Myths and Consequences

by Clear_Skies

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Discord, Princess Celestia, Main 6, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Comedy
Length: 30309

A discordant plot takes the life of her master and settles her in the lap of two Alicorns, who she must suffer their snark and wit to learn all their is about magic and harmony.

Her magic has led her here, to this moment, to this point of time. Where myth and truth collide to create a whirlwind of impossibility.

An apprentice to a mighty wizard, until one fateful day tore that dream asunder, bringing with it the call for adventure, mishap, and utter nonsense.

This is Twilights life.

Published 2013-05-31 19:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-13 18:05:41 UTC

Chapter One - Control -

One of the few redeeming facets of instructors, she thought, is that occasionally they can be led astray with false truths. It was true when her mother and father forced her outside to play, away from her books, it was true when her foal sitter had tried to bar her from the libraries, and it's true now with learning magic.

"You haven't been practicing!" Star Swirl admonished, "You've been putting that snout of yours to the books more than that horn to actual practice!"

"I have too been practicing!" Twilight protested. "It's just a difficult exercise."

As if in response, the feather she was currently levitating began to tremble and twitch in midair.

"You aren't concentrating!" he accused. "Have I not taught you better control!"

"It's the wind!" she argued. She wanted to add "from your loud mouth," but thought better of it. The High Wizard would probably add another control ring upon her horn, increasing the pressure upon her already strained abilities.

"The wind," he sneered, mimicking her voice. "Like this, foal!"

Her mental contact with the object of her concentration was suddenly interrupted as the feather darted towards the ceiling. Jarring to a halt as though imbedded before slowly rotating around and gliding about, as though caught in an invisible eddy.

She risked a glance at her master, whom was lazily draped over his chair, rear legs dangling, horn barely aglow as all his attention apparently devoted to devouring a well baked roll. A roll she had to not only slaved away with making, but also had given to him in hopes of appeasing the strict teacher.

He looked up suddenly meeting her eyes. It was far too late to turn away, and so Twilight intensified her glare, hoping to bore a hole through his head.

"Hungry?" His grease-flecked snow white beard was suddenly framing a wolfish grin. "Then show me how much you have truly learned, away form those books!"

For Twilight, it was a mere heartbeat before she realized what he'd meant; looking up desperately. The feather was tumbling towards the floor, a bare shoulder-height from landing.

"Don't let it touch the floor." Came the lazy challenge.

Forcing the tension from her body and easing a fine glow of magic from her horn, invisible fingers reaching out to and encasing the feather as she mentally spoke to herself...like a pillow...don't scare it...don't force it.

The feather halted a scant two hoof-spans from the floor.

She heard Star's low chuckle, but didn't allow it to break her concentration. She hadn't let the feather touch the floor for three years, and it wasn't going to touch now.

Slowly she raised it until it floated at eye level. Wrapped with a gentle purple glow, it rotated on its axis, then swapped ends. She allowed it to dance through the air, its movements not as smooth or sure as Star Swirls, thanks to the control ring, but it did move unerringly in its assigned course.

Although she had not been practicing with the feather, she had been practicing. When Star Swirl was preoccupied with his own studies. Twilight was lifting other objects, books, and keys among other things. Each type of item having its own inherent problems. Metal being inert, was difficult to maneuver, even control. Books being of nature, held its own rules which fought against the unicorns natural abilities. The feather, being once apart of life, was too responsive, the slightest adjustment in magical control being the difference between smooth flowing movement, to downright magical devastation, least in her part. All in all, it was a difference between effort and subtlety.

"Good enough girl, well then, put it back in the book."

Twilight smiled. This part she had practiced, not because of any potential applications, but because it was fun.

The book itself, "Magical Studies Grade One," sat open upon a workbench. Gently she lowered the feather, it dipped, once, then twice, before settling upon its point. As it rested, she quickly disengaged part of her mind to dart ahead of the book. As the feather crossed the pages with its tip, she brought her hooves together, and in response, the book snapped its hungry jaws, trapping the feather within.

"Hmm, a trifle showy, but effective." Intoned Star Swirl.

"Just a little something I worked up while practicing, away from the books!" said Twilight, casually maneuvering a steaming roll towards herself. Instead of actually coming to her though, it remained upon its plate, as though rooted to the spot.

"Not so fast my little bookworm. So you've been practicing eh?" He stroked his beard thoughtfully with his fore-hoof.

"Certainly, didn't it show?" It suddenly occurred to Twilight, that old Star Swirl the Bearded, was not an easy unicorn master to fool.

"In that case, I should like to see you light your candle. It should be easy for you now if you've been practicing as much as you've claimed."

"Er...I have no objections to trying, but as you've said yourself, some lessons come easier than others!"

Although confidence echoed in her words, Twilight felt her spirits sink as a large, glyph covered candle made its way form out of a nearby cabinet to rest before her. In four years of trying, she was yet to be successful with lighting the accursed abomination that was magically welded together wax and string. If Star Swirl meant to keep her from food until she was successful, she was going to be going hungry for a very long time. "Master Star Swirl, it has occurred to me, that I would be able to think better with a full stomach."

"It occurs to me that you are stalling."

"Couldn't I..."

"Now Twilight Sparkle."

She winced, it was no use. Once Star Swirl used her full name, it was too late to argue. That much she had learned over the years. Foal, bookworm, fool, eggplant, wandering eyes, though derogatory, as long as he was using one of these nick names, his mind was still open to suggestion. Once he reverted to her proper name, it was hopeless. It is indeed a sorry state when the sound of one's own name, was akin to that of a death knell.

"Gods I hate this candle," she muttered, her frown growing ever deeper as the control ring upon her horn was removed.

The control ring was a simple tool that came in many levels. Each level dispelled a creatures magical abilities, some went as far as completely removing their magic altogether. In Twilight's case it was a safety precaution, meant to keep her magical outburst from reaching levels of epic destruction.

Thus having the ring removed merely reinforced the seriousness of this current test against her almighty foe. The dreaded Alchemists Candle. With its intricate design and symbol. A test in of itself which forced the user to delve into the deepest parts of their soul in an effort to bring forth a flame, a spark of magic that could light its wick.

No half effort, nor feigned concentration would work here. Twilight focused, using every ounce of strength and skill to bring out all her power, all her control.

For Star Swirl it was a rather pleasing show of stupidity as his student danced about the candle in a mild panic, waving her hooves, shaking her head, and wiggling her flank, all in some stupid attempt to bring out an ability he had seen deep within her the very moment she had came into contact with the soul of magic itself. Of course a young foal of the past could be given some leisure, unlike the overly studios unicorn that danced before him today.

Negativity filtered through the unicorns mind with each failing second that past. Such a simple test seemingly controlling time itself, turning seconds to hours and minutes into years. The young unicorn hopped about, waggling her hooves in a silly display of spell casting, all of which proved useless against the might of the candle. A candle that Star Swirl had forced her to build. If she had known what she was building, she probably would not have been so thorough with inscribing the mystic ruins that adorned its body.

She paused, taking deep and long breathes, pushing thoughts away, as all the negative energy was dampening her abilities more than helping.

"How does Star Swirl do it." She allowed a momentary gaze to linger upon her master before returning to the candle. "He's so calm and controlled, like it didn't really matter...It...it doesn't really matter though...does it? No, it couldn't be so simple, but..."

She allowed her mind to wander, the wick itself merely another thought in her subconscious, the white water rapids of imagination and uncontrolled thought became clearer and clearer with each passing second. Soon she could envision the turmoil that was her mind, turmoil which she began to whittle away at, damming up the rushing waters so that it could become a controlled trickle. The final plug to the wall, that wick.

A sudden surge of energy grew within her, warming her to the tips of her hooves. Not wanting to scare it away, Twilight caressed the warmth with her mind and eased it to the tip of her horn.

It mattered not if the candle lit. All that mattered was Twilight, her abilities, and how it dwarfed all those around her. Her teacher, her family, and her homework.

She reached out, a very small yet very bright ember of magic kissing the candles wick. In a blink of an eye, the ember vanished, all evidence of its existence a mere plume of white smoke which drifted lazily into the air. She realized too late that she had broken concentration.

"Brilliant!"

Star Swirl was suddenly beside Twilight, almost cheek to cheek as he had been watching with great interest the inner battle that the younger unicorn was having. How long he had been there, she didn't care.

"It...it went out," she said plaintively.

"never mind that! You lit it, that is what matters most!" he cuffed her shoulder roughly in his praise, continuing "You've confidence now! Next time it will be easier! By Luna's stars, well make a magician of you yet. Eat, eat! You must be hungry after that ordeal."

She nearly yelped as a roll was skewered upon her horn, Star Swirl's enthusiasm not lost upon her as he had chucked the still warm roll at her with a flick of his horn.

"I was worried about you my dear, worried mind you! What made it so hard? Has it occurred to you that such a a spell could serve to light your way whilst picking a lock, or reading the darkest secrets kept in tomes hidden by other wizards? Maybe even start a fire as a diversion"

"I thought about it," answered Twilight, ignoring the odd screams of common sense. "Light would be distracting, it would surely show my presence within the confines of others homes and archives. As for diversions, I'd be afraid...of...hurting someone..."

She stopped as she realized what she had just said. A heavy cuff from Star Swirl and she was quickly seeing the stars themselves as they swirled about her head.

"I knew it, just like my last apprentice!" he shouted, "To be a common thief, to steal the spells of others rather than pursue your own avenue! What do you expect to go on and be a show mare for all the world to see?"

He towered over her, rage in his eyes, but for once Twilight stood her ground.

"What of it?" she snapped "It beats starving. What good is it to have all that knowledge locked away, to never be seen again? To have it forever out of reach from others, when it can benefit so many! What if I want a little more light to fight away the mold, its not like your lifestyle gives much for one to look forward too."

She gestured to the cluttered room that was the entirety of the hut.

"Listen to the foal complain!" Star Swirl sneered, "Bad enough you nearly blew away the School for Gifted Unicorns, expelling you from there teachings due to dangers beyond their control. No I had to be generous in hopes of educating a new apprentice, one I would expect to be humble and understanding."

"I haven't left! I'm still here," she shouted, "Amidst your insults, your cuffs, and your jerkish attitude, I have continued to stay, to learn, but you've done nothing, nothing at all to show me the benefits of my lessons. Levitate this, move that. Excuse me, but hiding in a tiny hut out in the middle of the Everfree is hardly what I would call high expectations of life as a scholar! You were living on roots and berries before I came along to organize your hut, your garden, and everything else!"

They glared at each other for several long moments, neither giving ground. Her anger vented, Twilight began to feel fear creep throughout her soul as she realized she had not only talker back to her master in such a condescending way, but insulted Equestrias greatest arch-mage. Sneering and berating a high class magician was probably not the answer to a long lived, and healthy life.

Surprisingly it was Star Swirl who gave ground first. Drooping ever so slightly as his gaze turned away form his student to the floor. Giving her a rare view of his unkempt mass of white mane.

"Perhaps you are correct my dear and young Twilight," he said softly, in a tone so strange and so rare, one of comfort and respect "Perhaps I have been working you to fiercely in the art of spell casting without showing you its rewards. I constantly forget how much others disregard the true abilities one can posses."

He met her eyes, and she shivered, a glow like she had never seen before flickered behind his dark grey eyes.

"Know you now, Twilight, that the land of today was truly not like that of the past, where a skillful practitioner of the arts can reap benefits the likes which you have never seen, requests, functions, meeting of like minds. Back when the princesses not only had power of the kingdom but of magic, all before the banishment of the dark one, and the day of long nights. Power, the power of the mana flows, the ley lines! Tidal waves of energy at your beck and call, such power that..."

He peered down, realizing he'd been standing upon his rear legs, emanating an aura around him so much so that his own student was trying to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible in his sights.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, wiping away the magical aura, "But you aren't impressed by mere words are you my dear? Come then, I shall show you a little demonstration of some of the power which you shall one day wield. If you practice your lessons that is."

The jovial tones in his voice were forced, and Twilight could only nod in agreement. Truth be told, she would rather opt out of the demonstration, fearing what was to come. His brief oration had been more than enough to inspire her with awe more than any angry tirade or demonstration, but of course she would never want to contradict him especially at this time.

Already striding into he middle of the hut, a series of lines began to etch away along the floor, eating at the wood and replacing it with the blue of his mystical aura. Soon the etchings held, permanently marked into the floor. Star Swirl gesturing all the while with his horn, a charred copper brazer scuttled out from a corner to meet him at the center of the now completed pentagram.

Something wretched Twilight's attention away from the cantering brazer. She checked all around, confusion etched upon her face. What was it? Star Swirl was at work, busying himself with many potions and powders, emptying a drop here or entire contents there within the brazer. Whatever he was working on, it promised to be spectacular.

Then she heard it again, muffled sounds, like those of hoofsteps upon the evening grass outside.

But it couldn't be possible, she thought. Star Swirl always sets the...no, her memory came up foggy. She couldn't recall him placing the protective wards before he started his work. That would be ridiculous though, caution was the first and most important thing that Star Swirl had hammered into Twilight when they first began her lessons, so far deep within the Everfree.

She was nearly ready to interrupt him in the midst of his spell crafting when he suddenly turned and leveled a powerful gaze at her. The warning quickly dying in her throat. This was no time to impose reality upon the situation, for that very glow was back in his eyes and it was only growing more intense.

"Even demonstrations can teach a lesson," he intoned. "Control, Twilight. Control is the mainstay of magic. Power is useless without control, even the strongest tidal wave is but an uncontrolled waste of energy. With control it becomes a force so powerful, none can stand up to it, be it the mighty mountains, or the world itself. That is what I want you to remember, even your powers are a danger, I've seen it, the destruction you had wrought upon your school during the entrance exam, uncontrolled power that could have killed if it weren't for my intervention."

"To demonstrate the value of control, I will call upon the vast void, and summon to us beings of impossibility. Beings from another world Twilight, so powerful that they would render us to pieces. Powerful, cruel, and vicious, and with a hunger for our very flesh. Yet despite this, we need not fear them, because they shall be controlled. Unable to harm us or anything else in this world as long as they are contained within this pentagram. Now watch Twilight, learn from my actions."

He turned once more to the brazer, horn aglow with power, its tip growing all the more brighter as he began his incantation. He braced his legs upon the floor, doing so as a series of candles slammed down upon the ground, encircling the pentagram and exploding with light. The lines began to glow with life as magic flowed through them, an eerie blue, symbols appearing within each quadrant in scripts that Twilight had never seen before. From the brazer, a thread of smoke rose, but it never touched the ceiling, instead it began to coalesce within the guarded circle, seething, pulsing. Star Swirl's chanting growing louder and louder. The brazer was soon enveloped in its own cloud, and within, something, two figures began to take shape.

"Discord sends his regards, Star Swirl."

Twilight nearly jumped. Those words had come from inside the hut, but not inside the pentagram. She turned to face the source. A figure stood just inside the entrance door, blinding in a cloak of chaotically meshing colors. For a mad moment, she swore it was the very demon whom Star Swirl had summoned. Then the crossbow appeared, and she saw it for what it really was, a black unicorn, yet the crossbow, cocked and loaded, did nothing to give peace to her mind.

Star Swirl didn't even turn as he snarled, "Not now you fool!"

"It has been a long hunt arch-mage," the unicorn continued, ignoring the elder unicorns warnings, "Did you really think you could continue magic outside the laws...and...hide from...us?"

"You dare!" Star Swirl turned, is towering form seemingly made larger by the aura of his rage. The armed one saw the wizards face, his rage, and soon his own face shifted from smug, to one of fear. The soft click and twang of the crossbow came, yet it was too late, the loud sound of *PROPERTY DEPRECIATION* exploded within the little hut.Twilight couldn't see what Star Swirl had done, but the other unicorn disappeared in a wall of flame. Shrieking in agony before falling to the floor. A smoldering corpse in his place, the only evidence of his existence that remained.

For several seconds, Twilight Sparkle remained rooted to the spot.

"Star Swirl," she said at last, "Star?...Star Swirl!" she gasped at his form, slumped against a nearby wall. In a single bound, she was at his side, but it was far to late. The tell tale sign of a bolt protruding from his chest signified his end. Star Swirls death rattle had already left, echoing in the room. He had given Twilight her final lesson.

She cradled his body in her hoofs, letting a tear drop before feeling all the ice of the north empty itself into her stomach. Before her, at the rear left hoof of her now dead master sat a single, unlit, tipped over candle. The northern most point, gone. Her blood froze, opposing the heated glow of the nearby smoldering corpse. The lines of protection were no longer glowing, with the master gone.

With agonizing effort, Twilight slowly, ever so slowly lifted her head, eyes trailing along shadowy silhouettes to see two pairs of eyes, draconic like pupils regarding her, one set embedded in gold, the other in ice cold blue.

Author's Note

Need to exercise my brain before I can really delve into my other writing ECHO...so here, have some comedic adventure instead!

Chapter 2 - Comic Relief -

Once, a few years back, Twilight had come across a manticore in the woods. On another occasion, a baby Ursa minor. Now faced with not one, but two beings, two demons of another realm, she decided to pattern her own behavior after which had saved her in the aforementioned situations. She froze. In hindsight, it seemed to be a very clear, and logical course of action, sensible if a creature was merely focused upon movement.

One of the demons curled its blackened lips back, revealing double rows of needle sharp teeth.

Twilight considered changing her current course of action. Perhaps feinting.

The other, mimicking its sibling, began to run a red tongue along its own teeth and white lips. Both their bodies seemed to erupt as wings of feathery fire and night like ice unfurled into the air, fanning away the smoke to reveal two giantesses, clad in unknown garbs of armor, golden sun met blackened night in combination as the two reached out with deadly equally deadly sets of claws.

Twilight scuttled along the floor, not with a catlike grace, but with panic. Surprising how fast one moves when properly inspired. Building up a substantial amount of steam, she charged wildly, galloping into a foot stool. With a cry she tumbled front over rear, squealing as her head caught itself in a perfectly placed bucket, then with a crash, she met the oak bookshelf that sat against the wall.

The two things, the two giant demonesses continued with careful, and calculated steps towards her, as she in her stupor laid there, the world twirling about her head before finally giving her focus, and quickly she wished they had not, as those eyes, those slit and horrid eyes regarded her, up close without regard for personal space.

The golden one moved closest, her larger snout nearly rubbing against her own, those white teeth, and that red tongue licking them, teeth of sharpened blades set in a mouth that opened and whispered.

