Magical Pony Lyrical Twilight StrikerS

by PurpleProse

Chapters

2: RIOT Force
3: Formal Introductions
4: First Class
5: Extra Credit
7: Analysis
8: Supplementary Materials
9: Prep-Work
10: Practical Exam
11: Picking Up The Pieces
12: Hotel Augusta
13: Making Messes
14: Cleaning Up
1: Someone To Look Up To
6: Examination

2: RIOT Force

TSAB Central Command Building

Cranagan, Mid-Childa

NCY 0076, Late Spring

10:45 AM

Griffith was waiting for him at the landing pad. That was never a good sign.

Chrono carefully climbed out of the helicopter, the wind from the rotors rustling his hair as he stepped onto the ground. Unlike the candidates who had to take the train back to Central from the Urban Combat Training Zone, Chrono and Twilight had taken the helicopter. It was one of the perks of his rank, after all.

Griffith quickly came to attention, saluting as Chrono approached him. “Welcome back, Sir.”

“At ease, Griffith.” Chrono waved his good hand gently as Twilight stepped out of the helicopter behind him. “What’s the problem this time?”

Griffith sighed, ruffling his hair. “Lieutenant General Gais wishes to speak with you, Sir.”

“Again?”

“Again.”

“Something wrong, Chrono?” Twilight looked up to him curiously.

Chrono sighed, shaking his head. “Just politics as usual, Twilight. Nothing out of the ordinary. I‘m used to it by now.”

“Sir,” Griffith quickly fell in beside Chrono as he began walking, Twilight matching their pace as they headed towards the elevator, “if you would like, I could accompany you-”

“I’ll be fine Griffith. Besides, you and Twilight have to get ready for the debriefing, remember?” Chrono smirked slightly. “I’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with the old hawk already, remember? If I‘m not back in time for the debriefing, go ahead without me.”

“If you insist, Sir.”

Chrono shrugged. “If it’s necessary, then it’s necessary. Come on, the elevator’s waiting for us.

“So,” Twilight glanced over to Griffith as Chrono got off the elevator, the doors closing behind him, “who’s Lieutenant General Gais? I‘ll admit, I‘ve studied up on the Bureau‘s hierarchy, but I really can‘t claim to know everyone…”

Griffith sighed. “Lieutenant General Regius Gais is the man in charge of the CDC.”

“The Capital Defense Corps? That sounds familiar…“ Twilight rubbed her chin, then paused. “I think I recognize that name now. I remember seeing him on the news here.”

“You probably have. He’s one of the few high-ranking officers that aren’t mages. There’s also his rather overt rivalry with the Dimensional Navy and the fact that he’s a very outspoken hawk. It makes sense that the press loves him. He‘s popular, and he makes headlines.”

“But what does he have to do with Chrono?”

“The group Chrono’s putting together will be stationed here in Cranagan. As such it falls under the CDC’s oversight, even though it’s technically not affiliated with either it or the Ground Forces.” Griffith shrugged slightly. “That means the Captain has to play ball. I don’t envy him; from what I‘ve heard, Gais can be rather…” He paused as he considered his words.

“Intractable?” Twilight supplied.

“Let’s go with that.”

Twilight sighed softly. “Trust me, I know what that‘s like. I’ve had to handle more than a few stubborn ponies back in Equestria. Heck, some of them are my best friends.”

“I’m sure Captain Harlaown will welcome your sympathies then.” Griffith turned back to the door as the elevator bell chimed. “Here’s our floor. We should probably get to work, Special Instructor Sparkle.”

“Twilight, please. If nothing else, it’ll be easier to just be on a first name basis while we’re working.”

Griffith nodded. “Yes ma’am. Twilight it is, then.”

Twilight followed after Griffith, skipping merrily. “And now it’s time for my favorite part of my job; compiling a neat, precise and easily understood summery. Oh, I love putting together reports like this…”

Griffith chuckled nervously at Twilight‘s glee. “I can’t say I’m used to someone actually being enthusiastic over paperwork.”

“Nonsense. This sort of thing is important! Critique and analysis is a necessary part of examinations like these. We’d be doing a disservice to the candidates if we just slacked off. Now come on, let’s get to work! I‘ve already had Raising Heart put together the mental notes I took during the exam…”

Chrono sighed as he paused in front of the large door before him. He wasn’t looking forward to meeting the man just beyond.

Might as well get it over with, he thought to himself as he reached up, rapping his knuckles on the door.

“Enter,” a gruff voice called from within. Chrono tapped on the pad to open the door and stepped inside.

Regius Gais’ office was rather at odds with the more modern aesthetic of the building outside. High, well-packed bookshelves dominated either wall of the rectangular room, while thick carpet softened his footsteps. Regius’ large wooden-topped desk was placed in front of a large window that looked out onto the cityscape beyond, sunlight glinting off the well-polished dark wood.

The man himself rested in the high-backed chair, watching as Chrono approached him. If Chrono had to describe Gais in one word, that word would be ’bearish.’ The man was certainly built like one: broad shouldered, bulldog-necked, barrel-chested and heavy in the middle. Despite being in his fifties, his neatly trimmed dark brown hair didn‘t show a single bit of gray, nor did the thick muttonchops that merged with his equally boxy beard and mustache. His eyes were deep set and piercing behind his large, protruding nose. He was dressed in well-tailored officer’s blues; a dark blue coat with gold shoulder pads and braid over a white shirt and blue tie, the gold badge of the Capital Defense Corps emblazoned on either sleeve.

However, despite his somewhat unpleasant appearance, there was a sense of implacable solidity to the man. Regius Gais seemed to fill up the entire room with his presence, exuding the sort of confidence and force of will that could cow a weaker willed person. Chrono wouldn’t have expected anything less from a man who had clawed his way up to his position like Regius.

Then again, Regius’ intimidating presence didn’t hold a candle to some of the beings Chrono had met.

Chrono came to a halt and snapped a salute to Regius. “Captain Harlaown reporting, Sir. You wished to see me?”

“Yes. Please, have a seat.” Gais gestured to the chairs before his desk. He leaned forward as Chrono took a seat, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on the desk.

“I’ve called you in here to give you notification about your unit, Captain. Specifically, where you’ll be based at.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Chrono replied.

Gais reached down, opening a desk drawer out of Chrono’s sight before producing a folder, setting it down before him. “You’ll find the details in here, Captain.”

“Thank you Sir. May I?” Chrono gestured to the folder.

“Of course.”

Chrono carefully lifted the folder and settled it into his lap, flipping it open and peering at the contents. He paused, staring at the images in disbelief. “Long Arch, Sir?”

“Something the matter with the facilities there, Captain?”

“No Sir. The base at Long Arch is… well, ideal for our purposes, Sir,” Chrono replied as he shut the folder. Not to mention I figured you’d have stuck us in the ass end of nowhere if you could‘ve gotten away with it.

Gais grunted irritably. “I’ll admit, Long Arch wasn’t my first choice. However, your backers made it quite clear that you were to be given the best we had to offer, so I had to oblige.”

And you couldn’t risk the political fallout of looking TOO contrarian in front of the higher ups, Chrono appended mentally. “Thank you for your generosity, Sir.”

“Spare me, Harlaown,” Gais growled softly. “I’m not particularly fond of this little circus you’re putting together. A kid your age has no business running a unit this… weird. I’ve already made my objections to this plan, but it seems like the guys at HQ are willing to indulge you, so I’ll play along.

“But let me make this clear, Captain Harlaown.” Gais tapped his finger on the ink-blotter on his desk as he spoke. “I don‘t trust your little pony friends. I don’t care what ranks they claim to have; this is the Bureau, not a petting zoo. As head of your unit, I expect you to remember where your loyalties really lie and not pander to a pack of pretty little ponies or their so-called goddesses.

“Now as if that wasn’t bad enough, you’ve also decided to saddle yourself with those supposedly ‘reformed’…” Regius’s lips twisted as though he were about to spit, “individuals the Saint Church has been parading around on a leash for the past few years. Heaven knows why you‘d want them, though. Between them and the ponies the security risk is enough to give anyone sane a conniption.

“The only reason I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt is that you had the decency to earn your rank the hard way.” His eyes lingered on Chrono’s arm and eye patch with begrudging respect before he continued. “That’s pretty uncommon in the Navy nowadays. That goes a long way with me, shows character. So I’m going to give you a chance to prove yourself. But if I get even the slightest whiff of something improper, even the smallest hint that you‘re abusing the trust this Bureau has put in you, I will come down on you like the Belkan Host itself. Am I clear, Captain Harlaown?”

“Perfectly, Sir.” Chrono replied promptly.

“Good. Here‘s hoping you‘ll impress me, Captain.”

“I‘ll see what I can do, Lieutenant General.”

Gais looked at him for a moment. For a second, Chrono could have sworn he saw a flicker of melancholy pass over Gais’ expression. Then he gave a grunt and turned away, his chair creaking. “I’m sure you will. You’ll want to talk to the Base Command Authority to hammer out the requisition details. Otherwise, we’re done here. Dismissed.”

Chrono rose to his feet, saluted with his good hand, and then turned on his heel and walked off with the folder tucked under his right arm.

Well, that’s one less thing to worry about, Chrono thought to himself as he stepped out of the office and headed towards the elevator. Looks like this is all coming together nicely. I guess I have a little time before the briefing. Hopefully I’ll have enough time to put together my report…

The briefing room the four examinees were in was much like the rest of Central Command: clean, white and modern. Several staggered rows of desks filled the room, arranged in a curve following the back wall. It reminded Subaru of some of the lecture halls at the Ground Forces Academy.

She lounged slightly in her chair, staring up at the ceiling. Even after the train-ride back to Central Command, she was still reeling from the events of the exam. It wasn’t every day one met one’s idol face-to-face like that, after all.

I can’t believe she still remembers me, Subaru thought to herself, her hands folded behind her head as she leaned back further. It’s been… gosh, how many years? And she remembered me. And she saw my exam too!

She paused, her eyes getting a bit wide. She saw my exam. Oh no… what if she wasn’t impressed? This is Twilight Sparkle we’re talking about here. The Alicorn Ace! She’s probably seen so much magic that nothing surprises her any more. What if she… oh Kaiser, she saw me use the Buster. What if she gets mad about me for copying one of her spells like that?! I mean, it’s not exactly a secret; her spells are on file at HQ for use in her teaching curricula, but still…

Subaru felt a finger poke her on the cheek. “Subaru? Oi, Subaru!”

“Huhwha?!” Subaru sat up with a jerk, flailing slightly as she did so.

Teana quickly jerked her hand away. “You were making faces at the ceiling.”

Subaru blushed, letting out a nervous laugh. “Sorry Tea. I guess I must’ve zoned out there for a second.”

“You’ve been ‘zoned out’ ever since we got off the train,” a second voice commented. Subaru glanced down as Spike approached the pair. Scootaloo was a ways behind him, pacing slowly back and forth with her tail swishing. “You sure you’re alright? I mean, you didn‘t get conked on the head during the exam or anything, right?”

“No! No, it’s just I‘m… you know, worried…”

“About the exam?”

“Sort of…” Subaru glanced away slightly.

“I think Subaru’s more worried about impressing Special Instructor Sparkle,” Teana deadpanned.

“Tea!”

“What? You’ve been all starry-eyed ever since she stepped out of that helicopter.”

“I have not!”

“Subaru,” Teana crossed her arms, “I had to drag you around by the elbow just to get you to this room.”

“Oh… heh…” Subaru scratched at the back of her neck nervously. “Sorry.”

“I swear, I never understood how someone as smart as you can be such an air-head sometimes.” Teana shook her head and let out a heavy sigh.

“Well, I don’t think she has to worry about that,” Spike smirked. “From the way she was talking to you back at the finish line, it looked like she kinda likes you, Subaru.”

“R-really!? You could tell?”

“I’ve lived around Twilight ever since I was a hatchling. Trust me, I can tell.” Spike glanced over his shoulder to peer at Scootaloo. “You’ll be fine, unlike a certain grumpy, hot-headed pegasus who will remain nameless!”

“Oh, go choke on a diamond.” Scootaloo fluffed her wings as she snorted. “You got the stink-eye too, remember?”

“Is she always like that?” Teana peered over at Scootaloo.

Spike shrugged. “Eh, she’s a little prickly and defensive, but once you get used to her she’s alright…”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” Subaru smirked as Teana glared at her. She could almost see the vein throbbing on Teana’s forehead. “Of course, Tea isn’t quite as cute as-”

“Oh, you did not just say that, Subaru! Come here you!” Teana lunged, quickly pulling Subaru into a headlock and grinding her knuckles into her scalp.

“Gah! Hehe! Tea!” Subaru squirmed, laughing as she grabbed onto Teana’s arm as the other girl noogied her. “Tea, leggo! Eek!”

“Not until you take that back, you big, dumb-”

“Hey!”

Subaru paused, as did Teana. Scootaloo was glaring at the two of them. She quickly trotted towards them, pushing Spike out of the way as she did so. When she got close she reared up, setting her hooves on the Teana’s arm-rests before glaring at her.

“Let. Her. Go.” Her wings bristled, and her eyes were hard. “Right now.”

Dumbfounded, Teana blinked and then slowly unlooped her arm from around Subaru’s neck. “Alright, there. Happy?”

Scootaloo nodded curtly and then looked to Subaru. “You alright?”

“Uh… yeah. We get into fights like this all the time. Not like it’s a big deal or anything. Heck, it didn‘t even hurt. See?” Subaru gently tapped her knuckles on her head. “Hard head. If anything Tea probably hurt her knuckles.” Subaru tried to laugh, though it quickly trailed off as Scootaloo kept staring at her.

Scootaloo didn’t say anything. She simply drew back, putting a hoof to her eye before pointing at Teana as if to say ‘I’m watching you’ before trotting off.

“Sheesh,” Teana muttered softly under her breath as she looked at Spike, talking softly. “What the hell’s her problem? We were just rough-housing…”

“Um…” Spike ran his hand over one of his head spines. “I’m not sure if I should say. Let‘s just say she‘s a bit… sensitive about stuff like that.”

“No kidding,” Teana replied, glancing over at Scootaloo.

Subaru started to speak when the door to the briefing room hissed open. She rose to her feet along with Teana as Twilight and Griffith walked in, the former carrying a sheaf of papers in her magical grip, the latter carrying a data pad under his arm.

“Alright everyone,” Twilight began with a hint of good cheer to her voice as she ruffled her papers, “since you’re all here, it would be best if we got started. Captain Harlaown’s attending to other business right now, but he should be joining us shortly.”

“Now, we’ve tabulated your scores based on your individual performance during the exam.” Griffith tapped on his pad as he spoke. “The two of us were quite impressed. I’m happy to report that all four of you passed the exam.”

Subaru resisted the urge to fist pump.

“I’ve taken the liberty of preparing grading sheets for everyone,” Twilight said, separating the sheaf into smaller piles as she walked to the group. “These include the exam rubric, result scores, analysis, and comments from me and Warrant Officer Lowran. Digital versions will be sent to your Devices once Captain Harlaown completes his additions.”

Subaru reached up and took the sheets of paper in her hand, quickly thumbing through them.

“Now,” Griffith spoke after a few minutes of paper-rustling, “are there any questions?”

Subaru’s hand shot up.

“Yes, Private Nakajima?”

“Um… Special Instructor Sparkle, you’re not upset that I copied your spell?”

Twilight laughed softly, causing Subaru to blush. “Not at all. Actually, I was quite surprised you adapted my Divine Buster to your style of magic. You’re a Modern Belkan practitioner, correct?” She smiled as Subaru nodded. “I’d actually like to hear about how you modified it. From what I saw, you replaced the initial mana trigger with a physical impact and loosened the focus on the primary firing ring, correct?”

Subaru swallowed. “Um… yes, mostly. I had to compensate because my magic isn’t as strong as yours. My Buster’s range is only about fifty feet… sixty if I dump a full set of Cartridges…”

“Ahem.”

Subaru paused at the loud, noticeable cough. She turned, and then quickly snapped to a salute as Chrono walked into the room.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important, Twilight.”

“Nothing that can‘t wait, Chrono. You’re just in time.”

“Excellent.” Chrono turned to the group, tucking his hand into his pants’ pocket as he smiled. “If I could have everyone’s attention, there’s something quite important I’d like to discuss with all of you…”

“RIOT Force?”

Chrono nodded to Spike’s query. “Correct. Its proper name is Resolution Instructional Operations Task Force. It’s a joint venture between the Equestrian government, the Saint Church, and the Bureau’s Military Instruction division, and I want all four of you to be a part of it.”

“I get that… but man, who came up with that name?”

Chrono chuckled. “I don’t pick the names out, Spike. You’ll have to take it up with the head office for that.” He glanced over at Teana as she raised her hand. “Yes, Private Lanster?”

“Pardon me for asking Sir, but why us? I mean, this sounds like an elite unit, something you’d want the best and the brightest for…”

“Normally, yes. However, RIOT Force is technically a training division. Its stated goal is to examine, nurture and teach individuals with unique skill sets, talents and backgrounds. Specifically, we’re looking for individuals who don’t necessarily fall in with the Bureau’s standard training models, which includes many Equestrians.”

“Technically, Equestria has already worked with the Bureau on a few occasions, though not to any extensive capacity,” Twilight supplied. “However, this will be the first official organization involving mages from both the Bureau and Equestria.”

“Ooh!” Subaru’s hand shot up. “Does this have to do with the JEMM Resolution?”

Chrono nodded. “Gold star to Private Nakajima. Yes, the Joint Equestrian-Mid Childa Military Resolution is one of the reasons why we’re able to officially form this unit. You can thank Princess Luna for that.

“Now don’t misunderstand, this isn’t going to be easy.” Chrono smiled slightly as he looked at the four. “We‘ll be demanding quite a lot from you. In addition to the rigorous training schedule, you’ll be assigned to low risk missions just as you would be if you were in an advanced training program like ATIC or Bureau Enforcement Training. However, you’ll be learning from and mentored by teachers like Special Instructor Sparkle,” he smirked as he saw Subaru’s eyes light up, “and upon completion, you’ll likely qualify for promotion in your respective organizations… as well as special programs like BET.” He saw Teana’s eyes get a bit wider as well.

“But that’s for you to decide,” Chrono shrugged. “Now, I’m not expecting an immediate response. Give it some thought and let me know your decision by the end of the week. That should cover things for now.” Chrono glanced over at Twilight. “I’ll send you my input later today. Right now, I need to borrow Griffith for a bit. I’m assuming the debrief is finished?”

“Well, for the most part… though I need to see Scootaloo and Spike in private for a little chat.” The unicorn glanced over to the two Equestrians. “But aside from that, I think we’re done. Do you agree, Griffith?”

Griffith nodded, turning back to the four candidates. “Privates Lanster and Nakajima, you’re free to go. Scootaloo and Spike, you’re to stay here with Special Instructor Sparkle.”

Chrono could almost hear Spike’s grumbling as he and Griffith walked out of the room. The two made their way down the hall towards the elevator blocks in relative silence, at least until they got into the elevator and the doors closed.

“What do you think, Griffith? Think they’ll bite?”

“Privates Lanster and Nakajima are likely to say yes,” Griffith replied, removing his glasses and cleaning them on his tunic sleeve. “I’m not sure about the other two, but if Twilight believes they’re going to join, then I trust her opinion.”

“Good. By the way, you’re not going to believe this. Gais is giving us Long Arch.”

Griffith blinked, quickly replacing his glasses. “Long Arch? You’re certain?”

Chrono nodded with a smirk.

“I must say, that’s quite a coup. The facilities there just got updated too… I imagine that must irk the Lieutenant General to no end.”

“Griffith,” Chrono said with mock surprise, “I’m shocked you’d think so poorly of your superior officer like that.”

Griffith rolled his eyes, causing Chrono to chuckle, just before he straightened his tie. “I’m going to need you to draft a short-list of personnel for the base. Support staff, communications, transport, the works. Think you can manage that?”

“I’d be a poor executive officer if I couldn’t. I’ll have a starting pool ready and on your desk by tomorrow.”

“Good. I need to head down and take care of some business, so I‘ll leave you to it.”

“Can you believe this, Tea? This is the sort of opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime! Oh my gosh, I…”

The drink machine let out a series of clunks as the cans fell into the receptacle. Teana reached in, absent-mindedly pulling out a can of apple juice and a can of iced coffee as she listened to Subaru chatter away.

And as usual, she’s going a mile a minute, Teana thought to herself as she turned. A bit of wind whistled over the elevated courtyard they were in, the scent of the freshly-trimmed grass Subaru was sitting on stirring slightly. Though I admit, I’m surprised she managed to keep her excitement contained until we were alone.

“Hey Subaru, catch.” Teana gently tossed the can of coffee to her.

Subaru reached up, catching it easily. “Thanks Tea. I’ll pay you back later, alright?”

“Don‘t bother.” Teana took a seat beside Subaru, popping the tab on her drink and taking a sip. “I think I can handle being a little short… hey!” She frowned as she watched Subaru chug her drink. “At least try to enjoy it… ”

“Ahh…” Subaru exhaled loudly as she lowered the can. “Sorry, just thirsty. So come on Tea, aren’t you excited?”

“About this whole RIOT Force thing?” Teana glanced at her own can, pulling her knees against her chest as she swirled the can’s contents. “I dunno. I mean, it does sound like a great opportunity, but…”

“But?” Subaru tilted her head slightly, looking almost like a confused puppy.

“You heard what Captain Harlaown said. They’re looking for people who are special…” She took a swallow of her juice and grimaced. “You know, the unique and gifted. I really don’t think that applies to someone like me. I mean, my scores are good, and I‘m skilled at shooting and illusion magic, but…”

“Hmmmm?”

Teana blinked, glancing over to Subaru. The other girl had an almost cat-like smirk on her face. “What? Don’t smile like that at me, it’s creepy.”

“I know what this is,” Subaru grinned as she spoke in a playful, sing-song like voice.

“What?”

“You’re thinking about joining, aren’t you?”

Teana snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I know you Tea. You always try to talk yourself out of stuff like this. I keep telling you not to be so cautious.”

“And as usual, you try to drag me along, kicking and screaming.” Tea emptied her can and sighed. “You’re always like this. I swear, sometimes I feel like I‘m leashed to a giant puppy. A giant, rollerblade-wearing puppy.”

Subaru giggled. “Yup! But come on Tea, this is a golden opportunity!”

Teana sighed, resting her chin against her knees. She has a point… this would be a great opportunity for me. If I could get Captain Chrono Harlaown of all people to mentor me, I’d be a shoo-in to be an Enforcer. Even if he’s not active in the field anymore, he’d be a godsend to my career.

But… her fingers clenched slightly around her can of juice, I’d be training under ponies…I guess I could stomach it, but after what happened with my brother…

“Tea?”

“Hrm?” Teana glanced up at Subaru.

“You… are planning on joining, right?” Subaru seemed a bit more serious now, a small frown on her lips. “Remember, you promised…”

“…that we’d look out for each other, no matter what.” Tea finished Subaru’s sentence, shaking her head. “Like I’d forget something like that.” She paused, frowning as Subaru gave her an almost puppy-dog like stare. “Ugh! Fine. As usual, I’ll let you pull me along. Someone‘s got to keep an eye on you after all, so it might as well be me.”

Subaru’s frown melted away as she hugged Teana tightly. “Yay! I knew you’d come around!”

“Gah! Subaru!”

“Just imagine!” Subaru pressed her cheek against hers, sweeping an arm before Teana. “Imagine the two of us: you an elite Enforcer, me an Ace like Twilight Sparkle, just like we planned!”

“Subaru, I can’t breathe!”

“Eep! Sorry!” Subaru let go quickly, allowing Teana to gasp for breath.

“Ugh… I’m glad that’s over,” Spike groaned, rubbing his temples as he walked alongside Scootaloo. The pair garnered more than a few curious stares as they made their way through the hall.

“You and me both,” Scootaloo huffed as she trotted along. “I never thought she’d finish. I mean, I get it… I screwed up. I‘d like to move on.”

“You didn’t exactly help much when you rolled your eyes at her.” Spike shook his head as Scootaloo flicked her tail at him.

“I already apologized to you, what more did she want?”

“Scootaloo…”

“What?” Scootaloo glanced back at Spike as the dragon frowned at her.

“Look,” he said calmly, “I get that things haven’t exactly been good for you recently. From what I heard from Twilight, it sounded pretty rough. I’m sorry for the stuff you went through, but taking it out on the people trying to help you really isn’t going to work. It‘s definitely not going to win you any points with Chrono, that‘s for sure.”

Scootaloo looked at him for a moment before letting out a huff, puffing out her cheeks as she did so. “Yeah, I guess you‘re right…”

“Have you, you know… talked to anypony about it?” Spike tilted his head.

“Yeah. Fate,” Scootaloo paused, then corrected herself, “er, I mean Captain Testarossa-Sparkle sent me to a counselor. Didn’t help much though. Look, if I promise to work on it, will you leave me alone?”

Spike shrugged. “If you’ll actually work on it, yeah.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. This is a fresh start Scootaloo, just like Twilight said. Make the best of it. Who knows, you might actually end up making some friends.”

“Yeah, friends.” Scootaloo glanced away with a sigh.

Spike sighed, scratching at one ear-frill. “I’m assuming you’re still joining the unit.”

“I don’t have much choice in the matter,” Scootaloo replied as they approached the elevator. She reached up, pressing the call button with one hoof. “It’s either this or back to the Guard, and I don’t plan on going back there right now. What about you?”

Spike shrugged. “I talked it over with Zafira before we came here. He agreed this was the best way for me to get stronger. If I’m going to be a proper Knight for her, I’m going to have to expose myself to a lot of new stuff.”

“For her?” Scootaloo blinked as Spike stepped into the elevator ahead of her.

“Yeah,” Spike said softly. “You’re not the only one who’s had problems, Scootaloo…”

Scootaloo didn’t reply as she stepped inside, the elevator doors chiming before they shut.

There was a chime as the elevator doors opened for Chrono, allowing him to step out and into the Central lobby. He stepped out onto the floor, his shoes clicking on the polished white tiles as he walked. Bureau personnel went about their business around him, paying little mind to him as he paused for a moment, looking around.

Now, where the blazes are they? If they’re late, I‘m going to….

“Chrono!”

Chrono paused as a familiar voice called out to him, quickly turning towards the source. The speaker was a young man only a few years his junior. He was about his height, with thick, sandy-blonde hair that was tied back in a slim, waist-length pony tail. His eyes behind his round glasses were bright and green, and his skin was slightly tanned. He was wearing a dark olive suit with a cream colored shirt underneath it. A coin-sized, oval-shaped emerald rested against his chest atop his bolero tie.

“Yuuno! Good to see you.” Chrono extended his good hand, which Yuuno quickly clasped.

“Good to see you too,” Yuuno replied, pulling Chrono into a quick hug before letting go. “It’s been a while.”

“Six months, give or take,” Chrono replied, glancing over Yuuno’s shoulder. “Where’s Fate? I thought she’d be with you.”

“She’s waiting outside. We just got here, so I figured I’d come get you.”

“Well, you got me. I see you’re still letting your hair grow out, ferret boy,” Chrono teased, reaching over and flicking Yuuno’s pony-tail as they walked. “If you let it get any longer, someone might mistake it for a leash.”

“How kind of you to keep an eye on my appearance, Captain Harlaown,” Yuuno shot back with a smirk. “It’s rather handy to have someone like you around.”

“Oh sure, make fun of the cripple. Real smart. I could have you arrested, you know.”

“For what, taunting with intent to annoy? Good luck getting the charges to stick.”

Chrono chuckled softly. “You know, you weren’t always this snappy on the comebacks.”

Yuuno shrugged in reply. “Comes with the territory. Sarcasm runs in Twilight‘s family, and I learn fast. Speaking of which, I thought Twilight would be down here by now.”

“She’s probably just running behind. She had to have a chat with Scootaloo and Spike.”

“Did they pass?”

“Mostly.”

“Hrm. One second, I’ll check in on her.” Yuuno glanced downward quickly. “Oculus? Could you contact Twilight Sparkle?”

“YES, SIR,” the emerald on Yuuno’s tie chimed as it replied.

“Well, that’s new.” Chrono replied. “When’d you get a Device?”

“It was Twilight’s Hearth’s Warming gift to me. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it’s got a basic AI and a pretty good amount of processing power to it.”

“Equestrian-made?”

“Mhmm. Even the gem’s native. Twilight built it herself.”

“Might want to keep an eye on it then,” Chrono replied. “Someone might try to walk off with it and dissect it…”

Yuuno nodded as a small holographic window popped up in front of him, Twilight’s face filling it. “Yuuno! Oh my gosh, I completely forgot that you two were coming here!”

“Hey, it’s alright Twilight,” Yuuno smiled. “We weren’t here long. Where are you?”

“I was just dropping some things off real quick. I’ll be right down! Don‘t go anywhere! Seriously, don‘t even move!”

“Hey, don’t-” Yuuno began as the window winked out, then let out a sigh, “rush…”

“Heh, looks like she’s eager to see you. Are you two still living together?”

“Yeah.”

“Ooh, scandal,” Chrono smirked, causing Yuuno to roll his eyes and sigh in exasperation.

“It’s just for convenience, since we both work at RETA. Heck, we have separate bedrooms. And yes, I’m fully aware of the rumors, thank you. Our relationship is strictly platonic.”

Chrono shrugged and glanced back as the elevator doors opened, Twilight quickly rushing out, glancing around quickly before galloping over to them. “Sorry I’m late. I would have teleported down here, but with all the wards this place has it wouldn’t be safe.”

“Wise decision,” Yuuno replied as he crouched down. Twilight reared up to meet him, the two sharing a quick hug before Yuuno let go. “So, who’s up for lunch?”

“There’s this place a few miles south of here that does really nice vegetarian cuisine,” Twilight suggested as she began to trot off towards the doors. “Chrono and I ate there last night…”

“Well, we’ll have to ask Fate,” Chrono noted, following Twilight and Yuuno out of the doors.

Just down the steps leading up to the entrance stood another pony. She was tall and slender, almost model-like in proportions with a smooth, slim muzzle. Her coat was a pale pastel yellow, and a long, fluted horn protruded from her brow between her brilliant ruby red eyes. She was wearing an Equestrian military uniform: a black uniform jacket with violet and gold patches on the shoulders buttoned over a white shirt and a black tie. A Captain’s rank badge decorated the collar, the golden double vertical bars glinting in the light. Her thick, flowing mane was mostly tucked under a black beret, though the tips of her bangs poked out from under the brim. The hat bore a patch shaped like a heraldic badge; a shield bearing a golden waxing crescent moon with a single wing on a field of purple. Her tail was braided and so long it brushed the ground, the thick hair glittering like spun gold in the sunlight. Her flanks, as was normal for a pony, bore a symbol; three thin white-yellow lightning bolts joined together at the tip like an upward-pointing arrow

“Fate!” Twilight shouted as she galloped over to her younger sister. Fate smiled, quickly embracing the purple mare. Despite being younger than Twilight, Fate was taller than her by a few inches.

“It’s good to see you Twilight,” Fate nuzzled her mane gently before breaking the hug. “How did the exam go?”

“It went fine. I’ll tell you more about it over lunch. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving…”

“Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” Chrono nodded politely as he approached.

“Captain Harlaown,” Fate replied, inclining her head in return.

“Now, now,” Twilight chuckled. “There’s no need to be formal. We’re all friends, after all.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Fate replied with a small smile, looking up at Chrono.

“Then as a friend, let me say that the uniform looks good on you, Fate.” Chrono chuckled as Fate blushed. “You know, I think this is the first time I‘ve seen you in a proper uniform. I’m used to seeing you in your Barrier Jacket. Let me guess, it‘s mostly based off the Wonderbolts outfit?”

Fate nodded. “Princess Luna wanted it to be similar, yes. Since I’m the leader of the Shadowbolts, it’s fitting that I be in proper uniform while visiting.”

“That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while,” Chrono replied. “How’s that been working out?”

“Rough. But we can discuss it at length over lunch.” Fate turned to Yuuno. “Yuuno, could you go get the van?”

Chrono blinked. “You know how to drive, Yuuno?”

Yuuno smirked. “I am a man of many talents, Chrono.”

“You’d have to be. Tell me, can your little paws reach the pedals?”

“About as well as you can see through a pair of binoculars.”

“Boys,” Twilight groaned, “please, contain yourselves.”

“…and that’s the situation so far,“ Chrono concluded. “Once we’ve got the staff arranged, everything else should be just paperwork and waiting. At most, we‘ll have to wait a month or two before RIOT Force is officially in business at Long Arch.”

“I see,” Fate replied, the mare‘s legs tucked beneath her as she sat in the seat across from him and Twilight. “That’s good to hear.”

Chrono nodded politely to the waiter as he brought out the salads, unfolding the napkin one-handed before settling it into his lap. “How about you, Fate? It’s been six months since I visited Equestria. How’re things with the Royal Guard?”

Fate sighed as she poked a bit of carrot. “Unpleasant. There‘s been a good deal of push-back in the ranks against Princess Luna‘s reforms.”

“Really? I’d have thought that the Guard wouldn’t be so resistant to change after what happened in Manehattan six years ago. Last time I was there, things seemed to be going well.“

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, there have been changes,” Fate replied. “There’s been a slow integration of Devices into Guard training thanks to Twilight’s research…“

“Oh!” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Don’t forget the new Device Meistership program we’ve been working on. There’s this Earth Pony named Agate that’s showing real promise at…” Twilight paused as Fate frowned at her. “Eh-heh… sorry. Please, continue.”

“Thank you. There’s also some bright young officers that are taking a few cues from Bureau tactical doctrines. However, this trouble’s more recent.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Princess Luna’s been working to include mares in the Guard, not to mention revamping the physical requirements for qualification.”

“Seriously? They‘re making a scene over something like that?”

“The Royal Guard’s been seen as a ‘stallion-only’ institution for a long time” Twilight muttered around a bit of lettuce. “Back before the Princesses, the military wasn’t gender segregated. Everypony took the field in conflicts between tribes or nobility. It wasn’t until much later that the ideal of the ’martial stallion’ became particularly romanticized. You know, the big strapping destrier clad in shining armor that saves the noblemare, the proud pegasus general that defeats the superior army, the clever unicorn knight that single-hoofedly slays the dragon and all that other Classical era nonsense. All of that got revived during the Interregnum and the Early Solar Monarchy when Celestia formally reestablished the Royal Guard. You know, recruitment propaganda.”

“And because of it, there’s a lot of entrenched prejudice in the Guard’s culture, both towards mares and towards those who don‘t meet the physical ideal.” Fate sighed. “The older officers don’t seem to have issues with Princess Luna‘s changes… or if they do, they’re keeping their opinions to themselves. The bigger problem is the… what‘s the term Princess Luna used? Oh yes, ‘ground-dragging young imbeciles’ in the lower ranks.”

“Ground-dragging?” Chrono arched an eyebrow.

“It’s an archaic derogatory term,” Twilight explained, “referring to stallions that are overly-expressive of their machismo. Because… you know…”

“Ah. Right. Got it.”

Fate shook her head before continuing. “When Princess Luna first made the announcement, there were… some in the ranks that took issue with it. They actually came before the Night Court to present their grievances.”

“Wait, they actually pitched a fit about it in front of Princess Luna? And they thought that was a good idea?”

“It probably seemed so at the time.” Fate sipped her drink. “Then Teacher put her hoof down. The polite ones were allowed to resign. The others, well…”

“You could hear the dismissals from across Canterlot,” Yuuno smirked, gesturing with his fork.

“Of course, that only got rid of the loudest objectors. There‘s still a bunch of ponies that aren‘t happy about it. A lot of them are from families who‘ve had generations of ancestors in the Guard, or joined because they bought into the cultural mythology. After all, what stallion wouldn‘t want to be in the service of the Princesses?”

“And let me guess,” Chrono grumbled, “since Luna’s been messing with their boys-only club, they’re taking it out on those lower on the ladder?”

Fate nodded. “There‘s been problems with hazing and bullying in the ranks. Most of it is in the Guard proper; I‘m capable of cracking down on anypony in the Shadowbolts and the Wonderbolts, being an aerobatics team, are already integrated.”

“Plus I don’t see anyone trying to mess with you or Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh no. I still catch flak from time to time, mostly from outside my unit. It’s nothing serious or direct: rumors, innuendo, unpleasant and distasteful comments that I hear about second-hoof, things like that. Nothing strictly against the regulations, and nothing that can be traced back to a single pony.” Fate shook her head. “I can only imagine what it’s like for the new recruits… particularly ones brought in because of the reforms.”

“I don’t,” Twilight sighed, shaking her head. “I’ve heard about it first-hoof. It’s not pretty.”

Fate nodded. “We do what we can to keep an eye on things, but we can’t be everywhere all at once. Sometimes, incidents slip between the cracks.”

Yuuno coughed softly. “Maybe we should move on to something a bit lighter?”

“Yeah,” Twilight replied, then perked up. “Oh! Yuuno! I completely forgot to ask you, but how’re my nieces?”

“That’s right.” Chrono grinned, “I forgot you were playing babysitter. How does it feel to be a chew-toy to the Crystal Empire‘s baby goddesses?”

Yuuno blushed. “I’m not a baby-sitter, I’m a tutor. Arf ‘s the baby-sitter most of the time.”

“Fine. Now spill. How are the little fillies?”

“Exhausting.” Yuuno chuckled before he took a large bite of his salad, chewing for a few moments and swallowing before continuing. “Fiora is a sweet little filly, but a little clingy. Letta, however, takes after her father a bit too much. I swear, that filly has less fear in her than Pinkie Pie does. By the way,” Yuuno pointed his fork at Twilight accusatorially, “they keep wondering when Auntie Twiley’s going to visit.”

Twilight blushed. “Don‘t remind me… I keep meaning to go up and see them, but between my work at the Academy and my research it’s tough to get away. I’m lucky I can make time to hang out with the girls every so often. At least they have their ‘Uncle Ferret’ to keep an eye on them.”

“Uncle Ferret?” Chrono broke out into a broad grin as Fate giggled softly.

“You just had to hand that to him, didn’t you Twilight?” Yuuno muttered darkly.

Chrono‘s grin got wider. “No, no, I think it’s adorable. Amy’s going to love this. You’ve been officially adopted into the Sparkle Family, ‘Uncle Ferret.’”

Chrono let out a grunt as Twilight poked him in the ribs with a hoof. “Okay, okay, no more teasing, I promise.”

“Good,” Twilight snorted.

“At least they won‘t want for anything,” Fate noted as Chrono gently rubbed his ribs where Twilight prodded him. “Do you know how much revenue the Empire makes off the crystal trade between itself and Mid‘?”

“Trust me, I know,” Chrono sighed. “There’s been a lot of uproar amongst some of the crystal manufacturers the Bureau has contracts with. Given how mana-rich Equestria is, it’s no surprise that the gems we import are highly suited for Device cores. And that goes double for Imperial Crystals. I don’t know what it is about the Crystal Empire, but the fact they can produce completely flawless, mana-infused jewels has a lot of very rich people pissed off.”

“I’m pretty sure Princess Celestia realizes that,” Twilight replied. “That’s why there’s such a tight control on the crystal trade. Of course, that comes with its own set of problems…”

Twilight blinked as she heard a soft chime. Chrono sighed, reaching into his pocket and withdrew a smooth black metal card. “Sorry, let me check this. S4U, show message.”

“YES, BOSS.” The Device’s core glowed as a small hologram filled with text popped up before him.

“What is it?” Yuuno peeked at the message.

“Just a notification. The two other candidates for the unit will be coming in by train in about an hour.”

“That’s six in total, right?” Fate glanced over to Chrono as he nodded.

“Funny, you told me a lot about Teana and Subaru,” Twilight frowned, “but I don’t know anything about these other two…”

“You’ll meet them soon enough Twilight.” Chrono tucked S4U back into his pocket as the waiter quickly approached with a laden tray. “And there’s our lunch. Dig in everyone.”

“Hrm…they should be here by now.”

Twilight glanced up at Chrono as the two of them walked towards the train station. There was a soft susurrus of background chatter that complemented the soft rumble of trains arriving and departing and the noise of electronics and the PA system. A few people glanced and stared in her direction, but she really didn’t pay them much mind. She was used to it by now. Yuuno and Fate hung back behind them slightly, the two of them quietly chatting amongst themselves.

“So,” Twilight said idly, “what’s so special about these two candidates that you have to meet with them personally?”

“You’ll see.”

Twilight grimaced. “Chrono, I don’t want to seem rude, but all this enigmatic behavior isn’t really inspiring a lot of confidence in me. What’re you hiding?”

“Like I said, you’ll see.” Chrono paused, then pointed. “Ah! Here they come now.”

Twilight’s eyes followed Chrono’s finger to the escalators as a young man made his way down. He couldn’t have been more than ten years old, though he was a bit tall for his age. His messy hair was a bright cherry red, and his eyes were a dark blue-gray color. He was dressed in a bright blue shirt, khakis and tennis shoes, and was carrying a large duffle bag across one shoulder.

“Erio!” Chrono raised his arm and waved. “Over here!”

The boy blinked, then smiled as he jogged over towards Chrono. He quickly came to a halt, setting his bag down and saluting sharply. “Private Third Class Erio Mondial reporting for duty, Sir.”

Chrono returned the salute quickly, then smiled and reached over and fluffed Erio’s hair. “At ease Erio. I‘m off the clock right now.”

“S-sorry, Sir.” Erio paused, then quickly saluted Twilight. “Special Instructor Sparkle, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I’ve heard a lot about you, ma’am.”

“Um… thank you. At ease,” she replied, feeling a little dumbstruck.

“Erio,” Chrono looked back towards the escalator, “where’s Caro? Shouldn’t she be with you?”

“What?” Erio quickly turned, looking around quickly. “Oh no…she was right behind me just a second ago. Caro! CARO! Where are you?!”

“Sorry! Sorry! I‘m here!”

Twilight frowned as a hurried looking figure began stumbling down the escalator. Unlike Erio, her appearance was a bit odd. She was wearing an oversized white hooded cloak decorated with an alternating red and yellow triangle pattern along the hems. The dress she wore underneath was dark brown, with wide pink sleeves and an ankle-length skirt, all of which bore the same triangular pattern along the hems. Though she wasn’t the best judge of clothes, Twilight was almost certain they were hand-made. The hood of her cloak flipped back as she struggled with the large duffle she was carrying, revealing her light tan skin and a thick head of bright, almost florescent pink hair, the large bangs framing her big blue eyes.

Erio rushed over to her as she stumbled at the end of the escalator, quickly catching her and steadying her. Compared to Erio, Caro was quite small; Twilight was easily taller than her by a few inches. Caro blushed, then quickly waddled over to Chrono and Twilight before slowly setting her bag down. “I’m so sorry,” Caro panted out. “There was a big crowd, and I got pulled along.”

“It’s okay,” Erio replied. “I guess I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sorry Caro.”

Caro nodded, then looked up to Chrono and quickly stepped over, hugging his waist gently. Chrono smiled, patting her on the head with an almost fatherly touch.

“So, I see you two made it alright,” Chrono said, ignoring Twilight’s look of shock. “Did you have any problems?”

“No, Sir,” Erio replied. “Everything went according to schedule.”

“Good. I’m guessing Amy was glad to see you two head off safely.”

“Yes, Sir. She sends her regards.”

“Good.” Chrono glanced down. “Caro, maybe you should introduce yourself to Twilight Sparkle?”

Caro let out a squeak, then quickly pulled back and saluted. “S-sorry. Private Third Class Caro Ru Lushe, reporting, ma’am!”

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Twilight replied absent-mindedly before looking over to Chrono, her eyes narrowing. Chrono caught her look.

Chrono, she snapped telepathically, a word in private. Now.

Chrono sighed softly, looking down to the two ten-year-olds. “Erio, Caro,” he said gently, “why don’t you introduce yourselves to Captain Testarossa-Sparkle and Mr. Scrya? I have to speak to Special Instructor Sparkle for a moment alone.”

The two kids nodded, quickly stepping around Chrono and walking over to the other two. Chrono gestured and began walking, Twilight quickly trotting after him. They stopped a few dozen feet away, ducking behind one of the lobby’s pillars.

“Chrono, what in Celestia‘s name are you thinking?!” Twilight’s voice came out in an angry hiss, though she did her best to keep the volume down.

“And now you know why I didn’t tell you right away,” Chrono replied just as quietly. “I knew you’d make a big deal out of it.”

“Of course I’d make a big deal about this, you idiot! They’re kids! They’re barely older than Yuuno was when I first met him! And they’re going to be in RIOT Force?!”

“Yes.”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t believe this. I don’t believe you. This isn’t like the others Chrono; they’re all of age. Even Spike’s old enough to be considered an adult by Equestrian standards. But those two? They should be with their parents right now, not in the military!”

Chrono‘s lips pulled back into a neutral frown. “Twilight, there‘s a good reason why they‘re here.”

“Oh really? Then let‘s hear it.” Twilight glared up at him, her ears pulled back and tail swishing.

Chrono exhaled slowly. “They’re Special Care cases. They don‘t have anywhere else to go.”

Twilight paused. Special Care was the Bureau’s last resort option for young mages with nowhere else to go. In addition to serving as a place for kids without family or a safe place to live, it served a sort of ‘protective custody’ for those with dangerous or uncontrolled powers. And given their presence, Twilight guessed Erio and Caro fell into the latter category.

Still, throwing them into a military unit?

“And you’re… fine with that?” Twilight took a seat on the ground, looking up at him.

“I am. They asked to join, Twilight.”

“They asked you? Why? It’s not…” Twilight paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening as realization bloomed like a flower in her head. “You’re their guardian, aren’t you?”

Chrono nodded solemnly. “Someone had to take them in and keep them safe. They’re part of the reason why RIOT Force’s stated goal is to foster unique talents. And if anyone needs that, they do.”

“Are you sure this is the best option, though? Do you really want to throw children into something like this?”

“What do you want me to do, Twilight?” Chrono’s voice came out in a low growl. “Have them locked up? Have their magic sealed away? Because we‘ve already tried every other option. They need this sort of training. I’d think you, of all ponies, should understand what it’s like to be at the mercy of powers you can’t control.”

“What?! How did you-”

“Your parents told me about what happened during your exam when you were a filly.”

Twilight glared up at him. “That‘s a low blow, Chrono…” She shook her head and took a seat on the ground. “But you’re right, I do understand. I just don’t like the idea of children being used as weapons.” She glanced around the pillar, looking in Fate’s direction. “Children that young shouldn’t be fighting.”

“I know, but this is the life they‘ve chosen.” Chrono exhaled. “This isn’t Equestria, Twilight. It doesn’t matter how old they are; in the eyes of the Bureau, they’re not children. They’re mages, with all the baggage that comes with it.”

Twilight shook her head. In Equestria, magic was commonplace; everypony was magical in one way or another. But for humans magic was a comparatively rare talent, alternately prized and feared for its power. The Bureau had to take steps to keep the peace and safeguard its citizens. And yet, despite knowing this, she still found it hard to accept.

“Alright,” Twilight conceded. “I don’t really like it Chrono, but I understand. I just wish…“ She paused, letting out a soft sigh. “I just wish this wasn’t the case.”

“I‘m not particularly happy about it myself, Twilight,” Chrono replied. “For what it’s worth, though, I wouldn’t trust just anyone to teach these kids. It’s why I picked you.”

“Way to take the pressure off me,” Twilight deadpanned.

“Hey, you knew the job was going to be tough when you took it. Besides, it‘s not like it won‘t be rewarding in its own way.”

Twilight began to respond as something landed on her head, causing her neck to tilt downward as her eyes went wide.

“What the hay?!” She rolled her eyes upward, only to have… something stare her right in the eyes and hiss.

“GAAAH!” Twilight flailed as the creature flew off her head, causing her to land on her back. The creature hovered above her, looking at her curiously.

It was about the size of a large rooster, but that was where the comparison fell apart. Its head was wedge-shaped and saurian, with solid red eyes, back-swept horns over a pair of earholes and a large, ring-pierced rhinoceros horn that protruded upwards from the tip of its snout. Its mouth was wide, its lips having odd, square serrations like the edges of a jigsaw puzzle. Its body was mostly silvery white, with light blue scales covering its back and crest. Its front limbs were a pair of large wings that looked almost artificial, like someone had sculpted a pair of stylized bird wings but hadn’t smoothed out the blunt serrations. Meanwhile, its rear limbs were slender and delicate looking, ending in blunt claws with a digitigrade stance. A short, stubby tail extended out behind its chubby body, flicking slowly as it hovered.

“Wha…wha… wha…” Twilight stammered, pointing a hoof at the creature.

“Niid Friedrich! Folaas!”

Twilight blinked as Caro came running up past her and came to a stop. The girl put her hands on her hips as she looked up at the creature, huffing softly. The creature ducked its head slightly and let out a trill before fluttering over and landing on her shoulder.

Caro turned to Twilight and blushed. “I’m so sorry about that. Friedrich isn’t usually like this. Tinvaak hio krosis, Fried.”

Friedrich let out a chirp and bowed its head.

“He says he’s sorry he scared you,” Caro supplied, pausing as Twilight rose to her feet.

“What… is he?” Twilight whispered in awe, her eyes focused on Friedrich

“Friedrich is… well, he’s my summon, Miss Sparkle.” Caro shifted nervously, hiding her hands in the sleeves of her dress. “He is the Soaring Silver Dragon, Friedrich.”

“You’re a summoner? Oh my gosh!” Twilight leaned in, grinning as Caro took a step back in surprise. “I’ve always wanted to meet a proper summoner! It’s one of the rarer branches of magic in the Mid-Childan system, so I haven’t really had a chance to study it in practice. And you can summon dragons? That’s amazing! Oh, this is so…” Twilight pulled back and coughed softly, regaining her composure with a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I guess I overwhelmed you there.”

“You’re… you’re not frightened?” Caro seemed a little shocked by her eagerness.

“Frightened? No, no, no. Okay, I was a little surprised when your friend landed on my head, but that’s because I didn’t expect a dragon to land on my head. I’ve never seen a dragon like him before! This is fascinating! Amazing!” She paused as Caro blushed and pulled up her hood to hide her face. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to embarrass you…”

And this is the OTHER reason I didn’t give you the details until now. Chrono’s telepathic voice was amused.

Hush, you, Twilight replied.

Fate shook her head slightly as she watched her sister’s reaction to Caro.

“Is she always like that?”

Fate glanced over at Erio with a small smile. “Twilight? Yes, she is. My sister is always fascinated by new forms of magic, so I’d imagine she considers Caro to be quite a find.”

Erio frowned slightly, tucking his hands into his pockets. “I just hope she’s nice to her. Caro deserves to be treated well.”

“Well, you won’t have to worry about that,” Yuuno replied. “Twilight may be a bit excitable, but she’s probably one of the nicest ponies you’ll meet.”

Erio nodded. Fate turned to look at him, smiling gently. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, Erio.”

“Yes it has, ma‘am,” Erio replied.

“I was wondering about that,” Yuuno rubbed his chin curiously. “I haven’t met either you or Caro, but you seem to know Fate…”

“Captain Fate was present when Captain Harlaown took me as his ward, Sir,” Erio replied promptly.

“Oh?” Yuuno looked to Fate, eliciting a blush from the mare.

“Chrono requested my assistance because Erio and I share similar… backgrounds, so to speak,” Fate explained before turning to Erio. “It seems you have your magic under better control now.”

Erio nodded. “M-mostly, ma‘am. I’ve been doing my best to work on it now that I live with Captain Harlaown and his family.”

Yuuno frowned “It’s odd. Why do you keep referring to Chrono by his title? I mean, he’s your guardian, right?”

Erio nodded mutely.

“So…shouldn’t you call him-”

Fate reached up and tapped Yuuno on the thigh to get his attention. She quickly shook her head when he glanced at her. Don’t ask Erio about that, she stated telepathically.

Oh… sensitive subject? Yuuno swallowed.

Very.

Right. I’ll keep that in mind.

“Call him what, Sir?” Erio’s arms tensed slightly. Fate saw his pockets bulge slightly as the boy’s fingers tightened into fists.

“…by… his first name?” Yuuno smiled weakly.

Erio seemed to relax a little. “No, Sir. Not unless he asks me to do so.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to working with you, Erio.” Fate said with a smile. “Hopefully we’ll be in the same unit together, not to mention I’ll be training you in RIOT Force. Won’t that be nice?”

“Yes ma’am.“

Fate nodded, looking up to Yuuno. “Yuuno, would you mind collecting the others? We should probably be on our way by now.”

“Oh… uh, sure.”

Fate nodded as Yuuno walked away, turning back to Erio. “You know,” she said softly, “you don’t have to refer to me as ma’am while we’re off duty, Erio.”

Erio nodded and blushed. “Sorry. Would you prefer I call you by name, ma’am?”

“Yes, please.”

“Alright… Fate.” Erio blushed. “I hope I live up to your expectations in training. I’ve been practicing those spells you showed me ever since you left. I think I’ve got them down, for the most part.”

“Well, we’ll have to see then, won’t we? Ah, here they come.”

Steam slowly drifted off the surface of the water as the tub filled up, a layer of soapy foam beginning to form as Twilight added the bubble bath mix. The sun had already set on Cranagan, and Twilight and Fate had returned to their hotel, leaving the boys to their own devices.

The hotel in question wasn’t the fanciest place Twilight had stayed at before. However, it easily ranked up in the top ten. The bill for this suite was enough to make Twilight wince, even though she knew she could easily afford it.

Of course, given the size of this bathtub, it’s almost worth it. She smirked at the thought. Almost.

Twilight exhaled, levitating Raising Heart off her neck and setting her carefully atop a folded washcloth on the rim of the tub. She shook her mane out, running a hoof through it before carefully stepping into the tub. Her breath came out in a loud hiss at the heat, before she groaned and slowly sank down into the water.

Scratch that. It is worth it…

A gentle knock at the door broke Twilight out of her reverie. “Come in,” she called over to the door.

The door slid open as Fate walked in. The mare had removed her uniform and her beret. Her thick mane flowed down the side of her neck, the tips gently brushing the floor as she walked. Her unbraided tail pooled behind her as she walked. “Hey Twilight… mind if I join you?”

“No, come on in. There’s plenty of room in the tub, Fate.” Twilight gestured, splashing the water gently as she did so.

Fate nodded and gingerly stepped into the tub, carefully placing her own Device beside Raising Heart as she did so. The golden mare let out a contented sigh as she settled into the water. Her mane and tail spread out around her across the top of the water, tickling gently against Twilight’s side.

“Looks like somepony needs her mane and tail trimmed,” Twilight teased as she turned off the water, eliciting a blush from Fate.

“I like keeping them long,” Fate protested before she dipped her head below the surface of the water. She let out a breath when she re-surfaced, wiping the water from her eyes as she drew her wet mane back with a tug of her telekinesis. “I usually braid them up when I’m on duty, so it’s not a problem.”

“Mmm… true. And it looks good on you. Besides, I’m pretty sure Rarity would have a fit if she found out somepony cut your mane.”

Fate blushed a bit brighter, ducking her head into the suds with a soft ‘mmf.’

“Is she still pestering you about getting a special somepony?”

“Mhmm.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, she does it to me too.”

“I know,” Fate said softly, shifting in the water so that she leaned against Twilight, “and it’s not like I don’t appreciate her concern. It’s just, well…”

“Hey, if you find somepony, you’ll find somepony. Don’t let it worry you Fate.” Twilight nuzzled her mane, slipping a foreleg around her neck. “At least you don’t get the whole ‘you’re not getting any younger’ lecture from her. Not everypony‘s looking for a soul-mate like she is.”

“What about you and Yuuno, Twilight?” Fate glanced over at her.

“Eh, no…” Twilight shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I adore Yuuno, but he’s a bit young for my tastes. Besides, we talked it over, and we decided that we’re both comfortable with our relationship staying where it is. What about you, Fate? Any stallions catch your eye?”

Fate’s cheeks turned cherry red. “I-I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh?”

Fate nodded quickly.

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m your big sister, remember? You can tell me anything.”

“Promise not to tell anypony?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Twilight recited, miming the actions as best she could.

“Including Rarity?”

“Especially Rarity.”

Fate started to speak when Raising Heart chimed softly. “MASTER,” the Device said calmly, “INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM TRANSDIMENSIONAL LINE SIX.”

“And that would be the girls,” Twilight smirked. “I swear, it’s like they plan this. Raising Heart, what’s the transmission lag right now?”

“WITHIN TOLERABLE LIMITS, MASTER. SHALL I OPEN CHANNEL?”

Twilight glanced at Fate. The golden mare shrugged. “Go ahead Raising Heart. Open the channel.”

The spherical gem chimed as a semicircle of five glowing windows popped into existence before Twilight. She nodded, quickly scanning over the holographic panes. “Can everypony hear me?”

“I read you loud and clear, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash’s face appeared on the far right window, the Daring Do poster visible above her bed’s headboard as she laid back.

“Um… yes, I’m here.” Fluttershy popped up next to Rainbow. She glanced off to the side quickly. “Oops! Just a second. Oh Angel, not again…”

“Right here, darling.” Rarity appeared in the center pane, Carousel Boutique’s walls in the backdrop. “Oh my! Hello Fate!”

“Ooh! Fate’s there!” Pinkie Pie peered through the fourth window, grinning widely as she glanced away. “Pumpkin! Pound! Say hi to Twilight and Fate!”

“Hi,” came a pair of younger voices from off-screen.

“Hi you two!” Twilight smiled, then glanced over to the far left pane. “Uh, looks like AJ’s having problems. Applejack, can you hear me?”

“Consarn it… yeah, ah can hear ya, but I cain’t see ya! How’re you supposed to turn the visualizer thingy on… Applebloom, mind givin’ me some help here?”

“Oh for tha love of… hold on.” There was a soft beeping noise, right before Applebloom and Applejack’s faces appeared in view. “There, yah see? Yah just need to hit the button that looks like ah camera, then hit the green button.”

“Ah thought ah did. Thanks ‘Bloom.”

“No problem. Hey Fate. Hey Twi’! Nice seein’ ya’ll!”

“Nice seeing you too, Applebloom,” Twilight replied as Applebloom stepped away from view.

“Ah’m headin’ out sis. Ah’ll be back later, ‘kay?”

“Don’t stay out too long missy,” Applejack called, shaking her head.

Twilight smiled as she heard Applebloom respond with a grumpy ‘yeah, yeah.’ Even when she wasn’t on Equestria, she always made sure to make time for their weekly talks. With Twilight constantly travelling and Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale, it was easier to talk over a video chat than face-to-face. Of course, it also helped that the six of them now had Devices; simple, Mid-Childan manufactured ones, but Devices nonetheless.

“Alright girls,” Twilight said, “now that everypony’s here, let’s get started.”

“I know I said this already,” Yuuno remarked as he leaned back against the chair in Chrono’s living room, “but this is a pretty nice apartment for a bachelor pad, Chrono.”

“I wouldn’t call it a bachelor pad, Yuuno.“ Chrono replied from the small kitchen. He stepped around the island and walked towards Yuuno, two cups of coffee carefully hanging from the fingers of his good hand. He took a seat across from Yuuno, sliding one of the cups to him before blowing into his own. “It’s just a place to sleep when I have to spend a lot of time in Cranagan, which I seem to be doing more and more these days.”

Yuuno nodded, sipping his coffee. “Well, at least Amy understands. She wouldn’t have married you otherwise. Still, must be a pain to have to work so far apart from her.”

Chrono shrugged. “It’s not like we didn’t talk about it before we got married. She’s got her career, I got mine. Thankfully mom’s stationed at the Core Defense Fleet now, so we’re not always completely scattered across space and time…”

Yuuno nodded, then set his cup down. “So…”

“So?”

“The kids are asleep,” Yuuno continued. “I assumed you wanted to talk about something important in private. And since we’re doing this face-to-face, I‘m guessing you didn‘t feel like discussing it over transmission or telepathy.”

Chrono nodded. “You catch on quick.” Chrono set his own cup down before he slipped his hand into his pocket. He produced his Device and closed his eyes. “Just a second. Let‘s make sure this is private.”

Yuuno blinked as a faint blue light spread outwards from Chrono, quickly encompassing the both of them and turning opaque. There was a soft thrumming noise as Chrono set his Device on the table.

“Privacy Screen,” Chrono explained. “Keeps anyone from listening in. I picked the spell up from a colleague. S4U, display private file JS-009.”

“YES, BOSS.”

There was a soft hum as the Device’s core lit up, the small jewel set into the black metal card pulsing gently. Several holographic screens popped up, quickly filling with text and images.

“JS?” Yuuno frowned as he glanced at the screens, his eyes flicking over the text rapidly. “You’re still on that case? I thought you weren’t active in field work anymore.”

“Officially, the case is being handled by other Enforcers,” Chrono replied as he set S4U onto the table. “But I have friends who are keeping me in the loop. For example, all of this was put together by a certain loud-mouthed blue mare and her assistants.”

“Does the Bureau know that you’re involving the Saint Church’s Altenritter squad in Enforcer business?”

“Those who need to know, do,” Chrono replied cryptically, causing Yuuno to arch an eyebrow. “Trixie and her assistants were already investigating the matter themselves. My involvement’s completely coincidental, you understand.”

“Right.” Yuuno reached over and began to scroll down one of the screens. “Another smuggling ring? What does this have to do with ‘JS‘?”

“It was a group trafficking in stolen artifacts, mostly early Belkan stuff. The criminals aren’t important in the long run. What’s more important,” Chrono flicked his fingers over one image and brought it up, “is that they had this.”

Yuuno’s eyes widened as he looked at the picture. It was a three-dimensional model of a red jewel. It was spindle-shaped, broader at the top and tapering downwards slowly, the facets large and broad. It resembled a ruby, but rubies didn’t glow with an ominous inner light like this one. “Is that…”

Chrono nodded. “A Relic, just like the one found at Coastal Airport 8 after the fire. And I think we both know who it was meant for.”

“Does Twilight know about this?”

“Both her and Fate know the situation, yes, but not about this new Relic. It’s currently in the custody of the Saint Church, and I was hoping…”

“You were hoping I could take a look at it? Doesn’t the Saint Church have its own experts?”

“They do, but I don’t think they know what it is. All we know is that they’re very old and very dangerous. You’re currently one of the best experts available on Lost Logia of this type, so…”

Yuuno nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. But Chrono…”

“Hmm?” Chrono glanced at him as he sipped his coffee.

“Does this have to do with RIOT Force’s other purpose?”

Chrono nodded solemnly. “Partly, yes. If Carim’s right, then things are starting to come together…”

“-can you just imagine the scandal Twilight? I couldn’t! I mean, I knew that Mayor Mare was interested in younger stallions, but not that young! And at her age?”

“Rarity, you make it sound like she’s dating a colt out of Cheerilee‘s class.” Twilight’s horn lit up as she heated up the water a bit. Fate rolled her eyes quietly as she rubbed a washcloth over her horn. “As long as both partners are over the age of consent, then there shouldn’t really be a problem. Besides, Mayor Mare‘s not that much older than us!”

“Ferget it Twi,” Applejack groaned, “she just won’t listen. She jus’ keeps goin’ on an’ on like a broke record. It‘s all ‘scandal‘ this an‘ ‘tha horror‘ that.”

Rarity pouted. “But… but why should Mayor Mare of all ponies get him? I saw him first!”

“And there’s tha heart of tha matter,” Applejack nodded sagely as Rarity’s cheeks turned bright pink under her pale coat. “An’ she calls me ol’ fashioned.”

“Now see here Applejack! If I recall, you had a little something to say when Big Macintosh-”

“Now don’t ya’ll start bringin’ mah brother into this Rar. He already promised that he‘d make an honest mare outta-”

“Hold on Twilight,” Pinkie rolled her eyes, “let me handle the shouty-mc-shouter ponies.”

Twilight nodded, turning down the volume on Pinkie Pie’s, Applejack’s and Rarity’s windows as they began yelling, “So, how are you doing Rainbow Dash? Still recovering from that stunt of yours?”

“The Skyhook Slingshot Switch-over? Yeah.” Rainbow winced as she shifted slightly. “The docs said I almost tore the tendons on my fur-thingy.”

“It’s called a ‘furcula,’ Rainbow.”

“Yeah, that. I’m under strict orders from the doc. No flying. Which makes sense, since I can’t move my wings without, you know, stupid amounts of pain. Kinda hurts when I breathe, too.” Rainbow winced visibly as she shifted, the camera moving as she rolled onto her side. “Anyway, Skychaser’s swapped out as lead for the next few shows while I recover. Shouldn’t be much longer than a week or two, though. Imagine that. Me, the Captain of the Wonderbolts, having to sit out my own team’s shows.”

“Maybe next time, you won’t try a trick designed for a pony with twice your muscle mass,” Twilight replied.

“Hey, I’ve gotta do something to keep the shows fresh. I figured pulling out some of the older Wonderbolt stunts might work. Won‘t know until you try, right?”

“So you’re doing alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Being a Captain’s pretty swanky, even if you’re grounded. Besides, Fluttershy stops by whenever she gets a chance to.”

“Just to check up on her,” Fluttershy blushed. “I mean, I’d feel terrible if I left her up in Cloudsdale all alone like that…”

“Aside from all the adoring fans and her fellow stunt-ponies, right Rainbow?”

“Uh… yeah.” Rainbow frowned. “Um… speaking of fans, how’s the squirt doing? Did she pass?”

“Scootaloo? Yes, she passed the exam, but she’s still got an attitude problem. Reminds me of a certain somepony when I first met her.”

Rainbow smiled wanly. “That’s good to hear. I wish I could tell her I’m proud of her, but…”

“Rainbow,” Fluttershy said softly as she touched her screen with a hoof, “you don’t need to keep blaming yourself for what happened.”

“I kinda do. I mean, I shoulda done more for her,” Rainbow sighed, her multi-colored mane flopping into her eyes as she ducked her head.

“You did all you could, Rainbow,” Twilight sighed.

“No, I didn’t, and you know it.”

“Rainbow,” Fate interrupted as she pushed her mane back out of her eyes. “you almost got court-martialed for what you did do. I doubt Scootaloo would have been happy if you’d thrown your career away just for her.”

“Maybe I should’ve, instead of handing her off to Twilight like I did…”

Twilight sighed. “Look, Rainbow, we already talked about this. We both agreed this was for the best, remember? You can’t keep beating yourself up like this.”

“Element of Loyalty, remember? I know I shouldn’t feel bad, but it just eats at me, ya know? I feel like I failed her when she needed me. No wonder she hates my guts.”

“She doesn‘t hate you, Rainbow.” Fate said gently. “She‘s just…”

“Yeah, yeah. Look, just… keep an eye on her, alright? Make sure she doesn’t get in too much trouble. Can you two promise me that?”

“Of course, Rainbow,” Twilight nodded along with Fate.

“Thanks, you two… hey, looks like Rarity and Applejack have stopped fighting.”

“Oh!” Twilight’s horn ignited, raising the volume on the other three windows. “You girls done?”

“Yeah,” Applejack sighed, ruffling her blonde mane. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Indeed,” Rarity replied. “I’m terribly sorry about that, Twilight.”

“See? Everypony’s happy again!” Pinkie grinned, leaning in on her window. “So, Twilight, when’re you coming back to Ponyville? You do know the wedding‘s in a few weeks, right?”

“I should be back in a week or so. Like I’d miss something like that.”

“Are you coming too, Fate? You don’t wanna miss the big ‘Big Mac’s Getting Married’ party, do you?”

“I’ve already got leave scheduled,” Fate replied.

“Good! Because I’ve got a big super-duper awesome spectacular planned! You don’t wanna miss it for anything!”

Twilight yawned softly. “And on that note, I think it’d be best if I dropped off girls. Besides, I don’t want my hooves to shrivel up after staying in this bath too long. Good night everypony.”

There was a chorus of various ‘good nights’ as Raising Heart shut off the connection. Twilight groaned and dipped her head beneath the surface of the water for a moment. She just as quickly resurfaced, blowing out through her nose as she wiped the water from her eyes.

“Tired, Twilight?” Fate carefully stepped out of the tub, levitating Bardiche over to her as she began toweling off.

“A little. Ugh… guess I’m not as spry as I used to be.” Twilight climbed out of the tub, shaking herself quickly as she did so. She pulled the stopper on the drain, exhaling as she began drying off as well.

“Well, you are getting a bit soft around the middle. Not getting as much exercise, I suppose.” Fate ran a comb through her mane, her horn sparking as steam drifted off the golden locks. “Get some rest. We’ve got work to do tomorrow, remember?”

“Yeah, I know. Believe me, we’re going to have a lot of work to do…” Twilight paused. “Hey, Fate?”

“Yes?”

“You never did tell me if you had a special somepony…”

Fate paused for a second, her face partially hidden by her towel before she continued drying her mane. “Maybe later, Twilight…”

“Okay. No rush, Fate.” Twilight yawned as she walked over to the vanity to brush her teeth.

Meanwhile, many miles away, Teana was leaning against Subaru’s shoulder as the train hummed along. The lights of the city flashed by outside, faint blurs of white and neon color.

Subaru leaned her head back against the window, staring quietly up at the ceiling.

RIOT Force, huh?

Author's Note

Notes:

Friedrich's pet name, Fried, is pronounced like 'Freed,' like 'The prisoner was freed.'

Yes, Caro speaks Dov'Tinvaak. This was intentional.

3: Formal Introductions

Longinus Archway Military Training Facility (Long Arch)

Cranagan, Mid-Childa

NCY 0076, Early Summer

11:20 AM

Chrono had a satisfied smile on his face as he looked out onto the glittering waters of Oured Bay from his office’s large window. It’d taken about a month and a half, but here they were. His new base.

Truthfully, it wasn’t a very large base. The eleven square mile campus was positioned near the tip of the curved Longinus Archway Peninsula, approximately an hour or so south from Cranagan across Oured Bay. It had originally been used as a training center during the later stages of the Saint King Unification War, primarily for officers and support staff. Once the newer bases had been built and expanded, however, ‘Long Arch’ had been mostly used as an auxiliary administrative hub and storage space.

That had been changed after Gais pushed through his new rearmament initiatives. Long Arch was one of the bases that had been scheduled for updating and reassignment as a Ground Forces training facility. The facilities had been renovated, with new technology and infrastructure replacing the old. True, the buildings weren’t quite as polished as Central Command, but they were livable.

I really ought to thank the Lieutenant General for his generosity, Chrono thought to himself as he turned back, walking around his desk and running a hand over the faux wooden surface. His office was nice and large, decorated in neutral tones from the cream-colored walls to the warm brown carpet. His desk stood out as slightly anachronistic; all smooth chrome steel and faux wood with a sleek integrated overhead lamp and holographic display. The large black chair behind it was stunningly comfortable, as was appropriate for a commanding officer. I could probably get used to this…

A knock at the door pulled Chrono out of his reverie. “Come in!”

The door hissed open, admitting Twilight and Fate into his office. Fate was once more in her own uniform, Bardiche‘s golden triangle resting at her neck. Meanwhile, Twilight was clad in the colors of the TSAB Ground Forces; brown jacket with dark brown shoulders and a white shirt underneath. The two ponies quickly snapped a salute, hooves touching their brows.

“Special Instructor Twilight Sparkle reporting for duty, sir,” Twilight’s expression was carefully neutral.

“Captain Fate Testarossa-Sparkle, First Equestrian Special Strike Squadron also reporting for duty, sir.” Fate looked every inch the military professional.

Chrono returned the salute. “Welcome to RIOT Force, ladies. At ease. How’s the uniform fitting you, Twilight?”

“It’s alright, though I’m not sure why I need an actual physical uniform.” Twilight gently scuffed a hoof on one sleeve. “I can just have Raising Heart make one. Besides, I’ll be spending most of my time in my instructor outfit or my Barrier Jacket.”

“You won’t be in your Barrier Jacket all the time, sis,” Fate replied. “Besides, the uniform’s more for formal settings and meetings.”

“Speaking of meetings,” Chrono replied, “there should be one more pony joining us. I‘m just wondering when she‘ll show up.”

A quick, staccato knock seemed to answer Chrono. “Enter!”

The door hissed open, admitted a third mare. She was a slim unicorn, her coat a light blue with a flowing blue-white mane and tail. She carried herself like she owned the room, possessing an almost aggressive confidence that showed in each step. She was clad in a simple white dress with sky-blue trim. A large pendant in the shape of a five-pointed star hung from her neck, a small sapphire decorating the five points, and a high-peaked white witch’s hat perched atop her head bearing the emblem of the Saint Church. She bowed smoothly and removed her hat with a sweep of her hoof, bending her neck only slightly. “The Great and Powerful Trixie, Equestrian Liaison to the Saint Church and Zauberer of the Saint Church’s Altenritter unit, reporting for duty!”

“I’m not sure that’s a proper salute, but I’ll take it,” Chrono chuckled in amusement. “At ease, Trixie.”

“Thank you.” Trixie promptly replaced her hat, then turned to face the other two. She regarded Twilight with a highly-arched brow and a snort. “I see Twilight Sparkle has deigned to show her face outside of Equestria for once. Did Chrono really have to stoop so low as to ask for your help too?”

“It‘s good to see you too, Trixie,” Twilight replied with a smirk.

Trixie hmphed, but dropped the arrogant expression. “Of course it is. And it’s just as nice to see you as well.” She turned to Fate and nodded. “Captain.”

“Trixie.” Fate nodded politely. “Are Reinforce and the others here?”

“My assistants are seeing to their lodgings at the moment. As for Reinforce,” Trixie glanced down at her pendant, “she’s with me as always. Reinforce, would you mind joining us?”

There was a soft hum as a sphere of white light formed beside Trixie, quickly condensing into a small pony. She looked like a small, slender filly, delicate and soft. Her coat was as white as snow, while her mane and tail were like spun silver. Her eyes, however, were deep crimson, and far more ancient than her appearance suggested. Her brow bore a slender, fluted horn, while a pair of white wings folded tight against her back. Her Cutie Mark was a white tome outlined in blue, the cover bearing a blue, five-pointed star.

The little pony bowed her head politely. “Twilight Sparkle. Raising Heart. Fate Testarossa-Sparkle. Bardiche. Chrono Harlaown.“ she greeted in turn, an adult mare’s voice coming from her lips, “it has been a long time since we last spoke.”

“Yes, it has.” Chrono replied respectfully as the tiny alicorn floated up into the air, her wings spread but not flapping. Chrono always took pains to be respectful towards Reinforce. Given that she was actually the living avatar of a Device several hundred times older than the Bureau, it was only proper to show her respect.

“How’ve you been, Reinforce?” Twilight smiled as Reinforce landed atop Trixie’s back. “Everything going well?”

“Reasonably so, Twilight Sparkle,” Reinforce replied. “I have endeavored to keep my Mistress out of trouble… with minimal success, I should note.”

Trixie huffed softly, causing Twilight to giggle. Fate smiled softly as she spoke up, “By the way, Reinforce, Teacher sends her regards and wishes you well.”

Reinforce nodded slightly in acknowledgement, though she pawed Trixie’s withers with one hoof. “Inform Princess Luna that I do so in kind.”

If only Gais knew the amount of firepower I had in this room right now. Chrono chuckled, drawing four sets of eyes to him. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something funny.”

“Oh?” Trixie quirked an eyebrow. “Did I do something to amuse you? Or were you snickering at Twilight’s ugly uniform?”

“Hey! It’s not ugly, it’s practical. Something somepony as vain as you probably wouldn’t appreciate.”

Yeah, I know where this is going, Chrono thought to himself as he coughed. “Has everypony received their limiters?”

“Yes, Chrono,” Fate said gently as she levitated Bardiche off of her neck. “Bardiche and I have had our limiters installed, as have Twilight and Raising Heart.”

Trixie let out a loud ‘harrumph’ as she glanced at Reinforce. “I still don’t see the point of it. Why bother possessing phenomenal magic power if we can’t use it fully? It boggles the mind, really.”

“Well, the stated official reason is that too many high-ranked mages in a single area could destabilize the fabric of reality with their magic.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course, that makes no sense given the general resilience of dimensional boundaries. If that were true, Equestria would have imploded a long time ago.”

“That‘s just the justification they use. Really, it all comes down to politics.” Chrono shrugged. “The Bureau is always cautious when a lot of high ranked mages are in a single unit together, partly because it’s a lot of firepower in a single space and partly because the other units start getting pissy if one commander starts hogging all the toys, so to speak. Hence, limiters are put in place to keep tensions down.”

“Hmph. Typical.” Trixie flicked her mane gently and sniffed. “But honestly, this shouldn’t even apply to us. None of us are officially members of the Bureau.”

“That may be true, but for the time being we’re working for them,” Fate replied gently. “Therefore, we must abide by their regulations, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.”

“Oh, that’s easy for you to say. You and Twilight’s limiters are comparatively light. Reinforce and I, however, are slapped down to a measly A rank. I feel like I’m in a straightjacket… magically speaking.” Trixie huffed, pulling her hat down over her eyes as she let out a low, melancholic groan. “Oh, such is the cost of being so great and powerful, of being a titan amongst ants…”

Reinforce let out a long-suffering sigh and shook her head, eliciting a laugh from the other three.

“Well, it’s good to have everyone gathered together,” Chrono paused as he heard S4U chime, pulling out his Device as a message popped up. “And just in time. Looks like it’s time to address the staff. I’ll meet you all downstairs.”

Teana stood at parade rest with the other members of her squad, her uniform neat and crisp and professional-looking, her hair pulled back in her standard pig-tails. She glanced slightly to the side as she inspected her fellow team-mates, checking them over to make sure they were up to snuff. Subaru was immaculate, except for her unruly head of hair that defied Teana’s attempts at taming it. The two kids, Erio and Caro, were also professional-looking, though Caro’s attention seemed to be focused on the purple dragon in the modified Ground Forces jacket beside her. Scootaloo, meanwhile, was fidgeting nervously, her tail swishing even as she stood still, her sleeves of her jacket slightly wrinkled.

Figures, she thought to herself as she glanced up and down the row. To one side were the civilian support staff, a mixture of humans and ponies clad in light blue and cream outfits. The ponies were mostly mares, but Teana could see at least one stallion amongst them. To the other were the military support crew, mechanics and specialists, all in Ground Forces two-toned brown, with various rank badges on their arms. It was then Teana noticed something a bit odd; nearly all the staff looked a bit on the young side. She’d be surprised if there were more than a handful of people over thirty on staff.

Teana’s stance stiffened as she saw several individuals approach. She recognized Captain Harlaown and Special Instructor Sparkle, but not the yellow pony clad in black or the blue pony in white. Captain Harlaown paused as another group approached him and the ponies. The first was a bespectacled man about the Captain’s age with a long blonde pony-tail and a nice-looking green suit, whom Teana didn‘t recognize. She did recognize the other four, however. The first was a tall, well-muscled yet elegant woman with a military bearing and a long, waist-length mane of pink hair. The second was a petite young girl with a faint scowl and fiery red hair pulled back into two braided pigtails. The third was a tall, muscular and dark-skinned Familiar with icy blue hair, lupine ears and a long, fluffy tail. The last of them was Shamal, whom she had met during the exam. All four of them were dressed in Saint Church uniforms: a long black tunic with the golden emblem of the Saint Church on their arms, as well as bands of color along the hems and cuffs: purple, red, blue and green, respectively.

So, that’s the Saint Church’s infamous Altenritter unit. The so-called ‘ancient knights.’ The ones that used to be known as the Wolkenritter. I remember the stories about them. Teana suppressed a shiver. And to think one of them was a medic for my exam.

She glanced back as Warrant Officer Lowran coughed, then took a deep breath. “Atten-shun!”

Teana snapped to attention as Chrono approached the assembled group, nodding to Warrant Officer Lowran before looking back to them. “Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning,” came the reply, the military members quickly appending ‘sir’ to the greeting.

“I am, as you all probably know by now, Captain Chrono Harlaown. From this moment forward, I am officially your commanding officer and acting head of the Resolution Instructional Operations Task Force, or RIOT Force for short.

“Now, this is everyone’s first day, and there’s probably still a whole lot to do, so I’ll be brief. You’re all here because you were chosen specifically for this unit. This is the first unit of its kind, so there’s no room for screwing around. I expect all of you to put forth your absolute best efforts, whether you’re support staff and mechanics, instructors, or our first batch of recruits.”

Teana felt a little shiver run down her spine as he looked down at the six of them. “I understand that this may seem like a tall order,” he continued, “but those are the facts. I’m sorry to have to put so much pressure on everyone from the start. However, you all knew that before you joined. I’m trusting that you’ll all rise to the challenge and make me proud.

“Welcome to RIOT Force. Now, be about your business. Dismissed!”

Teana quickly saluted as Chrono stepped back, Warrant Officer Lowran stepping to his side and speaking to him quietly. Twilight approached the six of them with a pleasant smile on her face. “Now that that’s over, I’d like you six to come with us to the briefing room.”

Teana nodded, quickly taking the lead as she followed after the purple unicorn, the blue and yellow ones following behind the rest of her team.

“Now that we‘ve gotten the introductions out of the way, let‘s get down to the important issues.” Twilight’s horn glowed as she tapped on the little holographic screen, the overhead projector lighting up and displaying a much larger graphic on the board behind her. She smiled up at her students as she walked, the holographic screen trailing along beside her as she lectured.

“As you already know, RIOT Force is an advanced training group designed to train individuals with unique skill sets and talents. Because of this, we have assembled a unique group of instructors in order to help train you.” Twilight’s horn glowed, the projector quickly flashing up several small profile windows. “In addition to myself, you’ll be training under Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” she nodded to Fate, “Dr. Yuuno Scrya, and members of the Saint Church’s Altenritter unit, specifically Vita, Zafira and Shamal.” Twilight paused as a hand timidly rose up. “Yes, Miss Ru Lushe?”

“Um… e-exactly what are you going to train us in?”

Twilight smiled at the young girl, trying her best to imitate Princess Celestia’s patented ‘gentle teacher’ expression. “Everything. All of you have undergone basic training to some extent, both physical and educational. So from here on out, we’ll be expanding your knowledge and refining your individual skill sets and special talents. Basically, whatever your magical tradition or specialty, we’ll find a way to make you better. Do you understand?”

Caro nodded quietly.

“Excellent! Now, during your stay here, the six of you will be divided into two squads.” Twilight’s horn glowed, the projector now showing the trainee’s photos in two columns; one pink and capped with a stylized six-pointed star, one yellow and headed with an equally stylized lightning bolt. An empty blue column marked with a stylized sword stood beside them. “Stars Squad will consist of Subaru Nakajima, Teana Lanster, and Scootaloo, with myself as squad leader.”

“Meanwhile,” Fate stepped forward, looking over at the other three, “Erio Mondial, Caro Ru Lushe, and Spike will form Lightning Squad under my command. “

“Captain Testarossa-Sparkle and I decided on these squad assignments so that your skills would complement…” Another hand popped up. “Yes, Miss Lanster?”

“I’m a little confused by the assignments, Special Instructor Sparkle.” Teana gestured towards the screen quickly. “Shouldn‘t we all be in a single squad? Usually the squads I‘ve been in were larger than this, even for training…”

“That’s true. Normally, you would all be in a single team. However, the squad assignments are set up to more easily allow for inter-squad skirmishes and duty assignments. The squads are small because we’re still in the testing stages, and we only have the six of you.”

“Oh.”

“That isn’t to say that you won’t be working as a full group or individually during training as well,” Fate added. “Given that the Bureau’s tactical doctrine for mages focuses on relatively small squads, we felt it was best to follow precedent. From what I understand, this is a similar set-up to aerial mage training squads in ATIC, as well as the operating structure for high level Enforcer units.”

