haired friend came into her line of sight. " Fluttershy, darling, how are you today? " she pulled the barmaid into a loving hug.
" I'm fine Rarity, " Fluttershy said while returning the hug. " I've been showing a couple new members around and they really seem to be enjoying everything. "
" NEW MEMBERS!!! " Pinkie Pie suddenly shot forward, scaring Fluttershy so badly she fell back onto the floor, " Oops...again. "
" P-P-Pinkie....pl-please stop doing that.. " Fluttershy looked as if she was on the verge of tears due to the fright she had received.
" Lemme help ya up Fluttershy, " Applejack said, giving Fluttershy no time at all to respond before she was lifted off of the floor with ease.
" Ow...ow..th-thank you Applejack.. " she dusted herself off and let out a relieved sigh. " As I was saying...before that scare...Rarity and Pinkie Pie, let me introduce you both to Breezy Horn's three newest members, " she held her arm out and motioned towards the three standing behind her.
" H-hello there, I-I'm Twilight Sparkle and it's nice to meet you, " Twilight was quickly getting used to being introduced to new people, albeit she still had difficulty getting over her nervousness.
" And you too darling, I'm sure we'll get along just splendidly, " Rarity said with a slight, and unnecessary bow.
Next, Fluttershy motioned her hand towards Spike, " I'm Spike and I'm a dragon slayer! " he confidently pumped his fist into the air. He was trying his hardest to look tough for the purple haired maiden before him.
" Another dragon slayer!?! " Pinkie shouted in pure excitement.
And finally Fluttershy motioned her hand towards their feline friend, " My name's Rex...please don't crush me like she did... I'm still sore. "
Rarity clasped her hands together with a glimmer in her eye, " Oh my goodness he's just precious! "
" A new dragon slayer, a new talking cat, AND a new set of friends!! Today couldn't get any better!! " Pinkie ecstatically bounced in place, much to the dismay of her friends.
However in the midst of everything, something had been on Twilight's mind ever since Fluttershy first brought up the subject of the dragon slayer. " Hey Fluttershy, " she said, getting her new friend's attention, " I've heard this dragon slayer mentioned a few times, but I haven't seen them yet. "
" Now that I think about it, " Rainbow Dash started, " I haven't seen him in a few days either. "
Fluttershy's eyes widened momentarily as she let out a silent gasp, " That's right..I forgot to tell everyone... sorry..." she repeatedly bowed in an apologetic manner.
" Tell us what sugar cube? " Asked Applejack.
But suddenly Fluttershy was cut off by the sound of something being smashed on the upper floor resonated throughout the guildhall, followed by a shout of anger. " WHERE IS THAT IDIOT!!?! " roared an enraged feminine voice, silencing everyone.
" W-what was that...? " Spike asked, now hiding behind Twilight.
Applejack glared towards the direction of the voice and then towards the sound of someone stomping down stairs, " THAT...would happen to be the self-proclaimed....queen of the Breezies.. " Applejack said with a venomous tone and a roll of her eyes.
" ...The second strongest S-class mage in the guild...a-and one of the s-scariest members when she's mad... " Fluttershy quivered.
Soon the one responsible for the deathly silence in the guild came into everyone's view. The first thing Twilight noticed was her hair, long and colored like fire. Her aqua eyes were filled with rage as her feet practically broke the stairs beneath her. She was dressed in a black jacket with cloth wrapped around both forearms, a plain white shirt underneath. Her pants were torn at one knee and a pad covered the other, and resting around her neck was a necklace, a spiraled black dragon with a sun shaped indent in the center, a yellow and red yin-yang in the center of the sun. Her guild mark wasn't visible, but it was black and proudly placed over her heart.
This fiery maiden is Sunset Shimmer, one of the four S-class wizards that calls the guildhall their home, and holder of the title of "The strongest woman in Breezy Horn". Although her temper and personality would make her seem like a rude and unfriendly person, she's actually quite kind when she wants to be. She often finds herself in an on and off again, love and hate relationship with the guild's resident dragon slayer, although she refuses to admit any form of romantic feelings despite this.
The female mage tightened her fist as she reached the ground floor of the guild, " I could have sworn I told that moron to be here today at exactly this time!!! " she furiously shouted.
Sunset immediately began walking towards Applejack, " Where is he!? "
Applejack stepped forward, obviously not intimidated by the blazing-haired woman, " Ah don't know Sunset and even if ah did ah wouldn't tell ya! He ain't yer pet that you can just yank on his leash to bring him to ya! "
" I didn't ask for your opinion apple seed! I want to know where that stupid dragon is! He promised me he'd be here today and he obviously isn't!! " Her magic energy was flaring at this point, everyone knew a fight was close to breaking out as the two dominant females glared at one another.
" Ain't that sweet, " Rainbow Dash chimed, " Old flame head is upset cause her imaginary boyfriend didn't show up.
" Shut up rain brain!! " Sunset grabbed a nearby chair and chucked it at the speedster, who dodged it with ease, the chair breaking against the floor.
" That's it!! " Rainbow shouted and threw her mug in retaliation, only for Sunset to move out of the way. This caused the mug to hit another member of the guild, who immediately hurled something else at yet another member, sparking conflict to break out almost immediately.
Twilight watched in shock as something as simple as a mug being tossed turned into an all out brawl amongst the guild. " F-F-Fluttershy...what's going on... "
A small giggle escaped Fluttershy's lips, " Oh, uh..this...this is normal...kinda... "
" You call this normal!?!" the three newest members yelled in unison.
The brawl eventually reached its peak, causing magic to finally break out. " Alright! That's enough!! " Applejack shouted, holding up her hand as a white sphere of magic enveloped it before cracking.
" Oh yeah! It's go time!! " Rainbow Dash eagerly chimed in as she pumped both her fist, each one suddenly glowing with a spectrum.
A wicked grin came to Pinkie pie's face as she uncovered one of her hands and held her finger out like a gun, causing a magic circle to form in front of it, " Bang. "
" Honestly this is utterly ridiculous, " Rarity flipped her hair and held her hand out behind her, forming a blue magic circle with a crystalline design.
" I've had enough of you idiots! " Sunset roared as a red magic circle appeared above her hand, followed by a massive fireball forming with it.
Twilight's eyes widened as she, Spike, Rex, and Fluttershy quickly dove behind a flipped table and prepared for the worst. When suddenly the sound of a staff hitting the floor rang throughout the guildhall, " That is enough!!!! " Celestia was standing on the second floor, holding a staff with a sun at the top. A large magic circle floated above the entirety of the guild, causing any magic to dissipate, and causing the users of the magic to feel serenity and calmness. " There, that's better, " she said with a sincere smile.
Fluttershy stood up, " O-oh there you are master. "
" Forgive me, Fluttershy, I had business to attend to, however I'm disappointed to say that I come back to see each one of you ready to tear one another limb from limb. " She let out a small sigh, " It's bad enough I have to keep the council off our backs, and I know an occasional brawl is how you all let out pent up frustration, but you should never use your magic as you could seriously hurt one another. You must remember that magic isn't just a mere tool, it's a part of all of us, an extension of who we are. It isn't something that should be used to harm those you care about. "
Each member who had partaken in the guild brawl lowered their heads as their master scolded them, " ..Master, I'm sorry.. " Sunset quietly said.
" It's quite alright child, like I said, magic is an extension of who we are as people, it reflects upon our personalities and acts with us. I might complain a lot about getting in trouble with the higher ups, but who cares about all those geezers; don't ever let some rules hold you back from using the fullest extent of your magic abilities. How could we ever consider ourselves wizards if we're told to restrain the very thing we've worked so hard to master? "
She smiled tenderly down at the wizards she thought so dearly as her children, " Sunset, I know you care dearly for him, but taking your anger out on your fellow guild mates isn't the answer. Applejack, I know that Sunset's behavior upsets you sometimes; however, you should never resort to violence if you know she's in need, try talking with her next time. Rainbow Dash, I know you love fighting, it's in your nature to enjoy a good scrap, but encouraging an unnecessary fight will only make things worse, you need to know when to put your hot-headedness aside. " Each one of them gave a slow nod, " We are the wizards of Breezy Horn, " Celestia then held her open hand towards the air and looked upwards, " and we are nothing if not a family. " Each member of the guild copied her pose, " We have to be there for one another if we wish to reach the stars and find a better tomorrow, for us, and the future generations of wizards to come.
Smiles came to the faces of each member of the guild as their master spoke, Twilight could only watch in awe, " ..Amazing "
" Now, my children, who are we!? " she suddenly shouted.
" WE'RE BREEZY HORN!!! " they shouted all at once, followed by cheers.
" That's right, we're Breezy Horn, and we won't stop until we've reached the stars above! " she smiled as she lowered her hand and looked down at her cheering children. " I'm so proud of all of you, " she said walking off.
Once everything had calmed down, Fluttershy pulled the three newest members to the bar and took out a stamp, " I'm so sorry you three, so much happened since you arrived that I had forgotten to give you your guild marks. "
Twilight sheepishly grinned and waved her hands in front of her, " I-It's alright Fluttershy, we understand completely.
Fluttershy smiled sweetly as she held the stamp out towards the trio, " alright you three, tell me where you'd like it and what color. "
After thinking it over for a moment, Twilight suddenly held out her right hand, " Right there please, and I'd like it in lavender. "
Fluttershy let out a tiny giggle as she placed the magic stamp on Twilight’s hand, " If I didn’t know any Better I'd say you were copying me. "
" I, uh..I mean.. " Twilight stammered as she tried to say otherwise, earning another giggle from Fluttershy.
" It's ok, Twilight, I was just joking. " Fluttershy said with the same sweet smile as she turned towards Spike, " Alright mister dragon slayer, where and what color? "
" Right here and in a green! " Spike said eagerly, lifting the sleeve of his shirt to the upper part of his arm.
" On my back and in black, " Rex said in a way that sounded rude, but in actuality he was merely making it easier on Fluttershy.
" There you go! " she cheerfully chimed, " You're all officially members of Breezy Horn now. Welcome to the Family, " Fluttershy pulled them into a warm hug as she welcomed them into their new home.
" It's nice to see that you three are fitting in so well, " the four of them turned to see Celestia stepping towards them.
Twilight gave a smile, her first real one since she arrived, " It's an amazing guild Cel- I mean, master Celestia. "
Celestia covered her mouth as she stifled a small laugh, " Don't worry Twilight, you'll get used to it soon enough. " She took a small breath before holding out an envelope to Twilight, " I actually have a small job for you three. "
" A job? Master are you sure it's alright to send them? I mean they did jus- " Fluttershy suddenly stopped as Celestia leaned in and whispered something. Fluttershy nodded and gave a small smile, " Well, alright then master. "
" What? What is she talking about Fluttershy? " Twilight questioned.
" Oh, um…nothing, just something pertaining to the job the master wants you to take, " she hesitantly explained.
With a small nod from Celestia, Fluttershy left, leaving the three newest members with the guild master. " I need the three of you to retrieve someone who was meant to be here today, " she held out the envelope with a wax seal designed after the guilds symbol.
" And the envelope is for??? " Spike spun his hand in a circle as he waited for an explanation.
" This envelope is how they'll know that I sent you, " she explained.
Twilight gave a small nod, " Then...then we'll do it...but…how do we find this person? "
At first, Celestia didn't give a verbal response, she simply handed her a set of train tickets. " Go to the train station in town, you passed it on the way here, and use these, they'll take you where he should be. "
" Alright then master... " Twilight wasn't sure about it, but she couldn't let Celestia down. " Come on Spike, we got a train to catch. "
" Nooo!!! " Spike suddenly bolted towards the door, only to be stopped by Rex who had grown out his wings and lifted the panicking slayer off the ground.
" Quit being a baby already! " Rex yelled before carrying Spike out of the guild with Twilight quickly following.
" Wait for me you two! " she called out as she gave chase.
Celestia watched with a smile as the three made their way towards the train station. " Um, master.. " Fluttershy said quietly, " ..are you sure it was a good idea to send them without a more experienced wizard..? "
Celestia simply nodded, " I'm certain Fluttershy. I've trained Twilight since she was a child. She has the potential to do just about anything she sets her heart to, however, I am concerned that this may give them a poor first impression of him. "
" ...Hopefully he'll go easy on them.. " Fluttershy held her hands to her chest, knowing full well where her new friends had been sent, and who they were sent to find.