"Boo."

"Aieeeee!..." Twilight threw her forelegs over her face, screaming loudly in a very demeaning way.

At her shrieks, the demons seemed to choke. Several shouts erupted, then they began to laugh. It wasn't menacing, no worse, it was a jovial and uproarious laugh, even musical. The kind of laugh that comes from one who had just seen something extremely hysterical happen.

Twilight found it both extremely disquieting, and amusing. Annoyance weld up within her as she realized that she was the source of the amusement. Disquieting because...their were two demons and demons are...

"Cold, vicious, and blood thirsty," the golden of the two finally gasped out, as though she had read Twilight's mind.

"Dearest Star Swirl was always clever with words, tis it not so dear sister?" said the other.

"I...I beg your pardon?" replied Twilight, her brain currently unable to function properly.

"Hmm, I think thee hard of hearing. My sister said..."

"I heard you! I meant what did you mean?"

"What I meant was that you were scared stiff, by a few well chosen words from our esteemed colleague, I'll wager." She jerked a fore hoof towards Star Swirls body. "I must apology, for my younger sister and I, at such dramatics. I felt some comic relief was necessary to lighten an otherwise very tragic and very depressing moment."

"C-comic relief?" Twilight gaped at the two sisters.

"Oh, honestly I couldn't pass up the opportunity," the elder replied.

"I do agree, the timing was fortuitous, considering," said the younger, "Thou should have seen thy face, it was most glorious!"

"Oh and that squeal of terror, it was so adorable, I could just hug you!" finished the eldest.

They both strode casually outside the pentagram, noting the hut, and its meager material composition.

"Oh dear Star Swirl," said the golden clad one, form slowly shifting, the fire in her wings faded and her mane soon replaced with an ethereal rainbow of aurora like colors. "What a poor humble life for one who was so great a friend."

The other gave a bow to their former friend saying "Tis a shame, we would have liked to have challenged him to another round of moonshine." Her own form seemed to shrink, her mane shifting to that of a starry nights sky, leathery wings turning feathery and like her sister, draconic eyes soon loosing their lit like pupils, to be replaced with something more friendly, equine.

"Tis a dump, this place."

Twilight was confused, perplexed, and still annoyed. Even those words were mere understatements. She wasn't sure how a demon should act, but this certainly was not it.

A moments thought told her that a path to the door was clear. Yet the calm demeanor of these two massive beings showed that they either did not care, or they were confident in their ability to stop her if she tried to flee, or meant her no harm. For the sake of her nerves, she opted for the no harm bit.

The two "demons" continued to inspect the hut, as Twilight in turn, inspected them. Larger than any other pony she had ever seen in her life, the two sported wings like a pegasus though thrice as large, and a horn of magnificent size and power upon there head. There manes shifted in an invisible breeze, cascading in gentle ripples like an ocean wave. Tall yet defined, with a magical aura the likes of which none have ever seen.

One didn't see many pegacorns, unisuses. Actually if there was ever a good time to ask a question, it would be now.

"Um...excuse me, but you are demons are you not?" asked Twilight feeling a little stupid as she did.

"Oh, yes you could say we are my little pony," the older of the two answered, regarding her with a warm and calming smile.

"Well, if you don't mind my asking, why do you not act like it?"

The younger sister shot a disgusted look before turning her head skyward in a gesture of martyrdom.

"Summoned to a foaling, tell us, would it please you if we gobbled you up?"

"N-no, but..."

"For that matter, whom are we speaking to, a bystander, or an untouched partner to the roasted corpse beside us!" here eyes seemingly turned back to slits as she regarded Twilight with malice.

"No! him, I mean," Twilight gestured frantically towards Star Swirl, the younger demons previous threat putting her back on edge, "Apprentice, him, me! I mean master I, him! I mean I was, am...am was his apprentice!"

"Oh, his protege?" the elder had to stifle a giggle as she approached Twilight, reaching out a hoof, "It is a pleasure too...what's wrong?"

She placed her hoof upon the floor and regarded Twilight as the young unicorn mare backed away as casually as possible.

"Well...it's, just that your a demon."

"Er...yes? So?"

Um...demons are...are supposed to be."

The younger face hoofed, groaning loudly before saying "Truly we have here a scholar of our times. Young one, we are but friends of your now deceased master."

"I thought you said you we're demons."

"Tis correct, we are demons, from another realm, a dimension beyond your comprehension, demon, dimension...dost thou not see the links which draw the two together? Dimen-sion traveler, rather than demon, do you not see?"

"What's a dimension?"

The night mare scowled.

"Be thee sure of thy tutelage under Master Star Swirl? Or pray tell, are you just stupid? Tia, he has certainly lowered his expectations in his elder years!"

"Do be polite Luna, she has not the age, nor the experience of having seen her colleagues murdered before her very eyes."

"Yes, no, I mean, yes I am er was his student, but he never explained to me about demon-suns!" panicked Twilight, "He never had any books on it, or tests, or tests in books, or test books, was this a test, did I fail! Oh no...no no no no no!"

Tia gently extended a wing over the frightened filly, calming her with but a touch.

"Dimension young student," said Luna after taking a moments breath, "Tis another world, many of which are connected by different planes of reality yet existing simultaneously. Dost though follow?"

"No." Twilight answered bluntly.

"Gah, just accept that we are of another world, and that we are now here in yours, as demons. If thou we're upon or material plane, then you'd be considered the demon, not us! Now in our world we are mages just like Star Swirl."

"Indeed, we hold an exchange program of sorts when he deems a student worthy of our presence," finished Tia, "This is done by a over dramatized summon ritual, made to impress and stun ones student with shock and awe."

"But you said you were a demon." At this point and time, it is safe to assume that this unfortunate unicorn has truly lost the ability to connect with logic and dictate such things in a formal and methodical matter.

"Dearest student, we are, here in your world, but if you were to come to ours, you'd be a demon. Hnce we are here in your world, making us the demons."

"But I thought you were magicians."

The elder suddenly roared to the heavens, "We don't believe this!"

Her horn glowed brightly, seizing the lavender unicorn and bringing her face to face.

"Will you accept our hooves in greeting, or shall we tear your heart out as a sacrifice to appease our minds which you have grated so roughly with your stupidity, foal!"

In that moment, that very moment, Twilight came to the realization that these two beings, demons of another realm, traveler of the so called planes, we most definitely friends of Star Swirl. The shouting that came from the one named Tia, it most certainly resembled that of Star's, though feminine. As well as the short temper of the younger. Quickly she extended a hoof.

"MeNameTwilightSparkle!" she sputtered quickly.

"Ahh, a pleasure," she hooked her hoof firmly around Twilight's. A warmth spreading from her hoof to the younger unicorns. "I am pleased to meet you, you may call me Celestia, Alicorn Princess of the Solar Planes.

"I am Luna, sister to Tia, and Alicorn Princess of the Lunar Realm," she took Twilight's other hoof in hers, sending a shiver along the young mare as the touch of night seemed to counter the touch of day.

"I...am honored?" she said, finding herself dropped from both hoofs to the floor as the two alicorns proceeded to examine the room.

"We see no valuables, save for a few meager bits, and cheap trinkets."

"I do not see much else that would require one to send forth assassins upon or dearly departed. Rather, it is a primitive dwelling, low of stature for one who was once so great."

"We...we liked it," said Twilight sheepishly. The hut may not have been much, but it was home, and she wouldn't let some royal mare of another realm insult it.

"Calm thy words, tis merely an informative assumption as to a motive."

"Motive?"

"Cause for dear Star Swirls demise, we are not big on vengeance, but he was a truly dear drinking buddy of ours, and thus our curiosity has been touched."

Celestia regarded Twilight for a moment before asking, "Would you have any idea? Milk-mares he's seduced, farmers cheated, gambling debts? You've just as much interest here as we do, more so, as you could be the next target or their desire."

"B-but the pony who did it is dead!" Twilight gestured to the corpse, "That's the end o fit right?"

"Poor ignorant foal," replied Luna sadly, "Assassins of this quality come in groups, you can see by the gold of their cloaks that they are hit-ponies of hi regard."

A chill ran along Twilight's spine. It was not a thought that had occurred to her, and now that it was there, she began sifting through her memories, trying to recall anything of use.

"He, he spoke of discord!"

"Discord? Discordant what exactly?"

"I don't know, he...wait me, a target!" she squeaked in realization.

"This is certainly fancy," said Luna, ignoring the unicorns plight, "A finely lined coat, completely reversible, twould explain their stealth and cunning."

"Princess?"

"Oh, we do not mean to cause fear," said Celestia, "It is just that, if someone or some pony has declared war upon magic users of grand skill, then you might have some...oh my, what is it we have here?"

"What's what?" Twilight continued to squeak, shifting to get a better view of what the solar princess had found.

"This," she said, tugging her prize aloft into the air. "Seems my younger sister and I are not the only demons here."

The head, or what was left of it, was of the assassin. Twilight felt revulsion at the sight, yet curiosity held her gaze long enough to notice the dorsal fin, sharp fangs, and a single glassy blue eye.

"A devil!" she exclaimed in horror.

"Devil?" Celestia regarded the skull for a moment before tossing it aside, "No, it would be a changeling. True devils would buy you out of house, home, future stock gains, and family."

"Who would be crass enough to higher a changeling, let alone a possible trio, or at least one led by a shape changer."

Luna peered at the now shattered skull before voicing her own opinion, "To ask for such a deed, only Discord himself would think up such chaos."

"That's who I said hired him!" shouted Twilight.

"Oh? We thought you had said 'discord.'"

"I did!, Wait, what did you say?"

"She said Discord, young Twilight, can you not hear the difference?"

"No," said Twilight, feeling dumber as the conversation continued.

"Must be a subtle change in tone, oh well, This truly changes everything, "Celestia sighed, "If Discord is up to his old tricks again, there is certainly no time to lose. Hold! I say, sister take a look at this."

"Well, tis a magical seeking bolt, is such a thing possible in this realm?"

"A what seeking bolt?"

"Hmm, that answers that, Luna, we must be off."

The two strode casually towards the pentagram. Suddenly Twilight realized they were about to leave.

"Wait just a minute! What's going on?"

"We are living, my sister and I. Too terry, is to give that old fool more time to spread his influences." the younger alicorn spoke.

"Please, accept our apology, for it would take to long to explain," said Celestia.

"But you said I could be the next target!"

"Only by virtue of companionship, leave, run away, gather what meager materials you have," advised Luna, "If they are as professional as one hopes, we would advise dye, perhaps a change of job description."

Twilight panicked, she knew she was outclassed, and her only alliance, these two alicorns, we're ready to leave her to her fate.

"Couldn't you help me?"

"Tis a lack of time, we must make our move."

"Couldn't I come with you."

"I am sorry my little pony, but we have not the time to carry you along, for we could be harmed in doing so."

"But without you I'll be harmed, or killed, or harmed and then killed!" cried Twilight, blubbering now as tears welled up into her eyes as desperation caught up with her. The sisters though remained unimpressed. "Tell you this, young Twilight. We truly must make our leave, but I can teach you a trick. All these material components to bring my sister and I across the barrier, not necessary. Watch close, if you truly are his apprentice, you will understand the weaves as we do."

In unison, the two sisters bowed their heads, horns aglow with respective colors of powerful gold and silver.

Twilight wanted to shout, to make them stop and listen, but it was to late. With a look towards the heavens, the two sisters let loose a massive flash of light and stamped their hooves.

Nothing Happened.

Chapter Drei Don't you believe us!

Celestia frowned, Luna scowled and repeated the motions a few more times, slowly quickening their movements and incantations before fanning their wings out in a glorious spectacle of lights and colors.

The scene remained unchanged, save for the ridiculousness of their posture.

Twilight decided that something was wrong.

"Is something wrong?" she asked politely.

"We seem to have encountered...problems." Answered Celestia.

"Tis not working," Luna's frown seemed to deepen.

"Are you sure you're doing it right?"

"Of course we are sure, we are as sure was we have been the last hundred times we've performed the incantation!"

Luna was starting to sound annoyed.

"Can you..."

"Twilight dear, please do save your questions and allow us the chance to resolve our current predicament." Celestia gave Luna a semi disapproving stare as the younger added, "Yes do shut up and allow us to think!"

With a huff the lunar princess sat down, quickly mirrored by her sister, both deep in thought, horns aglow as they seemed to test the air around them and each other.

"Perhaps sun and moon are in conflict in this realm?"

"Hardly, we would have felt such disharmony earlier."

A dark indigo hoof began tracing patterns in the air as the alicorn muttered to herself darkly. The elder sister seemed to mimic her, tracing counter circles, save for the muttering. Twilight was at a loss, wondering if this was another form of complex incantations or merely a practice of deep thought, but then figured it was wise not to voice such thoughts. Wisely she chose instead to organize her mind, filing what she currently knew and building better and stronger theories.

She wasn't sure if Celestia and Luna could really be considered a threat to her or perhaps they were the only means of salvation from a bigger threat. Celestia seemed to exert a calming presence of warmth and care, something Twilight quickly accepted, whilst her sister the lunar princess expelled a cold aura which spoke of the night which she seemed to claim presence over. Of course by this time Twilight was sure that they were kidding about the previous comments of bodily harm, but it is something one wants to be sure of. One thing she had quickly learned, was that there was more to magic than she had learned about in her many years under Star Swirl.

"Oh no...oh no he did not." It was Celestia who reacted first, her body quickly taking on those semi demonic looking traits of fire quickly tossing such safe notions of care and warmth from Twilight's previous thoughts.

Celestia was quickly upon her hooves, glaring at Star Swirl whilst Luna looked upon her with a modicum of confusion.

"That ill-begot son of a wombat!" her horned glowed, gripping the dearly departed and shaking his body violently, comically it rung with the tiny bells that were stitched throughout his clothes.

"What's a wombat?" Twilight asked, immediately regretting it as images of horrific beings of outer planes came to mind, so horrifying that she didn't truly want details. Luna of course was not in the mood to offer such an answer as she watched her elder sister continue to shake the poor stallions body.

"We are unamused at this play of comedy."

"Princesses? I...I don't..."

Twilight froze as the two princesses turned to face her suddenly. Celestia's rants and Luna's mutterings having suddenly stopped as they leveled their gaze to meet hers. Reflexively she shrank back before realizing the snarl both sisters had adopted were replaced with a discomforting smile. She found she liked it better when the two we're raving.

"My dear, dear Twilight Sparkle," Celestia purred. "I apologize, for both my sister and I, as we have not been clear to you."

"Indeed, our haste to venture out to right what must be righted, had outweighed the care for one of such stature as yourself." Agreed Luna.

Twilight felt a sense of unease and dread grow within her. She was not used to others being so nice to her, especially demons.

"Oh...um that's okay, I was...was just wondering."

"Oh do let us speak, please!" Luna waved any thoughts Twilight voiced away. "As you should know, Tia, and myself, were friends of dear old Star Swirl. He was a friend and a drinking partner. Of course things began with a simple joke."

"Yes, a joke indeed." Celestia continued, "Having a few too many mugs of hard cider and moonshine, he had quickly left, stiffing us with the bill. Of course, you know it meant war, so the next time I had called upon him for our regular demon summons, I did so over a rather murky lake and of course he had to do his entire demon act up to his flanks in water. He got even by."

To the sisters, images of pink tutu's and clown makeup would quickly pass between them, unbeknownst to the young unicorn before them.

"Tis not worth continuing, we believe thee to get the gist of our meaning." Luna scowled at Star Swirl, "Glossing the details, it was childish but habitual that we would continue our pranks upon each other, putting each other in the most awkward, and embarrassing situations for the entertainment of it all."

"Generally quite harmless, we can a sure you of that." Added Celestia. "Of course now, The frog kisser has gone to far, wouldn't you agree."

Celestia smiled, pearly whites shining at Twilight, Luna did so as well, hers including some rather sharp canines. Twilight of course not being particularly stupid, felt the need to agree, but not knowing exactly what was going on, felt it rather difficult to do so.

"I still don't know what's going on."

"What's going on, is that this mucking pile of pond scum has gone and taken a majority of our powers away!" spat Celestia, Star Swirls body was ringing again with her telekinetic grasp.

"And seems to have locked our ability to enter our home realms." Finished Luna.

"Wha?"

"We are locked from our full capabilities you foal!" she roared, the whole of the world shook with each syllable. "Blocked, neither sun nor moon can hear us, touch us, and benefit us. Without our contact to our home, we cannot remove this foalish prank that he has placed upon us, a prank that he in his vast knowledge knows how to remove, a removal which he has forthwith given the right to abscond for he has joined the choir invisible! He has chosen to be a gardener of daisies from which his body shall nourish! He's stiff, bereft of life! He is dead! Do you understand us you twit!"

From the unicorn shaped hole in the wall, a purple hoof waved dizzily into the air assuring Princess Luna that Twilight had most definitely heard, and accepted her reasoning.

Twilight of course had made her mind up, savior or not, she wanted them to both be gone and away from her.

"Well...if there is anything I can do." She pulled her self back into the hut, shaking her head of the swirling stars that seemed to have taken orbit around her.

"Oh Luna is most sorry my little pony." Luna gently tugged Twilight closer to them, placing a friendly hoof upon her shoulder. "You can most certainly help us!"

Twilight suddenly felt that instinctual urge to run, run and never look back. Of course that hoof was awfully firm, and the appearance of a pristine white feathery wing along with a nearly matching indigo wing seemed to close off any escape route. Feinting began to look pretty good.

"My Twilight, our Twilight, dearest Twilight," Celestia buttered on with pleasant purrs, "Do fire up that wonderful brazier, and cleanse us of that filthy spell. Surely dear Star Swirl would share such a lesson with you, would he not? We could then go our separate ways and"

"I...I can't do it."

"Look you," Luna's face was now uncomfortably close to Twilight's. "We shall grant thee a boon, protection. Call you a cherished friend!"

"That's not it."

"What dost though want from us! Blood?" It was Celestia's turn to expel clearly and loudly. "I f you are trying to hold us up..."

"I'm not! Twilight interrupted with a desperate shout. "I can't do it because I can't do it! I don't know how!"

That stopped them.

"Tia, I fear we have a problem then. Twilight, why not just open a portal for us then."

"Clever Luna! Surely someone at home can rid us of this nuisance."

"I can't." Squeaked Twilight. "Remember, I didn't even know what a dimension was till you both told me."

"Well...what can you do?"

"I can levitate objects...er small ones."