“You’d be correct, Captain,” Twilight replied. She then turned back to Teana. “Does that answer your question?”

“Yes ma’am…”

“Good,” Twilight paused as Subaru’s hand raised. “Yes, Miss Nakajima?”

“Um, Instructor, who’s in the third unit?”

“Well…”

“That would be me, my dear human,” Trixie smiled as she stepped in front of Twilight. “I will be heading up the supervisory Knight squadron. While you’re in the field, my assistants and I will be keeping an eye on things, just in case anybody gets into trouble. After all, Special Instructor Sparkle can’t be everywhere at once.”

“Thank you, Trixie,” Twilight pushed the blue mare to the side gently before she cleared her throat. “Now, I’d imagine you’re all excited to get to training, right?”

She smiled as Subaru leaned forward in her seat, nodding excitedly. She had to admit, it was nice seeing someone so eager. She looked at the others. Scootaloo seemed less-than excited, Caro was scooting just a bit closer to Erio, while both Spike and Teana looked stoic.

Well, I guess one out of six isn’t too bad to start with. Work with what you’ve got Twilight.

“Unfortunately, we’re not going to be doing actual training today.” She smiled as Subaru let out a sad little noise. “Instead, we’re going to be doing something slightly out of the ordinary. I want everyone to look at each other.” She paused as the trainees glanced between at each other. “Right now, you’re looking at strangers. You’ve been thrown together into this strange situation, and you might not be comfortable with each other. This isn‘t going to work for me. I want everyone to take the rest of the day to get to know each other. Introduce yourselves, talk, hang out, share stories, and most importantly get comfortable. You’re going to be working together for a good long while, so you might as well try to be friends with each other.”

She paused, fixing Scootaloo in her gaze. The pegasus frowned slightly, then seemed to deflate. “So take this time to get to know one-another. Tomorrow, we start training in earnest. Now, we’ll leave you to it.”

Twilight glanced to Fate and Trixie, then nodded and trotted out of the room.

“You must have a lot of confidence in those six, Twilight,” Trixie noted.

“They all seem like good kids,” Twilight replied. “I just hope they end up getting along. The last thing we need is friction, right?”

“Still, it might be best to keep an eye on them,” Fate commented.

“Oh, there’s no need to worry about that,” Twilight smiled as she glanced down. “Raising Heart, are the stealth sensors in place?”

“YES MASTER. AUDIO RECORDING IS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY.”

“Wow,” Trixie quirked an eyebrow. “You really don’t leave anything to chance, do you?”

“Of course. I learned from the best, after all.”

For a while, the room was silent. It was the cautious sort of silence, the sort that suggested that nobody wanted to make the first move.

At least until Subaru coughed. “So… um… how do we want to do this?”

“I dunno,” Spike replied with a shrug. “Maybe go around the room and introduce ourselves properly?”

“Name, rank and so on?” Erio glanced over at Spike.

“Yeah, sure, if you want. Maybe talk about yourself a bit?”

“What about?”

“Uh… I dunno. Hobbies, favorite foods, stuff like that?”

Erio nodded in acknowledgement before rising to his feet. “I suppose I could start. Erio Mondial, Private Third Class, TSAB. My magical style is Modern Belkan. I’m classed as a Rank B Ground Mage with a focus on Lightning Elemental Conversion and movement magic. It’s nice to meet you all, and I look forward to working with you.”

“Wait,” Teana interrupted as he started to sit down. “You’re a Rank B mage?! How old are you?!”

“I turned ten last June.”

Subaru let out a low whistle. “That’s awesome. You’re ten years old, and you’re already Rank B? No wonder you‘re in this unit.”

Erio blushed slightly, looking down and rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s… not that big a deal…”

“Like heck it is. Tea and I are nearly twice as old as you, and we’re B rank…”

“I’m sitting right here, you know,” Teana deadpanned.

“Oops… eh-heh…” Subaru grinned weakly as she rubbed her hair. “F-forget I said that.”

“So… anything else you’d like to share, Erio?” Spike glanced at the young man curiously.

“Um… well… not really, no.”

“Okay, that’s cool. So, what about you?” Spike glanced at Caro. The little girl slowly stood up, shuffling her feet slightly as she stood there.

“Um… M-my name’s Caro Ru Lushe… P-Private Third Class, Wildlife Protection Corps Trainee.”

Sheesh, Spike thought to himself, she really IS a lot like Fluttershy. She’s even got the pink hair and everything.

“I’m a Rank C+ Ground Mage, Mid-Childan system. M-my specialties include support magic and summoning.” Caro paused, glancing around at the others before nodding quickly.

“Ru Lushe?” Teana‘s tone was thoughtful, as if swirling the name around in her head. “That’s a pretty uncommon name. It sounds familiar though…”

“I was originally from Administrated World Six, Alzas,” Caro replied. “I was from the Lu Lushe Tribe, aal dov nust drehvahlok…”

“You‘re from one of the Minority Tribes?” Teana crossed her arms as Caro nodded nervously. “That explains a few things.”

“Minority Tribes?” Spike glanced over at Caro.

Caro nodded as Teana explained. “Alzas is one of the administrated worlds that retains a large population of indigenous people. Some have immigrated to cities, while a minority live in nomadic tribes, wandering the lands. Hence, Minority Tribes.”

“Ah.”

“Wait,” Subaru spoke up, “you said you were originally from that tribe. So, you’re not anymore?”

Caro ducked her head and nodded. “I… I’m a ward of the Bureau now.”

“S-sorry.” Subaru raised her hands quickly. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay. I live with Captain Harlaown now. He’s my guardian…”

“Captain Harlaown’s your guardian?” Subaru‘s eyes widened as Teana face-palmed. Caro quickly sat down beside Erio and nodded weakly.

“We… both are, actually.” Erio slipped a comforting arm around Caro’s shoulders.

Subaru bent down in her chair, bowing in contrition. “I’m so, so, so sorry! I didn’t know!”

“It’s okay. It’s not something that comes up in regular conversation, that’s all,” Erio replied, giving Caro a side-hug.

“Way to open your big mouth, Subaru,” Teana groaned, before she stood up as well. “Teana Lanster, Private First Class, 386th Ground Forces Battalion. I’m a Rank B Ground Mage in the Mid-Childan system with specializations in sharp-shooting and illusion magic. And this loud-mouth is Subaru Nakajima, my partner.”

“Um… yeah…” Subaru got to her feet, still blushing quite brightly. “That’s me. Private First Class, 386th Battalion. Same Mage Rank as Tea, but Modern Belkan system, specializing in mobility and close-range combat. You have no idea how awesome it is for me to be here.”

“She’s a fan of Twilight’s,” Spike explained.

“More than a fan,” Teana grumbled under her breath as Subaru’s eyes lit up.

“I…I own all her books. I even have a signed copy of Essays on Harmony and Magic that I got when I was like, seven! I always wanted to be like her… as smart as her, as good at magic as her…”

“Well, you’ve definitely got the enthusiasm down,” Spike joked, causing Subaru’s cheeks to burn brighter.

“My big sis Ginga teases me about it a lot, but I really do want to be like Twilight. That’s why I studied as much magic as I could.”

“She’s not kidding,” Teana commented. “She spends every waking moment reading any book on magical theory she can get her hands on. Hell, she got in trouble in the academy a couple of times for reading during lights-out.”

“Only once or twice,” Subaru muttered under her breath.

“I’m not sure if I should be impressed, or worried,” Spike replied.

“Both. I’d ask about you,” Teana gestured to Spike, “but I’ve already heard more than enough about you from Subaru.”

“Oh, yeah. Maybe I should introduce myself.” Spike glanced to the younger kids. “The name’s Spike. I guess you could call me a Squire, since I’m technically learning under Zafira who’s a Knight of the Saint Church? Anyway, you probably know the spiel by now. I’m a Rank B Ground Mage too. Not really any specific tradition, mostly a mix of Belkan and Mid-Childan. Oh, and I’m a dragon. And I’m basically Twilight’s personal assistant, so there’s that. Or I was. It’s weird.”

“You don’t look like a dragon…”

Spike turned to look as Caro spoke up. The girl’s cheeks flushed quickly. “S-sorry. It’s just… you don’t look like any of the dragons I’ve seen.”

“And you know a lot about dragons, I suppose?”

“A-actually, yes. My people worship dragons…” Caro squirmed slightly. “And I’m… I summon dragons…”

“Wait, you’re a dragon summoner? From Alzas?” Teana’s eyes widened in recognition. “Now I know why that name sounded familiar…”

Teana paused as Erio shot her a withering look. Caro slumped down in her seat, looking very steadfastly at the floor. Her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap.

“S-sorry,” Teana fumbled through her apology, “forget I said anything.”

“So, uh, you summon dragons? That’s cool…” Spike said lamely as the mood of the room quickly nose-dived. “Are your dragons big jerks like the ones I’ve met?”

“Huh?” Caro blinked, looking back to Spike. “Jerks? What? No… well, they can be territorial, but… I don’t know?”

“Hey, relax, I’m not trying to interrogate you or anything,” Spike raised his hands, then chuckled nervously. “Sheesh… we’re all doing pretty good at shoving our feet in our mouths, aren’t we?”

“Speak for yourself,” Scootaloo finally spoke up, swishing her tail as Teana looked at her.

The orange-haired girl snorted. “Do you want to share with the rest of the class?”

Scootaloo glared irritably at Teana. “Not really.”

Spike sighed. “Scootaloo…”

“Yeah, yeah.” Scootaloo huffed, blowing a few strands of her mane out of her face. “Name’s Scootaloo. I’m a Private in the Equestrian Guard. I’m a Rank B Ground Mage, I use the Equestrian System and I’m a pegasus. I kick air at people and I’m fast. That good enough?”

Teana slowly raised her hand.

“Yeah?”

“Out of curiosity, why’re you a ground mage? I mean, you‘re a pegasus, right?”

Scootaloo’s wings bristled sharply and her eyes narrowed. “Why the feather should you care? Maybe I should ask you why you‘re not busy climbing trees or something. I mean, you‘re a monkey, right?”

Spike face-palmed as Teana pursed her lips. “What’s with the attitude? I’m just asking a question. No need to get so damn defensive.”

“They maybe you should stop asking questions.” Scootaloo growled, then began trotting towards the door. “Rut this, I’m outta here…”

“Scoots! Where’re you going?” Spike got up from his seat and started to follow her.

“Outside. Where does it look like?”

“But Twilight told us-”

“I don’t really feel like being friendly right now,” Scootaloo snapped. “so just leave me alone, okay?”

Spike stopped as the young pegasus opened the door with one hoof, then stepped out. The door hissed shut with an air of finality.

“Jeeze,” Teana groused as she crossed her arms. “If she thinks she’s going to work well in this unit with that kind of attitude, she‘s in for a rude awakening…” She paused as Subaru got to her feet. “Subaru? Where’re you…”

“I’m gonna go after her.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah… ‘scuse me, Spike. It was nice meeting you Erio, Caro.”

Spike gave a small wave as Subaru jogged out of the room, then let out a groan as he turned to look at the others. “Well… that went well, don’t you think?”

“Could’ve gone worse,” Teana replied. “So… who’s up for some lunch?”

Scootaloo kept her head low as she trotted briskly down the hall, passing by uniformed individuals as she went. Her tail swished irritably as she made her way out into the lobby, then out the front doors to the sunlit exterior of the building.

She inhaled slowly as she stood on the steps, trying to calm herself down. The sun was warm, and the scent of the sea drifted as a breeze swept across the bay. She closed her eyes, letting the wind ruffle her mane and feathers.

This place is so weird, she thought to herself. Even the air‘s different here. It’s not as… wind-like as the wind in Equestria. It’s like something’s missing…

The door hissed open behind her. Scootaloo kept her eyes closed as she heard someone walk up beside her.

“Uh… hey.”

Scootaloo opened her eyes and looked up at Subaru. She snorted and glanced away, staring straight ahead. “What d’you want? I thought I said I wanted to be alone.”

“Yeah, I heard you.” She heard Subaru’s uniform rustle as she took a seat on the steps beside her.

“Then why aren’t you leaving me alone?”

“Dunno. Maybe I’m just being dumb again. Who knows?”

Scootaloo snorted as she sat down, her rump landing heavily on the concrete. “Yeah… well… you said it. I didn’t.”

“Mhmm.”

The both of them fell silent for a while. Scootaloo stared ahead, looking at the black-topped road that led away from the base, watching it slowly curve northward and into the distance. She didn’t want to look at the blue-haired girl beside her. She didn’t even want to acknowledge her.

Subaru, however, seemed to have other plans. “Sorry.”

“Huh?” Scootaloo blinked, glancing at Subaru out of her peripheral vision.

“About back there. I mean, I guess we’re all a little wary of each other, you know?”

Scootaloo grunted softly. Subaru fell silent for a few moments, resting her arms on her knees.

“Hey, I got an idea,” Subaru said, breaking the brief silence.

“What?”

“Wanna skate around the base a little? I mean, we could do some poking around, get to know where everything is. Probably do us some good to get out of these uniforms and stretch our legs. How ‘bout it?”

Scootaloo grimaced. “Is that even allowed?”

“Sure. We’ve got orders from Special Instructor Sparkle to spend the day getting to know each other. We’ll just tell them we’re doing that.” Subaru got to her feet and dusted her rear off, walking down the stairs before glancing up at Scootaloo. “Come on. Race you to the barracks.”

Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow. “You want to race me? Me? You really must be… wait. I see what you’re doing.”

Subaru gave Scootaloo an innocent smile. “What?”

“Spike must’ve put you up to this or something. I get it, but I’m not biting. Nope…”

Subaru shrugged. “Hey, if you think you’ll lose, just say so…”

“Ex-scuse me?” Scootaloo shot to her feet. “Like I’d lose to someone like you. Last I checked, you’ve got two legs, I’ve got four. I can out-run you easy!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo trotted down the stairs toward her. She could see what Subaru was doing, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to take something like that lying down. “I’ll leave you in the dust! You just watch.”

Subaru nodded. Scootaloo could see the determination in her eyes. It was almost familiar. Subaru reached down, pulling off her shoes and wiggling her toes.

“Alright,” Subaru bent her legs slightly, her shoes held in one hand. “Ready?”

Scootaloo flicked her tail and crouched slightly. “Ready.”

There was a tense pause.

“Go!” Subaru shouted and took off running as fast as she could.

“Hey!” Scootaloo raced after her, galloping as fast as she could. Despite herself, Scootaloo could feel her mood lifting. She always felt good when she ran like this. It felt right, almost; the wind rolling through her mane and feathers, her tail floating behind her like a banner. It almost reminded her of when she was a filly riding on her scooter.

It didn’t take long for Scootaloo to pass Subaru. It wasn’t far to the barracks, and Subaru’s stride was hampered by the skirt she was wearing. Scootaloo came to a stop at the front door, panting softly as she fluttered her wings.

“Yeah! In your face!” She let out a whoop as Subaru slowed to a jog, the girl laughing as well.

“Haha! Okay, you win! But now I’m warmed up!” Subaru grinned, clenching her fist. “I’m not going to be so easy next time, especially once I’m out of this skirt!”

“Yeah, yeah, just keep telling yourself that,” Scootaloo flipped her mane before she trotted in through the doors. Subaru followed close behind.

The barracks were surprisingly nice; the front doors led into a large lobby with staircases on either side leading up to the wings. Both groups shared a single wing, with a communal bathroom and a large common room at the end of the hall. Everything was clean and modern, all in shades of white, tan and green. A large, spherical chandelier hung from the high ceiling above.

“I got to wonder though,” Scootaloo said as she climbed the stairs, “didn’t that hurt your feet running like that? Most humans I’ve seen wear shoes most of the time…”

“Nah, I’m fine.” Subaru shrugged, tapping her heeled shoes against her shoulder. “I’ve got tough feet. I used to run around bare-foot all the time when I was little. Anyway, gimme about ten minutes to get changed, and I’ll meet you outside.”

Scootaloo nodded absentmindedly as she trotted over to the quarters she was sharing with Spike. Each room was built for two people, and resembled a dorm room more than a barrack‘s room. A pair of bunk-beds emerged from the side of the shared closet just to the right of the door. The other wall was dominated by a long, low desk and several shelves set into the wall for personal effects. Light poured in from the covered window as Scootaloo began to disrobe.

Okay, I’ve got to admit… she seems nice. Scootaloo pulled her jacket free, hanging it up as best she could. She doesn’t seem to be like those other weirdoes. Maybe we could…

Scootaloo paused as she fiddled with her tie, then shook her head. Argh… Come on Scootaloo. You just met her. You really think you can trust someone like her? Get real. She’s just like that bastard Hotshot, all friendly at first, but then…

She huffed as she pulled off her shirt and tossed it onto the bed, followed closely by her tie. She stared blankly at her nearly naked reflection in the closet mirror. Her eyes were hard, and her lips were set in a taut, aggressive frown. She looked like she should’ve had a storm cloud hovering over her head. Even she had to admit, it wasn’t the most pleasant expression.

Yeah… you’re not here to make friends, remember? Doesn’t matter how much she reminds you of… how you used to be. She grimaced as she pulled her skirt off her hind legs before reaching into the closet, pulling out a violet tank-top designed for her shape. Humans were weird about clothing. Even ponies had to be at least somewhat clothed even if the clothes didn’t really cover much. She then dragged out her roller-skates and slung them across her neck.

“There we go. Much better.” She turned sideways, looking at herself in the mirror. She could see her Cutie Mark on her flank; a purple wheel trailed by a stylized white swirl-shape. Could be a feather, could be wind, could be dust; it was all in how you looked at it. Satisfied, she turned and trotted out, carefully cantering down the stairs.

Subaru was waiting for her right outside, carefully buckling her rollerblades on. She was dressed in loose blue fatigue pants and a white tank top, her arms bare except for the pads on her elbows. “It’s a pretty nice day to go skating, isn’t it?”

“Uh… yeah. Nice day.” Scootaloo slipped her own hooves into her skates, tying the laces with her teeth.

“Hey, uh, you need a hand with those?”

“No.” Scootaloo grunted, rolling onto her back as she tied off the other two skates. Those were the ones that always gave her the most trouble.

“You sure? I could-”

“I said no, okay?” Scootaloo grimaced as she snapped, then rolled onto her side, and then onto her belly. “I mean… I can tie my own laces just fine, even if it is a pain.”

“Okay.” Subaru shrugged and got to her feet, slowly crouching and starting her stretches. “Just asking.”

Scootaloo grunted in reply, flexing her wings as she skated towards Subaru. She watched Subaru quietly as the girl stretched her legs, then turned and bent at the waist. “Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm?” Subaru blinked as she rolled her shoulders.

“Why’re you and Teana friends?”

Subaru paused mid-stretch. “Huh?”

“I mean, you and her. How can you stand being around someone like that? She reminds me of some of the bratty fillies I had to deal with growing up…”

Subaru shrugged, then reached up and popped her neck. “She’s not that bad, once you get to know her. We’ve actually been friends since the academy… about five or six years now, I think.”

Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. She hated my guts back then. There was this one time in training when we were doing a teamed-up obstacle course run. We were supposed to climb a wall together. You know, one of us helps the other to the top, then the other follows up, right? Well…” Subaru’s cheeks went pink with embarrassment. “I might have accidentally overdid the whole ‘helping’ part.”

“Overdid it how?”

“I… kinda threw her over the wall and into the mud pit on the other side?”

Scootaloo snorted, quivering as she tried not to giggle. “S-seriously!?”

“Yeah. Right in front of the drill instructor too. She landed head-first.”

Scootaloo couldn’t help it. The image of Teana covered in mud made her cackle, causing Subaru to join in.

“Y-yeah,” Scootaloo inhaled as her laughter trailed off. “I can see where she hated you. Still… you two are friends now?”

“Yeah. After a while, we kinda got to know each other. I mean, Teana’s still kind of a sourpuss, but once you get past that she’s really cool. She‘s really smart too. I mean, I know stuff, but Teana‘s way better at the whole ‘lateral thinking‘ thing.” Subaru sighed, tucking her hands into her pockets as she kicked the ground, easily balancing on her inline skates. “She‘s just… rough, you know? Trust me, you‘ll probably like her if you try to be nice to her.”

Scootaloo snorted. “Yeah, like that’ll happen. I saw the way she looks at me. She definitely doesn‘t like me.”

“So?”

Scootaloo paused as Subaru shrugged. “First step to making friends is saying ‘hi,’ right? Next step is trying to learn about them. At least, that’s what I’ve read in Twilight’s book. I thought it was pretty good advice.”

“Yeah, it is…” Scootaloo replied before continuing in a soft mutter. “Unless you end up making friends with the wrong pony, that is…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” Scootaloo replied. “Come on, let’s get going. We’re wasting daylight.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, has it not, Fate?”

Fate glanced up at the tall, pink-haired Knight as they walked together. Signum’s skirt swished gently about her legs as she walked, her boots clicking on the floor. “A few months at least. I hear you and the others have been busy.”

Signum nodded. “Our duties to the Church have kept us quite occupied, in addition to our service in protecting our Mistress. The same can be said of you, can it not?”

Fate nodded. “Yes. If anything, working here at RIOT Force will be a vacation for me. However, the Shadowbolts will still be in good hooves while I’m away, so at least I won‘t have to worry too much.”

“Ah yes, your unit. How has it been faring?”

“Well enough. We‘re not exactly a large group, but we‘re pretty diverse. We‘ve got representatives of all three breeds of pony, and even a few bat ponies that transferred from Luna‘s private guard.”

“Ah yes, the Thestrals I believe they‘re called? I’ve yet to meet one face to face.”

“They’re not exactly the most sociable sort of ponies, but they’re incredibly helpful with night-time operations.” Fate shook her head slightly. “I’d tell you more, but I’m not at liberty to share…”

“I know well enough not to ask, Fate,” Signum replied. “However, part of me wonders how well I’d fare against your Shadowbolts.”

Fate smiled. “I doubt Princess Luna would appreciate you beating up my unit, Signum.”

“Then perhaps I should settle for ’beating up’ their Captain. It’s been too long since we’ve sparred…”

“Indeed.“ Fate sighed, popping her neck as she slowed to a stop.

“I do hope your duties as an administrator haven’t dulled your skills, Fate.” Signum’s expression was calm, but the eagerness in her eyes betrayed her actual mood.

“As if I’d sit on my rump and let my skills go to waste,” Fate smirked slightly. “What do you say, Bardiche? Do you feel like a little… practice?”

The golden triangle that served as Bardiche’s stand-by form chimed softly. “YES, SIR.” Its deep-voiced reply was quick and to the point.

“Laevatein?” Signum glanced down at the small, diamond-bladed dagger hanging about her neck.

“JA.” Laevatein’s reply was clipped and short, its voice higher in tone compared to Bardiche.

“We’ll have to find a proper place to spar,” Fate conceded. “I don’t think Chrono would appreciate it if we destroyed his base.”

“I’m sure we can find an appropriate place.”

“You really think those kids can pull together and form a unit, Twilight?”

Twilight sighed as she walked alongside Vita and Zafira, her mane being blown gently by a brisk breeze coming from off the bay. “I’m sure they will. Groups like this usually have some initial teething problems. I’m sure once they’ve gotten to know one-another, things will sort themselves out.”

“Assuming they don’t kill each other first,” Vita grumped. “Mark my words, there’s going to be trouble. I can already tell. Kids that age can be idiots sometimes. They’re not mature like us.”

“Says the Knight who still sleeps with a stuffed toy,” Zafira replied, causing Vita to huff and Twilight to giggle.

“You leave Mister Bunny out of this, Zafira,” Vita muttered darkly, “or so help me I’ll hit you so hard you’ll be un-housebroken.”

“As you wish,” Zafira replied dryly.

“What do you think, Zafira?” Twilight glanced up at the huge Guardian Beast.

“I think it’s too early to tell,” Zafira shrugged. “Spike I know well enough, but I’m reserving judgment on the others. However, I look forward to testing them.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” Twilight replied. “How has Spike’s training been going? I’ve been asking him, but he doesn’t really feel like sharing…”

Zafira grunted. “He’s progressing well; his persistence and determination have carried him thus far, and he rarely makes the same mistake twice. However, his mood can be… volatile sometimes. He’ll make an excellent Knight one day, once he‘s mastered himself.”

“That’s… good, I guess,” Twilight replied. “But has he-”

Zafira let out a soft grunt in reply, breaking eye-contact.

Twilight sighed. That’s all I’m probably going to be getting out of him for now.

“What’re we doing out here, anyway?” Vita glanced out at the waters of the bay as they walked.

“I’m actually going to inspect the base’s practice area,” Twilight replied. “It should be just up ahead. Corporal Finieno should be waiting there… ah! There it is!”

Twilight trotted a bit faster as the practice field came into view. The ‘practice field’ wasn’t exactly a field, but rather a small, artificial island floating out in the bay. It was an eight square mile rectangle, the surface of which was covered in elongated hexagons of artificial crystal. A metal bridge extended out to the island from the mainland, merging seamlessly with the concrete pier.

Meanwhile, someone was standing on the pier, looking out at the practice field. It was a young woman, average height but slender with long, waist-length and straight hair the same dark brown as her Ground Forces uniform. Twilight could see the faint glint of her large, oval-shaped glasses as she turned about. She was surrounded by numerous holographic monitors and displays, a hard-light keyboard hovering at about chest height next to her.

“Corporal Finieno,” Twilight called out as she trotted down the stairs to her. The woman quickly turned.

“M-miss Sparkle! Knights Zafira and Vita.” She quickly saluted, blushing slightly. “S-sorry. I didn’t notice you were behind me.”

“At ease, Corporal,” Twilight waved a hoof at her. “No need to salute.”

“Another kid?” Vita sighed. “Jeez, what is it with Chrono and picking a bunch of children?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Vita, Zafira, this is Corporal Shario Finieno. She’ll be helping us during training.”

“Please, call me Shari. Everyone does.” Shari smiled nervously at the two Knights. “I’m in charge of Device monitoring during training, as well as repair and adjustment.”

“You’re a Meister?” Zafira quirked an eyebrow as he inspected her curiously.

Shari nodded quickly, a finger pressing her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose as they slid down. “I received my Class A Device Engineer certification a year ago, so yes, you could call me that.”

“That would mean you’re master Device Meister, then.” Zafira nodded in approval. “I’d expected you to be a journeyman from your looks. That’s commendable for someone of your age.”

Shari blushed. “I‘m eighteen, so I‘m not exactly young…”

“Still a kid,” Vita huffed, causing Twilight to shake her head.

“You’ll get used to her,” Twilight explained as she looked up at Shari. “So, how’s everything looking?”

“Oh! I was just running a quick diagnostic on the simulator, just to make sure everything’s working properly before you guys start training.” Shari swept her hands inwards, bringing the displays around so that they floated before her. “So far, everything checks out.”

“Good. I’ll admit, this is the first time I’ve seen one of these outside of Bureau headquarters.”

“What exactly is it?” Vita quirked her head as she looked out at the glassy island.

“The technical term for it is ‘Squad-Specialized Simulation System,’ or S4 for short,” Shari explained. “It’s a large-scale mana-construct projection system designed specifically for training. It allows us to instantly generate lots of different environments and hazards quickly and easily.”

Vita nodded, crossing her arms. “Okay, I’ll admit,” she said begrudgingly, “that does sound pretty nice.”

“Most of these are at the Bureau’s Headquarters,” Shari continued, “after Long Arch got slated for upgrading, one of these got installed here. It’s one of the first planet-based S4 units. Of course it‘s open air, but given the cooling requirements the bay was the best place to put it.” She shrugged. “At least the weather’s usually pretty nice around here.”

“Sheesh, you Bureau people are spoiled,” Vita shook her head. “Most of the Church Knights train in real-world conditions, like proper Knights should.”

“And here I thought you were actually impressed,” Twilight remarked, then paused as a chiming noise rang out. A communications window blinked into existence in front of Shari.

“One second,” Shari reached up and tapped it, then quickly came to attention as Chrono’s face popped up. “Captain!”

“At ease Shari. How’s the training area coming?”

“I’m almost finished running the diagnostics, sir. I’m speaking to Special Instructor Sparkle right now.”

“Ah, good. Is it ready?”

“Yes, sir. Why do you ask?”

Chrono sighed softly. “I just got a request from Captain Testarossa-Sparkle and Knight Signum for a place to spar. Think the simulator can handle them?”

“I’m sure, sir. Barring something vastly destructive, I mean. I just need to finish the diagnostics and do a quick trial run. Give it an hour or so.”

“I’ll tell them. Harlaown, out.”

Vita shook her head as Chrono’s comm-window vanished. “Of course. Right on schedule.”

“Is… this normal?” Shari blinked in confusion.

“My sister and Signum have a… I guess you could call it a friendly rivalry?” Twilight shook her head. “Whenever the two of them get together, the first thing that always happens is a fight.”

“Signum regards Fate as a friend… of sorts,” Zafira explained. “There are very few that can come close to her level on the battlefield, so she relishes the chance for a friendly duel.”

“I just hope they don’t wreck the simulator.” Twilight groaned. “Last time they had a match, they punched holes in the Royal Guard’s training hall…”

“R-really?” Shari gulped nervously.

“Yeah. Hopefully they’ll retrain themselves. Anyway Shari,” Twilight continued, “how has your progress been on the Devices we talked about?”

Shari smiled, clearly thankful to be on a different topic. “I’ve been reviewing the logs you and Captain Harlaown sent me. I’ve already got the basic designs planned out, but I‘d like to get some more combat data before I start constructing them. Give me a week or two, and I should be able to start prototyping.”

“Excellent!”

“Oh Kaiser,” Vita groaned, “you’re going to spoil those brats, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Twilight smirked at the red-headed Knight.

Subaru let out a whoop of joy as she vaulted over the steps, landing in with a slight crouch on the ground below. Scootaloo followed just behind her, the pegasus’s wings buzzing fiercely as they propelled her. Subaru smirked and glanced upward as Scootaloo cleared her head and landed about a dozen feet ahead of her, the mare swerving slightly and turning, skating backwards with ease.

“Man, and I thought I was good at jumping,” Subaru chuckled as she skated along manually, as opposed to using the rollerblade’s motors. “How do you manage to get so much distance?”

“I’m a pegasus,” Scootaloo replied.

“Oh, okay.” Subaru shrugged. “Makes sense, I guess.”

“Does it?”

“Yeah. I read that pegasi are a lot lighter than other ponies, and their magic makes them even more so to help with flight. So it kinda figures that you’re super good at getting air-time.”

Subaru paused as Scootaloo grimaced. “Sorry, did I say something wrong? I didn’t mean to ma-”

“Yeah, I know…” Scootaloo swerved sharply, coming to a halt as she turned around. “So, what’s this place, anyway?”

Subaru slowed to a stop beside Scootaloo as she inspected their surroundings. Before them was a large, dark gray building with a high-arched roof. The front was open in a wide, inverted ‘T’ shape, revealing the mechanics working inside. A large helicopter rested inside, its rhombohedral airframe colored a matte dark green, which made the wide, glittering cockpit windows and the TSAB sigil beneath the four-bladed rotor stand out “Looks like the hanger. The motor pool shouldn’t be too far from here.”

“Huh.” Scootaloo slowly skated towards the hanger doors, her tail flicking and her ears perked forward slightly.

Subaru skated after her, rolling idly between each push. “We should probably leave them alone Scootaloo. If they’re working on the helicopter, then they probably won’t want to deal with us.”

“Hey! You two!”

Subaru and Scootaloo quickly swerved to a stop as a man walked out towards them. He was in his mid-twenties, his blue-green eyes slightly obscured by his long, light brown bangs. He was dressed in a drab olive flight suit with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A pair of green aviator sunglasses protruded from his breast pocket, and his hands were covered in black, fingerless gloves. His boots thumped on the concrete as he approached them, a pleasant smile on his face. “What’re you two doing around here? This isn’t exactly a place to be playing around; you could get in trouble…”

“Ah! S-sorry sir,” Subaru stammered. “We didn’t mean-”

The man chuckled. “Relax. It’s fine. I’m just messin’ with ya.” He paused, looking the two over. “You two must be the new kids the Captain’s recruited. I’m Master Sergeant Vice Granscenic. Nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, sir,” Subaru began to salute, but Vice shook his head.

“No need to call me sir. Makes me feel like an old man. So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

“We’re just looking around,” Scootaloo supplied, “getting some fresh air.”

“Well, you probably came to the wrong place. Nothing fresh here except the smell of grease.” Vice chuckled, sticking his hands into his pockets.

“Are you a pilot?” Subaru peered around to look into the hanger at the helicopter.

“Yup! I’ll be ferrying everyone around when needed. I’m used to it though. I was in the Capital Air Force, 1039th Squadron before Captain Harlaown borrowed me.”

“That’s transport, right?”

Vice nodded. “Yup. Though I’ve gotta admit, this is a pretty sweet gig.” He flashed the two a grin and gestured over his shoulder at the helicopter. “I mean, check out what I get to fly!”

“So… it‘s just a helicopter, right?” Scootaloo frowned as she looked at the machine. “What‘s the big deal?”

Vice winced as if he’d been slapped. “Just a helicopter? Kid, that’s a JF-704. Sure, it may look big and bulky, but it’s probably one of the nimblest personnel transport helicopters in service right now. This one’s so new, it’s still got that off-the-assembly-line smell to it. Flying this baby’s going to be a dream compared to the old 604 I used to pilot.”

“Uh, right…” Scootaloo looked a bit nonplussed at Vice’s brief rant. Vice paused, then shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

“Heh, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to word-vomit all over you. It’s just gear-heads like me tend to get a bit defensive about our machines. Comes from dealing with aerial mages in the Air Force, you know?”

Subaru nodded in agreement. “My dad always told me to respect pilots, because they’re the ones that have to carry you around.”

“Sound piece of advice. Your dad sounds like a smart guy.”

“So…” Scootaloo interrupted cautiously, “why don’t you learn how to fly? If the other mages are messing with you, then why not do what they do?”

Vice paused, then shrugged. “I just have a different skill set. I mean, I know a bunch of aerial mages, and I can see how that’d be useful. It has its advantages: small target profile, higher mobility, things like that. It’s just that piloting just feels right for me, you know? Lets me be helpful. Do something good for once…”

Vice paused for a second. Subaru could see a faint hint of melancholy pass over his face before he shook himself. “Anyway,” he continued as the jaunty smirk returned, “I’m not cut out to be an aerial mage. Way too much work. Give me a cockpit any day.”

“Oi! Vice!”

Vice turned slightly as one of the mechanics called out to him. “Yeah?”

“We’re finished with the checks! She’s ready to be put through her paces!”

“Awesome! Thanks!” Vice turned back to the girls. “Guess the pilot seat’s calling me. Gotta take her up and see how well she handles.”

Subaru nodded. “Alright. Well, we’ll get going then. It was nice meeting you…”

Vice smiled mischievously. “Well, you don’t have to go. You girls want me to take you for a flight?”

Subaru and Scootaloo looked at each other, then back to Vice. Scootaloo‘s eyes were a little wide as she spoke. “Can you do that?”

“I don’t see why not. I mean, you’re going to have to fly with me eventually. Besides, we’ll just be doing basic maneuvers. Nothing fancy.”

Subaru rubbed her chin. “I dunno. If Tea finds out we did something-”

“I’m game,” Scootaloo interjected suddenly.

“Scootaloo!”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re going to wuss out on something like this.”

Subaru grimaced. “But Tea-”

“She’s not here right now, remember? Come on, it’s not like we’re going to get in trouble or anything, right?”

Vice shrugged. “I’ll just have to let the Captain know, but he should probably okay it…”

Scootaloo smirked, flicking her mane gently with one hoof. “See? Besides…” Scootaloo’s expression turned wistful as she looked over at the helicopter, “I kinda want to see how it feels to fly in something like that…”

Subaru started to say something, but paused at Scootaloo‘s expression. She nodded in acceptance, folding her arms over her chest. “Alright then. Let’s go flying…”

“I’m not sure this is a good idea…”

“Oh come on Caro, it can’t be that bad,” Spike replied as she walked alongside her and Erio. “I mean, I’m a pretty nice guy. I’m sure Friedrich and I’ll get along just fine. He can‘t be any worse than some of the jerks I‘ve met…”

Caro huffed softly. “M-maybe… but Fried can be a bit cold towards other dragons. Then there’s the fact you and him aren’t of the same… um… breed, I suppose? I’m not sure how he’ll react to you.”

“I’d probably listen to her, Spike,” Teana warned as the four of them approached the barracks. “If Caro’s been with Friedrich this long, then she probably understands him.”

“Friedrich took a while to warm up to me when I first met Caro,” Erio added, his hands in his pockets. “I’d be careful.”

“Just relax, guys. I’m sure I can handle him.” Spike smirked, offering them a thumbs up as they climbed up the stairs towards the front doors.

Teana shook her head and sighed, wishing Subaru was there. She hadn’t minded sticking around with the other four, but between Caro’s shyness, Erio’s stiffness and Spike’s good-natured bravado, she was starting to wish she had someone more like herself to talk to.

At least Subaru was a good listener. Now she’s off trying to console that bratty pegasus…

“Friedrich!” Caro called as they walked into the barracks lobby. “I’m back! Bohet fahdon.”

There was a soft hiss as one of the dorm-room doors slid open before Friedrich trilled and floated down to Caro. Teana watched as the little dragon landed on Caro’s shoulder, her eyes wide with awe. She’d heard of the dragons of Alzas, but she’d never actually seen one in person.

It’s so… small…

“Friedrich,” Caro said as she turned towards them. “These are my new coworkers. This is Miss Lanster, and this is Mr. Spike.”

“Hello,” Teana politely inclined her head to the dragon.

“What’s up?” Spike waved to him. “Nice to meet another dragon.”

Friedrich took one look at Spike, then let out a loud hiss. His wings spread wide as he took to the air, snarling angrily.

“Friedrich? What’s wrong? Los vovahzah?”

The little dragon hissed, quickly alighting on the banister beside the stairs and letting out a rapid series of trills and growls. Caro’s eyes went wide before she stepped forward, hands raised before her.

“Ninonvul? Bruniik? Laan Friedrich, laan…”

“I’m guessing he doesn’t like Spike,” Teana said dryly.

“Dude, I just said hi. What gives?” Spike huffed, a bit of smoke drifting up from his nostrils.

“Um, uh,” Caro blushed brightly as Friedrich turned on his perch, his wings folding against his body as he lifted his head dismissively. “He… doesn’t like you.”

“Did he say why?” Spike frowned as Caro swallowed and shuffled her feet.

“He… he um…” Caro glanced at Friedrich, then back to Spike, “he said that you’re a commoner and a savage… that you’re not one of the true Dov. He basically said you’re not a real dragon, and he wants nothing to do with you.” She paused as Friedrich chirped dismissively. “And that you smell awful.”

Teana watched Spike curiously. The purple drake growled loudly for a few moments, smoke drifting from his nostrils before he closed his eyes. He lifted his hands slowly, palms turned up and inhaled slowly. He held his breath for a few seconds, and then exhaled through his mouth and pushed his hands outward from his chest in a meditative gesture. “Control,” he muttered under his breath.

“I’m… I’m really sorry,” Caro said, looking down as Friedrich flapped his wings. “I didn’t expect him to act this badly…”

“It’s fine. I’m calm…” Spike paused, inhaling and repeating the motions before continuing. “Okay, now I’m calm. I think. I’m just not used to being insulted by a scaly chicken with a superiority complex.”

Friedrich hissed at that and quickly turned on his perch to face Spike. The little dragon flexed his wings and snarled loudly, causing Caro to blanch slightly at the noise.

“What’d he say?” Teana asked as Erio moved beside Caro, touching her shoulder.

“I… really can’t say.” Caro stared at her summon with a mix of embarrassment and worry. “It’s not very polite.”

“Yeah, kinda figured that,” Spike grunted. “I think I’ll wait outside until he’s cooled off…”

“O-Okay,” Caro stammered as Spike turned on his heel and walked off, the door shutting slowly behind him as he left.

“So,” Teana said as she looked at Friedrich, “anyone here surprised that this happened?”

“Not really,” Erio grimaced.

“Friedrich,” Caro looked up at the little dragon, “why would you say such mean things? You only just met Spike…”

Friedrich let out a series of hisses, chirps and growls.

“That’s no excuse!” Caro stomped a foot. “There’s no reason to call him such names.”

Friedrich snorted.

“I don’t care if you think it’s true. He’s going to be your teammate, and you will work beside him. H-hey!” Caro cried out as Friedrich flitted off up the stairs. “I’m talking to you! Come back here!”

“Is that normal?” Teana watched as Caro jogged up the stairs after her dragon.

“It’s happened once or twice,” Erio replied. “From what Caro’s told me, some summons can be temperamental.”

“Shouldn‘t we go after her? I mean… Friedrich is pretty mad. What if-”

Erio shook his head. “He won‘t do anything to Caro. Friedrich may be hard to handle, but he‘s still her summon. Friedrich is incapable of doing anything to hurt her; if anything, we‘d probably just get in the way.” He quickly gestured towards the front door with a thumb. “I’m going to go talk with Spike, alright?”

“Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out.“ Teana grimaced as Erio walked off. Sheesh… between the pegasus with the chip on her shoulder and the elitist summoned dragon, things can‘t get much worse. We haven‘t even started training yet…

Spike growled softly as he sank down onto the steps outside, elbows resting on his knees as he held his head.

Don’t know what I was expecting, he thought to himself irritably. Bad enough I get that from Equestrian dragons. But hearing something like that from a foreign dragon?

He snorted irritably, smoke mixed with green embers drifting up from his nostrils as his thoughts turned dark. If he wasn’t Caro’s pet dragon, I’d show that overgrown chicken a thing or two. Maybe I’d wring his scrawny little-

His train of thought paused as he heard the door hiss open. Spike glanced up, turning to look as Erio walked out the door. “Hey,” Spike grunted in greeting.

“Hey,” Erio replied, walking over and taking a seat beside Spike. “Um…”

“Yeah?” Spike looked at Erio as the red-headed kid sighed.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened in there. Friedrich was out of line and-”

Spike waved a hand dismissively. “Nah, I get it dude. You don’t need to apologize…”

“I should at least explain,” Erio interjected. “Friedrich was the same way with me and Captain Harlaown.”

“Really?”

Erio nodded. “Though I have to admit, he was a bit meaner to you than he was to me or the Captain.”

“Huh,” Spike grunted. “Weird. Guess he doesn’t like boys getting near Caro. I can sympathize with that.”

Erio blinked. “You can?”

“Yeah…” Spike grimaced as he leaned back against the stairs. “Still doesn’t mean he needs to be a jerk about it.”

“Um…” Erio started to speak before Spike cut him off, hissing angrily under his breath.

“I mean, where in the name of Tartarus does a fat little rooster like him get off on saying I’m ‘not a real dragon?’ Like I haven’t heard that line before. If that little… rrrgh!” Spike’s growl deepened in pitch as his claws dug into the concrete steps, his vision turning briefly green as his second eyelids ‘blinked‘. “I’ve got half a mind to go in there and show him what a dragon like me can do. Of course, Chrono may get upset if I smashed the barracks up…”

Spike paused, glancing over at Erio. The kid had scooted away from Spike, his eyes wide. “What?”

“Uh… I… don’t mean to sound rude,” Erio swallowed nervously, “but your eyes were getting… weird.”

Spike paused. His tongue slithered out just slightly of its own accord, tasting the air before he shook his head and blinked properly, getting a hold of himself. “Oh jeez… sorry dude. I guess I wasn’t as calm as I thought.”

“Y-yeah,” Erio kept his distance as Spike slumped.

“Sorry. It’s just… that’s a big sore point for me, if you know what I mean.”

“Being told you’re not a real dragon?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah. I mean, I’m a dragon raised by ponies. Still being raised in some ways, but that’s beside the point. When I tried to rediscover my dragon roots, it turned out that a lot of dragons are… well, they’re kind of big, stupid jerks. Guess that’s true no matter where you go,” Spike glanced back at the barracks door and huffed.

“Oh,” Erio said simply.

“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I love living with ponies. It’s better than the alternative. But I’m still a dragon, you know? I’ve got my pride. And if someone denies who and what I am… it’s just one of those things that really sets me off. And trust me, you don’t want to set me off.”

“Is that why you were doing the breathing exercises?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah. I learned them from Zafira. You know, meditation and such. Helps keep the bad stuff from leaking out.” Spike shuffled uncomfortably. “Last time I got out of control, I did a lot of damage, and someone got hurt pretty bad. I can’t let that happen again. Ever.”

Erio nodded. “I can understand that…”

Spike blinked. “Huh? Which part?”

“Being told you’re not really real…” Erio looked down, wrapping his arms about his knees.

“That… doesn’t make sense,” Spike scratched an ear frill. “But I’ll take your word for it.”

Erio nodded wordlessly, causing Spike to chuckle. “You know, I’m starting to think we’ve all got a whole lot of baggage.”

“What do you mean?”

“You, me, Caro, Scootaloo… we got issues. Heck, probably Subaru and Teana too.”

“I suppose so,” Erio conceded.

“Not like that’s a bad thing,” Spike leaned back with a sigh. “I’m used to baggage. Heck, I’ve carried a lot of it around. I’m like… a baggage cart guy. Pulling a big cart of neurosis-sis around and… uh… dropping it off or something…”

Erio quirked an eyebrow. “Um… I’m not sure about the metaphor, but I get what you’re saying.”

Spike nodded. However, just as he was about to continue, a familiar voice echoed in his head.

Hello everyone, Twilight’s voice chimed merrily, I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but if you’d like to observe some of your instructors at work, please come to the practice field.

Spike shook his head and glanced over at Erio. The young man met his gaze. “You heard that?”

Erio nodded in reply. “Maybe we should go…”

The door behind them hissed open as Teana jogged out. The orange-haired girl glanced between them quickly. “Well?” She sounded impatient.

“Well what?” Spike replied.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Well, yeah,” Spike got to his feet, offering a hand to Erio. Erio looked at his clawed hand for a moment, then rose to his feet on his own.

“Let me see about Caro first,” Erio replied, “then we can go…”

A warm gust of wind whipped across the enormous platform, ruffling Fate’s mane gently as she walked. Signum kept pace with her, the Knight keeping about twenty yards distance from her.

Fate kept watch out of the corner of her eye, observing how Signum moved and carried herself. She knew Signum was doing the same as her; trying to suss out any weaknesses or irregularities, any openings she could exploit.

Fate came to a stop. Signum did as well. They turned to face one another as a holographic communication window popped up in front of them. Shari’s face filled half of Fate’s screen, while Signum’s filled the other.

“Ahem… can you both hear me?”

“Yes, Shari,” Fate answered. Signum nodded as well.

“Ah! Good! That’s one thing out of the way. Again, I’d like to thank you both for agreeing to help stress-test the S4’s construct creation system. Hopefully it won’t interfere too much with your… um… ‘practice.’”

“It’s no problem,” Signum noted idly, closing her eyes. “Anything to make the battle more of a challenge.”

“Right…” Shari coughed awkwardly into her fist before continuing. “Anyway, I’ll be cycling upwards through the training field’s complexity as we go, starting with a basic combat environment before moving on to more complex and realistic settings. Just… um… try not to blow the place up, if you don’t mind? The S4 is kinda expensive…”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that,” Fate said reassuringly. “Signum and I will try to keep our… enthusiasm under control.”

“Indeed,” Signum agreed calmly, though the thin smile on her lips suggested otherwise..

“Okay. Thanks.” Shari inhaled and relaxed, just as her expression became neutral and professional. “Initiating S4 start-up procedures now! Raising external containment barriers.”

There was a soft, static-like hum as a shimmering curtain of light floated high overhead, forming a geodesic dome over the S4. The huge panes of crystalline substance hummed to life beneath Fate’s hooves, sending a slight tingle along her skin.

“Initiating arena cycle program,” Shari announced. “Stage, set!”

Fate shifted her weight slightly as she began to lift up into the air. Both she and Signum were now standing on a slowly rising platform of solid light and energy, dozens more platforms of various sizes hovering up around them at varying heights.

“I’ll give you both a heads-up before the environment shifts, as we discussed,” Shari continued, “but otherwise, good luck to the both of you.”

Fate nodded as the communication window winked out. “So,” she called out to Signum, “how do you want to do this?”

“As we’ve done before,” Signum called back as she reached for her Device. “Close combat only, first blood.”

“Alright,” Fate replied, her horn lighting up as Bardiche hovered up before her. “Ready, old friend?”

“I AM AT YOUR COMMAND,” Bardiche replied. “GET SET!”

“Alright then,” Fate smiled. “Bardiche!”

Signum removed her Device from around her neck, the diamond-bladed dagger glinting on its chain. “Laevatein!”

“JA, MEIN MEISTER!”

“Set up!”

There was a thunderclap as Bardiche activated, a spherical barrier of golden lightning forming around Fate. Her uniform dissolved away, the cloth converted into energy and stored away as her long braided mane and tail unwove and fluttered freely. Bardiche’s triangular Standby Form collapsed into a circular golden disc as it assembled itself. Sparks of static sprayed out as pieces of black night-steel, metal forged from solidified shadow by Princess Luna, clicked into place, forming a long-shafted, crescent-bladed pole axe. Fate reached out, catching the Device in one hoof as her Barrier Jacket assembled itself on her body. A crimson body-suit spread quickly over her skin from the neck down, followed by close-fitting black armor plates across her limbs, barrel and chest. A high-necked black cape with golden lining unfurled about her neck, held closed by a gold, crescent-moon shaped brooch. Silver boots slid over her hooves, quickly buckled tight with golden triangular buckles. Finally, her long mane was pulled back into a pair of long pigtails, black ribbons tying them back neatly.

“BARRIER JACKET, STRIKE FORM,” Bardiche announced.

Fate exhaled as the barrier quickly imploded, the layers of armor fusing into her barrier jacket. She watched as Signum’s own barrier collapsed, revealing the Knight clad in her Knight Clothing. Her purple tabard hugged her body close, her heavy metal gauntlets and boots glinting in the sunlight. Laevatein, her sword-shaped Device, hung at her hip in its scabbard, the purple grip gleaming and the large, screw-shaped core clicking as it turned. A purple cloak fluttered against her back, pinned at her neck with a five-pointed star-shaped brooch. Her long magenta hair fluttered behind her as a wide-brimmed, high-peaked hat perched atop her head, just like the one her Mistress wore.

“I see you kept the hat.” Fate smiled, Bardiche hovering to her side and into a ready stance.

“Indeed,” Signum replied, tilting the hat back slightly with one finger before slowly drawing her sword. She shifted her weight, holding Laevatein in a two-handed grip.

Fate and Signum squared off for a brief moment, neither one making the first move.

A breeze stirred their hair.

Signum’s hand stiffened.

Fate’s eyes narrowed.

In an instant, the two combatants sprang forwards, covering the distance between them in a heartbeat. Axe and sword clashed, gold and purple sparks spraying in all directions as they met.

The duel was on.

“Wow,” Shari whispered as she watched the monitors, her eyes wide with amazement. “This is crazy. Look at them go…”

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed as she watched the battle. She could see the faint streaks of gold and purple light as Fate and Signum dashed and flew, circling and clashing, dodging and slashing through the air.

“At least the sensors are keeping up with them,” Shari continued, tapping on the console as she watched the monitors. A half-dozen screens hovered in the air, following Fate and Signum as they fought. Several others were measuring magical output, ambient energy levels and other statistics, continually compiling data on the pair. “They aren’t stressing the system too much…”

“You think that,” Vita shook her head, her arms crossed, “but this is just them getting warmed up. I’ll bet you’ll be having a lot more problems once those two get serious, even with the limiters.”

“Doubt it,” Shari replied absentmindedly. “Unless they can teleport or something, the S4’s sensor suite should stay on them.” She reached up and turned the communicator on. “Switching environments!”

“Well, I guess I won’t be winking around during training much,” Twilight noted as Shari typed on the console.

“Huh?” Shari blinked, then face-palmed. “Oh yeah, that’s right. Sorry. I forgot that was a talent of yours. Yeah, I’ll have to ask you to hold off on doing that too much…”

“You call it ‘winking’?” Vita quirked an eyebrow at Twilight.

“It’s an appropriate term for it,” Twilight replied. “Sort of like magical short-hand.”

“I know, it just sounds…”

Zafira coughed. “It seems our students have arrived.”

Twilight turned as four of the trainees made their way down the stairs, Teana in the lead as she vaulted over the stair railing. “Ah! Excellent! Good to see you-” Twilight paused, glancing past them to the stairs, then back to them. “Um… where are Subaru and Scootaloo?”

“They went off on their own,” Teana answered. “They’ll probably be here soon, though. Subaru said something about ‘going out for a spin,’ or something…”

“Off on their own?” Twilight replied in confusion.

“Yeah,” Spike added. “Scootaloo got mad while we were all together, so Subaru went off to talk to her, I guess.”

Hmm… I guess those two’ll get along better than I expected. I’ll have to review the audio logs later. Twilight nodded. “Okay… the question is, where are they now?”

“Well, when I contacted her, Subaru said she was going flying.” Teana pointed skyward, towards the S4. “So I’m guessing they’re up there.”

Twilight turned, following Teana’s gesture, then stared at the green helicopter circling the S4’s perimeter barrier. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“Best seats in the house, wouldn’t you say?”

Subaru nodded excitedly to Vice as she looked out the cockpit window, watching the flash and swirl of the light through the barrier below. The soft hum of the helicopter’s engines reverberated through the cockpit. “Yeah! Thanks for letting us sit in the cockpit, Vice.”

“No problem. It’s not exactly roomy, even for a four-seater, but it’s a damn sight more comfy than the back.” Vice peered back again. “How’re you doing Scootaloo?”

“Fine,” Scootaloo replied skittishly, her wings pressed tight against her sides as she squirmed in her chair. The seat’s restraints were pulled awkwardly around her body as she shifted about, clearly not suited to her shape. Her nostrils were flared and her ears were flattened against her mane.

“Hey, relax.” Vice glanced back and offered her a thumbs up. “You’re in the hands of Vice Granscenic: Ace Helicopter Pilot. I get it’s your first time, but it’s all under control. No need to be scared.”

Scootaloo exhaled and shook her head. “I’m not scared. I’m just… not a big fan of being carried around in a big metal box, that‘s all.”

“Heh, I can see that. I doubt they have helicopters in Equestria. Hold on, we’re going to do a quick, tight bank.”

The helicopter turned sharply. Subaru held onto her seat as she heard Scootaloo nicker softly.

“Okay,” Scootaloo admitted, “flying around like this isn’t quite as cool as I’d thought it‘d be.”

“You sure you’re okay?” Subaru gave the pegasus a concerned look, which Scootaloo brushed off.

“I said I’m fine.”

“Alright Storm Raider,” Vice ordered, “put us in a hover and engage auto-stabilizers.”

“OKAY,” came a slightly feminine voice from the console. Vice slipped his headset down around his neck and turned in his pilot’s seat, unbuckling his restraints.

“And I’m really not comfortable with the fact that a Device is piloting this thing.” Scootaloo grimaced, looking at the console.

“Don’t worry,” Vice waved a hand. “Storm Raider and I’ve been partners for ages. She may not handle a stick quite like I do, but she can still pilot. So let’s watch the light show!”

Scootaloo grunted as Subaru turned back to the window. There was a soft ‘click’ as Scootaloo unbuckled herself and walked cautiously over to Subaru’s side of the cockpit.

“I wonder who’s fighting,” Subaru noted semi-rhetorically as the environment inside the barrier shifted, shimmering lights slowly resolving into a large forest.

“Looks like Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” Scootaloo replied, her eyes narrowing. “I recognize that light anywhere.”

“Really? Twilight’s sister?” Subaru leaned in closer to the window. “Wow… it looks like you’re right. I can just barely make her out…”

“Seriously? All I see is the lights,” Scootaloo peered in, pressing her nose to the window. “You must have some crazy good eye-sight.”

“Hey, don’t feel bad Scoots,” Vice chuckled. “All I see are lights too.”

“Please don’t call me that,” Scootaloo huffed.

“Sorry.”

“Still,” Subaru continued, “it’s amazing. I’ve read about Fate Testarossa-Sparkle. She’s the ‘Child of Lightning,’ renowned for her skill and magical prowess. It makes sense she‘s the leader of the Shadowbolts and Princess Luna‘s protégé. Looks like she really is as fast as the stories say.”

“I’ve seen faster,” Scootaloo muttered under her breath.

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” Scootaloo replied. “Anyway, she may be cool to you, but I grew up around ponies like her. Ponyfeathers, for a long time Twilight ran the library in my home town. Seeing super-talented ponies isn‘t all that big a deal.”

Subaru turned and stared at Scootaloo. “You grew up around Special Instructor Sparkle?!”

“Yeah. I could’ve sworn I mentioned-” Scootaloo squeaked as Subaru grabbed one of her hooves. “H-hey!”

“This is incredible! Not only are you an awesome skater, but you grew up with my idol! I bet you know all kinds of stuff the books never talk about. That settles it; you’re my new best friend! And you’re in my squad! That means I’ll have both of my best friends together with me in the same-”

“Jeez! Ease off!” Scootaloo yanked her hoof free from Subaru’s grip. Subaru pulled back slightly, then looked down nervously.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out or anything. I… I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, I’m fine. Tight grip, though.” Scootaloo rubbed her hoof gingerly.

“Sorry. I guess I got excited. Um… but we can still be friends, right?” Subaru offered the slim mare a nervous smile. “I mean… once we get to know each other bet-”

“Yeah, right. You just want to pick my brain about Twilight.” Scootaloo snorted and trotted back over to her seat. “Leave me out of your dumb obsession, alright? That kind of stuff is for dumb fillies.”

Subaru stared at her as Scootaloo climbed up onto her seat, the pegasus pointedly staring out the other window. She glanced at Vice out of the corner of her eye. The pilot was also looking at Scootaloo, his brows furrowed and his mouth in a tight frown. He glanced at Subaru, then quickly smiled and turned back to the console.

“Okay.” His tone was cheerful, though there was a hint of strain it. “What do you say we get back to flying. Right girls?”

“Um… r-right,” Subaru replied.

“Whatever,” Scootaloo answered.

The great scythe-blade of Bardiche’s Crescent Form sizzled through the air, missing Signum by a bare few inches as the Knight dodged back. Fate pushed the advantage, whirling her Device about her body and slashing again and again. Signum parried each strike, sparks flying as Laevatein’s indestructible edge met the arc of plasma. Signum turned her wrist, locking blades with Fate once again, slowly circling with the mare as they hovered a hundred feet above the ground.

“You’ve improved since last time, Fate,” Signum smirked, clearly enjoying herself. “A few more centuries of practice, and you may have a chance of matching me.”

“Maybe I’ve gotten better,” Fate replied, her teeth bared in an adrenaline-fueled grin, “or maybe you’re just feeling your age, Signum. Bardiche!”

“SELENE FORM!”

The pole-axe’s head rotated back downward, the energy scythe dissolving as its long, curved edge hooked itself around Signum’s sword. Sparks flew as Fate yanked her pole-arm back, her horn glowing as she threw her own telekinesis behind Bardiche’s auto-suspension enchantment.

Signum followed the pull, shoulder-checking into Fate. The unicorn grunted, but didn’t give way. Bardiche twisted sharply, yanking Laevatein from Signum’s hand and sending it spinning through the air behind Fate.

Signum drew back as her sword buried itself point-first in a nearby high-rise building, the environment having shifted to an urban setting. She quickly drew her scabbard, using it to parry an overhead chop from Fate. “Impressive. Not many can say they’ve successfully disarmed me.”

“Like I said, maybe I’ve been practicing,” Fate grinned, then quickly whipped the butt of Bardiche’s staff at Signum. The Knight, however, flitted away, her body flashing brightly as she accelerated at break-neck speed. Fate pursued, a golden contrail following her as she did so.

There was a wrench of stone and metal as Signum ripped her sword from its resting place. She slammed it into her scabbard as Fate approached. “Hunt her down, Laevatein!”

“SCHLANGEBEIßEN!” There was a sharp report as Laevatein triggered a cartridge. The sword’s blade rapidly segmented into a long chain of blades as Signum drew it from its scabbard, the V-shaped sections of steel connected together by a thin tether of purple light.

Fate barrel-rolled as the blade slithered past her. She could, however, hear the tell-tale rattling as the blade swerved to come in for a second pass. “Bardiche, go Astray!”

“BARRIER JACKET, ASTRAY FORM!”

Fate’s Barrier Jacket seemed to explode, armor and undersuit alike peeling off of her limbs, the armor plating growing more streamlined. Her black cape flashed gold, quickly changing into dragonfly-wing-shaped jets of light.

Signum’s attack met empty air as Fate accelerated, her movements a faint blur of yellow. The knight fell back, parrying the mare’s rapid-fire strikes with her chain blade as sparks of mana flew in every direction.

Golden static flashed across Bardiche’s axe-head as Fate swept the Device back behind her. A set of small energy wings flared out from behind it. “ASTRAY IMPACT,” the Device announced.

Signum quickly raised her free hand, a shield of energy shaped like a Belkan triangle forming before her as Fate swung. Bardiche struck home like a rocket, the sheer kinetic force of the strike smashing the shield apart and sending Signum flying backwards into a skyscraper. Shards of glass and chunks of concrete flew in all directions from the simulated building, hiding Signum’s impact-point from view.

Fate huffed, Bardiche hovering before her in a defensive posture. “You alright, Signum?!”

There was a pause, right before there was a flash of purple light that bisected the building at a sharp angle. The skyscraper’s upper portion bent, then began to fall towards Fate.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Fate tensed her muscles, her Barrier Jacket’s wings flashing brightly as she did a sharp turn and flew backwards, right as the falling chunk of building was quickly crisscrossed by distinctive lines of purple light. The rattling of chains echoed in the air as the building was quickly reduced to falling debris.

Fate raised a barrier as Signum dove down through the clouds of concrete and dust. Laevatein’s Schlangenform quickly recoiled and reformed into its more traditional shape as Signum slashed at Fate’s barrier, cracks spreading across its surface before she broke through. Fate spun, quickly parrying the Knight’s follow-up swing as Signum rushed her, chunks of building falling all around them as they slashed and parried at one another, the strikes so quick they were only flashes of black and silver. The two duelists swirled around one-another, neither one able to break away from the other as they fell downwards.

Then, the world shifted again. The cityscape and the falling debris dissolved away, leaving an empty space behind. Fate and Signum broke free of their melee just as they reached the ground, the pair landing before quickly rushing each other.

They swung.

“I can’t look!” Caro covered her eyes.

Twilight, despite herself, felt her breath catch in her throat as they struck. Neither one moved.

“Caro,” Erio said gently, reassuring the little mage, “it’s alright. See? They’re both okay.”

Fate slowly unclenched her teeth, her body trembling with tension as she felt a slight sting at the side of her head, just below her right ear. Signum’s eyes were narrowed, her sword-arm trembling slightly as Bardiche bit into her left side.

For what seemed like an eternity, neither one moved.

Fate was the first to break the stillness, slowly pulling Bardiche away from Signum’s side, revealing a shallow gash just under her rib-cage. The Knight returned the favor, Laevatein’s tip stained slightly crimson from the cut on Fate‘s head.

“A tie, then,” Signum noted.

Fate nodded.

“Interesting. Of the all the times we’ve dueled, Fate, this is the first time we’ve tied.” Signum slowly cleaned her blade, then sheathed it. “I commend you for it.”

“Thank you, Signum.” Fate exhaled. This was indeed a first. She didn’t know how many times she’d fought Signum one-on-one, but every time she could remember, she’d ended up losing. Sometimes she’d been beaten soundly, others it’d been a close fight. But this time, she’d actually tied with her. Had she really gotten that good?

She exhaled, resting Bardiche against her withers. “Shari?”

“Y-yes, Captain?” A communication window flickered in before her. Shari looked more than a little shell-shocked.

“I think we’re done here. You can lower the barrier.”

“Yes, ma’am. Right away.”

“So, what do you think?”

Teana couldn’t find the proper words when Twilight asked her question, her eyes still a bit wide and her mouth a little dry. Both Knight Signum and Captain Testarossa-Sparkle were mages so powerful and skilled that they were like squads unto themselves. She’d read enough about both of them to know how powerful they were. However, there was a difference between reading about it and actually seeing it in practice.

So THAT is what an Ace is capable of. What a mage of that skill and power is able to do.

“It was very impressive,” Erio said, his voice quickly bringing Teana back to reality. There was a soft rush of air as Signum and Fate landed on the pier, their Devices deactivating and their Barrier Jackets fading away in a swirl of mana. Teana suddenly felt very, very small as the two of walked over towards them, Fate’s tail swishing as she walked beside Signum.

Twilight quickly moved to Fate’s side, her horn glowing gently. “Here, let me take care of that, Fate.”

Fate sighed. “It’s only a small-”

“It’s still an injury.”

Fate closed her eyes and politely lowered her head, allowing Twilight to apply a healing spell to the cut. When she was done, the purple unicorn turned to Signum. “You’re next.”

“As you wish, Twilight Sparkle,” Signum replied.

“You bet I wish. Was it really necessary to aim for her head, Signum?” Twilight sounded irritated as she applied the healing spell to Signum’s wound.

“It was the largest target available,“ Signum replied calmly.

“Sure, but one misstep and you’d have taken-“

Twilight stopped when Fate reached over and rested a hoof on her withers. “It’s alright, Twilight.”

Twilight grimaced, giving Fate an irritated look as the golden mare turned to the trainees. “Do any of you have any questions for either of us?”

“Um…” Caro glance nervously over at Signum. “Are the both of you going to be teaching us?”

“No,” Signum replied. “Captain Testarossa-Sparkle will be, but I am not.”

“Oh.”

Teana let out a relieved breath at that. I’m not sure I’d like to be taught by someone who goes for a headshot in a sparring match…

“Don’t get your hopes up if you’re expecting it to be easy just because Signum’s not one of your teachers.” Vita walked over and stood in front of the trainees, hands on her hips as she smirked. “You still have to deal with me, after all. Trust me, when I‘m done with you, you‘ll wish you had Signum. She‘d just put you in the med bay. I‘m not so merciful.”

“Vita, it’s not wise to frighten our students.” Zafira padded over to the little Knight.

“I’m not frightening them, I’m just giving them fair warning, that’s all.” Vita smirked up at the much taller wolf-man, then turned back to regard the others. Teana could recognize the look in Vita’s eyes. She’d seen a similar degree of enthusiasm in the drill instructors during the academy.

I guess it’s a bit too late to back out now…

“Um… ma’am?” Erio looked to Fate as he raised his hand.

“Yes, Erio?”

“I don’t want to impose, ma’am, but I’m assuming that, given my weapon of choice, you’ll be tutoring me in armed combat?”

“That’s correct, Erio.” Fate replied with a small smile. “Considering your skill set is very close to mine, we should be a perfect match.”

A perfect match? Great… Teana let out a soft grunt as she closed her eyes.

The sun was beginning its slow descent when Teana entered her room. Truthfully, she wasn’t entirely glad to be back in her room by herself. After the shock from Fate and Signum’s duel had worn off, Teana had been giving some deep consideration to her place in the new unit. She’d excused herself from the group once they’d returned to the barracks, leaving Spike with Captain Harlaown’s wards.

She groaned softly and flopped onto the lower part of the shared bunk bed, staring blankly up at the smooth white underside of the upper bed with her legs hanging off the edge.

A dragon summoner from Alzas, an actual dragon, a pegasus that likely has her own natural Rare Skills, a kid whose style matches one of our Ace-level instructors… Teana ticked down the list mentally, grimacing as she did so. And then there’s Subaru, who’s probably going to end up playing teacher’s pet to Special Instructor Sparkle in addition to all her other advantages. Am I the only one here that’s… normal?

Teana’s train of thought paused as the door hissed open. She heard Subaru’s footfalls, followed by the sound of the closet door being opened. “Subaru?”

There was a grunted reply, which made Teana sit up on her bed. Subaru’s eyes were downcast as she walked over to the desk, then took a seat backwards on the chair, her arms folding over the headrest as she leaned forward, straddling the backrest.

“Um…” Teana stared at her normally upbeat companion. “Are you alright Subaru?”

Subaru didn’t say anything as she slowly rocked the chair side-to-side.

“Subaru?”

“Tea,” Subaru muttered softly, “am I a jerk?”

Teana considered that statement for a moment. “Well…”

Subaru gave her a puppy-dog stare, causing Teana to pause mid-sentence, resting her hands in her lap. “You can be… over enthusiastic sometimes, Subaru. Why? Did something happen?” Teana leaned forward, her hands clenching slightly. “Did that pony-”

“Scootaloo probably thinks I’m a jerk or something.” Subaru pouted, her chin resting on the back of the desk chair. The blue-haired girl spun around in the chair, doing a single rotation before coming to a stop. “I was trying to be friends with her, but I had to open my big dumb mouth about Twilight…”

Teana sighed. “Look, Subaru, you can’t be friends with everyone. I could’ve told you that. If Scootaloo doesn’t want to be your friend, then fine. Her loss.”

“But…”.

“But?”

Subaru sighed heavily and spun the chair around again. “Nothing… never mind.”

Teana shook her head and climbed to her feet, walking over and patting Subaru’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Subaru. You’ve still got me.”

“Yeah… it’s just… I dunno. I think Scootaloo’d be really cool to have as a friend, you know.”

Teana did her best to ignore the pang of jealousy in the back of her mind. “I know Subaru, I know…”

“Not exactly the best start,” Twilight noted with a grimace as she closed the recordings out, stretching as she rose to her hooves.

“Did you expect it’d be?” Fate glanced over at her from her spot on the large bed, her hairbrush humming along as she ran it through her tail.

“Not really, but I’d hoped it wouldn’t be quite this bad.” Twilight sighed and glanced around at the quarters she was sharing with Fate. The large windows that dominated the sloped far wall provided an excellent view of the bay, while the sleeping space was raised off of the main floor by a short flight of stairs. If she had a complaint, it was the fact that she’d be sharing a bed with Fate. A very large and comfy-looking bed, but a single bed nonetheless.

“New units always have teething troubles,” Fate observed, tugging the brush with her magic as it snagged, the evening sun catching in the golden locks. “Especially special ones like these. I should know.”

“True, but I doubt the Shadowbolt candidates were this quick to get hostile with one another,” Twilight replied as she climbed up the stairs. “Between Scootaloo’s trust issues, Spike and Friedrich’s little spat, and the whole host of problems Erio and Caro have, this unit’s looking more like it needs a therapist than an instructor.”

“True,” Fate nodded. “But eventually, things will be sorted out.”

Twilight grunted, then let out a yawn as she climbed onto the bed, burying her face into the pillow. “Be honest with me, Fate,” she groaned. “Am I in over my head?”

“No,” Fate replied. “You’ve handled worse friendship problems than these. Just think of this as a practical application of your lessons in friendship.”

Twilight paused, then rolled onto her side. “You’re right, I have. This isn’t any different from some of the problems I’ve had with the girls… I can handle this. No problem.”

“That’s the big sister I know,” Fate leaned in and nuzzled Twilight’s cheek. “We should probably turn in early tonight. Training starts in earnest tomorrow, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.” Twilight nodded, before she quickly climbed off the bed. “Just let me put a few ideas down… I think I may have something that might work…”

Author's Note

A quick translation of Caro's dragon-speak:
'aal dov nust drehvahlok' - May dragons they do+guardian ('may dragons guard/protect them, roughly)
'Bohet fahdon' - Fly+here friend (come to me friend, roughly)
'Los vovahzah' What (un)true (false/wrong)
''Ninonvul? Bruniik? Laan Friedrich, laan…' - (negation)Noble? Savage? Slowly, Friedrich, slowly

4: First Class

Subaru grimaced slightly as she nibbled on her pen, leaning back against the couch she‘d commandeered in the Barracks lounge. She fixed the sheet of paper with a determined look as she re-read what she’d written.

Dear Papa and Sis,

I hope everything’s going well for both of you while I’m not there, though you’re both probably really busy at work. Me and Tea Tea and I have settled in here at Long Arch, and I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty nice here. We share a room, but the barracks are much nicer here than at the 386th. We even have our own private room together! With bunk beds! Reminds me of my room at home!

Anyway, today was our first official training session with Twilight Sparkle. I’d love to say that we did well, but we had some problems this morning…

Simulated buildings and roadways flashed along in Subaru’s peripheral vision, the whine of her skates ringing in her ears as she rocketed along at full speed towards the intersection. The target drone was ahead of her, the silver sphere of metal easily matching her pace with its tiny engines.

I‘m in position, Teana’s voice crackled in her head over the telepathic connection, Try to get it to turn left up ahead.

Right. Scootaloo, did you hear that? Subaru glanced around quickly. Scootaloo?

Yeah, yeah. Relax you two I got this.

A tell-tale streak of orange shot past Subaru, the thrumming buzz of Scootaloo’s wings nearly drowning out the whine of Subaru’s skates. She had to admit, the little pony was a lot faster than her. The pegasus let out a shout as she leapt into the air, somersaulting and launching a spray of crescent-shaped projectiles towards the fleeing drone.

The drone swerved and weaved through the incoming projectiles, eliciting a loud curse from Scootaloo as she landed. “Stay still and let me hit you, you damn…”

“Scootaloo! Left! LEFT!” Subaru shouted as she drew her Revolver Knuckle back. There was a sharp report as a Cartridge triggered, the gears spinning up to full speed as she took aim.

“Revolver… SHOOT!”

Subaru punched the air and sent a swirling vortex of wind and mana surging through the air to the right of the drone. The machine swerved left.

“Hyaaah!” Scootaloo rose up on her hind legs and jumped, performing a quick backflip and unleashing more of those purple crescent strikes. The projectiles flew wide, forcing the drone back to the right just as they passed the intersection

SCOOTALOO! Subaru winced as she heard Teana’s telepathic screech of anger. What the hell are you doing?! What were you aiming at!?

The drone! What does it look like!?

I can’t believe this. We talked this strategy out! You and Subaru were supposed to drive the drone towards me so I could snipe-

And let you have all the glory? Scootaloo’s voice was thick with scorn. Like I’d-

We DISCUSSED this. The drone reacts too quickly for either of you to-

We didn’t DISCUSS anything! All you did was come up with this hare-brained scheme while Subaru just nodded like a bobblehead!

Um… Subaru interjected nervously. Guys?

I didn’t see YOU coming up with a strategy. Maybe if you weren’t so interested in showing off your skating-

And maybe if you could actually keep up instead of making us do all the work-

Guys?

Hey, I don‘t have a pair of wings. What’s your excuse, feather-brain? Too chicken to fly?

WHAT? Scootaloo’s voice quivered with anger. Okay, how about I come over there and buck you right in the face, you rutting-

GUYS!

WHAT?! Subaru winced as her head rang from the dual telepathic shouts.

Um… the drone’s getting away…

Teana let out a frustrated groan. Now I have to find a new sniping position. You two keep pursuing…

Sure, Scootaloo growled. We’ll do something useful while you play hide-and-seek.

Subaru tried to suppress a sigh as the telepathic bickering continued.

“Hey, what‘s up?”

Subaru was jerked from her reverie at the voice. She quickly turned her head to look at Spike as he approached, a towel slung over his shoulder as his claws clicked on the ground. His scales were gleaming, and he smelled like he’d just come out of the shower.

“Oh…uh…” Subaru grinned weakly. “Just… you know… writing a letter.”

“Letter? Wow, that takes me back.” Spike scrubbed the towel behind one of his ear frills before he climbed up onto the couch. “Who’s it for?”

“My dad and sis. I try to write letters as often as I can when I’m not at home. Ginga thinks it’s a bit old-fashioned, but I like doing it.”

“Can I see?” Spike leaned over curiously.

“Sure.” Subaru tilted the paper and clipboard in his direction.

Spike quirked an eyebrow. “Wow… your handwriting’s pretty. Is Mid-Childan that fancy or are you just showing off?”

Subaru blushed and pulled the letter away. “Neither, really. When I was young, my mom had me and Ginga practice calligraphy. You know, for dexterity and fine motor control and stuff. I guess it’s just one of those things that stuck with me.”

“Lucky. I mean, I’m no slouch with a quill myself, but you make my handwriting look like chicken scratch… Oh, uh, could I ask you something?”

“Hmm?” Subaru blinked as Spike hopped off the couch.

“Do you mind checking me over real quick?” Spike did a quick little pirouette. “I wanna make sure I cleaned off all the soot and stuff…”

“Soot?”

Spike chuckled softly. “Yeah, our practice got a little out of hand…”

“Raaaah!”

Spike’s feet kicked up a cloud of dust as he stepped into the drone’s personal space. The drake drove his fist into the drone, sending it flying backwards out of the glowing green circle he was guarding. He followed the strike by leaping up and smashing a second drone flying back with a powerful roundhouse kick. The two drones collided against one of the boulders ringing Spike’s clearing and collapsed with a crackle of sparks.

He turned, still in a defensive stance as Erio flickered into view. A thin trail of yellow electricity arced out from Erio’s feet as the red-headed kid skidded to a halt. The young human’s weapon was a simple silver staff that ended in a tuning-fork-shaped head holding a pale yellow gem. Static hummed between the spike‘s pointy bits and slowly rippled down Erio‘s arm.

“The next wave’s coming… in about three minutes.” Erio leaned against his staff, panting softly as he tried to catch his breath.

“And just when I finished cleaning up this mess,” Spike grimaced as Erio took a deep breath. “You okay dude?”

Erio nodded, wiping his forehead with the back of his Barrier Jacket’s sleeve. “Yeah. Sorry, not used to using my Sonic Move spell this much. Takes a lot out of me…”

“Don’t overdo it, man. We’ve still got to hold both defensive points for another ten minutes. How’s Caro doing?”

“Okay. Friedrich‘s been blasting anything that gets in range of his fire breath. Most of the drones don’t even get near the circle.”

“Great.” Spike exhaled. “Look, I’m sorry for making you run around like this…”

Erio shook his head. “It was my idea to separate the group to begin with. At least this way I can intercept the drone squads and thin them out before they get to you two.”

“Right… speaking of which…” Spike glanced back towards the large crevices opposite of him. “Where are they?”

ERIO! SPIKE!

“Caro!” Erio’s eyes widened at the telepathic cry. What’s wrong? Caro, respond!

It’s the drones! There’s too many of them! They’re all converging on me and Fried! T-there’s something different about them… they’re dodging Fried’s shots!

We’re on our way, Spike replied, glancing at Erio. “Think you can manage to run dragging me along?”

Erio grimaced. “I can try. Can’t promise it’ll be pleasant though…”

“I can handle that. Let‘s move!”

Erio nodded and reached out a hand to Spike. The purple dragon nodded and grasped Erio’s wrist. Erio did the same as a bright yellow Belkan triangle spun into existence beneath his feet.

Spike inhaled as lightning crackled over his scales. “Ready.”

“Right.” Erio’s muscles tensed as the crackling intensified. “Sonic Move, Engage!”

There was a loud crack as Spike felt himself lift off the ground, trailing behind Erio as he ran. The world turned into a sketchy blur as they raced towards Caro’s position, the walls of the simulated rock field flickering by. The rushing air smelled like ozone, and Spike felt his arm muscles clench up as lightning licked over his claws.

And just as fast as it started, it stopped. Erio skidded to a halt, then toppled over as Spike landed on top of him with a loud grunt.

“Erio? Erio!?” Spike rolled off his companion and gave him a quick shake. “Dude, are you alright?”

“Urgh…” Erio moaned, turning his head so his face wasn’t buried in the dirt. “Go… I’ll catch up… we’re within range…”

“You sure you’ll be-”

“I said… go…”

Spike gritted his teeth, then scrambled to his feet and took off running. He could hear the ominous whooshing of Friedrich’s fire breath as he approached Caro’s defensive point.

Three dozen drones were congregated around the choke-point that lead to Caro and Friedrich, blocking off Spike’s view. They were all clustered together like silvery billiards balls, their little engines humming softly. Several turned towards Spike, their barriers engaging with a humming sound.

“W-what I ask for,” he heard Caro chant, “is a roaring inferno t-that consumes all! Dragon Flame Boost! Burst-”

“Hang on Caro! Backup has arrived! Yaaaaaah!”

Spike let out a battle-cry and leapt into the fray… right as he heard Caro’s voice again.

“-FlareOHNOFRIEDSTOP!”

And then Spike saw a sphere of orange flame the size of a medicine ball rush towards him and the swarm of drones.

“Luckily, I managed to get a barrier up to block the actual explosion.” Spike concluded with a shrug. “I’m just glad I’m a dragon. Anyone else woulda been cooked.”

“Wow,” Subaru winced.

“Yeah. He puts out a lot of heat for such a little lizard.” Spike grumbled and folded his arms. “Of course, he’s got Caro helping with her magic, so I guess that counts as cheating.”

“At least it was an accident, right?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Though I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be unhappy if he turned me into dragon flambé. He doesn‘t like me, that‘s for sure.”

“At least Lightning is doing better than Stars,” Subaru sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I feel awful about Tea and Scoots. I tried to get them to focus, but they seemed more interested in shouting at each other than working together…”

“Jeez. That bad?” Spike scratched one of his ear frills.

Subaru nodded. “I just wish I knew what Scootaloo’s problem is. I know Tea’s got problems with ponies, but Scootaloo seems to take things way too far.”

“What’dyou mean?”

“While we were coming back here, she threatened that if Tea ever said anything about her wings again, she’d… uh… ‘buck her so hard her parents would feel it.’ And then it kinda went downhill from there.”

Spike winced. “Oh… wow…”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m down here. Tea needed some breathing room.”

“I bet. Where’d Scootaloo go?”

“Probably her room. I didn’t want to go and check…”

Spike nodded. “Wise decision.”

Subaru shifted uncomfortably. “Um, Spike? You know Scoots, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well… I was wondering if you could tell me why she seems so sensitive about flying. I mean, I kinda noticed some stuff while we were going around yesterday, but I didn’t think much about it. After this morning though…”

Spike nodded, then sighed. “Yeah, I see what you mean…”

“So, can you…”

Spike grimaced, running a hand over the green fins along the crown of his head. “Yeah… but you gotta promise not to tell anyone else, okay? It’s kinda personal.”

“Promise.” Subaru nodded intently.

Spike glanced around the room furtively before he carefully climbed up onto the couch beside her. “Alright,” he said in a low, conspiratorial whisper, “the big reason Scootaloo is really super sensitive about her wings is… she can’t fly.”

Subaru blinked. “Huh?

“Scootaloo can’t fly. At all. Period.”

“How?”

“As best I can understand it,” Spike leaned back into the couch cushion, “it’s got something to do with her magic. You know a lot about pony magic, right? You’ve read all of Twilight’s books.”

Subaru nodded. “Pony Linker Cores are different from human ones because all of them have pre-set mana channels for racial Rare Skill magic, including their Special Talent. That‘s why all unicorns can use telekinesis, all earth ponies are super strong, and all pegasi can-”

“Fly,” Spike completed her sentence.

Subaru’s eyes widened. “So her Linker Core…”

“Yeah.”

“But… that’s not too bad, right? She‘s still really capable…”

Spike shook his head. “I don’t think you realize how important flying is to pegasi. That’s, like, their big deal. Their entire culture is focused around being airborne. So if a pegasus can’t fly…”

“Oh…” Subaru‘s voice came out in a whisper. “Oh no…”

“Yeah. And not everypony is as accepting of it as the ponies in Ponyville are.”