Elsewhere, Amidst the Remains of the Crow's Murder Guildhall
The building that was once home to the dark guild called "Crow's Murder" had been ravaged. The entirety of the building was in ruins, with strange black marks covering several parts of the rubble. In the center of the wreckage sat a pile of unconscious dark mages, each one thrown on top of another with little care, and each one in worse shape than the next.
Sitting atop the pile was a man covered in a black cloak, with a smaller figure covered in the cloak sitting next to him. He lifted a lacrima crystal off of the ground and moved it towards his mouth before taking a bite out of it, " And here I thought this job would be fun…these guys were wimps. "
" They weren't wimps, you were just too strong, " said a small female voice from within his cloak.
He was about to take another bite of the lacrima when a scroll appeared out of thin air in front of him. " What do we have here? " A toothy grin formed on his face as he read from the letter, " Well, well, " he looked up from the letter with his deep purple eyes, " So she's sending some new recruits my way...this could be fun. I accept, Celestia. "
The town of Everfree, a small settlement set up on the very edge of the Everfree Forest, a massive forest shrouded by darkness and mystery. Very few people call the town their home due to the large population of monsters, bandits, and even dark guilds that reside within the massive stretch of forest. To those that do, however, often find themselves the victims of the forest's residents, but refuse to leave, as most have already made lives of their own here. One such dark guild that terrorizes the town is Crow's Murder, and after one too many attacks, the town of Everfree has put out a request for the guild to be dealt with.
The trio from Breezy Horn were just now departing from their rather long ride, or as Spike would put it, "Escaping the hell on wheels". To say the train ride was enjoyable would be an obvious lie; Spike had done nothing but act as if he were dying for the entirety of the trip, much to the annoyance of Twilight and Rex. While Spike's moans and groans of pain and discomfort assaulted the ears of his feline companion, Twilight had used the lengthy trip to read up on the town that was their destination, as well as the mysterious forest that it was named after. The first thing Twilight took notice of upon stepping off the locomotive was just how empty the station’s platform was. Besides those exiting the train, there wasn't a soul in sight, which just didn't sit right in the mage's stomach.
" How strange... " Twilight mumbled, as she dragged Spike's barely conscious body from the train.
Rex stepped out behind them and made his way next to Twilight, " This town is populated right? ‘Cause if it's anything like the train station, we might just be in the wrong place. "
Twilight slowly shook her head, " It's populated, the book said it was a part of a primary trading route in the region. "
" Primary trading route? " He flew his way towards a nearby window, seeing nothing but a series of wooden shacks and endless forest. " I'd be surprised if the people here got any business at all... "
Whilst the two were in mid conversation, Spike's eyes cracked open before eventually blinking rapidly. He quickly patted his hands across the floor beneath him, causing a smile to form on the young slayer’s face. " I'm alive!!! " he shouted, as he jumped into the air with joy.
A sigh came from Rex, " ...and here I thought we'd actually get to look around in peace. "
" Hey! " Spike yelled out in offense.
" Alright you two, we aren't here to argue, we're here to find the mage that Master Celestia wants to bring home, " Twilight explained in a stern voice.
The two simply backed away, putting enough distance between them and Twilight to avoid getting hit over the head. " Twilight's scary when she’s doing something for Celestia, " Spike slightly shuddered.
She made her way out of the station with her one and a half companions, her eyes immediately scanning for anything that could help in their search. " I'm starting to think you're right, Rex, this place does seem pretty empty, " she noted while taking in everything around her.
Spike joined in on observing the immediate surroundings, " This place is like a ghost town…I mean, I can smell people, but I can't see any of them... "
" How peculiar... " Twilight began walking towards the wooden buildings that were spread across the "town".
" Maybe we should go see if anyone's home, " Rex suggested.
" ...I just said I smelt people, of course they're home, " Spike said dryly.
" It was just a suggestion, you half-pint dragon slayer! " the winged feline exclaimed.
" Come on guys, I already said we aren't here to argue, " Twilight sighed. She began walking past the two and towards the closest house, " but Rex is right, we need to check and see if anyone's seen the mage we're looking for. "
" Fine, but it'd just be easier to sniff them out, " Spike said with a roll of the eyes.
" It would also take an unnecessarily long amount of time to search with just your nose, " Rex stated as he flew after Twilight.
Twilight came up to the house nearest to her, taking in its rustic and decrepit appearance, making it seem like no one had lived there in years. " U-um, hello? " Twilight hesitantly knocked, giving a slight pause between each knock.
" Welp, no one’s home! Let's go! " Spike nervously chimed, as he tried walking back to the station, only to be pulled back by his hood.
" H-hello?! " Twilight knocked again, slightly louder this time, but still no answer, to which she responded with a sigh.
" I guess hoodie-head is right, let's try another house, Twilight, " Rex suggested, which was met with a nod.
The trio tried several different houses, but no matter which building they tried, the results were the same, no response. There was only one last house left in the town, the largest and closest to the mouth of the forest. " This is pointless…Twilight, let's just use my nose already, or better yet, we could go home... " Spike groaned, but sounding optimistic on the last option he provided.
" Not until we confirm that no one is willing to help, " Twilight said without breaking her line of sight with the building.
Without warning, a lone figure draped in a ragged brown cloak appeared from the mouth of the forest. From what they could see, it was a woman slightly taller than Twilight, with semi-dark skin, wearing a rather tribal outfit, with a series of masks attached to the wrap around her waist. " Hey, Twilight, maybe that's who we're looking for… " Spike said in a not-so-quiet whisper, as the three formed a huddle.
" I was under the assumption we were looking for a guy, " Rex added, causing Spike to almost fall over.
A thought came to Twilight, " She might not be who we're looking for, but perhaps she could help us find who we're looking for. "
Unbeknownst to the huddled trio, the woman in question was now standing in front of them, her face mostly obscured by the ragged hood she wore. " AAAHH!!! " the three of them screamed, as they suddenly leapt backwards, losing their footing in the process, and falling straight to the ground.
A small smile came to the hooded woman's face, almost as if she were going to laugh, but kept it to herself. " I gave you no time to prepare, forgive me for the scare, " she said with a rhyme.
" I-it's quite alright… " Twilight smiled nervously, sweat dripping from her forehead, as she picked herself up off the ground. She dusted herself off before letting out a small sigh, " We were actually hoping you could help us find someone. He's a mage and a part of our guild...well, we've never met him personally, but our master sent us to find him...and we haven't exactly had any luck doing so because we- "
" We have no clue what the guy looks like, " Spike cut her off, but finished her sentence at the same time.
Twilight rolled her eyes at her brother's rudeness, " Yes, like my little, rude brother said...we don't exactly know what or who to look for…so we're hoping that maybe you do. "
A small chuckle came from the woman as she started walking past them, " This forest may be bleak, but here you will find the one you seek. " She walked a little further before stopping once more, "Where the light will fade, is where you shall find Midnight Shade. " She continued walking, and with a strong gust of wind carrying around a small cloud of leaves, she was gone, but not before the green-haired dragon slayer could catch sight of what looked like the Breezy Horn guild mark on her thigh.
" H-hey guys...I think she was a wizard from the guild, " Spike suddenly spoke up.
" You must've been seeing things, grass-head. Right, Twilight? " Rex crossed his arms and waited for a response, however, there wasn't one. Twilight was too busy trying to think over the woman's rather cryptic message, " ...‘Midnight Shade’...what does that mean? " She thought aloud.
" Uh...dumb suggestion, but maybe it's the guy’s name? Kind of a gloomy name, but maybe it suits him, " Spike said.
" It's not that gloomy of a name, " Rex said in response, " you just have poor taste in names. "
" Says the cat with a dog’s name, " Spike retorted.
" Might I remind you that you're the reason I have a dog’s name, " Rex responded bitterly.
They both suddenly received a smack to the back of the head, " Could you two not fight like a couple of kids?! " Twilight said, blind to the fact that they technically ARE a couple of kids.
" ..Sorry Twilight.. " Spike mumbled, as he started walking towards the last house with his sister.
Once they reached the door, Twilight proceeded to knock, " ...Come on, someone please answer... " she mumbled to herself.
Much to her surprise, she actually got a response after knocking twice. The front door creaked open, just enough for a single eye to be visible to the trio, causing both Spike and Rex to jump off the porch of the house. " What's that?! Who's there?! " came an elderly man's voice from the other side of the door.
" Excuse me, sir, " Twilight started.
" We don't want any! Now go! " the voice exclaimed.
" N-no, you don't understand…you see, we're mages from- " but she was cut off again.
" I told you for the last time, we don't want any trouble...should've known that no good wizard we hired couldn't get the job done. Went and sent him into those woods and they send you hoodlums back in retaliation... " the man's voice trailed off, almost as if he forgot they were standing there.
" Th-the forest? You sent him into the forest? " Twilight asked.
" What? Ya got corn in yer ears! I said git! " the old man suddenly slammed the door shut, leaving Twilight to think on what he said.
" Gee...he was just brimming with hospitality , " Spike said while picking himself up.
" Something wasn't right, he sounded scared almost, " Rex rubbed his chin with his paw, pondering the thought.
Twilight had something else on her mind besides the man’s behavior, " ...That woman said the forest is where we'd find what we seek...and that man said they sent a wizard in there. It's no coincidence, we got to head into the Everfree forest. "
Spike's eyes widened, " I-i-into the forest?! " He attempted to run away, only to have his hood grabbed again, " come on, Twilight, we don't have to go in there, we could just wait for him to come out! Please, Twilight?! Don't make me go in there! "
However, his pleas fell on deaf ears, as Twilight proceeded to drag him towards the opening of the forest with Rex following close behind. " We don't have time to be scared, Spike. Master Celestia is counting on us…or perhaps you'd rather I send you home…alone…on a train…by yourself. "
The color flushed from Spike's face, " You are an evil woman!!! " But knowing how determined Twilight was when it came to Celestia, Spike quickly gave up and began walking with his sister, " Fine, I'll follow...but this is a baaaaaad idea. "
" Everything is a bad idea in your mind, " Rex bluntly stated as he flew ahead.
" That's not true! " Spike shouted, " ...my ideas tend to be good ones… " as he now began to pout bitterly.
A Little Ways Into the Everfree Forest
The two wizards and their feline companion had made it a decent distance into the forest, and to say it was ominous would be putting it lightly. The further they trekked into the forest, the less sunlight that seemed to get through the trees’ canopy. Crows lined the branches of several trees that the trio passed, simply eyeing them as they traveled.
Spike clung tightly to the back of Twilight's leg as they made their way down the dark forest trail. Despite being a "fearsome" dragon slayer, Spike tends to be very cowardly in certain situations, much to the annoyance of his companions. " …C-...can we turn back, Twilight? I really don't like the looks of things around here... "
A loud sigh came from Twilight, " For the last time, Spike, no. We can't leave until we find the mage we're looking for...although, from what I can tell, we haven't really made any progress. "
" Well, from what I've seen so far, the deeper we go, the darker it gets, " Rex spoke up.
" Yeah, I've noticed that, too... " Twilight's curiosity grew as she began dwelling on the thought.
" M-maybe the sun's just going down...w-which means it's getting late! So...so we should all head back now! " Spike quickly turned one hundred and eighty degrees and attempted to walk in the opposite direction, only to be drug along by Twilight…again.
Twilight slowly shook her head, " First off, even if it was late, we wouldn't leave. Secondly, we only got here recently, and when we first arrived, the sun was still at its peak. "
" ...So? " Spike quietly responded as he walked along with her.
" So? " Twilight repeated, " So that means it couldn't possibly be late out yet, Spike. "
" But...but...but… " Spike stammered, trying his hardest to come up with another excuse.
" ‘But’ nothing. For the last time, Spike, Cele-...I mean, Master Celestia, has entrusted us with finding this wizard, and we are not going to let her down, " Twilight stated in a determined voice.
Spike sighed in defeat as he walked behind his sister, " Yes ma'am... "
The three continued down the marked path, until finally there was no path. There was just a light trail made from worn out ground due to constantly being walked on. Despite still being midday, the sky was as dark as if it were night time, with no explanation as to how.