"And?" Celestia encouraged.

"Light a candle, er almost."

"You're joking, you're joking right?"

"Er...I blew up my school with a magical surge?"

They both slumped back, landing upon think cushions that Twilight was sure wasn't there a moment before.

"Have you anything to drink?" asked Luna.

"I'll get you some water!"

"We said something to drink, not something to wash our face in!"

"Oh!"

Twilight hastened to bring her a goblet of wine from the hidden liquor stash that was buried within the wall of the house, hoping that the lunar princess wouldn't notice the vessels lack of cleanliness.

"What will this do? Will it bring your powers back?"

"No...It will only help to alleviate this gnawing headache." She glared at the goblet, studying it disdainfully. "Tis a small goblet, unworthy of sating our needs. Is there not a larger vessel?"

Casting her eyes about the room, Twilight was at a loss, but Luna seemed to already be ahead of her.

Luna rose from her cushion, trotting towards the pentagram and with a glow of her horn, collected the large brazier.

"Er...the brazier...its heavy."

Luna released her magical grip upon it and held it aloft in her fore hooves like it was paper.

"It still has Star Swirls potions..."

Luna emptied the bottles contents into the brazier.

"But the mixture might..."

Luna took a deep and rather throaty draught.

Twilight felt a little queasy.

"Ah, that does us most graciously, Star Swirl always had a keen sense of taste with wines." Luna smacked her lips.

"Sister, it does seem that fate has granted Twilight the convenience of our presence for better or worse." Celestia finally rose from her own cushion, casting it away with a nod of her head. "Tis not ideal, but it is the cards which we have been dealt, and thus must play. We must bite the proverbial bullet. You do know what cards are do you not child?"

"Yes, and I'm not a child!"

"Are you millenniums year old?"

"...I'm a child...what's a bullet?"

Princess Celestia sighed, almost whimpered to herself as she slowly dragged a hoof down along her face.

"Twilight, if we are to be in each others company for the foreseeable future. There's a high probability of this relationship driving one of us mad. Twould most likely be my sister, or I, less you cease with the constant questioning."

"But...but I can't understand half of what your saying!" Twilight protested.

"Then let us concede, would it help if you saved your questions for later, so that we may discuss them then, and not in small separate pieces."

"I'll try."

"So as we see it. If Discord is hiring changelings for assassins..."

"What's a changeling."

Luna sat beside Twilight, leveling her with a quick glance before tipping the brazier, gulping down its contents of wine and unknowns, some of those unknowns squealing as they slid down her gullet.

"Pardon me, I did not hear you."

Urk...I...I didn't say anything." wheezed Twilight through tight lips.

"Ahh would you like to partake sister of mine?" Luna held the brazier out to Celestia whom gladly accepted and drank before passing it back.

Twilight felt that if this continued, she'd be adding her own special contents into the brazier in the hopes of making them stop.

"Now, where was I?" she frowned, looking up to the heavens again, "Dear me, its happening, its been but a few seconds and I've forgotten."

"Ch-changlings..."

"Ahh! Yes. So if Discord is hiring changelings and of course arming them with illegal non-realm weaponry, it can only mean he's up to his old tricks again. Of course with my sister and I happily." This part she hissed, "Are out of contact with our realm, we are unable to sound the alarm, and seal the beast. That is where you come in my little pony...Twilight...Twilight?"

She gave Twilight an expectant look, one that the poor little filly couldn't shoulder, all the building misery finally blubbering through her eyes.

"What is wrong with thee?" shouted Luna whom regretted it suddenly.

A confused lavender unicorn was understandable, a blubbering and now snuffly nosed lavender unicorn, huge globes of tears spilling from her yes, was just tragic.

"I...I have no idea what you're talking about!" the hardly recognizable voice of the sadden unicorn cried out, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm trying to understand, I am!"

She turned, trying to hide her face from the two alicorns, whom shared rather troubled expressions, regarding the small unicorn who was currently wiping her eyes of tears and wondering why she was so concerned about two demons watching her cry. She didn't know how much time had past, but reality quickly came as a set of hooves, one warm and gentle, the other cool and calming, rested upon her shoulder.

"Twilight, please forgive us." Luna gave her a firm squeeze, voice surprisingly sympathetic. She gave her sister a nod. "We had assumed to much in our time here, and have expected of thee to know more than the secrets held by our departed. We can't expect you to learn that which was never taught, so there is no reason that you should."

"We apologize, please do not be alarmed Twilight."

"But I feel so stupid," she blubbered, "I was top of the class in Canterlot, before my incident! I'm not used to being...to feeling so stupid!"

Wings enveloped her as two princesses pulled her into a group embrace.

"Silence young-ling, you are far from stupid, Star Swirl would never have chosen you if it were so."

"To be apprenticed to a unicorn of his stature, means a great honor. If anyone here is lacking intellect, it would be us. So carried away we were with our position, that we had dismissed your plight, expecting more of thee than we should from an apprentice. A true magician you are not."

"But with us, in time, you shall be."

Twilight didn't look up, snuffling and unable to respond.

"Twilight, without our connection, we severely lack the touch of mana which you yourself have control of, in time you would be more powerful than us in the correct planes of magic."

"But...but you know more than I do!"

"Sister, I believe it maybe worth our time to invest in this young filly." Celestia smiled.

"We believe so as well." Came Luna's reply, a smile of her own.

Standing back, the two Alicorn Princesses regarded Twilight, a powerful aura resonating off the both of them drawing the young unicorns attention to focus upon them.

"With the loss of our friend, and your master, you are a student without direction."

"Lost and alone in a world that will not understand the power you hold."

"From the beginning to the end."

"We shall take you on as apprentice, and shall be your teacher till we see fit to end your education."

"So then, Twilight, would you accept being our protege?"

In spite of her gloom, Twilight couldn't help but smile as she felt her spirits lift. Realizing that she was merely uniformed and not stupid, she accepted a golden opportunity for what it was.

"Its a deal!" she emitted a sound between a squeal and a yip...it was adorable.

"A deal it is then!" both sisters concluded.

Twilight held a hoof out to Luna who then regarded it coldly.

"What is this?"

"Er..."

"Our word not well enough?"

"Er no...I mean yes..I mean I just thought, I'm your protege...right?"

"Tis right, and as an apprentice under our tutelage, we do not go round shaking the hands of our students!" Luna finished.

Twilight felt that this particular alliance certainly missed the choir, the roses and landed her right into the thorns.

"Now then, as I was saying, here is what we've got to do with this current situation."

"But...but I still don't know anything!"

"Your first lesson then. When in a crisis, do not waste energy wishing for that which you cannot have, or for skills you do not own. You must brace yourself and collect all the information around you in order to deduce your next course of action."

"Thus sit down and shut up!" added Luna as she began pacing around the hut much to her sisters displeasure.

"Yes...in more polite terms, think and listen, it can save your life." Celestia finished.

Twilight took in a few breathes, then released them. Luna studied her for a moment before taking a gulp from the brazier.

"So let us educate you now in order to help your mind process the full extent of the situation as it is." Celestia sat before Twilight, taking her whole attention off of Luna, and began the lesson. "You've a small understanding of dimensions, and as you've heard, there are barriers that rest between each dimension. These barriers fold and flex, ripple and wave, and with a light touch of magic, can open a whole allowing travelers to journey between them. Different magicians utilize these barriers for different reasons. Star Swirl used it for show, others for trade, and yet still more use it for war and peace; summoning more demons, visions of lands beyond, etcetera etcetera."

"Technology is different amongst dimensions," chimed in Luna. The brazier was chucked aside with a loud clatter as its contents were finally drained. "Progression is rated differently amongst the many realms. This can be used to a magicians advantage. Of course it would not be for show. These tricksters are not but smugglers, bandits and thieves transcending barriers to pilfer than sell their trade. Many famous inventors are in truth closet magicians, a coin I would rarely use, but I feel simplifies the explanation."

Twilight frowned without realizing this, though Celestia caught it, a smile growing on her face.

"It does sound rather dishonest and unscrupulous, least you would think so. Actually many of this smugglers are fairly ethical, following a code that they adhere to rather closely."

"Smugglers code?" asked Twilight, forgetting herself. Celestia nor Luna seemed to mind the outburst.

"Like a mercenaries code, less violent, more profitable. One part of the code states, an invention of one dimension far beyond the technological capabilities of another, cannot be brought to dimension B. Like bringing guided missiles to a longbow culture, or lasers to a flint and powder era."

Twilight was biting her tongue now, finding it extremely difficult not to voice her thoughts. If silence is golden, she was surely eating away at its market value.

"Now as said, magicians generally keep to the code, but it doesn't mean that at times a magician might forgo the rules for his or her own benefit."

"And thus my elder sister brings us to Discord."

Somehow a chill ran along Twilight's spine, a chill that never existed before, yet the more and more Discords name was uttered, the more uncomfortable she felt. Maybe it was all in the pronunciation.

"Discord...is said not to play with a full deck of cards. Perhaps he's been snapping his fingers one too many times and drowning himself in whatever desires he takes too. But whatever reason he caters too, be it known, he has a mind which demands the total control of all dimensions." Luna finished and began preening her feathers.

"He has done this before," continued Celestia, "But many of us we're able to discern his intentions. This is when we first met Star Swirl. Honestly we thought Discord had given up after the last beating. Even gave him a few souvenirs so as not to forget his time with us. Now he's at it again, using cross dimension help and aiding them with advance technology. Surely he's doing it again."

"Doing what?'

"Did I not just tell you? Taking over the dimensions."

"I know the what! Its the how that confuses me. I mean how does what he does in this dimension help him rule others?" Twilight corrected.

"Oh dear, that is to the point. Well, each dimension has a finite amount of power. As a whole, all dimensions are infinite, but alone they are but a single strand. Different dimensions have different sizes, these strands we call Ley Lines. These strands are then shared by the magicians of that land."

"So...the less there are, the more powerful the whole is, and the more powerful the whole, the more powerful the magician who controls it!"

"Oh you've got it!" Celestia clapped her hooves, smiling, "You certainly do pull together such vague clues!

"I understand now!" Twilight squealed happily at the praise.

"Good, then you understand why we must stop him!"

Twilight felt the praise, the happy warmth, and joy all fade like a match dropped into ice water. Dead cold.

"We? You mean us!" a hair on her mane sprang up in her growing panic.

"Well, it isn't much, especially if he's had time to gather multiple dimensions, but nevertheless, we shall prevail!"

"I'll have some of that wine now."

"None for you, you're to young." Luna admonished, shaking the bottle. "Tis empty now anyhow, pity.

"I agree, your training began the moment we accepted you under our wing. You are going to need all the practice you can take. Insane or not, Discord is not one to trifle with!" Celestia shared a stern look with Twilight enforcing her words.

"Do you really believe I have what it takes to beat him?"

"Of course! We would have never accepted you if we didn't believe so!" said Luna.

Both alicorns shared an unconvincing smile. Truth be told they probably didn't believe themselves either but Twilight at least gave them credit for the confidence boost.

Author's Note

Whew...find any errors, just let me know!

Chapter 8/2 Planning

"Hmm, to garish, to red, to blue, too many bells." Clothing flew left and right at the mere flick of Alicorn horns as the two conversed, going through both Twilight's and Star Swirl's clothing. "Tiny, still tiny, way too tiny...are those silk socks and swim wear?"

Twilight with a sudden burst of magic watched as said articles of clothing vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Oh dear, I thought you could only vaguely summon fire." Celestia held in a giggle at the reddening unicorn, turning her attention back to the wardrobe.

"If only one could remove the image from the mind." Said Luna with a smirk, looking over Twilight. "Thou sure that thy nature was student and not mere scandalous glamor?"

"Of course!" Twilight shouted louder than she wanted too.

"Tis a joke, do learn the difference." Luna scolded, or teased it was hard to tell.

Twilight wondered at their intentions, as though the two expected others of her realm to not find their presence alarming. Two Alicorns, ponies of nearly three times the size of Twilight, adorned with both wings and unicorn horn. It was not something the locals would miss, they weren't that stupid. Of course Twilight felt it best not to voice her opinions.

Luna of course took his dark blue cloak, having removed the bells. Of course Twilight protested against this, but Luna argued that as he was dead, he had no more use for it. Pragmatism, as she called it. Situational ethics. She said that it was another lesson that would come in play as a magician.

"Twilight." Celestia called out. She now seemed preoccupied with a chest, Luna across the room was now digging through shelves and cupboards. "Is there not anything for you to be armed with, swords, bow and arrows?"

"Weapons?"

"Of course, like those used to bereft your former master the chance of life."

"I know what you mean, I just didn't expect you to take interest in them."

"Why not?"

"Well...I thought you said you were well versed in magic."

"Tell us Twilight, does your non horned populace have need of magic to butter bread?"

"Er no?"

"Do you?"

"Not really."

"Then what is the problem?"

"I've never known any magicians or practitioners of the arts to use weapons."

"Well then, do tell us, how many other magicians have you known?" Celestia gestured to Star Swirl.

"Er...just the one."

"Most excellent, let not that keen observation fail us!" chimed in Luna from across the room.

"Indeed, tell us, what is the difference between us and old Star Swirl?"

"He's dead?"

"So?"

"I'll help." Twilight began throwing open dresser drawers and flipping over the mattress.

"Good girl." Celestia offered a proud smile.

Twilight certainly hard to argue with the logic. How she could have missed such obvious conclusion, she blamed the stress.

It wasn't long before they finished rummaging through the hut, it wasn't that large. Aside from the assassins choice of weapon, they didn't find much else. A chest yielded Star Swirls jewel encrusted sword, something he forbade Twilight from ever touching. A set of knives, two work, the rest kitchen utensils. Aside from those meager findings, the rest of the house proved to lack anything useful in a combative situation. The two alicorns were not overjoyed.

"A sword encrusted with plastic jewels, so blunt you'd have to bludgeon another to death with it over anything else. Very few knives, not even worthy of the name. Anybody who keeps weapons like these should be skewered!"

"He was."

"True enough. It that is all we have found, than we shall make the most of it." Luna finished, setting the knives upon a table. The sword joined with a clatter.

Each princess took hold of the sparse collection of armaments and began to equip them, behind regalia or beneath wings. Twilight seemed to take offense to this.

"Don't I get a weapon?"

"Do you know how to use one?"

"Well..."

They resumed their task, ignoring her glares.

"Right then, without the aid of our own worlds, we are going to be in dire straights without some form of monetary value. Twilight, do you know where Star Swirl would have secreted his savings. Possibly closest to his stash of dirty magazines."

Twilight reddened again, but motioned towards a set of stones near the fireplace. Easily removing theses, she presented the sisters with a few pouches of mixed copper and silver coins.

"We assume copper and silver to be of low value?" inquired Luna.

"Silver is good, not as good as gold, and a hundred copper to a silver."

"Tis chicken feed here, a mere few coins? Tell us that this is but a jest!" Luna fumed, "Do tell us, have their been any items that he warned you of? Items not to touch?"

"Well of course, all the cursed gold and things!"

"Luna, if you may allow me." Celestia cleared her throat, taking Twilight's attention. "Now, if you were unable to fend for yourself, yet had a wealth of material goods, how would you protect them?"

"I...don't know?"

"Ahh, lesson time again!" she clapped her hooves smiling. "Allow us to explain while we gather up these cursed items."

In no time, the three had collected a modest heap of items which Twilight had held in awe for the longest time. A rather lewd stature of a golden mare, pearls of the deep ones, a gold pendant shaped like a sun with a few missing rays, and a ring with a large jewel encrusted upon it, happily removed from Star Swirls hoof.

"Now then, I take it there is a story behind the sun and its three missing rays?" Celestia offered an appraising look as she waited for an answer.

"Well there was this tale of a Zebrican tribe," she began, "There was a worship of a massive parasprite that..."

"Skip it! It is nothing more than a sham, to make those who hear the tale fear its true source!" turning, Celestia taking a deep breath, her chest thrusting out, the golden regalia upon it shining. A sun a very familiar sun shined upon it. "What one does, if they are smart, is have a craftsman take any gold, and form it into something like so, of course with a set value in mind. Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

A slight nod from the unicorn was the answer.

"Now then, taking such a design, you add a shroud of mysticism upon it, magic here, a curse there, ancient blood rights and evil. The more others believe it, the move valuable such an item becomes, and thus the more that is torn away from it, the more its value continues to grow. The circumstance under which the limb or ray was torn away is purely fictitious."

Twilight felt no surprise at this, strangely enough. She began doubting much of what the old wizard had shared with her, in fact much of what anyone shared with her now.

"So, there really are no such things as curses!"

"Oh don't be so quick to judge my dear student!" Celestia tutted. "I didn't say their weren't. I merely said that it makes for a grand cover story when needed. Now once in a while, you will come across an item of power, but they are usually few and far between."

"But how does one tell?"

A glint shined in Celestia's eye, and she gestured to her sister.

"Well, when it comes to detection spells, there is none better than my sister. Though again we may not have the benefit of your realms magical knowledge, it doesn't stop the basics from being true."

"Tis true! It is time to impart to you your first true magical lesson. I believe that Star Swirl felt it unnecessary to teach you aura detection. Figures, the old bag would probably think you a thief ready to plunder his goods if he did." Standing beside Twilight, she placed a hoof upon the unicorns head and forced her down till she was eye level with the table. "Now then, you've day dreamed have you not?"

Amidst the protest of such abuse, Twilight gave an affirmative.

"Good, then do so, let thy mind wander, focus upon the white coat of my sister, but keep the valuables in sight."

Twilight began taking breaths, each slower than the last as her mind began to drift. It was hard though, for one staring at Celestia's slowly inhaling and exhaling chest was quite a distraction in itself, leading to thoughts Twilight would find rather rude, on another her mind was awash with too many questions, yearning to be answered, oh how she wish she had access to a library, perhaps there was a realm of books? Yes a realm of books would be most.

Wait.

She hopped up shouting. "What was that?"

"Oh, what did you see?"

"I...well nothing...I didn't see anything."

"Do not tease, what did your eyes tell you?"

"Well, for a moment, just a moment I swear the ring glowed read, but it just...vanished the moment I focused."

"Ahh, good enough. Know that when you focus upon an object, untrained as you are, you will easily loose it, no matter. Tia!"

"On it Lulu," Celestia dragged a hoof across the table, sweeping all but the ring into a convenient bag. Luna scowled at the nickname.

"We shall leave the ring, it is probably what was used to pacify the unfortunate changeling."