“No wonder she’s so super-defensive,” Subaru looked down.

“Well, that’s part of it… but I’ve already said way too much.” Spike glanced nervously over his shoulder. “If Scootaloo finds out I blabbed about her secret, she’ll turn me into set of dragon-skin saddle bags.”

“Lips are sealed,” Subaru replied.

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Huh?”

Spike chuckled. “Repeat after me.”

Subaru nodded, slowly miming along with Spike as he recited the words of the Pinkie Promise.

“Okay,” Spike nodded in satisfaction. “Now that’s that. Remember, you can’t break a Pinkie Promise without consequences.”

Subaru giggled. “I won’t, honest.”

There was a soft chime as the barracks loud speaker turned on. “Would Stars and Lightning squads please report to Briefing Room One for debriefing and evaluation?” The announcement sound artificially cheery. “I repeat, Stars and Lightning squads, please report to Briefing Room One.”

“Looks like Twilight’s ready to hand out grades,” Spike groaned.

“I’m really not looking forward to this,” Subaru replied, picking up her clipboard.

“Ugh…what a morning…” Twilight groaned as she trotted along, her head lowered.

“Told you the brats were going to be trouble,” Vita noted, her hands tucked into the pockets of her tunic as she walked briskly beside Twilight.

“Quiet you,” Twilight grumbled.

“It’s impolite to gloat Vita,” Fate chided gently as she trotted beside her sister.

“Hey, I can’t help it if I was right.” Vita gave a nonchalant shrug.

“So I noticed,” Twilight grimaced. Vita’d had a ring-side seat to her squad’s little breakdown, all throughout the exercises she’d run them through.

“Hey, if you’d like I could pound a little bit of sense into their heads.” Vita smirked and lifted a fist demonstratively. “Nothing builds teamwork like shared misery, after all.”

“Gee, you make it sound so tempting,” Twilight replied sarcastically. “No thanks, Vita. It’s a bit early to let you loose on them. They’re new to their squads, so a little friction is understandable…”

“That wasn’t friction, Twilight. That was outright hostility.” Vita shook her head. “Trust me, you need to nip that sort of stuff in the bud quick.”

“I’m planning on addressing it, Vita. Don’t worry, I know just what I’m going to do.”

Vita quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yes. I’m going to do what I do best.”

“And what’s that?”

“Lecture them!” Twilight and Fate said at the same time. Twilight blinked, then blushed as Fate giggled.

“Am I really that predictable?” Twilight’s question came out slightly weary.

“A little, yes,” Fate replied before leaning over and nudging Twilight’s neck with her nose. “Don’t worry though. I’m sure your lecture will work just fine.”

Vita rolled her eyes, but didn’t reply as they reached the Briefing Room. Twilight was thankful for Vita’s silence as she pushed the door open. She quickly glanced over the assembled trainees before she walked in, trying to keep her expression carefully neutral.

The group dynamics were easily visible, especially to her. Lightning Squad sat close together: Erio and Spike were seated next to each other, the two of them looking only slightly comfortable with each other’s presence. Meanwhile, Caro sat a little ways away from her teammates, using Erio as a buffer between her and Spike. Her eyes were locked on the surface of the desk before her. Stars Squad, meanwhile, was far tenser. Teana, Subaru and Scootaloo sat with a seat between each other, Subaru stuck between her two associates. Neither Teana nor Scootaloo seemed willing to even look at each other, their gazes firmly locked straight ahead. Meanwhile, Subaru looked a little nervous, fidgeting slightly in her seat.

The trainees stood as Twilight, Fate and Vita entered the room. Twilight made her way to the center, quietly sending a command to Raising Heart to bring up the records from the practice sessions that morning.

“Have a seat,” she said, quickly going over the mental bullet-points that Raising Heart was projecting for her. “As you’ve all likely guessed, the three of us have gone over your performance during this morning’s training session. Now, while we recognize that this was your first sortie in your new teams, my fellow instructors and I have a few… concerns we’d like to address before we pass out the individual evaluations.”

She waited as the six trainees shifted uncomfortably.

“We‘ll begin with Lightning Squad.” She turned towards Erio, Caro and Spike and smiled faintly. “First of all, I’d like to applaud Erio for his strategy during the mission. Your plan took into account your teammates strengths, while playing to your own capabilities, which Captain Testarossa-Sparkle found to be highly impressive.”

“T-thank you, ma’am.” Erio blushed slightly.

“Unfortunately,” Twilight continued, “you did end up overexerting yourself with your constant use of movement magic. Of course, that’s why we do these sorts of missions to begin with; so we can iron out these little problems. Now, both Caro and Spike performed quite well in their defensive roles. However, I’m afraid we have to cover the incident that happened during the last scenario.”

Caro raised her hand timidly. “Um… m-ma’am?”

“Yes, Caro?”

“I-it was my fault ma’am. I didn’t see Spike a-and I couldn’t call Friedrich off in time.”

“I see…”

“Hey,” Spike interjected, “it wasn’t your fault. Friedrich probably just decided to blast me along with the drones.”

“But I was the one who panicked and pulled you out of position…”

Twilight sighed. That much was true, she had to admit. Maybe sending a sudden oversized wave towards Caro’s position had been a bit much. With Erio exhausted and Spike dazed by the blast, Lightning had failed that mission. Still, three out of four missions passed was still pretty good.

She coughed loudly, interrupting the debate. “Be that as it may,” she continued, “the three of you still performed admirably. Just make sure to take the criticisms we’ll offer into consideration during this afternoon’s practice. Erio, try not to over-exhaust yourself when using your magic. Caro, try to get a better control of Friedrich‘s aim. And Spike,” she smirked playfully, “make sure to communicate with your teammates before jumping into the fray. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” the trio replied.

“Now,” Twilight turned towards the other three, “I’d like to address Stars Squad. Unfortunately, your performance this morning was… sub-par, to say the least.”

It was interesting to watch their individual reactions. Subaru looked at the ground, Teana’s eyes hardened and her body language tensed up, while Scootaloo looked away, her nostrils flared and her feathers ruffled.

“Normally, I would chalk your lackluster exhibition up to inexperience as a unit, but I couldn’t help but listen to your team’s telepathic communications.” She glanced between Scootaloo and Teana, her mouth forming a thin line of irritation. “So, would either of you like to explain yourselves?”

“It’s not my fault,” Teana answered first, giving Scootaloo a sidelong glare. “Scootaloo refused to follow along with the strategy we agreed upon. I can only do so much-”

“Maybe if Teana actually included the rest of us in the planning process, then maybe I would’ve been more willing to play along,” Scootaloo snapped, returning the glare. “Instead, Teana spent most of the prep work telling us what we’d do instead of considering other ideas.”

“I would have considered other ideas if they had had some actual tactical merit, instead of all three of us running around like confused chickens.” Teana’s voice grew a little louder.

“Or maybe you were more interested in staying up above us lowly peons while we did all the running around for you.” Scootaloo’s wings stiffened.

“Well maybe if you could aim your attacks instead of flailing around blindly trying to show off, you could actually HIT something!”

“Like you’re one to talk! Which one of us missed a golden opportunity to snipe the drone before it crossed the goal line because she was busy reloading? Oh yeah, it was-”

“ENOUGH!” Twilight shouted, quickly silencing both of them. “That’s enough from both of you! This is exactly the problem I saw during the exercises. If the two of you are going to work together as a team, you need to at least make an effort to get along. As it stands, I’m deeply disappointed in both of you.”

“You,” she pointed a hoof at Teana, “need to try to consider your teammates when formulating combat strategy. While I recognize your planning skills, Miss Lanster, not everyone will agree with your choice of tactics, nor will your ideas always be the best. One person can‘t consider every possibility.”

She then turned to Scootaloo. “You, on the other hoof, need to learn to trust in your squad mates and not escalate the situation. You’re a member of a team, not a solo act. Act like it!”

“Then put me with a squad that isn’t being led by some tin-hoofed tyrant and I might,” Scootaloo replied.

Twilight could hear Vita’s knuckles pop as the little Knight balled up a fist. She glanced back slightly, watching as Fate lifted a hoof to block Vita’s advance.

“Your insubordination is duly noted, Private,” Twilight said slowly, with an almost aggressive level of calm. “However, if that’s what you want, then I’ll talk with Captain Testarossa-Sparkle about transferring you to Lightni-”

Twilight stopped as Subaru stood up slowly. Teana and Scootaloo turned to glance up at her. “Yes, Subaru?”

“Um… with all due respect, ma’am… I would like to request that Scootaloo remain on Stars squad. Ma’am.”

“What?” Teana’s voice was almost a squawk.

“What?” Scootaloo looked confused.

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “May… I ask why?”

“W-well,” Subaru shuffled her feet slightly, not quite making eye contact with her, “I just… don’t think it’s a very good idea, for one. I think… maybe if you just give Scootaloo another chance, we can work something out.”

Twilight raised her eyebrow further. “Is that so?”

Subaru nodded. “With your permission, ma’am, I’d like to take responsibility for our team’s actions this morning. It‘s my fault things got out of hand.”

“How?” Where in Equestria is she going with this?

“I should have spoken up more and tried to get Tea and Scootaloo to calm down. But I didn’t. And during the planning stages I should’ve stuck up for Scoots more. I mean, you‘re kinda right about Tea…”

“But-” Tea started, but Subaru waved her off.

“We’re all sort of… you know, new to all this. Me and Tea, we’ve been working together for a long time, so we know each other. But then Scootaloo came in and… well, we’re still trying to feel things out, you know?” Subaru sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that… I’m sorry. Just give us a little more time. I promise. We‘ll work things out… somehow. I‘ll take responsibility for Scootaloo‘s behavior if you want…”

Twilight stared at Subaru for a moment. Did she actually just say what I think she said?

Twilight risked a glance at Scootaloo. The slim pegasus was staring up at Subaru, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity, thought Twilight could swear she saw a hint of a blush. Her expression quickly vanished as Scootaloo noticed Twilight’s attention, replaced with her more typical grumpy look as she turned away.

“…Alright,” Twilight said after what felt like an eternity of silence. “I’ll honor your request. However,” she looked between Teana and Scootaloo again, “I want this to be the last time something like this happens, understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Teana said. Her face was stony and her expression moody.

“Yes… yes ma’am,” Scootaloo replied softly.

“Good.”

Subaru sighed as she stepped out of the briefing room, then leaned against the wall beside the doorframe and let out a heavy breath. She’d expected Twilight to act like that, given their performance that morning. She hadn’t expected Teana and Scootaloo to just start fighting in the middle of the debriefing.

I guess we’ll just have to do better during this afternoon’s practice. I just hope Teana isn’t too mad…

She paused as Teana stepped through the door. The orange-haired mage looked at her, then strode up and grabbed Subaru’s wrist forcibly.

“We need to talk,” Teana hissed softly, “now.”

Subaru followed, allowing Teana to drag her along. She followed her down the hallway a little ways, right before Teana turned and pushed the door to the woman’s bathroom open. Their shoes made soft clicks on the yellow and black tiled floor as they walked past the stalls to the end.

Teana quickly let go and whirled to face her. “What the hell was all that about Subaru?” Teana’s voice was low and angry.

“What was what all about?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about, Subaru. Why were you defending that arrogant, stuck-up little squirt?”

“Because…” Subaru paused, then frowned. I can’t tell Tea about Scootaloo’s issue… I promised Spike I wouldn’t.

“Because?” Teana’s foot tapped on the floor as she crossed her arms. “Because why? Come on, spit it out.”

“Because… someone had to.” Subaru shuffled nervously, glancing away from Teana and looking at the stall doors. “She’s our teammate, right?”

“Not with the way she’s acting, she’s not. You and me? We’re a team. That feather-head’s just a third wheel.”

“Well, we’ve only just started working together Tea. Maybe once-”

“And another thing,” Teana interrupted, pointing an accusatory finger at Subaru’s chest. “What the hell was with you telling Instructor Sparkle that you’d take responsibility for her? She’s already in trouble for insubordination. Do you really want her hanging around your neck like a damn albatross? Think of your career!”

“What about it?”

“Are you trying to be dense? If you’re associated with a troublemaker like her, then she’ll just drag you down!”

“So?” Subaru replied simply. “It wouldn’t be the first time I got in trouble because of my friend.”

Teana opened her mouth, then shut it quickly and huffed through her nose. “Fine. Whatever. Like I can keep you from doing something stupid.” She threw her hands up in surrender as she brushed past Subaru. “We’ll talk about this later, when you‘re feeling more sensible.”

“Okay… Tea.” Subaru replied as Teana stormed out through the bathroom door. She shook her head as she walked over to one of the sinks, then leaned forward and rested her forehead on the cool surface of the mirror as she closed her eyes. She could hear Teana’s muffled voice just outside before things faded into quiet.

“Did I do the right thing?” The muttered question reverberated off the tile walls. Subaru opened her eyes again as she stood up. Naturally, her reflection didn’t have an answer for her. She ran her hands through her hair and shook herself before walking out of the bathroom as well. Her shoulders slumped as the door closed behind her with a hiss.

“Hey.”

“Uwah!” Subaru jumped at the voice, then quickly turned in the speaker’s direction. Scootaloo looked up at her from her spot beside the door, leaning slightly against the wall with one foreleg crossed over the other. “Oh… S-Scootaloo… Hey.”

Scootaloo looked up at her quietly, causing Subaru to swallow nervously and point a thumb at the door. “Um… were you…?”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo replied.

“How much did-”

“Enough. I saw Teana drag you into the bathroom. I was gonna give her a piece of my mind, but… well…”

“Oh…”

The two paused, making eye contact for a few moments.

“So… why‘d you do it?” Scootaloo broke eye contact, looking down and scuffing the carpet with a front hoof.

“Huh?”

“Why’d you stick up for me like that? If you‘re trying to impress Twilight, then-”

Subaru quickly shook her head. “I-It’s not about her, honest.”

“Then why go to all that trouble?”

“You’re my teammate.”

Scootaloo arched an eyebrow in disbelief. “Seriously?”

Subaru nodded sharply. “Yeah. You’re my teammate Scootaloo. Teammates stick up for each other when they have to. Besides, I think you’re pretty cool, even if Tea doesn’t understand why.”

Scootaloo gaped slightly at her. “But… but you barely even know me.”

“So?”

Scootaloo stared up at her, then shook her head and smirked. “I think Teana might be right. You really must be an idiot.”

“Uh…” Subaru paused as Scootaloo stood up fully.

“But,” Scootaloo stretched slowly, her wings flexing as she rose up on the tips of her hooves, “you’re the kind of idiot that I might end up liking…”

“So… does this mean we’re friends?” Subaru smiled nervously.

“Ehhh…” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Maybe not quite yet… but I’m willing to consider it, you know?”

“Oh, okay.” Subaru shuffled, then gestured down the hall with one hand. “Do you wanna get some lunch or something?”

“Maybe later. I kinda have a few things I want to think about first. In private.”

“Okay. That’s fine. I guess I’ll see you at practice then?”

“Yeah.”

Subaru turned to walk off.

“Subaru?”

She stopped, glancing over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

Scootaloo blushed nervously and glanced away, her Device earring swaying as she did so. “Thanks.”

Subaru smiled faintly. “No problem.”

“I swear, those two are going to make me gray before my time,” Twilight groaned softly as she walked down the corridor towards Shari’s maintenance lab. “I’m just glad Trixie wasn’t there to see it,” she noted to her tiny companion. “She’d have had a field day seeing me like that.”

“True,” Reinforce noted as she floated along beside Twilight. “I’ve noticed my Mistress does seem to take great relish in teasing you, Twilight, even though she really should be more mature.”

“Well, that’s Trixie for you. If she wasn’t being obnoxious, then I’d be worried.” Twilight let out a soft snicker before glancing over at Reinforce. “I’m glad you decided to come with me to meet with Shari. It‘s nice to know you and Trixie aren‘t completely joined at the hip.”

Reinforce smiled playfully. “It’s mostly for her safety. My Mistress, though clever, can get into trouble when I’m not around to watch her.”

“Gee, I can’t imagine why.”

“We all have our faults, Twilight Sparkle. Some overcome them, and some learn to live with them. The same can be said of your students, can it not?”

“True,” Twilight sighed.

“I assume that’s one of the reasons why you’re going to speak with Miss Finieno?”

“Partly. I wanted to make sure she got the data from this morning’s training sessions. I figured you’d like to meet her properly, since she’s in charge of our team’s Devices.”

“Indeed, though I doubt I’ll need to avail myself of her services.”

“Hey, you never know,” Twilight replied as the two of them approached the lab’s double-doors. Her horn lit up as she pressed the button, the doors hissing open. “Shari? Are you in here?”

“Back in the back,” came the reply, “come in, Twilight!”

“Already on first-name basis, I see,” Reinforce noted.

Twilight nodded and stepped into the lab. The room in question was rectangular in shape, most of it dominated by a large workbench in the center. A glowing holographic screen covered one of the walls across from the workbench, showing numerous schematics and sets of data. The blue-gray walls seemed to swallow the light, and the floor was matte black and smooth. A door on the far side of the room hissed open as Shari stepped in, her uniform having been traded in for slacks and a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves.

“Sorry for the mess,” the Device Meister said distractedly, her brown hair tousled and messy, revealing a stylus tucked behind one ear. “I was working on something and-”

“It’s alright. If this is a bad time, I can-”

“Oh no! It’s quite alright!” Shari grinned, reaching up to adjust her glasses. “I needed a break any…way…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze fell on Reinforce. Her eyes widened and one of her hands rose to her gaping mouth.

“Um, Shari, this is Reinforce. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. Reinforce, this is Corporal Shario Finieno, also known as Shari.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Reinforce politely inclined her head.

“Oh… oh my gosh… you’re really her. The Reinforce!” Shari swallowed loudly. “I never thought I’d actually meet you personally. I-it’s such an honor! Should I bow? Or salute? Oh my gosh…”

“Easy there,” Twilight’s horn lit up as she gently steadied Shari with a nudge of her magic.

“S-sorry.” Shari blushed brightly, leaning against the workbench.

“Don’t worry, I’m aware that some are not used to my presence.” Reinforce floated over to the workbench and landed. Her hooves clicked gently on the glassy surface as she walked over to Shari. “Some people can be overwhelmed, to say the least.”

Shari, meanwhile, slowly knelt down so that her head was level with the tiny alicorn. “How could they not be? You’re the living avatar of the Buch der Nachthimmel, the prototype of all Unison Devices of the Belkan Era, the master-work of a living goddess…”

Reinforce’s cheeks glowed red as she ruffled her wings. “I think that’s enough of that, thank you.”

Shari let out a squeak and pulled back slightly. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just… you’re the sort of Device that Meisters could only dream of creating. To see something that I’d only heard about in textbooks and lectures is just… just…”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “Incredible?”

“Yes! That!”

“Thank you,” Reinforce replied with a soft sigh. “Now,” she continued, giving her wings a quick flap and taking a more serious tone, “I believe you have some business with Twilight?”

“Oh, yes. Sorry.” Shari adjusted her glasses and stood back up. “Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

“I wanted to make sure you received the data from this morning’s practice,” Twilight replied, walking over and glancing at the large holographic screen. “And I figured I’d take a look at the designs you worked out so far while I was here.”

“Oh yes, everything came through just fine, both from the S4’s sensors and from Raising Heart’s.” Shari swept her hand through the empty air, manipulating the holographic screens into a set of six neat columns. “There’s also the readings I got from the onboard scanners I added to the trainee’s Devices. If you keep up the pace, I should have more than enough data to start fine-tuning by the end of the week.”

“You’ve already started prototyping?”

“Not yet. I do have the designs mostly finalized, though. Here, let me show you.”

Shari reached down and flicked the power switch on the workbench. Reinforce glanced up as holographic models sprang into existence above her, hovering in the glowing golden light of the bench’s emitters.

“Huh,” Twilight said as she inspected them. “Custom designs, I see…”

“Mhmm. I actually did my certification on nonstandard and atypical Device construction. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a traditional staff-shaped Device, but it’s not always the best tool.”

“That’s probably why Chrono recruited you,” Twilight replied, walking around the workbench as she looked at the diagrams. “I’ll admit, some of this is a little over my head…”

“Really?” Shari blinked. “I’d thought you were familiar with-”

“Oh, I’ve got a working knowledge of Device engineering and construction, but it’s hardly comprehensive.” Twilight smiled embarrassedly. “I know enough to build a basic Device, but custom work of this caliber is a bit outside my repertoire.”

“Well, I have had a little help.” Shari pulled the stylus from behind her ear. “I’ve been consulting with Meister Atenza at the Main Branch for some of the modular component designs.”

“I’ve met Miss Atenza,” Reinforce flew up amidst the holograms, inspecting them curiously. Her horn glowed faintly as she manipulated one of the schematics, expanding it. “She’s quite gifted. I would have liked to have met her under better circumstances than our first meeting.”

“Oh… oh that’s right,” Shari gasped. “You met her while the Wo- I mean, the Altenritter were on trial.”

Reinforce nodded solemnly. “She was very kind to me, and she treated me well. I could tell she had a love for her work.”

“Well, she is head of the Main Branch’s Engineering Division.” Shari replied with a smile. “She was my mentor while I was getting my certification. We got along fantastically… but anyway…”

“Some of these designs are quite impressive,” Reinforce noted. “Though the circuitry could use some work. Have you considered using a direct crystallization matrix for the thaumic circuitry instead of separate components?”

Shari blinked. “Well… yes, but the problem with integrating a DCM into the component means that if the part containing the matrix is damaged, then I’d have to reengineer the entire component instead of just replacing the circuitry. Besides, direct crystallization is really expensive to do, and isn’t as flexible or customizable after-the-fact as modern magical circuits.”

“True, but in my opinion the tradeoff for durability and weight makes up for it. If I remember, my creator used a similar process while reconstructing Twilight and Fate’s Devices.”

“Really?” Shari looked to Twilight curiously.

“THAT IS CORRECT,” Raising Heart replied, the jewel glinting against Twilight’s uniform.

“Princess Luna didn’t go into specifics,” Twilight replied, “but I’m sure you could ask her…”

Shari went a little pale. “Me? Ask Princess Luna? I… I’m not sure I could. I mean…”

“Oh relax,” Twilight waved a hoof. “I’m sure Princess Luna would love to have someone to talk shop with! After all, she’s working on a Device for Spike right now. I could introduce you if you like.”

Shari made a noise that wouldn’t have been out of place coming from a terrified mouse.

Reinforce coughed, pulling Shari’s attention back to her. “Do you mind if I give you a little assistance with these designs? Some of these look quite impressive…”

“S-sure. Please, go ahead…”

For Shamal, the hustle and bustle of the commissary at lunchtime was nothing more than background noise as she picked at her pasta salad. The blonde knight sighed softly, twirling one of the spiral noodles around, lost in thought.

After my last trip to Canterlot, going back to eating cafeteria food is a letdown, even if it is decent. She speared a few noodles and lifted them, slowly turning her fork to inspect them..

“Is this seat taken?”

Shamal glanced up from her lunch tray as Yuuno approached, blushing slightly as she swallowed. “Oh, no, please, have a seat Yuuno. Sorry, I was miles away…”

The archeologist took a seat across the table from the blonde-haired Knight, adjusting his glasses. “That’s alright. Nothing wrong with that. I hope I wasn’t interrupting something… Were you in conversation with someone?”

“Huh? No, no. Nothing like that.“ The faint scent of grilled meat drifted beneath Shamal’s nostrils, causing her to wrinkle them involuntarily. “I see you decided to try the mystery meat…”

“I’d hardly call it mystery meat, Shamal. It’s just ground beef.” Yuuno lifted his utensils and started working on his own lunch. “I don’t get many chances to indulge in red meat, what with living in Equestria. I don’t mind eating vegetarian, but man cannot live by hay bacon alone.”

“I suppose so.”

“Have you gotten settled in, Shamal?” Yuuno smiled, taking a bite of his lunch.

“Yes. The base’s clinic is quite nice. It’s hardly state-of-the-art, but for our purposes it works. It’ll be nice to have a proper care center for once. I’m more used to on-site triage than working in an office.”

“Hmm.” Yuuno swallowed. “I’d imagine so, since you’re working with the Altenritter. Is there really that much carnage?”

“Not really, but it’s our duty as Church Knights to provide support to the faithful in times of need. Mostly it’s things like disaster relief, guarding pilgrimages and so on. Just a few months ago, the six of us were assigned to guard a caravan to a particular holy site. Are you familiar with the name ‘Wilfried Jeremiah?’”

“Only a little bit. If I recall, he was known as ‘The Black Jeremiah,’ a legendary but nomadic smith and martial artist that helped refine Saint King Sägebrecht’s fighting arts.” Yuuno tapped his fork against his lips in thought. “But not much else. He wasn’t exactly the sort that left many records behind…”

“Indeed. We were escorting pilgrims to what was believed to be the grounds where he instructed Sankt Kaiser Olivie Sägebrecht in the arts of war. Of course, the route was quite perilous, what with the rocky terrain and the nasty local mega-fauna. We almost lost a few of our charges during the journey.”

“Must’ve been rough,” Yuuno replied.

“We managed, if only just. I‘m just glad I got some leave afterwards…” Shamal let out a dreamy sigh.

“I think I know how you spent it,” Yuuno teased gently. “So, how was Fancy Pants?”

“As wonderful as always,” Shamal replied with a small smile. “He had business in Los Pegasus, so we spent a week there with him showing me around and taking me to parties. Then we came back to Canterlot and… well…” Her cheeks turned bright red. “We had some… private time to ourselves.”

Yuuno blushed as well, then coughed loudly. “I don‘t think I need details on that, but it‘s good that you had fun. Though you could have come and visited me and Twilight if you were in Canterlot…”

“We didn’t want to bother you. Besides, we had our own plans.” She sighed and shook her head, frowning sadly. “Just a pity we won’t be able to get together for a while, what with my duties here.”

“It’s not like you’re stuck here, Shamal,” Yuuno consoled her. “Besides, I’m sure Chrono would be fine with giving you leave if you asked.”

“Maybe, but for now I still have my job to do, as do you.”

“True. Honestly though, I feel a bit out of place here.” Yuuno popped another chunk of meat into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I’m an academic,” he continued around the morsel, “not a soldier, my skill at magic notwithstanding.”

“That’s probably why Chrono brought you on board. Nothing wrong with a different perspective on things. Not to mention I can’t think of a single other person as skilled at defensive magic as you.”

“Well, aside from Twilight’s brother, but he’s busy being an Imperial Consort.” Yuuno chuckled.

Shamal giggled as well. “True. Princess Cadence might be upset if Chrono stole… him…”

“Hmm?” Yuuno blinked as Shamal looked past him. “What’s up?”

“Some of Twilight’s students just came in…”

Yuuno turned to look, following Shamal’s gaze. Lightning Squad walked into the commissary first, headed by Erio and Spike. Caro trailed along behind the two boys, looking a little embarrassed. Erio glanced back to her, then motioned her forward as he pulled out a tray for her.

Teana soon followed, or rather stalked, through the doors after them. She nodded curtly to Spike as he addressed her, before picking up her own tray and getting in line. Erio glanced up at her, then shook his head as he and Spike overstacked their respective trays. Caro blushed at the mountain of food her companions were carrying, glancing down at her own tray. Teana, however, seemed to pay them little mind, jerking slightly as the cook spoke to her.

“Looks like trouble in paradise,” Yuuno noted rhetorically.

“I guess training didn’t go too well this morning for Stars Squad. I don’t see Subaru or Scootaloo anywhere.” Shamal popped another fork-full of pasta salad into her mouth as she watched Teana break away from the others, taking a seat at an empty table.

“Maybe I should see what’s going on.” Yuuno turned back to Shamal. “Do you mind if I-”

“Oh no, go ahead, I’m almost done.” Shemal gently waved him off.

“Alright. See you later Shamal.”

“See you, Yuuno,” Shamal waved a fork as Yuuno rose to his feet and picked up his tray.

Teana leaned forward, elbow resting on top of the table as she stirred the mixture of meat, rice, and various vegetables together on her plate. Truthfully, she wasn’t really all that hungry, but she knew she had to eat anyway. If nothing else, it gave her something she could take her irritation out on.

Ugh…If I didn’t know better, I’d say Subaru was trying to drive me crazy. She grimaced, shoveling some of the goulash into her mouth and chewing mechanically. If there’s one thing worse than having one idiot on our team, it’s having two of them. Subaru on her own I can tolerate, but…

“Mind if I join you, Miss Lanster?”

Teana’s head snapped up as the blonde gentleman stood across the table from her. She swallowed quickly, coughing a little as a bit of rice caught in her throat. “S-sure. Go ahead… um…” She paused, his name escaping her.

He took a seat, setting his tray before him. “Yuuno.”

“I know what?”

He chuckled. “No, that’s my name. Yuuno Scrya. I‘m afraid we haven‘t been officially introduced yet.”

“Oh… OH!” Teana snapped her fingers. “Dr. Scrya! Special Instructor Sparkle mentioned you yesterday. Sorry, I should’ve recognized you…”

Yuuno shrugged. “That’s fine. We all get distracted sometimes. Something troubling you?”

Teana grunted. “Just problems with my team.”

“Yeah. I noticed you were all alone.” He glanced over at Lightning Squad’s table, then back to her. “I’m guessing there’s some friction between you and your teammates?”

“You could say that.” Teana stirred her food again.

“I don’t suppose you’d like to talk about it?”

Teana frowned, quirking her lips slightly in irritation. “Um… permission to speak freely?”

“Well, technically I’m not an officer,” Yuuno chuckled softly, “but sure. Go ahead.”

“Me talking about it won‘t do much. After all, I‘m not the one with the problem.”

“What do you mean?” Yuuno leaned forward, chin resting in the palm of his hand.

“I mean exactly that.” Teana tapped her fork on her plate. “On the one hand, I have a pegasus with, let’s face it, a pretty piss-poor attitude that doesn’t listen to a word I say in the field. On the other hand, I’ve got my long-term partner that seems more focused on making friends than training.”

“I see.”

“Now, Subaru I can handle,” Teana continued, irritation creeping into her voice as she stabbed a chunk of hamburger. “I’m used to Subaru. I like Subaru, despite her occasional… lapses in judgment. But Subaru and her new pony friend together is just…. Ugh, it’s enough to make me tear my hair out.”

“So you think the problem is Scootaloo?”

Teana paused. “Well… she’s not helping, that’s for sure,” she replied cautiously. “I’m not sure I can trust her like I can trust Subaru. And since Subaru‘s so set on being friends with her, I‘m… concerned.”

Yuuno nodded, taking a bite of his lunch.

“Not that I don’t understand what Subaru’s doing,” Teana quickly added. “I just think Scootaloo’s going to be a bad influence… or worse, get her in trouble. Subaru’s always been too soft-hearted for her own good. I have to keep an eye on her, so she doesn‘t fall in with the wrong type of crowd…”

“’The wrong type of crowd?’” Yuuno quirked an eyebrow quizzically as he repeated her words.

Teana swallowed. “Well, individuals like Scootaloo. You know, troublemakers. People who put themselves before the unit…”

“Ah.”

That one syllable set off alarm bells in the back of Teana’s head. “If you thought I was talking about something else, sir, then I apologize…”

“Don’t worry, Miss Lanster, I wasn’t implying anything.” Yuuno took a sip from his glass of water before continuing. “However, I’ll admit that Scootaloo can be a handful sometimes. I should know.”

Teana blinked. “Oh?”

Yuuno nodded. “I spent a good amount of time in Ponyville, so I knew her while she was growing up. And yes, she was quite a mischievous little filly.”

“However,” he raised a finger as Teana began to speak, “she’s also had a rough life, especially recently. I’d imagine she’s not really inclined to trust someone new, especially if she thinks that person doesn’t respect her.”

“If she wants respect, she should earn it,” Teana grunted.

“Maybe.” Yuuno pointed his fork at her. “But it’s up to you to give her that chance, don’t you think?”

Teana grimaced, turning her attention to her plate. “I suppose so, sir…”

“I hope so. From what she’s told me, Twilight’s expecting good things from your team, and you in particular.”

Teana blinked, then looked up at Yuuno. “S-seriously?”

Yuuno nodded. “Oh yes. She had nothing but good things to say about you when we discussed team assignments. If she seems hard on you, then that’s probably why. Just thought you might like to know.”

“Um…t-thank you, sir.”

“No problem,” Yuuno smiled, then resumed eating.

Teana watched him for a moment, then looked back down to her plate. So I impressed Special Instructor Sparkle that much, huh? Really? Well, after this morning she’s probably changed her mind about me… I’ll just have to prove myself.

The sun was high overhead when the trainees returned to the practice field. The glittering surface of the S4 reflected the afternoon sunlight as the trainees and instructors worked.

“Are you ready, Caro?”

Teana watched as Caro nodded nervously, the little summoner glancing at her draconic partner. Special Instructor Sparkle stood a ways away from Caro, her Barrier Jacket active and her staff hovering beside her. The purple unicorn was surrounded by a cloud of glowing energy spheres, the targets lit up in all colors of the rainbow.

“Y-yes ma’am,” Caro replied, taking a sturdy stance, the pink jewel on her bracelet-shaped Device glowing gently.

“Good. Launching Target Type One!” Twilight’s horn flickered as a dozen projectiles shot skyward. The swarm of softball-sized blue spheres blinked as they flew.

“Remember Caro,” Twilight said as she turned to look back at the pink-haired girl, “this is to practice accuracy, not area of effect. Concentrate on shooting them down before they reach you.”

“R-right,” Caro replied nervously as she pointed skyward. The blue spheres had completed a lazy arc and were now heading towards her. “Fried, attack!”

The little dragon let out a trill as flames licked from the corners of his mouth, right before he exhaled small spheres of flame. The orange shots sailed upwards towards the incoming projectiles. Most of the shots flew wide, though a few hit their marks.

“Focus, Caro,” Twilight ordered, her voice gentle. “Guide Fried’s blasts as best you can. Can you do that?”

“I-I’ll try. Fried, geinmaar aak daar yol?”

The dragon snorted, but gave a quick nod in reply. Caro’s brow was furrowed in concentration, the jewel on her bracelet glowing as she raised her arm and pointed skyward at the falling targets. Friedrich’s eyes glowed as well, matching the brightness of Caro’s Device.

“Now, Fried!”

There was a loud crackle of flame as Friedrich loosed another volley. Several more targets were incinerated, leaving about half of them in the air as they fell closer. Caro’s bracelet glowed brighter as sweat beaded on her forehead.

“That’s it,” Twilight said excitedly. “Keep going, just like that. You almost got them all.”

Caro let out a little grunt of concentration as Friedrich drew in breath, then released another volley. Spheres of bright orange fire leapt upwards, catching a few more targets.

Unfortunately, it didn’t catch all of them. Two spheres of light drifted down and connected with Caro. The girl flinched back as the blue spheres exploded with a crackle of static, the light on her bracelet disappearing along with the glow of Friedrich’s eyes.

“S-sorry about that, Fried.” Caro shuffled as Friedrich let out an irritated trill. She looked over to Twilight, then blushed. “I… guess we still need some work.”

“That’s alright. I don’t expect perfection all the time,” Twilight replied as she walked over to Caro. “You two did well, though. Your second and third volleys were much more accurate. How did you two manage that?”

“As a summoner, I have… well, it’s hard to explain. There’s this… link between me and Friedrich that I can use to control him…”

“Interesting. So it’s like a telepathic leash of some sort?”

“It‘s deeper than that. It’s like…” Caro frowned, clearly struggling for the words. “It’s like Fried is a part of me, but yet not… if that makes sense.”

“Ah! Okay! I didn’t realize your bond with Friedrich went that deep.”

“It is. Of course, that bond can be abused. In our tongue, such an act is called ‘Faal Zeymahsesil Thur.’”

“Um…” Twilight blinked. “Translation?”

“Roughly speaking… it means ‘Soul-Sibling Tyranny.’ I… I don't like doing it, because I don‘t like… using Fried like that” Caro winced as Friedrich landed on her shoulder, letting out a loud squawk. “And Fried says it makes his head hurt when I take control.”

“I‘m sorry to hear that.” Twilight turned to the little dragon. “You’ll have to work on your aim then, won’t you Friedrich?”

Friedrich let out a snort, followed by a soft trill.

“He says he will, but he makes no promises,” Caro supplied.

“As long as you try.”

“Um…” Teana raised her hand. “Ma‘am?”

“Yes, Teana?” Twilight turned to look at her.

“I can help if you’d like. After all, sharp-shooting is my specialty. Maybe I can give them a demonstration?”

“Mm…” Twilight considered it for a second, then nodded. “I don’t see why not. Caro, why don’t you and Friedrich take a step back, please?”

Caro nodded and retreated while Teana drew her Anchor Gun from its holster. She popped it open as she walked forward, quickly breech-loading a pair of cartridges. She snapped the barrels back into place as she came to a stop in front of Twilight. The gun was raised and pointed skyward, her index finger resting parallel to the trigger and not on it. “Ready.”

Twilight nodded. “Very well. Since you’re a skilled sharp-shooter, I’ll provide you with some more advanced targets to practice on.” The mare glanced over at Caro and Friedrich. “Both of you should watch Teana carefully while she’s shooting and see what you can learn, alright?”

“Yes ma’am,” Caro replied. Friedrich chirped in reply.

Twilight nodded, then walked back to her cloud of energy spheres. “We can start when you’re ready, Teana,” Twilight replied, the cloud closing ranks around her.

Alright. Time to show her what I can do… Teana snapped into position, taking a two-handed grip while her stance shifted slightly. “Ready!”

“Launching Target Types Two and Five!”

Two dozen orange and purple spheres shot skyward, sizzling as they did so. They reached the end of their arc, then turned and flew towards Teana. The orange targets swerved from side to side in a regular pattern, while the purple spheres barrel-rolled through the air.

Teana took aim, her eyes scanning the targets as she measured their movements. She focused, inhaled, and opened fire. Orange blasts erupted from her Anchor Gun as she mentally triggered the Shoot Barret spell, the bolts sizzling through the air as they headed towards their marks.

With each shot, a target vanished. Teana felt her Anchor Gun shudder with each pull of the trigger as she sent the blasts flying along.

Soon enough, the sky was clear.

“Well,” Teana heard Twilight say, “that was impressive. I‘ve never seen anyone shoot down a set of targets that quickly before.”

Teana quickly flicked her Anchor Gun open, ejecting the spent cartridges before slipping a fresh pair into the barrels. “I am a Lanster,” Teana replied with a note of pride as she looked to Twilight. “The bullets of a Lanster never miss their mark.”

“So I noticed,” Twilight smiled. “Looks like I was right about you, Teana. When it comes to sharp-shooting, your skills are top-notch. Now,” she turned to look at Caro, “let’s see how well you can explain them.”

“Huh?” Teana blinked.

“Explain what you did to Caro and Friedrich. It‘s all well and good to show your skills, but I‘d like to see if you can help your teammates apply them to their own magic.”

Teana paused, nibbling her lips uncertainly. So the demonstration wasn’t good enough for her? I should have known. Fine, I can handle this. I’ll show her…

“Teana?”

Teana blinked, glancing at Twilight. “Yes, Instructor?”

“Your explanation?”

“Oh! R-right. Ahem… well…”

Erio’s staff snapped upwards, catching the overhead blow that Fate had launched at him. There was a static-like as Fate’s staff struck, small sparks leaping from the golden telekinetic aura surrounding the bludgeon, causing Erio to squint slightly.

“Very good,” Fate complemented, the golden mare suddenly flicking her staff back and slashing quickly at Erio’s side. He quickly turned his own Device, blocking the attack. “Your reaction times are just as fast as I expected, and your form‘s quite solid. I’m guessing you‘ve been training.”

“Yes ma’am,” Erio replied, blocking another strike as he and Fate circled each other. “It was Captain Harlaown who provided me with some basic training… until his injury, at least.”

“I noticed. You’ve picked up some of his tells, like the way you hold your staff.” Fate thrust her staff forwards. Erio intercepted with a quick swing of his own. “I assume you’re planning on using a polearm?”

“Yes ma’am. Ideally, I’d prefer something like a spear.”

“Mm, it’d fit with your style actually.” Fate pulled her staff back, looking contemplative. “Though your style‘s closer to staff-fighting than spear-fighting. It’s a lot different from the way I handle Bardiche.”

“Speaking of which,” Spike interjected from his position, his legs crossed as he watched the two practice, “why aren’t you using him right now? I mean, you’re in your Barrier Jacket…”

Fate smiled slightly. “Bardiche’s head is a bit stronger than these practice Devices. Chrono might get upset if I break things I‘m not supposed to.”

“INDEED,” the Device in question added, the golden triangle connected to Fate’s left front hoof.

“Yeah, I guess that’s what happens when you’ve got an axe with a blade made from solidified darkness,” Spike replied. “Kinda hard to practice with it.”

Fate nodded, then turned her attention back to Erio and raised her staff. “Now that we’ve got the warm-up out of the way, I’d like to step it up a little. Do you feel ready, Erio?”

“Whether I am or not is unimportant,” Erio replied, holding his staff in a defensive position. “I can’t get better if I’m not challenged.”

“Yeah, I’d be careful saying something like that,” Spike warned with a wince. “You might end up getting more than you expected.”

“I can handle it,” Erio replied as his weight shifted, his eyes locked on Fate.

“The exercise is simple,” Fate said calmly, the golden glow surrounding her staff intensifying, matching the light coming from her horn. “All you have to do is fend off my attacks for as long as you can, understood?”

Erio nodded sharply, his breathing slow and steady, his eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed. His grip on his staff was tight and hard, his knuckles aching slightly as he waited for Fate to attack.

Fate struck, her staff snapping forward in a quick slash. He parried, golden sparks flying as their staves met. The second blow came just as fast, but he caught it as well. Then came the next one, and the next one, and the next, each swing and thrust parried. Fate’s motions were quick and precise, the tempo of attacks slowly but steadily increasing.

His thoughts raced as everything else seemed to move slower, his vision narrowing to the clashing of their weapons. Tiny tendrils of golden electricity danced between his fingers and along the surface of the staff as he blocked and dodged. And yet, Fate’s strikes moved at normal speed to him.

The blows continued to come, each parried strike emitting a splash of sparks. Fate’s staff spun and slashed at him, forcing him to quicken his pace. His breath came out in a hiss as he spun his staff, his feet quickly shuffling as he backed away from her.

Fate followed, her bright red eyes narrowing as she swept her staff in a quick, downward arc. Erio hopped over the swing, but staggered slightly as the follow-up thrust cracked against his upraised staff. He could feel his muscles burning as energy ran through his body, thin trails of golden-colored lightning flickering between his feet and the ground as he stepped backwards. His defense still held out against Fate’s assault, if only just.

And then, Fate’s staff flickered and blurred. There was a sharp crack as his staff flew out of his hands, right before a swing connected with his left calf. Erio landed on his side as his staff clattered to the ground behind him, his breathing quick and shallow.

“Erio, enough!”

He blinked as he heard Fate’s voice, before he shook his head and closed his eyes. He breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. The humming crackle of the static slowly dissipated. After what felt like an age, he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, then opened his eyes.

Fate looked worried. “You did it again.”

“I… I did?” Erio sighed as Fate nodded. “Sorry, ma‘am…”

“You don‘t need to apologize, Erio. Are you alright?”

“I‘m fine…” Erio winced, rubbing his leg where Fate had struck him. “I had plenty of energy thanks to lunch, so I didn‘t overdo it…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t stop you before. It took me a second to recognize what was happening…”

“Would someone mind telling me what just happened?” Spike walked over to them, looking between the pair. “You guys started out normally, and then all of a sudden all I saw were a pair of blurs and a whole lotta sparks.”

Erio sighed. “I have…control issues. Sometimes, when I get too focused in fighting, I unconsciously activate my magic…”

“Seriously? I thought all magic was, you know, consciously controlled and stuff.”

“Normally, yes,” Fate replied. “However, that’s not always the case. Some mages, if they‘re not taught properly at an early age, pick up instinctive triggers for their spells.”

“So it’s kinda how unicorn foals have magic surges?” Spike looked over at Erio. “But… you’re trained, right? I mean, you seem to be pretty on the ball when it comes to magic, even…”

Erio looked down at the ground. “I only started learning proper magic a few years ago, after Chrono adopted me.”

“Really? What about-”

“Spike,” Fate interjected firmly, “enough.”

Erio raised a hand. “It’s okay, ma’am.” He then turned to look at Spike. “I didn’t… grow up like most kids. I was in a pretty bad place when I ended up in the Bureau’s custody. I was an anti-social B-class mage with no formal training, a natural affinity for lightning, and little-to-no control over myself. After a while… I was considered too dangerous to try to teach.”

Spike frowned as Fate walked to Erio’s side, leaning down to nuzzle his cheek. Erio reached up, gently touching Fate’s mane before he stood up. “But thanks to Captains Harlaown and Testarossa-Sparkle, I know enough magic that I can properly control and channel my power… most of the time. Other times, like this morning and just now, I… well…”

“Yeah,” Spike winced. “Ouch.”

“For what it’s worth,” Fate replied as she floated Erio’s Device over to him, “your control has improved significantly. I’m sure with further practice and a proper Device, you’ll be able to keep yourself fully in check.”

“I hope so,” Erio sighed, looking to Spike. “Still, I’m not going to ask you to pick up the slack because of-”

“No, dude, it’s okay.” Spike shook his head as he approached. “Remember what I said yesterday? You’re not the only one who’s got control issues.” He then smirked and extended a clawed hand. “At least we can keep an eye on each other, right dude?”

Erio looked at his hand, then slowly extended his own and grabbed a hold. There was a loud crackle of static as flesh met scales, but Spike didn’t so much as flinch. Erio felt his lips quirk in a smile, despite himself. “Right… dude.”

And out of the corner of her eye, Erio could see Fate nod in satisfaction.

Subaru let out a whoop of joy as she launched off the ramp, sailing through the air at full speed as her motorized rollerblades whirred loudly. She had to admit, the course Shari had designed for her and Scootaloo was pretty intense; all steeply banked curves, ramps and blocky obstacles. It was like a skate park with all the features dialed up to eleven.

And Subaru was loving it.

She turned in mid-air, the wheels of her skates grinding along the wall of one of the large, cube-shaped hazards. She kicked off and sailed through the air beofre landing with a slight crouch, the wheels of her skate squealing as she gunned the engines. Her lips pulled back in a fierce grin as the wind whipped through her hair. She extended one hand to the side as she approached the oncoming corner, then took the turn tight and sharp. The tips of her fingers scraped the rushing ground slightly as she came out of the turn at speed, sparks spraying from beneath the wheels as she raced down the home stretch towards the glowing finish-line.

Almost there… Subaru narrowed her eyes and sent more energy to the engines. Just a little more…

A loud beep rang out as she crossed the finish-line. Subaru turned, grinding to a halt as she put on the brakes.

“How’d I do?” She turned slowly skating over towards Shari and Scootaloo.

“Pretty good, Subaru,” Shari replied cheerfully as she typed on her keyboard. “You shaved about a half-second off your fastest lap time.”

“Yes!” Subaru pumped a fist.

“Not bad,” Scootaloo congratulated her with a faint smirk, “for a slow-poke like you.”

“Now, now Scootaloo, there‘s no need to get competitive,” Shari replied, glancing over at the pegasus.

“Sure there is,” Scootaloo replied as she balanced on the brake-pads of her skates. “Nothing wrong with making it a race, right?”

Subaru laughed as she gestured to the hovering screen that showed their times. “If this is a race, I think you wrecked me. Even your slowest lap’s nearly two minutes faster than mine.”

“Mmmf… well, I’m pretty sure I could do better than that,” Scootaloo replied, then glanced to Shari. “My turn now?”

“Yup. Just be careful, alright?”

“I’ll be fine,” Scootaloo replied as she skated over to the start line.

“Alright, scanning sensors locked on,” Shari announced, tapping on the holographic keyboard. “Beginning countdown for lap number five!”

There was a loud claxon as the timer counted down. Scootaloo extended her wings, her stance lowering as she licked her lips, her tail swishing as her muscles tensed.

The countdown hit zero, and Scootaloo shot off the starting line like a bullet, the thrumming of her wings echoing in the wind.

“Wow, look at her go,” Subaru said as she shielded her eyes.

“I know, right?” Shari moved the sensor monitors closer, watching Scootaloo as she took the first curve high and wide. “Look at that speed. You’re probably the only one that can even come close to keeping up with her without enhancement magic.”

“Well, not with these skates I can’t…” Subaru blushed slightly as she stomped one of her rollerblades, the wheels clicking on the ground. “I mean, I did pretty good building the motors for these, but I know when I’m outclassed.”

“Mmm…” Shari gave a non-committal grunt.

“Um, Shari?” Subaru scratched her hair. “I‘m just curious, but what’s all this data for, anyway?”

“Well, Twilight and I are using the data we’re collecting to refine your training regimens,” Shari replied. “The better we understand how you six tick, the better we can help you improve, you know?”

“Oh.” Subaru frowned and rested her hands on her hips. “In that case… I was wondering about something.”

“Hmm?” Shari blinked as she looked at Subaru.

“Do you think there’s some way I can teach Scoots something? I mean, one-on-one? I know that sounds odd but…”

“Well, I’m not the one to talk to about that. You’ll have to ask Twilight for permission.”

Subaru swallowed. “Do you think she’ll allow it?”

“Well, wouldn’t hurt to try,” Shari replied. “She seems pretty reasonable.”

Subaru nodded as she heard the buzz of Scootaloo’s wings grow louder. The slim mare shot through the finish-line in a blur of orange. She swerved sharply, her skates sending up a spray of sparks as she flared her wings, her mane and tail whipping as the gust of the backwash from her deceleration rushed past her.

“How’d I do?” Scootaloo skated towards them, her wings folding against her sides with a quick rustle of feathers.

“Good. This run wasn’t quite as quick as your third one, but I think we’ve got enough for an initial baseline now.”

“If you say so…”

“But we’re not done yet,” Shari continued, turning to face them and resting her hands on her hips. “Now it’s time for some partnering work.”

“Partnering work?” Subaru and Scootaloo met each other’s gaze for a moment.

“Mhmm. It’s nothing too extreme. Think of it as a modified slalom course.” Shari reached over to her console and began typing. The course slowly dissolved away like a mirage as a new one took its place. A wide channel formed along the ground, dotted liberally with thin glowing pylons of light.

“The exercise is simple,” Shari explained as a diagram made up of two glowing arrows in motion. “All you have to do is pass along either side the targets as close to the same time as possible. If you take too long to pass the same target or get too far away from one another, it counts as a failed run, understood?”

Subaru nodded, though Scootaloo raised a hoof.

“Yes, Scootaloo?” Shari looked to her.

“Uh… don’t take this the wrong way, but what’s the point? I mean, when are we going to be doing slaloms in the field?”

Shari adjusted her glasses with a faint smirk. “That’s not the point. The exercise is to see if you can match each other’s pace and maneuver in tight proximity to one-another. This is about precision of movement and awareness of your teammate, not speed. Now, before I forget…” Shari turned back to the console and hit a button.

Subaru blinked as she heard a humming noise, right before a thin ribbon of green light ran along the ground connecting her to Scootaloo. “There’s the tether,” Shari continued as she turned back. “For the duration of the exercise, the two of you will need to stay within six feet of each other.”

“Seriously?” Scootaloo looked at the tether irritably, pawing at it with one skate-clad hoof. “Lame…”

“What‘s the matter?” Subaru’s question made the pegasus jump slightly. “Do you think I‘ll slow you down?”

“Uh…” Scootaloo paused. “Not…really? I mean, I’m built for speed. It’s not that you’re slow slow, but you’re not quite on… my… level…” Scootaloo’s voice trailed off slowly before she coughed. She looked slightly sheepish as she shuffled her skate-clad hooves. “Uh… that really sounded better in my head, honest.”

Subaru shrugged. “Hey, I’m not disagreeing. You’re crazy fast, Scootaloo. But you know, sometimes speed’s not the most important thing, right Shari?”

Shari nodded. “Exactly. Take your time and do your best to match each other’s speed and maneuverability. We’ll be doing several runs, so it’s not like you need to be in a hurry.”

Scootaloo sighed. “Yeah, okay… let’s just do this thing.”

Shari nodded. “Take your places at the start, then!”

Subaru carefully skated along beside Scootaloo, heading towards the glowing start line. She crouched slightly as Scootaloo extended her wings, the feathers rustling as she lowered her stance. There was a soft whine as Subaru mentally gunned her inlines’ engines.

The starting klaxon rang out.

“Go!” Subaru let out a shout as she let off the brakes, the squeal of her tires mixing with the hum of Scootaloo’s wings.

Vita stood at the pier, watching the training field with a moody look on her face. The little Knight’s arms were crossed, and the afternoon sunlight made her bright red hair gleam faintly against the black surface of her uniform. She could see the faint shapes of the trainees going about their work atop the shimmering plane of the S4, highlighted by flashes of magic and the spark-like spray of cast-off mana.

“Come to watch the kids at work?”

Vita glanced back as she heard the familiar voice. Chrono approached her, his uniform coat half-on, his bad arm resting beneath it.

“Yeah. Figured I’d keep an eye on things,” Vita huffed, turning to look back at the S4.

“I’m surprised you’re not down there yourself,” Chrono noted, looking down at her. “Having second thoughts about being an instructor?”

“No,” Vita grunted, her hands resting on her hips. “Twilight and I decided it was too early to let me at ’em. Don’t worry, I’ll be whipping them into shape soon enough. What about you, Captain Harlaown? Decided to take a break and wander amongst the peons?”

“Why not? I needed to get out of the office anyway. And just so you know, you’d probably do better if you used the monitors.”

Vita grunted again as Chrono produced his Device, the black card of S4U’s Standby Form glinting as he swiped it through the air. Three large holographic monitors winked into existence, each one showing a separate group.

“Pretty good group of kids,” Chrono noted, almost as though he were speaking to himself. Vita glanced at the monitors, watching for a moment.

Subaru and Scootaloo were racing neck-and-neck, swerving around glowing beacons as they went. They rounded a curve sharply, the glowing green tether linking them flashing bright red before vanishing. The pair came to a halt, Scootaloo stomping a hoof in irritation as Subaru raised both hands, clearly trying to calm the pegasus down.

Meanwhile, Spike and Erio were trading blows under Fate’s watchful eye. The short dragon moved with purpose, his hands moving to block Erio’s staff strikes. His stance was solid and firm, very different from Erio’s quicker footwork and rapid attacks. After a few blows, Fate stepped in, talking to them quickly before they resumed their fighting stances.

Finally, the last monitor was trained on Teana and Caro. The orange-haired gunslinger was crouched down beside the smaller girl, pointing upwards as Twilight launched several targets into the air. Caro looked to Friedrich as the dragon landed on her shoulder and tilted his head back, letting out small shots of flame. Twilight was watching the two closely, her expression thoughtful.

“I guess so,” Vita replied morosely.

“You sound disappointed,” Chrono noted, causing Vita to huff.

“Maybe I am.” Vita sighed, looking down at the ground as she idly kicked the surface of the concrete. “Maybe I’m just not used to training kids. At least the Church Knights I teach are older… mostly. The brats usually end up with the other teachers, not me.”

“Scratch that,” Chrono replied. “You don’t sound disappointed, you sound old.”

Vita shot a playful glare at him. “Hey, I was around before your grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather was even conceived. I’m allowed to sound old.” Her gaze landed on Chrono’s arm, her expression softening before she looked away. “Especially now,” she murmured under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Vita quickly replied. “How’s the injuries?”

“Same as before,” Chrono sighed. “Thankfully I’m mostly functional now, though not enough for active duty.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t get prosthetics,” Vita looked him up and down. “I mean, they’re pretty damn expensive from what I hear, but it shouldn’t be too hard to afford a functioning-”

Chrono shook his head. “Already looked into it, but I‘m not interested. I’d have to go through a biometric adjustment regimen to avoid rejection. I can’t really afford to be sick for that long just to have a working right arm. Not right now. I already spent enough time in the hospital with the injuries I had.”

Vita nodded solemnly. “Chrono…”

Chrono held up his good hand. “Vita, I already know what you’re going to say, and you don’t have to. You already apologized enough for what happened on Hyou-Gaki. If it hadn’t been for you and the others, I’d be dead because of my own carelessness.”

Vita nodded, then jumped slightly as S4U beeped loudly.

“Looks like my break’s over,” Chrono chuckled as he held his Device up. “S4U, open channel.”

A holographic screen appeared in the air at Chrono’s command. Griffith’s face filled it. “Captain,” he said, “Director Gracia is on the line. She wishes to speak with you and the Altenritter.”

“Right,” Chrono replied, his tone business-like. “Inform the Director I’ll be with her as soon as I get back to my desk. Alert Signum and the others.”

Griffith nodded and quickly adjusted his glasses. “Yes sir, right away.”

“Looks like Lady Gracia wants to borrow us or something,” Vita noted as Chrono dismissed the window.

“Probably,” Chrono replied, putting S4U away and shrugging his lame arm into the corresponding jacket sleeve. “Come on. Let’s not keep her waiting.”

“Alright everyone, line up!”

Subaru did her best not to look tired as she and Scootaloo skated up and fell into position alongside the others. The sun was starting to disappear behind the horizon, turning the surface of the training field a brilliant shade of orange.

To be honest, Subaru didn’t look as tired as some of the others. Scootaloo’s wings were drooping against her sides, while Erio and Spike looked like they were about to lean against each other. Caro swayed slightly, causing a weary-looking Teana to reach over and gently push her back into balance.

Twilight stood before them, lined up with Shari and Fate. “I’d imagine,” Twilight began, “that you’re all a bit worn out?”

A weary chorus of ‘yes ma’am’s’ was the reply.

“Well, that just means that you’ve worked hard today. You should be proud of that. Not to mention you all performed much better during this afternoon‘s exercises.” Twilight replied cheerfully. The cheer quickly vanished, however, as Twilight began to pace. “However, you all still have a lot of work to do. This week is the warm-up. Things will be getting a lot more intense from here on out, understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Subaru replied alongside the others.

“You probably all know this, but it‘s imperative that all of you take care of yourselves,” Fate added. “Cool off, get cleaned up, make sure to get supper from the commissary, and get to bed early. There’s no need to put any further stress on your body than there already is, understood?”

“Trust me; Fate knows how important self-care is for a mage.” Twilight then looked to Erio and Caro. “And all that goes double for you two. Your bodies are still developing, so any mistakes or deficiencies could have lasting impacts on you and your magic. So take care of yourselves, alright?”

“Yes ma’am!” Erio and Caro replied.

“Good. Now, Shari will send your performance logs to your personal terminals later tonight.” Twilight exhaled and came to a stop, looking at them. “Other than that, we’re done for the evening. Class dismissed.”

“Yes ma’am!” The six of them saluted, which Twilight quickly returned.

Subaru heard Teana groan as Twilight, Fate and Shari stepped away to confer. “I feel like my arms are gonna fall off,” Teana muttered, stretching the offending limbs over her head and behind her back.

“You think your arms hurt? Try having wings.” Scootaloo grimaced as she slowly skated along. “Everything from my neck down aches.”

“Oh, poor baby pegasus,” Teana snorted.

“Guys,” Subaru sighed, “can we not do this right now?”

“Yeah,” Erio groaned. “Besides, my whole body hurts. You two got off lucky.”

Teana and Scootaloo glanced at Erio, then at each other, then grumbled softly in agreement.

“Maybe we should head back to the barracks,” Caro suggested as Friedrich hovered beside her. “I’m sure a good soak in the baths will help.”

“Yeah,” Spike winced. “Hot water sounds pretty good right now.”

Subaru nodded as the others began to file away, turning to look at their instructors.

“You coming, Subaru?”

“Huh?” She turned as Teana called her name. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up!”

“Right, whatever.”

She waved as Teana turned away, then skated over towards Twilight and the others, slowly coming to a halt as she swallowed nervously. “Um… excuse me… Special Instructor Sparkle, ma’am?”

“Hmm?” Twilight turned to face her, looking up at her curiously. “Yes, Subaru?”

“Um, Shari suggested I speak to you about something… regarding Scootaloo, I mean.” Subaru ran a hand through her hair nervously.

“Oh! Of course.” Twilight smiled up at her. “Shari told me about that. I take it you had something specific in mind?”

“Well, um…”

Twilight sighed. “Subaru, please, just relax and tell me your idea,” she coaxed. “I’ll probably give you the go-ahead, provided it’s nothing too extreme and you follow all the safety protocols… and do it under supervision, of course.”

Subaru blushed. “Sorry, ma’am. Here’s what I had in mind…”

…but even with the problems we’re having, I’m sure we’ll be able to work through them. I’ve got Tea with me here, and I’m pretty sure that once Scootaloo’s gotten used to us we’ll do just fine. Plus, it seems like the other squad’s getting along nicely!

Anyway, I miss you two a lot, even though we’re not really that far away from each other. Take care of yourselves while I’m away, okay? I’ll write to you as soon as I can.

Love,

Subaru.

5: Extra Credit

Scootaloo groaned and rolled onto one side, her wings splayed out behind her as she woke up. The morning sun had just crested the horizon, sending shafts of pale sunlight through the drawn blinds and lighting up the bedroom. Scootaloo grimaced and yawned, then slowly pulled herself free from the sheets. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she sat up, then climbed off the bed.

Ugh, not even mornings feel right here, she thought to herself as she slowly stretched her wings, then raised herself up on the tips of her hooves. She quickly twisted her head, letting out a soft grunt as the vertebrae in her neck let out a satisfying popping noise. She glanced over at the clock on the wall opposite of the bunks, grimacing at the time.

“Hey Spike?” She glanced towards the top bunk. “You up?”

“Mhmm,” came a soft reply. Scootaloo frowned and backed up a bit to get a better look. The purple dragon was seated cross-legged on his bed, his eyes closed and his hands folded on his lap.

“Spike, what in Equestria are you doing?”

“Meditating,” Spike replied, opening one eye to look at her before he shifted slightly and shut it.

“Meditating? How long’ve you been up?”

“Not long,” was Spike’s brief response, his tail flicking across the sheets.

Scootaloo watched him for a moment, then shrugged and walked over to the closet and pulled on her clothes for the day. After dressing, she quickly made her bunk, pulling the sheets up and making sure it was neat and mostly unwrinkled. “Just don’t take too long,” she continued as she smoothed out a few errant creases. “Breakfast’s in about fifteen minutes.”

“Mmf.”

Scootaloo shrugged as she trotted out the door, turning down the hall towards the bathroom. Her ears perked slightly as she heard the sounds of conversation through the door.

Sounds like I’m not the only one who doesn’t like mornings, she thought as she tapped the door button. The door hissed open, allowing her in. Subaru and Teana were already inside; the former standing at the sinks with a toothbrush in her mouth, while the latter was tying her hair up with her black ribbons. “Hey,” she said, trying to at least sound cordial.

“Morning, Scootaloo,” Teana replied, while Subaru waved and muttered a ‘good morning’ through a mouthful of toothpaste.

Scootaloo trotted over to the sinks and grunted, rising up on her hind legs and flapping her wings to stabilize herself. She shook her head at her reflection, reaching over and lifting a comb as best she could with one hoof before running it through her mane.

“Nee shom helf?” Subaru asked, pausing in her brushing.

“Nah,” Scootaloo grimace as her mane settled into its usual upswept, feather-like shape.

“Shlee well?”

“Subaru,” Teana sighed, ”at least rinse your mouth out before talking.”

“Shorry,” Subaru washed off her toothbrush, then leaned down and quickly filled her mouth with water directly from the faucet. The foamy mixture of water and suds hit the drain with a splat before Subaru stood up. “Sleep well?”

“I guess,” Scootaloo replied. “You?”

“Yup! But then again, I can sleep pretty much anywhere.”

Scootaloo could see Teana roll her eyes in the mirror. “That’s not surprising, considering what time you went to bed last night.”

Subaru blushed as Scootaloo looked at her. “Uh… yeah… I kinda stayed up late working on something…”

“How late?”

“Um… about two in the morning?”

Scootaloo’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously? But you look so… perky.”

Subaru laughed nervously. “I’m a… really deep sleeper! Isn‘t that right, Tea?”

The orange-haired mage shrugged. “Trying to wake Subaru up before she wants is like… I dunno, like trying to make a volcano erupt by shouting at it.”

“Still, that’s… what, like four hours of sleep?” Scootaloo quirked her head. “You sure you’re okay?”

Subaru waved a hand. “I’m alright, really. I can function perfectly fine on less.”

“Well, if you say so,” Scootaloo replied.

“… and that’s the situation for now,” Chrono concluded as he poured milk onto his cereal. A few stray drops landed on the table, though Twilight didn’t pay them much mind. The ‘officer’s table’ in the commissary was pretty full, what with her, Chrono, Fate, Yuuno, Trixie and Reinforce all clustered around it.

“So most of the Altenritter will be gone until next week?” Twilight unpeeled her banana as she spoke, taking a bite out of it as Chrono nodded.

“According to Director Gracia, she requested them specifically because their skills would be best suited to dealing with the issue they were having,” Chrono replied.

“Was it another attack?” Yuuno’s worried look grew only more so as Chrono nodded. “That’s the third time this month. They’re getting more aggressive.”

“The Altenritter are best suited to dealing with them, but that’s because they’re used to fighting against opponents with AMF capabilities.” Chrono turned to look at Twilight. “Speaking of which, how’s the time table for our trainees looking?”

“Good. Hopefully, we should be able to stay on schedule.” Twilight frowned slightly. “And in case you were wondering, I was planning on starting them on Counter-AMF strategies next week.”

“Excellent.”

“I’m surprised you and Reinforce didn’t go with them, Trixie,” Fate looked to the blue unicorn curiously. “Aren’t the six of you a unit?”

“Yes, but Trixie must admit that her talents would be… less than helpful in this situation.” Trixie shrugged as she carefully sliced up a strawberry and offered a sliver to Reinforce.

“My Mistress’s magic focuses on misdirection and conjuration,” Reinforce supplied as she daintily nibbled on the strawberry. “Whereas my spells are more suited for large-scale engagements and heavy bombardment. Neither of us would be particularly helpful against the opponents the Altenritter are likely to face.”

“At least with Reinforce here, she can help Shari,” Twilight added, finishing off her banana. “And if nothing else, I can press Trixie into giving me a helping-hoof with training.”

“Seriously?” Trixie smirked. “Well, I have been considering taking on an apprentice. Maybe I can steal one of your students… kidding!” Trixie raised her hooves as Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Just kidding, Sparkle.”

“Speaking of students,” Yuuno interrupted idly, taking a bite out of a slice of crispy bacon, “we should probably go and get the S4 set up, right Twilight?”

“Yeah.” Twilight rose to her feet and levitated her now-empty tray into the air. “I’ll go on ahead. The rest of you can catch up.”

“I still don’t see how you can eat that stuff,” Trixie grimaced at Yuuno as Twilight walked away.

“I’m an omnivore that can shape-shift into an obligate carnivore. Meat‘s just part of the diet.” Yuuno grinned, baring his teeth at Trixie with the piece of bacon balancing between his molars like a flat cigar. “Maybe I‘ll try pony next!”

“Eww!” Trixie made a gagging noise, eliciting various chuckles from around the table.

“Yeah, I‘m sure Trixie‘s terrified of you now, fuzz-for-brains,” Chrono smirked, reaching over and ruffling Yuuno’s hair. “Now finish your breakfast like a civilized being so we can all get to work.”

The morning sun glittered on the waters of the bay, just beyond the S4’s containment barrier. Teana peered down at the ruined cityscape below from her perch atop the skyscraper, a gentle breeze stirring her pigtails as she narrowed her eyes.

“Right,” she muttered to herself as she turned back to her squad-mates. “Special Instructor Sparkle’s putting us through the same exercise as last time. Let’s see if we can get this right this time, okay?”

Scootaloo grunted as she slowly stretched her hind legs. “Sure, no problem. Just try not to be such a big jerk about things like last time.”

Teana’s eye twitched, just before she took a slow, deep breath. “If you actually follow the plan, then we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“So what’s the plan, genius?” Scootaloo cocked her head to the side as she took a seat on the sun-warmed surface of the skyscraper.

“Just like last time,” Teana replied as she drew her Anchor Gun. “I set up a sniping position on the route the drone takes, and you guys try to herd it in my direction so I can get a clean shot.”

Scootaloo‘s eyes narrowed. “Seriously? That’s your big plan? Try the same thing and hope it goes better this time?”

Teana met the pony’s glare with one of her own, then closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. As much as she wanted to snap at the pegasus, she knew that Special Instructor Sparkle was probably watching them. The last thing she needed was to get her team in trouble. Again.

“Fine,” Teana replied curtly. “If you’ve got something better in mind, then let’s hear it.”

Scootaloo blinked. “Seriously? Well, that‘s a shock…”

“Unlike some… individuals, I’m capable of learning from my mistakes.” Teana crossed her arms before her and tapped her foot. “Now, do you have something to add, or not?”

Scootaloo smirked. “Yeah, I do. The whole problem is that this exercise is all about chasing the target, right?”

“Yes,” Teana replied. “We’ve been over the objective, remember?”

“Well duh, but let me finish!” Scootaloo stomped a hoof. “Before, we had to match our speed with the drone so we could herd it, right? But that didn’t work. So why don’t we try something else? With my speed, I can get ahead of the thing easily, and we can pincer it in-between us…”

“The problem is that the drone’s set up so that it can avoid any attack you or Subaru can shoot at it. I’m the only one that can hit it, and if you haven‘t noticed I‘m not exactly fast.”

“Well, there‘s a way around that.” Scootaloo looked over at Subaru. “How do you feel about doing something stupid and reckless?”

Teana blinked, then looked at Subaru. The blue-haired mage blinked and glanced between the two. “What? Why‘re you two looking at me like that?”

Teana looked back at Scootaloo as realization dawned. “You’re joking.”

“Nope.”

“That‘s crazy. You‘re expecting me to shoot from that position? I could hit a stationary target, but-”

“Hey,” Scootaloo shrugged, an oddly human gesture for the pony. “If you don‘t think you‘re a good enough shot, miss sharp-shooter…”

Teana kept her expression neutral, though her teeth gritted tightly behind her lips. “Fine. But if this doesn’t work, we try it my way, alright?”

“Sure.”

“Uh,” Subaru slowly raised a hand. “Just so we’re clear… what’re we doing?”

“So they’re going through the exercise again?”

Twilight nodded to Yuuno as she watched the hovering holographic monitors. “I’m not going to let them get away with yesterday’s lackluster performance. I figured I’d give them a second shot… and from the sound of it, I think they might’ve learned their lesson.”

“Hmm… I wonder how they’d react if they knew you were listening in on them.”

Twilight glanced up at him. “You mean during training, or elsewhere?”

Yuuno shrugged. “Both. You have to admit Twilight, constantly monitoring their every waking moment might be a bit excessive.”

“It’s for their own good,” Twilight replied, flicking her tail. “It‘s just like how the Princesses monitor the goings-on in Equestria. You don‘t seem too worried about that.”

“Maybe, but this isn’t Equestria. Not everyone is used to having a pair of princesses monitoring their daily activities.”

“I have to admit,” Fate spoke up, looking away from her own monitors, “Yuuno does have a point…”

Twilight huffed. “I already cleared it with Chrono. Besides, I’m not constantly watching them. I just record their interactions so I can better understand their squad dynamics. Audio only, of course. Besides, Raising Heart deletes the recordings at the end of the day, so it’s not like I’m stocking up blackmail material or something…”

Yuuno raised his hands defensively. “Hey, no need to get defensive Twilight…”

Twilight sighed. “Sorry. I get what you‘re saying, it’s just…”

“You want to be just like Princess Celestia,” Fate offered, “which includes the seeming omniscience?”

Twilight glanced over at Fate, her cheeks turning pink. “Well… maybe?”

Fate sighed softly. “Twilight. Sis. I love you, but you can be so…”

“Hold that thought,” Twilight quickly turned back to her monitor. “Stars Squad is starting their run…”

Twilight watched as the drone darted down the pre-determined path, the silver sphere humming along at high speed, as per its programming. It wasn’t long, however, before a familiar orange pegasus darted after it. Scootaloo’s wings were a pair of blurs as she coursed after the drone, quickly matching the machine’s speed before slowly overtaking it. The drone darted and swerved, but Scootaloo managed to stay ahead of it, if only just.

In position! Scootaloo’s telepathic voice chimed over the communication link. You two’d better be ready!

We’re ready! Subaru’s reply was curt, but excited.

“And here they come,” Twilight said to nobody in particular as a long blue ribbon of light swept down through the sky, the leading edge sizzling as it formed. Subaru was rocketing along the road of light, her legs spread wide for stability. Teana was riding on her back, her legs tight around Subaru’s waist and one arm pulled around her neck.

“I have to admit,” Yuuno said as he watched the display, his lips quivering as he fought back a chuckle, “that’s definitely something you don’t see every day. Hey Fate, do the Shadowbolts have any exercises involving piggy-back rides?”

Twilight tried to ignore Yuuno’s comment as she watched her squad intently. She had to admit, the strategy was a bit unorthodox. It did, however, more than make up for Teana’s current lack of mobility. Not to mention attacking from the side meant that the drone wouldn’t be able to evade as easily.

Scootaloo, Teana called over telepathy, don’t get too close to the drone! I can‘t get a clean shot if you‘re in the way!

If I don’t get close, I won’t be able to slow it down enough! Just shoot the stupid ball already!

Twilight watched as Teana’s aim wavered slightly, the gunslinger’s eyes squinting as she drew a bead on the drone. Scootaloo swerved and weaved just ahead of the drone, glancing back with a flick of her head every so often to watch the drone in her peripheral vision.

Guys, Subaru’s voice cut in urgently, there’s a pretty sharp turn up ahead…

A sphere of orange light and mana formed at the tip of Teana’s gun.

Guys?! GUYS!

Teana pulled the trigger. The projectile flashed forth as Scootaloo banked sharply, slamming into the drone’s side. Subaru turned as well, her Wing Road rising and tilting as she turned the corner. Meanwhile, the damaged drone continued going straight and slammed headlong into the side of a building, sparks spurting from it as it fell to the ground.

Twilight smiled in satisfaction.

The sun was nearing its zenith when Twilight called an end to the morning’s practice. The trainees were lined up at parade rest as the S4’s constructs dissolved around them. Subaru felt the sunlight pouring down on her from above as the group’s instructors approached.

Twilight was smiling as she approached the six alongside Yuuno and Fate. “Good work this morning everyone. We’ll cover the specifics in the briefing later, but let’s just say that we’re much happier with your performance as a whole.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Subaru replied in unison with the others.

“We’re done for the morning’s session, so I’d like everyone to head back to the barracks to clean up. Debriefing will be in thirty minutes in Briefing Room One, understood?”

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!”

“Good. Dismissed!”

Subaru quickly snapped a salute before she fell out of parade rest, quickly exhaling as she bent forward, her muscles burning slightly from the morning’s exercises.

“Private Scootaloo, please wait here for a moment. Private Nakajima, may I have a word?”

Subaru quickly stood straight up as she heard Twilight address her. The unicorn gestured for her to follow, then turned and walked off. Subaru slowly skated after her, breaking away from the other trainees.

“I’ve spoken to Captain Harlaown about your request,” Twilight said as she came to a halt, turning and looking up at her. Subaru fought the urge to snap to attention under Twilight’s gaze.

“Yes ma’am?”

“Captain Harlaown said he’s said he’s fine with it-”

“R-really?” Subaru grinned eagerly. “That’s great! I-”

“Let me finish first, please?”

Subaru winced, but nodded quickly. “S-sorry ma’am.”

“Now as I was saying, Captain Harlaown has approved your special training with Scootaloo, provided that I oversee it. After all, someone has to be around in case something happens. Any objections to that?”

“No ma’am!”

“Good.” Twilight glanced over towards the orange pegasus. “Private Scootaloo, come over here, please?”

There was a soft rolling noise as Scootaloo skated over. “Yes, ma’am? Did you two need something?”

“Actually, yes.” Twilight glanced to Subaru, then gestured towards Scootaloo. “Private Nakajima, if you don’t mind?”

“Um…” Subaru scratched the back of her neck and smiled nervously. “I put in a request for some special training… for the two of us.”

Scootaloo‘s ears flattened. “More training? What, I’m not-”

“No! No, no, no!” Subaru waved her hands quickly, shaking her head. “You’re fine. I just… um… you know that Wing Road spell I used during our exercises? The one I skate on?”

Scootaloo blinked. “Uh… yeah? What about it?”

“Well… would you mind if I taught it to you?”

Scootaloo’s ears slowly swiveled back up and perked forward, her tail swishing. “Seriously? You can do something like that?”

Subaru nodded quickly. “Yeah! I mean, I can try. If you want to, that is.”

Scootaloo glanced over at Twilight, then up at Subaru with a curious expression. The look quickly faded as she huffed softly and ruffled her feathers. “Eh… I guess I could give it a shot? I mean, if you’re going to go to all that trou-”

“Oh no! It’s no trouble at all! Really! Come on, I’ll show you when we get back to the barracks!”

“Well, you two better be off, then,” Twilight smiled, trotting around them before glancing back over her withers. “You don’t want to be late for the debrief, after all…”

Subaru quickly nodded and skated off. Scootaloo fell in beside her, her wings buzzing softly.

“So,“ Scootaloo asked, looking up at Subaru as they rolled along, “what brought this on?”

“Huh?” Subaru blinked. “What’d you mean?”

“It’s just… eh, forget it.” Scootaloo huffed, ducking her head.

“I‘m not sure I-”

“I said forget it, okay?” Scootaloo grumped. “Let’s just get back to the barracks.”

Subaru shrugged and continued skating. The pair quickly crossed over to the pier, and then turned and headed towards the barracks, stopping when they reached the stairs leading up to the front door. Subaru crouched down and took a seat, quickly pulling off her skates and wiggling her toes.

“You can go ahead and hit the showers,” Scootaloo groaned as she pulled one hind leg free of her skates. “I’ll be there in a second.”

“Sure.” Subaru nodded, then picked up her skates and walked into the barracks. She took the stairs to the upper level two at a time, then quickly walked into her room. She grimaced as she looked at the desk, her eyes quickly scanning over the books on the shelf above.

“Where did I put… aha!” She smirked as she found her targets, quickly pulling the books from their resting spots. First came The Translated Equestrian Magical Lexicon, followed by Across the Divide: Thaumaturgy and Theory Between The Species and Applications and Principles Behind Pony Magic. All three books had dozens of bright blue, heavily annotated post-it notes protruding from between their pages.

“Alright,” Subaru murmured to herself as she ran her thumb across some of the protruding notes. “That’s the books… now where did I put the calculation sheet?”

There was a soft hiss as the door opened. Teana stepped into the room, one towel wrapped about her middle while she ruffled her hair with a second one.

“Wha… Subaru! You haven’t even changed out of your workout clothes yet?”

Subaru blinked owlishly, then blushed. “Sorry Tea. I just got distracted…”

“As usual,” Tea threw the towel at Subaru’s head. The blue-haired mage’s hand whipped up, catching it on reflex. “Get your sorry butt cleaned up, Subaru. No use going to the debrief all sweaty and nasty.”

“Okay, okay! I’m going!” Subaru giggled as she set her books down. She paused as she walked past Teana, slowly twisting the damp towel. “Hey, Tea…”

“What is it, Subaru?” Teana wasn’t paying attention as she reached into the desk and pulled out her comb.

Subaru took aim, then struck. There was a loud snap as the towel’s tip cracked just behind Teana’s rear, causing the other mage to squeal and jump.

“Gotcha!” Subaru grinned, then quickly bolted for the door. She could hear Teana’s enraged shrieking as she ran down the hall, laughing merrily as she went.

“…and since Private Lanster isn’t used to the system, I decided that the ‘94 would be better, since the integrated buffers prevent excess mana feedback.” Shari nervously adjusted her glasses as she stood at the workbench, the holographic schematics hovering before her and her guest.

“I see,” Reinforce nodded. “So that’s why you’re using the CVK-794 model instead of the CVK-793 for this design.”

Shari nodded quickly, trying not to jostle the alicorn on her shoulder. “There’s a loss in power, but I think the stability for prolonged use makes up for it. Better than risking overload and feedback like with the older models.”

“Indeed. I’m sure Captain Harlaown could attest to that.”

Shari shook her head. “Honestly, whoever approved him to use the ‘92 system should be fired. A young and untrained user armed with something as volatile as that? No wonder his body’s so worn out… not to demean his work, of course…”

“Hindsight is always crystal clear, Ms. Finieno,” Reinforce replied from her perch. “From what I gathered, the CVK-792 system was closely based on the original Belkan designs still in use by the Saint Church, was it not?”

“Hence why it’s so unstable. Thankfully it’s been phased out for the ‘93 models, like the one on Nakajima’s Revolver Knuckle.” Shari reached up, her fingers fidgeting with a small piece of the hovering hologram. She quickly set it aside when the alicorn took to the air, hovering before her.. “But you think the design for Private Lanster’s Device is workable? Please, be honest with me. I can take the criticism.”

The tiny alicorn nodded. “I would have gone with something more simplistic, but your existing designs are… adequate, given that the Device contains four separate modes.”

Shari let out a loud, relieved sigh, causing Reinforce to quirk an eyebrow. “Does my opinion mean that much to you, Corporal Finieno?”

“Uh… well…” Shari ruffled her hair and blushed. “Kinda… I mean, it’s always nice to have a second opinion on something like this. Fresh set of eyes and all that. But… um… you’re… well, you’re you.”

Reinforce sighed. “You have no need to prove your expertise to me. Captain Harlaown would not have brought you on if you lacked the necessary skills. Have some confidence in yourself.”

“Um… th-thanks.“ Shari’s cheeks turned pink as she glanced aside. However, she started as she heard a loud chirp from the room’s computer system. A glowing communication panel winked in over the workbench.

Shari quickly pressed the answer button when she saw the name. “Yes, Griffith?”

Griffith’s face promptly filled the view screen. “I hope I’m not interrupting you, Corporal.”

“No, no! I’m just discussing something with Reinforce. What’s up?”

Griffith reached up and gently pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger. “There’s a trans-dimensional communication line to Equestria open right now. Princess Luna wishes to speak with you.”

Shari froze. “D-did you say ‘Princess Luna?’ As in that Princess Luna?”

“Unless you know someone else by that name, yes. Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna of Equestria, is currently on the line.”

Shari stared at the screen uncomprehendingly. “Did…she say why?”

“Apparently, Special Instructor Sparkle contacted her last night to ask if she would offer a consult on your Device designs for the trainees…” Griffith paused as Shari let out a small, panicked squeak. “Um… Corporal? Are you okay?”

Shari shook her head weakly.

“Do you need a moment?”

Shari nodded rapidly.

“Alright. Please hold.”

Shari quickly turned away from the screen and tried not to hyperventilate. When Twilight had made the offer yesterday, Shari had expected it’d take a while to get the Princess’s attention. She hadn’t expected Twilight to call the Princess in for an actual consult so soon. And she definitely wasn’t expecting a response today.

Okay… okay Shari, just relax. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. Treat this like when you were working with Meister Atenza. Just… ignore the fact that you’re going to be talking to someone who’s likely had several lifetimes worth of experience in your field and could probably design circles around you in her sleep! And you’re going to show your schematics to her. Great! No problem! None what-so-ever… Oh sweet Kaiser, I think I’m going to-

“You‘ve nothing to fear, you know.”