" I-I...I reeeaaally think we should turn back, Twilight... " Spike said, constantly looking back and forth out of fear.
For the first time during the trip, Rex was ready to agree with Spike, " For once, I think he's right...something doesn't seem right with these woods. "
" B-but we can't go back! We were given a job, " Twilight protested, a bit concerned now that it was two against one.
Right as Rex was about to give a response, the sound of a nearby groan of pain reached his ears. " Did you two hear that? "
They both nodded, " It's coming from over there! " Spike pointed out, before running in the given direction.
Sweat ran down Twilight's forehead, " He wants nothing to do with this place, but the moment he feels the need to play hero, he's suddenly perfectly fine... "
" Don't question it, at least he's going without us forcing him to, " Rex replied as he flew after Spike.
The trio came across a beaten and battered man, he was in terrible shape and he looked terrified. " H-hey, are you alright?! " Twilight quickly asked.
Suddenly the man shot up in their faces, " A monster! "
" WAAAH!!! " his sudden outburst caused the three of them to tumble backwards.
" That guy’s a monster! " he then collapsed, " ...h-...he tore our guildhall apart...made easy work out of all of us...those eyes...those cold, purple eyes! Like yours!!! "
They sat there in confusion as they watched the man get back up and run off into the woods. " Well...that just happened, " Twilight said in a slightly startled tone.
" ...That it did... " Rex said, equally startled.
" Well, I'm going home, " Spike said in an eerily calm tone of voice and a broken smile.
Twilight turned towards the dragon slayer who was now walking in the opposite direction, " Spiiiiiike… "
It was then that he suddenly fell over, before taking a begging stance, " ...Please don't make me Twilight! He said there was a monster and I don't do well with monsters!!! "
" ...You've never even seen one before, " Rex deadpanned.
" That doesn't mean I don't know what I'm getting myself into! " Spike cried out.
But as the two fought amongst themselves, Twilight proceeded down the nearby trail, one that she assumed the man had crawled from. " H-hey, Twilight, wait for us!! " they both called out as they ran after her.
They traveled down the trail until they finally reached its end, but upon reaching said end, Twilight's eyes grew wide. Before them laid the remains of a massive building. It had been completely torn apart, with little more than a few support beams and the foundation left remaining. It looked like a tornado had hit the building, but it hadn't dawned on Twilight just what the building used to be, not until she found a piece of wood with the words "Crow's Murder" crudely painted on…this was a guildhall.
" Tw-Twilight...I think we found where that guy came from... " Spike shakily said.
Despite this knowledge, Twilight continued onward anyway. She took in everything around her, the rubble, black marks similar to singe marks, just without the fire, left on what would have once been considered a wall, even the presence of another person. "...Spike...there's someone here with us...Spike? " She hadn't gotten a response from her brother, and this bothered her, because even if he was frightened, he would've at least given a small response. " Spike what's wr- " she stopped as she saw her brother looking at something, eyes wide open.
" Twilight...I think I found that ‘someone’ you were talking about, " he said as he pointed to a cloaked figure. He was sitting atop a pile of unconscious men, facing away from them.
The cloaked man sat atop the piled up wizards, bobbing his head slightly as he lightly hummed, almost like he didn't notice the several unconscious bodies beneath him. " I think we should hit the road as soon as I finish this snack, " he said while picking a lacrima orb off the ground and towards his mouth.
" All you ever do is think with your tummy, " came a small voice form under his cloak.
Without thinking, Twilight suddenly called out to the man, " Hey, you! "
" Hmm? " he barely turned his head, just enough to glance at her with one of his deep purple eyes.
" Tw-Twilight…his eyes...this is the guy that crazy dude was talking about... " Spike could smell something was off about the man.
A smirk could be seen on the part of the man's face that was visible as he looked at them, taking notice of Twilight's guild mark as he did. " Took em' long enough, " He thought to himself, before standing up atop mound of unconscious bodies and turning to face the mages before him. " You two kept me waiting, that's not very nice, " his voice was slightly deep, and he spoke with a calm and collected tone of voice.
However, while the cloaked man seemed willing enough to talk to them, Twilight and Spike were ready to fight more than anything. " You hurt all these people! " Twilight yelled out, " And what for?! "
" Listen. You got it all wrong, I was just- " but he was cut off by the female mage.
" You were just what!? Attacking wizards and destroying their guild! " Twilight was angry at this point, it didn't matter who the people were, they didn't deserve to just be beaten and tossed into a pile like garbage.
" Yeah! It doesn't matter how scary you look, my sister's teacher always taught us to help those in need, and those guys obviously need help! " Spike added.
" Guess I'm not gonna get them to listen. Looks like that test is gonna start a tad bit early...damn… " the cloaked person gave a small scowl at this realization. " Fine, if you wanna fight, then who am I to stop you, but I'm gonna have to teach you two a thing about respect, " He grabbed the hood of his cloak, as well as the cloak itself, and tore them both off his body, tossing them into the air and revealing his appearance underneath.
The young man standing before them had more than one feature that made him stand out. Most noticeable was his hair, long and colored ash-grey, with light spikes in the front, two long bangs on both sides, and was long in the back, but the most unique thing about his hair were the two horn-shaped tufts of hair on top which slanted backwards, giving people the initial impression that he had horns atop his head. The second most noticeable thing was his left arm, which was entirely wrapped up in bandages, all the way up to his shoulder. He was dressed in a dark grey sleeveless shirt with black pants, as well as a cloth strap wrapped around his right wrist, and three straps wrapped around his waist. Around his neck was a sun-shaped pendant with the letter "S" affectionately engraved into it, and lastly were his purple eyes, deep and dark in color.
The hood he tossed into the air seemed to fly on its own, as if there were something inside of it making it fly, which their just might have been. " You're always starting trouble! " a smaller voice called out from under the floating cloak.
" Yeah, yeah, scold me about it some other time. Right now, I got a couple of wizards to ‘teach’, " he said with a toothy grin while cracking his knuckles.
Spike audibly gulped at the actions of the wizard before him. At first, it looked like he was reluctant to having to fight, but now he looked eager more than anything. " S-...something's not right Twilight...it's almost like he wants us to fight… " Spike tightened his hands into fists. He honestly didn't want to fight, mainly because he didn't really have much experience, but if he had to, then he was going to.
Twilight nodded, " You're right, Spike, be careful…" The younger mage responded with a nod.
The mage before them began walking their way, " Are we gonna fight or are we gonna sit here and flap our gums? " His toothy grin remained, " I'll even give you the honors of the first shot. "
Nervous sweat ran down Twilight's forehead as she readied herself. " ...I've never been in a real fight before, just spars with Spike and occasionally Celestia...I wouldn't even count those wannabe bandits, but now I have to fight someone who can take out an entire guildhall?! What have I gotten myself into? " Twilight started walking towards him as well, " Well...if anything, there's no time to practice my hand-to-hand combat like the present… "
" That's the spirit, " the opposing mage said, his grin turning into an excited smile.
Two golden orbs of magic enveloped Twilight's hands as she took a stance, " Here goes, " she charged towards the mage with determination in her eyes, " Starlight strike! " she closed in on the man and swung her magic-filled fist at him as hard as she could.
" A star mage? This changes everything, " he hopped backwards, before proceeding to side step out of the way of her oncoming barrage of punches.
" H-hey! Hold still! " Twilight cried out in annoyance.
His smile faded away as he watched her attack, " You've got a lot of power behind your swings, but you lack the training to properly use them…you're probably better suited for longer ranges. "
" Don't criticize me! Only my mentor can do that! " Twilight was quickly getting irritated with his commentary.
His eyes narrowed, " Then maybe I'll show you what a real punch is like, " he held his fist up which suddenly became enveloped in a pitch black cloud-like magic that flickered like flames, with purple streaks swirling through the darkness.
" Twilight! Look out! " Spike came rushing towards her, his fist covered in a green, glittering aura, " Emerald Dragon's Shining Fist! "
The other wizard's eyes slightly widened as he heard the boy call out his attack, " A dragon slayer?! " He quickly diverted his attention from Twilight, shifting it towards Spike. He opened his magic-covered fist and quickly caught the boy's oncoming attack. " You two are just full of surprises...a star mage and a dragon slayer... " his excited smile quickly returned.
" Now, Twilight! " Spike called out, but as he did so, he was lifted into the air by the hand that had grasped his fist.
" Now I really want to see what you to got! " he spun the boy to his right before chucking him towards the airborne feline, who up until now had tried staying as far away from the fight as possible.
Twilight used this moment to strike, " Starlight Impact!!! " a much larger orb of magic energy covered her right hand as she swung it, connecting with her opponent’s face, causing him to slide back from the force of the hit. " I got him! " Twilight cheered as she hopped back towards Spike, who at the moment was picking himself up, along with Rex.
Spike shook his head back and forth once he was on his feet again, " S-something’s not right, Twilight...besides tossing me, he isn't fighting back. "
He received a nod from Twilight, non-verbally telling him that she noticed as well. " Then we won't give him that chance! Constellation Summon: Bow of the Hunter, Orion! "Twilight called out, forming a golden glowing bow from a magic circle as she had done before.
The mage rubbed his face where Twilight had landed the blow, his eyes glued on Twilight as she readied the celestial bow. " ...Come on then… " he muttered, as he remained still.
Three magic circles of different sizes formed in front of the bow as she pulled back the shining bow string, " Shooting Star: Tri-Shot!!! ” three shimmering golden arrows shot from the blow, flying towards her foe at blinding speed.
Despite the powerful attack coming his way, he remained still. One of the three arrows grazed his face, cutting his cheek open, yet he remained in place, not even the walls of residual magic that trailed the arrows seemed to faze him. Twilight stared at him, a confident grin on her face, even a minor wound was still damage. " I'm impressed, " he wiped the bleeding cut away with his thumb before narrowing his eyes further at her.
Twilight mentally cursed herself despite feeling her confidence rising, " Damn...I mean darn...my aim still needs work...on another note, what's with this guy?! It's like he wants us to attack him! " She stepped towards him, " Hey! " she called out, her confidence booming due to her previous attack, " why aren't you fighting back?! "
" Hey, don't complain! I'm pretty sure this would be three times as tough if he were putting up a fight! " Spike jumped back several feet and took in air, " Emerald Dragon's Roar! " he opened his mouth, letting out a fearsome, sparkling, emerald green tornado of magic from his maw.
The other wizard's magic began building up in his hand and forearm, causing the same black and purple aura to engulf the entirety of his lower arm. He grunted loudly as he swung his magic-enveloped arm toward the oncoming attack, meeting it in the middle, and with a minimal effort, backhanding the roar away from him. " Nice try, " he said plainly.
Both Twilight and Spike stood there with their eyes wide and their mouths agape, " ...H-he...he swatted my roar away…like it was nothing! " Spike said. He was both amazed and petrified at the same time.
" Is that even possible?! " Twilight thought aloud as she looked the mage over. He had hardly moved since they began their "fight", almost like he wanted them to attack him more. " Spike...have you noticed something peculiar about this fight so far? " she mumbled to him.
The sound of his sister's voice broke the young slayer from his stupor, " Oh...uh, yeah, " he began mumbling back to her, " now that you mention it, he still hasn't attacked once unless it was in retaliation...almost like... "
" Almost like he's sizing us up...doing nothing on purpose... " she finished. Twilight stepped forward once more, doing her best to glare the young man down, " …Hey, it's only fair that you fight back! " she said with a raised voice, " you've seen our magic...so now it's your turn to show us yours. "
" So you’re really sure want to see my magic? " he responded with a slightly raised eyebrow while eyeing them closely. He was met with only silence and glaring stares. He cracked his neck, " Fine then, but I gotta warn you, you'll wanna stay back. " He took to the air before tilting his head backwards. A flickering light of the same black magic could be seen coming from his partially opened mouth.
Spike's eyes widened, " Tw-Tw-Twilight! We gotta move! " he cried out as he scurried away from the grey-haired mage.
She saw the fear in her brother’s eyes and quickly followed him, but her eyes never left the wizard, " Spike, what's wrong?! "
" That!!! " Spike pointed in a panic.
The grey-haired mage opened his mouth, " ABYSSAL…DRAGON'S… "
" ...No way… " Twilight's eyes widened in pure disbelief.