"But why not take it with us?"

"Do you know how to control it?"

"Well...no."

"Well then, as powerful as we both maybe, exploding into flames is certainly a very painful experience. The last thing we need is a ring that focuses such heat, especially one that can't be aimed unless one has the knowledge for it. If we are fortunate, any whom try to follow us will come across it and turn it upon themselves."

"But...your the princess of the sun."

"And that does not mean I go about setting myself ablaze on a whim, it takes energy to hold such an aura, mostly keeping it in check so as not to incinerate those around us, or the planet itself. Believe me when I say, that having a lot of power can be just as troublesome as no power at all. Most especially to those who wish to hold onto such gifts with responsibility."

"Is this a, with great power comes great responsibility lesson?"

"Hardly, its the nagging one gets from every other dimension when power fluxes in and out of their own ley lines, something we both hardly feel is worth wasting our time with in magical court."

"Magic court... wait more?"

"Well we did say that others would probably come, and professionals do work in multiple teams!"

"Don't lose thy wits young Twilight."

"Easier to say then do." Came Twilight's thoughts. She voiced her other thoughts. "You mean we've been waiting this entire time while they get a chance to surprise us?"

"Oh hardly, professional courtesy dictates they wait a few days, tomorrow at the earliest!" Luna gave a calm smile that spoke of experience. Experience Twilight wished to not learn first hoof. "They do it so that the others if their are more, will have plenty of space to maneuver about, employing whatever tricks of the trade or traps necessary to capture or kill their quarry."

"Princess Luna, how is it you know so much about assassins?"

Luna smiled as she reminisced. "Tis a lovely lass we knew, knew her art very well, found it hard to keep her mouth shut though. Amazing what one shares in bed, poor habit for such a position."

"What happened?"

"With?"

"The assassin?"

"None of your business." Luna's answer was suddenly very brusque. "We've much to do and little time to do it."

"So what do we do now?"

"Bury the bodies, make it seem as though the assassin ditched after the job with all the valuables."

"I figured that, I meant where do we go from here?"

"You worry me child. First step in military matters is to take account. Find Discord, appraise his strengths, divulge his weakness. Form a heavily armed party. Make a plan, and then execute it, and him if we have fortunes favor."

"Um...could you please back up just a little princess...how do we find him?"

"Don't you know where he is?"

"I haven't even heard of him till today."

A long silence past between pupil and Teachers as they stared at each other.

Chapter Cinq Book and Field

"Tia, we believe we, as you'd say, have figured it out."

The elder Alicorn tilted her head in confusion, as did a lavender unicorn.

"Figured what out, little sister?"

"Why it is that the citizens of this land have chosen to focus upon one magic or weapons, but not both."

"Oh do tell," replied Twilight with no enthusiasm whatsoever for whatever scathing commentary the lunar alicorn may present on her kind.

"Tis simple, for one, a weapon like magic takes many years of practice to hone ones skill. Tempering ones mind for combat between blades is akin to doing so between spell casters. It is a matter of conditioning, for one such as yourself Twilight, you are conditioned to react with magic, and if you were to be trained in the art of melee combat along with magical, the chances of hesitation rise to near lethal percentage." As Luna spoke, the knives she had collected flew around her, swiping at the air in a fanciful if not rather macabre dance of death and steel. Ever since they had left the hut and began their trek, both princesses have been working at their respective weapons, testing their weight along with their own skills. Even when at rest near a lake or in a field, they continued to swing, thrust, and stab at the air. Twilight felt she had learned much about weapons through observation than in any other life...if such existed.

"So to keep things simple," Luna continued, "Star Swirl chose to focus your mind upon magical finesse, honestly its all he's ever known himself."

"And the other?" asked Twilight.

"Learning curve of course. The life expectancy of thy people are likened to that of a candle whose wick was cut too short. Thus you've only the time to learn one skill or another."

"I think I liked your other reason better." Twilight fumed as she continued along their current course.

Celestia merely chortled as she sheathed the sword, her wing fanning out to give her younger sister a playful shove.

In no time at all, such needling against Twilight's kind and position quickly became an acceptance that the unicorn learned to take in stride. It seemed to be their habit to be critical of everything in the world, and herself, especially herself in particular. A week in their company and she learned that the only fear she would take hold upon, is if Celestia's doting or Luna's complaining would suddenly cease.

Being honest with herself, Twilight found that tutelage under both alicorns was rather pleasing, as progress with her magic seemed to grow exponentially. Her most important lesson learned so far, was the ability to draw magical energy from the world rather than from herself. As they explained it, this energy was a tangible force, like water being drawn up one set of legs into her mind, whilst exhausted energy traveled down the other set. Already she felt she could recharge herself even after a hard day's walking. Merely taking a moment to pause, she'd stand there, eyes close drawing and releasing energy.

"Must you constantly pause in our trek?" Of course Luna would always complain, finding the unicorns progress lacking. "One should be able to draw energy and release it whilst on the move."

Twilight merely gave a curt smile and nod, not caring as her own opinions of herself were of high praise for having learned so much in so little time. No moon princess would dampen her enthusiasm.

"Twilight, would you kindly fetch me a piece of wood?"

With that smile still upon her face, Twilight's horn glowed, its purple aura reaching out to grasp a piece of deadwood. It hovered between her and Celestia, invisible fingers of power holding it almost lazily in its grasp.

"Not bad dear student." With a flash the sword flew out from its sheath, its blunt edge smoothly sailing through every fiber. With a clutter clunk, two pieces of wood at upon the ground. Twilight her mane frazzled, heart pounding, and the last dying remnants of a squeal of terror, could only stare at the lasting image of what was a mere inch between her face and lethal steel.

"This sword may have hope yet!" Celestia peered at Twilight. "You allowed it to fall."

The last was directed at Twilight.

"You...you startled me." She answered in reply as she slowly gained back her composure.

Suddenly with a flick of Celestia's horn, the stick flew out and bounced painfully off Twilight's shoulder as she yelped and tried to duck away.

"What was that for?"

"Call it an object lesson. You know you can control it, you've already done so, proven so. Why do you cower away when you can merely stop it? Is it not what your magic is for?"

"I wasn't ready! You threw it at me before I even had a chance!"

Celestia brought both fore hooves to her her mouth, a look of apologetic hurt upon her face.

"Oh, oh I am truly sorry." She waved a hoof towards Twilight. "Please take a moment, build up your thoughts, I did not mean to enforce this lesson upon you without allowing you the insight to my plans!"

Taking a deep breathe, Twilight smiled along with Celestia. The white alicorn, the princess of the sun, so kind and polite. Aside form the previous tantrum a few days back, she has proven to almost be motherly, doting upon the rest of the party. Twilight found she truly liked her.

The stack slammed into her face, the world twisting around as she felt her body follow through with the force of the throw, spinning in the air before allowing the unicorn to land with the little grace upon her head.

Oh how she hated her.

"And we shall let that be a valuable lesson on the difference between the classroom and field. The classroom may give you the exercise, but the field will never be so kind as to allow you the first strike. As Luna has stated, the luxury of gathering necessary energy will never be there, and seldom will you confront a stationary target."

"Is it necessary to undermine my self confidence at every turn?" sniffled Twilight, rubbing her noes. "Every time I feel as though I'm getting someplace, one of you cuts my legs out from under me."

Celestia sheathed the sword, extending her wing out to pull Twilight closer, a handkerchief appearing from no where began to wipe the dirt away from her face.

"Twilight, would you rather it be figurative, or literal?" The dirtied piece of cloth vanished. "Self confidence can be a wonderful thing, but not if it isn't justified. Someday, all of us will be staking our lives upon your capabilities, and it will do us no good if you've been fooling yourself into a false sense of ability."

"Twilight, if we chose to pamper like a foaling, it would be a disservice to you as a student, as it would be to my sister and I." Luna sat beside her. "Would thou rather us not prepare thee for the worst, to lead thee into notions of security and preparedness?"

"No." Was the glum response, the unicorn frowning now. "I wouldn't want that to happen at all."

"Then let us get to work!" Luna nodded, a simple tug of her magic dropping a few apples before them from a nearby tree.

"But, do we have time? The changeling assassins!"

"Worry not, changelings or otherwise, they are a tenacious lot, but slow to travel, wanting to make certain of their quarry." Assured Luna.

To reflect upon it, Twilight knew that their strategy upon leaving the hut was to trace the ley lines, magical, mystical beams of energy that wrapped around the world, sometimes rare like an oasis in a desert, other times haphazardly, like a wrapped ball of twine. The idea would be to follow the lines of energy to the strongest point in order to confront Discord. Like a river, energy flowed in noticeable directions, and a junction of such force would prove a place of power.

Having never realized it till now. Star Swirls hut was under the paths of three crossing ley lines, though small, it coalesced into a central pool of energy, enough for a magician and his apprentice to utilize in daily lessons.

At first it proved difficult, Twilight having only heard of this lines of power when Celestia and Luna discussed them rapidly back in the hut. Like finding a magical item though, it was a simple lesson to learn, which was fortunate with all the other lessons that were quickly piling up upon the young protege.

By simply closing one's eyes and relaxing, imagine a double pointed spear in glowing blues and greens suspended in the air. The more intense the glow, the nearer a ley line is, the direction of the point signified the direction of magical flow. Like a needle upon a compass.

Once they had established the ley lines position over Star Swirls hut, the next question was which way to go. If assassins were upon this very trail, choosing the wrong path would surely lead to disaster for the unprepared.

Thus they choose to follow one of the paths at a distance, traveling perpendicular to it but never on it. Two days later they were parallel to the line of their chosen destination before finally deciding to traveling upon the line itself. The hope was to bypass the assassins altogether.

It worked, and it didn't.

It worked in that they trio had not walked into an ambush. It didn't work in that it now seemed as though they were now being followed. The very slight fluctuations upon the ley line said so, very weak, it caused the slightest of a tremor along its lines, but Luna was not fooled, and with a quick discussion over the planets passage of time, stated that at least a week if not more separated them from their hunters.

"Tis a good thing." Said Luna, "It would mean that we have chosen wisely."

"But how long do we have, what if we chose wrong! We could be going the wrong way!" Twilight babbled.

"How long dost thou think it shall take to battle a pack of assassins and confront Discord with us?"

"Work sounds wonderful!" Twilight said firmly through a forced smile, "I'm ready and rearing to go!"

Gesturing at the apples, Luna began laying out her instructions.

"Focus upon the sky, think thoughts of, oh we don't know, why belly buttons have lint, or something. Then when ordered, toss an apple at us."

Twilight felt as though hours had passed them by, the drill proving most difficult. Luna would change tactics along with Celestia, each chiming in with conversation to throw her of guard, leading her on before suddenly giving the command for an apple. Quickly she learned that the art of merely just drawing energy in and letting it out, was an extremely tiring task. Needless to say, she failed miserably.

"Twilight, your ability is commendable, but lacking. You've shone ability to muster thine energy from the land around you, but your ability to be consistent is what harms you." Luna casually cantered to Twilight, placing the tip of her wing upon the unicorns chest. "It is now time for thy next lesson. Imagine a pocket within thee, like a wardrobe or even a cellar for wine, yet instead of such wondrous and delicious contents, fill it, fill it with all the contents provided to thee. We expect that thou shalt hold this pocket in reserve and keep it satisfied even when one is in slumber."

Steeling her resolve and pulling in the energy around her. Twilight formed as large a pocket within her as she could muster. Giggling lightly as she voiced her thoughts of its warmth at the approval of both alicorns. Then quickly she pursued her exercise again, finding it easier to hold a conversation whilst firing off another apple into the air for the two princesses to practice their aim upon. As an added touch of finesse, Twilight would extract the blade, returning them to whomever had thrown it. The art of holding energy within her very being proved fruitful as fatigue seemed to never touch upon her as it did before.

It was Celestia's turn now, her blade whirling through the air like an artists brush, painting a silvery trail of light before plunging into the apples. Sometimes magic was used, other times she did this with her hooves, over-hoof and under-hoofed, front hooves and back even. Twilight of course was enjoying one of the sliced apples, lazily chewing away as time carried on.

"Stop it. Twilight!"

Luna exploded loudly, voice shaking the earth and Twilight as one of her own knives flew through the air with deadly resolve. Without thinking, as though a new instinct had formed in her mind, Twilight reached out mentally and...the knife stopped in midair! She blinked, its blade still sitting before her, unmarred by her blood, spinning and whistling in the afternoon air next to the apple that she was currently eating, it too held aloft by her magic.

"Huzzah! That is what we are talking about! Now that, is what one may have confidence in! A master mage ye shall be yet!" boomed Luna.

Celestia clapped her hooves in applause, gracing Twilight with that motherly smile of pride at her students growing abilities.

"I did it!" Twilight whooped, almost disbelieving her own eyes.

"Indeed you did, that is the magic we speak of that will save your life one day!" said Celestia.

Out of habit, Twilight returned the knife to Luna. Quickly plucking it from the air, the lunar princess tucked it away, then halted, her ears twitching.

"Not a moment too late, I hear a presence coming to us." She gestured ahead of them.

"How can you tell?" Asked Twilight.

"Alicorn ears. Tis not the hunters, tis but a single being, cantering towards us. No wild animal moves in straight line, nor with such laziness, truly it must be one of thy people."

"Aren't we going to hide? What do you mean not a moment too late?"

"No need to stealth away." Luna grinned. "You have developed quickly, and we feel such development requires a reward. We've a few days before their arrival. Time enough for a new spell!"

"Days?"

Luna frowned. "Do tell us your time table again."

"Er...seconds, minutes, hours..."

"Minutes! We've a few minutes!"

"Minutes! I can't learn a spell in a matter of minutes!"

"Oh do have faith in yourself Twilight, if I know Luna, she seems ready to grace you with a true piece of art." said Celestia.

"How..."

"Silence and listen!" Luna interrupted. "Eyes closed, mind focused. Now picture a face."

Sadly for Twilight, Star Swirl was the most well known face aside form her parents, thus it became the center of her thoughts.

"Now imagine ours, and our bodies, merging and molding, like working with clay. Hold it and then open thine eyes!"

Twilight grumbled when she did.

"It didn't work."

"Oh it did, and well too."

"Hmm a bit of Star Swirl eh? A bit morbid but it shall do." said Celestia.

"But you haven't changed!"

"Of course we have, as thou are the caster, thou shalt not see thy fruits of thy labor!" Luna grinned, "Its a matter of the mind knowing truth. Thou hast formed the lie, hence only the truth is known to thee. Thou mind is not fooled by thy own tricks."

"You...you can really see Star Swirls face?"

Luna presented a mirror to Twilight, who fumed. One of the first things she had learned was that her normal site could not see the reflections of either alicorn. The jest sailed over her rather quickly.

"Oh do believe us. We have faith in thee, do have faith in thyself."

The two supposedly disguised alicorns stepped out to greet a figure whom had now crested a hill near the rows of apple trees. A wide brimmed hat adorned her head along with a rather wicked blade slung across her back. Hardened leather covered obvious bits of chain mail which seemed to rest upon powerfully thick muscles. Blonde mane accentuated her orange coat.

"Salutations and good day!" hollered Celestia in a voice not of her own.

"Tis a wondrous walk through the orchard is it not?"

The mare in question rose her head up, a hoof rising in greeting, when suddenly it stopped. She seemed to lean forward slightly, green eyes squinting, then drew back in terror. "Consarnit! I ain't having none of your filthy demon kind on ma property!"

Two alicorns turned to look at Twilight.

Twilight merely shrugged.

Chapter 3+3 Attention to Detail

The mare's terror hardly immobilized her. In fact, it didn't immobilize her at all, Twilight observed. No sooner had she made her discovery did she take action. Said action was to lean back, both front hooves off the ground in an attempt to extract her deadly blade, a precarious position at best.

It seemed that Twilight was not the only one to observe this mare's instability. In a single bound, Luna sprang forward with a feral bellow, her voice bowling over the earth pony end over end.

"Ahh fuss buckets!" she cursed, shaking her head as she rose to her hooves. "I've killed stallions for less!"

Deciding that such a threat was best avoided. Twilight took hold of a small stone and whipped it at the mare. With a resounding gong like a bell, the mares head seemed to ring, followed by the satisfactory crumple of her body, legs twitching and eyes rolled up.

Two alicorns and a unicorn regarded this stranger, catching their breath.

"Relax Twilight, it'll be easy Twilight. We have faith in thy skill Twilight!" Twilight threw a disgruntled look at Luna. "When you miss a call, you don't do it small do you?"

Celestia sniggered as Luna scowled.

"Shut up!"

Luna was rummaging through the saddle bags that adorned the mares back.

"I won't shut up! I want to know what happened to this so called fool-proof spell you taught me!"

"Yes, as do I Luna, anything at all?" asked Celestia.

"Twilight check her aura."

"Oh check her aura now, shut up now, why don't I just...hey!"

"What is it?"

"Her aura, its orange! I mean...she's glowing orange." Twilight amended quickly at the realization of the mares coat. "And something on her neck, its blue."

"Oh, is that so?" Celestia was now beside her sister, examining the young mare. "Well this is a surprise."

"What do you spy dear sister?"

"I spy, with my little eyes, eyes that see beyond lies," Celestia gestured. "It would explain our current predicament Luna. Twilight do be kind and relinquish us of your practiced disguise, there is no use lying to this mare's sense of sight."

Twilight groaned in response, closing her eyes. She found it easier to remove the illusion, melting away Star Swirls face, until it was no more but a memory. Opening her eyes, Celestia and Luna looked like Celestia and Luna. Excellent.

"Now what?"

As if in answer, the warrior mare groaned, rubbing her temple as she slowly rolled onto her belly.Shaking her head clear of the recent bashing it took. Her gaze finally settled upon Luna, whereupon she blinked, blinked again, then made for her sword.

"You won't best me out in ma own field, I'll...I'll cut ya where..." she frowned at Luna who smiled back leaning upon the mares sword. "Well my daggers."

She felt the pouches along her chest.

"My double edged axe...half handled axe? Hatchet?" she frowned as she patted down the rest of her body.

All these items and more surrounded both Luna and Celestia. Apparently both had not been idle whilst Twilight was removing the disguise spell.

"Guess I oughta just crush y'all with ma bear hooves." she flexed her natural weapons, rippling muscles bulging at the tension much to the displeasure of the trio whom frowned at the mares insistence to do harm upon them.

Celestia spoke first.

"Do be calm stranger. Things are not as they seem!"