Shari jerked and spun around, looking at Reinforce. The tiny pony stood on the workbench, her expression somewhat concerned. “While my creator can be rather… imposing in person, the effect of her presence doesn‘t carry over a comm-line. And if Twilight spoke well of you, which she likely did, Luna will no doubt be quite cordial with you.”

“Oh… wonderful… g-good to know.” Shari did her best to smile. She must not have done a good job of it, as Reinforce sighed.

“It would be best if you just dove right in,” Reinforce suggested gently. “Stewing in your own dread will just make things worse. Though you might want to wipe the sweat off your face before you speak to her.”

Shari nodded weakly, quickly reaching up and swiping a hand over her forehead with her sleeve as she fought to compose herself. Yeah… this is no way to greet royalty…

“Ready?” Reinforce floated up to her shoulder and landed daintily.

“Y-yeah.” Shari inhaled, quickly running her fingers through her hair to smooth it down. “Griffith? Go ahead and open the line.”

“Right. One second.”

The holographic screen shimmered and went briefly out of focus before it changed. A pony stared back at her now. Her coat and horn were deep midnight blue, while her flowing mane was a flowing banner of sapphire blue light filled with glittering stars. Her cyan eyes seemed to glow, while a black crown perched atop her brow behind her long, sharply-pointed horn.

“Meister Finieno, I presume?” Her voice was even and measured, her lips pulled down in a slight frown.

“Um… yes. H-hello, your Highness. It’s… it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ah. Good. A pleasure to meet you as well.” Luna inclined her head politely to her. “I do apologize for the sudden call. Twilight Sparkle advised that I should contact you when I had a free moment.”

“Oh! Um… t-that’s fine your Highness. I just… didn’t expect you to call this quickly. If I’d known, I would’ve freshened up a bit. Wouldn‘t want to make a bad first impression, right?”

Shari laughed nervously, which elicited a soft sigh from Luna.

“You need not concern yourself with outward appearances. Twilight has vouched for your competence, which means more to me than a well-polished exterior.” The alicorn’s attention shifted slightly, her gaze slipping to Shari’s shoulder. “Well met, Reinforce. It has been a while since we last spoke.”

“Yes, it has.” Reinforce replied formally. “Well met to you as well, Princess Luna.”

Okay… this is awkward, Shari thought to herself as the two alicorns looked at each other. She shuffled slightly, then coughed quietly into her hand. “Um… Reinforce was giving me some feedback on my Device designs, your Highness.”

“Ah. Good.” Luna turned her attention back to Shari. “And has she been helpful?”

“Very,” Shari replied quickly. “But, really, I don’t mind consulting with you… if you’re willing. Twilight said you’re designing a Device for Spike. I thought that we could collaborate…t-though I’m not saying you need help! I mean-”

“I see no reason why we cannot work with one-another,” Luna replied, interrupting her smoothly. “If you would be so kind as to transmit the schematics from your terminal to mine, I would be most appreciative.”

“Your terminal?” Shari blinked.

“Yes. How else would I be speaking to you?”

“Oh! R-right! Sorry, I just… never mind.” Shari’s hands quickly sprang to a nearby keyboard, quickly tapping in the commands. “I’ll be sending the data in just a moment. It might take a little while to transfer, considering the fact this is a trans-dimensional connection…”

“That’s fine. I can wait.”

Yuuno was seated cross-legged on the S4’s surface, his hands resting on his lap as he looked at Caro, Friedrich and Spike. He’d discarded his regular suit and tie, and had instead switched over to his Barrier Jacket. His dark green cloak was folded on the ground underneath him, leaving him only in his cream-and-green tunic and pants. His Device, Oculus, rested against his chest on its chain and glittered in the afternoon sunlight.

“I’m sure you’re both familiar with the basics of defensive spells,” Yuuno began, slipping into his scholarly tone, “but I’d like to do a quick review. Could one of you tell me about the three separate types of spells that make up the Defense category?”

Spike’s hand quickly shot up. Yuuno gestured to him. “Spike?”

“Shield, Barrier, and Field type spells,” Spike rattled off.

“Good.” Yuuno smiled as he held up his hands before him. “Each spell type has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to defending.”

He flicked his left hand, conjuring a small, Mid-Childan spell circle in front of him. “First is the Shield. Shields work by repelling incoming force and energy, much like a wall would. They‘re typically the most focused and sturdy type of defense. However, they only cover the caster’s front, leaving them open elsewhere.”

He flicked his right hand, conjuring a swirling green dome of light in front of it. “The second type is the Barrier. Caro, can you tell me why a Barrier is different from a Shield?”

Caro started slightly at his request, then nodded. “Um… Barriers absorb energy, and cover a larger area than Shields do?”

“Yes, very good. Barriers tend to encompass the caster, providing wider areas of protection. However, they also tend to be more fragile than Shields, making them easier to break through.”

“Finally, there are Field spells.” Yuuno dismissed the Barrier and Shield before clasping his hands together. A pale green aura of light flowed up around his body, fully encompassing him. “Field spells negate, rather than repel or absorb. They can also be tuned to resist specific things like heat or electricity, making them more effective against environmental hazards. However, Field spells can be overpowered with enough energy, and most require a lot of energy and concentration for continuous use.”

“Now,” Yuuno continued as he dismissed the glowing aura, “because this type of magic is a necessity in combat, Twilight’s asked me to gauge your respective skills.”

“It’s especially important for the both of you.“ Yuuno gestured between the two of them. “Spike, your skill in Defense magic will allow you to take hits your body wouldn’t otherwise handle. And Caro, Defense magic is a necessary part of your role as a support mage; it allows you to protect your allies when they‘re distracted or pinned down.”

Caro nodded nervously, eliciting a chirp from Friedrich as the little dragon lounged across her shoulder. Spike crossed his arms, his tail swaying behind him, his expression slightly bored.

“Well, it‘s probably time I stop lecturing.” Yuuno chuckled, running his fingers through his hair, then climbed to his feet. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”

“Finally,” Spike grunted, pulling himself to his feet and stretching. He glanced over at Caro and offered her a clawed hand.

Caro looked at his hand, then slowly reached over towards it. This elicited an angry hiss from Friedrich, causing her to pull back slightly. “I… think I’ll be fine.”

Spike huffed and glared at the silvery-white dragon as Caro stood up. Friedrich chirped irritably and took wing, hovering between Caro and Spike. Yuuno watched the three quietly as Spike stepped a little ways away from Caro and Friedrich.

“Alright,” Yuuno began as he looked over his students. “Why don’t we start with Shields? Spike, would you mind going first?”

“Sure.” Spike nodded, then extended his hand. His bracelet Device glittered as he took a step back, the gem glowing as he focused. A shimmering green Belkan triangle sprang into existence before him, slowly rotating as he held his position.

“Oculus,” Yuuno tilted his head down to look at his Device, “would you mind bringing up the readouts from the S4’s sensors?”

“YES, SIR.” The Device chimed softly as several holographic screens popped up, the scanners focused on the purple drake.

Wow, Yuuno thought to himself as he eyed the scan’s results. His Panzerschild‘s like a stone wall. Then again, I’d expect nothing less from someone taught by Zafira. If anything, Spike’s shield may trump Zafira’s… heck, it’s nearly as powerful as mine!

“Very good,” Yuuno said aloud, refocusing the sensors. “Your turn Caro.”

“R-right.” Caro inhaled and raised both her hands. A pink Mid-Childan circle formed in front of her, glowing brightly as the spell completed itself.

“Good, just like that.” Yuuno glanced over at the readouts. Not bad for her age… wait… His eyes narrowed as he watched the read-outs. Her power output’s fluctuating. Is she having problems with focusing? Let’s see if it carries over to the other spell types…

“That’s good.” Yuuno turned to Caro, smiling pleasantly. “Now, let’s try Barriers. Just like before, please.”

He turned back to the screens. The readouts told the same story; Spike’s output and control were rock solid, while Caro’s fluctuated in spits and spurts.

Odd… Yuuno glanced over toward Caro. The young girl stood firm behind the swirling pink dome of light she was projecting, her Device glowing softly and her brow furrowed in concentration. Friedrich, meanwhile, hovered at her side, watching her quietly and letting out a soft trilling noise.

“Alright, lower your spells please.” Yuuno walked over towards his students, the holographic monitors floating behind him. “You’re both doing very well. However, I do have some concerns, Caro.”

Caro blinked up at him. “Y-yes?”

Yuuno crouched down, getting closer to her height. “Your readings are fluctuating quite a bit. I’m not sure if it’s because of your Device, inexperience, or what, but I’d like to see if we can get a handle on it before we move on. Is that alright?”

“Y-yes, sir.” Caro glanced down and shuffled her feet nervously. “Sorry…”

“Hey, don’t look like that,” Yuuno chided gently. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You just need to work a little harder, alright? Not everyone has the same level of skill. For example, I can’t cast Offensive magic to save my life…”

“Oh?” Caro peeked up at him through her pink bangs.

Yuuno nodded. “We’re all here to improve, remember? Don’t worry if you’re not as good as everyone else. I’ll be happy to help. And I’m sure Spike wouldn’t mind lending a hand, right?”

Spike nodded. “Sure… at least, as long as the silver chicken over there cooperates.”

Friedrich let out a hiss at Spike, then flitted over and landed atop Caro’s head. The little dragon glared at Yuuno, thin wisps of smoke drifting from his nostrils.

“He’s worse than that stupid rabbit,” Spike muttered under his breath.

No kidding, Yuuno thought in agreement.

“Alright you two, let‘s go at this again. Launching Target Types Three and Four!”

Red and green spheres shot upwards, sizzling as they ascended. Teana stood beside Scootaloo, her Anchor Gun raised high and her stance stable. Her eyes tracked the red spheres, watching them jerk sharply left and right amidst the wide, lazy vertical swings of the green spheres.

Teana opened fire, bolts of orange-colored mana streaking upward as she fired. Her targets vanished one by one, each shot hitting its target.

And then, one of her targets was struck by a crescent-shaped blast. Teana’s teeth clenched as she heard her ‘partner’s’ movements, the clicking of her roller skates almost obnoxiously loud to her ears. A cloud of the purple projectiles shot upwards, only half of them hitting their targets.

Teana did her best to ignore the sounds and focused on her firing… at least until one of Scootaloo’s shots intercepted one of her own.

“Rrrgh… Scootaloo!” Teana quickly turned towards the pegasus, her Device pointed upwards and level with her shoulder, as per trigger discipline. “Are you doing that on purpose or what?!”

The pegasus huffed, her roller skates on her front hooves clicking as they landed on the ground. “Doing what? I‘m doing just fine, thank you!”

“Fine? You keep hitting my targets and blocking my shots! This is the third round of target practice we’ve gone though, and you keep. On. Doing it! You-”

“Okay, that’s enough you two,” Twilight said firmly as she approached the pair. “What did I say about fighting?”

Teana grimaced, holstering her Anchor Gun and crossing her arms. “Sorry, Special Instructor Sparkle.”

“Sorry, Tw- Special Instructor Sparkle,” Scootaloo replied, glancing away.

Twilight sighed heavily. “I understand that working together like this isn’t exactly pleasant, but at least make an effort to get along, alright?”

“I am, Special Instructor, but my criticism still stands.” Teana looked pointedly at Scootaloo. “Scootaloo’s attacks are too wild and inaccurate, which makes it difficult for me to hit with my shots.”

“Hey, some of us don’t have handy little toys to point and shoot,” Scootaloo replied. The jewel on her earring glittered as she swung a front hoof in demonstration. “I have to swing like that to generate the necessary air movement to cast my spell. The bigger the swing, the better the attack.”

“There’s a difference between ‘swinging’ and ‘flailing wildly,’ Scootaloo. Maybe you should learn the difference before-”

“Ahem!” Twilight cleared her throat loudly, silencing the two of them. “Are you two done?” She glanced between the pair, watching them slowly nod. “Good. Now, Scootaloo, Teana has a point. You could stand to work on your accuracy.”

Teana smirked triumphantly.

“However,” Twilight turned to Teana, “I’d expect you of all people to understand the strategic value of different attack styles, Private Lanster, even if you don’t approve of how they‘re executed.”

Teana began to speak, but paused as Twilight arched an expectant eyebrow. “Yes, Private Lanster?”

“N-nothing, ma’am,” Teana replied brusquely.

Twilight exhaled. “Perhaps I should elaborate.” Twilight took a seat and closed her eyes, her horn glowing with a magenta aura. A small window of light formed beside her, a stick-figure silhouette appearing on its surface.

“Each member of Stars Squad has their own approach to ranged combat,” Twilight explained as the stick figure drew a small ‘gun’ of its own and took aim. “Your approach focuses on precision and accuracy. What was the motto you said yesterday? ‘The bullets of a Lanster never miss their mark?’”

“Yes ma’am,” Teana replied.

“Meanwhile, Subaru has her own style.” The stick figure lost its gun, then leapt into the air and threw a punch. “Her style focuses on crushing a target with raw, overwhelming force. It’s hardly a subtle approach, but it’s effective nonetheless, wouldn’t you agree?”

Teana nodded.

“Finally, we have Scootaloo.” Twilight gestured to the mare in question as the stick figure human was replaced with a stick figure pegasus. “Rather than precision and power, Scootaloo’s attacks focus on overwhelming the target with rate of fire. The individual attacks may not be as powerful as Subaru’s, or as accurate as yours, but they make up for it in sheer volume.”

“Now Teana,” Twilight concluded, two human stick figures joining the pony on the screen, “can you perhaps tell me how each of these three styles can work together?”

Teana frowned and crossed her arms, closing her eyes as she thought. “Well… suppressive fire comes to mind. Scootaloo’s firing rate can easily pin targets down while Subaru or I can get a better shot.”

“Good thinking. And you, Scootaloo?”

“Um…” Scootaloo’s scratched one ear, her earring swaying gently. “Well, between the three of us we could probably shoot, like, regular spells down real easy, right?”

Twilight nodded and smiled. “See? Maybe instead of focusing on your differences and bickering about who’s doing what wrong, you should try to see how you can work together. Think you two can manage that, at least?”

Teana looked at Scootaloo. Scootaloo looked back at Teana.

“Sure…” Scootaloo said cautiously.

“If it’s for the team, then yes.” Teana replied.

Twilight looked between the two of them, then sighed and nodded. “I’ll accept that for now… but we’re going to have to have a talk later about this, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both responded.

“Good. Now, let’s get back to work. Scootaloo, you’re up. Let’s see if we can’t tighten up your accuracy a bit, shall we?”

The sun had begun to set as the trainees began to make their way across the bridge towards the base proper.

Scootaloo grimaced as she drifted along on her skates, the wheels rumbling softly as she rolled across the cement surface of the bridge. It’d been a long afternoon, especially after dealing with Teana all day.

I swear, I don’t know which is worse, she thought to herself irritably, her constant nagging or the fact she acts like I’m some kinda poorly house-trained dog.

“It’s just some special training Tea, nothing fancy.”

Scootaloo’s ears perked forward as she came to a stop. Teana and Subaru were near the end of the bridge. Teana was her usual irritated self; her arms were crossed, the fingers of her left hand drumming on her right bicep and a scowl etched on her lips. Subaru was leaning against the bridge support, a large duffle bag hanging loosely from one hand.

“And like I said, that’s fine,” Teana replied stiffly. “But what I want to know is why I shouldn’t be a part of it. If you’re going to be tutoring your little pegasus friend, then we should be doing it as a unit.”

Subaru sighed. “It’s not that kind of tutoring. Besides, it’s not in a type of magic you’re good at.”

That seemed to irritate Teana further. “So you’re saying I’m not good enough?”

“No! It’s just… well… you and her…” Subaru’s words came out in a hurried jumble.

Teana sighed heavily and shook her head. “Fine. Whatever. Just… don’t stay out too late. If you two end up sleep-deprived it’ll show poorly on our squad.”

“Okay… Tea…”

And with that, Teana turned on her heel and walked off, her pigtails swaying behind her. Subaru watched her leave, then slumped a bit further down the support.

Scootaloo grimaced, then skated towards Subaru. “Is she always like that?”

Subaru jerked, then quickly put a smile on her face. “Huh? Oh… not always. She’s probably just tired. She always gets super cranky when she’s tired…”

“Uh huh…” Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow, but didn’t continue. “So… you feel up to doing that special training thing?”

“Mmhmm!” Subaru quickly nodded, then crouched down and opened her duffle bag. “I got all the stuff right here…”

“Well, I see someone’s eager to get started.”

Scootaloo turned, quickly drawing herself to attention as Twilight, Fate and Yuuno walked down the bridge towards them. Fate nodded to Subaru and Scootaloo, then continued trotting on, heading in the direction of the base’s central building.

“I’d have figured you’d like to get some dinner first,” Twilight continued. “No use in practicing on an empty stomach, right?”

Amen to that, Scootaloo thought to herself.

“Well… um…” Subaru blushed, scratching the back of her neck from her crouched position, “if that’s what you’d prefer. I mean, I was going to just go over the basics first, ma’am.”

“The basics?” Twilight and Scootaloo said in unison as Subaru produced a stack of books from her duffle bag.

“Well, yes.” Subaru stood up, the books clutched to her chest. “After all, we’re talking about translating a Modern Belkan spell into something a non-unicorn Equestrian style practitioner can use.” She shuffled the books around, then quickly produced a sheet of paper from one and presented it to Twilight. “I went through what I had and I think I’ve translated the equations properly… t-though I wouldn’t mind if you checked them for mistakes, ma’am.”

Twilight gently levitated the sheet of paper from Subaru’s hand. Scootaloo craned her head around to peer at it, then blinked. The sheet was almost entirely covered with neatly written formulas and magical glyphs, some of which Scootaloo didn’t even recognize.

And this is what she considers the basics? Scootaloo squinted as she read some of the smaller equations. Sheesh… some of this stuff makes my head hurt just looking at it…

Twilight, however, was studying the sheet very intently, her eyes narrowed as they flicked over the equations. Yuuno leaned down, adjusting his glasses as he read as well. His eyes slowly went wide as Twilight glanced at him, then over at Subaru. “Um… Subaru,” Yuuno asked gingerly, “can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Did you… happen to have any help on this?”

Subaru looked slightly confused. “Uh… no? I mean, aside from the books I had. Why?”

“Because,” Yuuno replied, “this is probably one of the most comprehensive spell translations I’ve seen.”

Subaru blushed. “Um… t-thank you, sir.”

“True, it’s quite impressive,” Twilight added, lowering the sheet of paper, “but it’s a little… high-level for our purposes.”

“Huh?”

Twilight nodded and offered the sheet to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, can you understand what this says?”

“Uh…” Scootaloo peered at the paper again, then shook her head. “Not a clue. I mean, I see there‘s lots of numbers and squiggly lines and stuff, but… yeah, no idea.”

Twilight nodded and looked up at Subaru. “While your work is impressive and clearly demonstrates a mastery of the material, your… presentation needs some work. There’s a difference between explaining it for somepony like me who’s well versed in cross-style magical theory and somepony like Scootaloo.”

“O-oh…” Subaru shuffled her feet and glanced down at the ground, looking like a puppy that’d just wet the carpet.

“H-hey, it’s not that bad,” Scootaloo offered, skating over and bumping her gently. “I mean, you just did your thing, right? Not your fault I’m not good at the whole mathematics stuff.”

“No… I mean…” Subaru sighed. “Sorry. I guess… I just thought… I screwed up, didn‘t I?”

“Hardly,” Twilight said, smiling up at Subaru. “Your work is an excellent starting place for helping me understand that spell of yours. It’s much more in depth than the TSAB spell archive entry had. Plus, your translations should give us a good head-start on adapting it for Scootaloo’s use.”

“R-really?” Subaru seemed to perk up at that.

Twilight nodded, then glanced over at Scootaloo as the pegasus’ stomach let out a growl. “Hehe… maybe we should continue this over dinner…”

“Eh-heh… yeah.” Scootaloo grinned weakly as Subaru nodded.

“Yes ma’am. Come on Scoots, let’s get going!”

“Way ahead of you, Subaru,” Scootaloo replied as she skated off.

Teana did her best to ignore the twisting feeling inside her gut as she walked in the evening gloom. Her fingers squeezed into the bread of the half-eaten sandwich she carried, the plastic wrapping crinkling slightly as she walked. Truthfully, she didn’t feel very hungry, but that was no excuse not to eat. She had to keep her energy up, after all.

A warm breeze drifted in from the bay, stirring her hair as she slowly circumnavigated the base. She could see the lights of Cranagan twinkling across the water like an abstract mosaic as the city came to life beneath the rising of Mid-Childa’s moons. She paused at the top of the stairs leading down to the motor pool, watching the glittering lights of cars, aircraft and buildings in the distance.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

The voice jerked Teana out of her reverie. She glanced down the stairs to the man seated on the steps. He lounged against the concrete, idly flipping a playing card between his fingers before flicking it into a small pail a few steps down from him. His flight suit hung halfway off his body, exposing his white under shirt and well-toned arms. An open bottle of milk and a half-eaten chocolate bar kept him company on the steps.

“Have to admit,” he continued, pulling another card from the pack in his other hand, “this place may be out of the way, but the view’s nice. Kinda makes you appreciate it. The city, I mean.” He casually flicked the card toward the pail. It landed in the container without touching the rim.

“But something tells me you’re not out here to appreciate the view,” he glanced back at Teana. His smile was lazy and pleasant, but his eyes were sharp and focused on her.

“You must be Vice Granscenic,” Teana said calmly, leaning against the stair railing.

“The one and only. And you must be Teana. Subaru mentioned you.” Vice smirked as he pulled out another card from the deck. Another toss. Another perfect hit.

“She did, huh?” Teana grunted, then lifted her sandwich up to her lips. She made a point of biting a large chunk out of it, chewing at it without worrying about the taste. Last thing she needed was to talk about Subaru.

“Yup.” Another card. Another toss. Another perfect hit. He reached down and picked up his chocolate bar. “I’d offer you some of my chocolate, but I don’t know if you’d like it. It’s pretty bitter. Plus, I’d feel weird, offering candy to little girls.”

Teana grunted in reply around her sandwich.

“Guess you’re not feeling real social.” Vice broke off a small piece of the chocolate. “That’s cool. Feel free to ignore me if you like. I’m just taking a break, watching the lights.”

“Weird thing for a pilot to do, don’t you think?” Teana frowned as Vice nibbled at the chocolate. “Sitting out here in the dark, playing with a deck of cards?”

“Hmm? Nah,” Vice pulled out another card. A breeze kicked up as he drew back his hand, his hair stirring before his eyes. He arced his toss into the wind, causing it to land in the pail. “I could say the same for you. Shouldn’t you be with your squad getting some chow?”

“Like you said, I’m not feeling very social,” Teana replied, watching him curiously. That pack of cards is about half empty… I wonder how many are in that pot of his…

“Having trouble?” Another toss, another perfect landing.

“Would you care if I was?” Teana shifted slightly, pushing a few wayward strands of hair out of her eyes.

“Just making conversation.” Vice picked up his bottle of milk as he spoke. “You know, I never did catch your full name.”

“Lanster,” Teana replied as he took a sip. “Teana Lanster.”

“Lanster, huh?” Vice lowered the bottle with a thoughtful expression. “I knew a Lanster once. Capital Air Force, 49th Flight Corps. Any relation?”

“My…” The sandwich squished under Teana’s gripping fingers. “My brother.”

“Oh.” Vice deflated slightly. “Sorry. I didn’t know. He was-”

“Look, I know what you’re probably going to say, but don’t, alright?” Teana turned away sharply. “The last thing I need right now is someone else… talking about Tiida.”

Vice sighed softly. “No need to get defensive.” He paused for a moment. Teana could feel his eyes on her back.

“Yeah? Well…” Teana reached up and rubbed her eyes. The passing breeze must have kicked up a little bit of grit. Why else would they be watering like that?

“I didn’t really know him all that well,” Vice continued. Teana’s shoulders tightened as she listened. “We were in different divisions, you know? But what I’ve heard about him, he seemed like a decent guy. Sharp, skilled, friendly… Probably could’ve gone far in the ‘Force, you know?”

Teana’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah… well, not everyone agrees with you on that.”

“I heard what happened to him. Damn shame.” She heard a tinny thump. His card must’ve hit the inside of the pail. “Always sad when someone with that much potential falls in the line of duty. I would‘ve liked to meet-”

There was a hollow clang as Teana’s fist thumped against the railing.

“Right.” Vice sighed. “Sorry. Me and my big mouth. You okay?”

“Yeah… I’m fine.” Teana shook her hand, trying not to let her trembling show. “Thanks, though…”

“Huh?”

Teana turned to glance at him. Vice was looking up at her quizzically.

“For talking about my brother like that… Nice to hear someone say something nice for once.”

Vice nodded solemnly. “Must’ve been hard, losing someone close to you like that.”

“You have no idea.” Teana replied darkly. “Bad enough he’s gone… but knowing one of those… things killed him?”

“Things?” Vice quirked an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” Teana glared down at the ground. “You know, when I was a kid, I thought they were so… pretty. I mean, who wouldn’t? Every little girl wants a pony at some point, right?”

She looked at her squished sandwich, making a face as some mustard smeared along her fingers. “But they’re not all they seem. All that talk of harmony and friendship? Just a bunch of bullshit…”

“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

Teana glanced down at Vice. The pilot’s eyes were focused on her, his brows furrowed slightly. “No,” she replied, “it’s not. Oh, I know they’re not all like that. Special Instructor Sparkle and Captain Testarossa-Sparkle seem to genuinely believe in that stuff. But you won’t catch me trusting one of them anytime soon, that’s for damn sure.”

Vice didn’t reply. He simply picked up his deck of cards and pulled out another one.

Teana swallowed nervously. “Please don’t mention what I just said to…”

“Hey, my lips are sealed,” Vice replied, flicking the card into the pail. “We all have our issues. Not my place to judge. I mean, I’m no priest, but even I know not to spill a confession like that.”

Teana sighed in relief. “Thanks…”

“No problem. And hey,” Vice glanced over his shoulder at her, “if you need someone to talk to, feel free to drop by.”

“I… might do that.” Teana ran her free hand through her hair and began walking away. “Night.”

“Night, Miss Teana Lanster.” Vice waved one hand lazily as she walked off.

Meanwhile…
---

Saint Church Reliquary Containment Site #4

Vesper Mountain Range, Northern Continent, Vaizen (AW #3)

The night was dark; the moon and stars were hidden by heavy cloud cover as the Knights pursued their prey.

Signum was in the lead, her hat clasped atop her head with one hand as she flew at full speed down the mountainside. Her companions were fanned out on either side; Zafira to the left, Vita to the right, and the others staggered behind.

Her quarry wasn’t far ahead. The lozenge-shaped drones darted down the rock face, their running lights glinting in the gloom like errant yellow fireflies.

Zafira, she commanded telepathically, slow them down.

At once, the Guardian Beast responded.

There was a flash of blue-white light as blade-like protrusions of energy erupted from the side of the mountain. The drones did their best to avoid the knife-like spikes of solid mana and light, though one or two slammed into the surface of an erupting Steel Yoke blade. Signum shot over the spikes, her eyes focused on the remaining drones.

Vita, she sent to her other companion, get ahead of them.

Already on it! There was a whine of a jet engine as Vita shot ahead, a plume of flame trailing in the wake of her Raketenhammer as she accelerated to a break-neck pace.

That drew the attention of the drones. Thin, bright blue rays of energy streaked out towards them, sizzling through the air as the drones attacked. Signum raised her hand quickly, a Belkan Panzerschild forming before her to block one of the incoming blasts. The reflected blasts carved narrow canyons into the stones around her.

Squad One, remain behind us. Continue defensive maneuvers. Squads Two and Three, flank the targets but do not engage yet.

The other Knights responded with quick telepathic Yes ma’am’s over telepathy as Signum drew her sword. “Burn bright, Laevatein!”

“EXPLOSION!” Her Device’s voice rang out as its Cartridge System triggered with a loud crack. Purple flame erupted in a vortex around Laevatein’s edge. Signum accelerated to attack speed, diving down and swerving around the oncoming Steel Yoke blades as she closed in to melee range. The flames whooshed as she swung, the blade of her sword cleaving through the metallic body of the first target like it was made of butter. The second fell just as quickly.

There was a series of hollow explosions as Signum saw a quartet of glowing spheres streak in, punching holes in the sides of the fleeing drones. Plumes of flame and scattering shards of metal heralded the drones’ destruction as they approached the base of the mountain.

Excellent placement of the Schwalbefliegen, Vita, Signum noted as she swung around, a pale purple contrail following in her wake as she closed with the next drone. The machine’s singular yellow ‘eye’ glowed as it turned to face her, its beam emitters spinning to engage her as a loud, keening hum emitted from its body. Laevatein’s flames guttered, then extinguished like a snuffed-out candle.

“You think that will save you?!“ Signum parried as the beams fired, the blue rays reflecting off the flat of her sword before she ran the machine through. The steel tore like cheap wrapping paper as she ripped her sword upwards, her Knight Clothing absorbing the force of its self-destruct.

“Behind you!”

Signum looked to the side as two drones swerved into view, their beam emitters glowing brightly. Then, just as suddenly, Zafira swept in. The Guardian Beast roared, slamming a palm into the side of one drone. A white spike of light and energy erupted from within the machine, quickly impaling the second. Both drones sizzled, then detonated.

“My thanks, Zafira.” Signum glanced around as she landed at the mountain’s base. The stink of scorched metal, smoke and burning electronics filled the air.

“No problem, General,” Zafira landed in a crouch, then stood up and brushed a few stray scraps of metal from his shoulder.

There was a thump as Vita landed. Her Device, Graf Eisen, clicked and hissed as it shifted back to its regular croquet-mallet shape. “That was the last of them,” she grimaced, pushing up her broad-brimmed red hat. “We’re lucky we got ‘em before they disappeared into the woods.”

“Indeed.” Signum closed her eyes as she opened another telepathic channel. Schach, this is Signum. All targets destroyed.

Roger that Signum. I’ll have the other squads collect whatever‘s left of them. Maybe we can get something off of these Gadget Drones that can tell us where they’re coming from.

Right. Signum exhaled, then glanced to the other Knights. “Stay vigilant. These machines have been attacking aggressively as of late. There may be another force coming soon.”

“I hope so.” Vita rested her mallet on her shoulder. “That was too easy. More like target practice than a real fight.”

“I’m more concerned about their choice of target,” Zafira grimaced, picking up a chunk of scorched metal. “Why here, of all places? These sites are heavily defended. Do you think they were trying to take something from the containment vaults?”

“Doubtful…” Signum shook her head. “If they were serious about it, they would have attacked in force, or tried something more subtle. Whoever’s controlling these machines has some other agenda in mind.”

Hidden Laboratory

Undisclosed Location

Jail Scaglietti hummed a merry little tune as he typed away at his console, the pale yellow light of his laboratory casting curious shadows across his hands and the folds of his white coat. There was so much to do, so much to work on, that nowadays he could hardly sit still.

Those few unlucky souls who met Jail face to face would have thought Jail quite attractive. His facial features were ideally symmetrical, his eyebrows slender and his high cheekbones and pointed chin untouched by facial hair. His shoulder-length mane of purple hair framed his narrow eyes with their glittering gold irises in a rather fetching manner.

Said eyes rarely matched the cheerful, slightly smug smile he often wore. There was an odd hollowness to his gaze, the sort that suggested that the man wasn’t quite right in the head. One could almost think that Jail wasn’t so much a man as a devil who decided to wear a human body for a lark before becoming a scientist.

“Doctor?”

“Yes, Uno?” Jail glanced up from the hovering holographic monitor towards the communication window. A young woman returned his gaze, all lavender hair and golden eyes and perfect facial features. Uno could have looked just like Jail, were it not for the more feminine cast of her features and the hint of a curl to her hair.

“Gadget Drone Group Number Seven was just destroyed by the Altenritter.”

“Ah! Good!” Jail gave his full attention to his subordinate. “Was the data collection successful?”

“Yes, Doctor. All information gathered from the Gadgets’ sensors was successfully collected and archived for analysis. Should I dispatch another strike group?

“Mmm… yes. The more data we have on them, the better. How effective was the AMF?”

“Below average. The Class One Drones were able to nullify Subject One’s Increase-Type enchantment on her Device. However, no other effects were observed.”

“Hmm.” Jail ran his fingers along his chin. “Interesting, but not unexpected. They’re likely trained to fight under AMF influence without any noticeable loss of lethality. We’ll have to see if we can re-modulate the emitters to make them more effective.”

“Of course, Doctor. Shall I alter the next batch of Drones with this in mind?”

“Absolutely.” Jail smiled. “By the way, what’s the current progress on the Class Fours?”

“On schedule, Doctor. The reverse engineering of the original schematics helped, and the bio-synthetic coating is adhering quite well. We should be able to begin production shortly.”

“Fantastic, my number one assistant.” Jail chuckled to himself softly. “Notify me when anything new occurs”

“Of course, Doctor.”

Jail chuckled again as Uno’s communications window winked out, then turned back to his own monitors. “Now… where was I? Oh yes…”

And with a jaunty little hum, he resumed his work.

7: Analysis

Hidden Laboratory

Undisclosed Location

“Doctor, are you there?”

“Hmm?“ Jail Scaglietti opened his eyes, his head still reclining against the headrest of his rather large chair. His nostrils flared as he breathed out, his gaze still fixed mostly on the ceiling above. “I’m always here, Uno.” He reached up, pushing some stray strands of hair out of his eyes. “What is it?”

“Miss Lutecia has sent some images her summoned creatures have captured. I think you should look at them.”

“Oh? Excellent.” He slowly sat up, popping his neck before holding up one hand before him. His black-gloved left hand twitched, the golden pentagon on the back of his glove flickering as he brought up the images. They were all birds-eye views, but they were quite clear and sharply detailed thanks to the summoned insect’s piercing vision.

He smiled as he inspected the shots. “The Alicorn Ace,” he murmured, a gloved finger tapping his cheek as he cycled through the hovering holographic pictures. “Both children of Project F… the little priestess of Alzas… and even one of the last Project Zero prototypes? My, my, it certainly seems our little police boy has gathered himself quite an interesting little menagerie. Don’t you agree, Uno?”

Uno nodded from her hovering monitor. “Yes, Doctor. They really are most interesting. Should we attempt to interfere?”

Jail shook his head. “No. Continue gathering data. Let them run for a little while. I want to see how this will turn out.”

“As you wish, Doctor.”

“Mm…” Jail rubbed his chin. “I’ll have to thank Miss Lutecia for her gift. Perhaps a lovely little tea party. Wouldn‘t that be nice, Uno?”

The woman shrugged. “I really can’t say, Doctor. I’m not particularly fond of such things.”

Jail sighed gently. As much as he adored his number one assistant, she could be awfully analytical sometimes. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it. I’ll have to check our provisions to see if we have the appropriate supplies for our little tea party. Please send Miss Lutecia my regards.”

“Of course, Doctor.”

Jail nodded, then leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes fixed on the images before him.

“Yes. Let them go about their business,” he chuckled softly under his breath. “I’m curious to see the results myself…”

Longinus Archway Military Training Facility (Long Arch)

Cranagan, Mid-Childa

“Well, I have to admit, that turned out surprisingly well,” Yuuno noted, stretching his arms as he, Fate and Twilight approached the base’s main building.

Fate nodded in agreement, glancing over towards her older sister. The purple mare looked a little worn out; her ears drooped ever-so-slightly, and her gait wasn’t quite as jaunty. “Tired, Twilight?”

“Maybe. I guess I’m just a little out of shape,” Twilight grinned sheepishly. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper fight like that. Not to mention I’m not used to these limiters quite yet…”

“I did tell you to practice more often,” Fate smiled serenely.

“I know, but the world of academia isn’t exactly brimming with opportunities to shoot things, no matter how irritating one’s colleagues can be.” Twilight rolled her eyes as Yuuno chuckled. “And I don’t think that Princess Celestia would be pleased if I used interns as target practice.”

“Still, the Trainees put on a good show,” Fate noted.

“Oh, there’s no denying that. They actually managed to even it up before that final round. Even then, it was pretty close.” Twilight smiled. “I’m just glad it’s all recorded. It’s going to make a doozy of a review…”

Fate began to reply when Bardiche let out a soft chime. “MASTER,” he announced, “INCOMING TRANSMISSION.”

“Put it through,” Fate replied.

There was a soft hum as a holographic view screen winked into existence before her. Griffith looked at her from the screen, one finger pushing his glasses up. “I hope I’m not interrupting, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle.”

“No, you’re fine Griffith. What is it?”

“There’s a visitor waiting for you from Equestria. He said it‘s quite urgent.”

“Someone from Equestria?” Yuuno leaned in to peek at the image. “Military?”

“He identified himself as such, yes. Apparently he has a delivery for the Captain,” Griffith replied. “I’ve asked him to wait for you in the main lobby. I would have had him wait for you in the Captain’s office, but Captain Harlaown and I will be leaving for Cranagan shortly.”

“That’s fine Griffith. Thank you.” Fate smiled slightly as the image winked out. She glanced over at Twilight. “Do you want me to handle this? I’d imagine you have a debriefing to prep for…”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll probably just say hello before I go do my work. If it’s what I think it is, I’ll be seeing it soon enough.”

“Alright. What about you, Yuuno?”

“I think I’ll stick around, just for a bit.” Yuuno slipped his hands into his pockets. “Maybe it’s somepony I know.”

“Alright. Come on.” Fate trotted along quickly, heading through the front doors of the base’s main building. Her hooves clicked on the smooth, polished floor before she paused, spying their guest.

The visitor in question was a zebra. He was a lean, wiry-muscled stallion, built like somepony had constructed him out of copper tubes and metal cables. His coat and tail were dark gray, with pale gray stripes mixed in, while his muzzle and the tips of his ears the color of charcoal. His fetlocks were neatly trimmed, and his matte-black hooves spotless. His flank was decorated with a distinct cutie mark: an odd, S-shaped streak with a series of tilted Z’s descending from it. Despite being a zebra, he wore a Shadowbolt’s uniform; black jacket with violet and gold patches on the shoulders over a white shirt and black tie. His collar bore a single horizontal gold bar, marking him as a lieutenant. His stiff, solid black mane made his beret sit at an odd angle on his head, accentuating his pale, peridot-green eyes. His left nostril had an obvious scar, the long strip of bare pink flesh noticeable against his darker coat, while a few smaller, thinner scars marked the place where his jawbone met his neck.

“Lieutenant Radi,” Fate called, attracting his attention. The zebra drew himself to attention, moving from the bench he and his saddlebags were seated on.

“Shikamuu, Nahodha Testarossa-Sparkle,” Radi replied briefly in his native tongue, his voice deep and slightly raspy.

“Marahaba,” Fate returned the greeting, her accent faint but noticeable. “At ease, Radi. How are you?”

“Nzuri, nzuri,” Radi then turned and nodded to Yuuno with a slightly more relaxed stance, though his gaze was still surprisingly intense. “Sasa, Mister Ferret. It is good to see your face again.”

“Safi, Mister Scar-Nose,” Yuuno replied with a playful smile. “I have to admit, it’s a bit odd to see you so far from Equestria.”

“It is, yes,” Radi replied, his speech slightly stilted. “But when Mama ya Majira ya Baridi asks you to do a thing, you do not question it.”

“Does Princess Luna know you still refer to her as ‘Mother of Winter,’ Radi?” Yuuno chuckled as the zebra nodded and gave a snort.

“I was raised to respect the great ones, unlike you,” Radi then turned that fierce look at Fate. “Forgive my rudeness, Nahodha.”

“It’s alright Radi. There’s no need to be formal right now,” Fate waved a hoof gently, before gesturing to Twilight. “I assume you remember my sister Twilight, Radi?”

“Ah, yes.” Radi bowed his head politely. “Greetings to you, Miss Sparkle.”

“Er, hello Lieutenant. It’s nice to see you again.” Twilight smiled nervously as Radi looked at her. She cleared her throat softly, then nodded. “Um, I hope you’ll excuse me, but I’ve got some work to do. Debriefing and… stuff, you know?”

“Ah. Yes.” Radi’s tail swished. “Do not let me keep you.”

“Thank you. See in a while Fate, Yuuno.” Twilight nodded quickly, then trotted off.

Radi watched her leave. “Your sister still seems very… uncomfortable around me, Nahodha.”

“Don’t take it personally, Radi,” Fate replied gently. “She’s just not used to ponies as… intense as you.”

“Ah. Intense. I will remember to be less so.”

Fate shook her head gently. Radi was one of her most faithful Shadowbolt subordinates, and quite valuable for many reasons. He was professional, unflappable, and had absolutely no fear in him. All that came from being a former member of the Zebrican Vile Nyasi, the lonely warriors who roamed the sun-parched savannahs protecting travelers from predation.

However, while she valued his positive traits, he could be unnerving sometimes. It didn’t help that his default expression reminded Fate of Fluttershy’s Stare.

“I hope your trip was pleasant, at least,” Fate continued. “Did you find your way here without any problems?”

Radi nodded. “The human city is much like a pony one, but larger and filled with strange things. Most of the humans were curious about me, but that gave me little trouble.”

“I’d imagine,” Yuuno commented. “Most people don’t see ponies on a regular basis, much less zebras.”

“The uniform probably helped,” Fate added. “Will you be staying long, Radi?”

“Not unless you require it, Nahodha.” Radi quickly pulled his saddlebags over to him with his teeth, then expertly flipped them onto his back. “I was to deliver the package to you and you alone. It is a gift from Mama wa Majira ya Baridi to your sister’s dragon servant, and a most precious piece of cargo indeed.”

“Ah. In that case, we should probably take it down to Shari first.” Fate paused as Radi quirked an eyebrow. “Shari is the resident technician. From what I’ve heard, she’s been collaborating with Princess Luna. She‘ll probably want to see the package.”

“Ah. If that is what you wish Nahodha, then we shall indeed go and meet with this Shari.” Radi gestured with one hoof. “I shall follow.”

Fate nodded, then turned and began walking. Radi promptly fell into step with her, his gait steady and his ears flicking as he walked. Yuuno followed along on Fate’s opposite side, his hands still in his pockets.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in Equestria,” Fate said as they walked. “Any news I might have missed?”

Radi grunted. “Nothing that you should be worried about, Nahodha.”

That made Fate frown. The last time you said something like that, I found you with a gaping torso wound standing over six very dead monsters. “Humor me, please.”

Radi frowned, but nodded. “Nothing but muttering. There has been much talk of your absence amongst the wajinga…”

“It’s impolite to talk about other guardsponies like that, Radi,” Fate gently chastised, causing the zebra to snort.

“I will call a fool a fool if he acts as one, Nahodha,” he grumped. “But that is passing breezes. There are some that say your presence here with the humans is a sign you are not to be trusted. They think you are disloyal to the Guard. That you are…” he paused, his ears flattening, “’not truly a pony.’”

Fate grimaced; that struck a bit close to home for her. The Princesses and her family had taken great care to hide the fact that she wasn’t originally from Equestria. There were only a hoof-full of individuals in Equestria who knew of her past, and she knew she could trust all of them. However, if that secret did get out, there would be uncomfortable questions; uncomfortable questions that would be very unpleasant given her rank and position.

“As I have said,” Radi continued, “they are fools to say so, Nahodha. If this is a thing you have decided you must do, then it must be done. I say to them, ‘Fate Testarossa-Sparkle is Captain for a reason, and you are not.’” Radi’s voice started to get hot, his eyes narrowing. “They say to me, ‘Radi, you are a fool.’ I say to them, ‘Fate Testarossa-Sparkle is my Nahodha. What she asks, I do. And you would be wise to-’”

“Thank you, Radi,” Fate interrupted gently, “but I think I understand.”

“Forgive me, Nahodha, but to hear you spoken of that way makes my blood hot. Were it not for you and Mister Ferret, my bones would be amongst the grass and my flesh in the bellies of vultures.”

“You’re welcome for that, by the way,” Yuuno commented idly.

“And you can be certain that many of us, your Shadowbolts, feel much the same Nahodha,” Radi concluded firmly.

Fate sighed and gave Radi a gentle smile. “Thank you. It means a lot to hear that.”

“There is no need to thank me. It is the truth.”

“Cent-Com Air Command, this is Bureau Transport Helicopter Riot Zero-One, approaching on route Blue-One-Niner. Transmitting IFF verification codes now.”

Chrono leaned against his seat as the helicopter approached the spire that was the Bureau‘s Central Command building, the rotors whirring softly as they flew. “Not a bad trip, don’t you think?” He glanced over to his fellow passenger.

“Indeed. And if nothing else, it certainly saves me the bus fare,” Trixie replied, the blue unicorn shifting idly in her seat. “Thank you for giving me a lift on your little visit, Captain.”

“It’s no problem, Trixie. We’re going in roughly the same direction anyway. You should be able to get to the main train station from HQ.”

“I know,” Trixie snorted. “I should return this evening with my assistants, once they’ve given their reports to Lady Carim.”

“Make sure to give the Director my regards as well,” Chrono replied. “It’s been a while since we last spoke face-to-face.”

“I didn’t know you and Lady Carim were that close, Captain,” Trixie teased.

“Hardly close,” Chrono rolled his eye, “but I’ve got nothing but respect for Director Gracia and the work her organization does. And if it weren’t for her support, we probably wouldn’t have gotten this unit off the ground.”

“Really?”

Chrono nodded. “It was thanks to her efforts that our little group got the approval of the Three Legends.”

“The Three Legends?” Trixie quirked an eyebrow.

“Honorary Marshal Kiel, Chief of Staff Crowbel, and Judicial Advisor Phils,” Griffith supplied, glancing over his shoulder at Trixie. “Unofficially, they’re the highest authorities in the Bureau outside of the Board of Directors. Whatever they say, goes.”

“Lady Carim’s got a lot more pull than I expected, then,” Trixie replied thoughtfully.

Chrono nodded, shifting in his seat as the helicopter banked gently, then came to a halt. It settled down onto the waiting helipad, a soft ‘thump’ announcing their landing as the rotors began to slow down.

“Alright everyone,” Vice announced as he pulled off his headset, “this is your pilot speaking. We thank you for flying Granscenic Airlines, and we hope you have a pleasant trip.”

“Thank you, Vice,” Chrono replied as he reached up and unbuckled the flight harness. Trixie and Griffith did the same. “This‘ll probably take a while. You know how these meetings are. You’re free to return to the base if you like; we can call you to pick us up.”

Vice shook his head and smirked. “I’m sure I can find something to occupy my time here, sir. Besides, having an escape route is always a good idea, even if all you’re dealing with is bureaucrats.”

“Wise words,” Chrono chuckled. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

Griffith clicked his tongue in mock-disapproval, then shook his head as he followed Chrono and Trixie out of the helicopter and over to the building proper.

The elevator doors hissed open as the trio stepped inside. “I’m still a bit curious as to why you had to come out here, Captain,” Trixie admitted.

“It’s one of the issues of being in command, Trixie,” Chrono sighed dramatically.

“Since RIOT Force is under the Capital Defense Corps’ jurisdiction, we’re obliged to attend the CDC’s weekly administrative meetings,” Griffith explained. “It’s mostly a formality, really.”

“Less a formality and more a requirement,” Chrono muttered. “We get to play Gais‘ captive audience for a while before we give our individual reports and requests. And if we don‘t show up, then there‘s hell to pay.”

“Ugh.” Trixie winced. “You have my sympathies, Chrono.”

There was a soft chime as the elevator slowed down, before the doors hissed open. A woman paused at the entrance to the elevator. She was tall, her short, sandy-brown hair neatly cut and styled. Her slim, oval glasses rested on her pert nose, guarding her deep-set blue eyes. Her expression was one of mild irritation as she stepped onto the elevator. Her blue uniform coat and skirt were neatly pressed. The white collar of her shirt bore a Major’s rank badge; a gold eight-pointed star set into a small silver bar. Her long legs were covered in pantyhose, and her feet were tucked into narrow, low-heeled leather shoes.

“Well,” the woman said as she stepped into the elevator, her heels clicking as she strode in, “you‘re early, Captain Harlaown.” The way she said it reminded Chrono of a particularly irritated schoolmarm. She glanced over at Trixie and arched a thin eyebrow as the doors hissed shut behind her.

“Trixie,” Chrono said placidly, gesturing to the blue mare, then over to the woman, “this is Major Auris Gais. Major, this is Trixie Lula-”

“I’m familiar with who she is, Captain Harlaown,” Auris interrupted as she stepped over and leaned against the side of the elevator, keeping Griffith between her and Trixie. One of her slender, well-manicured fingers pressed one of the floor buttons. “I’m simply surprised to see her here, that’s all. What business brings you here, Trixie?”

“Passing through,” Trixie replied brusquely.

“Trixie has business with her superiors in the Saint Church.” Chrono explained, smiling faintly at Auris’ discomfort. “I figured it’d only be polite that we give her a ride part-way to her destination. After all, it‘s quite a long trip to the Grand Cathedral.”

“I see,” Auris replied, fixing Chrono with a piercing stare. “Do you always use Bureau equipment to provide private transport for your subordinates, or is this just a special case, Captain?”

“It‘s a simple courtesy, Major,” Chrono replied. “And I‘m sure if you looked it up in the regs, you‘ll find there‘s nothing forbidding an officer from aiding a member of the Saint Church.”

Auris grunted softly, as if acknowledging his point. She glanced over at Trixie, her eyes narrowing slightly. Trixie met her eyes, then let out a soft ‘humph’ and turned her nose up at her.

There was a soft chime as the elevator came to a halt. Auris stood up fully, then nodded to Chrono. “I’m sure you can find your way to the meeting room, Captain Harlaown, once you‘ve handled your… other business.”

“Of course, Major,” Chrono saluted as Auris stepped off the elevator, the doors hissing shut behind her.

“Well,” Trixie growled, “she was a ball of sunshine and happiness, wasn’t she?”

“Yup,” Chrono replied, causing Griffith to sigh.

“I didn’t expect she’d get this antagonistic this quick, sir,” Griffith said.

“This is probably just the tip of the ice berg, Griffith,” Chrono replied.

“Is she really that important?” Trixie quirked an eyebrow.

“She’s Lieutenant General Gais’ personal assistant,” Chrono replied. “That makes her the old hawk’s right-hand woman.”

“And she shares his last name? What is she, some trophy wife he managed to get into a position of power?”

“Worse,” Griffith replied as Chrono stifled a chuckle, “she’s his daughter.”

“Ah. Unpleasantness must run in the family, then,” Trixie grimaced.

“I’m afraid the Major shares her superior’s distaste for both Equestrians and the Saint Church,” Chrono replied. “Don’t take it personally, Trixie.”

“Trixie never takes anything personally,” the blue mare replied with an offended snort. “Especially the prejudices of those who she is clearly far superior to.”

“Yeah,” Chrono replied, his good humor dissolving away, “just don’t let them hear you say something like that. Gais and his cronies aren’t being overt about it, but they’re looking for any reason to get RIOT Force in trouble, backers be damned. Let‘s not give them a reason.”

“I’ll keep that in mind then.”

“Please do,” Chrono replied as the elevator slowed and came to a halt with a chime. “Looks like this is our stop. Griffith, would you mind escorting Trixie out of the building? Last thing we need is someone giving her problems because she’s unattended.”

“I’ll see to it, Sir,” Griffith replied.

“Thanks.” Chrono smirked, giving a wave to Trixie as he stepped off the elevator. “Have fun on the train, Trixie.”

“Have fun at your meeting, Captain,” Trixie replied with a similar smirk as the doors hissed shut.

Chrono rolled his good eye, then sighed and set off to the meeting room.

Turkey again, Teana thought to herself as she eyed her sandwich. Does the commissary only have turkey sandwiches, or do I just get there after they‘re picked clean?

She shook her head and took a bite out of the sandwich in question, a bit of liberally applied mustard leaking out from around the edges. She shifted the concrete stair she was seated on, chewing away as she stared out into the distance. The bay glittered under the summer sun, casting silvery waves along the blue surface of the water. Really quite pretty, all things considered.

It was also blessedly quiet, which was another good thing about eating alone. It gave her a chance to think. She bit another chunk out of her sandwich, then leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.

Her mind was restless as she quietly played through the events of that morning, poking through the memories to find holes in how she’d handled things. It was a habit of hers after training sessions; questioning her strategies and second-guessing her actions..

Right… let’s ignore forgetting about contacting HQ, she thought to herself, swallowing the rather mustard-laden mouthful of sandwich. What were the major flaws? What were our weaknesses? Our weak-points? What did Special Instructor Sparkle exploit to get the upper hand?

It was a familiar mental list, one that she’d been quietly adding to over the past week. Subaru’s weaknesses were obvious, and many of them were shared by Scootaloo: impetuousness, reckless aggression, reliance on direct assaults, and an unfortunate tendency to ignore strategizing. The others, by comparison, were quite refreshing. Erio was the best of the lot, balancing adhering to orders with taking his own initiative. Caro’s reluctance to fight was balanced by her skill at support magic, which made her an excellent asset. Spike, meanwhile, lacked mobility and flexibility, but was a defensive power-house. If anything, it was HER squad that was the weaker of the two.

And of the three of us, she thought morosely, I’m probably the weakest of the three in terms of power and mobility. Even with my illusion magic I still have to play catch-up. As much as I hate to say it, Scootaloo and Subaru complement each other well. I’m the odd one out…

“Stupid pony,” she muttered to herself. She glanced up as she heard footsteps behind her, but sighed heavily. “Look, Subaru, I‘m not really in the mood right now,” she began.

“Good thing I’m not Subaru, then,” a different voice interrupted.

Teana glanced back as Spike approached, the purple dragon’s hands full of plastic wrapped sandwiches like the one Teana was snacking on. “Mind if I join you?”

“Would it change anything if I said no?”

“Not really.” Spike waddled over and plopped down beside her, unwrapping one sandwich and biting it clean in half.

Teana grimaced slightly, then turned and looked straight ahead. “Not much for table manners, I guess?”

“Eh, it’s not like there’s anybody around to judge,” Spike replied around the remains of the sandwich. He swallowed noisily. “These’re kind of bland…”

“Mustard usually helps,” Teana replied, trying to sound casual.

“Cool. Got any?”

“No.”

“Shoot,” Spike grumbled softly. Teana risked a glance back at him as he unwrapped another sandwich. He glanced at her in return, then offered the sandwich.

Teana waved it off. “I’m fine.”

“Mmf. More for me, then.” Spike tore off a huge chunk of the sandwich and chewed quietly.

Teana shook her head, then resumed eating her own lunch. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll…

“So,” Spike interrupted her train of thought, “I kinda noticed something.”

“Mm?”

“Yeah,” Spike shifted himself, leaning against the dark metal handrail running up the middle of the stairs and looking at her. “Though it wasn‘t exactly hard to miss.”

“What?”

“Something‘s eating at you.”

Teana grimaced, turning to face him fully. “Maybe I just prefer eating alone. Ever think about that?”

“And you could do that just fine without leaving the mess hall,” Spike countered. “But it seems whenever you get all grumpy you grab a sandwich or two and leave without saying a word to anybody. So what’s the deal?”

“The deal? There is no-”

Spike held up a hand. “Yeah, stop right there. I’ve spent half my life growing up around six mares with varying degrees of issues. I may not study it like Twilight does, but I think I can tell when someone’s having a friendship problem.”

Teana snorted. “A ’friendship problem?’”

“Yeah, a friendship problem. So,” Spike picked up another sandwich and unwrapped it, “wanna talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Teana replied, sounding a bit more defensive than she liked.

“Uh huh. Sure.”

Teana grumbled under her breath. “Look, it’s none of your business, alright? I just like having some alone time. Is that really so much to ask for?”

“So it’s got nothing to do with Scootaloo and Subaru hanging out together?”

Teana froze, then coughed and glanced away. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I saw the look you gave them when they sat together and started chatting,” Spike replied. “I’m surprised it didn’t set the table on fire.”

Teana grimaced. “Subaru… Subaru can hang out with whoever she likes. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the training or our squad dynamics, I don’t care.”

Spike quirked an eye ridge at her.

Teana glared at him. “Seriously. I. Don’t. Care. Not one little bit. At all.” She crossed her arms before her and leaned forward. “Not at all…”

“Well, that’s good. They do seem to be getting along pretty well.”

Teana’s hands clenched.

“I mean,” Spike continued, seemingly unmindful of her reaction as he devoured another sandwich, “they spend all that time together with the special training and stuff. Plus, they’ve got a lot in common together. And not just in terms of their skill sets.”

Teana felt her eye start to twitch.

“I mean, sure, Scootaloo’s all brash and rude and stuff, but that’s not much different from you-”

Spike paused as Teana glared at him. “Sorry,” he deadpanned, “did I hit a nerve?”

“You know,” Teana replied stiffly, “if this is your way of solving ‘friendship problems,’ then you really need to re-think your methodology.”

“And you need some counseling,” Spike replied. “What’s your deal with Scootaloo anyway?”

“It should be obvious,” Teana growled. “She’s a brat. She’s disrespectful, she’s hot-headed, she insults everyone-”

“Mostly you,” Spike corrected. Teana inhaled slowly and closed her eyes.

“Yes, mostly me. And I’ll admit, I’m not the easiest person to be around.” She then pointed a finger at Spike. “But I’m at least trying to be civil. Besides, she‘s the one who started this whole… feud, fight, whatever you want to call it. Not me. I’m not the one at fault.”

“So…” Spike tilted his head as Teana huffed.

“So she’s the one that needs to make up to me,” Teana continued, pointing at herself. “Really, just because she and Subaru are all buddy-buddy doesn’t mean I have to accept her. She doesn‘t deserve someone like Subaru.”

Teana paused as Spike smirked. “What? What’s so funny?”

“You’re jealous.”

Teana’s cheeks turned pink, then red as she got to her feet. “I don’t have to put up with this.”

“You are! You’re actually jealous that Subaru and Scootaloo are getting along!”

“Shut up! That’s not it at all!”

“Then wh- hey!”

Teana stalked off, doing her best to tune out Spike’s shouts.

I am NOT jealous of a pony, she thought to herself. I’m especially not jealous of some stupid, foul-mouthed little pegasus brat. Subaru is my friend. Doesn’t matter how chummy she and that orange chicken get, she’s MY friend. Not Scootaloo’s.

And yet, part of her couldn’t shake the feeling that that wasn’t quite the case.

“It’s…” Shari whispered in wonder as she inspected the Device suspended before her, “it’s beautiful…”

Fate smiled faintly at Shari’s expression. She’d expected Shari to gush over the Device Radi had delivered, and she wasn’t disappointed. The Device hovered in a suspension field over Shari’s workbench, while the young Device Meister pored over it with a variety of analytical tools.

The Device in question looked relatively simple: it was a large, deep green jewel set into a belt-buckle. It was the design, however, that caught Fate’s eye. The jewel was carved into an elegant, double-crown heart cut, the facets catching the light and holding it in its depths. The gem was set into a large golden clasp, resembling an abstract draconic head as viewed from straight ahead. A long loop of violet leather emerged from behind it, smooth and unbroken.

“It really is a work of art,” Yuuno agreed, the archeologist leaning in to look at the Device.

“You don’t understand,” Shari said in a hushed voice, a large, jeweler’s-loupe like device pressed to one of her eyes. “Princess Luna herself built this from Equestrian materials. This gem is a flawlessly cut Imperial Crystal, with… I’m guessing at least a Grade AA Bureau Purity Rating. And these cuts are utterly flawless. So precise! And to think, Princess Luna does all this without any machines or tools.” She reached up, slowly turning the Device about with one hand. “I’m not sure about this metal, though…”

“It’s called orichalcum,” Fate supplied. “It’s the same substance integrated into Raising Heart. It’s an extremely strong, magically conductive artificial metal. I’d imagine Teacher used it because of the uniqueness of Spike’s Linker Core.”

I think I’ll hold off on telling her how it’s made, Fate thought to herself. If I told her it was synthesized from pure sunlight, she’d probably have a fit…

“Mmm… yes, yes,” Shari replied distractedly as she inspected the buckle. “This is fascinating… I’ve never seen circuitry this fine before. Even by the standards of direct crystallization matrix circuitry, this is impressive. There’s so many interlocking redundancies the only way you’d be able to overload it is by hooking it up to a starship’s power core…”

“This one seems to know her craft, Nahodha,” Radi glanced over to Fate, his expression neutral, though his tail swished nervously.

“I’d hope so,” Shari replied, removing the eye-wear and returning her glasses to her nose. “I mean, Princess Luna is working with me… or I’m with her. I’m not sure…”

Radi snorted. “You will forgive my caution, young human,” he said calmly. “I did not mean to say you were not skilled.”

“Well, I may not have centuries of experience like Princess Luna does, but I’m not half bad,” Shari grinned, giving the zebra a thumbs-up. Her grin faltered, however, as Radi looked at her hand, then up at her. “Um…”

Radi looked at Fate, one eyebrow quirking.

Fate sighed. “That was a good gesture, Radi.”

“Ah,” the zebra nodded, then turned back to Shari. “Well then, Miss Shari, have you finished your inspection?”

“Uh… well, I suppose so. I mean, I could probably stare at this thing all day…” Shari sighed and carefully lifted the belt out of the suspension field, folding it back up and slipping it into the black box it originally came in. “I think I can probably give it clearance for use by Trainee Spike, though it’d probably be best to hold off on giving it to him until I finish the other Devices.”

“How long will that be?”

“Tomorrow at the latest.” Shari ruffled her hair. “The actual manufacturing’s already taken care of. All I need to do is a few checks on the programming once they arrive, and they’ll be ready for show time.”

“Excellent. Though really, I’m surprised you got them ready this quickly…”

Shari blushed. “Well, that’s the difference between Equestria and the Bureau, I guess. Thanks to advanced and efficient manufacturing methods, we’re able to produce quality Devices relatively quickly. Even custom designs like the ones I created only take a comparatively short time to produce.” She glanced longingly at the box containing Spike’s Device. “However, there’s something to be said about the old-fashioned way of doing things. Not a lot of Meisters hand-build Devices nowadays.”

Fate nodded. “I know what you mean.” She glanced down fondly at Bardiche’s golden triangle, first crafted by Linith, then refined by Luna. “Mass production is all well and good, but a Device that someone takes personal care to design and craft is more… meaningful, I suppose.”

Shari let out a soft ’aww,’ causing Fate to quirk an eyebrow. “S-sorry, Captain,” she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I just didn’t take you for the sentimental type…”

“It’s not something I typically indulge in,” Fate admitted as she re-holstered Bardiche. “But that’s beside the point. I’ll make sure to inform Twilight about this. Make sure to send a report to Captain Harlaown as well.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Shari saluted quickly.

“Well, that’s that taken care of,” Yuuno said smoothly, looking over at Fate and Radi. “We should probably get something to eat. I think we managed to avoid the rush, at least.”

“Would you mind joining us, Radi?” Fate glanced at the zebra.

Radi bit his lips thoughtfully. “If you wish it, Nahodha, I will join you and Mister Ferret…”

“If you’re uncomfortable,” Fate started to say, only for Radi to wave it off.

“It is not an issue of comfort, Nahodha. I simply do not wish to impose on you too much.”

“Radi, you’re not imposing,” Fate shook her head. “Please.”

“As you wish.”

“The only problem I see is that it‘ll have to be a quick lunch,” Yuuno added, scratching behind one ear. “The last thing we want is to be late to the training field. Still, at least we can feed you before you head out…”

Radi’s ears perked forward. “The training field? Hmm…” one hoof gently rubbed under his chin, “Tell me, is my little ndege still in this group, or has she gotten herself in further trouble?”

“Scootaloo’s still here,” Fate replied. “She’s actually doing well, despite a few hiccups here and there.”

The zebra nodded. “That is good. I would like to speak with her before I take my leave, if I may.”

“I’ll see what we can do,” Fate replied. “I guess I could ask Chrono if he doesn’t mind you observing this afternoon‘s session.”

“I would very much like that, Nahodha.”

Scootaloo grimaced, her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed in concentration. A warm breeze tickled over her outstretched wings and sent the small gem dangling from her ear swinging.

Okay, she thought to herself. I can do this. I can do this. Just keep telling yourself that…

And with a huff of breath, she focused herself. She felt the tickle in the back of her skull as she accessed her Device, then channeled energy into it as she ran through the spell formulas. There was a soft chime as she felt the components of the spell ‘click’ together, the channels settling into place.

She opened her eyes as a deep purple Belkan triangle slowly rotated beneath her hooves. She then flexed her wings and raised one hoof.

“Wing! Road!”

She stomped hard as she finished the trigger phrases. There was a rush of power, just like before. A glittering purple haze spilled outwards instead of a solid ribbon of light and energy, extending out a few feet before dissolving into tiny wisps of fog.

Come on… She clenched her teeth, willing the energy to coalesce. Just form the rutting Wing Road already! Just once I’d like this stupid spell to work!

The haze, however, did not comply. It remained a fuzzy haze that began rapidly dissipating as her concentration fragmented.

“Rrrgh!” She stomped both hooves in irritation, breaking the spell as she did so. She spun about, turning to look at Twilight and Subaru. “I’m sick of this! What am I doing wrong?!”

“I’m still not sure myself,” Twilight admitted, looking at the readings on the hovering holographic monitors. “The energy readings look fine… Are you sure you cast it like we practiced?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Scootaloo snapped, skating over towards the two of them. “I memorized it and everything! I even have it plugged into my ru-” She cut the curse short. “Into my Device.”

Twilight didn‘t comment on her tone, her attention more focused on the screen. “Then I’m not sure what the problem is. Of course, I expected there‘d be problems with the spell adaptation. We just need to keep working on it.”

Scootaloo sighed and took a seat on the shimmering ground beneath her, her eyes landing on her reflection. “We’ve been working on this since last week, and I still can’t get it right…”

“Hey, it’s okay. Don‘t worry about it.”

Scootaloo looked up as Subaru skated over to her, then crouched down. “The important thing is you haven’t given up, right? Come on Scoots. Maybe you’ll get it this next time.”

Scootaloo looked at her teammate with a quirked eyebrow. The human mage was looking at her with a smile, though her blue eyes held a hint of concern.

“Yeah, sure,” Scootaloo replied gruffly, breaking away and looking to the side. “Right…”

“Come on Scoots, don’t be like that. I know you can do it! What do you say?”

Scootaloo risked a glance at Subaru, then grimaced as she saw Subaru’s grin. There it was again; that seemingly unflappable confidence and boundless optimism. The second Scootaloo showed even the slightest hint of faltering, Subaru was there to urge her on.

It was like looking at some of her fillyhood pictures. She was pretty sure she’d had a similar grin when she was still with the Crusaders.

“Rrrgh… fine.” Scootaloo got to her hooves and flicked her tail. “Let’s try it again…” She then rolled her eyes as Subaru did a little fist pump.

“Alright then,” Twilight called over to them, the monitors hovering around her as she approached. “If you two don’t mind, I’d like you to both cast the spell at the same time. A side-by-side comparison should help…”

“Right.” Subaru punched her gauntleted right hand into her left. “I’ll let you take the lead Scoots.”

“Uh, sure…” Scootaloo inhaled, then focused again. “On three.”

Subaru nodded, then drew her fist back.

“One.” Scootaloo focused herself, pushing energy into her Device.

“Two.” A pair of Belkan triangles formed beneath them; blue for Subaru, purple for Scootaloo.

“Three!” Scootaloo raised her hoof.

“Wing! Road!”

There was a roar as Subaru’s spell unfurled, a long road-like ribbon of light spilling skyward. Scootaloo, meanwhile, found her hooves surrounded by purple haze again.

“See?” Scootaloo glared irritably at the hazy trail of fog, then over at Subaru. “It’s just like all the other times I tried it before. Why isn’t it, you know, solidifying?”

“Uh,” Subaru frowned, causing Scootaloo to sigh.

“Yeah, I thought as much…”

“Wait Scootaloo,” Twilight replied quickly, her horn glowing as she typed on a hovering hard-light keyboard. “Just… wait.”

“Huh? What gives… uh, ma’am?” Scootaloo glanced back at the unicorn. Twilight’s eyes were flicking over the monitor, right before they widened in realization.

“Scootaloo,” Twilight replied, “I want you to try skating up the Wing Road you just created.”

“What?” Scootaloo glanced at the haze, then back at Twilight. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, I’m not. Just trust me, okay?”

“Alright…” Scootaloo turned back, then inhaled and skated forward slowly.

Her skate wheels dipped down into the haze. And then, they started curving upwards. Scootaloo froze, her eyes going a bit wide.

“It’s… it’s working?!”

“Come on Scootaloo,” Subaru urged, punching the air encouragingly. “Keep going!”

Scootaloo slowly skated further up the hazy ramp, slowly rising off the ground as she went. She soon came to a stop at the end of the fog bank, hovering ten feet off the ground. “Okay, what gives? I thought the spell wasn‘t working.”

“No, it’s working,” Twilight replied, her eyes lighting up. “But not the way we thought it would!”

“Uh,” Scootaloo glanced down at them. “Say what? The spell’s supposed to make a road, not… you know,” she stomped on the hazy fog bank, “this.”

“And you’d be correct. However, there’s a distinct difference; specifically, your Linker Core.”

Subaru slapped her forehead. “Pegasus magic! It’s focusing through her pegasus magic! Instead of a generating a fully-fledged mana construct it’s forming a suitable surface through Scootaloo’s natural nubekinesis!”

“Exactly!” Twilight was getting excited. “It’s not a Wing Road it’s a… a Cloud Road! All of Scootaloo’s spells are modified versions of traditional pegasus weather manipulation abilities. So it makes sense that she generates an nubekinetic construct using her magic!”

“So if we modulate the variables in the construct’s manifestation formula to account for the differences in density, she should be able to generate a Road with the same speed and range as mine?”

“Exactly right, Subaru!”

“Uh, that’s all well and good,” Scootaloo interjected, shuffling her hooves, “but I’m not sure how solid this thing is. Maybe I should get-”

And right about then, the cloud beneath her dissolved. Scootaloo let out a squawk and tumbled down, only to come to a stop as Subaru caught her.

“Gotcha!” Subaru grinned, then carefully set the pony down.

“Uh… thanks.” Scootaloo shook herself slightly. Sheesh… she didn’t even flinch when she caught me.

“Yeah, the stability’s going to need work,” Twilight noted. “But we’re on the right track now, at least.”

“Told you, Scoots,” Subaru grinned. “I told you it’d work!”

Scootaloo flushed slightly and flicked her tail. Despite herself, however, she started to smile at Subaru’s exultations. Just a small smile.

“And unless anyone has any further business,” Gais announced with a note of finality, “we can consider this meeting adjourned. Good day, gentlemen.”

Chrono tried not to let his relief show as he got to his feet, Griffith calmly putting the scattered papers and notes in order. The meeting had run long, as usual, as the older officers seemed more than content to chatter on about minutiae and minor issues with their budget proposals. Of course, Chrono kept his opinions to himself during the proceedings. He knew he was the most junior man at the table, and there was no need to rock the boat.

However, as much as he disliked the man, he had to admit Gais did keep order quite well. It was almost worth listening to his self-aggrandizing to watch him work. Almost.

Is there anything else we need to worry about, Griffith? He tried to look nonchalant as he contacted his executive officer telepathically.

Aside from lunch, you mean? Well, there’s the meeting with Major Nakajima.

Ah. Almost forgot about that. Let’s see if we can’t ditch the Lieutenant General…

I doubt it’ll be that easy, Griffith replied as he glanced toward the head of the table. Gais was approaching calmly, his aide Auris just behind him and standing at his right shoulder.

“Captain Harlaown,” Gais said gruffly, “may I have a word with you?”

“Of course, Sir,” Chrono replied as Griffith closed his briefcase.

“I noticed you had little to actually report during your section of the meeting…”

“Well sir,” Chrono replied smoothly, “We’ve only been in business for a little over a week. It’d make sense that I wouldn’t have much to report, Sir.”

“I see. At least your command isn‘t too strenuous, then.” Gais’ gaze lingered on his slung arm. “That’s good. And I assume the Equestrians aren’t giving you any trouble?”

“If they were, sir, you’d be the first to know,” Chrono assured him. “And before you ask, neither have the Altenritter.”

Gais grunted. “Good to hear.” Chrono could have sworn he heard a little hint of disappointment in the Lieutenant General’s voice.

“I can assure you, sir, that everything is well in hand.” Chrono did his best to put on a friendly smile for the two of them.

“It’s good to hear that. I know that taking a command position like this is difficult, especially for someone as young as you are. You‘re welcome to contact me whenever you have an issue you can‘t deal with. After all, you‘re still new to this. Things can… happen.”

“I appreciate your concerns, sir,” Chrono replied, ignoring the implications of that last sentence “It’s nice to see that you’re putting aside your famous animosity for the Dimensional Navy for the time being.”

Gais smiled thinly, though his deep-set eyes narrowed. “You’ll find, Captain Harlaown, that my distaste for the Navy is sometimes a little… over-exaggerated.”

“I’m sure.” Chrono glanced over at Griffith as the lavender-haired man coughed softly, before he turned back to Gais. “I hope you’ll forgive me, Lieutenant General, but I really must be going. Business to attend to and such. I’m sure you’ll understand.”

“Of course, Captain Harlaown. I won’t keep you. Major?”

Auris nodded politely, then followed Gais as he stepped past Chrono and out of the room.

Ugh. Chrono’s lips twisted in distaste. Lay on the seniority, why don’t we? Well, at least we now know where we sit with him, don’t we Griffith?

Indeed, sir. Griffith adjusted his glasses as Chrono began walking, falling into step behind him. Though I have to wonder if he was actually being genuine about that offer…

I doubt it. Gais is a politician, Griffith. He wouldn’t have gotten this far if he didn’t know how to play the game. Chrono grimaced as he reached the elevator and pressed the call button. But if he thinks I‘m just going to come crawling to him when things go poorly, he‘s underestimating me.

Begging your pardon sir, but maybe you’re being a bit pessimistic?

Not really. If I come to him for anything, he’ll spin it to his advantage. That’s the way this sort of thing works. Either way, I’m not going to give him any satisfaction.

If you say so, sir. Griffith sighed audibly as the elevator arrived. The two of them stepped inside.

“Hopefully we should be able to get through the rest of this trip without too much trouble,” Chrono continued, dropping out of telepathy. “We still have that meeting with Major Nakajima, right?”

“Right, sir. I’ve already notified him that we’re on our way.”

“So, Captain Harlaown, I’m assuming it’s your treat this time?”

Chrono chuckled softly as he leaned back in his chair, looking at Major Genya Nakajima. Genya was an older man, his feathered hair and bushy eyebrows a steely gray. His skin was well-tanned, and his dark eyes were slightly almond shaped, which sat oddly with his long, lean face. His shoulders were broad and his frame was solid, but not excessively so. His brown Ground Forces uniform jacket was unbuttoned, and his yellow tie slightly loosened.

“Only if you’ll allow me, sir,” Chrono replied. “After all, my salary’s gone up just a little bit since I got put in charge of RIOT Force. I think I can afford to pick up the tab.”

“Welcome to the wonderful world of being in charge,” Genya replied with a chuckle. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Eh,” Chrono shrugged one shoulder. “It’s like my old job, but with more paperwork and fewer chances to hit people. Of course, now I have even more things to worry about. It’s… been an adjustment, to say the least.”

“I’d imagine,” Genya leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers lacing together. “Going from working in the field to working behind a desk must be hell.”

“Like I said, fewer chances to hit people,” Chrono sighed dramatically, eliciting a snort of amusement from Griffith. “But I’ll admit, it’s nice to have a cozy office, instead of a ship berth or a work room stuffed with twenty desks.”

“Trust me, you’ll get used to the creature comforts in no time.”

“Excuse me, sirs,” the waiter asked politely. “Can I take your drink orders?”

Chrono put in his order, then turned back to Genya. “Though with all the stress I have to deal with, I’ll imagine I’ll be as gray as you by the time I’m thirty.”

“Careful, Mister Harlaown,” Genya chuckled. “You may get what you’re asking for.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got Griffith here to make sure I don’t bite off more than I can chew. Right, Griffith?”

Griffith shrugged. “Not like you’d listen, sir.”

Chrono smirked, though his eyes quickly scanned over the restaurant. The lunch rush was mostly over, which meant it was easier to keep an eye out for suspicious individuals. Plus, it was a place frequented by personnel that worked at Central Command, so the staff were used to seeing people in uniform.

This would be easier if he was a mage, Chrono thought to himself as he scanned the menu. Then we could do this via telepathy.

The waiter returned with their drinks, took their orders, and left with their menus.

“So,” Chrono said softly, dropping his voice slightly as Griffith shifted in his chair, moving so that anyone trying to read Chrono’s lips from the side would have their view blocked, “I assume you’ve brought the information?”

Genya nodded and spoke quietly. “It’s all on the data-stick my coat pocket. I’ll hand it over when we start to leave. It’s not much, though.”

“Has there been any advances in the JS case?”

Genya sighed. “I’ve been making some inquiries to the other investigative battalions outside of Mid-Childa, but there hasn’t been a break in the case yet. You’d think between the Bureau and the Saint Church, we’d manage to find a lead on the bastard.”

“Trust me, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t want to be found. Remember the Jewel Seed Case? Presea Testarossa had her own private asteroid in D-Space, and nobody even knew she was around until she started mucking around in Equestria.” Chrono took a sip of his water and grimaced. “Of course, Presea was being subtle in her own way.”

“That much is true,” Genya replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The thing is, I’m pretty sure this guy’s been behind at least a dozen labs that‘ve been shut down recently for illegal research. Unfortunately, the connection’s circumstantial at best. The labs were set up by shell companies and paid for by dummy accounts, and most of them were abandoned when the authorities came knocking.”

“Then how can you tell it’s him?” Chrono quirked an eyebrow.

“It’s all research he’s been involved in: illegal bio-manipulation, military cybernetics, mass-based weaponry development, Lost Logia research and so on. But like I said, it‘s all circumstantial. Aside from the fact that it‘s his area of expertise we can‘t actually pin it on him.” Genya grimaced. “What worries me is that those sorts of operations cost a lot to set up. Just furnishing those labs alone would cost a small fortune. Where’s he getting the resources to do all this? And more importantly, how’s he able to clean up after himself so damned quick?”

“I could think of a few ways,” Chrono said with a soft huff, then glanced up and tapped his lips as the waiter approached with their meals. He nodded to the waiter politely, right before the young man scurried off.

“You‘re talking about this mysterious ‘shadow cabal‘ inside the Bureau?” Genya muttered around his sandwich.

“It’d make sense,” Chrono replied. “What better way to avoid capture than by working with the very people that’re trying to catch you?”

“Hrm… it’s still a stretch, Chrono. Even after what you told me, it still sounds like a bunch of conspiracy-theory mumbo-jumbo. It‘s hard to wrap my head around.”

Chrono shook his head. “I don’t blame you. But at least you’re giving me the benefit of the doubt.”

“Only because I know you well enough. And because I know Gil Graham.” Genya grimaced in disgust.

Chrono grimaced at the mention of his now-disgraced mentor. “Let’s… talk about something else, why don’t we?”

“Sure. Now,” Genya smiled at Chrono, “How’s my youngest daughter doing so far?”

“Alright everyone,” Twilight announced, “we’ll be wrapping up today’s exercises with some individual sparring! Take about fifteen minutes to catch your breath and recover before we start.“

Subaru exhaled and plopped onto her rear, stretching out her legs and letting out a loud sigh. She bent forwards, her chest almost pressing into the ground as she stretched out, eyes half-closed Her rollerblades were beside her, the straps loose as they sat there. She could hear Scootaloo skating around behind her, the rolling of her skates almost drowning out her soft muttering.

And then a second set of footsteps caught her attention. She opened her eyes, only to find her vision filled with a familiar pair of shoes. She glanced upwards at their owner. “Hey, Tea.”

“Hey, Subaru,” Teana replied as Subaru sat back up. “Everything going alright?”

“Great!” Subaru grinned up at her friend. “Scootaloo’s really making good progress with our training…” She paused as Teana grimaced. “What’s the matter, Tea? Something bothering you?”

“No. I’m fine, Subaru.” Teana huffed. She slid a hand through her hair to wipe away some of the sweat, then cleaned her hand off on her pants. “Probably just the heat.”

“You’re getting plenty of water, right?”

“Of course. I’m not an idiot…”

Subaru smiled meekly. “Just making sure. I mean, the last thing you need is to get sick during training, right?”

“Right.” Teana paused and glanced off to the side, then took a step back. “What in the…”

“Huh? What’s up Tea?” Subaru followed Teana’s gaze, then blinked as she saw the black uniformed pony walking towards Scootaloo, accompanied by Captain Testarossa-Sparkle.

No, wait… not pony, Subaru amended as she saw the stripes and the tail, zebra! A zebra wearing Captain Testarossa-Sparkle’s uniform?

Scootaloo quickly noticed as well, her body going stiff as she saw him approach. The zebra broke away from Captain Testarossa-Sparkle, coming to a halt just a few steps away from Scootaloo. The pegasus quickly bowed her head in deference. The zebra snorted, his tail swishing as he reached up and gently patted her on the head with one hoof.

“Huh…” Subaru got to her feet, then picked up her rollerblades and slung them over one shoulder. “I guess they know each other…”

“I didn’t know Scootaloo had a visitor.” Teana folded her arms and furrowed her brow. “Though considering he’s wearing the same outfit Captain Testarossa-Sparkle wears, he must be from the same unit.”

Subaru smiled, then began walking towards them.

“Subaru!” Teana quickly jogged after her and grabbed her arm. “Where’re you going?”

“I’m going to go introduce myself.” Subaru continued walking, nonchalantly dragging Teana along even as the gunslinger dug her heels in. The other girl’s shoes squeaked softly on the smooth surface of the S4.

“Rrrgh! You idiot. What if it’s a private conversation? You shouldn’t just butt into other people’s business like that!”

“Well, if it’s private, then I’ll just leave them alone.” Subaru stopped and glanced at Teana. “What’s the harm in asking?”

“It may be best if you two give them a few moments.”

Subaru paused, glancing down at Fate as she spoke. “Y-yes ma’am,” she quickly responded, coming to attention as the golden unicorn approached.

Captain Testarossa-Sparkle smiled faintly. “I understand your eagerness to meet new ponies, Subaru, but this is a special case.”

“Um, if you don’t mind me asking, ma’am,” Teana interjected, gesturing towards Scootaloo and her companion, “but who is he?”

“His name is Radi. He’s one of my Shadowbolts… and one of Scootaloo’s mentors.”

“Mentors?” Teana and Subaru looked at each other as they spoke in unison.

Captain Testarossa-Sparkle nodded. “He helped instruct her in hoof-to-hoof combat. Where do you think she got all those acrobatic kicks from?”

“Oh,” Subaru nodded. “So, he taught her how to fight?”

“Yes. He tried to teach her some other things, but I‘m not sure they stuck…”

“You are doing well, ndege?”

Scootaloo tried not to look too embarrassed. “Well… yes, sir. I guess so.”

Radi fixed her with those pale green eyes of his. Scootaloo tried not to look too nervous, but she knew it was hopeless. “You guess so, ndege?”

“Uh… well…” She huffed and scuffed one of her skate-clad hooves on the ground. One of the first things she’d learned about Radi was that it was nearly impossible to lie to him. Scootaloo was pretty sure he didn’t know any magic that let him sense lies, but nonetheless he seemed to look straight through her.

Or maybe she was just bad at lying.

“It’s… well, it’s complicated, sir.”