" …ROAR!!! " he lunged his head forward and expelled from his mouth a large black and purple stream of magic that tore apart the ground beneath as it rapidly traveled towards its targets.
Twilight stood there, completely frozen, as the stream of destructive magic came barreling towards her, the amount of magic in the attack frightening her beyond words. " TWILIGHT!!! " Spike quickly tackled his adoptive sister out of the way. The two watched in awe and terror as the roar flew past them, heading towards the woods behind them. Their eyes grew wider as they witnessed the attack tear through the trees before finally hitting something unseen, causing an explosion that was still very much visible to them.
" So much magic in one attack..." Twilight couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She almost instantly recognized the attack, this man before her was a dragon slayer. They had been sent to fetch a dragon slayer, " ...C-could he...could he be the wizard we're here for??? "
" Oops, " the newfound dragon slayer said genuinely before rubbing the back of his head, " Guess I put a bit much into that. "
" ...A...a bit much?!? " Spike exclaimed in disbelief, " Try way too much!!! "
The grey-haired wizard continued to rub the back of his head in a nonchalant type of manner. " You're a dragon slayer, too. Your definition of a bit much should be the same as mine, " he said bluntly, " now, give me your best roar. "
Spike felt a spark go off in him. This man, this dragon slayer, was challenging him." I might just be a kid...but...but I'm not weak! " He went to suck in air when suddenly twilight stuck her hand out in front of him, " H-hey! Twilight…what are you doing?! "
Twilight remained silent for a brief moment before speaking her reason for stopping him. " ...Spike...we were sent to find a dragon slayer for Celestia...right? " He nodded. " And that strange woman said what we were seeking was here...right? " Again he nodded " Spike...I think this might be the wizard we were sent to find. "
" Wh-what?! But Twilight...look at what this guy's done...there's no way he could be a part of the guild! " Spike replied.
" You've obviously never seen a dark guild before, " the man replied dryly.
" A dark guild?!? " They asked in unison.
" Yeah, " he made his way towards them, " Crow's Murder, a dark guild that's been bugging a nearby town, I was sent here to take care of them, " he replied, his previous excitement having left him.
" S-so that means...you really are from Breezy Horn? " Twilight said with a tinge of hopefulness in her voice.
He closed his eyes and his toothy grin returned, " You catch on fast, meaning you gotta be Celestia's pet student. "
Twilight blushed slightly from embarrassment due to how he referred to her, " Yes...my name is Twilight Sparkle...and this is my brother, Spike. "
A wide-eyed stare stayed on Spike's face as he looked at the mage before him, " ...Another dragon slayer... "
The older slayer cracked his neck and knuckles, " My name's Midnight Shade, just call me Shade though, the Abyssal dragon slayer, " he said with a yet another grin.
Dragon slayers…wizards who are known the world over for their lost magic which shares the same name. The lost magic originates from the dragons themselves; mighty creatures, nearly invincible to all but other dragons…that was until dragon slayers came into being. Unlike the continent of Ishgar, where they are all but extinct, dragons still call Equestria their home. Despite this, only a few dragon slayers are ever born every few generations. Even with such few numbers, dragon slayers are still feared and revered throughout the land for their powerful magic and destructive prowess, both being prime examples of just how close they are to being actual dragons.
Twilight stood there, eyes wide, as she stared at the grey-haired wizard standing before herself and her brother. Not only had he just told them he was a dragon slayer, but he has also said his type of magic was abyssal, a highly destructive form of raw, dark magic that few have been able to master. " M-Midnight...Sh-Shade?? " she hesitantly repeated.
This young man is Midnight Shade, one of the four S-class wizards that calls Breezy Horn their home, however, he's better known for his nickname: The Black Dragon of Breezy Horn, a nickname he earned over the years from his incredibly talented use of his unique form of magic. He may look and act cold and intimidating on the outside, but deep down, he has a heart of gold. In contrast, he tends to get overexcited at the thought of fighting. He has a rather unique relationship with his fellow S-class wizard, Sunset Shimmer. While they may act like they dislike one another, the truth is they are closer than anyone could ever imagine.
Suddenly and without warning, Twilight found a hand shrouded in a black aura aimed at her, "I hate it when others call me by my first name…please just call me Shade, " the purple-eyed slayer said in a cold and slightly threatening tone.
" J-just Shade...got it.. " Twilight stammered, stumbling back a bit.
After remaining on the sidelines for so long, Rex finally got fed up and flew towards Shade, " Well, if you really are a dragon slayer, then where's your cat?! "
He simply pointed up, " I believe you've already met, " the three looked up at the still floating cloak in shock; how had they not noticed it hadn't fallen? " That's enough fooling around, get your furry butt down here, " he called out.
" You're no fun! " a small voice whined from under the cloak. It suddenly fell to the ground, revealing what was truly underneath it, surprising the three newest Breezy Horn members, especially Rex. What had been in the air the whole time was a winged cat just like Rex, however, it was easy to tell this one was a girl. She was pink with a blue bow on her head and a little white skirt wrapped around her waist, " Yessir, you are certainly a killjoy. "
This lovable, pink feline is Joy, a winged cat just like Rex, and lifetime partner to Midnight Shade. She has an incredibly caring personality, but at the same time, is incredibly childish. She cares dearly for Shade and sees him as a sort of father-figure, however this doesn't stop her from getting on his nerves, whether it be intentional or accidental. She wears her bow affectionately as it was given to her the day she was named by Shade and Sunset.
Rex darted towards the female feline with hearts in his eyes, " Well, hello there miss, my name's Rex and it's a pleasure to meet you. "
She merely glanced at him before floating towards Shade, " Sorry, I'm not into younger guys. "
The male cat fell from the air with a depressed aura around him, " ...What does she mean younger guys…I'm not young…I think… "
" Joy, there's time for play, and then there's time for work... " he scolded her, his attitude and tone changing drastically, from calm and cool to highly annoyed, " and if you play while I work, we don't get paid! "
The female's eyes widened, " But...but no money means I don't get any more fish!"
" Exactly my point, " he said in a matter-of-factly tone.
" Ahem, " Twilight cleared her throat, catching their attention, " If, uh…I'm not interrupting anything...I never got a chance to tell you why we were looking for you. "
" You're here to take me back to the guild, " he said before she even got a chance, and before she could open her mouth to ask how he knew, he simply held up a letter, " Master sent this to me a little before you got here. "
" So you'll come back with us now!? " She said in an almost excited and hopeful tone.
" Nope, " he simply said, shattering Twilight's hope-filled attitude.
" Bu-...bu-but...but if you know why we're here…and who sent us...why won't you come back with us?!? " Twilight cried out.
Spike had remained mostly silent up until this point. To be honest, his poor little mind was having trouble comprehending everything going on before him. He had never met another actual dragon slayer before. It was kind of like seeing an actual dragon in terms of rarity to him. " So that's what was off about him...his magic is so...dark though… " he took notice of his sister’s wide-eyed expression, although he hadn't necessarily been listening, he could still tell something was going on. " Uuuh, Twilight? Something the matter? " he asked.
She then looked at him with a slightly surprised look, " Spike! Haven't you been paying attention? He said he won't come back with us! "
" H-he won't come back?! " Spike looked at Shade in surprise, " But Master Celestia said to bring you back! "
Shade cocked his head and looked at them, " Doesn't anyone ever let me finish talking before they go running their mouths? " this caught their attention, " I was going to say, I'm not going back until I've tested you. "
This time, both their eyes widened, " T-...test?! " Twilight said in shock. There had been no mention of a test from Celestia, so why was he bringing up such a thing now? " What do you mean by test? "
He started chuckling, almost as if he found amusement in her nervousness, " Keheheh, what do I mean by test? It should be self-explanatory, " He crossed his arms and looked her dead in the eyes, purple met purple, but something about how sharp his gaze was unsettled Twilight. " I'll put it simply, " he said with a slight grin, " all you gotta do...is fight!! " he suddenly rushed the two, bringing his fist down on the ground near them, sending them rolling back from the sudden force of the attack.
" F-fight?!?! " They both cried out in unison.
"Yeah, fight, " he simply stated, as he engulfed his hand with his magic.
Twilight waved her hands in front of her frantically, " That hardly seems like a test! We both know that we're guild mates, so we don't have to fight anymore, " she nervously grinned.
" Besides, we really don't want to get thrashed… " Spike mumbled.
The older dragon slayer cracked his neck, " I'll be honest with you, this is kind of an initiation. BUT, " he paused, " it's hardly ever a fight…most of the time, it's some kind of loyalty test, where Celestia makes sure you're willing to do anything for your fellow guild mates, or some junk like that, " he said with a hint of sarcasm.
Twilight tightened her fist as he referred to Celestia's "test" as junk, especially with his tone of voice, " If my teacher came up with these loyalty tests, then they are NOT junk! "
He merely grinned, " Don't get your panties in a twist, if you're even wearing any. "
Twilight blushed profusely, " D-don't say things like that! "
" Anyway, " he continued, as if nothing of the manner had been said, " fighting isn't Celestia's idea of a test, but I'm in charge this time around since old cotton candy head is pretty certain you're already loyal enough. "
A dark purple aura began radiating around Shade as his expression turned into a sharp glare, " Alright, that's enough chitchat, I've told you about the test, now get ready, " his voice was darker than it had previously been.
Spike audibly gulped, stepping backwards in terror at the magic he could feel coming off of the older slayer, " It's k-k-kinda hard to get ready...e-especially when you're close to wetting yourself... "
" Tone it down Shade! "Joy chided her partner, " You're supposed to test them, not give them heart attacks! " They let out sighs of relief, perhaps his feline partner could talk him out of this, " You can save that for later. "
Their eyes widened and their mouths hung agape, " How can something so innocent looking be so cruel!?! " they thought simultaneously.
" No, if they have as much potential as Master says they do, then I wanna see it! " his fists tightened further.
A deep exhale came from Twilight as she had her own tightened fists, " ...Alright, we'll fight you…but in return, you ARE going to return to the guild with us! "
" Tw-Twilight, are you sure that's a good idea?! " Spike asked in a nervous panic.
She gave a stern nod in response, " If it's the only way, then we have to. Remember what Celestia taught us when we were younger... "
A memory flashed in the minds of the siblings, a memory of one of their first joint teaching sessions under Celestia's tutelage.
A young Twilight sat in middle of what appeared to be a library, focusing hard on three books placed in front of her by her mentor, her younger brother to her side, with an expression of confusion on his face. " ..Uuuh, teacher? " Spike said in his innocent, little voice, " Why exactly is Twilight looking at the books like she's gotta use the bathroom really badly? "
Celestia covered her mouth, muffling her initial laughter, " It's simple, Spike…or it would be if you were awake when I explained it, " Spike blushed from embarrassment, " I want Twilight to pick one of these three books. One of the three will aid Twilight in learning how to use the illusive art of star magic, however, " She stopped with a smile, " Two of these books are in ancient languages, while the third is a forbidden book, one that the Equestrian magic council has banned from ever being opened. "
Twilight raised her hand to speak, " Well, it's obvious that I'm going to pick from the first two. If the third is forbidden, then it must never be opened, " she stated.
A small chuckle came from Celestia, " Perhaps, but you never let me finish. Only one of the older books possesses the knowledge you're seeking, while the others do not. So let's say you take the time to learn these ancient languages, as unlikely as that would be, and you pick the fake, then you'll have wasted your time on a gamble. "
" B-but, that only leaves me with the book that's been forbidden from being opened! " Twilight exclaimed.
Celestia nodded, " Exactly, my dear Twilight, but think about this, " she held up her index finger and pointed at the book in question, " despite being considered ‘forbidden’, this book is also one of the few capable of teaching you how to utilize star magic, without the hassle of having to further stress yourself with the consequences of another option, one such consequence being failure. "
"...But they’ve forbade it from being opened...I don't like breaking the rules... " Twilight softly said.
Another nod came from Celestia, " Exactly, Twilight, " she said as she picked the book up and gave it to her pupil, " sometimes the only choices we have may be ones we dislike, but when this is the case, the only thing we can do is be strong and move forward without looking back. When those moments arise...that is all we can do. "
" ...That is all we can do… " the young dragon slayer mumbled.