"I am not without defenses!" shouted the mare as she hopped into a fighting stance, hooves raised.

"Oh really? Do name such a defense that should leave us quaking in fear. For demons we are not."

"Enough of that crotchety attitude, I won't be fooled, no sir, I've a charm that gives honest ta goodness truth to my eyes!"

Twilight almost let forth an audible gasp, realization that her abilities were not at fault, a modicum of confidence rising in her.

"Oh but we are but friends, do believe me, for such a talisman fills my heart with joy as it does my sister, for it allows us to prove our innocence and the truth of it in our tale."

"I ain't taking none of yer lies!" she swung a hoof, which Celestia dodged easily, leaning back ever so slightly. "I had fair warning bout demons trespassing on ma families property and I aim to fertilize this here orchard with your sorry carcass if'n ya don't skedaddle!"

"Oh just do us a favor, just one, remove the charm and gaze upon us!"

"What?" the mare stopped. "Just what kinda fool do ya take me fer? Disarming ma protection!"

"Young fool, if we had wished harm upon thee, we would have snapped thy neck whilst thee were unconscious."

"Well I...well...well shoot, I guess that is a point." she threw them all a glare, "But none of yer tricks ya hear!"

"No tricks, I promise you! So please humor us for but a moment and remove it. It would make the explanation all the more easier."

Slowly, with some obvious hesitation, the warrior removed her charm. Upon her hoof a small gem glowed, a tiny salamander with a blue pearl embedded in its center.

"Er...ya still look the same." she muttered in confusion. "I don't get it."

"Bravo, you are truly a hunter of high caliber, as such I would find it correct to believe that you would know of demons then?"

"I've been a hunter for as long as I've bucked the apple orchard! All my life!" she stood straight and proud, jutting he chest out. "Almost eight years now!"

"Oh really?" Twilight was worried that Luna's lack of true enthusiasm would ruin everything going for them in this ploy, whatever kind of ploy it was. Yet the night princess quickly recomposed herself as she pressed the conversation cutting her sister off.

"Then do tell us, for our interest. Has a demon ever been in thy presence without disguise to fib with thee heart, body, and soul?"

"Course not, their kind are always lying and scheming!" came the angered reply.

Twilight had to smile inwardly, as a simple thought crossed her mind. "Fat lot you know about demons."

"As I was going to say, before such rude interruptions." Celestia threw a glare at her sister. "Such knowledge should prove our point."

"What point?"

For just a moment, Twilight thought Luna was ready to throttle the mare and fore go the rest of this absurd discussion, but a gentle wave from Celestia seemed to calm her. To Twilight it seemed that the sisters subtleties were tragically lost upon this world.

"Celestia, Luna, may I please try?" asked Twilight. She trotted up to the mare and gave her a friendly smile as she activated lecture mode. "What she means is that if they were demons, then they wouldn't look like demons, so because they do, they are so they aren't!"

"Oh...Oh! Well I reckon that's some crystal clear logic ya got there!" nodded the mare, returning Twilight's smile. "Guess I did jump the hay bale on that one thinking y'all were trouble!"

"Now were lost." muttered Luna to Celestia who nodded in confused agreement.

"Now if y'all aren't a demon...then why do ya look like one?"

"Ahh..." Celestia sighed, "There in lies the story, for you see we are cursed by unfavorable circumstances beyond our control."

"Cursed?" gasped the mare.

"Tis true, we were demon hunters, warrior princesses whom held such victories over the likes of mo-lock the impenetrable, hard rock the immovable, and many more creatures." said Luna.

"Indeed, our names went far and true across the land, like an arrow, its aim never off and its path true!" said Celestia.

"Well I ain't heard of the both of ya!"

"Well we've never heard of you either." Twilight chimed in.

"Ya don't even know ma name!"

"Oh, I do apologize," said Twilight with a bow, she gestured her hoof towards her mentors. "This is the warrior princess of the sun, and her sister, the warrior princess of the night. Celestia, and Luna."

"Well shucks, y'all can just call me Applejack, all ma family does!"

"If I could continue," interrupted Celestia. When no complaints came, she did so. "As I was explaining. We, that is my sister and I, had achieved much renown amongst demon kind due to our voracity and constant victory. Truly bothersome, as tales of our coming hit the land, demons would flee or even kill themselves!"

"Bit full of themselves aren't they?" whispered the mare to Twilight.

"She's just starting." groaned Twilight.

"One day, in the dead of light, we had crossed paths with an ugly brute of a demon. He addressed us by name, startling us so. 'Princesses!' says he.'You may strike me down, but I shall return more powerful and stronger than you ever dreamed, a pox upon you, a pox that will grow as my blood runs cold!' Of course we merely laughed at him, such curses a common occurrence. 'Laugh, laugh, but know that I am your harbinger of death!' he had boomed to us loudly! Of course to put it simply, we killed him, nothing to difficult, sadly we had assumed his curse but a bluff, life since then has...never been the same."

"Why not."

"Cause of the curse you idiot!" Celestia merely shouted, her patience waning. "Er...I mean my most esteemed colleague! When we returned to our young protege in training here, he looked upon our new form and fainted dead away!"

"I did not! I...I was just winded by the heat of that day!"

"Oh of course dear Twilight," replied Celestia, as she and her sister put on an extremely wounded expression of pain and sadness. No awards were surely going to be parted here for best actor. "In his death, he had truly cursed us, and forcing us to look as we do to you."

"Scheming demon, clever, hat em all for their tricks!"

"Indeed, you see the genius of his plans! We, a fierce duo to be reckon with, reduced to the creature that we are now, to be hunted by old friends and allies. hiding like an animal, only our daughter following us, our only form of companionship."

"I thought you said she was yer proto-what's it."

"Protege....student," finished Celestia at the mares confused looks. "And yes, that too, oh the irony of it all!"

"Well shucks, that's somethin awful, ah wish I could help."

"Oh but you can!" Luna smiled winningly.

Applejack recoiled. Twilight grinned, glad to know someone else shared her same reaction to the lunar princesses rather...sharp toothy maw.

"Uh...how? I'm just a demon hunter...and farmer, ain't nothin special bout me." she said meekly.

Luna laid a gentle wing upon her dearly depressed sister, taking her place in the conversation.

"Indeed, we have been confronted by demons upon our journey, and not but a few days behind us, these demon assassins continue to pester us, cloaked in powerful hidden forms! It occurs to us that we have a mutual service to each other. We provide targets of opportunity to thee, and thou not only reigns in the glory of it all, but removes a bloody nuisance."

'They're bloody?" Applejack was horrified.

"Oh tis but an expression fair Applejack. So, would you help us as a fellow champion against the dark?"

"Well honestly I don't know, I am already on a job at this moment. Taking another job kinda just kerfuffles the whole thing. I'd hate for ma employer ta think I'm gettin lazy, know what it can do ta ones reputation!"

"Oh, it wouldn't be any trouble," Luna persisted. "Why they should be here soon enough and they are yours to keep!"

"Er why are they following you?" asked Applejack, throwing them a curious expression.

"A vile magician, whom we requested aid from, foolish were we to believe him able to aid our recovery!" spat Luna. "Curses the the name Star Swirl, may he suffer a hangover that which would be eternal as the night!"

"Star Swirl!"

"Oh, do you know him?"

"That's ma mission, I was payed to hunt that no good summoner of demons and put him out ta pasture!"

"But he isn't a demon." said Twilight.

"He consorts with their kind, that there is good enough reason to put him out fer good!"

Twilight gave a furious nod of agreement, her nerves feeling rather stretched now by the encounter.

"To whom is it that hired you, if we may ask, for it would prove fortuitous of us to find and offer our assistance to them!"

"Well, ain't so much a them, as it is a single who ya know." Applejack rubbed her neck, chuckling. "Innkeeper, called him self the D. Strange fella, fer sure, but comfortin ya know, nice and all that! Bout three weeks ride from here...er just how many?"

"Oh, we would assure thee that no more than two seek to bring us harm."

"Well, I guess it would be a boon to me, extra heads for the job, means extra pay, why i could get ma big brother some new tools, or replace ma grands hip! I'll do it! Heck Apple Bloom could use the college tuition for the future!"

"Alas we cannot help you." Celestia finally said, pressing her sisters wing away. "We must be on our way if we are to continue our journey."

"Why not? I'd think a fella hunter be rearin ta crack a skull or two!"

"If we were to stay and fight, it would be hardly worth mentioning, all that credit and honor of battle wasted away due to our supposed status of demon." she stated grandly. "If they laid eyes upon us, they would surely flee."

"Frankly, I'm finding this a bit hard to believe now." Applejack crossed her fore hooves.

Twilight had to agree, finding it difficult to not point out the princesses inconsistencies.

"Well, we admit the true fear is what comes from the magic of our charmed sword!"

Applejack's ears peaked up in interest.

"Charmed sword?"

Patting the sword under her wing, Celestia graced Applejack with a motherly smile. "Of course, this very blade once graced the hooves of famed hunter, De La Espresso Grande El Cappuccino!"

"Never heard o him."

"Nev-never heard of...Never heard of him! My dear Applejack, farmer of the Apple family lands and hunter...are you sure you are a hunter? To not know of a name like his. To not know mine, is understandable, to forgo his, why that is an insult to the hunters code!"

Applejack seemed to blanch slightly, tugging at the collar of her armor as she swallowed a large gulp of air.

"Not like there is any educatin that goes round here for folks like me." she said in earnest defense.

"Well, one can let such tales slide." she extracted the blade from its sheathe in a flourish, presenting it to Applejack. "Tis powerful, said to protect its user from death by demons when wielded."

"How did he die?"

"Knifed...by an exotic dancer."

"Oh...er yes, their nasty pieces of work. You sure the sword works?"

"Are we not here before your eyes, alive and in good health?" she smiled. "It works like any sword, though a bit point heavy."

"I meant the charm. I mean, demons will flee from it at its sight?"

"Of course, though years have passed from truly feeding the poor thing of demon flesh. We have been busy trying to remove this curse, as we would like to return home without fear of our own family harming us." Celestia frowned, putting the blade away. "Alas, with no work, and no one willing to help us save for you our dear friend. We've been looking to our apprentice here to try and sell it, sadly she is not savvy in the art of business as she is in the art of magical manipulation."

Twilight realized exactly what was happening now, and Applejack lost in all the grandeur was quickly and easily taking the bait.

"I...I could part a few bits, three at least to help a fellow out, would be shameful fer such a beauty to be lost."

"Three, you wound us so! I couldn't part with such family treasure for no less than two hundred!"

"Ain't no use than, I've a meager fifty bits in the saddle and no more." Applejack replied visibly frowning.

"Fifty?"

"Ain't wise, traveling with more than necessary, good way to be swindled ya hear?"

"Oh yes, tis true, tis surely true, Sister please allow us the pleasure of business with this faithful warrior!" said Luna, grinning maliciously. "We feel we shall offer thee a boon that will satisfy all, and with a few extra demons under your belt, you could push for ten times the price of what the tavern keeper D is offering."

"Is that so?"

"In deed, if you would merely part with your meager earnings, we would happily relinquish this blade, passed from mother to mother and finally to my older sister!"

"But its all I have!"

"And what good would a purse be if one drawn and quartered by demons?"

"Oh...makes sense!"

She took hold the blade, hefting it and giving it a few swings, her skills in the use of blades showing with every swing.

"Crummy balance."

"You'll git used to it, tis but a difference of weight to help utilize it in battle."

"Seems to be lousy steel." the mare squinted at the blade.

"Damascus, made to look as though it were a meager blade, saves it from theft, and throws off demons whom believe it to be not but a child's toy!"

"Well, my teacher always said 'if you care for the sword, the sword cares for you!'"

"We must have shared the same trainer!"

The two smiled at each other. Twilight on the other hand felt slightly ill.

"Hmm ya know fifty is all I have."

'Look upon the jewels! See how they shimmer in the handle."

"Their fake."

"Of course their made to look fake. It is a ploy to hide their value"

"Really now? What kinda stones?"

"Blarney stones!"

"Wha?"

"Yes. Expensive in their make, and hard to find. Why they would make thee favorable in the eyes of other mares! If thou understands our meaning!" Luna smiled at Applejack and regarded her rather acute glare. "And Stallions as well, of course."

"Its still all I have."

"Well part with us a mere forty and your sword."

"Ma sword?"

"Well, we could not travel this heathen land unarmed now could we?"

"Well, I guess that is fair. Well shucks, call it a shake and well be square!" she offered a hoof out, taking Luna's and shaking.

Twilight winced as she watched the lunar princess easily shaken where she stands. This particular mare having quite the affinity for feats of strength. A thought parted her mind and quickly she interrupted before Luna could carry on.

"Its a shame you should have to part our company here master Applejack."

:Ahh its just Applejack, or AJ, friends call me AJ." she said. "Sides, part company?"

"Of course, to prepare for battle, would not be in your favor to be caught here in the open fields would it not?" said Twilight gesturing to the few trees surrounding them.

"Well shucks now that's a point."

"Well no need to rush." Luna assured, she ground her hoof into Twilight's side painfully trying to get her to shut up.

"Oh of course there is reason to rush master, we are after all busy mares, are we not AJ?"

"No, she's got a point, and an Apple ain't never caught unprepared!" she parted ways with her money and sword. Collecting the 'charmed sword' and the rest of her equipment. "Praise to y'all friends, and have a safe journey. Look forward to sharing tales with y'all when were together again!"

With her equipment settled, she dashed off past the trio, obviously eager to try her new toy.

"Now look what you have done!" shouted Luna, "We were sure that we would have stripped the mare clean of all she owned if not for thee!"

She gestured a threatening hoof at Twilight.

"Hmm yes, why did you stop my sister, she is rather fortunate with the silver tongue." said Celestia.

"Oh no more than thee, dear sister, tis merely our eye for business that surpasses your own!"

They both giggled before giving Twilight fixed glares.

"The big rush to get rid of her, as gullible as she maybe, she was eventually going to catch on to a very minute flaw."

"Oh, the daughter thing, that would have passed well." said Celestia.

"No, the other thing!"

"Other...thing?" Celestia's brow rose.

Twilight sighed.

"She easily saw through our disguise right?"

"Of course, hence I spoke the truth of a curse placed upon our..."

"And if her charm allows her the ability to see through curses, which its a spell. This only means that her charm, would see through a curse, which is a spell, which like mine, merely changed your visible appearance. Thus you would appear as a normal pony, which your not, so you can't be, thus you are not!"

Both sisters took on a blank expression, gears obviously turning in their heads.

"I fear...it is time we carry on, best do so now than later." the sun princess finally said.

Twilight not wanting to let this guy, crossed her hooves and smiled, gripping this moment of victory tightly.

"Tell me, what would you do, if you ran into a demon hunter as smart as me?"

Celestia grinned, leaning close, very close to Twilight, nearly nose to nose.

"Oh its simple." she tugged the crossbow, from the hut, out under her other wing. "I'd kill them. Think about it."

She did.

Chapter Lucky 7 Birds of a Feather

Purple lids covered lavender eyes as a purple unicorn sat silently, focusing her mind. A rather arduous task due to the spell she was now casting. Unlike drawing energy from the ley lines, she found herself having to gesture out with a hoof to some spot not far from her.

Energy pooled slowly, forming into slowly growing lines. Such a task Twilight would have believe impossible if not for the tutelage of two princesses. Similar to her candle exercise, one she had mastered. The impossible began to not seem as such.

With confidence, she narrowed her concentration, her minds eye painting blue lines in massive flowing arcs. It touched the ground opposite her. Again she repeated the pattern, again an arc flew over head, before long a protective barrier surrounded the trio as they sat close to a fire, greedily taking in its warmth.

Twilight realized quickly she was forming something akin to the flat pentagram of Star Swirls summoning circle. The only difference was that she pinched the center and pulled it upwards, forming a tent. The other difference was that she was doing it, Twilight. What was once an awe inspiring feat of skill, was now a mere chore, one she routinely practiced every night.

She brought her hoof down to her rear hooves, pointing the energy to its final focal point, and completing the protective wards. Pleased she took her time, studying the purple glow with her minds eye.

"Most impressive young Sparkle, but do dampen the glow, it would most assuredly gather the attention of every peasant and demon hunter yonder cross the countryside!" said Luna.

Twilight opened her eyes and stared in awe at her on hoof work.

The pentagram was still their. Visibly glowing in the night and casting its purple hue upon the land around them. Its glow eerie, easily removing the warm comfort of their meager fireplace.

"I'm sorry!" she said hastily, easing her control, the thick purple bands of energy quickly fading form the plane of visibility. They were still there though, invisible, save to only Twilight who could feel their presence.

More for the joy of it, than the confidence boost. Twilight closed her eyes to examine them. Purple lights dancing around her mind. They shimmered beautifully, a cooler reassuring presence to counter the fierce glow of the airs ley lines. This was her color, her magic, her essence. All these things, it lit a glow within her.

"Do rest your weary legs and enjoy some salad child." Celestia captured Twilight's attention, levitating a bowl before her nose, the scent of daisies and other things enticing her taste buds.

They were fully out of the forest proper now, but despite the presence of a nearby road, good vegetation was still plentiful. For Luna, there was game as well, proof to this truth in the lizard bird leg that she was currently gnawing on much to Twilight's disgust.

"Twilight, we are rather proud of how well you've been carrying along with your lessons." said the white alicorn. "We are beginning to see what Star Swirl saw in you. There is a spark in you, potential that will surely equal some of the greatest practitioners of magic in these lands, even in others!"

"Watch thine energy output," said Luna, lips smacking together in between chews. "Tis powerful magic you put into the field, and you'd be best not to fry an innocent who'd stumble into it."

"I'm...just worried is all." said Twilight.

"Oh sit with us," Celestia extended a wing and Twilight gladly sat under it, enjoying its warmth. "Tis nothing to have fear of, three days have passed since our meeting with the warrior Applejack, and not a peep has been heard."

"Did I really summon up that much power?" asked Twilight.

"Indeed you did. Proof your practice, but it is the control you must continue tempering!"

"She speaks true, my elder," said Luna, chucking the bone aside. "Unless you truly find yourself in battle, a ward is only good for warning oneself. Putting to much energy into it can have some serious effects upon thy body. For one, the obvious, unnecessary attention being called to you. The second, if a truly magical opponent were to see it, it would give them forewarning, and it does not bode well to allow the enemy a chance to prepare."

Twilight nodded, accepting the advice as it did ring with sense.