“Complicated?” The word was half-question, half-statement.

Scootaloo shuffled her hooves. She felt like a school-filly all over again. “Yes, sir. I mean… I’m trying my best, sir. But… well… sometimes I get… you know…”

“Ah. You are still my ndege,” Radi snorted in amusement.

Scootaloo blushed. Ndege. The word meant ‘little bird’ in Zebrican. Of course, Radi had explained why he called her that. It was short for the Zebrican idiom, ‘angry little bird in a big empty nest.’

“It’s not like that,” Scootaloo objected, starting to skate in a tight figure-eight in front of him “I mean, I’m trying to be nice… kinda. It’s just there’s this one person that just sets me off, you know? She reminds me of those jackasses from training camp. You know…”

“Yes, yes, I know.” Radi extended a hoof, neatly stopping her mid-way in her pacing. “You have many problems with such individuals, my ndege. This I know. But surely not all is such doom and gloom, yes?”

Scootaloo sighed. “Well… there is one person.”

Radi quirked an eyebrow in curiosity, waiting for her to continue.

“Her name’s Subaru. And… well, she’s trying to be my friend. Like, really, really trying. She’s never said anything mean about me, she’s always trying to be encouraging, and when I start getting snippy she tries to, y’know, keep me in line.”

“Mm.”

“But… I just don’t know.” Scootaloo sighed and dipped her head. “I want to like her. I want to trust her. But after everything with Hotshot and with what happened with Rainbow Dash… I’m not sure I can.”

“Have you meditated as I have taught you, ndege?”

Scootaloo blinked. “Huh? Well… uh…”

Radi snorted, his ears folding back. “You have not. It is no wonder your head is so clouded.”

“L-look, it’s not like I haven’t wanted to, you know. It’s just… well… all this.” Scootaloo swirled a hoof about in the air, gesturing all around. “I’ve been dealing with all this stuff. It’s kinda hard to sit down and zone out when you’ve got more important things to worry about…”

Radi just gave her a straight, level look, the sort that made Scootaloo want to jump off the S4 and into the bay.

Scootaloo swallowed. Why couldn’t he be more like Zecora? Zecora doesn’t do the whole ‘stare into your soul’ thing unless she’s pissed.

She sighed heavily, looking down at the ground. “I’m sorry, Radi. You’re probably regretting trying to teach me…”

“I am doing no such thing, ndege.”

Scootaloo paused as he reached over and gently patted her on the head with one hoof. “You are young, ndege. The young do many things that are unwise. It is the job of the elders to help them see their foolishness… and make sure they do not hurt themselves overmuch. Even if Nahodha Testarossa-Sparkle had not asked me to, I would have seen to you.”

“Thanks…” Scootaloo sighed softly.

He then promptly thumped his hoof on the top of her head.

“Ow!” One skate-clad hoof went to her mane.

“However,” he said sternly, “that does not mean you can ignore my teachings, ndege. You are still a fledgling. And fledglings do not become adults until they have shed that which weighs them down. I will expect you to meditate from here on out. Understood?”

“Yes sir,” Scootaloo grumbled, only to hiss as Radi thumped her on the head again, faster than she could react.

“Do not grumble at me, ndege,” Radi lowered his hoof. “The purpose of meditation is to clear your mind of distraction, not to ‘zone out’ as you put it. You will do this, or I will ask Nahodha Testarossa-Sparkle to check on you to make sure.

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it! Just don’t hit me again! Sheesh…”

Radi nodded in satisfaction, then glanced back over his shoulder. “Those two humans there… they seem curious about me.”

Scootaloo followed his gaze, then grunted as she watched Fate talking to them. Subaru was laughing nervously, scratching the back of her head while Teana just huffed, her hands on her hips. “Yeah. Those’re the two I told you about.”

“Ah. Which one is this ‘Subaru’ you spoke of?”

“The one with the blue hair.”

“Ah. And the other is the one that ‘sets you off,’ I presume?”

Scootaloo grunted and nodded, then blinked as Radi turned and trotted off towards them. Scootaloo skated after him slowly, her ears folded back as she followed along.

“Oh great, here he comes,” Teana muttered to Subaru. “Just try to act natural, alright?”

“I’ll be fine, Tea,” Subaru replied as Fate stepped out of the way. The zebra trotted up to her and Teana, his tail swishing as his hooves clip-clopped on the ground.

“Lieutenant Radi,” Captain Testarossa-Sparkle said, gesturing to Subaru and Teana, “these are Privates Subaru Nakajima and Teana Lanster. They’re Scootaloo’s squad mates.”

Radi nodded, then looked Subaru directly in the eyes. His pale-green eyes were fierce and stern, but Subaru swallowed and didn’t look away. “It’s… a pleasure to meet you, sir,” she managed to say.

“Yes, it is,” he replied simply.

Subaru slowly extended a hand. “I… heard you were Scootaloo’s mentor. You must be pretty impressive, sir.”

Radi quirked an eyebrow at that. “Why do you say such a thing?”

“Because Scootaloo’s pretty impressive herself, sir.”

Radi paused at that. He then nodded and broke eye contact, gently lifting a hoof up and resting it in Subaru’s hand.

Subaru felt the edge of his hoof rest against her fingers. The edge of his hoof was filed almost to a blade-like sharpness. She shook it firmly, then let go.

Radi nodded in approval. “You will take good care of my ndege, yes?”

“She’s my squad mate and my friend. Of course I would.”

Radi hmmed, looking up at her again. His ears flicked. “Yes. You would.” He then turned his attention on Teana, who met his eyes briefly before glancing away nervously. “And you as well, I hope?”

“Yes sir,” Teana replied.

“That is good. My student is in good hooves. She is a proud little bird,” Radi glanced back at Scootaloo, who flushed and glanced away, “but she has a strong heart. Be mindful of this, yes?”

“Absolutely, sir,” Subaru replied promptly, though she was surprised. Radi’s gaze was still focused on Teana. The zebra nodded slowly, then turned back to Captain Testarossa-Sparkle.

“I would like to excuse myself, Nahodha. Your sister will resume training, and it would be best I stepped out of the way.”

“Of course. Excuse us, girls.”

Subaru nodded as the Captain and her zebra companion trotted off. She heard Teana let out a loud breath as Scootaloo skated closer. “He seemed… nice,” Subaru ventured as she looked at Scootaloo.

“Relax,” the pegasus replied, “I think he likes you Subaru.”

Subaru blinked. “Huh? You think so?”

“Yeah. Lieutenant Radi doesn’t like touching others very much. Or being touched, for that matter. So the fact that he let you shake his hoof…”

“Oh… oh my gosh,” Subaru blushed.

“Is he always like that?” Teana shivered, hugging herself as she looked at Radi‘s retreating backside..

“Yeah. Radi’s really super-intense. I’m not sure he knows how to turn it off.” Scootaloo stretched her wings. “He’s not bad once you get to know him, though.”

“Right… I’ll take your word on that…”

“So,” Fate ventured as she and Radi walked along, “what do you think?”

Radi grunted softly. “The blue-maned one, Subaru, is good. Her spirit is strong, and she does not show fear easily. She is much like my ndege, but… refined. The orange-maned one, Teana… I am not so sure.”

“Oh?”

Radi shook his head. “There is darkness in her gaze. Something is lurking in her, but I do not know what. You would do well to take care, Nahodha. She is trouble.”

“That lines up with what I’ve gathered,” Fate replied. “I’m just glad you confirmed it for me.”

“You rely that much on me, Nahodha?” Radi asked curiously.

“You’re much better at reading others than I am,” Fate replied with a smile. “But then again, you’ve had a lot more practice at it.”

“Survival is the best teacher, Nahodha.“ Radi grunted in agreement. “Many of you ponies would not last long in the veldt, not even my ndege, skilled though she may be.”

Fate arched an eyebrow in amusement. “Does that include me, Lieutenant?”

“I would not dare say such a thing out loud, Nahodha,” Radi replied with a straight face.

Fate laughed softly, then shook her head. “Anyway,” she continued, “do you think you’ll hang around a little while longer for the sparring?”

“Hrm. Yes, I think so.” Radi nodded.

“I’ve confirmed that Captain Harlaown and his aide have left the building, sir.”

Gais sighed softly, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Sit, Auris. Was he seen with anyone else during his time here?”

Auris shook her head. “No sir. After the administrative meeting he and his aide left the building to have lunch. He then returned, stopped by the Base Command Authority and requisitions department to turn in his paperwork, then returned to the transport helicopter that brought him here.”

Gais grunted, then slowly turned in his desk chair, letting one hand linger on the ink blotter atop his desk. ”Auris,” he began, trying to keep his voice even, “there’s something I’d like for you to do for me.”

“Yes, sir?”

“I want you to do some digging.” He reached up, rubbing his mustache with one gloved hand before continuing. “I want you to find out whatever you can about the Captain’s Equestrian friends. Anything we can use.”

“Of course, sir.” Auris adjusted her glasses, a glint of sunlight briefly hiding her eyes. “Are we seeking to discredit them?”

“Not yet,” Gais replied. “But I’d like to be prepared if we need to move against Chrono’s little friends. Dig up whatever dirt you can find on them. Something we can throw around.”

“Of course sir. But what about the Altenritter?”

“There’s not much we can do about them,” Gais replied. “Those monsters are very publicly turning over a new leaf. And as far as the Bureau is concerned, the damned Saint Church could bathe in sewage and still smell like roses.” He paused, then nodded to himself. “On second thought though… see what you can find about their ‘Equestrian liaison;’ the blue unicorn that holds the Altenritter’s leash, whatever her name is.”

“Trixie, sir.”

“Yes, Trixie.” He turned fully, looking out the window and reclining his chair back against his desk. “I don’t care how cute and sweet they seem to be; even pretty little ponies can have secrets they want to hide. Find them.”

“As you wish, sir.”

Gais nodded absentmindedly. I’m sorry I have to do this, Harlaown, he thought to himself, but you’re just another soldier caught up in this war, and you‘re on the wrong side. Hopefully you’ll smarten up before it destroys you, like it did my old friend…

The setting sun shone down on the S4 as Twilight stood on the pier, gently tapping on the holographic keyboard with her telekinesis.

Another day, another successful practice, she thought to herself in satisfaction. Raising Heart, have you logged the data with Shari?

Yes, my Master. Data logs have been saved to Shari’s terminal, as well as the base’s server and your personal terminal.

Great! She waved to her trainees as they walked by, the six of them waving back as best they could given their exhausted state. Aside from the few hiccups today, things seem to be going pretty well!

Then she realized that Spike, Erio and Caro had stopped. The young dragon raised a hand, waving them on before he quickly jogged over to Twilight, the scuff-marks from that afternoon’s sparring practice still on his scales. “Hey, uh, Twilight? Can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Sure,” Twilight replied, shutting off the terminal. “What’s the matter?”

“Well,” Spike grimaced and shuffled his feet. “It’s about Teana…”

Twilight sighed. So much for an ideal day. “Go on…”

8: Supplementary Materials

Dear Papa and Sis,

Sorry I haven’t written for a while. Our training schedules have been getting progressively tougher. Special Instructor Sparkle’s really putting us through our paces; most of the time we’re about ready to collapse once evening rolls around. She’s really cool though! She’s a lot nicer than some of my instructors back at the Ground Forces Academy, and I think she really likes me. I’ve been helping Scootaloo (the pony squad-mate I told you about last time) with some special training, and Twilight’s really impressed with my work. Maybe I should become an instructor when I get older.

Anyway, you’re not going to believe this, but I made a new friend today…

“Um, Special Instructor Sparkle?” Teana shifted nervously at the back of the elevator.

“Yes, Teana?” Twilight glanced back at her. Subaru had to admit, it was just a little cramped with all seven of them in the elevator.

“I’m just wondering, but why’re we going down to the basement? Are we visiting Engineering for some reason?”

Twilight smiled cryptically as the elevator doors chimed and hissed open. “You’re correct, Teana. We ARE visiting Engineering. Now, come along everyone. Shari’s waiting for us.”

Teana glanced at Subaru in confusion as the elevator emptied, the orange haired mage falling into step beside her. “Any ideas, Subaru?” Teana’s voice came out in a soft whisper.

Subaru shrugged. “No clue. Maybe it’s got something to do with our Devices? Why else would we be visiting Corporal Finieno?”

Teana grunted, her hand resting on her holstered Anchor Gun. “Well, I was planning on visiting Engineering for a tune up. My cartridge system’s firing pin isn’t triggering as quickly as I’d like…”

“You know,” Scootaloo interrupted, glancing back at Subaru and Teana, “you two don’t really need to whisper like that. It‘s not like you won‘t get the answer here shortly.”

Subaru chuckled and scratched the back of her head. “True…”

Teana sighed and rolled her eyes. “What, we’re not allowed to speculate?”

“Not when the door’s right there,” Scootaloo replied, gesturing to the door in question with one wing.

“Good point,” Subaru replied as Twilight pressed the door’s button, causing it to hiss open.

“Shari,” Twilight called, “we’re here!”

“Ah, Twilight! Right on time, as usual! Come on in!”

Subaru quickly filed in with the rest of the Trainees. She glanced around the room in curiosity for a moment, then quickly fell into line when Teana coughed loudly.

“I’m sure you all remember Shari,” Twilight began, gesturing to the Device Meister. Shari looked reasonably presentable, with her brown hair smoothed back and her uniform jacket only slightly wrinkled. Her eyes were bright and her demeanor suggested she was barely containing her excitement.

“At ease, everyone,” Shari waved her hand at the trainees. “There’s no need to be all formal here. Now,” Shari clasped her hands together, an eager grin on her face, “I’d imagine you’re all curious as to why you’re here, right?”

“Well…” Teana began nervously, “yes, ma’am.”

“Then let me explain. You see, I’ve actually been involved in your training from the very beginning, though I haven‘t always been on the field.” Shari swept a hand through the air before her, several holographic monitors lighting up on the wall behind her. “Special Instructor Sparkle’s been sending me all of your combat data from the practice you’ve been doing, as well as all sorts of other, miscellaneous bits of information. You see, all the individual practicing and basic training you six have been doing hasn’t been just to test your skill. It’s also been used to refine a set of new Devices!”

That definitely elicited a reaction.

“Wait,” Scootaloo’s eyes widened, “did you just say-”

“New Devices?” Teana gaped. “Is that what-”

“You’re joking,” Erio looked at Caro, who seemed equally confused. “They’re joking, right?”

“You mean-” Subaru’s eyes twinkled.

“It’s about time,” Spike huffed.

“Okay everyone, calm down,” Shari held up her hands defensively and laughed nervously. She waited until they stopped before coughing and continuing. “To answer your question… yes, you’re all getting new Devices, courtesy of RIOT Force.”

Subaru noticed Teana’s hand move, almost protectively, down to her hip holster. She quickly raised a hand.

“Yes, Subaru?” Shari gestured to her.

“I’m just curious… but why’re we getting Devices? I mean, it just seems a bit odd…”

“I can answer that,” Twilight replied. “The six of you are getting special Devices due to the nature of your skill sets. The six of you all possess unique traits that the standard Bureau-issue Devices aren‘t suited to. Because of this, it was decided that custom Devices were needed to fully draw out your potential.”

“It may seem odd,” Shari acknowledged, “but given the special nature of this unit, it makes sense for us to supply you with the tools necessary to make your talents shine.”

“And while I know that you and Teana have your own custom-designed Devices,” Twilight added, “we’re not doing this to devalue your work. If anything, these new Devices are patterned after your handiwork. So please, accept these new Devices as our gift to you.”

“Not just a gift.”

Subaru and the others jumped at the new voice, quickly turning to look at the speaker. Subaru’s eyes widened as she saw the tiny, pale alicorn floating in the air, her wings gently flapping.

“Ah, Reinforce!” Shari clapped her hands delightedly. “So good of you to join us!”

“R-R-Reinforce?” Subaru stammered, then jerked as Teana poked her in the ribs.

“That is my name, yes.” Reinforce flew past the group of trainees and alighted on Shari’s shoulder.

“I’m sure some of you are familiar with Reinforce,” Shari gestured to the alicorn. “I‘ve been consulting with her and Princess Luna on the designs for your Devices. Their help was invaluable, I might add.”

“It was no problem at all,” Reinforce nodded.

Is… that what I think it is? Teana whispered telepathically to Subaru.

Subaru nodded. The Brightest Light in the Darkest Hour, Trixie Lulamoon’s companion and Unison Device… Reinforce…

Also known as The Book of Darkness.

Subaru winced slightly at that. I… wouldn’t say that around her if I were you…

Teana’s lips became a thin line, but she didn’t reply.

“I think it’d be best if we showed them their new toys, don’t you think?” Shari sounded chipper as she looked at Reinforce.

“I wouldn’t call them ‘toys,’ but yes, I agree.” Reinforce sighed, then took wing as Shari reached down and flipped on the worktable’s suspension field.

“Trainees,” Reinforce announced as her horn glowed with bright white light, “allow me to introduce you to your new Devices.”

There was a flicker as six objects winked into existence, hovering in the suspension field. The first was Spike’s belt, its green, heart-cut gem glittering in the light. The second was a palm-sized blue gem, cut in the shape of an elongated hexagon and bearing a thin silver chain.

Next came a large, metallic card, the surface of it white and quadrisected by a thin red cross. A circular, cabochon-cut orange gem rested in its center, easily an inch in diameter and held in place by a metal ‘X.’ It was soon followed by a thin bracelet, a pair of feather-like tassels dangling down between a pair of marble-shaped pink jewels.

The fifth Device looked like an elaborate white digital wrist-watch with blue wrist straps. A tiny, triangle-cut yellow gem rested up against what appeared to be the Device’s central view-screen. It was soon followed by the sixth and final Device: a hair-clip made out of a metallic pink alloy, which supported a set of four, diamond-shaped purple gems arranged in a compass-rose shaped pattern, connected together by a thin ring of blue-enameled metal.

A hush fell over the trainees as Reinforce turned to them, her horn still glowing. Her red eyes focused on them intently as she spoke.

“These Devices are yours to use as you see fit. However, I feel I must impress upon you the responsibility that this entails. Devices such as these are not mere tools. They are not unfeeling things meant to be used and discarded. Each of these Devices are newly forged, newly formed. Their machine spirits, their AI, are as children. And like children, they must be cared for and treated with respect and dignity. In entrusting you with these Devices, we are entrusting you with their fates. Treat them well, and they will be your strongest allies and closest companions. You will stand together with them, and they in turn shall give you the strength to face any opponent. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am!” The six of them spoke almost in unison.

Reinforce nodded in satisfaction, then glanced over to Shari. “I leave the rest to you, then.”

“Thank you, Reinforce.” Shari blushed, then shook herself and straightened her glasses. “When I call your name, step forward. Starting with Stars Squad. Subaru, you’re first.”

Subaru stepped forward, then extended a hand. Shari plucked the blue jewel on the silver chain from the suspension field and rested it in her palm. “Subaru, this is Mach Caliber.”

Subaru looked down at the gem and smiled quietly. Light glinted off the surface of the gem, revealing the thin bands of blue inside it.

“Hello, Mach Caliber,” she said softly.

“She can’t hear you right now,” Shari noted, causing Subaru to look at her curiously. “She hasn’t been activated. Once you link up with her, she’ll come fully on-line.”

“Oh. Uh… right. I knew that.” Subaru blushed and stepped back.

“Next, Teana.” Shari pulled the card-shaped Device from the field. “This is Cross Mirage.”

“Um… thanks.” Teana slowly turned the Device around in her hands, her expression thoughtful as she stepped back into line.

“Now, Scootaloo.” Shari pulled out the hair clip and knelt down, offering it to the pegasus. “This Device, Gale Force, is yours.”

“Huh… cool.” Scootaloo frowned slightly. “A little girly, but I guess it’ll do.” Scootaloo slipped the hair-clip into her mane, just above her left eye.

“Next, Lightning Squad. Erio,” Shari gestured to him as she pulled out the wrist-watch, “this is Strada.”

“’Strada?’” Twilight quirked an eyebrow as Erio took the Device. “What language is that? I don‘t think it‘s Belkan or Mid-Childan”

“Old Galean, actually…” Shari blushed. “I… might have had one of my old textbooks out while I was establishing names for Erio and Caro’s Devices.“

“I think it’s a nice name,” Erio replied, adjusting the straps gently.

“Ahem… Anyway,” Shari gestured to Caro, crouching down with the thin bracelet in hand. “Caro, this is Kerykeion.”

“Okay…” Caro held the bracelet gingerly, before slipping it around her wrist. The feathered tassels swung gently as she fiddled with it.

“And finally, this one isn’t one of my designs.” Shari reached over and drew out the belt. “Spike, this Device is from Princess Luna. It’s name is Ritterherz…”

“Finally!” Spike bounded up and almost snatched the Device from Shari’s hands. He paused, then blushed as Twilight shot him a glare. “Sorry, ma’am, but I’ve been waiting for this for a while now.” The little dragon quickly pulled the belt up around his waist, then grinned and turned to the others, hands on his hips. “Check me out, guys…”

Subaru just giggled as Twilight rolled her eyes. Reinforce shook her head and raised her front limbs in a shrugging motion.

Huh, Teana whispered to Subaru telepathically, the little dragon gets something made by a Princess? I guess being in Twilight’s good graces has its advantages…

Subaru smiled wanly, though the tone of the message did make her feel a little uncomfortable. Well, he IS a dragon…

Teana grunted in reply.

“Now then,” Twilight turned to the trainees, “for the rest of today’s practice, we’ll be getting you all acquainted with your new partners. So, let’s take this outside…”

A half-dozen monitors hovered in the air around Twilight and Shari, turning briefly opaque as the unicorn’s gaze swept over them and the assembled trainees. The morning sun’s light shimmered on the surface of the S4, reflecting only slightly through the holographic monitors. It was, as usual, a lovely summer’s day; perfect for training.

“We’ll start with individual boot-ups,” Shari noted as she tapped away on the hovering holographic keyboard before her. “We’ll follow that with the standard Set Up routine, if that’s alright with you, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded. “That sounds fine with me, Shari. The last thing we need to do with new Devices like these is rush through the standard checks. Everything ready to go?”

“Mmm… almost… there!” Shari tapped a few more keys, then nodded in satisfaction. “Alright, we’re ready to record.”

“Excellent!” Twilight clapped her hooves together as she turned towards the trainees. “So, which of you wants to go first?”

“Ooh!” Subaru’s gauntlet-clad hand shot up almost immediately, her Revolver Knuckle glinting in the sunlight.

Twilight giggled softly. “Well, I guess we have our volunteer. Step forward, Subaru.”

Subaru quickly did as requested, then brandished the Device before her. Mach Caliber’s Standby Form glittered as she swung on her chain, the blue jewel catching the sunlight.

“I’m sure you know the standard procedure,” Shari said as she turned, a few of the monitors following her upper body’s movement. “Initiate Linkage with the Device, let it run through the boot-up, then perform Set Up.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Subaru nodded, then closed her eyes.

Gosh, it feels like forever since I did this for the first time, Twilight thought to herself, glancing down at Raising Heart. I wonder if what Subaru’s doing is anything like you and I went through, Raising Heart.

I cannot say, Master, Raising Heart replied.

Figures. I can’t believe it’s been… what, eleven, twelve years since we first met and became partners? Twilight sighed softly, glancing over at the monitors. I wonder if they’ll be as close as you and I are now…

“Boot-up successful. Linkage is complete,” Shari noted, her eyes focused on the readouts. “Synchronization with Subaru’s Linker Core is at ninety percent. All readings are green. We are clear for Set Up.”

Twilight looked to the blue-haired mage. “Alright Subaru, go ahead.”

“Right! Mach Caliber!” Subaru swept her arm inward, holding the pendant close to her chest. “Set! Up!”

“DRIVE IGNITION,” a mechanical, yet feminine voice answered. A swirl of blue light spiraled up around Subaru, quickly obscuring her from regular sight.

“Barrier is stable,” Shari commented as Twilight watched the view-screen. “Set-up processes remain green…”

Twilight nodded as she watched the sequence. Subaru’s body glowed as the Barrier Jacket began to rapidly replace her regular clothing, the pieces spreading across her skin in ribbons of light. A skin-tight white top covered her torso, a single blue stripe running down the center between her breasts and joining several diagonal blue stripes that ran down from her armpits. A pair of similar white shorts covered her lower half, leaving her midriff and her legs bare. Blue and white knee and elbow pads phased in around her limbs, while her off-hand was covered by a white and blue glove.

Mach Caliber’s core blinked in just above her right ankle as a pair of heavily armored inline skates assembled around Subaru’s feet. The dark metal matched Subaru’s Revolver Knuckle, with a similarly solid, somewhat blocky construction. A pair of small exhaust pipes emerged from the backs of the skates, connecting to the four-wheeled frame at the base of Subaru’s feet.

Subaru swung her arms out as the final pieces of her Barrier Jacket formed around her: a white, short-sleeved jacket with the Bureau crest on one shoulder, followed by a white, armored and open-fronted skirt. Both had a blue six-pointed starburst pattern around the hems, as did the long, white headband that tied around Subaru’s brow.

There was a flash of light as Subaru thrust her fist out, the defensive barrier falling away into motes of light.

“SET UP COMPLETE,” Mach Caliber announced.

“Oh… oh wow!” Subaru turned about, looking at herself. “This is awesome! So… Mach Caliber’s a pair of skates? This is so cool!”

Shari giggled at Subaru’s excitement. “Exactly. Mach Caliber’s a Wearable-type Intelligent Device. She’s designed to handle your mobility and defensive spells, allowing you to focus on combat. In addition,” Shari gestured to Subaru’s right arm, “she’s programmed to automatically synchronize with your Revolver Knuckle, allowing her to store it in Standby Form. In addition, your Barrier Jacket is partially patterned after Twilight’s, as you can no-doubt tell.”

Subaru, meanwhile, jabbed gently at the air, bouncing gingerly from foot-to-foot on her skates. “Balance is really good… solid construction. Bit heavier than my old skates, but they feel really good…”

“We can talk capabilities once everyone’s suited up,” Twilight interrupted gently, shooing Subaru back into line. “Teana, you’re next.”

Teana nodded, then stepped up, She inhaled slowly, then touched the card-shaped Device against her brow and closed her eyes.

“Boot-up successful. Linkage complete and holding steady. Synchronization is at eighty-nine percent and holding.” Shari announced. “Activate at your leisure, Teana.”

“Right…” Teana inhaled, then brandished the card before her. “Cross Mirage, Set Up!”

“DRIVE IGNITION!” The orange jewel flashed as a deep, resonant masculine voice echoed from the Device. An orange barrier swept up around Teana, quickly hiding her from view.

Twilight’s eyes flicked over to the view-screen as she watched the sequence. Like Subaru, Teana’s body lit up as her clothing was rapidly replaced by her Barrier Jacket. Each piece phased in with a solid flash, sending out small sprays of orange mana. First came the core of the outfit: a short dress that covered her shoulders, chest, midriff and upper thighs, red along the chest and white from her abdomen down. A pair of thigh-length white stockings with orange hems and lines covered her legs, which fed into solid-looking black shoes. Her hands bore fingerless black gloves with bands of red and orange along the wrists. A long-sleeved white jacket formed over her upper body, the TSAB crest appearing over the left breast of the coat, followed by a short white skirt. A pair of ammo-belts with accompanying holsters rested on her waist, meeting at the back in an ‘X’ shape and joining together with a cross-shaped buckle in the front. Finally, a pair of black ribbons with white ‘X’ markings tied her carrot-orange hair into twin pigtails.

The actual Device was more interesting. The thick, card-shaped Standby Form separated along the outer edge, forming two identical cards. There was a loud clicking as the metal shifted about, forming into a pair of large, sleek handguns. Each one was identical: a narrow, rectangular-prism body with two firing holes at the end, one atop the other, with a gently curved brown grip. Cross Mirage’s core glittered just above the angular, wedge-shaped trigger, the hammer clicking into position as the Barrier dissolved.

“SET UP COMPLETE,” Cross Mirage noted.

Teana, meanwhile, slowly turned about to look at her Barrier Jacket, then inspected her guns. “Two guns?”

“Your file mentioned you were ambidextrous,” Shari noted. “I figured I’d take advantage of that when designing Cross Mirage. You can use him both in single and dual-wielding forms, giving you access to a higher rate of fire.”

“Hmm…” Teana raised the paired pistols up and took a shooting stance, aiming out towards the bay away from the others. “The weight’s a bit different from my Anchor Gun… a bit heavier in the grip…”

“That’s because of the Cartridge System. It’s the CVK-794-A model with a four shot magazine. Each gun carries its own ammunition, which gives you access to a full eight cartridges. Plus, the internal dampeners makes them completely safe to use.”

“I take it you approve, Teana?” Twilight quirked an eyebrow as Teana holstered her guns on her hips.

“It’ll take some getting used to,” Teana replied, then nodded. “But I think it’ll work out, Special Instructor Sparkle.”

I guess that’s all I’ll get for now… Twilight nodded, then gestured for her to return to her position. “Scootaloo?”

“Right,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes up to look at her new Device, then trotted forward. “Here goes…” She shut her eyes tight, her wings twitching gently.

“Gale Force is booting up,” Shari reported. “Linkage complete. Synchronization is stabilizing at eighty-one percent. All green. Go ahead, Scootaloo.”

“Gotcha.” Scootaloo took a deep breath. “Gale Force, set up!”

“DRIVE IGNITION,” was the reply, a high-pitched feminine voice replied. A sudden whirlwind of purple light spiraled up around Scootaloo, forming a barrier that Twilight would best describe as ‘a spherical tornado.’

Scootaloo’s clothes vanished in a scatter of purple as her Barrier Jacket wrapped around her in a cyclone of light. First the body suit; a white flight-suit similar to her original Barrier Jacket, with pale purple lines around the leg holes. A pair of translucent purple goggles formed over Scootaloo’s eyes, the band snapping tight around her head.

Then came the rest. There was a soft hum as the Device broke apart, the four gems circling around Scootaloo before shooting into position. Two snapped against her front legs, while two landed against the leading edge of her wings. A thin layer of metal armor formed along the bones of her wings, covering them from her back up to the carpal joints of each wing. Meanwhile, a quartet of long, white boots formed over Scootaloo’s lower legs, followed by thin plates of glossy violet-enameled armor leading down to a set of quad-wheeled skates. The other two gems slotted into the front boots, glowing as they did so.

The barrier exploded in a whoosh of wind. Scootaloo landed, swerving to a halt as she flexed her wings.

“SET UP, COMPLETE!”

The pegasus reached up, pushing her goggles up onto her brow as she inspected her wings. “Uh… what the hay is this stuff on my wings?”

“That would be part of the Device,” Shari replied. “Gale Force is a very… unique design. In addition to providing mana control and an automatic spell archive, she’s designed to augment your wing-power.”

“So… I can go even faster now?” Scootaloo grinned, extending her wings fully and twitching her feathers. “Wicked…”

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Twilight glanced over at Shari with a concerned look. “I mean, she was already fast before…”

“Her control and reaction times are better than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Shari replied. “I’m sure she can handle it.”

Twilight nibbled her lower lip. Shari was correct; Scootaloo was more than adept at high speed maneuvers. However, some instinctual part of her, built up by years of watching the former Crusader barely careen out of the way of certain doom, rebelled at the idea.

“How… much is the boost in speed, exactly?”

“Gale Force should boost her acceleration rate by at least thirty percent, and her maximum top speed by fifty percent, at least until the limiters are removed…”

Twilight inhaled. Oh sweet Celestia, she’s fast as it is. How much faster can she go?

“Twilight? Something wrong?”

“Nothing at all,” Twilight replied briskly. “Next, Lightning Squad. Any volunteers?”

Erio promptly stepped up. “Ma’am.”

“Alright. You know the drill, Erio.” Twilight gestured to the young man. “Take your time if you need to…”

Erio nodded, then lifted his arm, the watch’s face held out towards Twilight as he closed his eyes in concentration.

“Alright, boot-up successful,” Shari noted. “Linkage is all green. Synchronization is at eighty-four percent and holding. Go ahead, Erio.”

“Yes ma’am. Strada, Set Up!”

“JAWOHL,” a metallic, masculine voice announced from the watch.

There was a thunderclap as a golden sphere of lightning erupted around Erio. Twilight stepped back as a few stray discharges crackled along the ground, her eyes quickly going to the monitors.

Erio’s clothing vanished in a flash, while static crackled over his body. The first layer of clothing was solid black; a high-collared tunic and a pair of knee-length shorts held up by a golden-triangle-buckled belt. A pair of fingerless black gloves flashed over his hands, bands of golden metal forming over the back of his hands. A pair of metal boots formed over his feet, the pieces clicking securely together.

Bolts of lightning crackled as Strada began to assemble itself. First came the triangular head of the Device, a pair of large, blue-enameled engines clasped against either side of the core structure, which held the Device’s Cartridge System. Said system resided just below the long, chisel-tipped blade of the spear. A thick, heavy shaft slammed home at the base of the head, a large, cylinder-shaped jet nozzle clicking into place on the butt of the shaft, the assembly the same color as the engine on the spear’s head.

Erio reached up and grabbed the massive spear, the head of which was bigger than his chest and torso combined, and swung it about like it was a broom. A white-gold trench coat unfurled over his body, the edges trimmed in black as well. There was a hollow boom as the surrounding Barrier dispersed, leaving Erio standing at the ready.

Twilight stared at the weapon, briefly recalling the conversation she had with Shari after the Meister had explained some of the… design choices she had made.

“Um… Shari?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, but are those… jet engines attached to Erio’s spear?”

“Um…yes?”

“You’re putting jet engines. On a spear. And giving it to a ten-year-old.”

“Technically they‘re mana-induction propulsion jets, but yes.”

“Why?”

“So he won’t need to rely on his Sonic Move spell so much… uh… Twilight, your eye‘s twitching.”

“Sorry. It‘s just… when you said ‘enhanced movement capabilities,’ I didn’t expect you to turn the spear into a ROCKET.”

“The construction’s entirely sound. The design’s based on Graf Eisen’s Raketenform. Vita seems to handle it quite well.”

“Vita’s a thousand-year-old knight that can take a Prominence Buster to the face and stay intact. Erio hasn’t even hit puberty!”

“I understand your concern, but it’s fine. Really. I took special care to include enhanced kinetic dispersion and adherence factors in Erio’s Barrier Jacket. He‘ll be perfectly safe even if he crashes, and he should be able to hold on even at top speed.”

“Right…”

“Besides, I’m sure you’ll come up with an appropriate training regimen. Right, Twilight?”

---

At least I’ve practiced my apology to Chrono in case Erio goes splat against a wall. Twilight exhaled, then addressed Erio with a smile. “How do you feel, Erio? How‘s the Device?”

“Good, ma’am.” Erio hefted the spear easily and gave it an experimental swing. “It’s actually a lot lighter than I expected.”

“He,” Shari gently corrected, causing Erio to pause mid-swing.

“Um… right. He. He’s a lot lighter. Sorry.” He leaned the spear against his shoulder and nodded. “Ma’am.”

Shari nodded as Erio stepped back into line, then looked at Caro. “You’re up next, Caro.”

The little summoner shuffled forward, Friedrich staying put as she did so. She swallowed nervously, then clasped her hands in front of her. Kerykeion’s jewels glittered in the sunlight.

“Just relax, Caro,” Twilight assured her. “It’s just like any other Device.”

“I-I know,” Caro replied, her eyes closing tight.

“Boot up successful,” Shari reported. “Linkage is complete… hrm… synchronization’s holding at sixty-six percent. Caro, are you alright?”

“Y-yes…”

“Huh…” Shari rubbed her chin. “Maybe there’s something interfering with the link. Caro, could you concentrate a bit harder?”

Caro nodded, then focused. Her brow furrowed and her body tensed up. Behind her, Friedrich let out a low, trilling noise.

“Seventy percent… seventy-four… seventy-nine… and holding. That should be good for now, but I’d like to address it later. For now, try to initiate Set Up.”

“R-roger,” Caro said, her voice quivering. “Kerykeion, Set Up!”

“DRIVE IGNITION.” The Device’s voice was feminine and almost motherly in tone. Pink light bloomed up around Caro, surrounding her in a protective bubble.

The girl’s training clothes whisked away in a flash of light as her new Barrier Jacket formed about her body. First came a pink and black dress, with a wide, gored pink skirt and black top. A pink, long-sleeved jacket formed over it, black bands decorating its hems and cuffs. An enormous, puffy pillbox hat landed atop her head, almost like the head of a mushroom. A pair of black boots covered her legs, thin plates of armor providing protection. Finally, a long, flowing white-gold cape unfurled across her shoulders, the shoulders of which were marked with black bands.

She raised her hands, fingers splayed as Kerykeion herself lit up. The two jewels separated and hovered over the back of each hand, expanding out into a pink, glassy domes. Black gloves formed over her hands, thin lines of pink light stretching down the back of each finger and sliding down to the bracers on her wrists. The gems clicked into position on the back of each glove, locked into place by circular sockets.

There was a flash of light as the barrier dispersed, Caro landing with a click of her boots.

“SET UP, COMPLETE,” Kerykeion announced, the jewels on Caro’s gloves blinking as she spoke.

“Oh my…” Caro lifted up the edges of her cape, slowly turning side-to-side before reaching up and pulling off her hat. “This… seems a bit… um… much?”

“Actually, it makes sense,” Shari replied. “Your Barrier Jacket’s designed to provide a much higher level of defense than the others, so it’s a bit bigger. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not really…” Caro blushed as she replaced her hat. “I think it’s cute.”

“It is cute,” Spike confirmed as he stepped forward. The little drake grinned cheerfully as Caro blushed, then came to a stop with his hands on his hips. The gem on his belt shimmered in the sunlight as he stood there.

“Looks like someone’s excited,” Shari teased. “Alright Caro, you’re good, but I’d like to talk to you during the break about your low synchronization ratio.”

“Yes ma’am,” Caro replied, then quickly stepped away from Spike. Friedrich trilled irritably, then flew up and landed atop Caro’s new hat.

“Okay Spike, you know the drill,” Twilight said, nodding to Shari as the sensors were focused on Spike.

“Yup! And I’m prepared.” Spike inhaled, curling his arms inward before he struck a pose. His stance widened as he thrust his right arm out and across his chest, his hand level with his shoulder and fingers curved like claws. His left arm was curled back, his palm upward and his fingers bent inwards.

Shari giggled. “Are… are you trying to do a superhero pose?”

“Uh huh,” Spike nodded, doing his best to look serious and not grin.

“You look like something out of those Masked Hero comics,” Shari giggled louder. “Is that the pose from Masked Hero Wonder Dragon?”

“Yup!” Spike grinned.

“Nerrrrrd,” Scootaloo called, eliciting some laughter from Subaru. Erio, meanwhile, looked over at Scootaloo with a confused expression.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. Some things never change. “I think we can all geek out later. Shari… focus, please?”

“R-right. Sorry, Twilight.” Shari coughed, then turned to the monitors. “Boot up successful. Linkage is complete… sweet Kaiser! His synchronization’s almost at one-hundred percent!”

Twilight leaned in to confirm. “An almost perfect synchronization ratio? Well… I guess it makes sense. But these readings…”

“I know!” Shari leaned in and tapped on her keyboard. “They’re exactly like Princess Luna said they’d be… but I didn’t know they’d be this high.”

“Uh… guys?” Spike called, still holding the pose. “Is it okay if I do the thing now? Because my arm’s getting tired standing here like this…”

“Just a second, Spike,” Twilight replied before turning to Shari. “Is he in any danger?

“I don‘t think so. There‘s no instabilities in the linkage, and the Device itself is remaining stable.”

Twilight frowned, her eyes scanning over the glimmering graphs and read-outs. “Just so long as he’s fine.”

“I’m sure he will be. I mean, Princess Luna’s… well, Princess Luna. I’m sure she wouldn’t make something that couldn’t handle Spike’s power.”

“Twilight? Shari?”

“Only one way to find out,” Twilight replied, looking to Spike. “Go ahead, Spike.”

“Finally,” Spike huffed, then swept his right arm in an arc above his head. “Let’s go, Ritterherz! Seeeeeeet!” He drew his right arm back, then slashed it forward. “Up!”

The Device’s reply came out in a loud roar. Spike’s eyes went a bit wide as a circle of green flame formed about his feet, then exploded upwards into a pillar of fire. The other trainees pulled back, even though the flames produced no heat.

“Blessed Kaiser,” Shari gasped. “These readings are off the charts! He’s… he’s…”

“Growing,” Twilight finished Shari’s sentence as she watched the screen. Spike’s body became silhouetted as it expanded, the drake’s height rapidly increasing until he stood nearly six feet tall. His dorsal spine extended, the ones on his head forming a swept-back mohawk as his muzzle lengthened, the edges of his ‘lips’ becoming slightly jagged. Unlike his previous greed-fueled spurt, however, his proportions were much more reasonable and almost human, despite the size of his hands and feet. His muscles were toned rather than bulky, and his tail lengthened out into a thick, spade-tipped appendage rather than the massive club it had been.

The Device detached from his waist as his Barrier Jacket… or rather, Knight’s Clothing formed. First came a dark purple jacket, open in the front and trimmed in dark green. A thin, mesh-like chain mail swept across his chest as a pair of pauldrons formed atop his shoulders. Wide-brimmed black pants slid down his waist and legs, heavy metal greaves clicking into place over his calves. His large feet were covered in metal boots, leaving his clawed toes exposed. Large metal gauntlets and bracers with large, dragon-like fins on the elbows slipped over his lower arms, his fingers exposed and his claws extended.

The former belt slid up and clicked into place around his neck like a collar, the heart-shaped jewel resting on the right side of his neck. A thin green ‘scarf’ slid out from behind the collar, waving in the heat haze as Spike let out a mighty roar.

The flames vanished, leaving Spike standing there, his chest rising and falling. All eyes were on him as he slowly looked at himself, then looked over at Twilight.

“Uh, Twilight? When’d you get small-” he paused, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Even his voice was a few notes deeper. He then looked down, then spun about, his eyes wide. “Holy guacamole, look at me! I’m huge! I look… awesome!”

“No kidding,” Twilight replied, her own eyes wide.

So that’s what the War Form enchantment does when applied to a non-pony, she thought to herself. She knew that Luna and Celestia used a specific enchantment to artificially ‘age’ themselves into a more battle-ready form, but she hadn’t expected that the spell could be applied to Spike. I really need to talk to Princess Luna about this. The research possibilities would be fascinating…

“This so cool! Wait ‘till Teacher sees me.” Spike grinned, then turned towards the other Trainees and struck a pose. “Dragon Knight Spike, ready to go!”

Friedrich let out a very loud hiss and flapped his wings, causing Spike to snicker. “Sounds like someone’s jealous.”

Caro frowned, then reached up and gently tapped Friedrich on the nose. The little dragon snorted, then turned around and presented his back to Spike.

“Well, now that everyone’s all suited up,” Twilight said as she stepped forward, “why don’t we get to work? After all, we still have to break these new Devices in, so to speak.”

“Yes ma’am!”

“So the Saint Church’s been having trouble with these drones too?”

“Yes, sir,” Signum replied.

Chrono sighed as he looked over the assembled Altenritter. Signum, Vita and Zafira were lined up before him at parade rest, having already given their reports. Trixie stood beside Chrono’s desk, while Reinforce fluttered gently by her right shoulder. “And you say that the drones were attacking the Saint Church installation on Vaizen?”

“That‘s correct.” Zafira’s tail swished as he spoke. “There were several attempted assaults on Reliquary Containment Site Four, which we had a hand in repelling. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to capture an intact drone.”

“And considering how many of the damn things there were, that’s saying something,” Vita groused. “They exploded whenever we did too much damage to them. All that got left behind was scorched scrap metal.”

“Why Site Four, though?” Chrono rubbed his chin. “Is there something important contained there?”

Signum shook her head. “No sir. While Site Four does contain some Imperial-era weapons and technology, most of what’s stored there is heavily damaged or otherwise effectively non-functional. The rest is world-specific records and archeological findings.”

“Honestly, I‘m not sure why they called us there,” Vita interjected. “Whoever was behind the drones was basically throwing them away for nothing.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Vita,” Chrono replied, tapping a finger against his cheek. “In fact, I’m pretty sure that they got what they wanted.”

Trixie glanced over at Signum, then over to Chrono. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Chrono.”

Signum grimaced. “He means, Mistress, that whoever was behind the drone attacks wanted to see how we’d fare against them.”

“I wouldn’t dismiss it as a possibility,” Chrono replied with a sigh. “Given what we know about these Drones, it’d make sense to test them against opponents like you three.”

“Sneaky.” Trixie huffed, flipping her mane gently. “Then again, I’d probably do something like that if I had the resources. But I’m sure you three’ll be able to handle anything, right?”

“Of course, Mistress,” Signum replied calmly.

“That’s good to hear, at least,” Chrono replied. “But for now, I’d like you lot to focus on training our recruits. Twilight’ll be starting counter-AMF training tomorrow, and she’s going to need all the input you guys can offer.”

“About time,” Vita smirked as she looked up at Zafira. “I guess it’s getting to the point where we get to work the kids over. I‘ve been waiting for this…”

Zafira rolled his eyes as Chrono chuckled, giving Trixie a side-glance. “Trixie, would you make sure your assistants don’t break my trainees?”

“Of course,” Trixie replied with a smirk.

“And I’ll make sure to remind her to pay attention,” Reinforce calmly added, causing the blue unicorn to stick her tongue out at her.

“Well, I should probably let you lot get to work,” Chrono concluded, resting his hand on his desk. “Dismissed.”

The assembled knights (and Device) saluted and made their way out of the room, leaving Chrono alone with his thoughts.

“Yeaaah!”

The sound of Mach Caliber’s engines echoed in Subaru’s ears as she shot through the simulated skating course Shari had set up. The noise was a lot different from her old rollerblades; there was no loud whine, just a constant, steady thrumming. It wasn’t just a difference in noise, either; Mach Caliber’s tires felt stickier and had a much tighter grip on the ground, and the torque ratio was definitely improved. It was like upgrading from a scooter to a full-fledge motorcycle. It also helped that she could feel the tingle of Mach Caliber’s AI in the back of her head, taking cues from her mental commands and adjusting on the fly in response.

A holographic window popped up in the corner of her eye as she swerved around a corner at speed. Shari grinned at her through the screen as Subaru let out another whoop of joy. “Looks like you and Mach Caliber are getting along just fine, Subaru.”

“Are you kidding? This is great!” Subaru swerved through the tight corner without any loss of speed, almost going horizontal as she leaned into the curve. “Her handling is incredible!”

“I‘m not surprised,” Shari said with a hint of pride. “Right now, you’re in Mach Caliber’s standard mode, also known as ‘Gallop Gear.’ In this mode, Mach Caliber’s skates are optimized for handling and stability.” Shari paused as Subaru took another sharp curve. “In addition, her wheels have what’s called an Absorb Grip System, which increases the attraction between the skates and the surface you’re skating on.”

Subaru quickly parsed that information. “So I can, like, skate vertically or something?”

Shari paused, rubbing her chin. “I suppose so, assuming you increased the attraction to maximum. It’d certainly help with your Wing Road…”

“Hang on Shari, I’m coming into the home stretch!” Subaru swung a hand up and dismissed the window, then crouched down slightly. “Alright Mach Caliber, let’s see how much you’ve got! Full power!”

“ALRIGHT,” the Device replied curtly, right before the thrumming grew louder. The wind whipped by faster as Subaru accelerated, her jacket, headband and hair swirling in the wind behind her as she approached the finish line.

A klaxon went off as she crossed the holographic line. Mach Caliber’s brakes clamped down, sending up a small spray of sparks as she came to a stop in a few brief moments.

“Whew… good brakes, too,” Subaru said jauntily as she turned and skated over towards Scootaloo and Shari.

“Not bad, slow poke,” Scootaloo teased, her wings flapping gently and experimentally. “You actually managed to beat some of my old times with that run.”

“Heh, well, I can’t take all the credit. Mach Caliber’s a bit better than my old rollerblades.” Subaru glanced down at the gem on her left boot. “Isn’t that right?”

“THAT IS CORRECT,” Mach Caliber replied, her core flashing as she spoke.

Scootaloo snorted softly. “And here I thought it was just Twilight that talked with Devices.”

“What’s wrong with talking with them?” Subaru quirked an eyebrow.

“Nothing. It’s just… well, it’s just a machine, right? I mean, I get they’re like advanced artificial intelligences, but it’s not like an actual pony.”

“It’s like Reinforce told us,” Subaru replied, “They may be Devices, but they’re not ‘things.’ Isn’t that right, Mach Caliber?”

“THERE IS A DIFFERENCE?” The Device sounded mildly confused.

Subaru pouted and looked down at the Device’s core. “Of course there’s a difference!”

“Right… anyway, we’re up, Gale Force. Ready?”

“GOTCHA!” The gems on Scootaloo’s wings flickered as the Device chirped its reply.

Scootaloo exhaled and skated into position. She lowered her stance and spread her wings out, her eyes narrowing behind the goggles she was wearing.

“And…” Shari called out, tapping the keyboard, “go!”

There was a rush of air, and suddenly Scootaloo was gone, the glowing gems on her wings leaving a pair of thin purple contrails in her wake.

Subaru shielded her face from the back-blast. “Wow…”

“No kidding,” Shari agreed as her eyes followed Scootaloo’s progress on the track. It didn’t take long for the orange blur to reach the finish line. Scootaloo flared her wings and turned sideways, skidding to a halt several yards past where Subaru had stopped.

“Hmm… braking might be a bit of a problem,” Shari noted as Scootaloo skated up, “but I think you’re pretty much at the top of the pile in terms of sheer land speed. You just broke your previous best by over a minute.”

“Seriously? Awesome!”

“Of course,” Shari added, “this is just on the basic level. Once you’ve adjusted, I’ll decrease Gale Force’s limiters. At this rate though, I’d imagine you’ll be the fastest pony on wheels. How’re the wings?”

“Eh, the armor is taking a bit to get used to,” Scootaloo flexed one wing demonstratively, “but if it makes me faster, I’ll wear just about anything.”

“FASTER IS ALWAYS BETTER,” Gale Force chirped in agreement.

“Uh… yeah,” Scootaloo gestured with one hoof, “Right. I was about to say that…”

“Well, it seems you two can handle the ground,” Shari smirked, turning to face the pair. “Why don’t we see how well you can handle the air? Mach Caliber? Gale Force?”

“ALRIGHT. WING ROAD!”

“GOTCHA! CLOUD ROAD!”

“What the- hey!” Subaru stepped back as a blue ribbon of mana exploded out from under her feet. Meanwhile, Scootaloo squeaked as a line of purple mist did much the same.

“I took the liberty of including your respective ‘road’ spells into your Device’s databanks,” Shari smirked, adjusting her glasses.

“Seriously?” Scootaloo stepped lightly on her Cloud Road. “And mine… like… works?”

“Well… your spell was mostly Twilight and Reinforce’s doing,” Shari blushed. “But I helped some too. Anyway, your Devices will be able to auto-cast them on their own. Plus, thanks to the telepathic links they have with you, they‘re able to steer them pretty easily. So, what do you say? Wanna give it a try?”

Subaru looked over at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo looked back, her wings bristling nervously as her tail flicked.

“Ready?”

Scootaloo grimaced, then nodded and got into position, wings spread. “Born ready.”

Shot after shot streaked out from the tip of Cross Mirage’s muzzle, each orange bolt hitting home on the hovering, human-shaped targets. Teana was settling into her groove, despite the unfamiliar weight of her new Device and the odd tickling at the back of her mind from the Device’s telepathic link.

“Excellent work, Teana!” Twilight nodded in satisfaction as the last target winked out. “A perfect score. Looks like you’re already used to Cross Mirage’s one-handed mode.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana replied, bringing the Device up into a high ready position, the muzzle pointed skyward. “Didn’t take long to get used to the weight difference.”

“So I noticed. Now, why don’t we try using two guns at once?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana replied, her left hand leaving Cross Mirage’s grip and extending outwards. The Device’s core glowed as a second gun flashed into existence, the grip assembling right in Teana’s hand.

“DOUBLE MODE,” Cross Mirage announced as Teana brought both guns up, both arms fully extended and parallel to each other.

“I’d imagine it’s a little awkward, using two guns at once,” Twilight said, walking over to her side and glancing up at her.

“I’m sure I can manage, ma’am.” Teana’s eyes narrowed as she felt Cross Mirage’s telepathic link tickle against her consciousness.

“I’m sure you can, but don’t be afraid to fall back on Cross Mirage to help with fire-control and spell calculation.”

“I’ll be fine, ma’am,” Teana replied distractedly. “Mind if we start the exercise?”

“Sure. One set of new targets, coming right up.”

Teana nodded as a fresh set of humanoid targets winked into position. She inhaled and centered herself, just like she’d been taught.

Focus, Teana. Focus. Just like Tiida showed you. Find your center, then hit the center…

She moved efficiently, her eyes flicking as she measured the distance and angles needed to line up the shots. Her right arm shifted ten degrees right and five up, while her left moved eighteen degrees left. She pulled the triggers, sending a pair of orange bolts on their way. The shots hit their mark.

This new Device may be fancy, but there’s no replacement for skill. She shifted her weight slightly, her movements quick and precise as she adjusted her aim. Nothing replaces skill. I would’ve been just fine with my old Anchor Gun. But if this is the only way I can keep pace with the others, then so be it. I’ll take whatever advantages I can get.

Twilight let out a soft ‘hmm’ as Teana hit the last few targets. Teana glanced over at the unicorn as she lifted Cross Mirage back into high-ready position. “Something wrong, ma’am?”

“I noticed your casting speed wasn’t as fast as your one-handed run,” Twilight replied, a purple hoof rubbing her chin.

“Sorry ma’am,” Teana replied quickly. “It’s just a bit odd dual-wielding like this. It‘s been a while since I‘ve tried it.”

“Are you allowing Cross Mirage to perform the spell calculations for you?”

Teana grimaced. “No ma’am. With all due respect, I’d rather not.”

“Oh?”

Teana shook her head. “No offense, but I don’t feel comfortable relying on a Device. No offense meant to Cross Mirage or Corporal Finieno.”

“NONE TAKEN,” the Device replied stoically.

“It’s just that it‘d be easy to over-rely on an advanced Device like Cross Mirage.” Teana continued. “If I rely too much on him, and he goes off-line, I‘ll be- I mean, my effectiveness would take a major hit.”

Teana blinked as Twilight nodded. “That’s entirely understandable, Teana. I wouldn’t expect you to rely entirely on Cross Mirage, but it‘s excellent that you‘re taking that into account.”

“Um…” Teana paused. “Thanks?”

“Having said that,” Twilight continued, “the purpose of today’s training is to get you used to working in tandem with your Device. Cross Mirage is just as much your partner as your squad mates are. You’ll have to get used to working with him eventually if you want to reach your full potential.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana sighed.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sure it’s a little odd right now. Is this the first time you’ve used an Intelligent Device?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You’ll get used to it. It took a while for Raising Heart and I to ‘click,’ so to speak.” Twilight gestured down to the red jewel dangling from her neck. “Even then, it took a while before I was completely comfortable working with her, so I have an idea of what you might be going through.”

Teana exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the other implications of that statement. “If you say so, ma’am.”

“I do.” Twilight replied as she looked down-range. “Trust between partners is important, even if it’s just between a person and their Device. Don‘t you think so?”

What is she… oh. Oh. That damn dragon must’ve…

Teana nodded quickly, trying not to let the realization show. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied, wincing mentally as she sounded a bit too cautious. “Trust is important.”

The little frown on Twilight’s face when she looked up at her set off alarm bells in Teana’s head. However, the unicorn didn’t press further. “Let’s go through the target practice again. This time, I want you to let Cross Mirage handle the spell calculations while you focus entirely on aiming, alright?”

Teana nodded and took her shooting stance, closing her eyes for a brief moment to center herself.

“Good. Don‘t be afraid to change your hand position on the shaft if you need to, Erio.”

Erio felt the metal of Strada’s shaft through his gloves as he followed Fate’s instructions. The weight of the spear was different from the practice staff he’d been using, but he was very quickly getting used to it. His muscles tensed as he spun the spear in a defensive arc, quickly re-orienting for another strike.

However, he couldn’t help but notice his companions out of the corner of his eye. Spike and Caro sat off to the side, the dragon talking to her quite animatedly. Caro, much to Erio’s surprise, seemed really quite involved in what Spike was saying. Even with Friedrich pointedly ignoring the now much larger dragon, Caro seemed to be… enjoying herself. She was even smiling…

“Erio, mind your focus.”

Erio hissed, mentally cursing his inattentiveness as he lunged forwards. Strada’s heavy, chisel-tipped blade hissed through the air as he thrust it out, landing a glancing blow that sent the practice target spinning.

Fate let out a soft ‘tsk’ and gently nudged the spear to one side. “There. Remember Erio, always try to aim for the center of mass.”

“S-sorry ma’am,” Erio quickly replied, taking his stance again. “It won’t happen again.”

Fate quirked an eyebrow, then raised a hoof to pause the exercise. “Something bothering you?”

“Um…” Erio paused and glanced over at his squad-mates. “I was just distracted, that’s all.”

“It’s probably best if you tune them out, Erio,” Fate replied gently.

Erio scratched one temple before exhaling. “Sorry, ma’am. It‘s just difficult to when I‘m the only one practicing.”

“Caro and Spike’s instructors will be here shortly.” Fate glanced over at the girl and the dragon, frowning a bit deeper. “Though if they’re distracting you…”

“N-no, ma’am. They’re fine. It’s just…”

“Just?”

Erio sighed. “It’s… nothing ma’am.”

“I disagree,” Fate replied, trotting closer and gesturing for him to sit. “If it’s bothering you enough to throw off your concentration, then I need to know. Now, what‘s the matter?”

Erio nodded quietly, then knelt down and rested Strada against his shoulder. “I… Caro and Spike seem to be getting along together.”

Fate glanced over at the pair, then nodded. “It certainly seems so… is that going to be a problem?”

Erio quickly shook his head. “No ma’am! No… it’s just… well.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Sorry, ma’am, but this is going to sound stupid.”

“It’s alright, Erio,” Fate replied. “There’s nothing stupid about emotions. Please, tell me.”

“It’s just… I’ve never seen Caro quite so excited. Even when it was the two of us, she was always… quiet.” Of course, he wasn’t much better. “It’s just odd seeing her so… happy.”

“Ah,” Fate smiled slightly. “Are you jealous?”

Erio blushed. “N-no, ma’am! I mean… I know I’m not exactly… sociable. But I’m glad Caro’s making friends other than me and Friedrich.”

“And are you and Spike friends as well?”

Erio grimaced. “Well… I wouldn’t call us ‘friends.’ I mean, we understand each other, but I’m…” He paused, glancing over at Spike before turning back to Fate. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for someone to get that… close yet.”

If ever, he mentally appended.

Fate nodded. “I understand. I trust you can handle it on your own time.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Erio replied.

“Good. Now, on your feet, Private. We have a lot of work to do today.”

“Ma’am!” Erio shot to his feet and readied his spear.

“And so whenever Maxitie Renault discovers a monster that needs taking care of, he calls on Nouvelle Vague’s power and transforms into the Masked Hero and Champion of Justice, Wonder Dragon!” Spike grinned, striking a pose as best he could from his seated position.

Caro nodded, digesting the information quickly. “Um… so Nouvelle Vague gives Wonder Dragon her powers so he can fight? Don’t get be me wrong, but I don’t think that’s how most dragons work…”

Spike snorted and crossed his arms. “Hey, you never know. Maybe there’s some dragons out there that can do that. Besides, it’s a comic. You’re supposed to, like, suspend your disbelief and stuff. It‘s not like, I dunno, the writers at UC killing off the Masked Matter-Horn, then bringing her back and turning her into an alicorn a couple issues later. I think I can accept an ancient transcendent dragon giving a guy a cool suit of magic armor before I accept something like that.”

Caro giggled softly. “Or a dragon training to be a Belkan Knight.”

Spike blushed, gently scratching one of his enlarged dorsal fins. “Uh… yeah, that too. That probably sounds weird, doesn’t it? Usually in stories it’s a dragon getting trounced or outsmarted by a brave knight.”

Caro paused, then frowned a little. “That’s hardly fair, don’t you think? Dragons don‘t deserve that sort of treatment, even if it is a story…”

“Well, Equestrian dragons aren’t exactly nice. Most of them put Friedrich to shame, so it makes sense that they‘re the bad guys.”

“I… guess so…”

“Well,” another voice interrupted, “it’s good to see you two’re getting along so well.”

Caro turned, then climbed to her feet as she saw Yuuno and Zafira approach. “Mr. Scrya! Knight Zafira! Sorry, we were just…”

Yuuno laughed and waved a hand. “It’s alright. Sorry to have kept you waiting, I was in a conference call and it ran a bit over.”

“You do enjoy talking,” Zafira rumbled softly, before glancing over at Spike. Caro followed his gaze, then blinked at the young dragon’s change in attitude and posture. Spike stood at parade rest, his hands folded behind his back, his chest out, his head lifted, and his expression firmly neutral.

“So,” Zafira said, his crimson eyes slowly sliding over the dragon’s body, “this is your new form thanks to Meister Luna’s Device?”

“Ja, Lehr-Ritter Zafira,” Spike responded promptly.

Zafira nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Now I won’t have to worry about getting on my hands and knees to spar with you, knappe.” He then turned to look at Yuuno. “I’ll be borrowing this Trainee for a while.”

“Go ahead. Just make sure to leave him in one piece.”

Zafira snorted softly, then snapped his fingers at Spike and walked off. The dragon quickly followed, falling into step behind Zafira.

Caro glanced over at Yuuno. Her nerves were probably showing, which caused Yuuno to smile reassuringly. “I’m sure Spike’ll be fine, Caro. Zafira may be stern, but he’s not mean. Besides, the two of them have worked together even before Spike joined RIOT Force.”

“Oh…”

“Now,” Yuuno continued on, clapping his hands together and rubbing them together eagerly, “why don’t we get started? I’d like to see what sort of tricks you and Kerykeion can do.”

Sunset came without fanfare. But then again, Teana had hardly been paying attention to the clock or the changing color of the light. Her focus had been split between two things; her exercises, and Special Instructor Sparkle. Now, however, she actually had a moment to reflect.

Teana quietly listened to the unicorn as they ended for the day, her attention more on the events of the day. She’d worked with Special Instructor Sparkle during the partnered exercises, but this was the first time she’d been with the mare on a one-on-one basis. And despite a few unsettling moments (like the fact that she’d been able to replicate some of her spells with nothing more than her horn and a bit of concentration), Teana had almost nothing bad to say about her or her training. Special Instructor Sparkle was continuously, almost aggressively attentive, always making gentle suggestions or critiques without being rude or condescending and making sure to praise Teana’s work.

Maybe a bit overly so.

A gentle nudge to her ribs from Subaru jolted Teana out of her reverie, just as Special Instructor Sparkle concluded her speech. She quickly replied alongside the others, snapping a salute as Twilight dismissed them for the evening.

“You okay, Tea?”

“Huh?” Teana shook her head, then blinked over at her companion. “Yeah. Sorry, just… tired, I guess.”

Subaru quirked an eyebrow, but shrugged and continued. “Okay. Maybe you should get to bed early tonight, you know? I’m pretty sure everyone else is gonna crash early.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo muttered, her wings drooping as she slowly skated past Subaru.

“Right. Sure…”

“You sure you’re okay, Tea?” Subaru reached over and rested a hand on Teana’s shoulder, which Teana shrugged off.

“I’m fine, Subaru. Why don’t you and the others go on ahead? I’ll catch up in a bit.”

“Alright. See you later, Tea…”

Teana nodded, watching Subaru jog off after the others. The blue-haired mage quickly caught up to Scootaloo and started talking, the pegasus giving her a weary look and thumping her on the leg with her tail. Teana shoved her hands into her pockets as she stood there and watched, before shaking her head in irritation.

“Private Lanster,” a familiar voice called out to her, “may I have a moment?”

There it is… She turned to face Special Instructor Sparkle. The purple unicorn approached her calmly, her Device’s pendant-shaped Standby Form bouncing gently against her chest. “Yes, Special Instructor?”

“Walk with me, if you would,” Twilight replied, nodding in the direction of the bridge.

“Yes, ma’am.” Teana fell into step beside the pony, doing her best to match the mare’s gait.

The two walked in silence for a while, which bothered Teana to no end. By the time they reached the bridge to the mainland, Teana let out a loud sigh and glanced at her feet. “So I guess this has to do with what Spike told you?”

Twilight nodded. “A little. Though I’ve been a little concerned with your behavior for a while now.”

“I wasn’t aware my behavior was a problem, ma’am.”

Twilight arched a brow at that. “Aware of it or not, I’m still concerned. You’ve been avoiding your teammates while off the practice field, and I’d like to know why.”

Teana inhaled through her nostrils, slowly. “You’re already aware that I’m not fond of Private Scootaloo, ma’am. It’s my choice if I don’t want to socialize with her…”

“I’m aware, yes, but I’m not sure why that extends to Subaru as well.”

“Subaru is welcome to make friends with whoever she wants,” Teana replied, sounding more defensive than she liked. “And if that happens to include… individuals I don’t like, then fine. But just because Subaru likes someone doesn’t mean I have to.”

“I see.”

Teana tried to ignore the dryness of her mouth. “Ma’am, with all due respect, I have remained professional and civil…”

“And I greatly appreciate that,” Twilight replied firmly, stepping in front of her and bringing their walk to a halt on the bridge. “However, you‘re not going to impress me by aiming for just the bare minimum, Private Lanster.”

“Again, with all due respect, Special Instructor,” Teana replied, trying to ignore the urge to grit her teeth, “I don’t like Private Scootaloo, and it’s my choi-”

“Why don’t you like her?”

Teana blinked. “Ma’am?”

“Why don’t you like her? I’m curious, Private Lanster; what exactly is it that you dislike about Scootaloo?”

Teana huffed. “Private Scootaloo is confrontational and arrogant. She insults and belittles others but can’t accept similar behavior in return. She’s insubordinate to her superiors, and-”

“I know all of that,” Twilight interrupted again. “But what else?”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, ma’am.”

Twilight sighed. “Private Lanster, can you tell me anything about Private Scootaloo other than the fact that she’s a hot-headed, short-tempered little brat?”

Teana opened her mouth, then closed it and went straight-faced. “N…no ma’am.”

“Anything? About her family? Her hobbies? Can you even tell me what she ate during lunch today?”

“No, ma’am.”

Twilight sighed. “Aside from the times you’ve fought, have you even tried to interact with Private Scootaloo?”

Teana remained silent.

“I understand if her behavior left a poor first impression,” Twilight said as she shook her head. “And I realize Scootaloo isn’t exactly the most pleasant pony to be around sometimes, but you probably know next to nothing about her situation or background. Am I correct in that assessment, Private Lanster?”

Not that she’d probably tell me, Teana though to herself as she nodded in agreement.

“Now,” Twilight continued, running a hoof through her mane, “I can’t order you to like Scootaloo. I can’t order you to find her pleasant. However, I’m going to ask you, as teacher-to-student, to at least make an attempt to get to know her. Find some common ground. Try to be social, maybe even friendly. If nothing else, it might help ease whatever issues you have with her. Can you do that for me, Teana?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana replied grudgingly.

“That means no avoiding meals with your squad. No cold shoulders. No dismissing her immediately just because she isn‘t an ideal friend. Understood?”

Teana nodded. “I think I can handle that, ma’am.”

“Good. On your way, then. You really don’t need to miss dinner.”

“Ma’am,” Teana replied with a salute before she started to stride off.

“And Teana?”

Teana paused and looked back to the unicorn. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I know how it is… to be jealous of one’s friends like that,” Twilight replied. “It’s not very fun, is it?”

“No ma’am,” Teana replied stiffly. “It’s not. Will that be all, ma’am?”

“Yes.”

Teana nodded, then walked off. Once she was sure she was out of Twilight’s earshot, she let out a loud sigh.

Naturally, she wants me to be more like Subaru. I guess that makes sense, considering how important friendship and everything is to Equestrians. Ugh…

…but if everything keeps going as well as it is now, I’m sure we’ll all pull together just fine.

Take care, and I hope Mach Caliber and I can see you and Ginga soon.

Love,

Subaru.

Subaru tapped her pen on the paper as she signed her name, leaving a tiny period after the signature. She glanced up from her spot on the couch and looked over at Spike and Caro. The dragon and the summoner were seated cross-legged side-by-side, quietly meditating. Erio was seated on the couch opposite of her, intensely pouring over one of Spike’s comic books in his lap.

“You know,” Scootaloo spoke up from her spot next to Subaru, “I think you might be the only person I’ve ever seen that still writes letters like that.”

Subaru chuckled, putting a cap on her pen as she heard someone walking down the stairs. “Nothing wrong with that, is there?”

“Nah,” Scootaloo replied, right before the pegasus craned her neck back and peered at the stairs. “Well, look who decided to come down and join us.”

Subaru looked back as well. Teana leaned against the railing at the base of the stairs, a towel around her shoulders and her hair still damp.

“Decided to come and be sociable instead of soaking in the bathtub for the rest of the night?” Scootaloo chuckled. “I was half-convinced we’d need to send Subaru to check and see if you’d drowned.”

“Scoots!” Subaru smirked, then reached over and pinched one of Scootaloo’s ears, eliciting a squawk from the mare.

“Ow! Hey!”

“Just for your information,” Teana replied as she walked over, her carrot-orange hair hanging down her back, “I was busy contemplating during my bath.”

“Ooh, ‘contemplating,’” Scootaloo teased. “I’m impressed.”

Teana snorted dismissively. “You should be, considering how shallow you are…”

“Hey! I’m not shallow!”

“Oh please, you’re about as deep as a bird bath, and about as clean.” Teana smirked wickedly as she volleyed the insult at her.

Scootaloo growled softly. “How about we see how deep a hole I can pound into your…”

Subaru laughed and gently held Scootaloo back with one hand. “Hey Scootaloo, no need to get your feathers rustled. I‘m sure Tea‘s just messing with you. Right, Tea?”

Teana nodded, though Subaru did take note of her smirk.

Scootaloo huffed and crossed her front limbs, folding her wings in tight. “Whatever, man. What’re you doing down here anyway? Shouldn’t you be hiding in your bedroom or something?”

“Well, everyone’s downstairs,” Teana replied. “I figured I’d come down to make sure everyone gets in bed on time.”

“Right. Sheesh, are you always this much of a nag?”

I have to admit, Subaru thought to herself as Teana and Scootaloo continued trading barbs, compared to their usual behavior this is actually pleasant… in a weird way.

“Could you two keep it down?” Erio glared up from his comic book, drawing the pair’s attention. “Some of us are trying to read.”

“Sorry, Erio,” Teana replied.

“Yeah, sorry dude…”

9: Prep-Work

The Elders’ Hut was lit by fire, as was tradition. Smokeless flames curled up from ancient stone braziers that were old when she was born. Caro quietly knelt in the center of the hut on a small rug made of woven reeds. Her traditional white cloak covered her frail body, the hood covering her still-matted hair. She shivered despite the warmth of the hut.

The assembled council sat before her in a semi-circle, their heavy cloaks and head-scarves decorated with distinctive diamond patterns. Every eye was on her.

“Priestess Caro, Child of Lusie,” the High Elder addressed her, “you know why you are here.”

Caro nodded weakly, her eyes downcast. Friedrich, her dragon, crouched in her lap, his wings curled over his body.

“Though your actions have saved the Lu Lushe,” he continued, his voice heavy and sad, “you have committed a great and terrible taboo against the gods. A taboo that cannot simply be overlooked…”

“Dovahjun Do Vulonyol is not some beast you can simply command,” one of the female elders hissed. “You, his priestess, should know that more than anyone!”

Caro cringed away from the accusation.

The High Elder raised a hand for silence. “Your powers are great,” he continued, “but we cannot allow you to stay amongst our people. To do so would be to court further conflict from the other tribes. I hope, one day, you can forgive us…”

“Cowards…”

Caro looked up sharply as she heard her own voice. She turned slowly, her eyes widening as she saw herself standing at the entrance of the hut. The other her was clad in a blackened and charred cloak, the hood covering her face and hiding it in shadow. Her feet were bare and covered in ash, while her exposed hands dripped with blood.

“I’ll never forgive you,” the other her whispered hoarsely. Her hands reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing a soot-smudged face and smoke-stained pink hair. Tears of blood dripped from her eyes, and her teeth were bared in an animalistic snarl. “Never! You’re all cowards and idiots! One day I’ll come back, and you’ll burn too! I’ll burn all of you, just like I burned them!”

Caro pulled back as the monstrous version of her approached slowly, her dainty footsteps shaking the ground. An enormous, winged shadow loomed up behind the other her as fire erupted from the walls of the hut.

“Burn,” the other her chanted, her eyes wide and her teeth like fangs. “Burn. Burn. Burn! BURN!”

Caro’s scream of fear mixed with screams of agony as the fire began to consume the elders…

Caro sat up, her heart thudding in her chest and her skin slick with sweat. Her breath came in soft, panicked gasps, her hands clenching the bed sheets. She leaned forward, resting her face in her hands as she tried to calm down.

Master, Kerykeion’s gems flickered as the Device spoke to her telepathically, your vital signs are fluctuating. Are you in distress?

I’m fine… Caro let out a soft groan, closing her eyes and counting backwards from ten, just like she’d learned.

There was a soft, concerned trill. Friedrich flapped up from his nest, quickly flying over and landing in her lap. He looked up at her with those red eyes of his, a nervous chirp escaping his mouth.

“I’m fine, Fried,” Caro whispered softly, reaching down and stroking a finger over his crest. The silver dragon crooned wordlessly, nuzzling her finger and doing his best to comfort her.

“Caro?” There was a rustle of sheets before Erio’s head peeked down from the top bunk, blinking sleepily.

Caro let out a squeak. “Sorry Erio… did I wake you up?”

“Mmf… yeah.” Erio yawned loudly. “What time is it?”

Caro looked over at the glowing clock. “0100 hours…”

“Did you have a nightmare or something?” There was another loud rustling as Erio slid over and climbed down from the top bunk.

“Y-yeah…” Caro slipped her arms around Friedrich. The silver dragon rumbled softly and nuzzled her chest gently.

“Which one was it?” Erio landed with a thump on the ground, a hand rubbing his eyes.

Caro shuddered. “The one with all the fire…”

“Oh.” Erio ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “Uh…”

Caro shifted in the bed and breathed slowly; in through her nose, out through her mouth. Her heart was slowly settling down into its regular rhythm, and the rush of fear-based adrenaline was wearing off.

Erio glanced away before he spoke. “I’m… uh… gonna head to the bathroom. Do you want some water or something while I’m there?”

“Yes, please.”

Erio nodded, and turned to walk off.

“Erio?” Caro hugged Friedrich a little tighter.

“Yes, Caro?” Erio glanced back at her.

“Are… you ever…” She swallowed nervously. “Do you ever get scared of me?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met, Caro. Why would I be scared of you?”

Caro didn’t reply. Erio sighed softly, then reached up and stretched as he headed toward the door. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” Caro turned to look at the curtained window, feeling Friedrich squirm in her lap and get comfortable.

Just because I’m nice doesn’t mean I can’t be scary, Caro thought to herself before she slowly lay back down. Summoners like me can be dangerous if we want to be…

The ceiling didn’t comment.

Well, Twilight thought to herself as she and the other instructors made their way out to the S4, if this morning’s performance is anything to go by, the kids have adjusted pretty well to their new Devices.

That much was true. It had only been two days since the trainees had been issued their new Devices, but they had adjusted quite well. Even Caro, whose synchronization ratio had been the worst of the six, had gotten to the point where she was, if not equal to her fellows, then only a tiny bit behind. Considering their progress, Twilight had agreed with Chrono’s decision to start the trainees on their next curriculum.

“It’ll be good to give these kids something hard for once,” Vita noted, the little Knight rolling her shoulders as she walked. “You’ve probably been coddling them too much, Sparkle.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Just because I’m not some hard-bitten drill instructor doesn’t mean I’ve been ‘coddling’ the trainees, Vita. I’m just more supportive, that’s all. You‘d probably have them, I dunno, hitting each other with mallets from dawn ‘till dusk if you had your way.”

Vita smirked. “I’ll have to remember to suggest that to Lady Carim next time I see her.”

“Please don’t give her ideas,” Zafira grimaced softly. “Her students complain enough already.”

“Oh sure,” Vita huffed and mock-pouted, “spoil my fun why don’t you? Blue-eared killjoy.”

Zafira shrugged. “Our Mistress did tell us to find a hobby.”

“Vita’s got a point though,” Fate concurred. “We really should start ramping up the challenge, Twilight.”

“Huh?” Twilight peered back at her sister.

“What?”

“Nothing, it just seems a little odd. Last week you were being cautious…”

“That was last week,” Fate replied, gently tossing her golden braided mane. “This is now, where the trainees have their advanced Devices and are actually starting to form a cohesive team.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight replied. She had to admit, Fate did have a point. Both Stars and Lightning Squads had reached a point where they were fully functional as teams. Lightning was ahead in that regard, but the members of Stars Squad (particularly a certain orange-haired sharpshooter) had settled into a reasonable equilibrium as far as relationships went. Sure, there was still some sniping between Scootaloo and Teana, but they seemed to be keeping it off of the training field.

Twilight looked over to Shari. The young woman was tapping away at a hovering holographic keyboard as they walked. “Think the S4 can handle the scenario, Shari?”

“I’m pretty sure,” Shari replied. “I should be able to replicate the drones pretty easily, thanks to the data the Altenritter gathered. And since I still have administrative control over their Devices, I can use that to mimic the drone’s AMF capabilities.”

“Isn’t technology wonderful?” Yuuno glanced over at Vita, smirking as the red-haired Knight rolled her eyes.

“Show off…”

Twilight shook her head as she and her group approached the Trainees. She coughed softly and put on her ‘teacher face’ before she began addressing them. “Good afternoon, all of you. Are you all ready for this afternoon’s training session?”

“Yes, ma’am!” The six of them replied almost in unison.

“Good. Now that you’re becoming more accustomed to your Devices, we’ve decided to increase the intensity of your training. Because of certain events, Captain Harlaown has requested that I include a new scenario.” Twilight nodded over to Vita and gestured for her to step forward. “I’ll let Knight Vita explain.”

Vita, to her credit, seemed to restrain herself. The little Knight tromped forward and gave the six trainees a quick, critical once-over before she spoke.

“Twilight tells me you six are pretty good,” she began. “Twilight tells me you’ve got talent. Got potential. Maybe. We’ll see about that, though. There’s a world of difference between training and live combat; a difference that you six are going to suffer through very shortly.”

“Shari!” Vita pointed at Shari and snapped her fingers. “The images!”

“Right.” Shari quickly tapped on her keypad and brought up a large, holographic monitor. The image shown was of a large drone. The thing was lozenge-shaped, like a cold-medicine capsule, and colored powder blue with rounded black octagonal panels on either side of its body. A large circular yellow camera lens sat in the center of its body, surrounded by a quarter of small black nozzles arranged in a square around it.

“This,” Vita gestured to the image, “is your opponent for this new training regimen. These so-called ’Gadget Drones’ have been causing all sorts of trouble recently, and for reasons you’ll soon be experiencing, the Bureau has been having problems handling them. You six will be trained to take these things down, and Kaiser help me you will be good at it.” Vita shot a challenging glare at the trainees, her hands on her hips. “Twilight tells me you’re good. Are any of you going to prove her wrong?”

“No, ma’am,” was the shouted reply.

“Good, because I‘d hate for that to happen.” Vita smirked. “Now, let’s get to work!”

“Everyone ready?”

Caro nodded nervously as Teana spoke. Her fingers fidgeted with her gloves as she listened. The S4 had shifted to a rocky desert setting; the expanse of flat, cracked ground mixed in with tall rocky pillars and fissure-laden outcroppings. Every so often a tumbleweed rolled past.

“Good.” Teana lifted Cross Mirage up as she scanned over the area. “Since this is a pursuit mission, we’re probably going to have to rely on mobility. Subaru, Erio and Scootaloo will intercept and try to hem the targets in. Try to push them in our direction so we can hit them. Caro, you and Spike are with me.”

“Just a question, boss,” Scootaloo replied as she pushed her goggles down over her eyes. “If we get a clean shot on them, do you mind if we take it?”

Teana sighed. “Sure. Go ahead. Just be careful.”

“Don’t worry, Tea.” Subaru punched her gauntleted fist into her palm. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Teana ‘tsked‘ softly. “That’s not what I’m worried about. You heard what Vita said about these things. They’re equipped with Anti-Magilink Fields. Get too close, and you won’t be able to activate your spells…”

“Would you chill?” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “You really need to calm down. Me and Subaru? We got this. Right, partner?”

“Yup!” Subaru reached down with her Revolver Knuckle, clicking it against Scootaloo’s extended skates.

Caro turned away as Teana let out an irritated groan. Friedrich floated around, hovering before and trilling curiously.

Mistress? Friedrich’s voice whispered in Caro’s mind. Mistress? We fight?

I… Caro closed her eyes. Last night’s dream echoed in the back of her mind like a song that refused to be forgotten. The screams of the burning elders mixing with her own as her twisted reflection grinned…

“Caro? Caro, you okay?”

Caro started as she felt a large hand touch her shoulder. She quickly spun around to face Spike. The taller dragon took a step back and raised his hands. “Easy there,” he said gently. “I was just checking on you… see if you’re alright. You were kinda staring off into space.”

“S-sorry,” Caro replied, shaking her head and pulling her hat forward on her head. “I’m fine. I was just…”

“Just what?”

“Nothing,” Caro lied.

Spike glanced over at Erio. Erio just shrugged in return as he rested Strada against his shoulder. Caro swallowed nervously as Friedrich flitted up and landed atop her hat.

“Okay… if you say so.” Spike didn’t sound too convinced. “Just make sure to tell us if-”

Attention Trainees, Twilight’s telepathic message interrupted, we will begin the exercise shortly. As mentioned during our briefing, you will have fifteen minutes to capture or incapacitate all of the target drones. Good luck!

“Alright everyone,” Teana shouted as she readied Cross Mirage, “you know what to do.”

There was a soft, bell-like tone as several dark blue loops of light sprang up from the ground. The loops glowed brightly, the Mid-Childan script running on the outside surfaces standing out brightly in white. Twelve drones slowly rose from the loops, each pill-shaped drone easily as big as Caro was. The sunlight glinted off their blue hulls as the loops winked out.

Begin mission!

And at the sound of Twilight’s announcement, the drones scattered in four directions, forming into groups of three.

“Crap!” Subaru shot off after one group, while Scootaloo and Erio pursued another two.

“Caro, you’re with me!” Teana ran over to her side. “Spike, change of plans! Go after the fourth group!”

“On it!” Spike crouched down and ran off on all fours in pursuit of the last group, his claws digging up the ground as he went.

“There they go.” Vita smirked as she watched the hovering monitors. “And there go the kids in hot pursuit.”

Twilight nodded. The instructors were clustered atop a high peak at one end of the S4, overlooking the training field below. Everyone’s eyes were focused on the glowing monitors hovering around Shari. The large central monitor showed a bird’s-eye view of the training area, with the trainees and drones represented by green and red triangles, respectively. The other monitors showed live footage as the trainees split off and pursued the flying drones.

“Interesting. It‘s weird seeing Spike run on all fours.” Twilight looked over at Zafira. “Was that part of your training?”