Shade's magic enveloped both of his hands as he continued to tighten his fists. In all honesty, the dragon slayer had other things on his mind, but to get to them, he had to handle his current situation. Yes, he could simply just go home with them, but Shade never was one for doing things the easy way. " If you're going to fight me, then let's get on with it, but be warned, I'm not gonna go easy on ya! "
Their eyes widened as he suddenly closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds, managing to be in their faces in the blink of an eye. " Waaah!!! " Spike grabbed Twilight and leapt backward, evading the oncoming and sudden punch, " A-and I thought Twilight was fast! "
Twilight gazed at the abyssal dragon slayer for a moment, " He IS fast…and strong, but… " she paused, watching him slowly make his way towards them, " ...if we both attack at once, then there's no way he could handle both of us, " she said in a whisper.
Spike nodded and gave a firm thumbs up, " That's why you're the brains. "
" Enough talking already! " he rushed them again and brought his magic-enveloped fist down to the ground in front of them, hitting it hard enough to make a small crater, the shockwave from it sending them sliding backwards.
The siblings looked at each other and nodded, " That was close, but he's right. Enough talk…Spike, let's fight! "
" Way ahead of ya! " he balled his hands into fists and enveloped them in his own magic.
" Finally, I was beginning to think this would be boring! " Shade’s toothy grin finally returned to his face.
A small chuckle came from the pink feline floating overhead, " Shade love's fighting, he gets so excited about it that he tends to get carried away. "
" ...Carried away.. " Rex gulped.
A large orb of golden magic formed around Twilight's hand as she ran towards Shade, with Spike close behind, " Starlight Impact! " She reeled her fist back and lunged towards him.
Right as Twilight threw her punch, Spike rushed forward, " Emerald Dragon's Shining Fist! " and threw his own punch in tandem with Twilight's.
Shade's grin grew, " Attacking at the same time, that's a good idea, but you better have a lot of power behind those hits! " He reeled his own fist back, " Abyssal Dragon's Iron Hammer Fist! " The abyssal magic surrounding his fist flared up, spreading up his forearm as he pushed it forward, colliding with Twilight.
The force of the two attacks were enough to cause the two mages to go sliding away from one another, with Twilight sliding further than Shade, " H-how?! " She looked up and her eyes widened. He had managed to catch Spike's attack and match her own at the same time, " …If we want to bring him back...then I'm going to have to use everything Celestia taught me! "
" Hey, I got two hands ya know! " Spike reeled back his remaining fist, " Emerald Dragon's Shining-GAGH!"
Shade, however, was saying a spell as well, finishing before Spike could, " Abyssal Dragon's Assault Talon! " Abyssal magic covered his lower leg, which he quickly lifted upwards, slamming his foot into the younger slayer's jaw and sending him flying.
" Spike! " Twilight watched as her brother crashed into the rubble of the dark guild’s hall. She clenched her eyes shut with newfound anger, she was very protective of Spike and had never let anyone pick on her little brother growing up, nor had she ever let anyone harm him. " You're going to regret doing that!!! " she angrily cried out, " Raining Star Shower!! " She held her hand high into the air and created a magic circle, which released several star shots high into the air.
Shade's eyes slightly widened at the sudden show of magic, " ...Amazing… " He quickly held his arms out in front of him, doing his best to block against the barrage of magic bolts that were now raining down on him, kicking up dust with each hit.
After firing what had to be more than a hundred magic blasts, Twilight's arm dropped and she began panting, " There...I've never really...gotten a chance to practice...that spell before...who knew it could be so draining? "
As the dust and smoke settled, Shade slowly came into view again, his arms still stretched out. To Twilight's shock, the only real signs that damage had been done to him were the scratches and smoke rising off his arms. " Now I'm impressed...and a little ticked off, " without warning, he suddenly sped towards Twilight, landing a punch on her face and knocking her to the ground.
" Emerald Dragon's Glimmering Claw! " Shade heard from his right, causing the dragon slayer to quickly turn towards the voice. Spike was right in his face with his hand opened and his magic taking the shape of a claw, " Try catching this! " He swung the attack, striking Shade's facing and causing him to stumble backwards.
A small chuckle came from Shade as he held the side of his face that was slashed, and began speaking between pain-filled grunts " ...I like you two, just a little more and you'll pass…if you're conscious, that is. "
Twilight pulled herself up off the ground, panting harder than she had been, " I don't get it, it's obvious we're hurting him, he even sounds in pain...but he just keeps going… "
Shade cocked an eyebrow as he looked at the star mage, " I figured it'd be kind of obvious by now. "
" What…would be...obvious? " Twilight asked between pants.
" I'm not an S-class mage for nothing, you know, " he started explaining, " I've been a part of this guild for a little over ten years now. I've also been on more quests than most regular wizards see in their lifetime and been in plenty of fights as well. " He paused to take a breath, possibly a sign of exhaustion, " But you two, " he pointed, " this is your first real fight. Yeah, you've been taught by Celestia since you were a kid, but that knowledge means nothing without the experience to use it. "
Twilight lowered her head. She hated to admit it, but he was right. While she excelled in academics and learning about magic, she had little to no experience with fighting, save for sparring lessons with her teacher. " It was then that Spike went running past her and towards Shade; there was fierce determination in his eyes, " Don't listen, Twilight! Just because we don't have the experience doesn't mean we can't put up a fight! "
Spike began wildly throwing punches at Shade, who stopped each punch with the palms of his hands, but the speed of the punches was enough to surprise even him. " You've got resolve, I can respect that! " The magic covering his arm began taking a shape along the side of his arm and past his elbow, almost like that of a blade, " but it'll take more than resolve to pass my test! Abyssal Dragon's Rave Edge! " he did a full spin, swinging his arm at Spike in a backhanded motion with enough force to send the younger slayer flying into the air on contact, " I'm outta your league, kid! "
" Aaagh! " Spike cried out as he flew through the air, his fight ending as quick as it started. However, something managed to stop his flight through the air. As Spike's eyes pried open, he glanced and saw what it was, " Twilight! "
She had quickly leapt towards her brother, catching him in midair, " That was a close one... " She looked down at Shade, who was just eyeing them. " Spike, I'll be truthful…we don't stand a chance of winning, not unless we play smart. "
" Oh, and we've just been playing dumb this whole time... " Spike retorted sarcastically, " …what did you have in mind? "
Twilight managed to soundly land with spike in her arms, as she began to whisper to him, " I'm going to throw you, and when I do, I want you to let out one of the strongest attacks you can muster...I'll attack, too...then, when he goes to evade, I'll unleash my strongest spell…got it? "
" ...Can we not throw me? I've been tossed around enough today, " he pleaded, but unfortunately, those pleas fell on deaf ears.
" Ready? Let's go! " Twilight gave her strongest leap, gaining considerable height into the air.
" Go ahead and hit me with everything you got, " Shade mumbled.
" Here goes nothing! " Twilight gave her best throw, hurling Spike right towards Shade just before she dropped.
Spike sped towards Shade with his arm readied to strike, " This time, I've got you! Emerald Dragon's Dawn Crash! " the green magic on his hand built up in size as he launched a full-power punch at Shade, with added power from being rocketed towards him.
Abyssal magic flared up Shade's arm, expanding past his shoulder, as the limb filled with strength, " Abyssal Dragon's Iron Hammer Fist! " The two slayer's fists clashed, letting the two magics collide against one another. However, even with all the added power, Spike couldn't push Shade back, " That was a nice attempt, Spike, but you'll need more than- " his eyes quickly darted towards something coming into his peripheral vision.
It was Twilight! She used Spike's attack as a distraction to close in on Shade, " My turn! " Her body began to glow blue as she gathered magic in her, " Constellation Impact: Ursa Major! " The form of an ethereal bear shaped around Twilight as she sent her palm right towards Shade's face, hitting him and knocking him a great distance away.
A sigh of relief left Spike's mouth as he looked up at his sister, " Twilight, that was awesome! "
But Twilight couldn't say the same. She tightly held the hand she used to hit Shade, " ...It might've looked awesome, but my hand begs to differ. " She quickly raised her other hand and extended her index and pinkie finger, " No time to waste, Spike; we have to strike while he's down… " With all her effort, she poured as much magic as she could into the extended hand, " My strongest spell so far! Celestial Constellation Summon: Bow of the Archer, Sagittarius! " A much larger golden bow formed in front of her, this one having a horse head at the tip. A massive magic circle appeared in front of the bow and a large, glimmering, golden arrow formed in Twilight's free hand, " Celestial Star Shot!!! " She pulled back on the bow’s string and fired the arrow, " Spike! Now!! "
On his sister's command, Spike lunged into the air and took aim, " Here goes! Emerald Dragon's Roar!!! " He let loose a roar at least twice the size of his first one. The green typhoon of magic sped side-by-side with Twilight's attack, and as they did, the two attacks began intertwining until they were one.
Shade lifted himself up onto one knee while rubbing his jaw, " She's got a mean right arm… " he looked up to see massive a ethereal arrow flying towards him at blinding speeds, " …shit… " was all he could say before the attack struck, followed by an immense explosion.
The sibling wizards shielded their eyes from the blast as it lit up the area around them. Twilight collapsed to her knees. She had more than enough magic left in her, but for reasons unknown to her, she had lost the strength to stand. " ...I…I think we got him, Spike... "
"Please don't jinx it, Twilight, " he groaned as he fell backwards. Unlike Twilight, Spike's magic was still developing due to his young age, and so he is quick to exhaust his reserves. He lifted his head and looked towards the rising smoke left behind from the explosion, " If he's not out cold, he's probably really mad... "
" We'll just have to wait and see, " that's all they could do, and if he was still willing to fight, then their efforts were in vain. Twilight could keep fighting, but without Spike, she could only go so long and only accomplish so much, " Please...just let this be it. "
As if by chance, a gust of wind kicked up, blowing away the smoke that had been shrouding the results of their combined attack. There, in a blackened crater, laid Shade, covered in dirt and scrapes, with a small trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth, his eyes closed. Smiles came to the faces of the brother-sister duo, as they gazed upon his seemingly unconscious figure. They went to let out a celebratory cry of joy, but in a matter of moments, joy was replaced with fear and shock, " ...Oh, come on...there's no way... "
A small groan escaped Shade's lips as he sat himself up in the crater. He let out a small huff, before standing up and dusting himself off, " ...That really hurt, you know… "
Spike stared with a mixture of fear, shock, and admiration, as he watched the older dragon slayer's nonchalant actions, " ...Could I be this strong??? "
Without another word, Shade put his hands in his pockets and walked out of the crater, making his way towards the other mages. Twilight forced herself to stand and quickly took a defensive stance, making sure Shade couldn't directly go for Spike if he attacked, but she was in for a surprise. He pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and used to wipe the trickle of blood away from his mouth, " ...I've got one thing to say to you. "
" ...What? " Whatever it is he had to say, she wanted him to just spit it out.
A smirk that showed off one of his sharpened canines came to his face, " You passed. "
Both siblings were completely at a loss for words, " Excuse me??? " They spoke in unison, a testament to just how confused they were.
" I said… " he started, " You. Passed. "
" But…but…but…but…but...we…we… " Twilight fumbled over her words, her confusion becoming unbearable. How could they have passed? She was under the impression that to pass, they would have to have beaten him. " What do you mean we pass?!?! " she shouted, her confusion getting the better of her.
Shade flinched from her suddenly raised voice, " OK...Ow, you know dragon slayers have sensitive ears, right? "
" …He's right, " Spike groaned, his own ears being damaged from Twilight's vocal assault.
" That's not important! What's important is how the heck did we pass if we didn't beat you?! " She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.
He raised his brow, " You honestly thought beating me was the way to pass? If that were the case, you would've failed from the start. The real test was to impress me, and you both did a great job of that. "
" Wh-what do you mean…we get that you're strong and all, but I think we did good enough to have beaten you! " She should have been glad they had passed. It meant she could bring him back to the guild and fulfill the request Celestia had given her, but the desire to know why he really passed her had welled up in her rapidly.
He didn't immediately respond. If anything, it looked as if her words pushed him deep into thought. " There's something Master Celestia taught me back when I first joined the guild...you see, there was this girl in the guild, and no matter how strong I got, I couldn't beat her. That was until Celestia told me this... "
Ten years ago, in the town of Ponyville, a ten year-old Shade stood under a tree, relentlessly punching away at the bark of an ancient oak. " I don't get it!!! " he shouted to no one particular, as he took his anger out on the wood before him.