"Tis not a game we play. Power the likes you've never known before are at your beck and call, and to those of our enemy. We seek to strengthen your control, not see how much you can liberate. Carelessness in experimentation can lead to disaster, and there are far worse things than death."

"Oh," Twilight muttered, unconvinced.

Luna sighed, sitting beside her, her own wing spreading across the young unicorn as well, a mix of cool wind and heat from both sisters playing with Twilight's feelings.

"We speak only in care and praise Twilight, due heed our words. You have to, you need to learn this. Let us give a better idea of such things to come. Suppose, for just this moment, you are but a soldier in a military. You've been placed at a post, a series of hefty rocks, maybe a half a stone in weight, all to drop upon the unsuspecting who'd trespass. Do you follow?"

"I do."

"Well then, tis a long and boring duty, and you are then given time to think. You've muscle, muscles you are proud of. Why mere half stone rock are hardly a weapon for your might when two or even three stones would be fortunate to crush your enemies. It is not only in your ability, but the logic is sound, is it not?"

Twilight nodded vaguely, still not absolutely sure of where Luna was going with this.

"So you heft a two stone rock, and sure enough you feel that you can do it with ease, thus you go another stone, then another. Suddenly misfortune strikes."

She was getting rather worked up in her story that Twilight felt no need to respond.

"You drop it upon your foot, or pull a muscle, or pass out from the exhaustion, or any number of troubles that could plague thee! Then where do you find yourself?"

She leveled an accusing hoof at Twilight.

"The enemy strolls in, finding no one to confront them, you who could have merely stopped them with a half stone boulder. All because you felt the need to indulge in needless testing of your power."

Twilight gave a low whistle, impressed by this verbal lesson. She gave the matter serious thought before replying.

"I understand what you are saying Princess Luna, but I think there's a flaw. In my case, I only have a hoof full of sand to utilize and not a heavy rock in sight, yet its the simple half stone...er....whatever that is, anyhow, its that heavier rock that I need do actually do some damage."

"Tis true," Luna retorted, "But the main point of the lesson holds strong, to over exert yourself, is to give the enemy an opening with which to take advantage of. Even sand can be effective if you use it right.Never underrate what you have, or what you are currently doing. Here and now, you've been maintaining the ley line detections, holding the ward, and our disguises. To hold it all and without wavering, that is a testament of your abilities, and it has not been a full two weeks."

She leaned in close to Twilight.

"Something just happened...what do you drop first?"

"Um..."

"We're dead, hesitance on your part has just cost us our lives. No matter the time needed to ponder the requisition of energy, you won't have that luxury, as before with the knife. You must hold some part of yourself back to deal with the immediate situation. All the while, you rally energy from other activities to support your endeavors. Do you see now?"

"I...I think I do!" yawned Twilight.

"Ahh alas, your mortality yearns for slumber," sh watched as the little unicorn slowly got to her belly, eyes closing. "Remember thy lesson as you sleep, and hold true to the spells you have currently activated. Incidentally, you may let free the ley line detection, we've no need of the energy compass. Its needless when you can merely summon it again in the morning."

"Meh...mur...fine." Twilight mumbled softly.

Luna smiled, nodding to her sister who giggled as she allowed her wing to follow envelop their student.

From the bag, the assassins cloak drew out and covered the young mare who snuggled in its warmth. Sleep wasn't easy to come by the past few days, and on this night the unicorn hoped for peace and comfort. Sadly with the wards in place and so many questions, it wasn't so easy to keep hold of.

"Luna...Celestia?"

"Yes Twilight?" Celestia gently rubbed the unicorns head with her wing tip.

"How would you compare my abilities to the devils?"

"The what?"

"Devils."

"Oh, the changelings, well it matters how many there are, and other aspects. Remember Devils are from Gehenna, the changelings come from the realm of the badlands."

"Does that make a difference." Twilight shifted slightly to settle her gaze on the older mentor. Luna laid across from them, watching the night.

"Luna, if you'd explain, I find the lack of sun does hamper my ability to extend any description with clarity."

"rest and fear not, we shall explain such history!" said Luna.

"Devils, or rather goats, as you'll see when you meet them, are some of the meanest and most vile creatures to set foot upon any dimension."

"Their...their warriors aren't they? Berserkers and stuff?" asked Twilight.

"Worse, They're merchants!"

"M...merchants?" Twilight found sleep completely blown away by this statement, disbelief etched upon her face.

"Oh most frightening they are, even more than Discord could ever be!" she seemed to almost whisper. "These goats, honestly, merchant is hardly the word, more akin to being supreme traders is more proper."

"Tell me more Luna."

"Oh indeed," Luna favored her with a rare warm smile. "Not much can truly say what happened to their world of Gehenna. Drought, fires, raging storms. It was a land of suffering. Nothing could grow upon the land, leaving these goats to starve, and nearly die out."

"Dimension travel, to these goats, was but a frivolous pastime, but now it was the key to their survival. Many left Gehenna in search of a new home. Tales of their misery became the center point for many religious groups whom saw it as a place of punishment and despair."

"For those who stayed, however, they employed their dimensional abilities in a different way. Establishing themselves as traders, traveling the many planes of reality, collecting random goods and junk and selling it to the unsuspecting for thrice the price, or even more. A stone for a twig, a twig for a penny, and that penny for a diamond."

"Never will you find a shrewder haggler than the Gehenna's. Masters of the art, art that I wish I could say I could paint just as beautifully. They knew the rarity of one item on one plane, and its abundance in another. These techniques they utilized to drive a hard bargain, passing the lessons throughout their many generations. There is no equal. They can be found throughout the land, disguised, returning to Gehenna only to visit the Bazaar!"

"Bazaar?"

"No one being could travel all dimensions, least not in short time. Thus the Bazaar on Gehenna was formed, a central place for all to come together. Market stalls far beyond the eyes. To make a deal with these goats, it is said, that one should count thy horn, thy hooves, thy feathers if any, thy family, and thy friends..."

"I get the picture. Now changelings?"

"Changelings," Luna mused, "Inferior to the Gehenna's in so many ways, yet one gives them credit for trying."

"How so?"

"Cheap imitations, their realm close to that of Gehenna, twas not always known as the Bad Lands, but sadly the 'Deals' that came from Gehenna, were so good, that the changelings nearly found themselves bankrupt. Unfortunately love is a commodity necessary to changeling life, rare and hard to find in there world. The Gehenna's sought out this weakness and brutalized it with sales, introducing a holiday called valentines to them."

"Valentines?"

"A day to share love with another."

"Oh! Hearts and Hooves day!"

"Yes...so these changelings, having lost so much wealth, fanned out to other worlds to plunder their wealth and their love. It goes without saying, if a changeling is upon your land, a goat is not to far behind ready to rob them blind with a grand deal."

Another question quickly formed in Twilight's head.

"What world are you from?"

"Lunatis." answered Luna.

"So...your a loon?"

"No! A lunarian! Now shut up and get some sleep."

Twilight did so, assuming that she had touched a nerve with the lunarian. Yet one question remained.

"Luna."

"What doth thou want now?"

"What dimension is this?"

"Oh, tis Equestria. Now for the final time, do keep thy peace for the night and shut it!"

"What does that make me."

Silence came to Twilight and she rolled over slightly to look back at Luna.

"We've company, sister."

Celestia's eyes snapped open.

Twilight felt a tremor in the wards as well, in response to Luna.

She hopped to her hooves as two figures came out of the dark. The dim light of the fire enough to highlight the deadly glint of magical bolts aimed at them. The two assassins seemed to grin, or at least one of them did, their hoods up and the cloak gold side out!

Author's Note

1 stone is equal to about 14 pounds. Fancy that eh?

Chapter 8 Would you kindly?

The five of them stood still in frozen tableau for several minutes, studying each other. Twilight's mind racing, but to no avail. She could not focus upon a course of action. Following the lead of her teachers, she merely stood her ground, regarding the two figures, trying to ignore the crossbows leveled at them.

Finally one of the visitors spoke.

"Oh...oh my, Kodiak, um we didn't think you'd be here as well." came a very low and meek voice.

Surprisingly this was addressed to Twilight.

"Yeah, what she said Kodi!" Celestia let loos a growl, "Not going to introduce my sister and I to your compatriots?"

"I er..." Twilight was at a loss.

"Oh, is that how it is!" the louder of the two assassins was suddenly in her face, magenta eyes glared from a face coated with cyan fur. Rainbow hair peeked out from under the hood of the cloak. "Perhaps he...or rather she decided to conveniently forget her partners!"

"Oh...that couldn't be," said the first, stepping forward, the light revealing a semi pale yellow face, long flowing pink locks pouring from her own hood into the firelight. "I mean, you wouldn't do that would you? We're friends! Dear friends, she'd never forget our names...its...Fluttershy...and uh Rainbow Dash, just in case you did."

Twilight almost had to lean, a feat made difficult by the assassin in front of her. This yellow one, was ever so silent in her speech.

"Don't tell her that! She's the traitor, not us, now everyone knows who we are!" shouted the cyan one, turning to level a glare at her partner who quickly retreated into her cloak. "And you, ditching us like that, some loyal friend you are, sticking with us, form the tart, to the end huh, taking the loot huh, I oughta buck your head inside out and toss you in the fire!"

"Oh don't to that Dashie!" said Fluttershy.

As much cringing and shouting as was going on, the two never wavered in their aim, those crossbows firmly aimed at them. In Twilight's case, the cyan one, Rainbow Dash was uncomfortably close.

Quickly thought Twilight was beginning to get the picture. The one that was roasted alive, he must have been, or she must have been friends with these two, and now they thought she was her, or him, running away with the treasure. These most certainly had to be the changelings, the ones she was assured would be long behind us, if not dead.

"Dear me, please, let us have some peace!" said Celestia. "It is with great pleasure that I..."

She stopped as the point of the cyan ones crossbow now pocked her nose.

"I don't really care who you are," she intoned, "I'll give you a good hint, butt out! This is a private matter between three friends!"

"Oh please Dashie, don't do that!" said Fluttershy.

"Stop calling me Dashie, we had code names for a reason!" came the heated reply.

"But...but I can't remember supercalifragilisticawesomehardcore hunter!" was the whimpering answer.

"That's SuperCaliFragilisticAwesomeHardcore Hunter, sheesh we went over it like a hundred times!"

"Oh, but we might be acting a bit rudely."

"Seriously? We're assassins, who the buck cares!"

"But according to the guild, a courtesy must be offered to the soon to be departed," she replied.

Twilight visibly sweated, growing pale in the face.

"Er...thank you Fluttershy," Twilight whimpered.

"Oh your welcome, I'd hate to come between friends and not follow the rules properly!" she smiled, aiming her crossbow at Twilight. "I promise I'll make sure it doesn't hurt to badly, but the guild does say that suffering must come as a price."

"Whatever, I'm going to get our troubling friend, you all keep right here or else!" a set of wings fanned out from under the cloak, lifting the now revealed pegasus into the air.

Celestia gave a small tut at this realization, having now understood why it was so easy for these assassins to follow them.

"Oh let me help, I would hate to be here all alone."

"Oh for crying out loud, what about them?"

"Them? Oh I think they'll be happy to wait for us, its only polite!"

"Oh sure, and why should they be polite."

"Well, your a sure shoot, and they wouldn't see us out here in the dark of the night, waiting for them to make their move...right? I mean...you know... if they believe us."

"Fine, come on and help me. You all!" she gestured to the trio. "Don't even think about moving!"

With that the two figures faded into the dark, silent like the wind that they most likely had ridden in upon.

"What are we going to do?" whispered Twilight.

"We're going to leave." began Luna when she suddenly froze.

Her eyes were locked to a set of very turquoise eyes were glaring at her, freezing her whole body.

"Don't you dare!" came the suddenly terrifying voice of the meek pegasus, floating before the alicorn. "You even think about leaving and I'll rend you to pieces! Your wings will adorn my mantle and your horn will be the pipe from which I shall smoke your ashes! Bones will break and be gnawed upon, marrow sucked out, and your horse shoes will adorn my door frames, a sign of my fortune and your loss if you even move from this site! Are we clear!"

The last of these words were shouted out loud, gusts of verbal wind blowing through the alicorns mane.

Luna nodded, very slowly, and very quietly. As did Celestia, and Twilight. Too afraid to cross the pegasus whom quickly turned back and began to enter the dark of the night.

"Oh...um...please don't leave...okay!" she said before fully vanishing.

It was a few moments silence as Celestia thought, slowly but surely a grin grew upon her face and she leaned over to her sister. Whispering a scheme which also drew a smile from her face.

"Pegasus, both of them...excluding that most recent...feat of fear, we are in luck!" said Celestia.

Twilight merely thought everyone here was insane.

"Celestia...their going to kill me!" she nearly cried out.

"Relax, pegasus are known for loyalty, something we can work in our favor!" she cooed. "Loyalty can be a boon and a weakness, watch and learn Twilight dear."

She cocked her head as Luna whispered.

"Their coming back."

"When I give the signal." Celestia fanned out her wings. "Drop the disguises."

From within the dark, the flapping of wings could be heard, along with the soft grunts and the sound of rope straining.

"I thought you'd said they'd be...oh...my." Twilight froze.

The firelight illuminated the assassins third compatriot, in all her stone glory. Details of armor and a very familiar stetson came to light.

Applejack sat woodenly astride a makeshift board which held her in place. Staring at a fixed point ahead, fore hooves raised almost in salutation. Reflections of light glinted off her face as though she were glass and Twilight nearly shrieked in terror at the site of the once battle hardened mare, now turned to stone.

Any confidence the unicorn had, quickly left her in a rush. Gullible did not seem a trait among these two Pegasi, and they definitely played for keeps.

"And who may I ask is that?" Celestia sat up straighter, wings at the ready.

Twilight realized she had nearly shown recognition to the statue, and played off the shock as to having been caught.

"Time later for that!" grunted Rainbow Dash. Dropping her end of the rope, a yelp rose form Fluttershy as it yanked her down. In a flash the crossbow was back in her hooves, aimed at Twilight.

"First, explanations from Kodi, then ventilation! I'll have you flatter than a piece of paper in ten seconds flat!"

"Ladies! Ladies please!" Celestia through stern glance towards Luna and Twilight to make sure they'd keep silent. "It is rude to have not introduced myself, and of course, my sister! If you'd allow me."

Her wings fanned out, as did Luna. Twilight for her part, took it as a sign and released the disguise spell from the alicorns.

Twilight didn't know what kind of reaction the two would have at the transformation, but the one she got far surpassed any that she was expecting.

"By Faust!" gasped Rainbow Dash, nearly dropping her crossbow.

"Oh...oh my! Oh...oh...I stared at one of them too!" whimpered Fluttershy in fear. "Oh I'm such a loud mouth!"

"A Sunny side up and a Lunatic!"

"Ahem...that's Solarian, and Lunarian thank you very much!" said Celestia with a stern glare.

"Sunny side?" whispered Twilight.

"Later." muttered Luna.

"Yes sir!" the two pegasi chorused loudly in unison.

Slacked jawed, crossbows dangling, and wings limp. From their terrified reactions, Twilight began to suspect that despite all their bragging, the two alicorns were truly something, or rather were hiding many things about themselves and their dimensions reputation.

Celestia smiled, curling her wings back and taking a seat.

"Now, since we've established that, do put away those silly toys and let us be civil."

She gestured impatiently and they hastened to comply.

"But...but how, why? What brings you here?" babbled Rainbow Dash. "If... you don't mind my asking...that is...if its okay with you."

Twilight wanted to giggle at the cyan ones mirror initiation of the yellow ones meekness, but thought better of it. Those bolts could still kill.

"Well, there lies the story!"

Twilight settled back against a convenient log, knowing full well this was going to take awhile.

Celestia spun a tale of pomp and wonder, in some regards similar to what was shared with Applejack, in others, completely fibbing, though altogether both tales were merely made up lies, cleverly disguising the trio.

"So Star Swirl summoned us, why he would I could hardly say, I've never much cared for the dumb beast. Seems he was seeking our support against some problem of his. Of course he'd grown impatient and began making insults, sadly for us, he had made sure to ward the summoning circle, ready to entrap my sister and I, when along comes Kodiak, crossbow at the ready. 'Discord sends his regards' said she before planting a bolt into him. Fortune was truly their for her as she dodged a deadly bolt of fire, roasting a nearby changeling whom we assumed was in allegiance to Star Swirl."

Celestia acknowledged Twilight with an airy wave. Twilight for her part tried to look modest.

"A changeling! Dodging fire!" Rainbow Dash was in Twilight's face again, "And that was the best line you could come up with! Lame!"

"Calm down young pegasi. Naturally we felt we owned some small favor to this young unicorn, I take it she's always been one?"

"Of course, er just not so purple...or with the horn...actually I knew you could do magic but I thought...that...well actually this makes sense...who knew, I thought she was a pegasus!" said Dash.

"It...does explain her abilities to hide," whimpered Fluttershy, folding under Luna's glare. "She...he...er..."

"I am a girl."

"Er...she was always top of the class in disguises. Normally we are all pegasi!"

"That is beside the point. So Kodi decides it is in her interest to share with us her reason for being there!"

Twilight had to admire the sleek design of the crossbow. Its pristine latch, the box which held its ammo, resting atop a finely polished teak and mahogany handle. Sharp bolts of deadly steel, its tip again resting on her nose.

"You told them!" fumed Dash, "About our assignment, seriously Kodi!"

"OH and wouldn't you!" snarled Twilight, eyes flicking to both Luna and Celestia.

"...Right...I forgot...um." her glance darted back and forth between the two alicorns as she lapsed into respectful silence.

"Anyway." said Luna, seemingly latching on to Celestia's tale. "We had felt that fortune was owed to this Discord, and it would prove most beneficial to greet and commend him for his fortunate assistance to our plight."

"You...could have waited." whispered Fluttershy.

"I...I wanted to...but."

"We felt it a waste of time to terry, not when there was so much to accomplish." interrupted Luna. "You know that our time is of value, to waste it, is to wrong us."

"Yes sir..."

"Ma'am."

"Yes ma'am!" the near subtle squeak was almost heart wrenching to Twilight who averted her gaze from the whimpering pegasus.

"Maybe..a message could have been left for us?"

"We did leave one, it was on that fools ring."

Celestia gestured to Fluttershy's hoof where it was adorned with that very familiar item.