Zafira grunted and nodded. “My fighting style is designed to be effective both in human and wolf forms. Being a dragon, Spike’s built in a similar fashion. It made sense to train him to move efficiently both upright and on all fours, as well as pouncing and grappling maneuvers.”

“That’d make him pretty effective at ground work,” Fate observed.

“It would, yes. You seem surprised, Fate.”

Fate shrugged. “A lot of pony martial arts focus on remaining upright and on all fours. I think the only one that includes a large amount of ground fighting is the Zebrican simba ngoma style that Radi uses.”

“A weakness that’d best be corrected,” Zafira remarked.

“We’re working on it,” Fate replied.

“Training One,” a voice crackled over the intercom as a communications window with Teana‘s face popped up, “this is Private Lanster, Stars Squad. Requesting support.”

“This is Training One. We read you Private Lanster,” Shari replied. Twilight trotted over to her side as she spoke. “What do you need?”

“I’m requesting positioning and bearing data on the target drones.”

“Roger,” Shari’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “I’m linking the data to Cross Mirage now. Please keep an eye on your time limit.”

“Understood.”

“Guess that lesson stuck with her,” Shari joked as Teana’s communications window winked out.

“Yeah, but it might come back to bite her.” Vita huffed and crossed her arms. “If she gets overly reliant on having backup, then she won’t perform as well in the field.”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that,” Twilight replied. “Private Lanster is a very independent young woman. I’m sure she’d handle not having back-up pretty well.”

“If you say so. I’m more concerned about her, though.” Vita pointed at the screen showing Caro’s vitals.

“Caro? What about her?”

“You read her file, right? You know how powerful that little dragon of hers can be…”

“I’m not sure I like where you’re going with this, Vita,” Twilight replied slowly.

“You don’t have to like it,” Vita replied. “But facts are facts. She’s going to need to get over her phobia sooner or later if we’re going to put her in the field.”

Twilight grimaced. Her ears folded flat against her skull as she twitched her tail. “Caro will work through her issues at her own pace, Vita. I’m well aware of Caro’s potential, but pushing her to do something she’s not comfortable with won’t help her or anybody else.”

“I’ll have to agree with Twilight,” Yuuno added quickly, resting a hand on Twilight’s withers. “Right now, Caro is an excellent support mage, and I’ve been teaching her some of my bind and field type spells to supplement her repertoire. Furthermore, I think she trusts us. Pushing her to unleash Friedrich before she’s ready won’t help.”

“Ugh.” Vita looked over at Fate. “And what’s your opinion, Captain?”

Fate exhaled through her nostrils. “Personally? I’d like to at least prepare Caro to personally engage in combat. However, that doesn’t have to involve the use of her dragon companion. Caro’s situation is… unique, to put it lightly.”

“Right. Well, looks like I’m out-voted,” Vita huffed, hands on her hips.

“Vita, we‘re already letting you beat up the trainees as it is,” Twilight replied grumpily. “Just don’t go after Caro. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Fine. Shari, are we ready?”

“Yes, Knight Vita,” Shari’s hands were poised over the keys.

“Good.” Vita smirked. “Time to give them a little wake-up call.”

The soft ‘fzam-fzam’ of the Gadget Drones’ lasers filled the air as Scootaloo darted back and forth, quickly skipping from side to side as she approached. Dodging the blasts was easy for somepony with her speed and reaction time, and she had managed to pin the trio of drones down thanks to her mobility.

Unfortunately, that was all she’d managed to do.

“Let’s go, Gale Force!” Scootaloo leapt skyward, kicking off a nearby spire of rock to gain further altitude.

“GOTCHA,” the Device replied excitedly. “PEREGRINE CLAW!”

A pair of long, scythe-like blades of compressed air and mana extended from Scootaloo’s skates, thrumming and glowing with purple light as she stooped down towards her targets. Scootaloo let out a battle-cry as she swung, only to hear that annoying keening noise again. Her claw rapidly fragmented apart, the edge dissolving away in scattering sparks of light. The gust of compressed air sent it flying backward, but without even a scratch.

“Rutting- gah!” Scootaloo’s curse was cut short as she dodged and swerved, quickly taking cover behind a nearby rocky outcropping.

Scootaloo, Teana’s voice said in her head, what’s your status?

My status? Rutting terrible, that’s my status! I can’t even put a dent in these things!

What’s the problem?

Scootaloo grimaced as one of the beam shots smacked a little to close too where she was hidden. The problem, miss high-and-mighty, is that my attacks aren’t working! It’s just blowing them around like dandelion fluff!

Hrm… I’ll see if I can provide you with some support, alright?

Scootaloo grunted, then paused. Her ears twitched. Hold on. They stopped firing…

What?

Vrom-ZEEEEEE…

Scootaloo let out a shout of surprise as a thin, solid ray of blue light sliced through the stone surface above her. A second ray sliced down to her left, only missing her by a few inches. “Gale Force!” She spread her wings and leapt, flapping rapidly.

“CLOUD ROAD!”

There was a deep whoosh as a purple ribbon of fog exploded before her. Scootaloo landed and accelerated, staying just barely behind the leading edge of the road. The drones gave chase, a trio of thin lasers tracing through the air behind her as she swerved and danced.

“When in Tartarus did they learn how to do that?!” Scootaloo glanced back quickly to check the ray’s approach, then skidded sharply and back-flipped over the beams, quickly shooting off in a different direction.

At least until one of the Gadget Drones floated up before her, letting out that horrible keening noise.

“ERROR,” Gale Force announced, “INTERFERENCE DETECTED!”

“Oh horse-apples,” Scootaloo’s wings flared as the road ahead of her dissolved away. She jumped, landing atop the drone with a click of her skates. Then the drone spun, throwing her off balance and sending her flying, her wings flapping fruitlessly. She could see the other drones directly below her, taking aim.

“This is gonna hurt,” she muttered to herself.

“Scootaloo!”

Scootaloo blinked as a familiar blue ribbon of light shot beneath her, right as Subaru caught her. The blasts of energy slammed against Subaru’s Wing Road as the human shot along, the engines of her skates thrumming loudly.

“TARGET CAUGHT,” Mach Caliber announced.

“You okay, Scoots?” Subaru looked down at her.

“Y-yeah,” Scootaloo squirmed. “Just having some minor problems. No big deal.”

“Good to hear I’m not the only one,” Subaru replied, glancing back up. Her eyes went wide. “Uh oh…”

Scootaloo looked ahead, then swallowed. A trio of drones floated up ahead of them, their emitters glowing bright blue.

“Hold on, Scoots!” Subaru crouched as the Wing Road shot downward.

The wind whipped through Scootaloo’s mane as they dove, then let out a panicked squawk as a pair of thin blue lasers sliced through the Wing Road like a pair of scissors.

“Hang on!” Subaru hurled herself off the Wing Road, turning in mid air to shield Scootaloo from the impact. Thankfully, they weren’t that far off the ground. Still, the speed they were going at made for a very impressive impact, sending a small cloud of dust puffing up around them.

Scootaloo scrambled out of Subaru’s arms and got to her feet. “You okay, Subaru?”

“Ugh.” Subaru sat up and rubbed her un-gauntleted hand against the back of her head. “Yeah… I’m fine.”

“You dummy, why’d you do that?” Scootaloo stomped one hoof, her ears folding back. “You didn’t need to shield me like that!”

Subaru blushed. “Well… we were going really fast, and I didn’t want you to hurt your wings…”

“Subaru,” Scootaloo replied flatly, said wings bristling. “We’re both wearing Barrier Jackets. Remember?”

Subaru blinked. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Uh…”

Right then, the familiar ‘fzam’ of the drones energy blasts crackled out. The pair glanced at each other, then quickly dove for cover.

“For what it’s worth,” Scootaloo muttered quietly as they hid behind a rocky spire, “I appreciate the save.”

“Heh, no problem.” Subaru flashed a quick thumbs up.

“Yeah, but what do we do now?” Scootaloo risked a quick glance, then quickly ducked back as a blast hit the rock beside her. “These things decided to go all aggressive on us, and I can’t even scratch them…”

“I’m not doing much better,” Subaru replied, lifting her Revolver Knuckle. “The ones I was after started moving too fast for me to hit…”

“Any ideas?” Scootaloo glanced up at Subaru hopefully.

Subaru swallowed, then shook her head.

“Well, we’ve gotta do something,” Scootaloo huffed, then blinked as she heard the familiar report of Teana’s guns. She risked a peek again and watched as the bright orange shots hit the ground around the drones. The drones quickly turned towards their new opponent, rapid-fire blasts of blue light firing in reply.

“Looks like Teana’s finally giving us some support,” Scootaloo noted, before she nudged Subaru with her flank. “Looks like a good opportunity for a counter-attack, doesn’t it?”

Subaru blinked, then grinned. “I like the sound of that…”

“Right. On three, we rush them. Got it?”

“Right.”

Shot after shot slammed into Spike’s upraised shield, sending sparks of blue and green mana in all directions. The dragon grimaced, but held his ground, an open hand extended to support the shield.

This is probably Vita’s doing, he thought to himself. This would be the exact sort of thing she’d pull during a training exercise, making them go from running away to full on assault mode.

Vrom-ZEEEEEE…

There was a noise like metal cutting metal as a trio of thin, continuous rays slammed into Spike’s shield. Spike could see a bright spot form around the points of impact on his Panzerschild, like metal glowing beneath a blow-torch.

“Yeah, this is getting annoying,” Spike growled under his breath, then reached up and tapped the gem on his collar. “Ritterherz, let’s light ‘em up.”

The Device let out a roar as Spike inhaled and focused. He let the Device handle the actual spell calculations while he fed the energy from his Linker Core up into it. A green loop of light formed in front of Spike’s mouth, Belkan glyphs surrounding it as he focused.

“Here we go… Drachenatem: Strahlform!” Spike inhaled deeply as he spoke the command phrase, filling his mouth with burning green fire. He took a step back and dug his toes into the ground to brace himself before he leaned his head back, then threw his head forward and exhaled.

The green flames of his breath flowed through the firing loop and exploded into a long, almost cylindrical jet of flame. He turned slowly, straining against the sheer force of the blast as swept the blaze across the drones. One of them partially melted and promptly exploded, while the other two flew skywards.

Oh no you don’t, Spike thought to himself. He snapped his jaws shut, then aimed his head downward. There was a thunderous roar as the jet of flame propelled Spike upwards like the world’s least aerodynamic rocket.

The drones noticed this, and opened fire. Blue bolts of light slammed into Spike’s Knight’s Clothing, leaving scorch-marks behind. Even through the layers of field spells that made up the enchanted garb, Spike could still feel the sting of the shots.

Gotta make this shot count… Spike narrowed his eyes, then shut his mouth to cut off the flow of flame. As he did so, he kicked his legs back and arched his spine performing a forward flip as his trajectory reached its apex. As he spun back to a vertical position he inhaled, then released.

One drone instantly vanished into slag. That was all Spike could see before he rocketed backwards, propelled by his boosted fire breath.

I… may not have thought this through, he mused. I hope Twilight’s not watching this. Or Zafira. Oh sun, moon and stars, don’t let Zafira-

And then Spike slammed into a pillar of rock. Or rather, slammed through it. The spell quickly fizzled out as he landed with a decidedly ungraceful crash, bouncing and tumbling head-over-tail before coming to a halt against a large boulder.

Yuuno winced. “Ouch…”

“Yeah,” Twilight winced as well. “I’m just glad he’s durable…”

Zafira, meanwhile, simply closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, his ears folding back as he did so.

Caro held her ground beside Teana, her hands raised before her as she maintained the Barrier shielding them both. Thin blue bolts of light ricocheted off the swirling dome of pink mana. Kerykeion’s jewels glowed softly as she held the spell steady.

“Looks like we have their attention,” Teana grimaced as she crouched beside Caro, a small holographic monitor floating before her eyes. “Looks like Spike took out two of his targets…”

“There’s still a lot left over,” Caro replied, wincing slightly as a bolt of blue light scattered off her Barrier at eye-level. “And we’re running out of time. If we-”

Caro’s sentence was cut short by the sound of an explosion. Both Caro and Teana turned to look in the direction of Subaru and Scootaloo. The pair had sprung from cover with impressive speed, charging directly into the distracted drones. Subaru’s gauntleted fist slammed into one of the drones, Revolver Knuckle’s gears spinning and widening the hole before Subaru leapt away. Scootaloo, meanwhile, zipped about the drones, drawing their fire. There was a loud whirring noise as two of the drones turned on their continuous beams, sweeping them about and trying to pin the pony down, only for them to slice through one of their fellow machines and causing it to detonate.

“Wow…” Caro whispered as she watched the pair work, pony and human almost working in sync together. “They’re really… impressive.”

“Yeah,“ Teana grunted as Subaru grabbed one of the drones and threw it towards Scootaloo. The pegasus leapt skyward, claws extending from the skates on both of her front hooves before she raked them downwards, spiking the drone like a volleyball. “Really impressive, that’s for sure…”

There was a familiar crackle of static as Spike felt someone grab his hand. He groaned loudly and slowly rolled to a sitting position, a clawed hand rubbing his brow. A few pebbles bounced free from between his dorsal spines as he shook his head. “Remind me never to do that again,” he muttered.

“I’ll try to,” Erio replied, thin tendrils of golden lightning crackling along Strada’s length. “You alright?”

“Fine. Just peachy.” Spike grunted as he climbed to his feet. “Where’s the drones?”

“My guess? Probably closing in.” Erio glanced around quickly, moving Strada back into a two-handed grip. “I managed to down one of them, but I missed the other two. I think they’re adapting to our strategies.”

“That‘s because they probably are.” Spike grimaced.

“You don’t sound surprised.”

“Of course not. This is Vita we’re talking about. Vita’s not like Twilight; she doesn’t play fair.” Spike looked up as he heard a soft humming. “Erio, behind-”

FZAM!

The red-headed young knight spun, Strada crackling in his hands as he swung. There was a loud crackle as Erio swatted a bolt of energy out of the air. Spike blinked.

Wow… that’s Fate levels of reaction speed right there…

“Looks like they found us,” said Erio casually as the drones opened fire. He spun Strada about, deflecting the shots with the head of his spear or blocking them with the butt. He then pirouetted, lightning crackling along the chisel-tipped blade of his spear before he swung, an arc of golden light shooting forth towards the drones. The drones, of course, quickly dodged and returned fire.

Spike stepped up beside Erio and thrust his hand out, Ritterherz glowing brightly as he called up his magic. The blasts of blue energy slammed against his Panzerhindernis, the green Barrier thrumming as it swirled.

“Thanks,” Erio replied, huffing softly.

“I thought Fate told you not to overdo the whole super-speed thing,” Spike replied, shifting his weight as the blasts continued to ping against his defensive spell.

“Yeah… force of habit.” Erio grumbled. He then swung Strada around and leveled the spear at one of the drones. “When I say ‘now,’ I want you to drop the barrier.”

“Are you crazy?! What the heck are you going to-”

Spike’s query was cut short as he heard the distinct report of a cartridge being fired off. “Strada,” Erio ordered, gripping the spear in one hand as he lowered himself into a runner’s stance, “let‘s go!”

“JAWOHL!” There was a loud whine as the spear’s jet engines flared to life, golden light streaming out from the triangular exhaust ports.

“Uh… Erio?” Spike looked at the thrumming spear worriedly, “are you sure this is-”

“Now!”

“Right. Dropping the barrier.” Spike clenched his hand, causing the swirling dome of light to fade.

“SPEERANGRIFF!”

There was a loud roar as Strada’s engines ignited, rocketing Erio directly towards one of the Drones faster than Spike could see. All that was left behind was a plume of smoke and mana from the rocket engines.

Unfortunately, the drones were much more perceptive. There was a loud keening noise as the machines dodged upwards. A loud guttering ‘whomp’ echoed out as Strada’s engines cut out.

“Erio!”

Caro turned as she heard Spike shout. The three drones hovering in the air above turned, aimed, and opened fire. Her eyes went wide.

Erio? Spike? Her mental voice trembled as she sent the message. What happened? Are you-

We’re pinned down, Spike replied. Erio missed his charge and we’re out in the open. We need some backup…

Caro’s heart skipped a beat. Is Erio hurt?! Are you-

He’s a little rattled. I think one of the drones zapped him before I could get the shield up…

Caro felt her teeth grit. Backup’s coming. Hold your position.

There was a pause. Uh… Caro? You okay?

Caro cut the connection and took a few steps forward, orienting herself in Spike and Erio’s direction.

“Caro?” She heard confusion in Teana’s voice. “What’re you-”

“Erio and Spike are in trouble,” she replied softly. “I’m going to help them.”

“Um… what’re you going to-”

Caro inhaled slowly, closed her eyes, then brought her hands together with a loud clap. There was a familiar chiming noise as a Mid-Childan spell circle inscribed itself beneath her feet. Energy ran up along Kerykeion’s bracers, sending out lines of energy along the tops of her fingers and around the Device’s core gems.

“By the ancient contract,” Caro intoned, “I call you forth. Constricting chains of silver and steel, answer to my call!”

In the distance, she could feel the summoning portals open. Each portal took the shape of a summoner’s square; a quartet of small spell circles linked together by ribbons of Mid-Childan script around an eight-pointed star. She felt inert matter stir within the summoner’s squares, shaping itself to her whim.

“Wrought Iron Summon,” she called out, swinging her arms out in a cutting motion. “ALCHEMIC CHAIN!”

At her call, chains of solid, glistening metal erupted from the squares. The drones attempted to flee, only to find themselves promptly ensnared and lifted high into the air.

Alright… just like Mr. Scrya showed me, she thought as she clenched her hands, curling her fingers in as she guided the spell.

The chains tightened. Constricted.

They’re just machines. You can’t hurt machines…

Caro clenched her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see it happen. She balled her hands into fists, and the chains heeded the gesture.

There was a creaking of metal on metal as the chains grew tight. Then, a few seconds later, thin streamers of smoke drifted up as the drones crumpled inwards, going from pill-shaped to hourglass-shaped.

Caro exhaled and shuddered, slumping slightly as the metal chains retracted back into the summoner’s squares. She let her arms hang at her sides as Friedrich landed on her shoulder, the little dragon cooing approvingly into her ear.

They’re just machines, she thought, trying to reassure herself.

Vita was staring at the monitors. Twilight really couldn’t blame her; she was doing the same thing.

“What in the hell did she just do?” Vita looked over at Twilight. “Seriously, what the hell did Caro just do?!”

“What she does best: summoning magic,” Twilight replied, eyes wide and her lips split in a giddy grin. “That’s a variant-style of summoning, which shapes inanimate objects out of proto-matter…”

“Translation, anyone?” Vita glanced around, then settled on Yuuno.

“Caro’s using her magic to conjure chains,” Yuuno replied.

“Excellent use of the proper terminology, Yuuno,” Twilight added quickly. “But yes, Caro is using conjuration, the art of shaping proto-material into actual-material. She’s not converting energy into matter like our Devices, nor is she calling the chains from another physical location. She’s actually summoning non-differentiated neutral matter from the sub-spatial dimensional boundary and molding it with her magic, which is absolutely fascinating because it suggests that Mid-Childan-style summoning actually shares some traits with certain forms of magic used in Equestria, namely-”

“Okay, okay, I think I get the point.” Vita held up her hands in defeat. “We don’t need the lecture. I’m just surprised that she actually, you know, crushed them.”

“That’s… partially my doing.” Yuuno chuckled nervously as Vita looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. “I’ve been showing Caro a couple of tricks I’ve learned with my Chain Bind spell. It’s nice to see she’s actually applying it…”

“It is effective, that much is true,” Zafira noted, a hand rubbing his chin. “But it doesn’t seem like their AMF had any effect on the chains…”

“That’s because the chains are physical,” Twilight replied. “Unlike most other Bind-type spells, those chains are actual physical matter, while the manipulation is carried out by guiding the leading point of the chains. And Caro was smart; she lifted the drones away from the summoning point, which meant they couldn’t disrupt the spell!”

“Ah.” Zafira nodded in satisfaction.

“And with that,” Shari noted as the last Drone signal winked out from the map, “that concludes the first round of this exercise. Shall we go down and talk with the trainees?”

Vita grunted and nodded. “Sure, I guess so…” She paused, then glared at Twilight. “Why’re you smirking at me like that, Sparkle?”

“Oh, no reason,” Twilight replied airily. “No reason at all…”

“Twilight,” Fate chided gently, poking her in the side with one hoof.

“What? I’m not allowed to gloat a little?” Twilight pouted at her younger sister. “I thought the trainees did quite well.”

“Of course.” Fate replied with a straight face. “My squad did better overall, however.”

Twilight sniffed in mock-offense. “Hardly. Stars Squad did perfectly well, all things considered…”

“True, but Lightning Squad had a much more even spread of kills, whereas two members of Stars did all the work…”

“True, but given their respective make-ups…”

“Girls,” Yuuno interrupted, “am I going to have to separate you two?”

“Hmph.” Twilight stuck her tongue out at Yuuno. “Fate and I are just having a professional argument, Yuuno. No need for you to get involved.”

“Yes,” Fate concurred, a faint smile creasing her lips. “Very professional…”

“Well, boys and girls, congratulations,” Vita said with a smirk, her hands tucked into her pockets, “you’ve successfully proved yourselves to be… adequate. Barely.”

Caro wasn’t really listening to Vita. Her attention was focused inwards as the little Knight’s chatter rolled over her.

It was so easy. Her fingers twitched slightly. Like crushing a can. Just like Mr. Scrya said…

---

“Before we continue… there’s something I feel I should tell you, Caro. The tricks I’m going to show you are, in some ways, quite dangerous.”

“But, Mr. Scrya, these aren’t attack spells, right?”

“True, they aren’t. But any form of magic can hurt someone if used creatively. Binds meant to immobilize can strangle or crush a target as easily as someone crushes a tin can. A shield spell is just as useful as a battering ram as it is a defensive tool. Even teleportation can be lethal, if you send someone who can‘t fly high enough into the air.”

“But… But I don’t…”

“I know you don’t want to hurt anyone Caro. And that’s the reason why I’m teaching you this. I trust you, because you’re abundantly aware of how dangerous magic can be. And by teaching you these spells, I’m also equipping you with the knowledge to defend yourself against them. Do you understand, Caro?”

“Caro? Oi, Private Ru Lushe!”

Caro jumped slightly. “What? Yes? S-sorry!”

Vita snorted. “You know, when a superior officer addresses you, you’re supposed to respond, not stare into space.”

“S-sorry, ma’am.”

“Whatever. I just wanted to say I was pretty impressed with the chain trick you pulled. Pretty effective summoning work there, kid.”

Caro swallowed. The compliment made the pit of her stomach drop a little. “T-thank you, ma’am…”

“Right. So!” Vita turned and looked over the group. “We’ll start the next exercise in fifteen minutes. You all better be ready by then!”

Caro nodded absentmindedly as Vita and the other instructors walked off. Twilight broke away from the others, calling Teana and Scootaloo over, but Caro couldn’t hear what they were discussing. She slumped slightly, her shoulders slack as she walked over to a nearby boulder and took a seat, pulling her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

“Caro? You okay?”

She glanced up, blinking at Spike and Erio. Both of them looked concerned.

“I’m… I’m fine,” She reached up, rubbing her eyes with one hand.

“You don’t look fine,” Spike replied as he crouched down in front of her, his tail swishing. “You look miserable.”

Caro didn’t respond.

“Uh… look. If it’s about what Vita said…”

“It’s not that… it’s… it’s what I did.”

Spike blinked. “You mean the chain thing?”

“Yes, ‘the chain thing.’”

“Um…” Spike scratched one ear-fin. “Look, what you did-”

“What I did was I crushed them.” Caro’s hands clenched as she pressed her face into her knees. “I crushed them like they were nothing… and it was easy!”

“Woah, woah, relax!” She heard Spike shuffle as she snapped at him. “I didn’t mean to upset-”

“It’s not supposed to be easy,” she continued. “It shouldn’t be that easy to hurt something like that! But I just made it happen! I-”

She felt a hand gently touch her head. She looked up, sniffling softly at Erio. The young boy’s expression was unreadable, but his eyes were fierce.

“Caro,” he said quietly, “you didn’t do anything wrong.”

She sniffed. “But…”

“Caro, it’s okay,” he interrupted. “I know why you did it. I know you did it to protect us. I did something stupid, and you got us out of a jam. Thank you.”

Caro shook her head. “I… I just wanted you two to be safe. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t…”

“I know… but Caro…” Erio inhaled slowly and closed his eyes. “Sometimes… you have to hurt people.”

Caro stared up at him. “Erio, I…”

Erio‘s voice dropped to a whisper. “If… if I’d had your kind of power back then Caro, things would’ve turned out differently…”

Caro froze.

“There are bad people in the world, Caro,” he said, his voice very carefully neutral. The clenched fists at his sides, however, suggested what Caro knew was under the surface. “There are bad people who want to do bad things to anyone who can’t protect themselves. Sometimes, they’ll do them to your friends, or your family, or even to you. And when that happens, you will have to hurt them, because otherwise…” He shuddered. “Otherwise…”

Caro pushed herself up, then quickly hugged Erio. She felt him go stiff at the show of affection, then slowly relax before he clumsily returned the hug.

“Well,” Spike interjected, pulling Caro’s attention over towards him, “if nothing else, I think we figured out something, Caro.”

“Huh?”

“I was right about you. You’re pretty brave.”

Caro blushed. “No, I’m not.”

Spike shrugged. “Keep telling yourself that all you like. Doesn‘t change things.”

“Spike’s right, you know,” Erio added. “You’re probably one of the bravest people I know, Caro…”

Caro’s cheeks were almost as pink as her hair. She lanced away, pausing for a second as she saw Captain Testarossa-Sparkle watching them, a small smile on her lips.

Looks like Lightning Squad’s handling itself. Caro’s doing fine, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Twilight exhaled in relief at Fate’s telepathic message, glad that the yellow mare was keeping an eye out for her squad. However, she had her own problems to attend to.

“So,” Twilight said, glancing between Teana and Scootaloo, “I noticed you two were having problems, since neither of you recorded a single ‘kill’ in the last exercise.”

Scootaloo grumbled and kicked a hoof, while Teana exhaled in irritation.

Twilight snorted softly. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, no matter what Vita says about the matter. You both still performed quite well, all things considered.”

“Yeah, but we could do better,” Scootaloo huffed. “Without my claws, all I’m good at is being a distraction.”

“To be fair, at least you can blow them around a bit with your wind,” Teana countered, shaking her head before pressing an index finger against her forehead. “My shots can’t even get through their AMF. It doesn’t matter how accurately I can shoot if the bullet can’t even get to the target in the first place.”

Twilight coughed loudly, drawing their attention. “Girls, let’s not dwell on that sort of thing. We know what we need to work on, so let’s see if we can’t come up with a solution, alright?”

Their replies were less than enthusiastic, which caused Twilight’s ears to fold back. I’m really going to have to talk to Vita about a little thing called ‘morale,’ she thought to herself.

“Alright,” she continued briskly. “I think we’ve already identified the problem; your respective attacks can’t reach their targets because of the Anti-Magilink Fields, correct?”

“Duh,” Scootaloo replied irritably.

Twilight kept her smile up, just like Celestia did when she was being a problem foal. “Good. So, knowing what you now know about AMF, how do you think you can counter it?”

“You don’t,” Scootaloo replied. “Subaru didn’t need to. She just punched holes in them with that big metal glove of hers…”

“Yes, but you’re not Subaru,” Twilight replied. “Your skills are different. So think; how can you get around their defense?”

“Ma‘am” Teana raised a hand slowly, “I… may have an idea.”

“Yes, Teana?” Both Twilight and Scootaloo looked at her.

“Well, I’m not quite sure if it’s feasible,” Teana continued, crossing her arms as she looked thoughtful. “I mean, it’d work in theory…”

“So? Spit it out, already,” Scootaloo urged.

Teana grimaced at Scootaloo, then looked back at Twilight. “Subaru would probably explain it better ma’am, but I assume you’re familiar with field-type interactions?”

Twilight nodded. “I should be, yes.”

“Well… is it possible to put a non-field spell inside a field without compromising the outside spell?”

Twilight’s teacher-like smile gave way to something a bit more excited. “Excellent thinking, Teana! I’m assuming you’re planning on surrounding one of your Shoot Barret projectiles with a low-grade field to counteract the AMF’s erosion of the spell linkage?”

“Well, yes,” Teana blushed slightly. “I suppose so, assuming that could even work…”

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t.” Twilight paused, quickly running through the scenario and the calculations. “Though it’d be difficult to pull off… a spell like that’s quite complex. Plus, it’d be very taxing in terms of power, since you’d have to generate both the shot and the field simultaneously…” Not to mention doing it consistently and guiding the projectile on top of that. Doing something like that at her level of power would be challenging to say the least.

Teana reached down and rested one hand on Cross Mirage’s grip. “Well then, it’s a good thing I’ve got eight cartridges worth of power to work with. Trust me, ma‘am, I can handle it.”

“Well, if you feel confident enough to pull it off, then I don‘t see the harm in at least trying it…”

Teana nodded in satisfaction, then looked over at Scootaloo with a smirk. “So, what about you? Got any ideas?”

Scootaloo glared back at Teana, then huffed and hung her head. “Not really…”

Twilight stepped forward and rested a hoof on Scootaloo’s withers. “Don’t worry, Scootaloo. You’ll come up with something, I’m sure. And if not, you can always ask Subaru for help.”

“I know.” Scootaloo huffed, her wings bristling and her tail swishing in irritation.

Twilight hmmed thoughtfully, then perked her ears forward. “Well… if I could make a suggestion, Scootaloo?”

“Yeah?” Scootaloo glanced over at her, on ear flicking and turning towards her.

“Have you considered something other than claws?”

Scootaloo blinked. “Huh?”

“A shape other than claws. While the cutting power of your Peregrine Claw spell is impressive, the spell itself is rather fragile because you’re stretching the containment and amplification field over a large area…”

“Yeah… But, I mean, that’s kinda how I was taught, remember? Fa- er, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle showed me how to make the blade in the first place.”

Twilight nodded. “True, but there’s more things you can do with it. Just… think about it, alright?”

Scootaloo nodded.

Signum stood at the pier, her long pink ponytail flittering in the breeze, her eyes focused on the hovering holographic monitors as the Trainees went through the anti-AMF exercise again.

Vita and Zafira were, as expected, advising Twilight and the others. Signum did not fault them for their interests, nor did she begrudge them their status as instructors. They, like Shamal, had found their niche outside of their duties to their shared Mistress. Signum took comfort in that fact. It almost made her own situation more bearable.

Almost.

“There you are. I was wondering where you‘d gotten to, Signum.”

Signum glanced away from the monitors as Trixie trotted up to her, the blue unicorn smirking slightly. “So,” Trixie continued, “I guess you decided to check in on the Sparkle sisters and their trainees?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Signum replied calmly, her arms folding before her.

“Good. Honestly, if it weren’t for these meetings with Captain Harlaown, I’d be out there myself.” Trixie snorted. “I suppose I should feel honored to be Chrono’s sounding board, but it’s really starting to grate. How many contingencies does one need, anyway?”

Signum nodded quietly, which caused Trixie to quirk an eyebrow. “Are you even listening, Signum?”

“Of course, Mistress.”

“Hrmph.” Trixie glanced up at her, then looked out to the S4, then back to Signum. “If you’re itching for a fight, you could always volunteer. I’m sure you’d make a fine op-”

Signum shook her head. “No.”

“Really? Since when were you one to turn down a fight?”

“Pitting me against the trainees would not be a fair fight,” Signum replied. “Besides, you know how… enthusiastic I can be sometimes.”

“Hrm… you‘ve got a point there.” Trixie looked thoughtfully at the floating screens. “You know, of the four of you I would’ve expected you’d be an instructor, not Vita.”

“Vita has… adapted,” Signum replied. “As have Shamal and Zafira. They are more comfortable with the way things are…”

“While you’re stuck in the past,” Trixie replied. Signum glanced down at her with an irritated look, which Trixie returned. “What? It’s not like I’m wrong.”

Signum sighed. “I… am too much of a Knight, Mistress. I have neither the desire, nor the disposition to teach. Even if I did, what could I offer? My skills are not meant for peaceful enforcement. They’re meant for the battlefield. I‘m meant for the battlefield.”

“And I was meant for the stage,” Trixie replied, “and look how I turned out.”

“Your stage still remains, Mistress. Mine, however, does not.”

“Well, if nothing else you at least make for a good bodyguard,” Trixie ventured playfully.

Signum grunted in reply.

Trixie sighed. “Have you spoken to Princess Luna, by any chance?”

“Yes. Not recently, but we have kept correspondence with each other.”

“And have you-”

Signum shook her head. “It’s not my place to burden someone of her rank with my problems.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “You do realize that you’re talking about the mare that wanders the dreams of foals and protects them from nightmares, right?”

“I’m aware of her duties, but my point stands.”

“What about Schach? You and her seem to be all buddy-buddy, and she is a nun…”

“Sister Schach holds me in high regard, given my experience and age. I do not wish to appear weak before her.”

“So, you’re telling me you’re actively trying to avoid help?” Trixie arched an eyebrow. “You’re many things, Signum, but I didn’t expect you to be so… intentionally dumb.”

Signum exhaled slowly and looked at Trixie. “Mistress, my… dissatisfaction is not something that others should be required to fix. It is my problem. Do not concern yourself with it.”

Trixie‘s ears flattened as she glared up at Signum. “You’re my assistant, Signum. I’d be stupid if I wasn’t concerned about you.”

Signum reached down and rested her hand on Trixie’s mane. “And that is why I consider it an honor to serve at your side, Mistress. You are a good commander… when you have a mind to be.”

“Hmph.” Trixie turned her nose up at that. “Trixie will have you know that she is always a good commander, Knight Signum. Anything contrary to that fact is to be disregarded.”

“Duly noted,” Signum replied dryly before she turned back to the screens. “Perhaps I should speak to Testarossa-Sparkle once they’re finished. Laevatein is growing restless in his sheath.”

“Is that so?”

Signum looked down at Trixie as the blue mare tilted her head. “Last I checked, Signum, swords don’t grow restless. Only the hands that draw them do.”

Signum didn’t reply to that. She simply slipped her hands into her pockets and looked back out across the bay.

Excuse me, but I was under the impression that you were actually good at your jobs! Are you trying to disappoint me?! If not, then hurry up and knock out those drones already!

Teana grimaced as she tried to tune out Vita’s telepathic haranguing. She’d expected it, to be honest; after the first round, the difficulty had spiked up. Last round, they had managed to kill all but one of the drones, which had earned them a rather snide commentary from the little Knight.

Pick up the pace, people! What is this, an elementary school kick-ball team? If you don’t start smashing those tin-cans into the ground, I’m going to come down there and beat the Scheiße out of you myself!

There was a loud crack as Teana pulled Cross Mirage’s trigger. A thin bolt of orange light shot out, streaking upwards and hitting the upper edge of a tall, rocky spire. A thin line of light quickly connected her gun to the anchor point as she leapt upwards, the mana-wire reeling her upwards. The momentum carried her up past the edge of the spire, allowing her to land on top in a crouch.

Status, everyone? Teana stood quickly peering out over the holographic desert.

In position, came Caro’s reply.

In pursuit of group two, Spike replied.

I’m coming in to intercept, Spike. Approaching from three o’clock, Erio replied.

Got my hands full with group one, Tea! Subaru’s voice was louder than normal.

Teana nodded, then frowned. Scootaloo? Scootaloo, report.

Kinda busy here, carrot-top, came the hurried reply. Got three on my tail and I can’t shake them.

Teana nodded. Head towards my position.

What’re you going to do, spit-ball ‘em to death?

Just do it, Scootaloo, Teana replied as she holstered one of her guns.

Fine, whatever…

Teana exhaled and closed her eyes. “Alright Cross Mirage… let’s try this again. And this time, let‘s get it right, alright?”

“RIGHT.” Cross Mirage’s orange core flickered in reply.

“Load Cartridge,” Teana ordered, resting her off-hand on her holstered pistol. A series of cracks filled her ears as cartridge after cartridge fired off from her gun, the empty casings chiming as they landed on the ground beside her. She felt the familiar surge of mana course through her body, her core temperature rising slightly in response to the sudden swell of mana.

Teana gripped the single gun she was holding in both hands, her feet shoulder-width apart as she leveled it, her eyes narrowed in concentration. An orange Mid-Childan circle sprang up around her feet with a familiar chiming noise.

Alright… let Cross Mirage handle the mana control. Focus on the calculations. Her hands tightened as an apple-sized ball of orange light formed in front of her Device. That, however, was the easy part.

Teana knew she wasn’t the brightest member of her squad. That was more Subaru’s talent. While she could be an air-head sometimes, Teana had to admit the girl had a knack for memorization and calculation. After all, she’d been the one to tutor Teana. But what Teana lacked in smarts, she more than made up for in lateral thinking.

Containment fields won’t have enough shielding, Teana thought as she ran through the calculations. Defensive fields wouldn’t work either; the bullet will just break against the barrier wall. So… what about a jacketing effect? Yes… that might work.

She inhaled, quickly reciting the functions for a Barrier Jacket effect, but altered certain factors; decreasing durability and mana-retention, while increasing energy and stability. Cross Mirage quickly picked up on the spell formula, and Teana could feel the mana surge through her as the spell took shape. A shimmering, pulsing coating of light slowly began to form over the blast, increasing the size as it slid upwards.

Teana could feel sweat drip down the back of her neck. Come on… please let this work…

The coating covered the bullet half-way now. Three quarters.

Scootaloo came into view. Three drones were hot on her trail, their shots impacting in the dirt around her. It was a golden opportunity.

The coating slid up, then closed around the bullet.

“VARIABLE COATING COMPLETE,” Cross Mirage announced. “FIELD STABLE.”

“Finally…” Teana raised her arms and took aim. “Variable Shot, fire!”

She pulled the trigger. The blast flew free. With a nudge of her will she twisted the projectile’s path, sending it into the lead drone.

The bullet’s coating shimmered as it hit the edge of the drone’s AMF, but the coating held as the blast ripped through the machine’s metal casing. She swung her arms slightly, guiding the shot into and through the second. The third drone’s AMF peeled away the barrier, but that wasn’t enough to keep the blast from putting a hole where its yellow eye once was.

Scootaloo swerved to a halt as the drones detonated, then slowly turned to look up at Teana with wide eyes.

Teana slowly lifted an arm and gave the pegasus a thumbs-up and a smirk, trying not to show just how much that little stunt made her brain ache.

Let’s see you top that, feather-brain, she thought to herself.

By the time practice was over, Caro felt dead on her feet. Her entire body throbbed from exertion, and her heartbeat pounded in her temples. To be fair, she wasn’t the only one who’d looked drained when the six of them staggered into the barracks after dinner. Even Friedrich was looking a bit droopy, with his tail slack and his wings splayed out as he flopped beside her.

Caro sighed and stretched slowly, her legs splayed out before her as she tried to relax. A hot shower had helped, but not completely; hence, the stretching. The last thing she needed was to wake up the next day with aching muscles.

She paused, half-bent over as she heard the muffled sounds of hooves on carpet. She glanced up, blinking as she saw Scootaloo pause a body-length away from her, the pegasus looking a little nervous.

The two stared at each other.

“Uh…” Scootaloo said, breaking the ice. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Caro replied softly.

“So, uh, whatcha doing?”

“Stretching.”

“Cool, cool.” Scootaloo nodded, almost like she was agreeing with herself. Her hooves shuffled on the carpet.

“Uh… “ Caro sat up fully and folded her legs beneath her. “Did you want something?”

The question seemed to startle Scootaloo. “Huh? Me? Uh…” She shuffled again, then sighed and rubbed her head. “Well… I noticed you and Spike’ve been doing that whole meditating thing, you know? And I was wondering if you could… well…”

Caro blinked. “You… want to meditate with us?”

“I guess so. Don’t get me wrong, I could totally do it on my own. I mean, I’ve been taught how to do it. I just figured that I could watch.”

“Watch?“ Caro blinked in confusion. That didn’t seem to be the reaction Scootaloo wanted, however. The pegasus shuffled her hooves and ducked her head.

“I’m… not that good at it. I mean, the whole Zebrican ‘at peace with the world’ thing is really not my style. But Radi ordered me to do it, and if he finds out I’ve been sucking at it I’ll never hear the end of it. So… yeah. Do you mind if I chill with you and Spike for a bit?”

Caro exhaled, then patted the ground beside her. “Sure. Spike should be down soon. Why don’t you get in position?”

Scootaloo trotted over and took a seat. Caro watched as she took a seat, her hind legs bent awkwardly in front of her in a crude approximation of a full-lotus position. She paused as she noticed Caro’s gaze. “Heh… don’t worry. It just looks uncomfortable.”

Caro exhaled in relief. “That’s good… so, what exactly are you having trouble with?”

“The whole ‘be at peace with the world’ thing. Like I said, it’s not really my style. Way too much to do, way too much to think about.” Scootaloo swirled one front hoof in front of her. “Just can’t get into it…”

“Um… maybe you should try focusing on something else, then?” Caro folded her legs beneath her and scratched her head. “What did you think about before you started having problems?”

Scootaloo blushed. “Uh… birds.”

“Birds?”

“Yeah, birds. After Radi started calling me ‘little bird,’ it fit. You know, Pegasus? Wings? Ergo, birds. Besides, birds are cool.”

Caro giggled, then stopped as Scootaloo arched an eyebrow. “Sorry… it just… seemed appropriate, that’s all.” She then tilted her head to one side in thought. “So… why’re you having trouble?”

Scootaloo huffed. “Just… all this. Being here on Mid-Childa. Working with Stars Squad. Working with Teana. This is all just… weird.”

“How so?”

Scootaloo grunted. “Well first, this place is different from Equestria. Everything’s different. Equestria’s always so bright and colorful. But here? Here it’s like… everything’s duller and quieter. The air feels different. The ground feels different. The food tastes different. It just makes me… antsy for some reason.

“And then there’s my squad. Subaru’s pretty cool and stuff, but Teana? Teana’s a brat.” She bared her teeth, her ears folding back against her mane. “She’s always so high-and-mighty, like she’s better than me. And the looks she gives me sometimes… Ugh, I just want to give her a good smack, right in the kisser. Pow!” She punched the air demonstratively. “It doesn’t help with the way she treats Subaru. Subaru says they're friends, but Teana sure doesn’t act like it sometimes. She acts like Subaru’s just some… thing for her to use. And that really just rutting pisses me off, but there‘s nobody I can talk to and I’m sure as Tartarus not going to bring it up in front of Twilight, not with the trouble we‘ve been in before…”

Caro didn’t reply.

Scootaloo sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to just go off on you like that…”

“It’s okay,” Caro replied quickly. “Really. It’s fine. I… guess you just had a lot bottled up.”

“Guess so.” Scootaloo slumped slightly. “It’s just… I didn’t expect everything to turn out this way, you know?”

Caro nodded. “Yes, I do know. I don’t think anyone here planned for something like this.”

“Heh…” Scootaloo snorted, but smiled slightly. “You’re pretty nice, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told,” Caro replied softly. She then shook her head and inhaled. “So… do you… want to try meditating with us?”

“Sure? What could it hurt?” Scootaloo shifted slightly. “Just don’t mind me if I wiggle. Sometimes my tail gets caught…”

Caro giggled. “I’ll try not to notice.”

Hidden Laboratory

Undisclosed Location

There was a soft hum as the door opened. “Doctor?”

Jail Scaglietti turned as his number one assistant approached him, his smile broad and vulpine. “Yes, Uno? What is it now?”

The lavender-haired woman glanced at her data pad. “Our sources indicate that the Saint Church has acquired another Relic. They appear to have acquired it before our forces could, and are currently transporting it to a safe location.”

“Hmmm…” Jail rubbed his chin in thought.

“You seem unconcerned, Doctor,” Uno replied.

“Oh no, I’m concerned. However, one Relic is not the end of the world for us.” His lips split into a cheerful grin as he raised one finger. “In fact, this is an excellent opportunity to test the current generation of drones.”

“Of course, sir. Shall I ready the Model Twos and Threes?”

“Absolutely. And inform Quattro and Dieci that they’ll be monitoring in the field.”

“Of course, Doctor,” Uno replied with a nod of her head. “As you wish. I’ll inform you once we’ve located the transport route the Relic will be following.”

“Thank you, my number one assistant.” Jail turned away as Uno exited, his eyes focused on the four bio-genesis chambers before him. Dozens of monitors and data feeds showed the vital signs of the figures floating within, providing a comprehensive analysis of their physical, mental and magical health.

“Just a little longer, my darlings,” he cooed. “Then you’ll get to meet your sisters properly. Won’t they be in for a surprise…”

Author's Note

Reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. I'm sorry that this update is behind, as I was dealing with medical issues and I didn't feel like writing very much. However, the next chapter will be much more action-packed.

10: Practical Exam

Twilight was a pony of routine. Though she’d mostly outgrown the obsessive need to craft endless checklists for every facet of her life, she still liked it when things went according to plan. That way when something deviated from the routine, she’d at least have some warning in case the rest of the day went awry. Which it tended to do with almost unnatural regularity.

That was why alarm bells were ringing in her head when, after showering, brushing her mane and generally preparing for her morning, she’d met Chrono and Yuuno on their way out of the main building rather than on the way to the commissary like she normally did.

“Where’re you two going this early?” Twilight frowned up at the pair, her not-quite-functional brain registering a discrepancy in the morning routine. “Is there something wrong? ”

Chrono shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong, Twilight. We’re just taking a trip up north, that’s all. Director Gracia’s requested my presence in person.”

Twilight’s metaphorical gears spun up to speed. “Director Gracia? As in the head of the Saint Church?”

“She catches on quick, doesn’t she?” Chrono quipped to Yuuno, who rolled his eyes.

“I haven’t had my morning dose of caffeine, Chrono.” Twilight’s grousing carried a hint of a warning. “And sass isn’t a good substitute. Keep it up, and I might turn you into a carrot.”

“Relax, Twilight,” Yuuno said reassuringly. “It’s nothing major. Director Gracia just wants an update on RIOT Force’s status, that’s all. We should be back this afternoon, assuming all goes well.”

“We?”

“Chrono dragooned me into being his driver.” Yuuno gave his superior officer a smirk.

“I’d rather not try to drive all that way with one arm, thank you very much,” Chrono replied.

Twilight exhaled. “Did you two at least have breakfast?”

“Yes, mother,” Chrono teased. “We’ve already eaten. Our tummies are full and our lunchboxes are packed, and we‘re off to greet the day like good little schoolboys.”

Twilight grumbled. “You know, I take it back. A carrot’s too good for you. I’ll turn you into a cactus. A small cactus. It‘d suit you.”

“Then I’d only be half as prickly as you, Twilight,” Chrono replied cheerfully.

“You’d still be a pr-”

“Go get some coffee, Twilight.” Yuuno reached over and gently rubbed Twilight behind one of her ears. Twilight closed her eyes, her ears folding as she relaxed. “We’ll see you later.”

“Alright. I’ll just send the reports to your desk later then,” Twilight muttered, giving Yuuno a gentle nuzzle on his hand before the pair walked off. She watched them leave, her tail swishing slowly.

I wonder why they’re going all the way up to see Director Gracia? Surely they could’ve handled this over comms. Unless… Twilight frowned. Unless this is something that they can’t talk about publicly, even over official Bureau channels…

Part of her wanted to dismiss that line of thought as simple paranoia. But Twilight knew better. She exhaled slowly, turning slightly as the elevator chimed and Fate stepped out. Much to Twilight’s irritation, Fate looked perfectly coiffed and as fresh as a daisy.

She must’ve been getting tips from Rarity. That’s the only explanation…

Fate glanced at her. “Something wrong, Twilight?”

“Chrono and Yuuno are heading to the Saint Church. Looks like it’s just the rest of us for breakfast and practice today.”

“Ah.” Fate nodded, then trotted closer and gently nuzzled her neck. “Come on, sis. Let’s get some coffee in you.”

“I’m not sure that’ll help,” Twilight replied. The alarm bells were still going off.

“You know,” Yuuno commented as he turned the steering wheel, the sleek, navy blue body of Chrono’s car glinting in the morning sun as he turned onto the highway leading away from the base, “if I didn’t know better, Chrono, I’d say you were having a mid-life crisis. This is the exact sort of car some balding, middle-aged salary-man would buy.”

“Amy bought it for me,” Chrono replied a bit defensively, slipping a bit lower into the leather seat. “First wedding anniversary. Comes with all the extras: heated seats, navigation system, auto-drive…”

“So if it‘s got auto-drive, then why am Idriving instead of you?” Yuuno replied, shifting gears as he got up to cruising speed.

“Because if the auto-drive system goes out, I‘ll be stuck trying to work both a manual gear-shift and a steering wheel with one functioning arm.” Chrono reclined in his chair with a smirk. “Besides, I’m your boss. The boss never drives.”

“Keep that attitude up, and I might just leave you on the side of the road.” Yuuno countered before turning his attention back to the road. “Ever consider selling it? If it‘s so much trouble to drive, maybe you could…”

Chrono closed his eye. “I… considered selling it once…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. It was after I got out of rehab. I was in a pretty bad place, even with all the support I had.” He shook his head. “I talked with Amy about it, even put up a listing for it. But after I thought about it for a while, selling it would’ve been like admitting that I was still… you know… broken.”

Yuuno winced as Chrono glanced over at him. “I know it’s stupid and irrational, but it made sense at the time. Maybe I’ll sell it eventually, but for now I‘ll just keep it around. At least it‘s cozier than the train.”

“Got that right,” Yuuno quickly replied.

They drove in silence for a while, Chrono quietly staring out the window. Eventually, the silence became a bit too much, even for Yuuno.

“I’m surprised Director Gracia requested your presence in person “ Yuuno said a little too loudly. “Whatever she wants, it’s probably really important, right?”

Chrono nodded absentmindedly. “If Carim’s calling me in, then yes, it probably is. Hopefully it’s got something to do with the JS Case.”

Yuuno glanced over at Chrono. “Carim? I didn’t expect you’d be on first-name-basis with her…”

“She’s not really one for formalities,” Chrono turned back towards him, giving him his attention. “Even if she’s one of our sponsors. That’s probably why the laity of the church is pretty fond of her.”

“Among other reasons.”

Chrono snorted softly at that.

“What?” Yuuno arched an eyebrow. “Director Gracia’s a skilled Knight and a capable administrator, not to mention she‘s quite attractive. It makes sense she’s popular. Then there‘s that Rare Skill she has…”

“I’m just glad we have her on our side. Even if it was her idea to set something like RIOT Force up to begin with.”

“Let’s just hope it stays that way,” Yuuno replied.

“Amen.” Chrono glanced out the window again as the hills rolled past. “Heh… cactus. Hilarious.”

Yuuno snickered. “You think Twilight was joking? Even I know better than to mess with Twilight before she’s fully awake.”

“Oh come on Yuuno, you really think she’d turn me into a cactus? Or a carrot?”

Yuuno remained silent, a faint smile spreading along his lips.

Chrono looked at him curiously, his frown slowly deepening. “You know, Yuuno, this is the point where you reassure me. Something like, ‘no, Chrono, she‘d never do that.’ Like that.”

“I’m not saying anything, Chrono.”

“I know, and that makes me nervous.”

“Just so you know,” Yuuno continued comfortingly, “I’d happily water you and keep the bugs away until the spell wore off. Or Twilight turned you back. Whichever.”

“You know, you really suck at this whole ‘reassuring’ thing.”

“Well,” Yuuno replied airily, “we all have our failings.”

Scootaloo was unhappy. This wasn’t a strange occurrence, but this time she thought she had a pretty good reason to be unhappy. She was quietly glaring at her practice target, her ears folded back against her mane.

The practice target was taunting her, hovering within its own private AMF bubble. After the initial introduction to the so-called ‘Gadget Drones,’ Twilight had switched the morning individual practice over to refining their counter-AMF combat strategies. Sadly, of the six of them, Scootaloo was lagging behind; a fact that irked her to no end.

Scootaloo slowly skated around the target, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. There had to be some way she could kill the stupid thing, but her options were running dry.

I don’t have enough power to just punch through their AMF like Twilight does, she thought, and I don’t have the muscle power like Subaru. Teana’s little trick with her magic bullets gives me a headache when she explains it, and I can’t breathe fire like Spike or Caro’s little dragon…

“Rrrgh…” She sat down in irritation and pressed her front hooves to her temples.. “What’s the rutting answer?”

“I see you’re having problems,” a gruff voice replied.

Scootaloo blinked as a large shadow fell over her. She glanced up and over her withers at the enormous blue-haired wolf-man that loomed over her. “Oh… hey Zafira. What‘re you doing here? Shouldn‘t you be punching Spike or something?”

Zafira grunted softly and crouched down beside her. “The little dragon is currently practicing with your squad mate under Vita’s watchful eye. Twilight asked me to speak with you while they were occupied.”

“She did?” Scootaloo’s ears folded back. She tried not to look disappointed.

Zafira nodded calmly. “So, are you having problems?”

“No. Just… running out of ideas, that’s all.” Scootaloo huffed loudly and glanced away as Zafira arched an eyebrow. “It’s just… I can’t fight these stupid AMF things like the others can and it’s driving me crazy.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo grimaced as her Device’s gems flickered, a pair of small, curved blades extending from one set of skates. “My magic’s all about compressing air and running magic through it to make it super hard. But the AMF thing stops the magic, so that just leaves me with air. All I end up doing is blowing them around, not cutting them like I should.”

Zafira nodded. “What else have you tried?”

“Lots of stuff,” Scootaloo grumbled, flicking the up-turned tuft of her mane. “Tried increasing the mana power and tweaking the concentration like Twilight suggested… but I can’t hit her levels. I tried getting Teana to explain that whole field-wrappy thing she does with her bullets, but I can’t make heads or tails of it.” Not to mention she always gets that smug smirk on her face when she explains it… “I’ve tried muscle power, but all that does is just dent them. I don’t got enough ’omph’ to smash them like Subs does.”

“Mm.”

Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow at Zafira’s neutral expression. “So if you’ve got a better idea, I’d love to hear it.”

“It seems,” Zafira replied, “that you’re trying to be something other than yourself.”

“…Huh?”

Zafira took a seat, folding his legs beneath him in a lotus position, his tail curled behind him. “What are your talents, Scootaloo?”

“Going fast,” Scootaloo replied. “But I’m different from Erio. He’s got a spear with rockets on it. How can I match-”

Zafira snapped his fingers to interrupt her. “I did not ask you for a comparison,” he growled. “I asked what your talents are.”

Scootaloo huffed. “I’m fast. I’m light on my hooves. I’m acrobatic. I can hit fast and repeatedly. I can jump really far, stand on clouds and kick air at people.”

Zafira nodded, but didn’t say anything. He simply watched her with those crimson eyes, his tail slowly swishing.

“So… what?” Scootaloo gestured a hoof before her. “I’m fast. I’m not strong, I’m not accurate, and I’m not magically powerful. If I can’t take these things down in a single hit, then what rutting good am I?”

“Who said you need a single hit?”

Scootaloo blinked. “Huh?”

Zafira shrugged. “You said it yourself; you hit fast and repeatedly. You lack Subaru’s brute strength and Teana’s precision, and will likely never reach their levels.”

“Gee, thanks,” Scootaloo groused.

Zafira snorted. “It’s a fact. But you are not them. You are you. Embrace that.”

“So, what? Just keep hitting them?”

“Precisely,” Zafira replied. And with a quick motion, he reached out and flicked Scootaloo right in the middle of her forehead.

She pulled her head back. “The heck was that for?”

“A demonstration.” Zafira replied. His arm snapped forward again, his index finger flicking Scootaloo on the same spot, even though she jerked her head away.

“Of what? If I wanted to get thumped like this I’d have stayed with Radi, ow!” Scootaloo rubbed her forehead. “Quit tha- ow!”

“Each strike hurts worse than the last, does it not?” Zafira quirked an eyebrow curiously.

“Well duh,” Scootaloo snarled. “That’s because you’re hitting the same spot!”

“Exactly.”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to reply, then paused for a second or two, which elicited a small nod from Zafira.

“You grasp it now?” Zafira crossed his arms. “Subaru’s blows are like wrecking balls; they crush and smash with overwhelming force. Teana’s gun is a scalpel; quick, clean and precise. You are neither of these things. But you can do what they cannot; you don’t crush or pierce. Instead, you overwhelm.”

“Overwhelm?”

Zafira nodded. “If a single blow cannot defeat the target, then strike again. Five times, ten times, a hundred times, it matters not. If those blows are concentrated in a small space, the cumulative force will bring your foe to his knees.”

“So… a jackhammer then?” Scootaloo rubbed her forehead. “But my Peregrine Claw trick isn’t designed for that…”

“Then you must improvise,” Zafira countered before he stood up. “Come, let’s see what you can come up with.”

Scootaloo huffed. Exchange one cryptic old mentor for another, why don’t we?

---

BAM!

“Uwaaah!” Subaru felt Mach Caliber’s wheels skid along the ground as the force of Vita’s hammer sent her sliding backwards. Her Barrier spell had several shimmering radial fractures running along it, but the swirling hemisphere of blue light was still intact.

“Alright Subaru!” She could hear Spike cheering her on as she regained her footing. “That’s more like it!”

Subaru tried to laugh, but the thrumming of her defense spell worried her. Vita really hadn’t held back that time.

Vita nodded slightly as she rested her mallet against one shoulder, the silver head gleaming in the morning sunlight. “Alright kid, get back over here so we can try again.”

“Yes ma’am!” Subaru quickly lowered her barrier and skated back to Vita. “Was that better, ma’am?”

“Well, your barrier held, so I’ll give you that,” Vita replied as she shook a finger at her. “But your stance was still crap. I don’t care if you’ve got wheels on your feet or not, there’s no excuse for letting a hit blow you back like that.”

“Yes ma’am. Sorry ma’am!”

“Don’t be sorry,” Vita snapped, “be right! Getting pushed around in a fight can put you and your teammates at risk. What if you get knocked off your Wing Road, or break a defensive line, or get pushed into someone’s line of fire? Hell, just getting moved would send you off balance, leaving you open for a follow-up! The second you see an attack coming, you have to be ready to hold your ground, and you can‘t always rely on your forward momentum to pick up the slack!”

Subaru nodded quickly as Vita snapped her fingers at Spike. “Oi, knappe, get over here and show little-miss-skater-girl how it’s done.”

“Right!” Spike hopped to his feet, popping his knuckles as he strode over. He quickly gestured for Subaru to move out of the way before he took his own stance.

Subaru skated back, keeping her eyes on the pair. Vita swung her hammer back, gripping it with both hands. Spike extended his right hand, his fingers splayed wide and his scarf fluttering in the breeze.

Then Vita struck. Graf Eisen whistled through the air toward Spike as the dragon summoned a Barrier of his own. His stance shifted ever so slightly, his legs bending slightly and one foot sliding back just a bit to redistribute his weight. His toes dug in, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Vita’s hammer struck the barrier with a crash of steel on energy that sent a spray of mana in all directions, but Spike didn’t budge.

“See?” Vita pulled her mallet back as she looked at Subaru. “Center yourself. Plant your feet and don’t let the opponent move you. If you can’t dodge, then you better be ready to take the strike head-on, got that?”

“Yes ma’am,” both Spike and Subaru said in unison.

Vita smirked at them. “Now that we’ve done the warm up, let’s get down to the real work. Unless either of you wants to get a mallet to the gut, you better make sure your defense spells are damn solid, got that?!”

“Yes ma’am!”

The cracks of Teana’s shots echoed in the air as she went through the targets one by one. Each bullet sizzled through the air as they flew, the Variable Barrets slicing cleanly through their target’s AMF and putting large holes in their casing.

“Excellent work as usual, Teana,” Twilight said as the last target went down. “Another perfect score. Looks like that new spell of yours is really effective against their AMF.”

Teana nodded, doing a quick mental check of Cross Mirage’s remaining cartridges. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“I’m hardly one to thank, Teana,” Twilight replied. “You figured out the solution yourself, after all. I’m just impressed you’ve managed to refine it so quickly. You seem to be casting it much quicker than before, and with much less mana.”

Teana smiled, allowing herself a brief moment of preening. True, she was casting it quicker because she was allowing Cross Mirage to handle the spell calculations, and she’d managed to simplify the spell matrix with a little help from Subaru…

Still, I’m the one that figured out the fundamental basis of the trick, she thought to herself.

“Of course,” Twilight continued, unaware of her inner monologue, “I’m sure you won’t mind sharing your insights with the other members of your squad. Something like this would definitely help them, don’t you think?”

And just like that, the preening was over. A hint of irritation mixed with nervousness took its place. “Of course, Special Instructor Sparkle,” Teana replied. “I’d be happy to.”

“Oh really?”

Teana tried not to swallow as Twilight quirked an eyebrow at her, those two words stated with a distinct, knowing tone. “Yes ma’am,” she replied quickly. “I’ve tried teaching it to Scootaloo but, well… I’m not really all that good at explaining things.”

“True,” Twilight conceded. “Not everyone is meant to be an instructor. Still, I’m surprised you haven’t enlisted Subaru’s help in teaching your squad-mate. She does have a talent for systematic analysis.”

“I… didn‘t think to, ma’am.” The excuse limped out from Teana’s lips like a wounded deer, waiting to be shot down.

“I’m sure it was just a minor oversight,” Twilight replied, her tone artificially light and cheerful. “Just a mistake. I’m sure you’ll fix it soon enough, right?”

“Right,” Teana replied softly, taking note of the stress on that last word.

“Good.” Twilight trotted closer, her horn lighting up as she went. “Now, let’s move on. I’d like to see you work in dual-gun mode this time.”

“Yes ma’am.” Teana replied, summoning her off-hand pistol with a mental command to Cross Mirage.

Okay, she thought quietly, did she just get a lucky guess? Did one of the other two complain to her about this? I mean, I did at least make an effort… kinda…

She shook her head quickly. No time for that, Teana. Focus on the task at hand. Worry about the chicken later.

The Grand Cathedral

Saint Church Self-Administrated Territory

Northern Mid-Childa

Outwardly, the Grand Cathedral of The Saint Church resembled an old-fashioned fortress out of some fantasy story. The Cathedral was perched in the valley between two mountains near a great, spring-fed lake that shimmered in the sun’s light. The entire edifice, from the sweeping bridge that lead up to the central gate to the high outer battlements to the great, many-winged central keep was built of great blocks of smooth, sandy-gold stone, fit together so tightly that there were no visible seams or creases. The sharply sloping roofs and pointed towers were covered in green tiles, while the entranceways and walkways were marked with high-peaked arches. Tall trees peaked out from various spots of the Cathedral’s wards, many of which bore summer-ripening apples and plums.

Chrono and Yuuno entered the Cathedral through the front gate, just as any pilgrim would. As usual, the Grand Cathedral was abuzz with activity, as worshipers and congregants milled about the courtyard, while Knights and priests clad in black cassocks went about their business. Chrono had left his uniform coat in the car, having exchanged it for a simple gray jacket that hung past his waist. After all, there was no need to alert anyone to his rank here.

Yuuno sniffed, then exhaled in satisfaction at the smell of fruit in the air. “Looks like they’ll have a good harvest this year.”

“That should keep the novices busy,” Chrono replied as he glanced around. “Do you see her here?”

“Not yet,” Yuuno replied, rising up on his tip-toes a little. “Then again, we’re a little early… wait, there she is!”

Chrono followed Yuuno’s pointing hand, then quickly strode off towards his objective. Said objective was a tall woman with dark pinkish hair and rose-pink eyes. She was dressed in a simple black dress that came down to her ankles, with a short, crimson-trimmed white shoulder-cape held in place by a red and gold ribbon. “Over here, Dame Schach,” he called.

Schach paused, then quickly turned to face him. “Ah, Mister Harlaown, Mister Scrya. Good to see you. I hope the trip wasn’t too much of a problem for you…”

“Not really,” Chrono extended his good hand, which Schach quickly shook.

“Says the one who wasn’t driving all the way here,” Yuuno teased, clasping hands with Schach as well.

Chrono smirked at Yuuno, then looked back to Schach. “Is Carim ready to see us, or are you going to stick us somewhere where we won’t cause too much trouble?”

“Lady Gracia is in a teleconference right now,” Carim replied quietly. “It shouldn’t take too long, though. Follow me, please.”

Chrono fell into step behind Schach alongside Yuuno as they entered the Cathedral proper. The inside was just as old-fashioned in appearance as the outside, with high-ceilinged hallways and tall, sleek buttresses that supported the walls. The faint scent of woody incense clung to the long, brilliant red carpets that lined the halls.

Chrono’s mind wasn’t on that, though. He was more concerned with the itching sensation in the back of his head. The sheer number of wards and protective spells around this place rivals the Central Command building in Cranagan. Just wish they’d tune them back a little bit…

Schach paused, gesturing for them to enter the nearby waiting room. “I’ll inform Lady Gracia you’ve arrived. Go ahead and have a seat if you like.”

“Thank you,” Chrono nodded as Schach stepped out of sight.

Yuuno, meanwhile, walked over to one of the stone walls and gently ran his fingers over it. “You know, this place never fails to impress me. It’s like they transplanted a castle directly from the ancient Belkan home world.”

“Didn’t know you were a fan of architecture, Yuuno,” Chrono quipped as he took a seat.

“I’m an archeologist. Comes with the territory.” Yuuno chuckled, adjusting his glasses as he turned back to Chrono. “It’s built in the Late Imperial style. You can tell by the peaked archways and the clean, minimal lines of the architecture.”

“See, this is why I like having you around,” Chrono teased. “You’re like a walking, talking guidebook.”

“Force of habit.” Yuuno took a seat. “If nothing else, lecturing is a nice way to pass the time. Some of my colleagues enjoy it more than others.”

“Like Twilight?”

“Like Twilight.” Yuuno chuckled. “I remember when I first took her to a site outside of Equestria. It was the ruins of the floating war-palace on Lamorak, the one that got bombarded during the Unification War. She just kept asking me question after question. It felt… kind of nice, being the teacher for once.”

“And that’s probably why you joined RETA, eh?”

Yuuno blushed. “Well, I’ll admit, the offer from Princess Celestia was pretty nice as well. Not to mention that it was an entirely untapped scholarly resource that I had near-exclusive access to… but yeah, being a teacher and having all that acclaim wasn’t too shabby, either.”

“Well then, professor, let me ask you a question.” Chrono leaned forward slowly. “How do you think Twilight’s handling her duties at RIOT Force?”

Yuuno blinked. “I think she’s doing rather well. True, she’s not exactly the most military-minded individual, but she knows how to fight and she’s very good at teaching people with… personality quirks.”

“Mmf.”

Yuuno quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something I should be concerned about?”

“Not exactly. I’m just making sure all my bases are covered, just in case…”

“Just in case of what?”

“Just in case something goes wrong.”

Yuuno blinked, eliciting a sigh from Chrono. “We’ve got a lot of unfriendly eyes on us, Yuuno. We’re reaching a point where the kids will be ready for light deployment. If they’re not up to snuff, then that’s going to be on Twilight’s head…”

“You think they’re not good enough?” Yuuno frowned deeply. “I’d have thought you’d have more confidence-”

Chrono waved his good hand, cutting Yuuno off. “I have every confidence in the kids, and Twilight and the other instructors. But if there’s a screw up on their end…”

“Right. I see your point.” Yuuno rubbed his chin. “Maybe you’re just overreacting?”

Chrono snorted. “You’re not paranoid if someone’s really out to get you.”

“Fair point…”

There was a gentle knock on the door, which pulled Chrono and Yuuno’s attention away from each other. Schach was standing in the doorway, leaning nonchalantly against the frame.

“Lady Gracia will see you now,” she said simply.

The double-doors leading to the office opened with a soft swish as Chrono followed Schach in. The office behind them was large and spacious, almost entirely lit by a quartet of narrow, arched windows that overlooked the main courtyard, spilling sunlight across the rich purple carpet and the ancient wooden desk with its ink blotter and quill pen. The place smelled faintly of old books and rosehip tea.

“Your guests, Lady Gracia,” Schach announced to the petite woman seated behind the desk.

“Ah, excellent!” Lady Carim Gracia, Kardinal-Ritter, Protector of the Saint Church and member of the TSAB’s Board of Directors, rose from her seat and approached them. She was a petite woman, a head shorter than Chrono, and had a slim build. Her hair was a rich blonde, and hung down to her mid back in a long, straight cut held back by a violet hair band. Her eyes were a dark purple-blue, her face rounded and her skin fair. She was dressed in a much more elaborate uniform than Schach’s more simplistic black cassock. The shoulders of her dress puffed out slightly, while the sleeves were long and opened wide at the cuffs. A wide purple sash trimmed with gold encircled her waist, while her skirt was ankle-length, widely-gored and trimmed with violet silk. She walked quickly, her footsteps light and efficient as she extended a hand to Chrono.

“Always nice to see you, Carim.” Chrono clasped Carim’s hand, hiding the wince as she squeezed it. She might have been small, but she was still a Knight. The rough calluses on her palm and fingers and the strength of her grip were testament to that.

“Likewise,” Carim replied cheerfully, before turning to Yuuno. “Dr. Scrya, always a pleasure.”

“Director Gracia,” Yuuno replied respectfully as he took her hand.

“Carim, please. We’re not at an official function right now.” Carim smiled, gently patting his still-clasped hand before looking at Schach. “Schach, could you fetch some refreshments?”

“Of course, milady,” Schach bowed slightly. “The usual, I presume?”

“Mmm… actually, bring the new blend. The one we received from Her Majesty. And don‘t forget the cookies.”

“Of course. Right away.”

Figures, Chrono thought to himself in amusement. If there was one way Celestia could charm Carim, it’d be through a good pot of tea.

“Please, sit, sit.” Carim gently shooed Chrono and Yuuno over to the table. “I’d imagine you haven’t had anything to eat yet.”

“I wouldn’t mind a snack, personally,” Chrono said as he took a seat. “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything important. Schach did say you were in a conference call.”

Carim sighed. “More problems with our brethren in Equestria.”

Yuuno blinked. “More problems? I thought most of the issues with the church’s holdings there were already settled.”

“Well, yes.” Carim nodded, folding her hands in her lap. “Thanks to the royal investiture, the Saint Church does have an official posting in Canterlot. We’ve also recently constructed a chapel in the Crystal Empire as well, since there’s a lot of traffic between it and Mid-Childa. But that’s not the problem this time.”

“Oh?”

Carim nodded with a soft sigh. “We’ve been trying to keep it quiet, but you’ll likely be hearing about it eventually. There’s been rumors about a possible…heterodoxy.”

“Heterodoxy?” Chrono blinked. That was new. From what he knew about the Saint Church, the faith always seemed rather liberal, though their worship of the deified Sankt Kaiser could be a bit off-putting.

“There are some of our brethren who are claiming that the Equestrian Princesses, Celestia and Luna in particular, fit the established characteristics of the Saint King,” Carim replied morosely. “As you can tell, this isn’t exactly a popular opinion with some of the elder members of the church.”

“I can imagine,” Yuuno said. “This is the first I’ve heard of it, though.”

“Like I said,” Carim replied. “we’ve been trying to keep this quiet.”

“What’re Celestia and Luna’s opinion of this?”

“Politely reserved.” Carim steepled her fingers in her lap as she spoke. “ Officially, Equestria does not have a state faith or religion. Furthermore, the Equestrian Diarchs have a long-standing declaration that neither of them are deities. Of course, they can’t control how their subjects view them, but public worship of them is not so much outlawed as… politely discouraged.”

“And now they’ve got a bunch of foreigners declaring them as savior figures,” Chrono said flatly. “Terrific.”

Carim nodded. “You can see the problem. Now, the Saint Church has long considered itself an ecumenical organization. Between that, our respect for local faiths and traditions, and our support work we’ve managed to maintain good standing. However, there’s only so far that can stretch. I guess we never expected an actual Saint King to pop up, much less a host of them.”

There was a soft click as the office doors opened. Schach entered, carrying the tea service and two plates of cookies.

“Thank you Schach,” Carim said as the pink-haired knight poured the tea. “I think that’ll be all for now. Please make sure we‘re not disturbed, if you don‘t mind.”

“Of course, milady,” Schach replied, bowing before she stepped out.

“But enough of that,” Carim said as she stirred a spoonful of sugar into her cup. “You’re not here to listen to my problems. How has RIOT Force been faring? The reports I’ve been receiving from Trixie suggest that things are going smoothly.”

“Well enough,” Chrono picked up his tea cup and sipped the contents.

Golden sparks flew in an arc as Bardiche and Strada clashed. Fate smiled as Erio stepped towards her, turning his spear and clashing shaft-to-shaft against her. Caro stood just past him, her hands upraised and her Device’s jewels glowing gently.

Fate pulled Bardiche back, flicking the spiked butt at Erio as she did so. The smaller Knight danced out of the way, once again falling back into a defensive posture. Fate, however, moved in again, trying to circle around Erio. Erio, however, moved to block, the crackling blade of his spear leveled at her and keeping her at bay.

Excellent, Erio. Just like that… She pulled back a little, leaving a clear opening for him to strike. It was a trap, of course. The question was, however, if he would fall for it.

Erio lunged forward, thrusting Strada at her.

That answers that, she thought as she parried the thrust, catching the shaft with the crook of her axe’s blade and pulling it out of balance. Erio stumbled, then let out a loud cry as she promptly body-checked him. Fate slid her right fore-hoof between his legs and behind his right ankle to trip him. He landed with a heavy thud, then rolled backwards and sprang to his feet, hands in a Strike Arts stance as she dropped Strada to the ground beside her.

“You did it again, Erio,” Fate scolded gently as she slid Strada over to him. “You got over-eager.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” he replied, inhaling deeply as he caught his breath.

“I’m not the one you should apologize to,” Fate replied, glancing past him at Caro. “The point of this exercise is to focus on defense.”

“But I saw an opening…”

“An intentional opening,” Fate countered. “One designed to pull you off-balance.”

Erio grumbled softly, then glanced back as Caro walked over and gently rested a hand on his shoulder.

Fate shook her head. “Being aggressive is all well and good, but it’s not the only option. Sometimes you have to hold back.”

Erios sighed heavily, then leaned down and picked up his spear. “I understand, ma’am.”

“I certainly hope so,” Fate replied. “Now, let’s try this again…”

“So,” Carim concluded as she set down her tea cup, “you believe your trainees are ready for the field?”

Chrono nodded as Yuuno helped himself to another cookie. “They’re a little green, but they should perform well enough right now. We’ve been working them hard, and they seem to be picking up on counter-AMF strategies pretty quick.”

“Good.” Carim reached up and flexed her fingers gently. A small, amethyst ring on her left ring finger glinted gently, summoning up a hovering holographic console. The lady tapped on a few buttons, causing the curtains to fold down over the windows and dimming the ambient light.

Ah, here we go, Chrono thought to himself. I knew there was more to this meeting than a status update.

There was a soft chirp as several holographic monitors winked into existence on one wall, rapidly filling with images and data. Chrono’s eye scanned over the information, frowning as he did so.

“As you can see,” Carim said, gesturing to the monitors, “we’ve been a bit busy. There’s been recent reports of new drone sightings.”

“New drones?” Yuuno adjusted his glasses. “As in a new type?”

Carim nodded and gestured, drawing a screen forward. The screen depicted what appeared to be a sleek, wedge-shaped machine. Its body was almost entirely aerofoil, save for the distinctive golden eye at the front and a pair of rectangular nozzles that protruded from beneath. “This new type seems to be built for interceptor work. Its AMF capabilities are weaker than the ones we’ve encountered before, but it makes up for it in flight speed and weaponry. It carries two high-powered beam emitters with a long engagement range, and some of them even carry mass-based anti-air and anti-ground missiles.”

Chrono grimaced. “Trust JS to pack his toys with all sorts of illegal goodies.”

“If JS is equipping his Gadget Drones with mass-based weaponry, then he has to have some sort of supplier,” Yuuno mused. “Most companies that produce chemical explosives are tightly regulated by the Bureau. Even if he’s got a black market source, that still limits his suppliers.”

“Good point, Yuuno,” Chrono replied, before he turned to look at Carim. “I assume you encountered these new drones somewhere already?”

Carim nodded. “Some of my Knights met them while they were acquiring this.” She flicked her hand and pulled another screen forward. This one showed a distinctive gray octagonal metal case, tightly sealed and secured.

Chrono’s eye widened. “Another Relic?”

“We believe so,” Carim replied calmly. “We’ve yet to identify it, but we suspect it is indeed a Relic. We found it in the custody of a group of black market salvagers. They were raiding some form of ruined structure that we believe may have been an illegal laboratory.”

“Where’s the Relic now?”

“It’s being transported to a safe site via one of the Church’s reliquary containment trains,” Carim replied.

“Have you reported this to Central Command?”

“Not yet,” Carim replied. “Given the situation with General Gais, we thought it best to keep this information quiet.”

“Makes sense,” Yuuno crossed his arms and nodded. “If Gais knew about a Lost Logia like the Relic was being transported on Mid-Childan soil, he’d probably try to claim it and get it away from the Church.”

Carim grimaced. “The Lieutenant General has an unfortunate habit of trying to step on our authority, yes. And given what has been written in the Prophetin Schriften, we can’t afford to take any chances.”

Chrono nodded. If Gais knew that RIOT Force was put together in response to one of Carim’s infamous prophecies, he’d probably try to have me court-martialed on general principle.

“I assume you’ll want me to analyze the Relic once it’s secured, Carim?” Yuuno looked eagerly at Carim.

“I would, yes,” Carim replied. “Maybe now that we have more than just a single Relic, we might be able to get somewhere. Kaiser knows the one the Bureau has isn‘t helping much.”

Rail Line NE-019 (M1 Section)

Strangreal Mountain Range

Northwestern Mid-Childa

Engineer Hardwick’s job was relatively simple; all he had to do was make sure the train ran on time. That was true for most engineers, but it was especially true for him. After all, he was working on behalf of the Saint Church, and the Church didn’t like it when their people screwed up.

On the plus side, few people got to work on a train like this one. On the outside, the train looked like your standard cargo carrier, about a dozen cars long. Internally, however, it was much more than it let on. Each car’s frame and chassis was magically hardened and reinforced, with heavy, vault-like doors separating each car. This, combined with the state-of-the-art security systems, advanced sensor suite and the on-duty Church Knights made this train one of the most secure transports on the planet. This even extended to the engine; the train could easily run on autopilot, and its internal systems were shielded behind heavy security.

The door to the next car opened behind him, causing him to glance up at the black-clad Knight that had just entered. He was a young one, looking like he’d just barely earned his collar with that bright blue hair and his youthful face. He was carrying a mug of tea.

“Mr. Hardwick, sir,” the young Knight said. “I figured you’d like a drink…”

“Much obliged, kid,” Hardwick replied, taking the mug and sipping.

The young knight glanced at the large windows of the cab as the train rolled along its track, curving along the side of the mountain. “How long until we get to the site?”

“A couple more hours at least,” Hardwick replied, turning back in his chair and looking at the controls. “Got someplace to be?”

The young Knight quickly shook his head. “Oh, no sir. It’s just… well, the cargo we’re carrying is pretty sensitive. I’m just worried. I mean, it’s…”

“Ahp-ep-ep-ep!” Hardwick waved a hand to silence him “I don’t wanna know anything about it, kid. That kind of stuff ain’t my department, you know.”

“Oh. Sorry…”

“No problem, kid.” Hardwick paused. “What’d you say your name was again?”

“Kid, sir,” the blue haired Knight replied. “Squire Kid Berlingo.

Hardwick snickered, despite himself. “First time on this duty?”

Kid nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Well then, you should probably relax,” Hardwick replied breezily. “Take it from an old hand like me; ain‘t nobody going to attack this train. Just enjoy the ride, and we’ll be there before-”

Hardwick was promptly cut off as warning klaxons went off, red bands of light forming across the reinforced windscreen.

“What in the Kaiser’s name-”

“Shit, that’s the proximity alarm!” Hardwick quickly moved to the control panel. A holographic display popped up, showing the surrounding area. He felt the blood drain out of his face as he saw a very, very large number of red arrows bearing down on the icon in the center. “Oh… oh balls…”

“Sir! Get down!”

Hardwick started to object when Kid tackled him to the ground. Suddenly, there was a deafening roar and an explosion as something hit the windscreen, blowing it inward in a fireball. Reinforced glass sprayed across the room as Hardwick’s ears rang. Kid was tensed up like a wound spring, shielding Hardwick with his body.

Hardwick struggled, pulling himself free of Kid’s grip. He couldn’t really hear much through the tinny ring of his ears. He did, however, have the good sense of mind to follow protocol. He quickly moved to the Engineer’s seat and flipped up the cover on a big red button. He slammed his hand down on it, just as a shadow fell across him. He could hear Kid shout something, his voice sounding like it was echoing through water.

Hardwick turned around just in time to see the drone’s energy beam fire. He dove behind the chair as the blue laser sliced a line across the control panels and sheered his chair in half. Two more drones quickly approached him, the black panels on either side of their pill-shaped bodies retracting to reveal a snake’s-nest of thin, dark red manipulator cables.

The button that Engineer Hardwick had hit was very important, as it did three things in very rapid sequence.

First, it alerted all personnel aboard the train that the train was under attack.

Second, it activated subroutines in the security system that automatically locked down all cargo containers on the train, sealing the cargo behind heavy, magnetically-locked and magic-reinforced vault doors.

Third, and most importantly, it sent out a distress call and live security feed directly to the Saint Church’s headquarters. The second the Church’s security force got a hold of this signal, they immediately alerted a specific number of people in authority. One of which was Carim Gracia.

“So,” Chrono said calmly, all traces of levity gone from his voice. “Scaglietti’s decided to directly attack the transport train.”

Carim was glaring at the feed from the train’s security cameras. “There’s too many drones. Even with their training my Knights will be overwhelmed…”

“In that case, Lady Gracia,” Chrono said as he rose to his feet, “I’d like to offer the services of RIOT Force in resolving this issue.”

Carim looked up at Chrono with a curious eyebrow. “You’re certain that your trainees can handle this, Chrono?”

“RIOT Force was created specifically for this sort of mission, Lady Gracia,” Chrono replied. “Besides, it’d be pretty rude not to make the offer, considering the support you’ve given us so far.”

“I hope you’re right, Chrono.” Carim replied. She glanced back to the monitors before returning to Chrono. “Consider the authorization granted, Captain Harlaown. The Saint Church extends its gratitude for your generous offer of assistance, and gladly accepts it.”

Chrono smartly saluted with his good hand, then reached into his pocket and produced his Device. “S4U, open a channel to Griffith, please. Audio only.”

“YES BOSS. CONNECTING NOW.”

A few seconds later, Griffith’s voice chimed in. “Yes, sir?”

“Griffith, I have been given a mission by Director Gracia. Alert Stars, Lightning and Knight Squadrons and bring the base’s alert status up to Condition Yellow.”

There was a pregnant pause. “Condition Yellow, sir? That‘s for…”

“A combat mission,” Chrono finished “We’re going live. Patch me through to the squads once they’ve been assembled. I’ll handle the briefing from here.”

“Understood. But, sir, what about Gais?”

“Let me handle Gais,” Chrono replied quickly. “Just get everything ready and be waiting for me in the command room.”

“Yes, sir. Understood. Long Arch, out.”