The sound of soft footsteps across the grass came towards him, causing him to glance back at the source of them, only to see his guild master smiling at him. " What seems to be troubling you, Shade, dear? " she asked in a tender, motherly tone.
He crossed his arms and let out a small huff, " Not that it's any of your business...but I just don't get it! "
" Hmm? Get what? What per say don't you get, Shade? " She asked curiously.
He clenched his fists and teeth shut before growling out, " I just can't beat that stupid redhead!!! I try my best but I can't do it!"
A small giggle escaped Celestia's mouth, " Oh, so this is about Sunset, then? Am I correct? "
" Don't say her name! " He punched the tree once more, this time hard enough to leave a dent in its base. " I know I'm strong enough! ...And I know I got enough magic energy...but no matter what I try she ends up beating me...it's not fair! "
Her tender smile remained, as she knelt down and placed her hand on Shade's shoulder, " Shade, dear, having the strength and magic to beat someone isn't always going to cut it. "
He looked at her as if she had grown a second head, " Wha-what do you mean?! "
" I'm saying, " she began while sitting both herself and Shade down underneath the tree, " that strength and magic are only as good as the person wielding them. You could have all the power in world, but without the proper skill and training, it's useless. Remember that to be a great wizard, you need more than power, you need skill, and to have skill, you need heart, and I personally believe that you, Shade, have a very big heart, one that's ready to show the world that you're going to be one of the best wizards ever. "
A smile came to the boy's face as his guild master ran her hand through his gray hair, and rubbing her thumb against one of his hair horns. " You really think so, master? " he asked.
" I know so, Shade, now come along, " she stood herself up and helped him up, " I'd like to start teaching you how to properly train yourself and your magic. "
He gave a big toothy grin and hopped up before walking along with her, " You're the best, master! I'm so gonna show Sunset not to mess with me! " She could only smile at his youthful enthusiasm.
" Just like strength, you could have all the magic and knowledge on it in the world, all the formal teaching, but without the proper skill and training, it's useless to you, " he looked off in the distance as he spoke.
Twilight helped Spike to his feet, each and every word he said imprinted into her mind almost immediately, " ...It sounds like you and Celestia are really close from how you described the way she spoke to you...kind of like a mother and son.. "
" Heh, " he let out a small chuckle, " Celestia treats us all like we're her kids, I've just been around longer than most, so I guess she's the closest thing I got to a mom now. "
A small, but sad smile was on Twilight's face, " Maybe that's why she sent us to get you…she was worried about you. "
He kept his head turned away, so they couldn't see the small blush on his face, " Pfft, worried about me… " he lowered his head slightly, " ...I've told her a hundred times not to get bent outta shape just cause I'm not there, " he mumbled.
Joy flew down to look her partner in the face, " Well, they passed, so I guess we gotta go home. Yessir, time to go, " Shade nodded in agreement and began walking towards the trail.
Spike rubbed the back of his head as he looked at the slayer and cat duo, " Oh yeah, there was a really scary girl at the guild who sounded like she was really mad at you for being gone, " he shuddered at the memory.
Shade froze in his tracks, his eyes widened and his face pale, as if he had seen a ghost. Twilight eyed him curiously and with a worried look, " Shade?" No response, " Shade are you alright? " Still nothing.
He suddenly grabbed his head and yelled out in a panicked voice, " SUNSET’S GONNA KILL ME!!! " and took off down the trail without them.
" ...And we were scared of him? " Twilight said with a sweat drop.
" Ummm...what was that about? " Spike reluctantly asked.
They started following home, when Joy decided to answer Spike's question, " There are three things in the world that Shade's scared of. "
" Only three? What are they? " Twilight asked, her curiosity peaked at what could scare someone so strong.
" Yessir! Three things, and they are: any mode of transportation that isn't me, bridges with water underneath them, and Sunset Shimmer, " she responded casually, as if any of those three things were normal.
" Bridges??? " Rex spoke up for the first time in a bit, " …And I thought Spike's fear of everything was dumb. "
" Is Sunset that strong?! " Twilight asked with a tinge of fear in her voice.
Joy rubbed her head as she thought on the question for a moment, " Well, she and Shade are about equally strong, they tie in spars a lot, but when she gets angry at Shade, she likes to beat him up, and Shade being Shade tends to try avoiding it at all cost. "
" ...Sounds complicated, " Spike mumbled aloud.
A cheerful giggle came from Joy, " Not complicated, it's just how they show they love each other. "
This caught Twilight's attention, " They love each other? But she looked like she wanted to kill him...and he looks like he'd run away at first sight. "
Before the conversation could go further, a large shockwave went passing by them, leaving a long cut in the ground next to them. " What the heck was that?! " Spike cried out, as he clung to Twilight.
The three turned around to see a large man holding an even larger machete glaring at them, " So you're the punks who wrecked my guild hall! " He roared furiously.
" Who are you...? " Twilight asked as bravely as she could.
" Who am I?! I'm Krow! The master of the guild you just thrashed! And now I'm gonna thrash YOU!!! " He stomped towards them.
" Sorry pal, but it wasn't them, " everyone heard from behind Twilight and Spike.
" Shade! " Joy cheered.
They turned back to see Shade there, when just moments ago he was way ahead of them. " So you're the punk who made a mess of my guild, well then I guess I'm just gonna have to make a mess outta you! "
Shade watched as the monster of a man charged him, ready to swing his massive blade at him. As the dark guild's master rushed towards him, he took a fighting stance with his right arm pulled back, then his magic poured heavily all over the arm. " This is gonna hurt you more than it's gonna hurt me, " he swung his fist, connecting it with the man’s jaw and knocking him into the air. " I'm in a hurry! Let's end this! " He jumped high into the tree top, bouncing off a branch overhead and launching himself towards the flying criminal, " Abyssal Dragon's Iron Sledgehammer Slam!!! " he gave a mighty over-handed punch to the back of Krow's head, rocketing him towards the ground in an instant and with enough force to make a crater.
The trio of Twilight, Spike, and Rex all watched in awe while Shade used the momentum of the punch to flip behind Krow, and stick the landing, " ...T-two hits...and he looked so tough... " one of them said.
Shade turned towards them and continued back down the path, " Like I said, if the test had been to beat me, you would've failed for sure, cause I wouldn't have held back. "
A loud sigh of relief came from Spike, " Let's be glad he's on our side… " They all nodded in agreement and continued following him back to the town.
However, while everyone ran ahead, Twilight stopped when she heard groaning and mumbling coming from the beaten Krow. " ...Y-...you guild punks...gonna...get yours someday...soon...mistress moon...will make sure of it… " and with that, he was out cold.
" ...Mistress moon...going to get ours? " She repeated under her breath, but she cut herself off and broke herself out of thought as she watched everyone leave without her, " Wait for me! "
The town of Everfree
The group made their way back into the town, and to "celebrate", Spike began kissing the ground in an overly-dramatic show of relief, much to everyone's dismay. Shade immediately made a beeline for the house that belonged to the very same man who mistook Twilight for a dark guild member.
" Uh, Shade, I wouldn't do that! The old guy there is kind of a grump, " she puffed out her cheeks in a very child-like manner as she remembered the man's rude behavior.
But he went ahead and knocked anyway, and almost immediately they heard the man’s voice, " Huh? Wuzzat? Who’s there?! "
" Pardon me, sir, " he said in a respectable tone, " I'm the wizard that was hired to take care of your dark guild problem. "
The door quickly swung open revealing a smiling old man, " Well now, why didn't ya just say so from the start. So, my boy, did ya take care of them like we asked of ya? "
" Mhm, " Shade gave a nod, " each and every one of them, guild master included. They're out cold back at what used to be their guild hall and the army should be on the way to pick them up. " He smiled as he watched the old man's face brighten up, " Your town is officially free from Crow's Murder's grasp, sir. "
The man who Twilight assumed was the town’s elder looked like he could just cry, " Oh, thank you so much, my boy! We can finally go back to being a prosperous trading town! "
" All in a day’s work, sir, " he started to walk away from the porch when the elder suddenly stopped him.
" Hang on a second now, you forgot yer payment, " he called to Shade, before holding out a rather large pouch of bits.
" Thank you for your generosity, sir, " he nodded, as he took the pouch and walked away from the house.
Twilight watched as he walked her way and then right past her, " He seems so different when he's helping people…Joy, is he always like that? "
" Yessir! " she chimed, " Shade might look like a big meanie, but he's really just a big teddy bear. "
However, without a moment’s notice, Shade's calm, collected self faded, and was replaced by the same panicked Shade from before. " Ok, we got our payment, now let's book it back to Sunset before she roasts me alive!!! " he cried out as he ran towards the train station, leaving everyone except Joy in a nervous sweat.
" He really doesn't want to make her any angrier than she already is, does he? " Rex asked his fellow feline.
" Nope, " Joy casually responded, " he sure doesn't, and he's even willing to get on a train. That shows just how much scarier she is to him than any mode of transportation ever could."
" Well, let's hurry after him already before he leaves us behind! " Twilight shouted as she dragged Spike behind her, racing Shade to the train.
And so the group boarded the train back to Ponyville, hoping to get there as fast as possible, lest one of them further invoke the wrath of a flame-haired mage.
On the Train Back to Ponyville
Twilight looked upon the writhing form of Midnight Shade as he lay sprawled out on the seat parallel to her own. She honestly didn't know what to think as she listened to him weakly mumble about wanting to die, " …And I thought Spike had it bad… "
" ...Can't move…stupid train… " Shade weakly groaned, before quickly covering his mouth as his motion sickness suddenly got the better of him.
" ...See Twilight…he knows what I mean when I say...trains are evil… " Spike said, before he too had to cover his mouth.
Twilight could only sigh as she now had two motion sick dragon slayers to put up with. At least Shade wasn't as verbal as Spike, even though he did look to be in more pain than the latter of the two. " What am I going to do with you two? " She shrugged with another sigh. However, at the moment, something else was on her mind other than the two "dying" slayers, " What did he mean by...Us guilds were going to get it one of these days...and who or what is mistress moon? " " Maybe I'll ask master Celestia when we get back to the guild, " she thought out loud.
" …While you’re at it...could you ask her if...there's a cure...for this curse we have… " Spike spurted out.
" Like I said...what am I going to do with you two... " Twilight groaned, but with a small smile.
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. "
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. "
From the moment they had departed, to right now, Twilight had been staring out the window of the speeding train, while absent-mindedly rubbing Rex's head. Yesterday had been the very first night she slept anywhere that wasn't in Canterlot, the very first night in her new home, and the thought of returning so soon amused her. She remained in thought the whole time she stared out the window, being so consumed in her thoughts that she paid absolutely no mind to Spike's groans of exaggerated agony.
Other than Spike's pained voice, the train ride as of now had been very silent, with the two other girls accompanying her simply smiling at their new friend. It was silent, that is until the explosive wizard accompanying Twilight spoke up, loudly, " Heya Twilight!!! How long are you gonna just stay spaced out like that? I mean, I know your magic is all starry and stuff from what master says, but that doesn't mean you gotta keep your mind in space! "
Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose, " It seems the plan for a peacefully quiet train ride flew right out the window. "
" Oopsie, " Pinkie said with both a sheepish, and playful grin.
However Pinkie's sudden outburst succeeded in gaining the star mage's attention, " Oh, s-sorry about that you two, just thinking about some things. "
A simple wave of the hand is what Rarity replied with, " It's no trouble at all darling, after all, this is your home we're going to. "
Twilight gave a small smile, " Yeah, you're right. " She muffled a bit of laughter, " It's funny really, I mean, I just left and I'm already going back. "
" Yes, that is quite humorous, isn't it, " Rarity replied with a smile.
Pinkie rapidly nodded her head, " Yeah, that is funny! I mean, you were just there! Then you were here! And then now you're going back!! "
"...Yeah...just like that, Pinkie, " Twilight said with in half-hearted agreement.
Rex, who was still in Twilight's rather comforting grasp, opened a single eyelid and looked at the pitiful state his dragon slayer partner was in. " ...What is it with you dragon slayers and trains? "
" That's something I've been wondering myself, " Twilight said in response.