"Oh, its not a message ring." she said. She flexed her hoof and a gout of flames erupted from it, followed by the shriek of her partner as it enveloped her. "Oh..oh I"m so sorry Rainbow Dash!"

"Well we would like it back, it is most assuredly owed to us for time wasted as is!" Luna caste an icy glance at the pegasus as she extracted a small medical kit, dabbing at the burn wounds that peppered the cyan mare.

"Thanks Fluttershy." growled Dash, wincing at each dab of ointment.

Fluttershy merely kept quiet, hoofing over the ring to Luna who quickly equipped it onto her right hoof. She seemed to have taken note on its activation from Fluttershy, smiling all the while.

"Well now that we've sorted out this confusion," Celestia pointed a hoof at Applejack, "Who is that?"

"Not really sure." said Dash through her bandages.

"Its...puzzling really." Fluttershy agreed. "She came over the corner while we...or rather Dash was looking over your tracks."

"Yeah, like three days back! We came over this hill and this crazy mare begins swinging her blade wildly at us! Wanna know the weird thing?" Dash took on a thoughtful expression. "She had shouted 'The D was right!' before attacking."

"The D...not...not Discord?" Twilight furrowed her brow.

"I know right!" Dash kicked a nearby rock, "How dare that two timing son of a muck eater try to pull a fast one over us! Anyhow she whipped out this sword shouting 'Behold the implement of your doom!'"

"Sword?" said Luna. trying not to snigger

"Well it was a piece of junk really, but we couldn't hurt her."

"Assassins aren't taught how to wound," chimed in Fluttershy. "It was lucky I still had a cockatrice bead, other wise things would have been bad for all three of us."

"Been dragging her about ever since," Dash leveled a lewd smile at the statue, "Got a nice flank if you ask me, bout the only thing other than questioning that makes it worth carrying it around."

"Wise, a very wise solution, she does have quite the toned muscles," noted Luna. "Wiser still to question why this D...if it is Discord, would want to higher a demon hunter to remove you as well. Troubling we say."

"Bet that flank really-"

"Rainbow Dash!" squeaked Fluttershy from behind her mane. "That's too much!"

"Oh fine."

"How did you catch up with us?" queried Twilight.

"Oh it wasn't easy, honestly we got help from a town not far from here!" Dash flexed her forelegs, "Got muscle, that's for sure, but even then, its kind of a burden lugging this thing around...nearly did lose you actually."

"Yes, we really did want to reunite with you!" Fluttershy chimed in.

"Heck ya, uh to share in the reward that is!" coughed Dash. "So came to one of them Gehenna Goats, talked a bit, and had him drop us close enough to get the drop...to invite ourselves into your company!"

"A goat? Here?" said Celestia.

"Sure, Grant, the goat at the town of Twit..." suddenly Dash glared at Twilight, crossbow back in her hooves, Fluttershy doing so as well. "I'm surprised Kodi, didn't want to share that with them? Seeing that you were the one who introduced us to him!"

Author's Note

Whew brains fried I think.

Chapter Nein nein nein! A slip of the lip

A pair of hooves gripped Twilight by the shoulder, and suddenly she was staring into icy cold eyes of the lunar alicorn.

"Hmm indeed Kodi, do tell us why it is, that such a masterful secret would be kept from us!" she hissed.

"It...ah...must of slipped my mind?" squeaked Twilight.

With a massive exertion of self control, she shot a furious glare at her two 'friends'. Mouthing 'thanks guys!' as the cold presence of Princess Luna continued to uncomfortably wash over her. She was rewarded by seeing the two pegasi avert their gazes guiltily, weapons lowered.

"Mean to trick us, to withhold prudent information!" boomed Luna furiously. "Out with it, let us have the details foal!"

Twilight yelped as she was tossed upon her rump between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the stone statue of Applejack looming behind her.

"Well Rainbow Dash," Twilight made sure to seethe with rage with each word. "Your fat mouth said it, you explain it!"

The pegasus gulped as the cold withering gaze of the alicorn focused on her.

"Grant, ya know, like grant a wish...heheh" she chuckled, the laugh dying in her throat at Luna's disapproving gaze. "Well he's this goat back at the town of Twit, goes under the name Wrinkles, the bed and bath merchant. Usually has a connection to Gehenna, makes his trade that way, or by giving access to portals for the lesser magically inclined."

"And he's living within the planes of Ick?" Luna looked confused.

"Well...it is some sordid secret, but we think he gave someone a return back in the Bazaar."

Twilight felt a little insulted by the realms name.

"And they didn't execute him, by the night!"

"I know right? Its like some hardcore action movie stuff! Kodiak here is the only one who knows though."

"Well Kodi," Luna faced Twilight again, "Would you care to parlay such information to us?"

So caught up was she in the story, Twilight nearly forgot that she hadn't a clue as to what was actually going on.

"I...can't tell you." she said.

"What?" growled Luna.

Twilight wondered just how involved was Luna in her own farce, as it seemed the alicorn was beginning to dismiss reality.

"It was an accident, honestly, a slip of his tongue." came the quick response. "Professional courtesy means for me to hold his secret, just as I would do so for you and your sister. I would hope you'd hold my silence as a sign of respect for him, just as anyone else would for the secrets I know about the two of you!"

"Your...point has been made," Luna conceded with a scowl.

"So, Kodi." Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably under her cloak. "Mind if we drop the cloaks and all, figure any of us would be happy to give our wings a little more freedom, sides its muggy tonight."

Her tone was casual, but a suspicion was evidence in the way she scrutinized the purple unicorn. That and her hoof still lay casually near her crossbow.

"Hmm yes, though you could merely ask it as a sign of trust," said Celestia finally. "Do lay your arms down, it is naught but peace here in the fire, save for the cold of the night."

"We found thee jest insulting." scoffed Luna.

"Oh do have patience."

Twilight shrugged, slowly pulling her cloak off, keeping a careful eye upon the two pegasi and noting their differences. Rainbow Dash had carefully preened wings, not as large as the alicorns, but certainly well cared fore. They rippled with muscle, a sign of constant use, contrary to that of her partner. Fluttershy was just as well maintained, though lacking in the tense muscles of her friend.

"Taking good care of yourself I see." pressed Twilight, "Still pushing yourself aren't you Dash?"

The mare glowed, wings fanning out as she took in the praise.

"Well, not all of us can be as awesome as me!" she grinned, tapping her wing, "These babies are the last resort when we get trouble, er...that is if you ever want to higher a few assassins."

This last was directed at the alicorns.

"Hmm, tis not often that such matters are necessary," Luna replied, "But...then again, a stuck up noble here and there would surely clean up the aristocracy!"

"Oh...couldn't we protect some baby bunnies for once," whimpered Fluttershy, averting her gaze. "We're always having to go out on these long trips, it keeps me away from my little friends."

All the while, Twilight decided on her course of action. Her cloak came off, a set of wings gently flexing, the mental illusion mixing the best of both Dash and Shy. Not to strong, but then not so underused.

Dash gave a quick peek, scrutiny quickly fading away as she gestured to Fluttershy.

"What, don't feel like showing off the scars?" she said. Fluttershy looked at Twilight, her gaze just as inquisitive.

"Hardly like showing them, makes it to easy for others to know its me!" spat Twilight. "I've told you before!"

The gamble paid off as Dash folded her wings, hoof sliding away from her crossbow. Fluttershy visible relaxed, letting her breathe go that she didn't even know she was holding.

"Feh, you're always whining about that!" said Dash. "I'd be showing em every chance I get."

"Sure, until someone decides to put a bolt in your back at fifty paces."

"Is that a challenge!"

"You got a problem!"

"Girls!" shouted Fluttershy, bringing silence to the two bickering mares. "Oh...please...stop yelling, its rude with company. You both always do this."

Satisfied, Twilight sat back with an actors glare before giving in to the yellow pegasus, a small smile gracing her lips as she gave a small nod of understanding to her. Feeling it would be best, she collected a bottle from her own bag, offering it to the other two, a set of glasses 'held' in her wings, the subtle glow of magic unseen by the pegasi.

"Psh, whatever!" Dash dropped onto her haunches, forelegs crossed. She eyed the bottle then the glasses, slowly taking one into a hoof.

"If you all would excuse me," Celestia yawned. "I must rest, as the day is my domain."

"Do so, we shall inform thee of past events when thou hath awoken!" Luna then looked back towards the two assassins. "So then, this Discord, does he know of this Wrinkles."

"No? Didn't seem so, else we'd have probably put him on ice."

"Tis good! Fortune favors us in our plot!"

Rainbow Dash sputtered with laughter, Fluttershy reddened, and even Twilight had to stifle a snorting giggle. Luna sadly was lost to the reverie.

"We hath humored thee?"

"Er...plot, oh plot! Yeah a plan...what plan?"

"To kill Discord!"

Three spit takes rained down upon Luna, nearly putting the fire out as well.

Fluttershy was pounding Rainbow Dash's back as she struggled to gasp for air. The needed drink after all the laughing now proved nearly fatal at the announcement of Luna's plan.

"Oh Rainbow, you need to take your time when drinking." Fluttershy gave one final swat on the cyan mares back, expelling the rest of the wine from her.

"Are you nuts!" sputtered Dash through ragged breaths. Any thoughts she had about Twilight vanishing like smoke. "Are you insane! I thought the lunatics bit was just a joke!"

"Enough with thy jest!" shouted Luna, "We do not do so ourselves, not when our lives could be on the line. This Discord could very will be insane, tell us, is he one that you yourself would announce as stable?"

"Well...no."

"Oh but weren't you going to help him?" asked Shy.

"It was our plan, and plans change like the flow of a river!" Luna smiled deviously. "Think it odd, a successful hit, and suddenly you are approached by one demon hunter, sent by a mysterious D? D perhaps...for Discord?"

"Well I mean it could be D for Drick, or...or."

"Who just so happened to cross paths with thee?"

Rainbow stopped in her protest, letting that thought settle into her mind. A scowl slowly grew along her face.

"He wouldn't." the gears turned and Twilight swore she could see smoke coming form under the now oddly visible rainbow mane. "That dirty no good cotton eating...uh...thingy, whatever he is! No one dupes the Dasher!"

Twilight threw a glance at Luna, then to the slumbering Celestia. Her opinion about the two princesses rising in both respect and fear as to just how good they were at manipulating others.

"I...I can't believe I didn't see that, it makes sense!" Twilight observed, hoping it would further assist Luna with her tall tale.

"Oh what do we do, who's going to care for my babies?" Flutter shy whimpered. "Little Mona just had a litter of adorable baby puppies!"

"Oh fear not now, gentle Fluttershy," Luna seemed to be in disbelief that this small pegasus extremely meek attitude, what with having been threatened only a moment ago. Still she pressed, not wanting to lose another chess piece. "We have gathered upon this new found knowledge, and believe we have considered a course of action."

"That is?" Dash leaned in.

"For thee, it would be wise to return to this Discord, say nothing, and merely keep thyself ready. He may consider a danger in your company if suspicion arises. Take no further assignments, they may only lead to your demise!"

"And what about the two of you?"

"Two, do know we mean to take your accomplice along with us," Luna threw Twilight a nasty smile, "She's admitted to having secrets about us, and we couldn't allow that to go so freely."

Twilight muttered, shoving a hoof into Rainbows side. Rainbow for her part merely grinned apologetically, rubbing her wing nervously.

"Dear me...she'll be okay won't she?" asked Fluttershy, "She's been so nice to us, ever since we've met, or he... er."

"She is fine."

"Okay...she's been helpful, taking us on her jobs like this."

"And she shall continue to be helpful, by supporting us in our endeavors!" Luna nodded sagely.

Dash leaned closer to Twilight and Fluttershy, mouthing the words "Loony" with a small grin. The other two hiding their giggles as Luna continued to pomp and bellow her amazing plan.

"Then with him allied to us, or dead, we shall take care of this Discord for better or for worse!" Luna finished.

"So...what about her?"

"Would best fortune us if we took her with us, we might yet be able to convince her to join our cause, for Discord could very well have chosen one of such low stature as to make it easier to kill her!" said Luna.

"Ahh, and I was admiring all that earth pony!" chuckled Dash. "Shy, best give them the antidote I guess."

A small bottle of cockatrice tears was hoofed over to Twilight who quickly placed it in her bag.

"She'll only need a few drops. I'm glad we didn't have to hurt her. Aside from somehow seeing through our disguises, we were taken by her constant honesty." whispered Shy.

"Yeah, even as the stone continued up to hear head, that mouth kept going on with some painfully honest observations...kinda insulting." muttered Dash. "Next time we purchase disguises, no animals! I hate the idea of looking like a duck."

"Oh but they're so cute!"

Dash groaned, ignoring Luna, who at this moment was gleefully lightening the load from Applejack's satchel.

"Well then," said Luna extracting Star Swirls cruddy sword from the mares stone grip. "Tis best you be on your way."

"Now?"

"Indeed, less you wish to give Discord more time to hire another demon hunter."

"Oh, maybe we can pause by the next town, I heard they had a new set of kittens!"

The cyan mare looked skyward, it seemed to be a reoccurring phenomenon amongst all those with a feeling of hopelessness. Looking back down, she nearly screamed as she came nose to nose with Luna.

"Oh I do smell the scent of gold upon thee," she chortled. "A Gehenna is not cheap to purchase, as you know so well."

"But...these are my savings!" pouted Dash. "I was going to hit the clouds realm for the Wonderbolts race."

"Cannot enjoy the treasures of life if deceased!"

"You probably couldn't purchase his skills, even with the whole of the diamond dog empire backing you!"

"Oh," somehow the dark grew even darker as Luna's eyes narrowed. "We have ways. Thy contribution shall help show the...light in the dark of the night. Less you wish to experience but a small..."

"Here you go!" shouted Dash, hefting her purse into Luna's waiting hooves.

"Baby tortoises?" said Twilight.

"Hey its my purse, don't even think about telling anyone else about it!" fumed the mare. "And I'll expect it back!"

Her wings fanned out and with a snap, she bolted into the air, the force of her take off putting out the flames.

"Oh dear...I'll calm her down." Fluttershy turned and gave Twilight a hug. "Please be careful...I didn't like how sneaky the goat was around us."

Twilight nodded, waving goodbye to the pegasus as she took off after her friend.

"I kinda feel guilty about doing that to them." she said.

"Oh yes, guilty indeed." muttered Luna, counting out the coins.

"You don't even care, do you?"

Luna ignored her, sliding itch bit, bit by bit, and placing it in her own personal bit bag.

The wards trembled and Twilight let loose a breathe of air.

"We know, they've gone." said Luna. "Did we not tell you that their loyalty is easily fooled with."

Twilight agreed, though she still felt bad for the kinder of the two.

"Most loyal in fact." Luna paused in her banking to think. "Hmm and the small one, master of the stare, and yet so kind. It would explain the power of her anger."

"What was that?"

"The stare...it is but an ancient art form, passed from care taker to care taker, able to put the mightiest into a parlaying trance. Like a mother scolding a young child. Though I still could not see such threats being backed by such a frail body."

Twilight pondered the nights events, settling finally upon one question.

"Luna...where do Diamond Dogs come from?"

"Ahh, they are found in the realm of Canida. Wonderfully apologetic, with the exception of the Prench Canidians."

Twilight nodded, crawling back under her cloak to get some restful sleep.

Author's Note

Arg so many bits in one bite!

Chapter √(100) Flights of Fancy

"That was certainly an exciting night." Celestia took a small sip of her tea.

The group had agreed to take another break in their travels, as the midday sun shined over head. Cool breezes made for a comforting day and Twilight found herself nearly nodding off, if not for one other.

"Watch it!" mutter Luna as she ducked a stony hoof.

Twilight squeaked and adjust the stone statue of Applejack. Gently settling the mare down upon the grass.

"If you shatter her, it would be a painful mess, not to mention how ugly such things get when stone to life serums are used!"

"Why can't you help me?" Twilight grunted in protest, horn aglow.

"And not give our student a chance to exercise her mind, we would be failures as teachers if we did all our students work." answered Luna.

Twilight rolled her eyes, shifting Applejack again till she seemed to be resting comfortably, or as comfortably a mare turned to stone can be.

"Do you think we really have a chance against this...Gehenna?" asked Twilight.

"Have faith in our abilities Twilight." Celestia gave her a calming smile. "Luna fared excellently against the pegasi. Odd company they keep, having a changeling for a friend."

"Had..."

"Indeed, if they are smart, they would seek better friendship, their loyalty is commendable as is the shy ones kindness." Celestia set her cup aside. "You seem puzzled."

Twilight felt the previous nights encounter did little to settle her nerves. She didn't want to tell them how unhappy she was at having been threatened and used for the sake of their own safety. Since the meeting, nightmares of unknown assailants with crossbows were a constant in her dreams.

"Fear not, once we are able to have full control of our powers, thou shalt find yourself free from these troubles." Luna took a nasty tear out of a leg of meat.

"Oh...I guess so." Twilight's enthusiasm dried up.

"Twilight, we are your teachers, we may seem harsh in our lessons, but Luna and I do mean well. Tell us what ails you?" Celestia gave her a worrisome glance, like a mother to a child.

"I...when you are able to have your full powers, your ability to go back home. Will you still want me as your protege?"

"Is that the question which troubles you?" genuine surprise etched upon her face, Celestia motioned for Twilight to come closer, patting the ground between her sister and herself. "Twilight, we are most assured in our endeavors to train you. We do not take students so lightly. You could say that Star Swirls acceptance of your abilities is tantamount to acceptance to the highest of unicorn colleges."

"Really?" the lavender mares voice filled with hope. "I'm not a burden?"

"Twilight, you began was one, tis not a lie." answered Luna. "But you have learned the value of listening to us and not questioning everything at every moment. You were there when this began, you deserve to be with us till the end."

Twilight prayed that Luna meant the end of her courses. The thought of fighting Discord still sent shivers down her spine. Sadly she understood the price of her lessons, and if this was truly a magicians lot in life, than she'd bite the bullet and accept.

She learned about bullets by the way, the explanation itself did nothing to actually answer the question.

"One more question."

"Promise?"

"Pardon?"

"Nothing young Twilight, do ask us."

"When this Discord job is all done with...where will we go?"

"Hmm, Tia?"

"That is a good question, we being princesses of our own realm, would make things a bit difficult, having to ferry you between them constantly." answered Celestia. "We shall burn that bridge when the time comes, but worry not, we will have an answer for you."