Chrono tucked S4U back into his pocket as he looked over to Yuuno. “Think you can get us back to Long Arch in a single jump?”

Yuuno arched an eyebrow. “So that’s why you had me drive? Just in case an emergency popped up?”

“And for the company,” Chrono replied before looking back to Carim. “Mind if we join you in your command suite, Lady Gracia?”

“Of course, Captain,” Carim said as she rose to her feet. “Though it’ll just be for the briefing. I’d imagine you’d rather call the shots back at your base.”

“And you’d be right, ma’am.”

“I told you, Fate,” Twilight groaned as they raced to the briefing room. “It never fails.”

“Twilight,” Fate replied, her braided mane and tail flowing behind her, “just because something goes off-schedule in the morning doesn’t mean…”

“Oh yes it does,” Twilight replied curtly. “Like when the Windigos attacked Neighagra falls? The hotel was out of coffee.”

“An isolated incident.”

“Or the time when Rarity got kidnapped by dragons? I missed breakfast because the stove’s pilot light had gone out.”

“Coincidence.”

“Or the incident in Zebrica? First they run out of hot water in the embassy‘s shower, and next thing you know we end up fighting a crazed shaman and his horde of zombie-hyenas. Or when I ended up almost getting eaten by that tentacle thing summoned by a couple of delinquent foals from Celestia‘s school? Mail didn’t get delivered on time that morning. Or the giant squid that attacked Manehattan that Fluttershy scared off? Ran out of fresh towels. Or…”

“Fine,” Fate conceded. “I think I get the picture.”

Twilight felt a tiny bit of satisfaction as they reached the briefing room. Her horn lit up as she opened the door, letting Fate enter first before she followed suit. All six trainees were there, as were the members of Knight Squad. Griffith was present via a hovering holographic screen.

“Sorry we’re late, Griffith,” Twilight said hurriedly. “We came as fast as we could.”

“No problem, Miss Twilight,” Griffith replied. “Please hold for a moment while I contact Captain Harlaown.”

Twilight took a seat as Chrono’s face popped up in another screen. He looked more than a little stressed.

“I‘ll pass on the formalities right now,” Chrono said quickly. “We have a situation that requires dealing with. This is a direct request from the Saint Church, and requires urgent deployment.”

The trainees glanced at each other nervously as a large screen winked in on the wall, displaying a bird’s-eye view of a train. A twelve-car train was barreling down the tracks, smoke drifting up from the lead car. “This is Saint Church Reliquary Transport Train 019. It was attacked on route by a large group of Gadget Drones, likely seeking to secure the cargo the train was carrying. We’ve lost contact with the personnel on board, so we presume they’ve been captured or incapacitated and the train is under the drones’ control.”

Twilight tried not to swallow nervously as Chrono continued. “As an ally of the Saint Church, I have convinced Director Gracia to allow RIOT Force to intercede. This will be your first official mission. As such, all trainees on Stars and Lightning Squads are hereby designated as Forwards under their captains’ command. Stars, Lightning and Knight Squads will deploy immediately to intercept the train, rescue all personnel on board, secure the cargo and eliminate all Gadget Drones. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” The group’s reply was only slightly out of unison.

“Griffith will serve as the mission commander until Yuuno and I return,” Chrono continued. “He’ll be providing you with all the necessary recon and strategic data. Twilight, Fate, Trixie… I’m counting on the three of you to keep an eye on things in the field.”

Twilight nodded wordlessly as Fate saluted and Trixie adjusted her hat.

“Make this one count, everyone,” Chrono said, before pointing directly at the screen. “RIOT Force, mobilize!”

“Yes, sir!”

“All Squads,” Griffith announced, “please activate your Devices and report to Landing Pad One for immediate deployment.”

Twilight exhaled and got to her feet quickly, Raising Heart swinging from her neck as she turned to her squad. “You heard Chrono, everyone! Stars Squad, fall in!”

You alright, sis?

Twlight’s ears folded back at Fate’s telepathic whisper. Just nerves, Fate. Performance anxiety. It’s been a while since I was in this position…

You’ll do fine, Twilight. You always do.

I know. But now I’ve got these kids to worry about…

They’re not children, sis. Fate’s voice was gentle, but stern. They’re soldiers. They’ll do fine. Trust them, and trust your training.

Right…

When the Yellow Alert went out, Long Arch sprang into a flurry of activity. Staff quickly scurried about, preparing for the imminent mobilization of the base’s training squads and their eventual returns. Outside on Landing Pad One, Vice Granscenic’s helicopter was undergoing its final checks by the flight crew as the pilot quickly entered the helicopter, taking his position in the pilot’s seat.

“Alright, Storm Raider,” he said to his ‘co-pilot’ as he buckled his flight harness, “are you ready for some action?”

“YES, SIR,” the AI chimed in reply.

“’Atta girl,” he replied with a chuckle. He closed his eyes, then kissed his fingers before gently pressing them onto the cockpit’s dash. “Off into the breach, just like old times.”

“Riot Flight Zero-One, this is Long Arch Command,” a feminine voice announced over the communications link. “Do you copy, over?”

“Loud and clear,” Vice replied, then paused. “That you, Lucino? When did they let you on the comms?”

“I’m on the command staff, Vice,” the voice replied archly. “I’m just talking to you until Alto and Shari get here.”

“Sheesh. Three girls, huh?” Vice chuckled. “The Captain’s pretty damn lucky, getting to hang with so many ladies.”

“Vice!” Lucino sounded scandalized. “Captain Harlaown’s married.”

Vice rolled his eyes as he ran through the pre-flight checks. “Oh. Right. Well, then it’s probably just for Griffith, then.”

“You know,” Griffith’s voice interrupted smoothly, though there was a hint of dry amusement in his tone, “I’m standing right here, Master Sergeant Granscenic.”

“Of course you were, sir,” Vice continued airily. “And I’m sure you were enjoying the company.”

“As amusing as this little exchange is,” Griffith replied, “I think it’d be best to stick to business while on official channels, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir. All business, sir.” Vice saluted to the empty air as he saw his passengers quickly approaching his helicopter.

“I’m uploading coordinates and flight path data to Storm Raider,” Lucino continued. “Proceed on flight path Green-One-Three once you’re in the air. You and your escorts have been cleared with Cent-Com, so don’t worry about air traffic.”

“Understood, Long Arch Command. Riot Flight out.” Vice glanced out of the window at the approaching mix of ponies, kids, and various other beings.

Look at them, he thought to himself, his eyes landing on the trainees. The pink-haired girl paused, glancing nervously at Fate as the golden mare gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. Heading off to fight. I wonder if they think they’ll win. Or are they thinking of what could go wrong…

“Riot Flight, this is Stars Actual,” a new voice crackled over the communications net. “Vice, do you read me?”

“Loud and clear, Twilight,” Vice shook the cobwebs free. “What’s up?”

“Signum, Fate and I will be serving as your escort flight to the operation area,” Twilight continued. “We’ll make sure you get to the train unmolested.”

“That’s awfully kind of you,” Vice joked.

“Kind’s got nothing to do with it,” Twilight replied firmly. “You’ve got my students on board. I’d be a terrible instructor if I didn’t make sure they got to their mission safely.”

“Don’t worry about it, Twilight,” Vice replied. “I’m one of the best pilots you could ask for. You let me handle the delivery, alright?”

“Right. I’m trusting you on this, Mr. Granscenic.”

“Don‘t worry,” Vice chuckled, “your kids are in good hands.”

“Oh, she‘ll still be worried” a new voice said, this time not over the link. “She always worries.”

Vice glanced back as a familiar blue unicorn trotted up and took a seat. “Miss Trixie, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m riding up here with you,” Trixie replied as she climbed into one of the seats, her horn lighting up as she clicked the harness into place over her white Knight’s Clothing. “Just in case our purple and gold friends get distracted.”

“Well, good to have you,” Vice replied cheerfully. “Decided to get the best seat in the house?”

Trixie snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Riot Flight,” a new voice spoke up in Vice’s headset, “this is Long Arch Command. You are clear for take-off. I repeat, you are clear for take-off.”

“Roger that, Long Arch. Riot Flight departing now.” Vice reached over and flicked a few switches as the helicopter’s rotors spun up to speed. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, addressing his passengers in the back, “this is your pilot speaking. We’re now departing Long Arch. Make sure you’re all strapped in and secure, and enjoy the ride.”

There was a soft thrum as the rotors sped up. Vice took the controls and eased the transport skyward, guiding it along the prearranged flight path. A green holographic HUD spread out over the canopy, displaying readouts and the projected flight path.

As he flew over the base, Vice noticed a bright green flash down on the road below. A dark blue car emerged from the bloom of light and turned in towards the base’s parking garage.

Chrono and Yuuno strode into the command room, the former pulling off his jacket as he walked. Griffith met them at the door, reaching out and accepting Chrono’s garment as he passed by.

“What’s our status, everyone?” Chrono took his seat at the head of the command room, behind his desk. Long Arch’s command room was a strictly functional room. The walls of the rectangular room were unadorned, save for glowing status monitors. A few steps below his desk was the rest of his crew at their work stations, all situated before a wide general display screen.

“Communication channels with all Forward units are clear,” Private First Class Alto Krauetta announced, her short, dark blonde hair a few shades lighter thanks to the light of the monitors surrounding her. “The link with Riot Flight is stable. No anomalies detected.”

“Scrying sensor uplink with all Devices has been confirmed,” Private First Class Lucino Lillie announced. Her uniform jacket was folded over the back of her chair, and she was bent forwards over her display. “Currently linking to Long-Range Observation Satellites in orbit for area scans.”

“All Devices reporting green,” Shari stated from her position between Lucino and Alto. The Device Meister pushed her glasses up her nose with a finger. “I just received the data from the Saint Church’s command staff.”

“Excellent,” Chrono noted as Griffith and Yuuno took up positions flanking his chair. “Any word from Cent-Com?”

“Central Command’s already been notified of our alert status and has given authorization,” Griffith replied. “Though there’ll likely be some questions as to the nature of our mission later.”

“We’ll handle that once we’ve finished the after-action reports,” Chrono replied brusquely. He really wasn’t looking forward to talking to Gais about this. “Until then, let’s focus. Lucino, do we have an aerial view of the mission site?”

“Aye, sir. Bringing it up on screen now.”

Chrono nodded. The large screen on the wall was promptly filled with a top-down view of the train, its route and the surrounding environment for about fifty kilometers in all directions. Holographic overlays sprang up as a smaller version popped up on Chrono’s desk.

Chrono frowned, his hand reaching over as he zoomed in on the train. “Looks like there’s some pretty heavy damage to the train. They must’ve attacked multiple cars to create insertion points. We can probably use those to our advantage.”

“Probably,” Shari spoke up. “The Saint Church’s transport trains are notoriously hard to invade. You’d actually have to break through their armor to get inside once the train’s on route.”

“I just hope the people inside are alright,” Yuuno said as he leaned over the map.

“Sir,” Lucino called out, “The sensors are picking up multiple fliers in the area. I count at least thirty six airborne targets…”

“Those must be the new drones Carim told us about.” Yuuno winced. “And with all that open space, getting to the train from the air will be a nightmare.”

“Right.” Chrono glanced at Yuuno. “You’re the teleporting whiz. If you were to transit into the area, where would you go?”

“Hmm.” Yuuno reached over and flicked the map about, following the train tracks. He paused, then tapped the holographic map. “Here. This ridge should help limit the angles of attack, allowing Twilight, Fate and Signum to cover their approach.”

“Right.” Chrono tapped on the display and quickly drew a blue circle on the holographic screen. “Tactical teleport here, and then insertion when the train rolls by while the others cover the airspace. Lucino, send the data to Trixie and Reinforce. Alto, put me through to Riot Flight on a general transmission to all squad members.”

“…and once you meet up with the train, you will perform an immediate insertion while Stars Leader, Lightning Leader and Knight One engage any airborne drones. Stars Forwards will enter the train through the opening in Car Three, while Lightning Forwards will enter through the hole in Car Ten. Both Forward squads will make their way towards the middle of the train, clearing out any drones en route. Knight Two and Three, meanwhile, will enter the lead car and attempt to regain control of the train. Understood?”

There was a general consensus from the assembled squads and their leaders as Chrono addressed them, his face surrounded by several hovering monitors and tactical maps.

“Excellent. I’ve uploaded the necessary data to your individual Devices. Good luck. Long Arch, out.”

Caro glanced around nervously as the communications window winked out, her fingers fidgeting with her cloak as she listened to the briefing. Subaru and Scootaloo reached over and quietly bumped skate-to-gauntlet, which elicited an eye-roll from Teana. Zafira sat quietly with crossed arms, though his tail was twitching on the seat beside him.

Everyone looks so… excited. She swallowed slightly, wishing she had something to settle her stomach. Am I the only one here that’s nervous?

Friedrich glanced up at her, letting out a soft, concerned trill. She reached down, gently running her finger along his crest. She paused as Vita coughed loudly and rose to her feet.

“Alright ladies and gentlemen,” she said loudly and clearly, “make no mistake. This is not a training exercise. This is the real deal. While your instructors and we of Knight Squad will be in the field with you, we will not be holding your hand! This is what you’ve trained for! You kids are mages of the Bureau, and by the Kaiser, you will pull your own weight and kick righteous amounts of ass! Am I clear?!”

“Yes ma’am!”

Vita cupped one hand around her ear. “I didn’t hear you!”

“YES MA’AM!”

“Better! Get ready to mobilize, kids. I want you ready to deploy the second we come out of warp!”

Caro swallowed and shivered slightly. She felt Friedrich trill softly and nuzzle her chest, but that didn’t help.

Suddenly, she heard a gentle voice echo in her head. Caro?

She paused, then blinked. S…Special Instructor Twilight?

Mhmm. Are you alright?

I… I don’t know…

Let me guess. You’re scared?

I…

Terrified? Panicked?

Um… L-let’s go with ‘scared.’

Twilight’s mental voice chuckled softly. I know how you feel. Trust me Caro; it’s alright to be scared. I’m scared too.

You’re scared? But… you’re Twilight Sparkle, the Alicorn Ace. How are you scared?

Trust me, Caro, just because I’m the so-called ‘Alicorn Ace’ doesn’t preclude me from being scared. I know how it feels to be frightened out of your wits. I’ve been that way a lot of times. I’ve had to face a lot of scary folks over the years, and I was always frightened.

You… you were?

Yes. But here’s the thing, Caro; fear isn’t bad. It’s only when you let your fear get the best of you that things go wrong.

But…

Caro, Twilight’s voice was gentle. Spike, Erio and Friedrich are with you, right?

Caro, despite herself, nodded in reply.

If you’re scared, then lean on them. Those three boys are more than just your squad mates. They’re your friends. And not just them; you’ve also got all of Stars Squad with you, not to mention Knight Squad, Fate and myself. So whenever you feel scared or alone, just remember; you’re not alone. Reach out to your friends, and let them support you. Trust them. Let them lend you their power.

R-right… I’ll try. Caro exhaled slowly.

“All squads,” a voice that Caro recognized as Reinforce announced over the loudspeakers, “prepare for teleportation in twenty seconds…”

“Hey, Caro?”

“Huh?” She quickly looked up at the large purple dragon seated beside her.

Spike smirked, then extended an open, gauntleted hand onto her lap. “It’s going to be alright, Caro. We’ll be fine.”

Caro glanced at the hand, then rested her own in it. Friedrich let out an irritated hiss, glaring up at Spike before chirping and turning away.

Erio glanced over as well, then looked at Caro. He slowly offered his hand as well, which Caro quickly took.

“Teleporting now! Brace for transition!”

Then the world flashed white.

Twilight felt her body jerk violently as she came out of the teleport. It was hardly the smoothest transition. If anything, it felt like when she’d first discovered the trick during her fight with Nightmare Moon.

Everyone alright? Twilight shook herself, trying to clear her swimming vision.

Alright over here, aside from the headache, Fate replied.

Fine. Signum’s response was brief.

Good… though remind me to give Trixie a few pointers on teleport magic. She really needs to work on the translation from sub-to-real space.

I heard that, Sparkle, Trixie replied irritably over telepathy.

She brushed the thoughts aside as she quickly re-oriented herself. The train tracks were below and to the left, curling around the side of the mountain like a silver snake as they emerged from the woodlands below.

Then she saw it. The train was rapidly approaching their position, thin streamers of smoke trailing up from the lead car‘s windows. The airspace above them was dotted with numerous glittering machines.

Here they come! Twilight took aim as Raising Heart‘s head shifted to Prominence Form, the twin-tined arrowhead glowing as her energy-wings flared out. Vice, maneuver closer to the tracks. We’ll draw their attention away from you.

Right. The helicopter broke formation, quickly swooping away as Twilight focused, her horn glowing.

“LET’S SHOOT THEM,” Raising Heart stated with her normal degree of enthusiasm. A pair of firing loops sprang up at her tip, a large sphere of pink light forming rapidly within the larger of the two. “PROMINENCE BUSTER!”

Twilight narrowed her eyes and took careful aim. “Fire!”

There was a hollow boom as the Bombardment spell launched forth, slicing through the air like a burning blade of pinkish light. The explosions it the beam’s wake suggested her attack had hit at least a few of her targets. The others had dodged out of the way.

“Well, that’s one way to start,” Fate said as she floated over to Twilight’s side. The glittering shapes of the drones began to break away from the train, forming up into flying V’s as they did so.

“You enjoyed that, Sparkle,” Signum observed as she floated over, the pink-haired Knight drawing her sword.

“Huh? No! Well, maybe a little…” Twilight blushed. “Admittedly, there’s a visceral thrill in destructive magic, but…”

“Relax, sis.” There was a loud click as Bardiche’s head rotated upwards into Crescent Form, the long blade of plasma extending outwards with a crackle. Fate’s smile was… eager. “No judgment here.”

“We can argue about this later,” Signum interrupted. “They’re approaching for an attack run.”

Twilight nodded. “Alright girls… let’s get to work.”

There was a glitter of blue light as several dozen blue rays of energy shot towards them. Twilight shot upwards, Signum and Fate scattering left and right respectively as the drones closed to attack. Twilight swerved through the air as the blasts sizzled behind her, two squadrons ascending to engage her.

The world flickered as Twilight teleported, winking into position out of the Drone’s firing arc. She took aim as a ring of pink Corona Shots formed around her, launching out rapidly to strike the passing Drones. To their credit, several of the machines managed to dodge out of the way, though four of them exploded as the Corona Shots struck and blasted holes clean through them.

The remaining fliers turned sharply, their engines glowing as they circled about to face Twilight. Two of the machines took aim, a pair of small hatches opening beneath them as they launched a pair of can-shaped projectiles in her direction, the rockets leaving thin trails of smoke behind them.

“Nice try.” Twilight lowered her horn, focused, and fired. Thin rays of light streaked out from her horn, striking the incoming missiles. Instantly, the projectiles exploded in a puff of daffodil petals as they were transmuted. Twilight swung Raising Heart around, summoning up a barrier as they returned fire.

Flower petals, sis? Fate’s telepathic comment was amused. Now you’re just showing off…

I‘ve had a craving for daffodils, alright? Give me a break… Twilight replied as she winked away, re-emerging from her teleport at speed as she fell in behind one of the machines. Her horn glowed brightly, matching Raising Heart’s core as she reached out for her quarry. A nimbus of magenta light formed around the machine, her telekinesis crackling and sputtering as it fought against the drone’s AMF. She bared her teeth and pulled, tossing the drone off-course and into one of its fellows. Both machines exploded as they crashed, while Twilight swept by harmlessly underneath. The others, however, were quickly turning and circling around her as she flew, blue beams slicing out from their weapons as they tried to shoot her down.

Twilight had to admit, she was starting to enjoy herself. Just like old times, eh Raising Heart?

Yes, my Master.

Caro breathed slowly and deeply as she felt the helicopter dive. She could hear the explosions outside as the older mages fought off the drones that filled the skies, but she did her best to tune them out. Her mind was on other matters.

Voltaire, whose voice shakes the heavens and whose breath is the sun, she prayed, her eyes closed and her hands tight as she held onto Erio and Spike’s hands, lend me, your humble servant, the strength to fight this battle…

Voltaire stirred. She could feel his gaze turn to her, his attention having shifted to her and her alone. Friedrich could feel it too; the young silver dragon let out a submissive trill as he flattened his body against her lap.

She shivered involuntarily. She felt Erio’s hand tighten a little in response. She kept her breathing steady, trying not to panic.

Trying to be as brave as they said she was.

“Alright kids, show time!”

Caro blinked, Vita’s gleeful shout interrupting her train of thought. She still felt Voltaire’s attention on her as she slowly unbuckled her harness alongside the others, wobbling to her feet as she tried to steady herself.

Caro? Erio’s telepathic message was laden with concern. Are you alright?

Fine… just nerves… I’ll be okay.

“We’re approaching the train. Lightning, prepare for insertion!”

Caro glanced over towards Vita as she shouted out. There was a small flicker as a familiar, tiny alicorn winked into existence beside the small Knight and her lupine companion. Reinforce nodded to her quietly, floating over towards her and her squad mates.

There was a loud hum as the back hatch lowered, the large servos slowly opening and lowering the gate. Wind whipped past as the helicopter kept pace with the train, sending Caro’s hair and cloak fluttering. Before them was their insertion point; a wide, gaping hole in the side of the train. The sides of the hole were bent inwards, like a wrecking ball had struck it.

“Spike, you go first,” Erio shouted over the wind. “We’ll follow you in once you’re secure, alright?!”

“Got it, dude!” Spike saluted, then took a few steps back to ready himself.

Erio pulled Caro close as the purple drake took a running leap into the train, diving through the hole with ease. Caro glanced at Friedrich, then reached out to the silver dragon. He chirped softly, then flew into her arms, allowing her to hold him tight.

We’re good, Spike sent telepathically. No hostiles here. Come on in.

Caro nodded, then looked to Erio.

“We’ll jump together, alright?” Erio hugged his arm around her waist. “That way we won’t get separated!”

“R-right!”

“You ready?”

Caro swallowed. She could still feel Voltaire’s smoldering gaze on her, but despite that she nodded.

“Right. On three!”

Caro held tight to Erio as he counted down. When he hit three, she ran with him and leapt into the train, her feet only barely clearing the edge of the hole. Her footsteps clicked on the textured floor of the train. She raised her hands in a defensive posture, Friedrich taking wing as Erio readied Strada. There was a loud hum from the helicopter’s rotors as it pulled away, leaving them on their own.

“The hostiles are probably further up in the train,” Erio stated, moving back and checking the last car. “Spike, you take point with me. Caro, you and Friedrich hang back and provide support.”

“R-right,” Caro replied.

“Alright dude,” Spike smirked as he flexed his claws. “Let’s get to work.”

“Approaching Car Three,” Vice called out over the intercom. “Stars and Knight Squads, prepare for mobilization!”

“Everyone ready?” Teana readied Cross Mirage in single-gun form.

“Never been more ready, Tea,” Subaru replied excitedly as she glanced over to Scootaloo. “How about you, Scoots?”

“Yeah.” The orange pegasus flapped her wings, her feathers ruffling up as she pulled her goggles down over her eyes.

“Just don‘t get too rambunctious,” Teana said firmly, “We don’t need any friendlies getting caught in our fire, got it?”

“Gotcha,” Scootaloo replied.

Teana nodded as Subaru flashed her a thumbs-up. She inhaled as the train whooshed by through the open gate, coming up to their entrance.

She just barely caught a glimpse of gold and blue as they closed in. The drones in question turned towards the helicopter.

“Hostile contact!” She crouched, took aim, then fired. Variable Barret shots streaked down, hitting the two drones in view and punching holes straight through them.

“Zafira,” Vita shouted, “give the kids some cover!”

Zafira let out a powerful shout as he stepped forward, thrusting a palm out. A large Panzerhindernis Barrier sprang up, the swirling dome blocking the Drones’ shots.

“Go! Go! Go!” Vita snapped to Teana.

“Stars Squad, move out,” Teana ordered. There was a loud boom as Subaru called up her Wing Road, the blue ribbon shooting down and connecting to the inside of the train. Subaru and Scootaloo rocketed down it, quickly engaging the drones as she followed, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

Teana landed in the midst of the battle, crouching and quickly scanning the area. Subaru and Scootaloo had engaged a group of drones near the back of the car, the narrow confines limiting the drones’ mobility as the pair bore down on them. She quickly moved to a small alcove in the undamaged side of the car, Cross Mirage’s second gun popping into her off-hand.

It wasn’t a moment too soon. The door leading to the second car hissed open and a trio of drones quickly flew past Teana. She paused, then quickly stepped out of cover.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Three shots in rapid succession from her left-hand gun as she kept her right trained on the door. Each shot slammed home, triggering the drone’s self-destruct from the holes Teana had blown in them.

Captain Vita, Teana sent to the Knight still aboard the helicopter, three drones just left Car Two and have been destroyed. All remaining drones in this car have been eliminated.

Good job, Teana. Keep moving back. We’ll handle the front car.

Understood. Teana quickly jogged toward Scootaloo and Subaru. The pair were standing amongst the wreckage of their foes. Subaru looked like she was having a ball, while Scootaloo looked irritated. “You two alright?”

“Didn’t know what hit ‘em,” Subaru said jauntily. “Let’s keep moving, Tea.”

“Right,” Teana replied. “Subaru, you take point. Scootaloo, you’ll be behind me in case any drones from up ahead decide to try and pincer us in, understood?”

“Right…” Scootaloo flicked her tail as she groused.

“Stars Forward and Lightning Forward have entered the train,” Lucino announced, the little dots of each squad member’s position glowing on the train’s outline. “Knight Actual-B, Two and Three are now entering the lead car. Stars Actual, Lightning Actual, and Knight One are maintaining air superiority.”

“Seems a bit overkill,” Yuuno joked nervously, “don’t you think so?”

“No such thing as overkill, Yuuno,” Chrono replied, his eye trained intently on the monitors. He watched as the helicopter pulled away from the train. Clouds of colorful smoke exploded out from the helicopter‘s body, throwing up an opaque screen as it vanished from view. Only Long Arch’s scanners could see the transport’s position now. “That must be Trixie’s doing,” he commented.

“Pretty clever,” Griffith noted. “That smoke’s blocking out both optical and thermal scans, so Trixie can make them disappear with an optical camouflage spell.”

“Nice to see she’s getting some use out of her stage magician tricks,” Chrono replied. “Shari! Lucino! How’re the kids doing?”

“Devices are all green,” Shari replied promptly. “All vitals are within predicted levels.”

“Scrying sensors are running smoothly,” Lucino added, “though there’s some interference from the ambient AMF.”

“Continue monitoring.”

“Aye, sir!”

Chrono sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead as he did so. Intellectually, he knew that the kids could handle themselves. True, they were all young (some more than others), but they were all skilled magic users working together in well-coordinated groups. They’d been trained well by some of the best teachers that he could acquire, and they knew how to deal with the opponents they were fighting. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of worry that had knotted up in his stomach.

I wonder if this is how Genya feels sometimes, he thought solemnly. He sends his kids out into the field too, both Subaru and Ginga. Does he always worry that they might get hurt, or worse?

“Say again, Lightning One? Respond!”

Chrono sat up with a start. “Open Lightning Forward‘s lines, Alto!”

“Aye sir,” Alto quickly tapped on the keys of her workstation.

“-repeat, this is Lightning One!” Erio’s voice was terse over the speakers. “We have encountered an unknown type of drone. It’s hu-”

“Erio! Watch it!” Spike shouted.

“Lucino, where’s our visual?!” Chrono leaned forward.

“We’re trying to get an image with the scrying sensors,” Lucino shouted, “but there’s too much AMF interference! We can‘t get a clear visual!”

“Adjust remote sensor integrity from one-point-four-nine to four-point-seven,” Shari replied tersely. “That should help compensate for the AMF!”

“That’ll drop the image quality significantly! We won‘t be able to-”

“A crap picture is better than being blind,” Chrono pointed out. “Do it, Lucino!”

“Aye, sir!”

Caro let out a cry as she was slammed backwards. Spike’s body was pressed against hers, the dragon’s back against her side as he snarled. His hands were grappling with a pair of foot-wide segmented tentacles, the massive, belt-like appendages leading back to the drone they were facing.

Said drone was enormous. Its body was spherical, and about twelve feet in diameter. The thing was made out of the same blue-enameled metal as the smaller drones, but it was darker in hue. A large black band of metal bisected the drone vertically, with a baseball-home-plate-shaped plate in the center, facing them. Three large, yellow camera eyes peered down at them, arranged in a triangular formation, point down. Four emitter nozzles protruded from the faceplate as well, arranged in a diamond formation around the center-most eye. The appendages currently pinning her and Spike to the wall emerged from slots near the top of the sphere, while six thin, red cables extended from the bottom like spindly, vestigial legs.

“Rrrgh… this thing’s… strong!” Spike growled. “You okay… Caro?”

“I’m okay… Friedrich!”

The little dragon let out a shrill scream as orange fire licked around its maw. There was a series of hollow thoomps as the dragon belched out a series of softball-sized fireballs. The blasts sailed across the intervening space, but slammed harmlessly into a shimmering blue barrier surrounding the drone.

“Oh come on,” Spike growled. “The thing’s… got a barrier too?!”

“EXPLOSION! DONNERNDENSPEER!”

There was a rapid series of reports, followed by a loud thunderclap as Erio shot past. Strada surged forward in his hands, its blade sheathed in electricity as he thrust the blade directly into the drone’s barrier. Yellow lightning crackled over the barrier’s surface as thin fracture lines slowly spread out from the spear’s impact point.

Then, just as suddenly, the drone began emitting a loud keening noise. Caro winced at the noise as she felt the hairs on the backs of her arms stand up. The golden lightning guttered and died, snuffed out like a candle’s flame, which caused Erio to stumble back.

The AMF is actually pushing Erio back… Caro’s eyes widened. We’re in trouble…

“Spike,” Erio shouted, “get Caro out of here! I’ll cover you!”

“No… way,” Spike growled as he planted one foot against the wall. “I’m not… leaving you… to fight this thing alone!”

At that point, the drone retracted its arms, pulling Spike forward. The dragon let go and rolled forward as he lost his balance, springing forward and slamming a fist into the drone’s barrier. Naturally, the barrier didn’t give way.

Erio tried to circle around the spherical drone, quickly darting out of the way as the machine tried to slam him with a rapidly telescoping belt-arm. “Don’t be an idiot, Spike!”

“I could say the same for you!” Spike growled as the drone swung at him. He ducked under the swinging limb, then leaped up and dug his claws into the rubbery surface. He inhaled, then breathed a gout of emerald green fire onto the arm at point-blank range, causing the length he breathed on to bubble and sizzle.

That got the machine’s attention. The four emitters glowed as Spike dropped from his clinging spot. The emitters fired, a quartet of blue beams slicing past him and boring holes through the train’s side. The machine quickly turned, the emitters swiveling as it tried to blast both Erio and Spike.

The pair dodged. Erio bolted to the side, still trying to circle the machine. Spike, meanwhile, quickly pulled back, dancing and stumbling as the machine’s lasers lanced all around him.

What do I do? Caro tried to think, even as she felt Voltaire’s eyes still on her. What do I do?! I can’t cast any spells, the AMF will just dispel them, and Friedrich’s fire isn’t strong enough… unless…

Mistress, Friedrich trilled at her. We fight! We fight now! Show them! Show fake dragon our power!

Caro felt her breath quicken. Could she actually do it? The last time she let one of her summons act at full power…

“Caro!”

She looked up as the machine turned towards her. The world seemed to slow to a crawl as the emitters trained on her. Spike charged her on all fours and leapt forwards as the beams opened fire. There was a loud crackle as the beams struck the purple drake in the back. His Knight’s Clothing took the brunt of the blast, but the force sent him sprawling.

“Spike!” Caro knelt down beside him, only to see Erio rush up to her side.

“Grab his arm, Caro!” Erio quickly grabbed Spike’s left wrist. “We need to move!”

Caro nodded dumbly, grabbing the opposite arm and pulling with all her might. There was a loud hiss as the machine lunged its belt-like arms forward, slamming them into the walls as it dragged itself along, following after them.

“Erio,” Spike groaned as they dragged him into the next car. “The… button.”

Erio swung the butt of his staff into the door’s emergency shutter button, quickly slamming the door shut behind them. He spun to Caro and Spike. “You okay?”

“Fine… ow…” Spike winced as smoke curled up from his back. “That… smarts.”

“I’m sorry…” Caro whispered as she crouched beside Spike. “I… I froze up again…”

“Hey,” Spike smirked weakly. “Stop acting like I’m dying. I’ll be fine. Besides… it’s the duty of a knight to protect a lady…”

“We need to keep moving,” Erio said hurriedly. “That door won’t keep it back for long. We need to get out of range of its AMF…”

A thick beam of blue light sheared through the metal of the door like a scissor through wrapping paper, continuing upwards through the roof of the train car. With a loud creak of metal on metal, the massive drone tore the door open and battered its way through the narrow connecting hallway.

“I don’t think that it’ll let us,” Spike said as he crawled to his feet.

“Caro, fall back to the next car,” Erio said grimly, readying his spear. “Let us handle it.”

“I…” Caro backed up a few steps.

“That’s an order, Caro! Go!”

“Come on, you tin can!” Spike roared, slamming his fists together. “Let’s see what you look like when I open you up!”

Caro turned and began to run, only to hear a loud whizzing noise. She let out a shriek as she felt something wrap around her ankle, then yank her into the air. She flailed about as the machine suspended her upside down.

Friedrich shrieked and battered against the drone’s shield with his fireballs, while Spike and Erio engaged it as well with claw and spear, respectively. None of them caused as much as a scratch against the drone’s barrier. In response, the machine turned and, with a swift swing, sent her flying through the air away from the train.

She felt oddly serene as she began to drop, the wind whipping through her hair as her hat flew away. She couldn’t even muster up the strength to scream. She’d felt like that before, once…

What was left of the Lu Lushe tribe were gathered together in a long channel. Caro shivered as she walked, her dirty white cloak dragging behind her as a lonely hide drum thumped softly behind her. The land was still scarred, the winter-frozen ground having been turned to obsidian after it had cooled.

Every eye was on her; children held close to their parents, gazing at her with fear. The adults looked on stoically, some with hard, hate-filled eyes, some with fear, and some with sadness. She wasn’t a priestess to them anymore. She was a monster.

At the end of the channel were a group of men in uniform. Friedrich hissed angrily at them, but Caro didn’t say anything. Nor did she respond as they led her off, guiding her gently with a hand on either arm.

She was alone… even though she could swear she could hear someone calling out-

“Caro! Hang on!”

“Caro!!”

She jolted awake as Erio and Spike leaped towards her, their hands outstretched as they fell. She felt the tingle of the AMF dissipate as she and the others plummeted through the air.

No… no, I’m not alone… Caro’s eyes narrowed. I’m NOT alone. I’m NOT a monster.

“Erio!” She cried out as she drew upon her magic. “Spike!”

“FLOATER FIELD!” Kerykeion’s gems flashed brilliantly as the spell command flashed across their surface.

There was a flash of pink light as a translucent bubble formed around them. Suddenly, their descent slowed to a crawl. Caro turned herself in mid-air and reached out to her squad mates.

“Are you alright?” Erio asked as he grabbed one hand.

“You scared us there for a second,” Spike added, clasping her other hand.

“I know… I’m sorry…” Caro shook her head.

“It’s not your fault, Caro,” Spike began. “It could’ve happened to any of us.”

“I know…” Caro exhaled slowly and steadied herself. “But it happened to me. Because of my mistakes. So I’m the one who has to make it up to you guys.”

Spike blinked. “What?”

Erio’s eyes widened with realization. “You mean… you’re going to…”

“No more running away,” Caro said firmly. “No more freezing up. That thing tried to hurt my friends… and there’s no way I’m going to let that stand.”

She inhaled and whistled. There was a soft screech as Friedrich dove down and hovered before her expectantly. Mistress, he whispered, we fight?

“Yes, Friedrich,” she replied as she released Erio and Spike‘s hands. “We fight. But I’m counting on you to be a good boy and follow my commands. Understood?”

Friedrich trilled. YES! YES, MY MISTRESS! I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

Caro inhaled as she felt Voltaire’s gaze intensify. For a brief moment, she swore she felt something akin to satisfaction in her god’s gaze, before he turned away.

“By the ancient contract, I call upon thee!” Caro shouted as she clapped her hands together. Pink sparks sprayed outwards as lines of light spread outwards from Kerykeion’s gems, sliding down her fingers and around her wrist. “I who am your Mistress command thee! Answer now to my call! DRAGON MOUNT SUMMON!”

The world exploded into pink light. A summoning square formed beneath her as Friedrich let out a triumphant shriek, his body imploding into a tiny, egg-shaped ball of light.

“Flash of silver that darts across the azure,” Caro intoned, sweeping her hands about in the old, ritual patterns she had been taught when she was old enough to dance, “become my loyal steed, and carry me across the sky on wings of white! Alok ahrk bo, Faal Boviing Voyuvon Dovah! FRIEDRICH!”

The egg of light rapidly swelled and grew, until a pair of great wings unfurled from it. A mighty roar shook the air as the light resolved itself into a great, silver-and white-scaled beast. Friedrich as no long a tiny dragon. He was a great beast, with a sleek body, a fifty-foot wingspan, a long, graceful neck and a sharp, wedge-tipped tail. His dorsal spines flared out sharply, forming small intake vents along the back of his head , while the single horn at the top of his head had lengthened into a long spike.

Caro landed gracefully atop his neck, then raised her arms before her, hands open. A thin string of pink light extended from either side of his maw like reins and flew to her, which she promptly grabbed. Spike and Erio landed behind her on the dragon’s back as Friedrich flapped his wings.

“Hang on,” Caro said, giving her summon a mental command as she flicked the reins.

“To what?!” Spike cried out as Friedrich’s wings flashed. The Soaring Silver Dragon took flight, streaking off after the train in hot pursuit.

“Sweet… merciful…” Griffith whispered.

“It’s amazing, isn‘t it?” Yuuno’s tone was reverential. “Hard to believe that this is Friedrich’s true form. One of the legendary living weapons of Alzas… no wonder they view them as gods.”

“Don’t get too starry-eyed,“ Chrono said stiffly, then looked down at his bridge crew. “Shari, what’s Friedrich’s condition?”

“Summoning matrix stable. Psychic condition and mental stability all green,” Shari replied, her glasses slipping down her nose. “Caro is in control.”

“Good… good…” Chrono slumped back slowly.

Caro’s eyes were narrowed against the rushing wind. She could feel Friedrich’s heartbeat quicken as they soared over the train, quickly passing over the dozen or so cars below.

“Friedrich,” she called, “come around for another pass!”

Friedrich roared and turned, his wings fanned wide as he circled back towards the train. She caught sight of Stars Squad below as they passed by; the trio were looking up at them through a hole in the train’s hull.

Then there was a loud, shrill creaking of metal as the huge drone forced its way up through the train car. It turned slowly, scanning the area for them.

“Friedrich,” Caro shouted, pointing a finger, “now!”

A stream of flame erupted from the dragon’s mouth, blasting the drone as they flew past. The fire, however, rolled off the drone’s barrier. It turned its emitters upwards, firing blue beams at them as Friedrich pulled up,

“The barrier’s too powerful,” Erio shouted over the wind as he clung to Caro’s back. “You’ll need to boost Friedrich’s breath to break through!”

“Friedrich won‘t be able to dodge while I‘m casting the spell,” Caro called back. “And I won’t be able to block its shots either!”

“Let me handle that,” Spike shouted, the purple drake clinging on to Friedrich’s back for dear life. “Just be quick! I’m really not digging this whole flying thing!”

What say you, Friedrich? Caro sent to her steed. Do you trust Spike enough to shield you?

Friedrich growled softly, then nodded his head.

Good boy… Caro tugged the reins. “Here we go!”

Friedrich roared, performing a vertical U-turn and rolling through the air before diving at the drone. A bright green Belkan triangle sprang up before them, catching the machine’s blasts and scattering them harmlessly. Caro raised one hand up and slowly drew a circle of pink light before her as she spoke.

“What I ask for,” she said as the circle formed into a Mid-Childan spell matrix, “is a flame that pierces like a lance! Raging heat, burn all to ash! Dragon Flame Boost! BLAST RAY!”

A pink firing loop formed in front of Friedrich’s mouth. The spines along his neck flared, embers drifting up from the vents on his neck as fire gathered in his mouth, waiting for the command.

“FIRE!” Caro slashed her hand downward. Instantly, Friedrich exhaled. The flame blasted through the loop, super-charged by Caro’s magic into a laser-like beam of heat and plasma. The blast slammed into the drone, shattering its barrier, cracking its camera eyes and blackening its hull, as well as the metal surface of the train around it.

“Not quite enough to finish it,” Caro shouted as Friedrich swooped past, the blind machine firing wildly into the air. “The AMF must’ve decreased the spell’s effectiveness!”

“Let me and Spike handle it then,” Erio replied. “Just give us a bit of a boost. We should be able to kill it in one hit!”

“Y-you sure?”

“Y-yeah!” Spike flashed a brief thumbs-up, then squawked as he reclaimed his grip on Friedrich’s back. “We got this!”

Caro nodded, then brought Friedrich around. The silver dragon banked tightly, but came in for a much slower sweep this time, which allowed Spike to scramble to his feet.

“What I ask for,” Caro said as she released the reins and held up one hand, clenched tightly in a fist at eye-level, “are claws of silver that pierce through any field. Tear asunder their defenses and leave the wicked bare.”

“ENCHANTMENT,” Kerykeion responded, “FIELD INVASION!”

“What I ask for,” she continued, crossing her arms at the wrists, “is a blade of steel for this young knight, to slash apart any foe.”

“BOOST UP: STRIKE POWER!”

“Twin Boost!” Caro announced as her hands unclenched to reveal a pair of pink spheres in her palms. “Go!”

“Don’t gotta tell us twice,” Spike replied. “Let’s go, Erio!”

“Roger!”

The pair ran across Friedrich’s wing and leapt into the air, heading straight for the drone. Caro swung her hands forward, releasing the two spells at them. Spike landed first, his claws flashing pink as he lunged. Pink light swirled up through the air as his claws sunk into the air, the enchantment illuminating and tearing away at the drone’s AMF. A small hole appeared in the machine’s last line of defense, shimmering with pink light.

“Erio!” Spike glanced back as he landed. “Do it!”

Erio nodded and raised his spear. “Let’s go, Strada!”

“EXPLOSION!” The spear’s cartridge system fired off its last round, right before a long, pink-and-yellow blade of energy erupted from spear’s blade. “STAHLMESSER!”

Erio let out a battle-cry and lunged towards the machine. The broad blade of energy stabbed through the hole in the drone’s AMF, jabbing right into its central camera eye and deep into it‘s body. Erio growled, then turned and used the leverage of his shoulder to wrench the spear upward, dragging it up through the drone until the blade came free.

The drone let out a loud buzzing noise, then crashed into the train car below, sparks spraying fitfully from the canyon carved into it.

“Alright Erio!” Spike crowed, pumping a fist in the air. “Score a win for Lightning Squad!” The dragon raised a hand up. “High five, bro!”

Erio sighed, then jumped up and high-fived Spike… only for the train to promptly start slowing down as he did so.

“Woah!” Spike jolted slightly, quickly grabbing Erio in mid-air. “Sheesh… guess they managed to get the brakes working…”

“Long Arch, this is Stars Actual,” Twilight’s voice came over the base’s intercom. “All airborne targets have been eliminated.”

“Long Arch, this is Stars One,” Teana reported in. “All drones inside the front half of the train have been eliminated. We have wounded personnel, but they’re stable.”

“This is Knight Actual-B,” Reinforce said calmly. “The train has been secured. All hostile intrusions have been erased from the train’s systems.”

“Excellent work, everyone,” Chrono said, relief evident in his voice. “All units, regroup at the train. Make sure the cargo is secured and escort the train to its destination. After that, return to base.”

There was a quick chorus of acknowledgement before the communications windows winked out.

“Looks like our first operation was a success, sir.” Griffith glanced at Chrono, who nodded and leaned back in his chair.

“Looks like it,” Chrono replied. “Though I have to wonder… why would the drones brazenly attack a Saint Church transport train? How’d they know what it was carrying? Just more questions that need answers…”

“Wow! Look at him!” Subaru squealed as she skated up to Friedrich, Scootaloo and Teana close behind. “He’s huge!”

“I know, right?” Spike chuckled. “Who’d have thought that little silver chicken was actually a freaking living fighter jet?”

“Careful, Spike,” Scootaloo teased, “he might eat you for saying that.”

“Nah,” Spike waved a gauntlet-clad claw. “We’re cool now.”

Caro blushed as she slid down from her seat on Friedrich’s neck, then reached up and gave Freidrich a gentle pat. Their transport helicopter hovered overhead as Twilight, Fate and Signum landed.

“Excellent work,” Twilight announced. “Excellent work, all of you! And Caro?

“Um… yes, ma’am?” Caro blinked at the purple unicorn as she smiled wide.

“That goes double for you. I knew you could do it.”

Caro blushed brightly.

“Now,” Twilight continued as she leaned in. “we really, really need to talk about your summoning magic. I didn’t realize you could actually compress Friedrich down that much! Did you-”

Fate sighed and hip-bumped Twilight, causing the purple unicorn to regain her composure. “Um… right,” she coughed softly. “Sorry. We’ll discuss that later. Right now, we have a train to escort. Stars Squad, all aboard the helicopter.”

“Roger!”

“Lightning Squad,” Fate said, addressing her team, “you‘ll remain with the train itself, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Hey, uh, Friedrich?” Spike glanced up at the much larger silver dragon as the others moved about. “Uh… we’re cool now, right?”

Friedrich huffed softly, his eyes narrowed slightly before he trilled and glanced away.

Caro giggled. “Be nice, Friedrich. He did shield you while we were going for that attack.”

Friedrich huffed again, then nodded. Not friend of dumb lizard, he whispered to Caro, but will accept. For now.

“He says he’ll consider it,” Caro replied.

“Cool,” Spike chuckled.

Meanwhile, several miles away from the train tracks, the squads were being observed in secret.

“Darn,” one observer groused. She was a slim young woman with large, circular-lensed glasses and dark brown hair pulled back in a pair of stiff, braided pig-rails. She wore a long, shimmering and open fronted coat over a two-toned blue bodysuit. The armored collar around her neck was decorated with the symbol ‘IV’ in yellow enamel. “Looks like the drones didn’t win…”

Her companion nodded stiffly. She was slightly taller than her companion, with dark eyes and messy, light brown hair pulled back in a long, stringy ponytail. Her gaze was distant as she focused on her target, a soft clicking coming from one eye. She too wore a two-toned blue body suit, though the collar she wore bore the symbol ‘X,’ also in yellow.

There was a soft chirp as a holographic window popped up beside them. Uno peered at them calmly. “Quattro. Dieci. Report.”

“Operation has failed,” Dieci responded, her voice uninflected and cool. “All Gadget Drones have been destroyed and the Relic remains in Saint Church custody.”

“I see.”

“We managed to get scans of them in action,” Quattro added, clasping her hands together as she smiled winsomely. “I’m uploading them now. Are you happy with the data?”

“Only once I‘ve analyzed it,” Uno replied.

“I have a clear shot,” Dieci stated. “I should be able to eliminate them…”

“Negative,” Uno stated flatly. “This is strictly a recon mission. Do not engage.”

“Yes, sister,” Dieci replied, a twinge of disappointment in her voice.

“You’ll have your chance soon enough,” Uno said consolingly, though it did come off slightly flat. “But for now, return to base. That’s an order.”

“Understood,” the pair said as the communication’s window winked out.

“Aww,” Quattro giggled, “looks like you got shot down, Dieci. How disappointing…”

Dieci grunted, then began walking off. “Come on. We need to get going.”

11: Picking Up The Pieces

Longinus Archway Military Training Facility (Long Arch)
Cranagan, Mid-Childa

“Ugh… this is so BORING!”

“Oh come on,” Teana replied, “it’s not that bad.”

“Says you. At least you can type on these things. I‘m getting a headache using Gale Force‘s thought-to-text thingy.”

Subaru chuckled softly as she tapped away on her keyboard. The soft sound of talking and the clicking of keys filled the office space around them. The office was relatively small, with several tables filled with computer terminals filling what little space there was. The members of Stars Squad were lined up in a row on one side of a table as they filled out their after-action reports, Scootaloo seated between her and Teana.

“It could be worse,” Subaru said, “you could be writing it out on paper.”

“Yeah. True,” Scootaloo grumbled, her hair decoration glowing gently as text appeared on the screen. “But at least the pens you humans use are easier than those dumb quills Twilight loves so much.”

Subaru blinked. “Oh… uh, yeah, I could see how that’d be unpleasant.”

“Yeah…” Scootaloo narrowed her eyes, some of the text deleting. “At least I don‘t have to worry about screwing up the spelling.”

“Hey, uh, if you need someone to look over your report when you’re done, I can do it,” Subaru offered.

“Uh… sure.” Scootaloo huffed, then glanced around. “Speaking of reports… where’s Lightning Squad?”

“They’re going through PoCoPE,” Teana replied.

“Poh-coh-wha?”

“Post-Combat Psyche Evaluation,” Subaru supplied. “Standard procedure for young mages who’re sent into combat scenarios. Just to make sure everything’s alright, help them through any trauma they may have.”

“Huh,” Scootaloo rubbed one ear. “Guess that makes sense. Did you guys…”

“Kind of,” Teana replied brusquely.

“Psyche evaluations are standard operating procedure for all Ground Forces members,” Subaru elaborated. “It’s under the Bureau Mental Health and Wellness Regulations, Chapter Two…”

“I don’t think you need to quote chapter and verse, Subaru,” Teana said, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

“Anyway,” Teana said briskly as she turned back to her monitor, “I’d focus more on your report, Scootaloo. Boring or not, regs are regs.”

“Yeah, yeah.“ Scootaloo let out a heavy sigh as Gale Force lit up again. “Wish I had a keyboard… I’m gonna need an aspirin after this.”

“So,” Fate said as she sat down across from Shamal, “how are they?”

Shamal tapped gently on her data pad before setting it on the desk. “I’m sure you realize that I can only discuss generalities with you, Fate. The details of Caro and Erio’s evaluations are private, unless-”

“Unless details revealed during a Post-Combat Psyche Evaluation may directly and negatively impact the continued physical or mental well-being of Bureau personnel or the person in question,” Fate concluded. “I’m well aware of the regulations, Shamal.”

“Sorry,” Shamal blushed. “It’s just a formality.”

Fate nodded, then rested her forelimbs on the desk, hooves pressed together in a curiously human-like gesture. “So…”

“My report’s been submitted, but I can give you the basic run-down now,” Shamal began. “As of right now, Caro is fit for duty. Whatever occurred during the mission seems to have helped her achieve some semblance of inner strength. The fact that she was willing to release the locks she had on Friedrich is proof enough of that.”

Fate nodded. “I’m surprised about that myself. She always seemed… hesitant about using his power. Of course, given her background and the incident on Alzas, it stands to reason…”

Shamal nodded. “I’d suggest encouraging her. Her willingness to accept and use that part of her magic suggests she’s making excellent progress. I’d get her to explore her magic, get her used to releasing Friedrich…”

“I’ll take that under consideration,” Fate replied.

“Of course. Now, as for Erio,” Shamal flicked a finger across the data pad’s surface to bring up the other report. “He’s fit for duty, but there are a few concerns I’d like to bring up, just in case.”

“Concerns?”

“His willingness to throw himself into danger and overuse his powers,” Shamal replied, then paused as Fate frowned. “I take it you’re familiar with it?”

“It’s shown up in my training sessions with him.“ Fate replied. “He has a tendency to become aggressive. That’s fine for someone with his particular magical style, but…”

“It’s similar to what I’ve seen with young Squires at the Church,” Shamal noted. “A substantial minority of Squires are wards of the Church or come from territories where violence is depressingly common. They tend to be highly aggressive, even during training.”

“Which fits.”

“Fate, you’re familiar with Erio’s background, right?”

Fate nodded. “As far as official Bureau records go, yes. Erio was a ward of the Bureau, held in Special Care after he was rescued from an illegal bio-manipulation lab. He was held there for several years, and displayed hyper-aggressiveness, depressive episodes and general social maladjustment. He‘s improved, though. You should have seen him when I first met him.”

Fate felt her stomach drop as Erio was led into the interview room. His Special Care uniform was neat, but that was about the only thing that was well-kept. His red hair was an overgrown tangle, his bangs hiding his eyes, the spikes and tufts standing in points. His shoulders were slumped, while his arms hung limply at his sides. His hands were covered with heavy gray gloves marked with containment seals connected to thick rings around his wrists. Ozone wafted around him like an unpleasant cologne as a stray spark flickered between the strands of his hair.

The guard gestured for him to sit. He took the seat slowly, almost begrudgingly. He slumped heavily, his hands in his lap and his head lowered. The guard nodded to Fate, then stepped back.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Fate said gently. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Erio didn’t reply. Fate could feel his gaze from behind those red bangs of his. It was… unfriendly, to say the least.

“Captain Harlaown called me in to speak with you,” Fate continued. “Though now I can see why.”

Erio grunted softly.

“Erio, if I-”

“Don’t call me that.”

Fate blinked as Erio lifted his head slightly, his blue eyes focused on hers like a laser.

“My mistake,” Fate corrected. “What would you like me to call you?”

“Don’t know.” The statement came out in a growl. “Don’t care. Just not Erio. Erio isn’t my name. Never was.”

“I understand…” She paused as she heard him snort loudly. “You don’t think so?”

”Nah.” Erio continued glaring at her. “You’re a pony. Ponies don’t go through what I went through…”

Fate leaned forward. “That, I think, is where you’re wrong. So let‘s talk.”

“He’s progressed by leaps and bounds since then,” Fate continued as she brushed the memory away. “However, I’m not surprised there’s still some… lingering issues.”

“I assume you’ve been trying to address it during training?”

Fate nodded. “I’m trying to guide him towards less destructive behaviors in combat. His connection with his squad mates certainly helps him, though. It’s also helping him with his socialization problems as well.”

“Good,” Shamal replied. “But just to be on the safe side, I’d like to schedule another meeting with him, just to follow up.”

“I’ll see where we can fit it in.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

Fate smiled wearily. “I don’t know how Chrono does it, having those two as his wards.”

Shamal giggled. “I’ll have to admit; Chrono never seemed like the parenting type, but he seems to be doing pretty well.”

“Mhmm…”

“By the way,” Shamal ventured, folding her hands in her lap, “have you given any-”

“If you’re going to ask if I have any romantic relationships,” Fate replied smoothly, “then I’m afraid I’ll have to decline any comment.”

“Fate, please,” Shamal leaned forward. “You know you can share it with me. I could give you some pointers…”

“Thanks, but I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Fate replied, slowly rising to her hooves. “Unless there’s anything else, I have work to do.”

Shamal sighed. “No, we’re done for now. I’ve sent my reports to both yours and Chrono’s Devices. Feel free to review them at your leisure.”

“So,” Chrono asked, “you’re giving them the rest of the day off?”

Twilight nodded as she followed Chrono and Griffith into the meeting room. “I figured it’d be best. This was their first big fight, so they deserve a chance to recover.”

“I just hope they enjoy it,” Chrono replied. He took a seat at the head of the table, while Griffith took the seat to his immediate right.

Twilight sighed and took a seat. “Not like we’ll have a chance, eh?”

“There’s no rest for the wicked, Twilight.” Chrono shrugged. “So why should we rest either?”

There was a hiss as the meeting room’s door slid open. Yuuno, Shari and Trixie filed in quickly. Reinforce was perched atop Trixie’s back, nestled close to her mane.

“Good, almost everyone’s here.” Chrono tilted his chair back slightly as the others took their seats. “Once Fate’s arrived, we can-”

The door almost hissed closed as a golden hoof tripped its sensors. It slid open once more, allowing Fate to trot inside.

“-begin,” Chrono concluded.

“Sorry,” Fate said as she took a seat beside Twilight. “I was getting an update from Shamal on my squad.”

“No problem, Fate.” Chrono reached over and tapped gently on the edge of the table, bringing up a small holographic display. “Now, on to business. I assume the train’s secure?”

“We escorted the train to the Reliquary Containment Site,” Twilight said. “As far as we know, the Relic is safe in the facility.”

“Along with the wreckage of the new drone,” Fate added. “For some reason, it didn’t self-destruct like the smaller ones we were fighting.”

Chrono frowned at that. “Any idea why?”

Both mares shrugged.

Shari let out a soft sigh and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and cradling her chin. “What I wouldn’t give to inspect that drone…”

“You might get a chance sooner than you think, Shari.” Chrono tapped on the display again, bringing up a box of holographic displays. “You, Yuuno and Reinforce are going to be taking a trip to the Church’s containment site to conduct an investigation into both the drone and the Relic.”

“I’m assuming we’ve got the Saint Church’s permission?” Yuuno glanced over at Chrono, then smiled faintly when he nodded. “Good. When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow,” Chrono replied. “I expect you to keep me in the loop as much as possible.”

“Of course,” Reinforce murmured from her perch on Trixie’s back. “It would hardly do to leave you without information.”

Trixie arched an eyebrow. “So, what am I going to be doing while you’ve got me separated from my trusted assistant?”

“You’ll be assisting Twilight and Fate in training,” Chrono replied, then looked over at Fate and Twilight. “I’d also like for Fate to take the lead in squad-based training from here on out. Is that alright with you, Twilight?”

“No objections here,” Twilight said as she glanced at her younger sister. Fate blushed slightly, looking a little uncomfortable.

“Any from you, Fate?”

“No, sir,” Fate replied.

“Good.” Chrono exhaled softly. “I’ll be off-base for most of tomorrow, so I’ll be expecting you lot to hold down the fort.”

Twilight folded her ears back. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not looking forward to tomorrow?”

“I’m not,” Chrono admitted.

“We’re being called in by Lieutenant General Gais,” Griffith supplied, “to provide an in-person report for today’s mission.”

“Well, at least we’ve all completed our after-action reports,” Twilight said with a bit of faux-cheer. “And our Squads should have theirs done today as well, so the paperwork’s all covered!”

“I don’t think that’ll help much, Twilight,” Fate said gently.

Twilight slumped slightly. “I know…”

“Trust me, I’ll take all the help I can get,” Chrono replied. “Anyway…”

“Hey, Twilight? Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Twilight blinked and glanced at Fate as they made their way towards the door, the meeting having wound down. “Sure, Fate. Something on your mind?”

Fate grimaced, then nodded as she stepped through the door. “Something like that. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m… a little surprised you’re fine with me taking the lead during training sessions.”

Twilight blinked, then blinked again. “Why… would I? Now that we’re actually at the point where the trainees… excuse me, Forwards are going on missions, they’ll probably need your experience more than they’ll need mine. After all, you’re the military pony. I’m just a glorified teacher.”

Fate blushed. “You’re a bit more than a glorified teacher, Twilight…”

Twilight giggled. “Oh come on, Fate…”

“No, seriously. You’re the Alicorn Ace, Twilight.” Fate shook her head. “You’re a celebrity. I may head up the Shadowbolts, but I know which of us has a bit more clout to swing around.”

“Are… you jealous, Fate?” Twilight tilted her head as Fate’s blush deepened. “Oh my gosh, you are! Oh, Fate, I…”

“It’s not your fault.” Fate’s words were rushed. “It was stupid of me to assume you’d be upset over taking a backseat to somepony else.”

“I know I would,” a third voice added.

Twilight groaned, rolling her eyes as Trixie trotted up. “Thank you for your brilliant addition to this moment of sisterly bonding, Trixie.”

“You’re welcome,” Trixie replied. “But Fate brings up a good point. Whether you like it or not, Twilight, you’re famous in the Bureau. You‘re very much a public figure.”

“Don’t remind me,” Twilight grumbled. “I swear, I’m going to find the person who came up with the term ‘Alicorn Ace’ and set their trousers on fire…”

“If anything, I’m the one who should be jealous.” Trixie sniffed, covering her eyes with one fetlock. “Oh, oh, how cursed is Trixie, to forever remain in another pony’s shadow, no matter what her successes are…”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because the fact that you travel around the multiverse as a liaison to the Saint Church and possess one of the oldest and most powerful Lost Logia as your closest ally makes you so underrated, Trixie.”

“Don’t forget the magic shows for charity,” Trixie added with a smirk.

“ANYway,” Twilight turned back to Fate. “I’m sorry if you feel like you’re in my shadow, Fate. Truth is… I’m a little jealous myself.”

Fate blinked. “Of me?”

“Well, yeah! I might be famous for my work over here on Mid’ and in the magical research community, but you’re not doing too bad yourself. After all, my face isn’t on recruiting posters.”

Fate’s cheeks turned scarlet.

“Miss Photo Finish, this is Captain Fate Testarossa-Sparkle.”

The photographer‘s ears perked forward, her mouth slightly ajar. She quickly circled around Fate, moving like a particularly fashion-forward shark. “You? You are ze model?”

“Well, yes,” Fate quirked an eyebrow.

“Und you are ze military, yes? Zis iz not a joke?”

“I can show you my credentials, and my diploma from West Pommel if you don’t believe me, ma’am.” Fate replied stiffly. “Is there a problem?”

“A problem? A problem?! Liebchen, I expected un stallion vith ze rippling muscles und ze square jaw! Ze fact zat you are in ze guard und not un ze runvays of Prance iz a travezty und a shame! Ach, ze carriage, ze poise, ze slim neck, ze flawless muzzle! How could ze Princess Luna do zis to me? To dangle zuch a flawless bauble before me! Ach, how she toys vith me!”

“Um…” Fate’s ears folded back as the fashion-pony pranced in place.

“How could I, Photo Finish, haf allowed such a svan of a mare to slip through my hoofs! It zhall not be so again! Come, liebchen! Ve go! Ze insparation, it has struck! Ven I haf finished, no pony shall dare quevestion your glory!”

“That… was more Princess Luna’s idea than mine,” Fate muttered.

“They are pretty flattering, though,” Twilight offered with a weak chuckle. “But seriously Fate, you’re fine. If anything, letting you plan out squad exercises will help free me up to focus on individual training.”

“Good…” Fate shook herself, the blush fading. “Speaking of which, the three of us should probably go ahead and confer.”

“Trixie has some other things she needs to handle first,” Trixie announced. “But she’ll be available later, if that’s alright.”

“Just make sure you’re not late.” Twilight gave Trixie a schoolmarm-like scowl. “After all, you’re going to be working with me on individual training.”

“Very well, Sparkle,” Trixie sighed dramatically.

The Next Day

---

Saint Church Central Reliquary Site (aka Versteckte Verboten Heiliger-Boden)
Strangreal Mountain Range
Saint Church Self-Administrated Territory
Northern Mid-Childa

The Saint Church maintained several sites dedicated to containing and preserving the ancient legacy of the Unification War, the time when the Belka conquered (and later sought to re-conquer) the worlds of the Dimensional Sea. None, however, were as carefully guarded and maintained as the Central Reliquary Site, known by the faithful as Die Versteckte Verboten Heiliger-Boden, the Hidden Forbidden Holy Site. On the outside, the Site was nothing more than an unassuming chapel perched upon the side of a very, very large mountain.

This was, in fact, a façade, as Yuuno was quite well aware. The unassuming priests and Knights that staffed the chapel were highly-trained, dedicated to holding and protecting one of the Church’s most sacred and dangerous sites. He followed behind one, Shari nervously trailing a step or two behind him, while Reinforce drifted along beside him with a gentle flap of her wings.

“Please surrender your Devices,” the knight said gruffly as they came to a halt in front of the pair of large double doors.

Yuuno nodded, and quietly slipped off Oculus, resting it in the Knight’s outstretched hand. Shari swallowed nervously, then offered her data-pad to the Knight. “Um, be careful,” she said, trying not to look too intimidated, “I kinda need that back later.”

“Your Devices will be returned when you leave.” The Knight waved them through. “Go on inside. They’re expecting you.”

“Thank you, sir Knight.” Yuuno nodded, then reached over and gently pushed the double doors open.

The room beyond was a simple cubical enclosure of solid stone. The floor was engraved with a large Belkan spell circle; a pair of triangles overlaid and interlinked to form a large hexagram, surrounded by thin concentric circles of Belkan magical script. Yuuno walked into the center, then turned and waited for Shari to approach.

“Relax Shari,” he said gently, “it’s just a teleportation circle.”

Shari blushed. “Right. I knew that. I’m just… well, I’ve never been in this place before. I mean, I’ve heard about it, but…”

“Hold that thought,” Reinforce said calmly as she touched down in the center of the circle. She closed her eyes as her horn ignited, the dainty alicorn activating the inscribed circle. The spell matrix activated smoothly, quickly filling the room with brilliant white light.

Yuuno landed easily as he came out of transit, quickly blinking the light away as he regained his bearings. Shari, meanwhile, tottered ever-so-slightly. Yuuno quickly reached over and rested a hand on her shoulder to help stabilize her.

“Ugh… thanks.” Shari blushed. “I’ll never get used to teleporting like that…” She quickly glanced around the room, which bore a startling resemblance to the one they had just left. “Where are we?”

“The Site proper,” Reinforce replied as she took wing. “We’re inside the mountain itself.”

“Wait.” Shari replied, her eyes widening, “We’re inside the mountain?”

Reinforce nodded. “What better place to hide the Site? The natural mineral deposits help break up any magical signatures, making scanning for it extremely difficult.”

“Plus, anyone who wants to try to invade or escape has to tunnel through a few million tons of solid stone in any direction,” Yuuno added as he opened the door. Just beyond was a narrow hallway that further into the mountain. “This way. We need to get to the elevators.”

“So the only way in is through teleportation?”

“Correct,” Reinforce replied. “And only through certain sites, like the chapel we just went through. The Site is contained within a field similar to the Gefängnis der Magie spell my-” Reinforce paused, then shook her head, “-that Signum and the others use, which disrupts unauthorized teleportation and helps block physical escape.”

“Clever,” Shari said.

Yuuno nodded. “Outside of the TSAB’s HQ, we’re currently in one of the most secure sites in all of D-Space.”

“Indeed. Just remember, you’re guests here,” Reinforce said firmly. “Stay near me as much as you can, and don’t wander off without an escort.”

“Right,” Shari said quickly. “No wandering off.”

Yuuno nodded as they approached a large, cube-shaped room which branched off in four directions like a cross, while several elevators were set into the walls. A quartet of Knights were waiting for them, all clad in heavy Knight Armor and bearing Devices in the shape of halberds. “Hold,” one of them said, raising a hand. “Present your identification and prepare for scan.”

Yuuno quickly produced his Bureau ID, then turned and raised his arms as one of the Knights slowly swept his Device over his body, blue light tracing over his skin and clothing.

“Clear,” the Knight scanning him announced. “Magical signature and biometrics match our records.”

“Same here,” his companion noted, resting her halberd against her side as Shari lowered her arms.

The Knight in charge nodded, then turned to Reinforce. “My apologies, Buch der Helleslicht, but we have to scan you as well.”

“Go ahead,” Reinforce replied.

The Knight nodded, then gestured to the remaining Knight, who quickly ran his halberd’s light over the tiny alicorn’s frame. “Confirmed,” he said. “She’s a match.”

“Right.” The Knight in charge looked at the three of them quickly. “You’re authorized to enter Sector Delta. Please proceed to Lift One over there and take it down. Do not proceed any further down than Sector Delta, or the security systems will mark you as intruders and will react accordingly. Understood?”

“Understood. Thank you, sir Knight.” Yuuno saluted quickly, then quickly walked over to the elevator in question and stepped inside.

Shari followed, Reinforce perching on her shoulder. “Is it always like this?”

“Yes,” Reinforce said as the door shut. “If anything, security’s much tighter now.”

“Now? What happened?”

“Someone managed to get down to Sector Omega,” Reinforce replied.

“Sector… Omega?”

“It’s where the Saint Church stores its most prized relics,” Yuuno supplied while pressing the button for Sector Delta. “Things that are considered irreplaceable, impossibly dangerous, or both.”

Shari shivered, quickly and nervously adjusting her glasses as the elevator began to move. “Who? How? I mean, this place is a fortress… did they steal something?”

“Nobody knows,” Reinforce replied, “and as far as I know, nothing was taken. But the simple fact that someone was able to reach the most highly guarded collection of relics in the Church’s collection does not bode well.”

“Let’s try to focus on why we’re here,” Yuuno said and leaned against the elevator wall. “Business at hand and all that.”

“R-right,” Shari said. “Focus on the task at hand. Got it.”

“Right this way, Dr. Scrya, Corporal Finieno, Buch der Helleslicht.” Father Gumpert ushered the trio along, his white lab coat swishing over his black cassock. He was a portly man, the pinkish flush of his face almost matching the light color of his hair. “It’s a pleasure to have you here in our facility.”

“Always happy to help the Church, Father,” Yuuno replied as Gumpert quickly held up his hand to the door scanner. There was a soft hum as his hand was analyzed, followed by the door hissing open, admitting them to an observation and monitoring chamber staffed by several acolytes. “I assume the Relic’s case hasn’t been opened yet?”

“Not yet,” Gumpert replied with a huff. “We were waiting until your arrival to crack it open, as it were. Given your experience in these matters, we thought it best.”

“Thank you,” Yuuno replied, glancing through the room’s large viewing window. The Relic’s case sat on a rounded pedestal in the room beyond, its unassuming octagonal case matte gray and dull despite the bright light. Several rotating rings of light surrounded the case, which Yuuno recognized as containment spells.

“Would you care to do the honors, Doctor?” Gumpert gestured to the door leading to the containment chamber.

“Sure.” Yuuno walked towards the chamber door. “Reinforce, would you mind coming with me?”

“Certainly,” the little alicorn replied, drifting over and landing on his shoulder.

“Uh,” Shari raised a hand. “What should I do?”

“Stay in here,” Yuuno replied, glancing back over his shoulder. “If things go wrong, you should be safe in here.”

Let’s just hope things don’t go REALLY wrong, Yuuno thought to himself, the memories of the fire at Coastal Airport 8 trickling up through his mind; fire that burned even without fuel, blackening stone and shattering concrete. He shook himself before the door opened, letting him step through. As he did so, his suit flickered away, instantly being replaced by his brown and cream Barrier Jacket, his brown shoulder-cloak fluttering against his hips.

“Do you have the scanners trained on me, Father Gumpert?” Yuuno peered over at the window as Reinforce took wing.

“Of course,” came the slightly crackly reply over the room’s speakers. “Proceed at your leisure.”

“Alright.” Yuuno approached the case and slowly ran his hands along the outer edge. The gray metal felt slightly warm under his fingertips.

“Now beginning examination of Lost Logia, codenamed ‘Relic,’” Yuuno stated loudly. “Doctor Yuuno Scrya examining, assisted by Unison Device Reinforce.”

“Now beginning examination. As with the previous Relic, it is contained within a large metallic case, which is slightly warm to the touch. If this case is similar to the previous container, then there should be a pressure-and-magic-sensitive switch that will allow access to its contents, located… here.”

There was a soft click as Yuuno pushed his fingers into the flat side of the container, followed by a whispery hissing noise. The case clicked open, hidden bolts releasing as several screw-like locks rotated. The top half of the case slid upwards and came to a halt. Yuuno inhaled, then slowly lifted the case’s lid off and set it aside.

The Relic itself was nestled in the center of the case. It was a glowing reddish jewel, about the size of his fist. It was cut in a lop-sided spindle, broader at the top and tapering downwards, the rectangular and triangular facets broad and smooth. It resembled a ruby, though there were slowly shifting striations of pink light inside it.

“The Relic is unharmed and whole,” Yuuno continued, his hands hovering on either side of the gem. A pale green glow expanded out from his palms, forming a spherical force-field around it. “No antagonistic reaction from contact with the containment sphere. The Lost Logia is currently sessile and is unlikely to react to examination.”

“We’re currently scanning its resonance frequency and energy readings,” Gumpert’s voice added. “Please continue with your examination.”

Yuuno nodded, floating the gem into the air as he glanced at the case’s insides. “Like the previous Relic, the case seems to be a containment system, though no active spells or countermeasures are observable.” He reached down, running his finger over the small metal plate with the legend ‘VIII’ engraved on it. “Case bears the Galean number eight, likely the Relic’s Serial Number.”

“Ancient Galean numbering was also used during the Belkan era,” Reinforce supplied. “Many concepts, including Galean numerological motifs, were exchanged thanks to traders traveling between Belka, Galea and Shutra.”

“Correct,” Yuuno nodded. “This suggests that the Relics were created before the Warring Era. That’s when the trade between those three Empires was at its peak.”

“We reviewed what records we have remaining of that era,” Gumpert announced. “We didn’t find any mention of the Relics in any of the records… though that’s really not surprising, considering what little information was left behind.”

Reinforce drifted up to the Relic, her horn glowing gently. “It appears to be an energy fountain of some sort; an artificial magical convergence contained within the crystal’s internal structure…”

“Well, we know mages of that era were capable of creating those,” Yuuno replied, crossing his arms. “But I’m not sure if that was its only purpose. Usually, such convergences were used to power other effects programmed into the item’s crystalline matrix. Could you see if you can pick anything up, Reinforce? Maybe you can sense something we can‘t.”

“Let me see.“ Reinforce’s eyes narrowed slightly, her horn glowing brighter as wisps of white light drifted and flowed around the Relic. “There’s… something else inside.”

That made Yuuno perk up. “Something else? I didn’t realize-”

“It’s not surprising,” Reinforce closed her eyes, her ears perking forwards. “It’s buried in the Relic’s magical resonance. I‘m not sure normal magical scans would be able to pick it up. There’s something there… something… hard to explain.”

“Please Reinforce,” Yuuno begged. “Try.”

“It’s… incomplete.” Reinforce shook her head. “It’s like… like I’m trying to make sense of an entire piano piece by just listening to a few randomly selected bars.” Reinforce’s horn dimmed as she grimaced. “If we had more of these Relics, I might be able to make sense of it, but for now…”

“Can you send whatever data you have to the computers here, Reinforce?”

Reinforce nodded. “I was planning on doing just that.” She turned and glanced at the window. “Father Gumpert, please fetch the other Relic that the Saint Church has stored here. Perhaps that will be of some help.”

“At once, Buch der Hellselicht.”

Reinforce turned back to Yuuno. “This will take some time. Perhaps it would be wise for you and the Corporal to work on the Drone’s remains. I’ll contact you if I learn anything.”

“Thank you, Reinforce.” Yuuno exhaled and smiled. “I‘m glad we decided to bring you along for this.”

Longinus Archway Military Training Facility (Long Arch)
Cranagan, Mid-Childa

“Hyah!”

Scootaloo’s skate-clad back hooves scythed out as she turned sharply. Both kicks slammed against Zafira’s open palms, air rushing harmlessly around his gauntleted hands. She pulled back as he pushed her limbs away, her breath coming out in rapid huffs as she regained her footing.

“Better,” Zafira said, flexing his fingers. “But not good enough. You‘re falling back on using centripetal force to enhance your magic.”

“That’s what I was trained to do,” Scootaloo replied with a huff. “That’s what I’m good at.”

“And I’m telling you to get better,” Zafira replied, extending a hand palm-out towards her. “Now, do it again. Focus on your target, and push through. Not around, not at, through.”

Scootaloo nodded. Her ribcage expanded as she breathed in deeply, trying to center herself. Don’t let it get to you… treat it like you’re training with Radi again. Don’t let it get to you…

She opened her eyes, then bolted towards Zafira, exhaling as she went. Her wings flared as she reared her front hooves up and began to strike. Tiny sparks sprayed out as the metal of Scootaloo’s skates clashed with Zafira’s gauntlets, but the wolf-man didn’t budge. Not even the rapid-fire rain of punches could move him.

“Faster!” Zafira’s hand moved slightly to catch each blow, his shout overwhelming the clanging of metal. “Faster! You‘re not hitting the target enough!”

“I’m going as fast as I can,” Scootaloo snarled in reply, her front limbs aching from the exertion. The sound of the clashing metal was almost like bells in Scootaloo’s ears. Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

“No, you’re not!” Zafira glared at her as he side-stepped, forcing Scootaloo to move around to continue the assault. “Use your magic!”

“I don’t… have… enough… room… to use it!” Scootaloo ground her teeth as she continued to punch. Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

“Space means nothing,” Zafira snapped as he swapped hands mid-punch. “You have all the room you need!”

“Rrrrgh!” Scootaloo swung her front hoof back. “I’m sick of this!” She lunged forwards, launching a punch at Zafira’s face.

Her hoof hit a barrier of white light a few inches from Zafira‘s nose. Zafira didn’t even change expression as he grabbed her by the fetlock and promptly spun her about, slamming her onto her back.

Scootaloo groaned, her wings flared out on either side of her body, her legs curled up against her body. Zafira loomed over her, his broad form blocking out the sun. “I don‘t get it,” she said softly. “What am I doing wrong? Am I really hopeless at this, or-”

“Are you done?” Zafira’s question was gruff and to the point.

“Huh?” Scootaloo blinked.

“Are you done? I have little time for self-pity.” Zafira slipped his foot beneath her side and rolled her onto her belly.

“Easy for you to say,” Scootaloo grumbled, then blinked as Zafira took a seat in front of her, crossing his legs beneath him as he did so. “What’re you doing?”

“You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment,” Zafira rumbled. “Sit up. Take your seat. Meditate with me and clear your mind.”

Scootaloo started to reply, but swallowed her words as Zafira gave her a stern, scarlet-eyed glare. She stood, then settled herself onto her haunches and took a seat, mirroring Zafira.

“Close your eyes.”

Scootaloo shut her eyes, folding her wings about her as she did so.

“Breathe,” Zafira instructed. “Feel the air move through your body. Breathe deep, then let go. Do nothing else.”

Scootaloo did as commanded. They sat in silence for a while, neither she nor Zafira speaking until he broke the silence.

“Better?

“Yes, sir,” Scootaloo muttered, opening her eyes.

“Good.” Zafira nodded. “You let your emotions cloud your judgment. That’s to be expected, given who you idolize.”

Scootaloo grunted, her feathers ruffling. “Let’s not talk about… her.”

Zafira nodded slowly. “Fine. Then let’s talk about you. You can be faster.”

“I told you, I’m hitting as fast as I-”.

“You’re hitting as fast as your muscles can,” Zafira countered. “You’re a pegasus. Use the air.”

“I told you, punching like that doesn’t give me enough space to shape the air properly.” Scootaloo slumped slightly. “If I can’t shape the air properly, then I can’t do anything. Besides, that’d still leave me unable to do anything against AMF…”

“You have more than enough space,” Zafira replied. “With the proper training, a warrior can deal enough force in a single inch to knock his opponent flat. You can do the same. And if you create the spell quick enough, the AMF won‘t be able to dispel it.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Right. Sure. While I’m at it, why don’t I find a way to punch you without actually punching you? Because that‘s about as helpful as the rest of this rut-”

Zafira let out a very canine growl from the back of his throat, which made Scootaloo gulp.

“I have little patience for your tongue, little pegasus,” Zafira warned. His tail and hair were bristled up, and his ears were folded back. “And unlike Sparkle, I have no intention of coddling you. I am doing this so you become useful to this team, not a liability. However, if you wish to waste my time, then I have other duties I can attend to. Do not waste my time.”

“Yes, sir,” Scootaloo said meekly. There was a loud squeak as she actually scooted away from him. Kinda easy to forget he’s a wolf sometimes…

“Good.” Zafira stood, then motioned for Scootaloo to rise as well. “Back to work. And this time, you‘ll remain calm, yes?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Trixie has taken the liberty of reviewing Instructor Sparkle‘s training footage. I must admit, you do have something of a talent with illusion magic, Miss Lanster.”

Teana grimaced at the blue unicorn that stood across from her. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“But,” Trixie said as she raised a hoof. “There’s still quite a lot of room for improvement. That’s where I come in, of course. There are more than a few ponies who would sell their tails to learn the tricks of the Great and Powerful Trixie. You should be thankful.”

I don’t know what I did to make Instructor Sparkle stick me with this jumped-up, loud-mouthed circus performer, Teana thought irritably, but whatever it was, I’m sorry.

“I’m sure there are, ma’am,” was what she actually said. “Thank you.”

“Tut-tut,” Trixie waved a hoof with a smirk, then slowly removed her hat. “Think nothing of it. Now, why don’t we get started?”

The unicorn gently tossed the white witch’s hat up at Teana’s head. Teana caught it on instinct, glancing at it, then at Trixie with a frown. “Am I supposed to do something with this, ma’am?”

Trixie smiled from her position. “Just thought you might like to put it on. Make yourself feel more impressive.” The hat suddenly glowed with a white light as Trixie hovered it back over to her side. “But I’m sure your ego is perfectly fine. Now, on to the lesson. I’m sure you’re familiar with my old profession, right?”

“You were a stage magician, ma‘am.”

“You’ve done your homework,” Trixie teased as she ran one hoof along the brim of her hovering hat. “Now, you’re probably wondering what that has to do with anything. It’s actually simple. A stage magician’s life revolves almost entirely around illusion. Sometimes it‘s a clever spell, other times it‘s a quick bit of slight-of-hoof. Still others-”

Teana tried not to grimace as Trixie continued to ramble, her hands folded behind her as she listened. Just put up with it, Teana, she reminded herself. This is the leader of the Wo- the Altenritter. She might be able to teach you something. Maybe.

“…But enough lecturing,” Trixie concluded. “Tell me, Miss Lanster, what’s the key element of a magician’s tricks?”

“Misdirection,” Teana answered. “The ability to fool others, to make them look at what you want them to look at.”

“Gold star, Miss Lanster.”

Teana froze. The voice had come from behind her. Teana quickly turned, her hands moving to her pistols as she spun about, only to come nose-to-point with a very large, star-tipped staff that Trixie’s magical aura was supporting. She glanced back as the hat, now unsupported, fell to the ground with a soft thump.

Trixie, hatless, smiled up at Teana from behind the staff. “Made you look, didn’t I?”

Teana’s eyes narrowed. How did she… when did she… she managed to leave behind an almost flawless visual and auditory illusion of herself, plus an optical camouflage spell while supporting her hat and getting into position? How?

“It wasn‘t all pure magic,” Trixie said, lowering her staff. “The question is, however, what was magic and what was trickery? Can you tell me, Miss Lanster? What did I do?”

Teana frowned, a hand rubbing her chin. “You used a combined spell when you threw your hat at me, disappearing and leaving behind an illusiory after-image. You then snuck behind me while I was holding your hat so I wouldn’t be able to notice if you dropped the spell to levitate it. The illusion and the invisibility were obviously magic, but I’d imagine that you used some sort of ventriloquism to throw your voice. You’re a stage magician, so you’re probably trained in that…”

“You’re correct,” Trixie said. “Mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“Mhmm. Remember; misdirection.“ Trixie smiled, and winked out, though the staff remained behind.

Teana spun around just as Trixie reappeared, her body fading in like mist. “I’ll give you marks for effort, though,” Trixie said with a slightly less arrogant smile. “Twilight was right; you are quite clever.”

Teana’s frown deepened. “So you were actually there the whole time.”

“Precisely,” Trixie answered. “The second most important element in a magician‘s toolbox; let your audience do the work for you. The less you have to do, the more energy you can save up for your next trick.”

“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Teana replied, crossing her arms.

“Good, please do. Now,” Trixie said as she levitated her hat and plopped it onto her head, “let’s teach you how to properly dazzle an audience.”