A small laugh from Rarity gave the two the impression that she knew something, " We used to wonder the same thing all the time darling. Over time, it's just something you get used to. I do know one way to lessen his pain though. "
" You do? " Twilight was curious now; she had searched for a remedy to her brother's ailment for the longest time, but no cure was ever found.
Rarity nodded and gestured for Twilight to hand Spike to her, " It's a very simple trick that, surprisingly, Sunset discovered. " She carefully took the pained dragon slayer into her arms and gently sat his head in her lap, " Watch. " And that's what Twilight did, she watched as Rarity began gently stroking Spike's head, and in a matter of seconds, his motion sickness seemed to fade. His pained look morphed into peaceful slumber before everyone's eyes, " It's as simple as that, " Rarity said with a smile.
Twilight was astonished, of all the things she tried to alleviate Spike of his motion sickness, rubbing his head, was not one of them. Her eyes drifted from Rarity, and down towards her sleeping brother, " He looks so peaceful. "
That's when Pinkie Pie talked, " Like a bug that's snug as a bug in a rug who's being held tight by a hug from another bug that's also snug in a- "
A hand belonging to Rarity quickly slapped itself over Pinkie's mouth and began glowing upon impact. This left a patch of crystal over the pink-haired wizard's mouth, " We'll be having none of that while he sleeps, Pinkie. "
Twilight's eyes slightly widened upon seeing the sudden appearance of the crystals, " R-rarity, what did you do?! "
The wizard in question looked toward the fellow purple-haired mage, " Whatever do you mean, Twilight? You mean my magic? "
" Your magic? " Twilight suddenly froze up, she hadn't thought about it until now, but she had yet to ask her new friends about their magic. " Um...Rarity, " Twilight began, " not to be a bother or anything, but could you tell me about your magic, and maybe about the others’ magic since we're on the subject. "
Rarity dawned a smile, " Why, of course I can darling, and it'll be the perfect way to pass the time. "
Twilight nodded in agreement, " Canterlot is quite the ways away, so we have plenty of time. " Without hesitation, the star mage quickly reached into her bag and pulled out a notepad and pencil, " I'm all ears. "
A roll of the eyes with a smile was Rarity's reaction to Twilight's enthusiasm, " Alright darling, no need to get excited, it's just our magic, something we live with daily. "
The purple-and-pink-haired wizard grinned sheepishly, " Eheh, sorry. I just really get excited when it comes to learning about new magic. "
" That's well and all darling, but you need to stay calm. I do not need a second Pinkie on my hands, " Rarity responded. She took a deep breath and unnecessarily flipped her hair to the side, " I believe I'll begin with my magic. You see ,Twilight, I'm what they call a maker mage; my magic allows me make just about anything my imaginative mind thinks up, and make it a reality with my magic, which just so happens to be crystals. "
Twilight's eyes seemed to gleam, " You're a maker mage!! A crystal maker mage!! " She rapidly wrote down on her notepad, " I've never met one before you and I'm really interested in learning all about what your magic can do! "
" So much for staying calm, " Rarity mutters with a smile. " I suppose your reaction is justified, I mean, from what we were told, you put studying over being social, " she mused.
A small blush became visible on Twilight's cheeks, " T-that's not true...I merely prioritized what was best for my growth as a wizard...that's all. "
" Riiiight, whatever you say darling, " she shook her head. " Now, I could go into further details on my splendid magic, but I believe Pinkie Pie has been yearning to talk for the past few minutes. "
As if right on cue, the crystal covering Pinkie's mouth shattered as she smiled with glee. " OH! You are going to absolutely positively definitely love my magic, Twilight!!! It's super super duper duper flashy! Like flashier than Dashy! Brighter than Sunset’s fire!! "
" Pinkie, I believe she gets the point, " Rarity said dryly.
" Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, " Pinkie said with an exaggerated roll of the eyes, " but I could say so many more things about my magic! Including that it's explosive!!! " She shouts gleefully.
" E-explosive?! " Twilight questions with a stammer.
" ...Very " Rarity responds knowingly.
Suddenly, and without warning, Pinkie Pie was in Twilight's face, " We don't really have a name for my magic, buuuuuuuuuuuuut, Shade named it blaster magic. "
Pinkie's sudden appearance startled Twilight, " B-b-blaster magic?! " Twilight's shock was quickly replaced with confusion, how was it possible for them to not know what Pinkie's magic was. " I...I've never heard of magic like that before, does it have anything to do with magic weapons? "
" Nnnnnnnnope! " Pinkie responds with a grin. She slowly raises her hand up, her fingers in the shape of a gun, " Unless you count these babies as weapons. "
An exasperated sigh came from Rarity as she covered Pinkie's mouth and hand with crystal, " Allow me to sum it up for you darling. Pinkie Pie channels magic into her fingers, rather destructive magic might I mind you. Once the magic is in her fingertips, she releases it all at once, similar to that of a magic gun, the only difference is the potency of said magic. "
" I-incredible, where did she learn it?! " Twilight asks with great enthusiasm.
" Truth be told, Twilight, we aren't sure. We believe she came up with it on her own, " Rarity responded.
" Yup yup yuppers!!! " Pinkie rapidly nodded, having somehow removed the crystals from her mouth without either of them noticing, " I was never really good with magic growing up, and everyone else had their own special magic. Buuuuuuut, after a lot of determination, oh, and cake! Can't forget the cake! I finally came up with my very own magic that belongs to only me! I'll tell you all about how it happened on the way home, I Pinkie promise, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! "
Twilight couldn't help but smile, her previous shock having already dissipated, " I can't wait to hear about it, I'm sure it's a wonderful story. "
" ...And I can't...urp...wait to get off this...death trap... " Spike groaned audibly for the first time in a while. His "condition" was worsening the longer he was on the said "death trap" " ...I can't...take anymore... "
" He's just like Shade, only a tad bit better with trains, " Rarity giggled.
" He's annoying is what he is, " Rex said dryly.
Twilight lightly sighed but with a smile, " Don't worry Spike, we're almost there, I promise, " she rubbed his head soothingly as she spoke.
The City of Canterlot
It wasn't too long before the train pulled into the station, and just like the city itself, the train station was busy and bustling. There were people as far as the eye could see, and they hadn't even left the train. To Twilight Sparkle, however, this was normal. This is where she grew up, after all.
A wide smile graced the star mage's face as she stepped off the train and onto the platform, " I've only been gone a day and I already missed this all. "
Right behind her was a blur of purple and green. " I LIVE!!! " Spike triumphantly shouted as he jumped up and down, having finally been freed of his mobile prison.
" Quit it grass-for-brains! " Rex chided, " People already thought you were weird enough when we lived here! "
Spike dejectedly hung his head, " Why do you gotta be that way, Rex... "
Following closely behind them was Rarity and Pinkie Pie, " It's just like watching a little Shade!! " Pinkie squealed as she darted over to Spike, pulling the unsuspected slayer into a death hug.
" Ack!! Pin-kie.....can't...breathe... " Spike desperately pulled at the pinkette's arm, trying his hardest to get air.
A shake of the head was all Rarity could do as she walked past the two, " While I do agree with you, Pinkie, I also believe that Twilight would like her brother alive. "
Twilight gave a slight grin as sweat dropped from her head, " Yes Pinkie, Rarity's right, I would like to keep Spike alive, so could you let him go. "
" Y-yes...please...let go... " Spike's face was as purple as his hoodie at this point.
" Fiiiiiiiiiiine, " Pinkie stuck her tongue out at Rarity as she dropped young mage on his rear-end.
Floating overhead, Rex let out a disapproving sigh, " How did I get stuck with such a hopeless wizard. "
After giving Spike a moment to recover from Pinkie's stranglehold, the group made their way to the center of the city, as quickly as the crowded streets would let them. Of course, detours were made, after all, Canterlot is home to numerous shopping boutiques, which caught the attention of a certain maker-mage. Rarity wasn't the only one guilty, because the group happened to go down the very street that so many bakeries called their home. The final distraction was Twilight's fault. As it just so happened, the very street they were on was where Twilight's favorite book store had been located, much to everyone's dismay.
However, detours and distractions aside, the museum finally came into their field of vision. " Finally! There it is! " Spike shouted, whilst throwing his arms into the air dramatically.
" It didn’t take THAT long to reach the museum, Spike! " Twilight responded with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
" You're right, " Spike said, " it took way longer than that! "
" I'm sorry darling, but I'm going to have to agree with Spike on this, " Rarity interjected.
Spike's eyes widened, " How can you say you agree with me when you stopped just as much as she did! " He flailed his arm while pointing at her, " That means you're just as much to blame as her!! "
Rarity turned away, " I have no earthly idea what you are speaking of, " she simply replied.
" Can we please just go to the museum before we get old enough to be in one ourselves? " The irritation in Rex's voice could be heard clearly. He had been telling them to hurry up the whole time they had been walking, but none one ever seems to listen. " Why do I even bother... " Rex sighed before floating off towards the museum.
The group saw their feline companion leaving without them, with Twilight being the first to notice. " H-hey! Rex, wait up! " She chased after the annoyed cat, " Would you three hurry up! " She called back to the rest of the group, who were in the midst of being "scolded" by Spike.
" We'll be there in a moment darling! " Rarity called out as she pulled both Pinkie and Spike behind her.
Canterlot Museum of Equestrian History
Within the center of the capital city of Canterlot lied a building of incredible stature. A building that's home to artifacts from both the continent of Equestria and the world over. That building would be the Canterlot Museum of Equestrian History. Being one of the oldest buildings in the city, as well as one of the many attractions that draw in tourist from all over the continent, the museum has had its fair share of issues in the past; most notably, thieves. And with the introduction of their latest exhibit, the Lunar exhibit, the fear of thievery is at an all time high.
The Lunar exhibit within the museum had only recently been put in to celebrate a festivity that has been held in Equestria for the last four-hundred years: The Festival of the Moon. A celebration held every eighth month of the year in commemoration of the Moon Priestess that watched over Equestria so many years ago, and is said to still watch over the land from within the moon itself. As of recently, dark guilds of all kinds have shown a sudden interest in the moon and anything associated with it, including the many lunar artifacts that are now housed within the museum.
As the group of wizards made their way into the museum, each one of them, Pinkie included, quickly took notice of the strong presence of security within the building. " This place certainly looks welcoming... " Spike mumbled as he stayed close to Twilight, the feeling of so many eyes on him only making him nervous.
" It's apparent not as to why they put the job out, " Rarity stated as she took looked around.
Pinkie just smiled as gleefully as ever, " Ooooooh! So many people in suits! " She dashed back and forth through the foyer of the museum, much to the disdain of her companions.
After getting the Pinkie situation under control, the group of wizards found a place in the foyer to wait for their client. However the word patiently would be how the waiting would've been considered. Fifteen minutes had gone by, and every three minutes of those fifteen, a sigh would escape a certain dragon slayers mouth. " How much longer do we gotta wait around! " Spike complained with a raised voice.
An irritated groan left Twilight's lips, " Spike! For the last time, just be patient. "
" Good luck getting that to happen... " Rex mumbled, " I bet emerald head doesn't even know the meaning of the word patient. "
" Oh! I know what patient means! " Pinkie exclaimed, " It's someone whose in the hospital! "
The answer however only resulted in the unified slapping of her companions own faces. " ...Wrong patient darling, " Rarity said with a faux smile.
It wasn't much longer until someone caught Twilight's attention by walking into her field of vision. The someone was well-dressed, wearing a suit with nary a dirty spot on it; their client most likely. The man wore an expensive suit and had slicked back hair, showing he was a man of exquisite taste, as Rarity would put it. " Ahem, " he cleared his throat before continuing, " I welcome you to the Canterlot museum of Equestrian history. I am Pristine Relic, the curator of this esteemed establishment. You are the wizards we hired, I presume? "
Twilight quickly jumped up to her feet, " I…uh...I mean, yes, we are! " Twilight gave a nervous bow, but was unable to continue as Rarity placed her hand on her, " Huh? "
" Allow me darling, this is your first time after all. Why not allow me to show you how to interact with clientele of a higher standards. " Twilight was hesitant, but nevertheless nodded in response. Rarity stepped forward and gave her own bow towards the curator, " Please forgive my friend, she's not quite use to her profession. We are indeed the wizards you hired. Breezy Horn is here and ready to handle whatever issue you may be having. " She spoke with elegance and without hesitation, owing it to her years of experience.