Twilight threw a glance back at the stone statue of Applejack. Finally having time to see her in broad day light, and without the treat of having her head removed. She truly had to admit that Rainbow Dash was right when she complemented the hunters sculpt. Tone legs would carry her with a powerful grace, announcing the warrior for what she is. Those rear legs brimming with power enough to probably shatter stone, and supple firm...

"Hmm, a virgin are we?" giggled Luna as she watched Twilight.

"Of course not!" lied Twilight. She'd not let Luna or Celestia hold that over her. Of course she knew she was not fooling anyone. "Just admiring the warrior details that Dash pointed out."

"Well then, if you've time to admire the scenery, than its perhaps time to indulge you with another lesson!" Luna leveled a smile at her older sister. "Tia, you've a taste for the air, would you care to show Twilight?"

"Oh if I must." came the feigned resignation. Celestia gestured to Twilight, drawing her a few yards away from the camp. "It would seem most apropos for you to learn this, what with your new additions!"

"Huh?" Twilight followed Celestia's gaze to the purple wings she was now supposedly sporting through her disguise. "I forgot I had those."

"You must remember your disguises, forgetting such a thing could lead to rather painful lessons in life!" Celestia grinned, "Why I remember once this Stallion thought to hide himself as a cow. Sadly the bull in that very pen was rather rambunctious and..."

"I get it!" shouted Twilight, hare frazzled. "Remember disguises before something decides to rut me!"

"Oh pity, it is a funny thought." Celestia chuckled. "Today you learn the gift, of flight."

Twilight's mind quickly emptied of the unfortunately lewd images, glad to happily replace them with new thoughts of kissing the air hi above. Then quickly her spirits fell.

"Fly?"

"Of course, did I stutter?"

"Well...why?"

"Why? Twilight, those who've lacked wings have always been jealous of the birds ability to reach the heavens! Now we offer you that chance!"

"I meant why would I want to learn how to fly?"

"Because...everybody wants too?"

"I don't."

"What? Well do tell us why not!"

"I...I can't." Twilight scuffed the ground as she remembered a very important aspect of her life. "I'm afraid of heights.

"Twilight, that is but an excuse, it is not a good reason to avoid learning something so important." came the stern reply.

"Well its not as though I've been given a good reason!" Twilight scowled.

"Watch your tone young unicorn, or you'll be learning the lesson post haste." scolded Celestia. "It isn't truly flying to be honest as it is floating in the air."

"I fail to see a difference."

"Twilight...let me put it differently then." sighed Celestia. "You are our apprentice, are you not."

"I am!"

"And if you ever wish to live beyond that of Star Swirl, it would be best to learn how to fly." she leaned closer to Twilight. "If you don't believe another would soon launch you from a catapult, you'd be best to think otherwise."

"So flying, I'm all for it, lets get this lesson rolling!" Twilight threw on her biggest smile, ignoring the knots forming in her stomach.

"Bravo, I do enjoy your enthusiasm!" Celestia then began to gesture to Twilight's horn. "It isn't anything you haven't already learn by the way. You know the art of levitation, do you not?"

Twilight merely nodded.

"Well, flight, in your case, is merely the art of levitating yourself."

"Come again?"

"Imagine this. Rather than standing upon the ground, and lifting an object. You are pushing against the ground, under your body. This provides lift, and thus you obtain flight!"

"Wait, but if I'm not touching the ground, how can I continue to draw in energy?"

Celestia nearly face hoofed. With a sharp gesture to the heavens she spoke.

"The air Twilight, you are a magician, not an elemental!"

"What's an elemental."

"Twilight, if you must persist with these questions, it is merely going to lengthen your training." she leveled a stern gaze at the unicorn. "Now as a magician, you are not bound to a single element. Once in the air, begin drawing energy from the air around you, again, you must understand that this could very well save you in case you fall, or are thrown."

"I guess..." Twilight's words filled with doubt.

"Now then, locate a force line."

"But we left it back on the travelers path!"

"Do you feign ignorance on purpose?" muttered Celestia, "Twilight, it is rare that you ever find yourself without any magic to help you. Now throw up your locator spell and search for the nearest one, without the questions please."

Twilight rolled her eyes, focusing her minds eye. Slowly she turned her head skywards, almost squinting. A very miniscule spear of icy blue and whites drifted far above her.

"I found one!"

"Icy blue and white?" Celestia tutted.

"Yes...but not as bright as the others."

"Well then, I suggest you gather some up then, smaller means it is further away, this means that it could take longer to draw from it. Now imagine the ground, and gently push yourself away from it."

She did, eyes closed as she allowed her mind to drift lazily. The surge of power drawn from the heavens was cool to the touch, unlike the ground which radiated with warmth. Whereas before she felt bloated by the energy, now she felt relaxed, almost trance like.

"Now then, slowly push, imagine a board helping you to ascend higher into the sky."

She did this too, a flat purple plate forming beneath her hooves. It was weird, the feeling of magic beneath her hooves taking away the feeling of ground. Like holding ones hoof right upon the surface of a lake, ripples barely lapping against it.

"Twilight, open your eyes. Adjust your trim!"

"My what?" she thought, wondering why Celestia sounded so soft. Her eyes popped open.

Celestia beamed at her protege, her proud expression soon changing to one of horror, than one of disappointment as the unicorn quickly forgot the most basic of lessons.

*WHUMP*

Twilight had plummeted all twenty feet to the ground, sprawled out like a pancake, face planted firmly into the soil.

Luna laughed uproariously much to Celestia's displeasure.

"Twilight, are you okay?" Celestia gently waved her wings over the poor mare, fanning her.

"I...I flew." she croaked in response.

"Yes...and in your surprise you forgot to maintain your control of energy."

Twilight nodded, gasping for more air to fill in her struggling lungs.

"Of all the things...Twilight when we say that you shall fly, we do mean it!"

"But..."

"No buts Twilight. You either believe in us, or you do not." she said sternly. "Such actions could have killed you, from the wards, to even now."

"You could have caught me!"

"And for go the importance of your earliest lessons, very well not! The pain must come with the practice, if you were in absolute danger Twilight, we would help, but we won't always be there!" her wings slid under the mare and easily lifted her to her hooves, dusting away dirt and grass and dirt.

"I'm...sorry Princess Celestia."

"Ahh...I don't mean to be stern, but such actions scare us. This is your first steps towards the more powerful uses of magic and a surprise break could very well harm you and your friends."

"Shall...shall I try again?"

"In a moment, flight does take a lot of control and focus before it comes natural to you. Like a chick learning to spread its wings for the first time."

"Celestia."

"Yes Twilight?"

"Could you tell me about your home?"

"What of it?"

"It...it just seemed like those pegasi were deathly afraid when they realized who you and your sister were. What kind of reputation does your dimension have? Both of yours?"

"Well now...that is truly as different as night and day, literally." Celestia smiled as she began delving into her minds past. "I am from Solaris, my sister Lunaris. Respectively where my plane is that of the day, my sister is that of the night. Sun and Moon, blue sky to starry ones. Sadly its one or the other, not both."

"You mean its always daytime where you live?"

"Indeed, and I shall tell you this, after I had first learned my dimensional spell, I made for my sisters realm. Oh the cool night air was wondrous!"

"Why were you both separated?"

"Mother and Father are whom you should seek to blame for that!" came Luna's voice, the night alicorn trotting up to them. "We couldn't help but join, after having a bit of a laugh over your first flight that is."

"Thanks." muttered Twilight.

"Present aside, past history would always have mother and father arguing about the most boring of details, the cosmos, life, its secrets, name it, and they argued it!" Luna sighed.

"It happens with immortals, they find it easier to keep separate homes, it helps to lower the chances of argumentative migraines from erupting."

"Both our realms are seeded with high technology, and of course the luxury of powerful pools of energy for us to practice our magic!"

"Then why so much fear?" Twilight tilted her head slightly in an almost adorable dog like fashion.

"Bureaucracy, is a horrible thing." said Celestia. "I would feel guilty of letting you know its horrors."

"What do you mean?"

"What she means, is that we had dealt with out share of immigrants, all piling in to either realm for a taste of its magic, and its technology. Of course it became problematic. Everything that wanted to live a life of luxury saw our realms as a heaven of some sort."

"What happened then?"

"We removed the...non-contributing members of society, and allowed rumors to spread about the horrors of alicorns, twas Tia's idea, and a clever one."

"Yes, I had planned to utilize our...warrior spirit, that which you saw during our summoning. To be called our 'evil' forms, I invading my sisters realm, and well you get the idea."

"We shall be honest, we may have indulged in a bit of gluttony and a few carnal desires...but it certainly aided in our intent."

"Yes, rumors of our brutal nature, feasting upon the enemy, torture, dubious acts of nature under the bedsheets. Many were not sure how much was true and of course they exaggerated."

"How much of it is true?" asked Twilight, head tilting to the other side.

Luna merely leaned in, grinning a toothy grin.

"Enough to keep them honest."

Twilight wanted to ask what it took to be a contributing immigrant, but decided to let it pass for a while.

"Now then, I believe you've had time to recover. Put those wings back on, seeing how you lost them in the sudden stop. If your going to be flying about, best look proper for the part."

Twilight groaned.

Chapter Eleventeen Town Life

"Ah, tis a shining example of civilization!" boomed Luna exuberantly as she peered about, delighted as a foal on their first outing.

They were cantering down one of the lesser used streets of Twit. Garbage and beggars strewn casually about while beady rodent eyes, pony and non pony, studied the trio from darkened doors, windows, and grates. It was a cluster of buildings crouched around an army outpost which was manned more from habit than necessity. The soldiers they occasionally encountered had degenerated enough from the crisp recruiting poster model that it was frequently difficult to tell which seemed more menacing and unsavory, the guards or the obviously criminal types they were supposed to be watching.

"Seems a bit more like the stagnation that pony kind here has left behind." Whispered Celestia.

"Tis what we meant! A shining example of civilization!"

Twilight felt rather insulted, sure she was pointing out the dregs of society, but it was her society either way. She kept her peace though, not wanting to take Luna's bait for another one of her philosophical lectures.

"Celestia...is it me, or are the people staring at us?"

"Do relax, a new town takes to any and all strangers with a bit of skepticism, trying to gauge us. Our we victims in waiting, or victimizers. Our job of course it to make them believe we're in the second category, its a matter of reputation and principal, something you'd do well to learn."

Illustrating her point, Celestia turned horn aglow as it gripped her sword handle. The blade slid out with a flourish and was quickly brandished, tip towards the now empty streets where unknown figures quickly faded into the shadow of their doors and windows.

One figure didn't move though. A mare sat upon a window sill, her ample flank dressed with carefully selected lace, stockings covering the rest of the legs, and a smile upon her face, one directed at Celestia. Celestia smiled, giving a wink and a wave towards the mare before placing her sword back in its sheath slowly. The mare ran an insolent tongue tip slowly around her lip and winked in return.

"Er Celestia?"

"Yes Twilight?" she replied, eyes still glued to the mare.

"I uh...hate to interrupt, but you're supposed to be a doddering old man, remember?"

Celestia was disguised as Star Swirl, Luna looked like the beardless twin brother, and poor Twilight had to take on the guise of a certain apple mare whom they had buried outside of town.

Twilight had been shocked at first by the very idea of it, but then Celestia pointed out, the statue didn't need air to breath and it would make keeping her safe all the more easier.

"Oh I know, some towns just have different taste than others."

"Well could you stop whipping that sword around, I thought it was our surprise weapon."

"Oh do lighten up, thy intellect is strong, thy casualness is lacking." Spoke Luna, tutting Twilight. Besides, we do believe the wench has thine eyes upon ye flanks."

Twilight should have gotten more satisfaction at how well she was able to hold disguises now without consciously thinking about it. Of course she didn't. She found it unnerving that she had to remember that people saw her as someone completely different compared to the truth that she saw of herself and her companions.

She glanced up at the wench in the window. As their eyes met, the mares smile broadened noticeably. She displayed more of her enthusiasm by leaning more of her flank out the window until Twilight began to worry that she would fall out of the window...or her dress.

"Ahh see the benefits of thy spell!" Luna clapped her wing upon Twilight's shoulder, it invisible to all others. "Magic does have its perks does it not?"

"I'd rather she was attracted to me for me, as I really am." came the grumbling reply.

"Oh, we take to mares do we?" chuckled the lunar alicorn.

"No!" came the quick bite.

"Well, it is the price of success Twilight," Celestia responded over Luna's jests. "Well, no matter. We're here on business remember."

"Right!" affirmed Luna.

"Sure..." sighed Twilight turning without a thought.

Celestia yelped and threw a firm glare at Twilight, massaging her rear leg, a red welt in the shape of a sword slowly rising upon it.

"Watch your sword Twilight, that is the fifth time, and I will put it to use in a way that will be most disagreeable to you." She hissed over the pain.

"I'm sorry, its just so...point heavy!"

"Do you know what that means?"

"Well you said that..."

"I said it was point heavy for me," she had of course taken Applejack's good blade, leaving the older one to Twilight as a show of strength. "It is all a matter of personal preference. Pretend it is not there, think of it as being as a part of you."

"I did...that's when I keep hitting you!"

Celestia sighed. "Well...go over the finer points of that later."

Out of the corner of Twilight's eye, she could see the mare clapping her hooves in silent applause before blowing her a kiss. It donned upon Twilight that this mare thought her accidental blunder was a deliberate act to quell rivalry. What's more, she approved of the gesture.

Twilight blushed as she gave the mare a closer look. Maybe later she could give her teachers the slip for a while and...

"Where in Tartarus is he!" muttered Luna. "This goat is proving to be a difficult find."

"How do we go about finding him?" Twilight turned, distracted by Luna's outburst.

"With guile and cunning!" with that Luna looked down a cross street they had moved onto and bellowed. "To where is the rug merchant Wrinkles!"

"To the south three blocks and then west four you idiot!" a large unicorn hollered.

Twilight groaned, if she weren't so preoccupied with walking, she would have slammed her face into the ground from the sheer embarrassment.

"There, we now have our destination! Let us make haste then." Luna began trotting down the street. "Do not worry, for we will be upon our query!"

"We have to be careful Twilight...this must be of the utmost secrecy...so why did we alert everyone in town to what our needs were?"

"Oh do lighten up Twilight." Celestia chimed in. "Its called blending in. If we were to be polite and civil, we would surely target ourselves as ponies with questionable intentions. Being rude, and obnoxious to others allows us to blend in with the populace. They won't pay any attention to us because we are being extremely lewd and verbal in our actions. The more stealth you employ, the more obvious you become."

"I...I guess I understand..."

"Good!" interrupted Luna. "We hath arrived at our destination!"

She gestured with a hoof towards a blacksmith and leather-worker's display. Nestled between the two was a rather obvious display of a rug shop. Even Twilight recognized it for what it was, hardly ever living in a city so large. Aside from the large sign and rugs adorning its facade, it was lavishly decorated in the rudest colors meant to slap the blind upside the head. Twilight found it unforgivably gaudy.

So engrossed in their previous conversation, Twilight suddenly felt the chill of nerves hitting her.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"Tis simple, we drink!" Luna's hoof quickly sailed through the air, away form the shop to point out a tavern across the street from it.

"Drink?" Twilight nearly shouted.

"Indeed, if we are to match wits with a Gehenna, we will need something to settle our minds, and our stomachs." Agreed Celestia. "it is a most important thing to remember when dealing with a goat."

"But drinking?" Twilight whined, following the two into the tavern.

It was a dingy affair, even to her rustic eyes. A faded awning sullenly provided shade for a small cluster of wooden tables. Flies buzzed around a fat cat slumbering in a corner...at least Twilight liked to assume it was asleep.

As she unhitched her equipment and draped it upon a chair, she could her the two princesses bellowing at the innkeeper for two of his largest flagons of hard cider, or wine, it was hard to say, as long as it had alcohol, it would satisfy them. Twilight sighed with a hint of despair as, believing the two alicorns would never adapt to their disguise properly, yet from watching the innkeepers expression, he seemed tot take it in stride, maybe attitude did have something to do with being disguised.

Soon the two returned, grins plastered upon there muzzles as they slammed heavy tankards upon the table.

"Happy?" asked Twilight.

"Pleased!" they both replied.

"So...whatever happened to dealing with this goat?" Twilight grumbled, sinking into her chair.

"Relax Twilight." Said Celestia after a heavy swig. "A few minutes will not do any harm, besides, he seems to have taken company."

Twilight craned her head, looking over her shoulder to see that Celestia had indeed stated a rather obvious fact. A trio of ponies were conversing with the rug shops keeper. One adorned in a garish set of clothes, her cape flapping in the wind, and a rugged wizards cap upon her head. Her compatriots were two twins, though one sported a mustache.

The shop keeper had quickly invited them in with a sweep of his fore hoof and an oily smile plastered upon his face.

"We could not conduct business with the likes of them inside, it is good that we should wait!" Luna slurred, letting loose a belch. "Oh excuse us!"

The innkeeper merely gawked at the princesses as with a flick of their mugs, the alcohol was emptied.

"Ah ha! Another!" shouted Luna. "And a bucket if you must, these tankards hardly hold an amount worthy of our gullet!"

With a quick nod and retreat into the back room, the inn keeper busied himself tending to the princesses, unnerved by their amazing display of tolerance. Twilight had grown used to this, observing that both princesses had an amazing talent for alcohol consumption. What truly vexed her though was that she had yet to put in an order herself.

Eventually she would find herself with a goblet of wine to wet her lips with, if only her nerves weren't so loose, she would have enjoyed it. As a result she wound up taking slow and small sips of wine whilst her mentors happily drained their drinks. It was quite some time, an hour in fact and yet still no trio came out of that shop.

Luna was loosing patience.

"What does it take to select thy floor adornments! Come we shall see what holds them!"

Luna quickly stood from her chair, dropping a few coins. Quickly she left for the rug shop, Celestia and Twilight in tow.

"What about those ponies?" asked Twilight.

"We shall have to inspire them to conclude business then!" came the sharp reply.

It had a vaguely ominous ring to it, and Luna's toothy grin did little to settle Twilight's stomach at the possible graphic content floating through the lunar princesses mind.

As Twilight debated whether or not to dissuade Luna, Celestia laid a gentle wing upon Twilight, gesturing for a moment of silence. They both hurried to catch up with the younger alicorn who quickly entered the shop.

Twilight feared the worst, but instead of a trio of innocents for Luna to berate, the shop stood rather empty, save for the presence of an old unicorn, whose slick oil grin oozed with a sense of greed.