" Ah, very good, very good indeed, " the curator replied. He ushered the group of wizards further into the museum. Pristine lead them past a large "wall" of security guards and a series of magic runes which formed a barrier around the exhibit.
" That’s...a lot of security... " Spike mumbled to himself, but was just loud enough for their client to hear.
" What you consider "a lot" I consider the necessary amount required to protect the exhibit, " Pristine replied. " However, " he began, " with you wizards here, hopefully the...extra...security won't be necessary. "
" Please, leave it to us darling. We are professionals after all, " Rarity said with what she considered modesty.
" For your sake, and the sake of this exhibit, I hope you are correct, " and without another word, Pristine guided them towards the exhibit.
Once inside the exhibit, the group could only stare in amazement. There were so many artifacts and pieces of ancient culture, all of them relating to the moon and the festival surrounding it. Twilight's eyes in particular were widened the most, having lived in Canterlot her whole life; she was well acquainted with the lunar festival. Even so, she had never once seen artifacts and treasures such as these, " ...It's no wonder someone would want to steal from here...There's so many pieces relating to the moon. "
" That's exactly why I had the request put out, " Pristine said, eyeing the wizards.
Rex cautiously flew throughout the room, making sure to not touch anything. " Some of these things look older than others, " he said with surprising perception.
" Indeed they are, " Pristine said in response to the winged feline, " and those older artifacts are the ones we worry the most about. " He made his way towards the center of the room, and towards a velvet curtain. " Behind this curtain, " he started while grasping onto the rope attached to the curtain, " is perhaps the oldest, and most valuable piece in this exhibit, and maybe the whole museum. "
The wizards’ eyes’ widened in awe at what was unveiled from behind the curtain. Sitting behind the velvet veil was a glass case, and within the case sat the most magnificent jewel any of them had ever seen. What sat before them was a pale white gem, carved with an ominous eye in the center and the phases of the moon around it. Shaped ever so carefully into a perfect sphere, it was surely very important to the lunar festival. " By the gods and goddesses above, " Rarity gasped.
" S-such a big gem... " Spike said with incredibly widened eyes.
Rex hovered just barely overhead with his own shocked look, " ...Not on your life...you green-haired klepto... "
However, out of anyone there, Twilight had all their reactions beat by a long shot. Her jaw hung open wide and her eyes looked just like the stone she was gawking at. Something about the eye-like gem left Twilight speechless, something about it was almost beckoning to her. " ...It's...amazing... "
" This, " Pristine said with a raised voice to get the wizard's attention, " is THE most valuable piece in this exhibit, and possibly one of the most valuable items in the whole museum. It's called, The Lunar Queen's Eye. "
" ...The Lunar Queen's Eye... " they all repeated at once, even Pinkie Pie.
" It is also what we believe these thieves are most likely to go after, " Pristine added on.
Rarity gave a small bow in understanding, " Then we'll guard it with our lives. "
" Yup, yup, yuppers!!! " Pinkie jumped in without so much as a warning. " We'll keep that pretty rock as safe as a rock that's kept in a big glass box that's got a bunch of wizards outside of that glass box!!! " Exclaimed the pink-haired, eccentric blaster mage.
After a few moments of silence from Pinkie's declaration, Pristine cleared his throat and stepped towards the exit, " Yes...you do that. " He extended his arm out towards the way they had came into the exhibit, " Now, I shall have someone escort you all to the hotel you will be spending the night in, so please come this way. "
The Breezy Horn wizards nodded and complied, following the curator out of the exhibit and towards the exit. Once they reached their accommodations, they would begin preparing for the potentially long night ahead of them.
Within the Canterlot Museum, Later That Night
Nighttime had come faster than anticipated. Meaning the group of wizards had little time to prepare for anything they could possibly be facing. That said, their lack of preparation hadn't seemed to matter. Half the night had passed, and still nothing had yet to happen.
Sitting against the exhibit holding the Lunar Queen's Eye was one, very bored Spike. The green-haired dragon slayer was skimming through a comic book he had brought with him to pass the time, but even that wasn't enough to ease his boredom. A loud sigh escaped his mouth as he flipped through the book, " This is sooooooo boring, " he complained for the umpteenth time.
Floating overhead the bored dragon slayer was an equally bored Rex, " I know you're bored, but that makes our job easier. "
On the other end of the room sat both Rarity and Pinkie. " Poor dears, I remember my first guard job, " she reminisced with a giggle, " they'll learn soon enough that not every job is about fighting or violence. "
" Yup yup, " Pinkie agreed with quick nods, " oh, quick question, Rarity…when do I get to blow something up?! "
The maker mage could only shake her head and give a disgruntled sigh at her friend’s oblivious enthusiasm, " I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall. "
" That's funny! " Pinkie responded gleefully, " I was talking to a brick wall today and he said the same exact thing!! "
The only member of the group who hadn't found them self doing nothing was Twilight. The star mage took the opportunity to browse the exhibit, using her time to learn as much as she could on the various items it held. " ...Fascinating, " she mumbled aloud whilst she hovered over a glass case containing books and pieces of wall murals. However, she wasn't simply feeding her curiosity, or her thirst for knowledge. She was, in fact, trying her best to put together a reasoning as to why someone would really steal from this exhibit exactly.
" It just doesn't make sense. I don't care what that curator says, there are surely more valuable items in this museum. Why target this spot specifically? " Twilight rubbed her bottom jaw and shut her eyes as she kept herself deep in thought, " ...There was something Pristine wasn't telling us, " she thought aloud.
Spike looked up from his comic and towards his sister, " Whatchya mumblin' about over there, Twi? "
Rex, who was now laying atop Spike's head, was also curious, " Yes, please enlighten us. "
She turned towards them and waved her hands in front of her while nervously chuckling, " Oh, uh, nothing really, just thinking aloud. "
Without warning, Pinkie Pie froze up. Her eyes were devoid of all emotion as she stared at nothing in particular. Rarity noticed her friend's odd behavior and quickly grew worried, " Pinkie darling, are you alright? Please say something! "
She remained silent, worrying her purple-haired friend further. Suddenly, Pinkie began shaking rapidly, " O-o-o-o-h n-o-o-o-o! I-I-I-I-I'm-m-m-m t-t-w-w-i-i-t-t-ch-i-i-ing a-l-l-l-l-l- o-o-over!!! " She exclaimed whilst she violently shook herself and the spot she and Rarity were sharing.
" Wh-what's going on?! " Spike asked in a rather panicked tone.
The expression on Rarity's face grew grim quickly, " ...Trouble, that's what. "
A small sigh came from Rarity as the crystal wizard's eyes darted back and forth throughout the room, " You see, Twilight, when Pinkie starts twitching, trouble always usually follows...and that sense of hers has never been wrong before. "
Before Twilight could argue on how illogical that was, the sound of an explosion resonated throughout the entirety of the museum. The entire building rumbled as more explosions followed, until finally one of the walls leading into the exhibit was blasted open, kicking up dust everywhere. One by one, silhouettes entered the room, their identities kept concealed by the thick blanket of dust caused by the explosion.
A serious expression came to Rarity's face as she, and the rest of her guild mates, stared down the intruders, " It would seem that our company has arrived. "
Pinkie Pie stepped up next to her, holding her fingers up in the shape of a gun, " Indeed they are, time to start the party, " she said with an alarmingly malevolent grin.
The last one to step into the dust-filled room was the first person to speak, " So, it would seem we have some Breezies in our midst. " His deep voice bringing a chill down the spine of the newer wizards, " No matter, they don't have a single S-class wizard with them, not the Breezy queen, and most certainly not the black dragon. " When the dust finally began fading, the intruders’ appearances were no longer a mystery.
Standing before the Breezy Horn wizards was a very imposing tall man, dressed in a deep, dark blue, long coat, buttoned all the way from top to bottom, with a high collar. In his hand rested a chained pocket watch with a crescent moon design, whilst his other hand was held behind his back. Lastly was the man's face, his cold, blue eyes fitting perfectly with his slicked back silver hair. " Allow me to introduce myself before we rid ourselves of you. You may refer to me as Crescent Border, and we are the esteemed members of the guild that the world will soon know as, Lunar Heart. "
Upon hearing the guild's name, Rarity's eyes shot wide open, " I've heard that name before. " She quickly glanced over at Pinkie, " ...aren't they? " she began asking.
However, Pinkie answered before she could finish, " Yup. A nasty ol' dark guild. "
A low chuckle came from the imposing mans throat, " It would seem they know who we are. "
Shock spread over the faces of the newer members of Breezy Horn at the revelation of the intruder’s origins. " A dark guild?! We were supposed to be expecting thieves...not another guild!!! " Twilight's mind ran rampant with sudden panic.
Spike, however, tried his best to keep his panic from showing. The young dragon slayer's jaw was shut tight, his hands clenched into fists that shook from either fear, or from his powerful grip. " ...D-did you hear that, Rex...another dark guild... " he grunted towards his flying companion, who nodded in response.
" I did, " the winged feline lowered himself onto Spike's shoulder, " ...so be prepared for anything, " he too received a nod of confirmation.
As the dust settled, the rest of the figures became visible as well. Most were simply hooded individuals who brandished the guilds symbol on their chest in a cult-like manner, except for two individuals standing on either side of Crescent. Both of them were young women, however, it was apparent by their outfits that their behaviors and roles were vastly different from the members wearing hoods.
The woman to his right looked downright dangerous just from her appearance. She was dressed in a rather revealing attire. Purple shorts that left little to the imagination, with a shirt to match and straps holding the two pieces of clothing together. Her boots covered much of her lower legs, and lastly, her outfit was tied together by two charms shaped like a moon with a cloud passing by, one on her belt as a buckle, and the other in her snow-white hair as a clip. She gave a wicked smile that belied her "innocent" fluttering eyes, " How nice to meet you all, you can call me Moonlight Essence, or if you’re good little wizards, you can call me mistress~ "
To Crescent's left, a more decently dressed wizard, however, that didn't mean she wasn't just as dangerous. Dressed in a navy-blue dress that went down to her knees, with a bow wrapped around her waist. She also wore a cape and matching pointed hat, which were covered in star pattern. She brushed a stray strand of her pale, white hair out of the way as she smirked at the wizards before them, " Let's clip these Breezies of their wings. Trixie Lulamoon, at your service. "
" Enough introductions, " Crescent said in a tone of authority, " we have pests to rid ourselves of before we take the eye. "
Twilight's eyes slightly widened as she glanced over at the encased gem in the center of the room. " ...So it IS the eye that you're here for, " she said as she balled her fist up and began building magic up in it.
A loud chuckle came from behind the hand of the wizard known as Trixie, " So it seems their little rookie isn't as dumb as she looks. "
" H-how did you know I was new... " Twilight stammered.
Before Trixie could reply, though, Moonlight cut her reply off with her own. " Oh please sweetie, you just reek of new guild smell, you and that little cutie next to you, " she said in a deceptively sweet tone, while shooting a wink towards Spike.
The young dragon slayer took several steps back and gulped at the oddly terrifying gesture, " R-Rex...I hope she means you... "
" Unfortunately for you, it doesn't seem that way... " Rex stated bluntly, all while being as equally terrified as his partner.
" That is enough! " Rarity stepped in between the dark wizards and her allies. " If it's the eye you want, then you'll have to get through us, " she held her hands out and pressed them together, forming a magic circle with a crystalline pattern.
" Yeah!!! " Pinkie jumped in, making her own magic circle in front of the tips of the fingers she held out.
" Heheheheheh!!! " a wicked cackle came from the white haired mage of Lunar Heart, " Now why'd you have to go and say something like that. Now we've got to make it painful for you sweeties…well, more painful than it was going to be, " she said with an equally wicked grin.
Trixie stepped up next to her, " Let's show these little Breezies just how great and powerful we are compared to them! "
Crescent walked in between them, putting his pocket watch away, and extending his now free arm. A large golden magic circle appeared before his extended hand, whilst closing his eyes. " Steel yourselves for battle, Breezy Horn wizards, " his eyes shot open, revealing a malevolent glint in them, " for it very well may be your last. "