TSAB Central Command Building
Cranagan, Mid-Childa

“So, that’s it, then?” Gais laced his fingers together as he reclined in his office chair, his beady eyes focusing on Chrono.

“Yes, sir,” Chrono replied formally. “If you’d like any further clarification, I’ve already submitted the reports of all members involved in the mission. You’re welcome to look them over if you wish.”

“So this transport train just happened to be attacked while you were giving a report to Director Gracia? A transport train that just happened to belong to the Saint Church and just happened to be transporting Lost Logia belonging to the Church?”

“It was a reliquary transport train, sir. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t transporting something of value.”

Gais grunted irritably. “You’d think the Saint Church would be capable of handling their own affairs without requiring our support. One of our transports wouldn’t have been compromised that easily…”

“Of course, sir.”

“I’ll have to speak to Director Gracia about her borrowing you in the future,” Gais continued. “However, I can’t fault you for being so quick to pounce on an opportunity like that. Good way to show them what a proper military can do.”

I’m pretty sure Carim would take umbrage at that. Chrono kept his thoughts to himself, though. “I was under the impression that the Saint Church’s Knights were a ‘proper’ military, sir. Or at least, one recognized by the Bureau.”

Gais snorted derisively. Chrono arched an eyebrow. “Did I say something funny, sir?”

“You’re young, Harlaown,” Gais replied. “It’s to be expected. But just because the Church claims to be a ‘proper’ military doesn’t make it so. They‘re not; or at least, not like we are.”

“If you say so, sir.”

“That’s history talking, Harlaown.“ Gais turned his chair slightly, presenting himself in profile to Chrono, his expression growing hard. “I remember the stories my old man told me. Stories about the things he saw during the war; biomechanical horrors armed with mass-based weaponry, hunter-killer constructs reverse-engineered from living beings, knights that were more machine than man, weird magic that nobody else could do… Any group that seeks to preserve the legacy of those demons, much less worship them, has no right to exist in civilized society. The only reason they‘ve got any political power at all is because they make themselves useful to the Bureau.”

“I… see.”

“Director Gracia’s well aware of my opinion about her organization,” Gais continued, looking over at him. “And I’m willing to let her go about her business so long as she doesn’t present a threat to my world. But you’re under my jurisdiction, Harlaown. Keep that in mind the next time Director Gracia decides to call in a favor. Are we clear?”

“Crystal, sir,” Chrono replied calmly.

“Good.” Gais turned back and faced him properly, his eyes boring into Chrono’s. “And I’m sure that if there was something else going on, you’d let me know immediately. Wouldn’t you, Harlaown?”

Chrono didn’t even blink. “Of course, sir. After all, I’m from Mid-Childa myself. The last thing I’d want is something to happen to my world.”

Gais stared at him, then nodded in satisfaction. “Good to hear, Harlaown. Glad to see we’re on the same page. I’ll review the after-action reports later. If I have any further questions, I’ll contact you. Dismissed.”

Chrono rose to his feet, saluted with his good hand, then turned and walked out. Griffith was waiting for him outside the office.

How’d it go? Griffith whispered telepathically.

About as well as I expected. Chrono began walking towards the elevator. Griffith fell into step behind him like always.

Did he ask about what the train was carrying?

Yup. I didn’t give him specifics, but he doesn’t seem to know that the train had a Relic. He’ll probably go over the after-action reports with a fine-toothed comb, though.

Makes me wonder, though. Why aren’t we reporting the fact that the Church has a Relic, sir?

Chrono grumbled as they reached the elevator, depressing the call button with his thumb. Gais is the last person I would want to turn a Relic over to.

Because he’s ambitious?

No, because he’s the exact sort of man that would sell his scruples for power, Chrono replied as the elevator doors opened. The only difference between him and Admiral Graham is the rank badge they wear.

I can think of a few other differences, sir, if you need help with coming up with some, Griffith replied dryly as they stepped into the elevator, eliciting a snort of laughter from Chrono. Do you think he’s compromised by this ‘conspiracy‘ of yours?

He’s an ambitious, high-ranking military officer with a broad scope of power. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t compromised. After all, what better pawn is there than someone with good intentions?

Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

Scootaloo’s breath came out quick and harsh as she continued punching. Zafira’s hand moved quickly, cleanly intercepting each punch. The only time he even moved was when he took a step to one side or the other, forcing her to move in tandem with him. He almost seemed bored by the whole thing.

Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

“Hup!” He took a step. Scootaloo followed in kind, her skates clicking as she shifted her stance, her eyes narrowed as she focused.

Hit faster he says. Hit more he says. This is stupid. Her hooves snapped out, each jab sending small sparks as metal struck metal. I’m already hitting as fast as I can. What does he expect me to do, grow another set of legs?

Cling-cling-cling-cling-cling.

And that stupid ‘one inch’ thing. What does he expect me to make in a single inch of movement? That’s not enough moving air to make something like a blade… unless…

Scootaloo paused, her hoof still buried in Zafira’s palm. The wolf-man arched an eyebrow at her curiously. His hair stirred slightly, even though no wind was blowing.

“You know,” Scootaloo said, “I think I’ve got an idea. You said I need to hit faster, right? Like a jackhammer.”

Zafira nodded.

Scootaloo lowered back down to all fours as she blew a few strands of her mane out of her eyes. “Could you give me a sec to think?”

“Take all the time you need.”

Scootaloo nodded, then slowly began to skate in a lazy ring, her ears folded back as she thought. Jackhammer. Jackhammer… Horseapples, how does a jackhammer work again? It’s like the whole piston-y thing. That’s how the ones they use in Cloudsdale work. Just a single point stabbing a single spot over and over…

She shook her head and turned sharply, swerving and resuming her skating in a figure-eight. But I can’t punch fast enough to do the jackhammer. And there’s not enough space… or is there? There was that thing Teana was yammering about when she was trying to explain that whole bullet thing of hers. Something about layers… wait, that’s it! Layers!

Scootaloo came to a halt. “I… might have something. Gimme just a little bit more time.”

Zafira nodded, then extended his hand again, palm out. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Scootaloo then breathed slowly as she centered herself. You there, Gale Force?

Gotcha, her Device replied.

Good. You know that Peregrine Claw spell you’ve got in your archive? Can you change it?

Yes. How?

Make it… like a cone. A sharp pointy cone. Could you make one of those really fast when I punch?

Could do. Focus energy to single point. Would compromise spell durability. Would make the effect fragile.

Fragile, huh? Hmm… wait. Could you make, like, a stack of spikes? You know, one inside another?

The Device parsed that quickly. Scootaloo could feel an itch in the back of her skull as Gale Force calculated. Gotcha.

Alright then, Scootaloo thought as she pulled one hoof back. Here goes nothing…

Scootaloo jabbed at Zafira’s fist. The wheels of her skates clanged against his gauntlet with each strike. When I punch, she thought at Gale Force, I want you to make the spikes as fast as you can.

Gotcha.

She clenched her teeth, drawing in her energy as she pulled back for another blow. Now!

There was a flicker of purple light. Zafira’s eyes widened as Scootaloo punched in. A spike of solidified air surrounded Scootaloo’s skates, the tip stabbing into Zafira’s palm. The spike shattered as it connected, the shards of mana peeling away to reveal the next in line. Scootaloo powered through ignoring the burning of her arm.

ClingCLCLCLCLCLANG! Five spikes stabbed in at a single point on Zafira’s palm and shattered in less than a second, right before Scootaloo’s hoof made contact with metal.

There was a flash of white as Zafira summoned a Barrier over his hand when Scootaloo struck a second time. Purple and white sparks sprayed out as Scootaloo’s magic clashed with the defensive spell. Scootaloo quickly pulled back, breathing heavily as she lowered her front hooves.

“Well done.” Zafira shook his hand. The palm of his gauntlet had a jagged opening in the center of the plate, like someone had taken a hole punch to it. “Seems you’ve figured out a workaround.”

Scootaloo groaned and widened her stance slightly. Her muscles felt like jelly and her head was pounding. “Yeah… well… didn’t have much choice.”

Zafira crouched down, gently pressing his fingers into Scootaloo’s sore muscles. He let out a grunt as she winced. “It seems there was some feedback from the spell. That tends to happen when you’re attempting something like this.” His other hand flicked out, calling up a small communication window. “Sparkle, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle, I’ll be escorting Scootaloo to Shamal for a check-over.”

“Is she okay?” came Twilight’s response.

“I’m fine,” Scootaloo grumbled, causing Zafira to snort.

“Slight magic feedback. Probably nothing major.”

“If it’s mana feedback, then by all means,” Twilight quickly replied. “Better safe than sorry.”

“Indeed. I’ll return once she’s with Shamal.” Zafira dismissed the screen with a wave of his hand, then stood up. “Can you walk?”

“I’m fine.” Scootaloo grimaced, taking a step before wincing and pulling the hoof she‘d just punched with off the ground. “Ow… okay, yeah… maybe I could use some help.”

Zafira nodded, then crouched down and dead-lifted the pegasus, eliciting a squawk of surprise as he cradled her. “Wh-what’re you doing?!”

“Carrying you.”

Scootaloo wriggled. “Sheesh, this is embarrassing…”

“Not as embarrassing as dealing permanent damage to your leg,” Zafira replied as he began walking.

“Yeah, but do you really have to carry me around like a stuffed toy? I‘m not a little filly anymore.”

Zafira snorted. “You’re not the first pony I’ve carried about and tended to. Now hush. You can deal with the humiliation later.”

Saint Church Central Reliquary Site (aka Versteckte Verboten Heiliger-Boden)
Strangreal Mountain Range
Saint Church Self-Administrated Territory
Northern Mid-Childa

Shari felt like a kid in a candy store.

What remained of the massive drone from yesterday hovered in a containment field before her, slowly unpeeling like an onion under her direction. The outer shell had been carefully dismantled, revealing the inner workings of the spherical machine. Shari was an engineer with a specialty in Devices, so she of all people could appreciate the sheer amount of care that had gone into the drone’s construction.

“Look at these circuit boards, Yuuno,” Shari said excitedly, carefully freeing the component from its slot and removing it from the stasis field. “The components are seamlessly melded to the board rather than soldered or molecularly fused. I’ve never seen microcrystalline conduction pathways laid out like these. It’s like the board was grown rather than constructed.”

Yuuno nodded, but Shari could tell he wasn’t quite getting it. She quickly turned back to the machine itself, waving at one of the priests as he slowly removed another layer of machinery. “Please, be careful with that. We need to preserve as much of this as we can!”

“Yes, ma’am,” the priest replied flatly. “We know.”

Shari blushed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean… n-never mind.”

“I think it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing, Shari,” Yuuno smiled faintly as he adjusted his glasses. “So, in your professional opinion, how would someone go about building a machine like this?”

“Well, most drones are alike in a lot of ways,” Shari replied, settling back into her zone. “Most of the drones the Bureau uses are designed for either static sentry work or for training. Without getting too deep into the technical minutia, I’ll simply say that the schematics are standardized, and the internal architecture is relatively modular. The individual components are mass-produced, then put together as needed according to requisition requests. That includes on-board weapons, too.”

“But this drone?” she gestured to the remains. “This drone’s an entirely different kettle of fish. Aside from the circuitry, there’s parts and circuit patterns I’ve never seen before. That’s not getting into the clearly custom-designed equipment this drone’s carrying, like the beam emitters and the sensor arrays. I wouldn’t be surprised if this thing was built from custom alloys and synthetically created materials either.” She sighed and shook her head. “I just wish Erio hadn’t struck the thing’s core CPU when he took it down. I’d have loved to go over its programming. But somehow I doubt I would’ve gotten much out of it.”

“So…”

Shari crossed her arms and huffed. “I hate to admit it but whoever built this is so far beyond my level of expertise it’s not even funny. We’re past ‘cutting edge’ tech here. We’re getting close to nearly Lost Logia levels of magical engineering.”

“Excuse me, Miss Shari? Dr. Scrya?” One of the priests peeked out from around the machine. “You might wanna take a look at this.”

Shari set the circuit board back in the stasis field and jogged over to the priest. “Did you find something?”

The priest nodded and gestured to the drone. “I was about to inspect what appears to be the machine’s power source when I found this.” He reached over and tapped on the exposed circuit board, his finger resting on a small, thumb-sized engraved metal plate.

“It looks like Mid-Childan script.” Shari narrowed her eyes. “Jail… Scaglietti?”

“Well,” Yuuno said somberly, “looks like Chrono’s going to get all the confirmation he needs.”

“Sir,” Shari looked over at the priest, “you said you were about to inspect the drone’s power source? Mind if I observe?”

The priest nodded, then reached back into the stasis field with both hands. His hands glowed slightly as he began to carefully separate the pieces of machinery. Shari held her breath as the silver pieces of metal slowly parted, revealing the machine’s central core; a set of five concentric golden rings centered around a small, glowing blue jewel.

“A five-fold containment system with what appears to a self-contained mana-to-energy translation matrix,” she said almost to herself. “I don’t recognize the material though. It looks like it’s being powered by…”

“Both of you,” Yuuno said slowly, “step back, please.”

Both Shari and the priest turned to look at Yuuno. The professor’s face had just gone quite pale. “Dr. Scrya? Is there something wrong?”

“Yes,” Yuuno said softly. “What I’m seeing should be impossible.”

“I… I don’t understand,” Shari said, glancing at the generator, then back at Yuuno.

“Somehow,” Yuuno’s voice was tense, “Jail Scaglietti managed to get his hands on a Jewel Seed.”

Thanks for the update, Yuuno, Chrono replied telepathically. He lowered his hand from his temple and rested it on the café’s table.

“Problems, Chrono?”

“Hmm?” Chrono blinked and glanced up at Genya.

The older officer picked up his coffee cup and pointed it at him, the contents sloshing slightly. “I may not be a mage, but I can tell when someone’s having a conversation.” Genya took a sip from his cup, then frowned and reached for the sugar. “Besides, you turned a little pale there for a second.”

“Bad news, sadly,” Chrono replied. “Has something to do with an old case of mine. One I thought I’d put to bed a long time ago.”

“You know the old saying, Chrono,” Genya replied with a smirk. “’Good cases stay in bed. Bad ones just get up and wander around.’”

“Trust me, I know.” Chrono sighed. “But this one is particularly bad.”

“If there’s anything I can do to help, Chrono…”

“Trust me, I’ll let you know.” Chrono glanced around the café. “Shouldn’t she be here by now?”

“Patience, Captain,” Genya replied. “She’ll be here soon.”

Chrono was about to reply when a woman stepped into the café. She was tall and confident, dressed in Ground Forces brown with a dark purple tie around her neck. A heavy-looking duffle bag hung from one of her shoulders. Her thick, waist-length purple hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, away from her blue-green eyes.

“Hey, Ginga,” the lady behind the counter called out, waving to her. “Your usual?”

Yup, you can see the family resemblance, Chrono thought idly as Ginga placed her order, then walked over to the table he and Genya were sharing. Genya stood and hugged her, wincing as Ginga pulled him into a crushing bear-hug. “Ahem,” Genya coughed as Ginga let him go. “Ginga, I’m sure you remember Captain Harlaown.”

“Of course,” Ginga replied, turning and quickly saluting. “Captain.”

“Master Sergeant,” Chrono replied, then waved his good hand. “Relax. I’m not exactly a stickler for formality.”

“Yes, sir,” Ginga replied as she set her bag down with a heavy clunk, then removed her jacket. Chrono could see the taut muscles of her arms flex beneath the thin fabric of her uniform shirt. “Sorry to have kept you two waiting. I had to stop by Cartos’ office to pick up a few things for the meeting. By the way, commander, Cartos told me to remind you that you have a meeting with Captain Haubert in an hour.”

“Thanks,” Genya took a sip from his drink before turning back to Chrono. “We should probably get down to business then.”

Chrono nodded as a waitress brought Ginga’s drink over. It was a huge mocha, topped high with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and syrup. It looked more like a milkshake than a cup of coffee. “So, Genya tells me you’ve got something that might be relevant to my little problem.”

Ginga nodded as she sipped her drink. “I’ve been working on a few smuggling cases,” she said as she lowered the glass. “There’s been a major rise in them ever since the new trade regulations came out. There’s been a big flood of Equestrian stuff on the market, particularly antiquities and organic samples. A few days ago one of our squads apprehended someone trying to smuggle a large shipment of Poison Joke seeds into Cranagan.”

Chrono winced. “I’ve heard horror stories about that stuff. Good thing you caught them.”

Ginga nodded. “Thankfully, we‘re not on our own on this. But while the Church has been doing well to catch people trying to sneak through with items that could be considered Lost Logia, we can’t be everywhere at once. We’ve been hearing rumors from our sources that there’s going to be a big turnover soon; a large-scale sale of antiquities and other objects that’re against the Bureau-Equestrian Trade Agreement.”

“And you think our common enemy will be there?” Chrono rubbed his chin. “That does sound like something he’d be involved in.”

“I doubt he’ll be there himself,” Genya replied. “He’ll most likely do it via proxy, like the rest of his business dealings. But if it’s something this high-profile, then he’s bound to act.” He paused as a soft hum came from his pocket. He read down and quickly produced a small cell phone. “Sorry, I need to take this. Could you two give me a moment?”

“Of course,” Chrono nodded as Genya stood up and walked off. He glanced back at Ginga, noticing the unhappy expression on the young woman’s face. “Something the matter, Master Sergeant?”

“It just… bothers me, sir,” she replied. “From what I’ve gathered from my father, this isn’t an official investigation. You’re not even supposed to be fielding any cases given your position and condition.”

“And you’d be correct,” Chrono replied. “But trust me, this is for a good cause.”

“Is my little sister involved in this ‘cause’ as well?”

Chrono sighed. “Subaru and the other trainees aren’t involved in this particular case.”

Ginga’s eyes narrowed. “You’re positive?”

“You have my word,” Chrono replied, raising his hand as though taking an oath.

“Good.” Ginga chewed thoughtfully on her straw as she drank her coffee. She then lifted her head up and focused directly on Chrono. “I want in.”

Chrono quirked an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

“I want in,” Ginga repeated. “Whatever this case is, it’s clearly got you and dad spooked. If nothing else, I’ll be able to keep an eye on you two.”

“Ginga,” Chrono said slowly, “this isn’t a simple case. I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe if you get involved in this mess. If certain individuals get wind of what we’re doing, you could lose a lot, starting with your career…”

“I didn’t join the Ground Forces to be safe,” Ginga replied. “And somebody has to watch out for dad and Subaru.”

“I’m pretty sure I can look after myself.”

Ginga jumped slightly as Genya rested his hand on her shoulder, then took a seat. “Sir, I-”

Genya waved her off, then turned to Chrono. “It’s up to him, Ginga. What do you say, Chrono? Should I have one of my best investigators get involved with our little conspiracy?”

Chrono sighed, then shrugged. “What the hell, why not? Better to have you on board then leave you hanging in the dark, Ginga.”

Ginga nodded in satisfaction. “Thank you, sir.”

“We’ll have to get you outfitted, of course,” Chrono continued. “If you’re going to be running around with Subaru, you two should at least be on even footing.”

Ginga giggled softly. “Sir,” she said, a hand going to her lips, “with all due respect, we’ve never been on equal footing.”

“Well then, I’ll expect you to pull your weight, Master Sergeant Nakajima.”

“Of course, sir.”

“Now,” Chrono tapped his fingers on the tabletop as Ginga took another drink, “when and where is this big sale you were talking about?”

“It’s a few days from now.” Ginga stirred the whipped cream into her coffee as she spoke. “It’s at a private auction, at the Hotel Augusta…”

Reinforce quietly inspected the pair of Relics hovering before her. Both gems were identical to the naked eye, their crystalline shapes flawless and their colors bright.

Of course, the truth was nowhere near as simple as that.

“Whenever you’re ready, Buch der Helleslicht.”

“Thank you, Farther,” Reinforce replied. The tiny alicorn lifted her head up and closed her eyes, willing power through her horn. Her magic flowed outwards, caressing the gems gently as she tried to attune herself to their resonance, the ‘signal’ of their magic.

Now, the ancient Device thought as her ears perked forward, what secrets are you hiding?

She could feel the gentle pulse of energy wash over her. Just like before, she could hear something faint, like bits of a song buried beneath heavy static.

No… not a song… She focused, diverting more processing power from her core programming. I hear… words?

…min… …tareeqil… …atfaal…

Reinforce’s eyes shot open, the connection breaking instantly. Her breath heaved as she tried to catch her breath, even though she didn’t require air to function.

“Buch der Helleslicht, what is wrong? Respond!”

“I’m fine,” Reinforce replied as she steadied herself. “All is well. Do not be alarmed.”

Those words… that voice… Reinforce shook her head. I don’t recognize them, and yet… they sound familiar somehow. Why?

Evening slowly rolled around, the orange sun setting over Long Arch as Mid-Childa’s twin moons rose high in the sky. Teana yawned widely as she walked with her fellow squad members towards the barracks.

“Come on, Scootaloo, just tell me already!” She could hear Subaru begging.

Teana rolled her eyes. Ever since they’d finished practicing, the Pegasus had been smiling like a cat that had caught the canary. She could care less, but it was clearly driving Subaru bonkers.

“Once we get inside, sure,” she heard Scootaloo reply.

“Awww… come on!”

Teana sighed. “Oh stop tormenting her, featherhead,” Teana replied as she glanced back at the pair. “Just tell her already.”

Scootaloo snorted, then smirked triumphantly. “Fine, if that’s the way you want to play it. I’ve managed to figure out how to beat the drone’s AMF.”

That caught Teana’s attention. She stopped and turned as Subaru gasped.

“Seriously? That’s awesome!” Subaru was almost bouncing with giddy glee. “You’ve got to tell me now! How’d you figure it out? I mean, I know you had difficulty with the AMF disrupting your spell matrix, but if you’ve discovered a work-around that doesn’t require cartridges-”

“Sheesh, Subs, breathe!” Scootaloo waved her hooves at the blue-haired girl. “Besides, it’s not like it’s a big deal. I mean, anypony could’ve figured it out. Right, carrot-top?”

Teana felt her lips twist as Scootaloo smirked at her. “Right. Anybody could.”

Subaru paused quickly glancing between Teana and Scootaloo. “Uh… y-yeah. Go team…” She laughed weakly, running a hand through her hair.

“Anyway,” Scootaloo continued, trotting past Teana, “let’s go on inside, Subaru. Maybe you can give me your opinion on my work.”

Did she figure out how the variable coating trick worked? Teana scowled as the pair walked off. Impossible. There’s no way she’s that clever. Special Instructor Sparkle must have helped her… right?

She exhaled and shoved her hands into her pockets, then trudged along after Subaru and Scootaloo. She only paused when she saw Spike watching her from the steps as her other squad-mates headed inside.

She frowned at the petite purple dragon. “What?”

“I didn’t say nothin’,” Spike replied, crossing his arms. “What’s got you all ticked off, eh?”

“None of your business,” Teana growled as she stepped through the doors.

12: Hotel Augusta

Long Arch

Central Mid-Childa (Cranagan District)

Early Morning

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” came the reply. Teana did her best to stifle a yawn as the gold-coated mare took her place at the head of the room.

“Today’s briefing will be slightly different,” Fate said as her horn lit up, the lights dimming slightly as the briefing room’s screens winked on. “We’ve been assigned another mission. We’ll be assisting the Ground Force’s investigation division during a high-profile civilian event.”

High profile? Teana blinked as the others whispered amongst themselves.

Fate held up a hoof for quiet as the screens flicked over a set of images. Said images consisted of a huge building complex in the center of a large forest. The structure loomed over the lush greenery like a blocky piece of modern art, all smooth lines, white-and-gray surfaces and shiny glass. The other screens displayed satellite and aerial views of what looked like the area around the building.

“This is Hotel Augusta,” Fate said, turning to glance up at the images. “It’s a five star hotel and conference center located a bit over two hours southeast of Cranagan, and the site of the annual Inter-Dimensional Art and Antiquities Auction put on by the Londo Bell Trust.

“Stars and Lightning Squads will be assisting a Ground Forces investigation team on-site.” Fate continued as a detailed floor plan of the hotel popped up. “Since this is a high-profile auction, there will be a lot of important and influential individuals there from all across the Bureau’s allied worlds. That includes Equestria, in case you were wondering.” Fate paused as she glanced back to the assembled Forwards “Yes, Erio?”

“You said we’re going to be assisting the Ground Force’s investigative division, ma’am,” Erio replied. “Are they looking for someone?”

Fate nodded. “Auctions like these tend to have a lot of back room deals and other under-handed behavior. Apparently there were reports of possible illegal smuggled goods being traded today, which is why the GF are investigating.”

“However,” Fate continued, looking quite stern, “we won’t be investigating. RIOT Force is there in a strictly supportive role. We’re to provide security and support for the GF investigators on the ground. This is their operation; we’re only helping. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Teana and the others replied.

“Good. Now, given the clout the civilians have, I expect everyone to be on their absolute best behavior. I don’t think I need to remind you that your actions will reflect on both RIOT Force and Captain Harlaown.” Teana swallowed as Fate’s ruby-eyed gaze swept over her, though she did notice Scootaloo’s ears fold back nervously. “However, I’m sure that won’t be an issue. Any further questions before we move on to duties and schedules?”

Subaru raised her hand. “Um, ma’am, where’s Special Instructor Sparkle? Shouldn’t she be here doing the briefing as well?”

“Special Instructor Sparkle is currently on-site with Captain Harlaown and Dr. Scrya to brief hotel security and the investigation team. Anything else?” She paused for a moment, then nodded when no other hands (or hooves) went up. “Good. Let’s move on…”

The briefing moved quickly, and Teana had to admit, it was certainly a change of pace. Unlike Twilight, who seemed to treat briefings like she was explaining a lesson or outlining a project, Fate’s briefings were quick and to the point. There were no wasted words or extraneous information. Fate outlined their duties, explained the procedures, and seemed to trust them to do their jobs. When one of the others asked a question, Fate promptly and concisely answered, giving as much information as needed and nothing more. It was like night and day compared to Special Instructor Sparkle.

Then again, she thought, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle is one of the Shadowbolts. It makes sense she’s used to doing these sorts of briefings…

“Now,” Fate concluded, her horn lighting up as she deactivated the screens, “we leave in one hour. I expect you all to be ready at the helicopter in proper uniform by then. Dismissed.”

Teana quickly rose to her feet, gesturing for the others to follow, only to pause when she heard Fate speak.

“Privates Scootaloo and Lanster, I’d like to have a quick word in private.”

Teana felt a brief chill run down her spine. Subaru glanced at her, then gave a reassuring smile and thumbs up as she stepped out of the room, following behind Lightning Squad.

Teana tried not to look nervous as she turned, walking over and falling into parade rest beside Scootaloo. Scootaloo, to her credit, looked like a school filly waiting outside the principal‘s office.

Fate waited until the door was shut before she began. “I know you two have… issues with one another. Twilight’s kept me updated on the both of you and while you two seem to have straightened things out, she still has some concerns.”

She glanced from Teana, to Scootaloo, then back to Teana. “Are there going to be any problems during the mission that I need to know about?”

“No, ma’am,” Teana replied promptly.

Scootaloo shook her head. “None here, ma’am.”

“Good,” Fate replied. “I just wanted to make sure. Unlike Twilight, I don’t mind if the two of you aren’t friends. So long as you do your jobs and follow protocol, we should be fine. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they replied quickly.

“Good. Dismissed.”

Teana saluted, then quickly walked out of the room, followed closely by Scootaloo. She could hear the clip-clopping of the pegasus’ hooves behind her as they made their way out of the building and toward the barracks.

“So,” Teana said as Scootaloo fell in beside her, “are you going to have a problem with me?”

“Nope,” Scootaloo replied bluntly.

“Good.”

“Are you going to have a problem with me?” Scootaloo’s tone was flat.

“No.” Teana’s reply was just as blunt as Scootaloo’s.

“Great. I’d hate to have the bosses pissed at me.”

“On that,” Teana replied, “we can agree.”

“At least there’s that, carrot top.”

“Indeed, feather-duster.”

Scootaloo grimaced. “Actually, let’s drop the name-calling for now.”

“I will if you will.”

“Fine. Done.”

“Good.”

This is going to be a long day, Teana thought idly as they climbed the stairs up to the barracks doorway.

Hotel Augusta

Central Mid-Childa (Cranagan District)

Mid-Morning

“So we’ve informed the hotel staff and security about our presence, have access to the hotel’s security cams, acquired complete access to the hotel’s data stream, ran the hotel’s guest list and the list of invited auction patrons against the Bureau’s database for any possible matches and did a perimeter sweep to analyze the surrounding landscape. Anything else we need to cover?”

Chrono chuckled slightly as he noticed Ginga’s rather non-plussed reaction to Twilight. The purple unicorn was quite chipper for being up so early. Of course, part of that might have been the holographic checklist emitting from the Device hanging around her neck.

“Um… thank you, Ms. Sparkle,” Ginga managed, the pair of plain-clothes Ground Force members flanking her looking a bit pole-axed as well. “I… think that might be all, unless there’s anything else.”

“Oh, there’s plenty. Do you mind if I synchronize Raising Heart with your Device?” After Ginga nodded, Twilight’s horn lit up, the magenta glow mixing with Raising Heart’s pink. “I’m transferring an annotated floor plan of the hotel and the surrounding area, with particular attention to areas that might be used as escape routes or points of ingress. I’ve also included some basic information and personal observations on some of the Equestrian guests, or at least those I’m familiar with. It’s not much, but I’m sure it’ll help narrow down your investigation.”

“Thanks…” Ginga seemed slightly overwhelmed.

“No problem! Glad to help. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should probably check in on Yuuno. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Ginga.”

Ginga exhaled and looked over to Chrono as Twilight trotted off. “She’s a lot more intense than I remember.”

“She can be that way,” Chrono replied. “Though I’m surprised. After seeing the way Subaru acts around her, I was expecting you to be a bit more starry-eyed.”

Ginga shook her head. “Subaru’s the fan-girl, not me. I’ve got nothing but respect for Ms. Sparkle for the work she does, but I’m not really the academic sort. I always got bored when dad took us to her lectures. Plus, I never really got on board with the whole pony-mania thing.”

“Understandable.” Chrono tucked his good hand into his pocket. “I was the same way when we made first contact. Just to warn you, it can grow on you if you stay in too close of a proximity.”

“I’m sure.”

“I have to admit, I’m wondering why you didn’t bring more staff with you.” Chrono glanced at the other two investigators.

“The commander and I decided that a small group would be better suited for this particular scenario,” Ginga replied. “Too many people might tip off whoever’s behind the sale that something’s up. That’s also why we’re in plain clothes instead of uniform.”

“Well, we’ll do everything possible to support you,” Chrono replied.

“I appreciate that, Captain,” Ginga smiled slightly. “Let’s just hope there isn’t an attack or something. The last thing we need is large scale panic at an event like this.”

“Don’t worry. We’ve taken steps to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Excellent.” Ginga glanced at her wrist as a small holographic clock popped up, showing the time. “When will your people be in position?”

“They should be arriving soon. Is there anything in particular you’ll need, or should they just stick to assignments?”

Ginga hmmed softly. “I could probably use at least one of them attached to my team, just in case things go south. Ideally someone that would fit in with the crowd and won’t attract too much attention. And before you ask, I’m automatically ruling Subaru out. I love my little sis, but she can be… excitable sometimes. Think you can spare someone?”

Chrono nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Spike couldn’t help but look around as he and the other Forwards walked into the hotel lobby. An enormous abstract sculpture of lavender glass dominated the sun-lit room, the lights inside casting pools of shimmering purple light onto the gold and white tiled floor and polished wooden walls. Smartly-dressed hotel staff were scurrying about, their black suit-jackets and well-polished shoes matching their air of professionalism, though Spike couldn’t help but notice some of them staring in their direction.

“Sheesh,” he muttered softly, so that only his squad mates could hear him. “Reminds me of some of those hotels in Manehattan. I can almost smell the money…”

Caro glanced over at him. “Can Equestrian dragons do that?”

“Huh? You mean smell money?” Spike blinked as Caro nodded, then laughed. “I wish. But trust me, you see enough swanky places like this, you learn to recognize dough when you see it.”

“You really shouldn’t be surprised, considering this place is a five-star hotel,” Teana replied as she glanced up at the sculpture.

“Yeah, yeah… hey, here comes Twi and Yuuno.”

Spike fell in along with the other Forwards as Twilight and Yuuno walked up. Twilight, thankfully, seemed to be rather perky. “Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, ma‘am” they replied. The large purse Caro was carrying wobbled as Friedrich peeked his head out and chirped a reply.

Twilight glanced from side-to-side, then huffed. “Where’s Fate? She should be here…”

“Captain Testarossa-Sparkle’s checking in with Knight Squad, ma’am,” Teana promptly replied. “She told us to come in ahead.”

“Well, good. That saves a bit of time then.” Twilight paused, nodded to herself before continuing. “Now, as I’m sure you all have been briefed on the situation. We’re here as support personnel, just in case anything goes wrong. Do your jobs, but try not to make too much of a fuss or attract any undue attention.”

Sure, Spike thought sarcastically, tell the purple dragon not to attract attention…

“Now, both Stars and Lightning Squads will be covering the hotel itself. Knight Squad will be patrolling the outer perimeter for the duration of the event.” Twilight paused as Teana’s hand shot up, though Subaru’s hand was almost as quick. “Yes, Private Lanster?”

“Just out of curiosity, what sort of security will the actual event have?”

“Mostly hotel security, but they won’t be alone.“ Twilight smiled. “I’ll be in the audience in case anything happens.”

“And I‘ll be on the stage myself,” Yuuno added. “I‘m serving as the Trust‘s expert in antiquities.”

“Captains Harlaown and Testarossa-Sparkle will serve as on-site command for this mission. But, like I said, we’re here as guests of the Ground Forces investigation team. Unless Captain Harlaown states otherwise, you’re to defer to their authority. Now, your question, Subaru?”

“Who’s on the investigation team?”

Twilight coughed softly. “That would be Master Sergeant Nakajima…”

Subaru’s eyes widened. “Sis is here?!”

“Yes.”

Hey Erio, Caro, Spike asked telepathically, did you guys know Subaru’s sister was with the Bureau?

Nope.

Uh-uh…

Huh… Spike zoned back in quickly.

“Anyway,” Twilight continued, a quick glance quickly quieting Subaru, “Captain Harlaown just sent me a message. I’m going to need someone to work with Master Sergeant Nakajima. So…”

Teana promptly raised her hand. “I’ll volunteer, ma’am.”

“Excellent. Teana, you come with me. As for the rest of you,” Twilight’s horn glowed as Raising Heart chimed softly. “I’ve sent patrol assignments to your Devices. Please make sure to check in with Captain Harlaown before you start your routes, alright?”

“Yes ma’am!” Spike saluted along with the others before looking up at Subaru. “Hey, uh… so, your sis is in the Bureau?”

Subaru blushed. “Well, she’s with the Ground Forces like me and Tea.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The GF is affiliated with the Bureau, but they’re technically separate entities… it’s kinda complicated…”

Scootaloo perked her ears slightly. “Kinda like how the Wonderbolts are considered part of the Guard, even though they’re a completely separate unit?”

“Well… kinda.” Subaru scratched her head, then shrugged. “But yeah, let’s go with that. Anyway, my whole family’s military. My dad’s a Major and head of Battalion 108, and my big sis is a Master Sergeant with the Ground Forces Investigation Unit. My mom… was part of the same unit too…”

“Cool!”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Erio said as he glanced at his wrist-mounted Device, “but we should probably get to work.”

“Oh, yeah, totally.” Spike grinned nervously. “Right. What’s our assignment?”

“Nervous, Lanster?”

Teana started slightly at Ginga’s question. She was trailing just a few steps behind the lavender-haired investigator, feeling just a little self conscious as they made their way down the hall. “N-no ma’am. Not really.”

Ginga glanced back at her and smirked slightly.

“Well,” Teana reached up and fiddled with the tip of one pigtail, “maybe just a bit. This is a pretty big assignment.”

“I can imagine. Believe me, a party full of ridiculously wealthy civilians is the last thing any investigator wants to face. Just smile, nod politely, and stay aware of your surroundings.”

Teana nodded quickly. “Got it. That I can do.”

Ginga paused at the entrance to one of the viewing rooms, where the various pieces up for auction were being displayed. The various patrons had already begun circulating in, both human and pony alike. Ginga gestured for Teana to join her, then nodded into the room. “See anyone suspicious?”

Teana quickly scanned over the room, watching the various patrons as they mingled and inspected the goods. “Not really. Then again, I don’t recognize anyone…”

“Excuse me, miss, but do you mind if I pass by?”

Teana blinked and turned around, then glanced down at the pony that had just addressed her. He was a unicorn, with an ivory-white coat, a thick blue mane and tail, and a quite handsome mustache. A gold monocle perched on one of his eyes, and he was dressed in a royal blue suit jacket over a gold-buttoned shirt.

“Oh! Um, sorry…” Teana stepped out of the way.

“Oh, it’s no bother,” the stallion politely replied as he trotted into the room. Teana took quick note of the triple-crown mark on his flanks as he passed her by.

“That’s Fancy Pants,” Ginga muttered surreptitiously to Teana. “Special Instructor Sparkle’s notes included him. Noted philanthropist and patron of the arts. Old money. Lives in Canterlot.”

Teana nodded as she watched the stallion genially fall into conversation with a few other patrons. “Think he might be in on something?”

“Doubt it. From what the file said he’s strictly on the up-and-up.”

“So are a lot of other people here, I bet. Doesn’t mean he’s got his hooves in some scheme…”

Teana paused, then glanced over at Ginga. The Investigator’s expression was flat and neutral, save for an arched eyebrow. “Um… sorry, ma’am.”

“No, it’s perfectly reasonable,” Ginga replied. “Given we’re looking for possible black market deals, it makes sense to be suspicious of anyone wealthy enough to pay for such things. Just be careful to not confuse bias with suspicion, Lanster.”

Teana grimaced. “Yes, ma’am…”

Ginga nodded. “Let’s keep moving. We don’t want to stay in one place too long.”

Teana nodded and fell in beside Ginga once again.

“So,” Ginga said as they walked, “how‘s your training going?”

Teana shrugged. “It’s… different. I’ve never been in advanced classes or anything, but Special Instructor Sparkle’s a lot different from the instructors at the academy.”

“She loves lecturing, doesn’t she?”

Teana snorted and chuckled. “Yeah, she does. How’d you-”

“Dad took us to her lectures a couple of times. Believe me, that mare can talk. Half the time I‘m convinced she doesn‘t even breathe.”

Teana glanced into another one of the viewing rooms. “Yeah. And Subaru just hangs on her every word.”

“Trust me, she’s always been that way.” Ginga shook her head. “Ever since the incident at the airport, she’s been obsessed with ponies in general and Twilight Sparkle in particular.”

“Yeah…” Teana grimaced. “That’s probably why she gets along with Scootaloo so well.”

“Probably. And yes, I‘ve heard all about her from Subaru‘s letters. That and how you‘ve been jealous.”

Teana felt her cheeks flush. “I am not jealous.”

Ginga snorted. “Please. I remember when you came to visit us while you two were on leave from the Academy. You barely left Subaru’s side the entire trip. Hell, I had trouble getting alone time with her, and I’m her big sister.”

Teana grunted and glanced down at the ground.

“Look, it’s okay to be jealous,” Ginga said gently. “I know you and Subaru are close. And I know about your… issues with ponies. I understand that this whole situation makes you angry, but you knew this situation was going to happen eventually.”

Teana closed her eyes and inhaled. “I know. It’s just…”

She paused as she felt Ginga’s hand rest on her shoulder. She turned and glanced up at the older woman.

“Relax,” Ginga said with a faint smile. “You’re a smart kid. You’ll work through it eventually.”

“Thanks.”

“And you also know,” Ginga’s hand tightened slightly, though her tone remained light and pleasant, “that if you break my little sister‘s heart, I’ll break you like a twig.”

Teana grinned nervously. “You don’t have to worry, ma’am.”

“Good.” Ginga nodded and released her. “Now, let’s focus. Keep your eyes pealed for any suspicious characters.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The guests that filed through the entryway to the hotel’s conference center were all well-dressed. It was a formal situation after all, and it would not do for someone to look less than their best. Some of the more jealous or gossipy sorts were keeping their eyes on their fellow’s appearance and clothing, hoping to spot something juicy to offer the high-society rumor-mill.

Some, however, were looking for other things entirely. One such person stood across from the table that handled invitations, watching her companion idly flirt with the man behind the desk.

She was short, only a few inches over five feet. Her hair was a pale gray and spilled down her back like a thick curtain, framing her delicate-looking face. Her left eye was the same gray color as her hair, while the right was hidden by a black patch. She was dressed in a masculine fashion, with a dark gray suit over an ivory blouse. Her hands were tucked into her pockets, and her face was almost aggressively neutral as she watched her brown-haired and bespectacled associate.

I think that‘s enough messing around, Quattro. Her telepathic message was a little impatient.

Awww, Cinque. She could almost feel the pout in the reply. Can’t I have any fun?

What you do on your own time is your own business. Right now, however, we have work to do.

Fine…

Cinque shook her head as she sighed in irritation. She could hear Quattro’s high-heels click on the floor as she approached, the white, fur-collared coat she was wearing rustling over the tight-fitting, cherry-red silk dress she was wearing. “Are we in?”

“Of course. Did you really think we wouldn’t have an invitation?” Quattro adjusted her eyeglasses with a single finger, the lenses glaring in the light as she glanced down at her. “Relax, big sis. We’re right on schedule.”

“Make sure we stay that way.” Cinque leaned down and picked up the black leather briefcase resting beside her feet, then turned and walked off with Quattro.

“Of course. I’ll make sure to keep both my eyes on the prize,” Quattro replied, faux-sweetness dripping from her words. “That way, you can focus on what you’re good at.”

Cinque made a point of ignoring Quattro’s comment. Unlike her younger siblings, she knew better than to give Quattro the opening. Miss Alpine, she sent to her other companion, are you in position?

Yes. It was a simple word, uninflected. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought a machine was replying.

Good. If things get out of hand, you know what to do.

Yes.

Thank you. Cinque repressed a shudder. There was something… unsettling about that dead-eyed young girl. Of course, that wasn’t the only reason she was unsettling, given who and what her companions were. Is there anything else you need?

Have you heard anything from the Doctor about Mister Zest?

Not yet. The Doctor’s probably still giving him his check-up. Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll be fine.

He will be. Agito is with him.

Yeah… Cinque re-focused. The less she thought about Zest and his little companion, the better. She and Quattro had a deal to execute.

Looks like everything’s going well, Chrono thought to himself as he walked along the balcony overlooking the main stage. People in expensive suits and dresses were milling about, quietly talking amongst themselves as staff went about preparing for the auction. His good hand gently fondled S4U’s Standby Form, the black card tucked into his jacket pocket.

“Excuse me, sir,” someone addressed him from behind, “but do you have a ticket?”

Chrono glanced back at the individual in question. He was a tall, fair-skinned man with emerald green hair that reached down to his mid-back. He was dressed in a sharp, well-tailored white suit with a red tie, and his narrow eyes gave him an expression of faint amusement.

“Of course,” Chrono replied with a smirk. “I could ask the same of you, though. Do your superiors know you’re avoiding your duties, Inspector Acous?”

Acous chuckled and gave a Gallic shrug. “You got me there, Captain Harlaown. Then again, it’s not ‘avoiding’ if you’re taking the day off.”

Chrono shook his head as Acous walked over and leaned against the balcony railing. “It’s hard to believe a dandy like you is related to Director Gracia.”

“Oh, my half-sister is well aware of how lazy I am,” Acous replied slyly, then gave his hair a quick flip. “She just puts up with me because of my winning personality and good looks. Same could be said of my bosses, too.”

“If only your work ethic was as strong as your vanity.“ Chrono rolled his eye and leaned up against the balcony as well. “I guess you’re here for the auction, then? I didn’t know your salary was that good.”

“I might be here to pick a few things up,” Acous replied, his eyes narrowing. I’ve got the information you wanted, he whispered telepathically.

“Unless you’ve managed to convince Carim to let you at the Church coffers, then I think you might be a bit disappointed.” We’ll handle that later. I’m a bit busy right now.

Acous rolled his eyes. “I’m not some pauper, Harlaown. I’m sure I can afford at least one or two of the pieces I have my eye on.” Good, though you probably won’t like what you’ll hear.

“Assuming someone doesn’t beat you to them.” That’s nothing new. Anything I should know right now?

“Well, if that happens I’ll just have to talk to them in private.” You might want to tell your associates to watch out for some of the ponies. Someone from Equestria was bringing something big in to sell here.

“You can’t always get by on good looks, Acous.” Isn’t smuggling a bit outside your authority? Didn’t realize it was an Internal Affairs issue.

Acous grinned and tightened his tie. “Not when you look as good as me.” This comes from the customs official my office investigated. He was taking bribes from smugglers to let through illegal Lost Logia.

“Dandy,” Chrono accused. I’ll let them know.

“Guilty as charged.” Acous checked his wristwatch. “I should probably head downstairs and see if I can get a read on some of the other bidders. Don’t want to lose out, after all.”

“Go have fun, you smarmy prick,” Chrono replied with a shooing motion. “Just don’t come to me for sympathy if you get in trouble.”

Acous chuckled and gave him a jaunty wave as he walked off. I’ll meet you at the bar later on, Harlaown.

Sure. I’ll let you know when I’m available. Chrono turned back to the people below, his eye narrowing slightly. Fate, Twilight, I have some information. Relay it to the investigation team and the Forwards.

Rodger that, Special Instructor Sparkle, Subaru replied, glancing over at Scootaloo as they walked along the upper walkway overlooking the main courtyard. She let out a soft sigh, pausing as she looked down at the grass and flowers below.

“Something up?” Scootaloo paused, turning to face her.

“I guess. Just worried about Teana, that’s all. Now that we know we’re looking for a pony…”

Scootaloo snorted. “Are you kidding? She’s probably all smiles. She gets to work out her frustrations on somepony who isn’t me. Not that I’d inflict her on… well, there’s a few ponies I’d sic her on, but still…”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Subaru said nervously, nibbling on her lower lip.

“Come on, really?” Scootaloo reared up and rested her front hooves on the railing. “I mean, I know she’s a hot head, and we’ve got problems, but…”

Subaru shook her head. “It’s not about you, Scoots. It’s… well… um…” Subaru glanced down. “It’s… kinda complicated. And personal.”

“What? Did a pony kill her parents or something?”

Scootaloo paused as Subaru looked at her. Her smirk slowly faded. “Oh… horse feathers. Is that really…”

“Her brother, actually.” Subaru turned back to look down at the courtyard. “It was during a joint operation with a bunch of Equestrian military ponies. It was a real big mess in… I think it was Manehattan?”

“Yeah, I heard about that.” Scootaloo winced. “Heard it got ugly. Bunch of criminal ponies using super-illegal magitech. Stuff that could super-charge magic or something. So her brother…”

“Killed during the operation. Lucky lightning bolt from a pegasus knocked him out of the sky. Broke his Jacket, too, so when he crashed, he… you know… crashed.”

Scootaloo blanched. “Oh… oh horseapples…”

“Yeah.” Subaru shuddered. “Then there’s what happened at the funeral.”

She could feel Scootaloo’s eyes on her. She swallowed, then continued despite her better judgment. “I only heard it from her… but it wasn’t very nice. Some of his superiors were… bad-mouthing him. Saying stuff. Like how he’d brought shame on the Air Force because he got killed by a pony. That if he’d tried harder, the Equestrians wouldn’t have had to clean up after his mess… stuff like that.”

She glanced over at Scootaloo. The orange pegasus had turned away and was staring blankly out into the distance. “So,” Scootaloo said softly, “that’s why she’s got it in for me.”

“It’s… it’s not like she hates you, Scootaloo,” Subaru hurriedly replied, holding up her hands defensively. “It’s just… well…”

“No, I get it. Makes a lot of sense now.” Scootaloo shook herself, then looked up at her. “So… if she hates ponies so much… why’s she hanging around with you? I mean, you’re kinda… you know… you.”

Subaru shrugged. “I… I was nice to her. She didn’t exactly have a lot of friends at the Academy. I… I guess I was the only one who actually seemed to care about her. I guess her need for friendship outweighed any… dislike she had for my interests.”

“Guess all those lessons on friendship really helped, eh?” The question was followed by a half-hearted chuckle.

“Yeah… Um, look.” Subaru hugged herself. “Could you… not tell Teana I told you? Like I said, this stuff’s kinda personal.”

“Lips’re zipped,” Scootaloo said, stroking one hoof over her mouth demonstratively.

“Thanks.”

“No prob.” Scootaloo huffed and shook herself, her feathers ruffling up. “We should probably get back on patrol before someone notices we’ve stopped.”

Subaru nodded, slipping her hands into her pockets and following after Scootaloo.

Tea, she thought to herself, I hope nothing bad happens to you…

Teana quietly walked through the hallways, her eyes scanning every individual she passed as she went. Ginga was nearby, just a few feet to her right as they slipped through the distracted crowds.

Looking for an Equestrian… figures. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Would make sense. Lots of stuff from Equestria’s considered contraband. Makes sense some wealthy pony would try to line his pockets selling illegal items.

She paused at one of the doorways as something caught her eye. It was fast; a tiny silver blur that flitted across her vision, zipping into one of the display rooms.

Huh? She turned and looked in the direction.

“Something up?” Ginga stepped up beside her.

“Just… thought I…“ She frowned and narrowed her eyes, then paused as she saw it again. A tiny silver flicker with spindly little wings, like an insect. It darted over the heads of the assembled humans and alighted on the rump of a well-dressed unicorn. His coat was cinnamon-colored, his mane and tail pleated and a vivid red color, much like his eyes. He was dressed in the Equestrian equivalent of a high-class suit, though the gold, red and orange paisley tie was a bit out of place. He seemed to start, but she could see his eye flick back to his hindquarters, right before he nodded and glanced over to his compatriots: a similarly well-dressed baby-blue unicorn stallion with a neatly cut lime-green mane and glasses, a stocky tan earth pony, and an orange Pegasus with a bored expression and a crew-cut grey mane.

I think we just found our marks, Teana whispered to Ginga. She pulled back and leaned against the wall, tucking one hand into her pocket to grab Cross Mirage.

Easy, Ginga warned as she did the same. What makes you think that’s them?

I saw something. I’m not sure what it was, but it looked like a… hold on… Teana closed her eyes and concentrated. Caro, you there?

Yes, Teana?

You’re a summoner. Can summoners summon stuff like… like bugs?

Bugs? Caro sounded confused.

Yeah. Because I just saw a little silver bug, and I don’t think it’s natural. Unless a high class hotel like this has some serious infestation issues.

I don’t know. Maybe? Let me check…

Check?

I can see if there’s a summon in the area… Summoners can sense the presence of summoned creatures… It’s hard to explain, but… just give me a moment.

Take your time, Teana muttered. I’m sure a little signal like that will-

FAALDOV! Caro squeaked in her native tongue. Pogaan paal! Ronax!

Caro?! What’s wrong?

T-there’s so many signals! Why didn’t I notice them when we arrived? Were they inactive? Oh Dragons protect us, Faaldovah spaan mu…

Caro, calm down, Erio interrupted. What’s the problem?

They’re everywhere. Two… three dozen signals. They’re so tiny; I didn’t even realize they were there!

This is Captain Harlaown, another voice interrupted. Caro, see if you can track down whoever’s summoning them.

R-right…

This is Stars One, Captain, Teana replied as the ponies trotted out of the room, heading down the hall at a brisk pace. The earth pony was carrying a black briefcase in his mouth. I may have spotted possible black market activity. Four ponies; one with a black briefcase.

Understood. Accessing security feeds now.

Good. Ginga, let’s go.

She moved from the wall, but Ginga quickly followed, clamping a firm but gentle hand on her bicep. Careful, she whispered mind-to-mind. We can’t let them know we’re following them.

Teana winced and ground her teeth. They’re right there. We can grab them right now…

We need confirmation first, Ginga replied sternly. And we’re definitely not going to try an arrest here in the middle of who knows how many civilians. We don’t need them getting caught in the crossfire if it comes down to a fight.

Teana exhaled. Yes, ma’am. My aplogies. I’ll follow your lead.

Good. Ginga released Teana’s arm, then began walking casually down the hall. Follow, and try to look casual.

Right… act casual… Teana grimaced, then walked after Ginga, doing her best to keep the quartet in view.

They’re heading for the hotel elevator, Chrono said over the telepathic link as Ginga and Teana turned down the corridors. Teana tried to suppress the urge to bolt ahead and catch them. She was soon in sight of the elevator banks as the bronze doors slid open, allowing the ponies entry. She started walking a bit faster, only to stop short as the doors slid shut.

“Damn…” She glanced upwards at the floor counter, the blue numbers ticking upwards.

“Don’t worry,” Ginga said gently. “We’re tracking them. They can’t get far.”

Cinque stood quietly behind Quattro as the former lounged on the suite’s couch.. The suite was an enormous, five-room affair, the carpets plush, the ceilings incredibly high, and the furniture covered in sleek expensive black leather. An equally expensive bottle of wine sat uncorked atop the black and gold-flecked granite bar, some of which had been poured into the goblet Quattro was swirling in her gloved hand.

“Are you actually going to drink any of that?” The question was pointed. “You know we can’t get drunk.”

“It’s all about aesthetics, dear sister,” Quattro replied cheerfully, crossing one leg over the other as she sniffed the contents of her glass. “We so rarely get to play dress up like Due does. You could at least pretend to enjoy it.”

“I’d rather just get this done with. There’s too much security here for my comfort.”

“Calm yourself, big sister.” Quattro took a deep sniff of the wine’s aroma, then sighed happily. “Zest’s little pet has the place quite literally bugged, and my Silver Curtain has this floor’s security cams baffled. Besides, if worst comes to worst, we also have the little pet’s personal guardian summon.”

Cinque glanced nervously at the carefully disguised air conditioning vent near the ceiling. Yet another reason she felt wary around the summoner girl. The little silver insects she controlled were hardly the only servants she had.

The door clicked softly, then swung open as a quartet of ponies enter the suite.

“Excellent!” Quattro set the goblet down and clapped her hands. “It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Mr. Jasper. Have you been enjoying yourself here on Mid-Childa?”

“As much as one can, yes,” the cinnamon-colored unicorn replied. He gestured with his head, the pale blue unicorn and orange pegasus fanning out to either side of the room as he took a seat across from Quattro. “I hadn’t expected my client to send proxies. I was under the impression he’d be here himself.”

“Unfortunately, he’s quite occupied,” Quattro replied with a smile. “But he sends his regards. Wine?”

“No, thank you.” Jasper replied. “Alcohol and business rarely mixes well.”

“Aw… you’re no fun at all.”

“I‘m simply being professional. You‘re not the only client I‘m meeting with today, after all. Now,” he clapped his front hooves together, the earth pony trotting closer with the briefcase, “let’s get down to business. Do you have the money?”

Cinque stepped around the couch with her briefcase, setting it down on the table and opening the locks. She turned it around, revealing the contents. The entire case was filled with neatly rolled and stacked cylinders of bits, the white and yellow seal of the Royal Bank of Equestria embossed on the sheathes.

“Goldbug,” Jasper looked to the earth pony. The stallion lowered the briefcase, then walks closer and carefully lifted one of the rolls from the case. He slowly opened it, pulling out one coin and inspecting the milling and embossed crest carefully, weighing it in his hoof before gently biting on it.

“It’s a legit Princess, boss,” Goldbug said, replacing the cylinder. “Twenty-five bit piece. I can taste the gold.”

“I‘m crushed. Did you actually think we‘d try to swindle you?” Quattro pouted, then put on her faux smile. “Ten thousand bits, as promised.”

“I don’t know how you managed to get all these bits,” Jasper snorted, his horn glowing orange as he shut the case, “but for the amount of work my associates put into acquiring this thing, it’s worth it.”

He reached for the case, only to pause as Cinque rested a hand on it. He quirked an eyebrow at Cinque’s one-eyed glare. “Is there a problem?”

“You’ll have to forgive her,” Quattro said cheerfully. “She’s a bit jumpy. Do you have the item?”

“Of course.” Jasper nodded to Goldbug, who produced his briefcase. “You have no idea how hard it was getting this through to Mid-Childa. I’m surprised it didn’t set off every single magic alarm they had.”

There was a soft click as the locks came off. Goldbug opened the case and stepped back. The item rested snugly inside a small containment cylinder, held snugly by the surrounding foam padding. Cinque noticed the pale blue unicorn blanch slightly, just before he turned away and trotted over to the window.

“Something like that,” Jasper said with a shudder, “just isn’t natural. Nothing but bad news, that. Hard to believe it came from a unicorn…”

Cinque turned her attention back to the case as she reached into her jacket pocket. Uno, this is Cinque, We have received the object. Now scanning to confirm if it’s authentic. Sending data to you right now.

Acknowledged. Proceed with the scan.

Spike kept pace with Caro as best he could as the petite mage slipped through the crowds, her pink eyes intense. Friedrich’s head was protruding from her purse’s flap, the silver dragon letting out an irritated trill.

I’ve never seen her act like this before, he sent to Erio as the pair trailed after Caro.

It might be because there’s another summoner here that got the drop on her. Erio adjusted Strada’s watch-form nervously as he hurried along. Summoners aren’t exactly common.

Then how does she know what to look for? I mean, I know Twilight gets weird feelings sometimes, but…

She told me once that summoning calls to Summoners. It’s like… I dunno… like someone’s blowing a dog whistle, I guess. Not everyone can hear the whistle, but the dogs can…

Whatever. That kind of stuff’s way over my-

Spike paused as Caro took a sharp turn, heading towards the garage entrance. “Hey, wait up!”

Caro paused, then blushed sheepishly as Erio and Spike caught up to her. “S-sorry. I just…”

“It’s alright,” Erio said gently. “But you really shouldn’t be rushing headlong into things.”

“Yeah,” Spike smirked, “that’s Erio’s job.”

“I know,” Caro replied as Erio shook his head. “I just… it’s just like…”

“Like what?” Spike quirked an eye-ridge as Caro hugged herself.

“A few weeks back, I thought I felt something watching us while we were training… it felt like a summoned creature’s… aura, I guess you’d call it?” She pushed the door open. “Then, when I did the scan just now, I felt the same aura… but it’s a lot stronger now.”

“So you’re saying whoever was spying on us is here too?” Erio glanced as Spike as they followed Caro through.

“I… maybe? It feels the same. I know it’s not much to-”

“I trust you, Caro,” Erio interrupted.

“Same here,” Spike agreed.

Caro glanced back at them, then smiled and nodded. “Thank you… now let’s hurry. We might be able to catch them. But be careful… if this is another summoner, then they’ll likely have their summons nearby.”

“Right,” Spike replied. “Let me just tell the others…”

Chrono was fidgeting with S4U’s card as he strode into the hotel’s security room. The large monitors decorating two of the walls were segmented into multiple smaller windows for each camera feed, while security staff quickly flipped between them under Fate and Shamal’s supervision. “What’s our status on the smugglers?”

“Not good,” Fate replied.

“How ‘not good’ are we talking?” Chrono commandeered one of the chairs and took a seat.

“As in we have no idea which room they went into,” Fate said flatly. “All we saw when the elevator doors opened was empty space.”

“What about the doors? One of them had to open…”

“None of them opened.” Fate turned to face Chrono. “Which means they either teleported while they were in the elevator, or there’s a skilled illusionist up there.”

“It’s likely the latter,” Shamal said as she raised a be-ringed hand. “None of the transit wards I set up with Klarwind picked up any teleportation signatures.”

Chrono hissed. “Damnit.”

“I’ve notified Knight Squad,” Fate said quickly. “They’re searching the outside of the building.”

“And what about Lightning?”

“We’ve got them on camera. They’re currently heading for the garage. Hopefully we’ll be able to spot if the summoner…”

“Hey!” one of the security guards shouted. “What happened with Camera G7?”

Chrono’s attention snapped to the monitor In question. One of the camera feeds was displaying static. Then the static began to spread, camera feeds winking off in flashes of purple light.

“What the…” Chrono rose quickly to his feet.

“Someone’s making their move.” Fate looked up at Chrono. “I’ll go assist Lightning. Notify Stars to go assist Teana and Ginga.”

“Right.”

The door to the garage creaked slightly as it opened. Erio was the first to slip through into the dim light, quickly scanning the area as he went. Spike followed close behind, the petite dragon adjusting his belt-mounted Device as he did so. Caro came in last, Kerykeion’s glowing gems pulsing softly.

“No doubt about it,” Caro whispered as Friedrich fluttered over and perched on her shoulder. “The signal’s definitely coming from here…”

“Yeah, perfect place too,” Spike said nervously as he eyed the rows of vehicles. “Plenty of places to hide.”

“You smell anything, Spike?” Erio hissed, slowly shifting his stance as they walked out into the center of the aisle.

Spike inhaled, then grimaced. “Kinda… smells weird though. Like wet metal mixed with mothballs.”

Friedrich let out a chirp. “Friedrich says he smells the same,” Caro translated.

“Doesn’t help much.” Erio huffed.

Caro shrugged and glanced about.

“So, uh,” Spike said, glancing up at Erio. “What do we do if we find this mystery summoner?”

“We… should probably try talking with them first,” Caro interrupted as Erio started to speak. “I mean… the last thing we want is a big battle, right?”

“I guess,” Spike replied. “I mean, it’d make a nice change of… wait…” He cupped one hand over one of his ear frills. “Does anyone else hear that?”

“You mean that buzzing noise?” Erio took a defensive stance.

“Y-yeah…” Caro sidled up behind Erio.

Spike nodded, taking up a defensive position behind Caro. “Sounds like… bugs.”

Caro shivered, then jerked slightly. “That way,” she shouted, pointing over Spike’s head. “There‘s a huge… signal…”

The buzzing slowly grew louder as a cloud of tiny purple lights began to spread outwards. There was a great, buzzing din, the garage lights reflecting off of thousands of tiny silver wings and needle-point limbs as the cloud approached.

“That’s… that’s a lot of bugs,” Spike said nervously as Erio quickly moved to stand beside him.

“Insektzug,” a soft, feminine voice commanded from behind the swarm, “hagel.”

“So much for trying diplomacy,” Spike said sardonically.

The swarm responded, dozens of the insects lighting up like matchsticks, coating themselves in purple light before shooting towards Lightning Squad like bullets.

“Everyone,” Erio shouted as he swung Strada up. “Devices!”

“Set Up!”

There was a flash of colorful light and flame as the first volley was blunted by their Set Up barriers. The second volley met much the same fate as Erio and Spike landed, sweeping blasts of green and orange fire and a whirling, electrified spearhead shocked and scorched the insects into ash.

The cloud of insects, meanwhile, swirled and buzzed, rapidly spreading outwards and encircling them. Erio could barely make out the sound of footsteps behind the swarm.

“She’s getting away!” Erio swung again, slicing Strada through another spray of bugs. “We need to stop her!”

“There’s too many of these stupid bugs,” Spike growled between gouts of flame. “We need some backu-”

“STRIKE LIGHTNING!”

A thunderclap rang out as golden lightning zig-zagged through the air. The insect swarm pulled back in response, separating into fleeing clouds. Static crackled in the air as Captain Testarossa-Sparkle slid to a halt in front of her squad, her braided mane and tail drifting through the air and her Device shimmering with yellow St. Elmo‘s fire.

“…Huh,” Spike said amusedly, “maybe I oughta wish for stuff more often.”

Fate glanced back at them. “Are you three alright?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Erio replied quickly and pointed past where the swarm had originated from, “but the summoner went that way. We need to find her!”

“Unfortunately, the security cameras are inactive,” Fate replied. “That means we’ll have to use our eyes and ears.”

“And magic,” Caro said softly. “I’m still picking up a signal… but with all the little summoned insects around, it’s distorted. I think she’s still in this general area, though…”

“Alright,” Fate nodded. “You kids start searching from here. I’ll head outside and move upwards from the ground level. Just be careful…”

Twilight did her best not to look too nervous. The little alcove she’d hidden herself in near the stage didn’t give her enough room to pace, and tapping her hoof had already gotten old. However, there was little else she could do.

If Chrono’s right, we might be looking at a major incident. Her gaze shifted nervously across the huge room. The seats were already half-filled, and the soft susurrus of small talk. Let’s just hope everyone can handle it.

She looked back as Yuuno quickly jogged down the stairway leading up to the stage. “Please give me some good news, Yuuno,” Twilight whispered urgently.

“I just spoke with the chairman,” Yuuno replied, a few beads of sweat forming on his brow. “I told him about the current situation, but he’s not going to call off the auction.”

Twilight ground her teeth. “That’s… not good.”

“The best he can offer is to delay it for an hour or so,” Yuuno continued as he wiped his brow. “If they call it off, it’s a massive hit to the trust’s reputation. Plus, we don’t want to cause a panic…”

“You know what tends to cause a panic, Yuuno? A fire fight in the middle of a crowded hotel!”

Yuuno shrugged. “I already told him that. He’s not budging.”

“Ugh…” Twilight sat down and pressed her hooves into her face. “This isn’t happening. I’d expect something this idiotic from some of the ponies in Canterlot…”

“Something the matter, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight looked up with a start, then glanced over at the familiar white-coated, blue-maned stallion. “F-Fancy Pants,” she squeaked, trying very hard not to sound too nervous. “No, sir. Nothing’s the matter, haha. Are you having a good time?“

“Of course,” Fancy Pants replied. “I do so enjoy rubbing shoulders with the well-to-do, as it were. Quite a nice change of pace from Canterlot, I must say.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.’ Twilight grinned nervously.

“Hope I’m not interrupting any official business you two might be doing.” Fancy nodded to Yuuno. “Dr. Scrya, always a pleasure.”

“Likewise, sir,” Yuuno replied. “Though you really shouldn’t let us distract you.”

“Oh, I’m hardly distracted,” Fancy Pants replied as his horn lit up. He produced a thin piece of folded paper from his jacket pocket. “But there is something that you may want to look at. Please relay this to your associates, if you don’t mind.”

Twilight blinked, then caught the bit of paper in her own field and carefully opened it. Her eyes flicked over the very precise hornwriting.

Suite 1819, North-East Corner of the Building. Two humans, three other ponies.

“Wait, how do you-” Twilight looked up, but Fancy Pants had already left, the stallion having slipped back into the crowd.

“Suite Eighteen-Nineteen?” Yuuno frowned and looked at Twilight. “Is that…”

“I don’t know how he got that information, but I’ll take what I can get,” Twilight replied. Chrono, this is Twilight. I just got a tip on where our smugglers might be hiding.

Scan complete. Uno’s voice echoed in Cinque’s mind. The energy signal is certainly atypical, but it matches the Doctor’s predictions. Bring it in.

Cinque pocketed the scanning device and nodded to Quattro. “It’s good.”

Jasper snorted. “Of course it’s good. You don’t get to my position by swindling clients. Not if you want your horn to stay attached to your skull. So, are we done here?”

“Of course. Don‘t let us keep you.” Quattro gave him a dismissive flick of her hand, like she was shooing away a child. “I’m sure you have clients much more important than us to deal with.”

“Of course.” Jasper levitated the briefcase full of bits over to Goldbug. The other stallion’s neck drooped slightly as the weight pulled his head down, but he promptly recovered. “It was a pleasure doing business with you. Stall, Posh, if you don’t mind?”

Cinque coughed as the other ponies rejoined their leader. “Sorry… but I have to just check one thing.” Her eyes settled on the pale blue unicorn, his eyes distant and unfocused behind his square-framed glasses. “Posh, was it?”

That seemed to zone him back in. “Properly Posh, yes,” he replied, his Canterlot-accented voice quiet.

Cinque approached him cautiously. “All this time, you were looking out the window. What, exactly, were you staring at?”

“Ma’am,” Jasper said brusquely, “is this really necessary?”

Cinque didn’t reply. She stared into Posh’s eyes. “Or were you doing more than just staring?”

The unicorn shifted nervously. “I was just enjoying the view, ma’am. Nothing more…”

“I doubt that, Mr. Posh.” Cinque’s fingers flexed. A slim, spear-point-bladed dagger made of navy blue metal flickered into existence in her hand. “Mister Jasper, you really should keep better tabs on your associates. And their communications.”

Jasper’s ears folded flat. “What’re you…”

Snikt!

The unicorn tried to dodge, but Cinque’s reaction speed was faster than his. A neat slice formed on the unicorn’s coat pocket. A marble-sized blue jewel rolled out through the slit and thumped onto the carpeted floor.

“I think you were doing a bit more than just staring into space, Mr. Posh,” Cinque said coolly.

There was a brief moment of silence before Jasper let out a very unpleasant snarl. “Stall,” he said, looking at the orange Pegasus before jerking his head over at Posh, “deal with this.”

The pegasus smirked. “Finally. ‘Bout damn time I got to punch something…”

“We don’t have time for this,” Cinque interrupted. “We don’t know who he’s been talking to. It’s likely that-”

It was right about then that the door burst inward. A tall woman in a TSAB Barrier Jacket with purple hair stepped through, the heavy-looking, white-and-purple gauntlet on her left arm whirring loudly as she entered. She was followed closely by a shorter, orange haired girl in a more elaborate Jacket. The orange-haired mage quickly leveled a pair of pistols in her general direction.

“Under TSAB authority, I’m placing you all under arrest,” the purple-haired woman said sternly, quickly taking a fighting stance. “Deactivate any Devices and surrender peacefully!”

Spike huffed softly as he and the others ran down the garage’s ramp, his clawed toes clicking on the concrete in time with his footfalls. “Anyone see her yet?!”

“No,” Erio replied, glancing around as they came to a halt. “But she can’t have gotten far. We’re running out of garage to check.” He glanced over at Caro. “Got anything yet?”

Caro nervously shook her head. “No… there’s still too much interference. Unless she summons something, I won’t be able to pin her location down…”

Spike huffed, then glanced up and down the rows of cars lining the garage walls. His nostrils flared slightly as he sniffed the air. “Wait… guys…”

“What?” Erio looked over at Spike as he lifted his head high, inhaling deep.

“I’m smelling it again. Wet metal and mothballs…”

Erio lifted his spear in a defensive posture. “You think those bugs are coming back?”

“No… I don’t think it’s the bugs I’m smelling…” He walked slowly down the line of cars, sniffing softly, before pausing behind a particularly large van. “I think I’m smelling… you!”

He spang around the van as he shouted, then paused. “Wha?”

A pale, petite girl looked at him from her crouched position behind the van. She was dressed in a black strapless dress with lavender and pale pink frills and ribbons, and was wearing a pair of black gloves with large, circular purple jewels on the backs of her hands. Her big, dark red eyes looked up at him, her gaze glassy and unemotional.

“Wait,” Spike slowly lowered his hands. “The summoner’s… a little girl?”

“Spike, watch out!”

There was a flash of purple-black energy and a loud, angry hiss as a figure appeared behind the girl. Training and muscle-memory went into autopilot as Spike’s hand sprang up, summoning a Panzerschild to shield himself from what was clearly an oncoming attack.

A three-inch-wide blade of black material struck his shield spell… then punched right through. Spike drew back, just barely in time for the razor-sharp blade to nick his cheek, slicing through his scales like they were paper. He swore he could hear a faint humming noise as it passed by his ear-hole.

Spike stumbled back, red blood trickling down his cheek as he sized up his opponent. It was humanoid, about a head taller than he was. Its body was mostly covered in glossy black armor, with sharp points and spikes emerging from the backs of its forearms, head, and knees. Glossy, wet-looking purple muscle was visible along the sides of its abdomen, neck, and in the chinks of its arm and leg armor. Its hands were three-fingered and thumbed, while its feet were broad and came down to two pointed talons. Its head resembled some of the super-hero helmets he’d seen in Mid-Childan comics, all sharply pointed and sleek, as did the tattered mauve scarf looped around its neck. Four glowing red eyes glared at him as it drew back one arm, a three-foot-long blade of chitin slowly sliding back into its forearm back into its holster. Four glowing, dragonfly-like wings folded back against its back, the veins dark against the purple light they were emitting.

“Spike,” Erio shouted as he and Caro flanked him, “are you alright?”

“Fine,” he hissed, slowly taking a defensive stance. “But it looks like our summoner doesn’t just summon little bugs.”

“I’ve… I’ve never seen a summon like that before,” Caro whispered softly.

The other summoner stepped up beside the bug-man. The summon let out a soft, chittering hiss, the lower part of its helm parting to reveal a maw of gleaming black pincers.

“It’s alright,” the summoner said gently as she touched its arm, her voice flat and uninflected. She then turned to look at Spike and the others. “I’m afraid we don’t have time to deal with you three.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Erio said as he leveled his spear at the bug-man. “You’re both under arrest. Order your summon to stand-”

“Garyu,” the girl said and pointed.

Garyu hissed, its arm blades extending with a single motion. He lunged forwards.

Spike grabbed Caro and dove out of the way as Erio dashed back, yellow sparks flying from his footsteps as Garyu sliced the ground he was standing on. The blades slid cleanly through the concrete. The summon quickly rose up and exposed its mouth again. There was a loud crack as it exhaled bolts of black energy outlined in reddish-purple light, the stream of shots scattering in all directions as it swept its head about. Spike quickly raised a barrier over himself and Caro, the deafening, thunderclap-like sounds that causing him to wince and cover his ears as best he could.

When Spike opened his eyes, the bug-man was gone, and more than a few cars were dented and scarred, their alarms ringing and jangling and blaring loudly. He bit back a curse as he climbed to his feet and ran over to where the girl had been standing. “You’ve got to be kidding me! They got away?!”

“They must’ve teleported,” Erio shouted as he ran over to Spike’s side. “I’ll contact Fate to let her know the situation!”

Teana felt her heart racing as she slowly stood, keeping her Devices trained on both the silver-haired girl and the ponies. This was it; an actual arrest. The ideal proving ground. She couldn’t afford to mess this up.

“Now, officer,” the brown-haired woman said as she smiled cheerfully and raised her hands in surrender, “there’s no need for this. This is a completely legitimate business deal…”

“Of course it is.” Ginga slowly walked over to the couch, the fingers of her Revolver Knuckle clenched tight and the gears slowly spinning. “I’m sure whatever business you were conducting had nothing to do with illegally smuggled goods from Equestria. Of course, we‘ll just have to see, won‘t we?”

The suited pony coughed loudly. “Miss, I’m not familiar with the way your Bureau works, but I’m pretty sure you can’t just come barging into a private room unless you have some proof…”

“We have plenty of proof,” Teana replied, shifting one gun to aim in his direction. “And I’d suggest you keep your mouth-”

“Enough, Lanster,” Ginga said sternly. “Just give him his rights and be done with it.”

“R-right.” Teana nodded, then glanced over at the silver-haired girl. She flicked her pistol at her. “Drop the knife.”

The silver-haired girl didn’t respond. Her single eye was intently focused on Ginga.

“Hey, did you hear me?” Teana took a cautious step back, leveling Cross Mirage at her. “I said drop the knife.”

The silver-haired girl glanced over at her, then over to Ginga, then back to her.

Ginga glanced over at her, her eyes widening. “Teana, watch-”

The silver-haired girl darted at her.

Teana started to shout as she pulled Cross Mirage’s trigger. The silver-haired girl ducked beneath the orange Shoot Barret, then grabbed one of Teana’s wrists and yanked her arm sharply, spinning her about. Teana squeaked in pain as she dropped one gun, her right arm pinned up against her back as the point of the knife pressed up against the left side of her rib-cage.

“Drop the other one,” the girl said, the point of the knife pressing in a bit more. She could feel it even against her Barrier Jacket.

“Nnngh.” Teana winced and tried to aim her other pistol in her general direction, only to feel the point of the knife press inwards. The spells that made up her Jacket crackled ominously.

Ginga raised a fist, but the silver-haired girl glared in her direction. “Trust me,” the girl said coolly, “her Jacket won’t protect her. Stand down.”

“Let her go,” Ginga said softly.

“Lower your Device and stand down. I‘d rather avoid unnecessary casualties.”

“Nnngh… don’t do it…” Teana winced as she felt her wrist bend just a bit further.

Ginga glared at the silver-haired girl, then slowly let her arm drop. Her Revolver Knuckle’s gears slowed to a stop.

“Excellent work Cinque,” the brown-haired one said gaily, clapping her hands as she let out a rather unpleasant giggle before looking at Ginga. “Looks like the tables have turned, eh, officer?”

“Shut up, Quattro,” Cinque said sternly. “Don’t let your guard down just yet.”

“Oh please,” Quattro said smugly as she walked around the table, passing behind Ginga. “As if a zero like this one could do anything to us.”

“I don‘t see how you can be so calm,” the cinnamon-colored unicorn snapped at Quattro. “If the authorities are here, then-”

Excuse me, miss?

Teana blinked as she heard an unfamiliar telepathic message, the voice drawing her attention away from the talking stallion. Who is this?

A friend. When I tell you, do your best to escape. I’ll handle the woman.

What? But-

Now.

Teana grimaced, but quickly started squirming.

“I suggest,” Cinque said ominously, “that you try not to-rrrk!”

Teana’s wrist came free. She dove, quickly rolling away and coming up into a firing position. Cinque’s hand clenched against a slim, glowing blue length of wire. The light matched the corona surrounding the blue unicorn’s horn. His expression was almost clinically detached.

And right about then, all hell broke loose.

The door to the stairs slammed open, leaving a dent in the wall as Subaru and Scootaloo barged through.

“Hang on Tea,” Subaru shouted, “back-up’s coming!”

“Let’s just hope they save some fighting for us,” Scootaloo said, grimacing as she walked on her skates on the thick carpet. “I’m getting a little antsy.”

A hollow boom shook the floor, the explosion coming from the blown-open door down the hall from them.

“Oh yeah.” Scootaloo smirked. “Definitely a good fight goi-”

“Tea! Sis!” Subaru bolted down the hall, her skates ripping up bits of carpet as she went.

“Hey, wait up!” Scootaloo galloped after her, her wings flapping fruitlessly. Thankfully, she did manage to catch up to Subaru just as they entered the suite.

The hotel room looked like a war zone, the mini bar reduced to huge chunks of stone and much of the furniture demolished. A purple-haired lady with a Revolver Knuckle like Subaru’s was engaged with one target, a brown-haired girl that seemed to flicker in and out of view. Teana, meanwhile, was trying to evade an orange pegasus as he zipped around the room. A silver-haired, one-eyed girl was engaging a well-dressed blue unicorn, who was doing his best to avoid her daggers. The cuts on his chest and the blood on his suit suggested he wasn’t being successful.

“Sis!” Subaru literally leapt headlong into action, her Revolver Knuckle whirling up to speed as she let out a battlecry.

The brown-haired girl went wide-eyed for a second, then vanished as Subaru swung at her, her strike smashing a crater into the wall. She promptly reappeared some distance away. “Both of you?! You’re BOTH here?!”

“About damn time you showed up,” Teana shouted, right before the orange stallion tackled her. “Oof! A little help here?!”

“I gotcha, carrot top!” Scootaloo galloped over and body-slammed into the other pegasus. The stallion let out a snarl as he rolled, then sprang to his feet and took to the air.

“What, they got ponies workin’ for ‘em now?” He snorted. “Don’t you got any pride, filly?”

“How about I clip your wings, bozo!?” Scootaloo replied with a smirk. Gale Force’s jewels glowed as she crouched, then backflipped into the air. A pair of purple crescents sliced through the air towards the pegasus, who promptly dodged.

“Come up here and fight me like a real pegasus then, small fry!”

Scootaloo growled, her wings buzzing as she readied herself.

“Scootaloo, wait!” Teana shouted as she took to the air, her Cloud Road whirling up after the stallion. Thankfully, the ceiling was high enough to maneuver beneath.

The stallion’s eyes bugged out slightly as she zipped towards him. He tried to evade, but she was on top of him faster than he could react. A leaping roundhouse hoof clipped him in the jaw, the wheels of her skates still spinning as she struck. He went spinning through the air and slammed against the wall before sliding down and landing on top of what was left of the bar, his eyes rolled back into his head.

“Woo!” Scootaloo smirked as she landed on another Cloud Road. “Score one for Scoota-”

“Watch out!”

There was a loud report as a bolt of orange light streaked up through the purple haze. Scootaloo turned as she saw a knife shooting towards her, only for the Shoot Barett to hit it and knock it off course. The blade spun through the air, stabbing partly into the ceiling above her.

“Hey!” Scootaloo turned towards the thrower. The silver-haired girl was glaring up at her, the blue unicorn held in a headlock beneath one arm. “You want some of-”

The silver-haired girl snapped her fingers.

A sudden, thunderous explosion blew her downwards through the Cloud Road. Scootaloo slammed into the ground, the wind whooshing out of her as she felt debris crash down on her back. Thankfully, her Barrier Jacket seemed to have soaked the brunt of the force. Her ears were ringing as she wriggled, looking around desperately as she struggled against the heavy weight pinning her.

The silver-haired girl was shouting something. She grabbed the unicorn she was holding by the mane and pitched him towards Teana. Both human and pony went sprawling. The brown-haired girl appeared beside her holding a briefcase, waving mockingly at them before they vanished in a flash of dark purple light. Subaru lunged through the empty space, her fist hitting empty air before she stopped. She turned, then quickly moved to her. Subaru thrust her hand forwards, a blue glow emanating from it.

Her hearing came back suddenly and violently. “Scoots? SCOOTS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?”

“Ow!” Scootaloo winced. “I can hear you, okay? Sheesh… I’m fine… just stuck. No need to shout.”

“Sorry…”

“Ugh… What a disaster,” the purple-haired woman said with a sigh.

“I’m sorry we didn’t come sooner, Ginga,” Subaru said, grunting as she pushed the chunks of ceiling off of Scootaloo.

Teana groaned as she shifted the blue pony off. The stallion shook himself off, then looked around, eyes wide. “Jasper! Where’s Jasper and Goldbug!?”

“Who?” Scootaloo groaned.

“Oh… crap!” Teana’s eyes went wide. “The other two ponies! They must’ve escaped when the battle started!”

“Don’t worry,” The stallion said as he picked himself up, straightening his tie with his magic, “I doubt they’ll get far…”

“This is a complete disaster,” Jasper groaned as he leaned against the elevator wall, his breath steaming up the glass. “We’ll be lucky if we can get off-world with just this briefcase. Remind me never to get mixed up with these humans ever again.”

“At least we managed to get out before anyone else came,” Goldbug said nervously. “I swore I heard the fire escape door get kicked in when the door was shutting.”

“Never mind that, Goldbug,” Jasper said nervously. “We have bigger problems. Once we hit the floor we’ll blend in with the other patrons, then make our way to the garage. Just remain calm, and follow my lead.”

There was a soft chime as the elevator doors opened. Jasper squared himself up and marched out, followed close behind by Goldbug. Unfortunately, he didn’t expect the pony waiting for him at the end of the hallway.

“Mister Jasper,” Fancy Pants said with a cheerful smile as he approached. “Leaving so soon?”

“Ah, Fancy Pants,” Jasper replied with as best a smile he could manage. “No, just concluding some business. Did you really think I’d miss the auction?”

“Oh no. Not of your own free will.” Fancy Pants drew closer. Jasper noted that the stallion’s smile, though genial as always, didn’t reach his eyes. “Though I do think the authorities will be detaining you for a time. They’re not fond of black marketers.”

Suddenly, it clicked. Jasper lowered himself into a casting stance as his horn ignited. “You’re the one that-”

Fancy darted forward and slapped a hoof firmly onto the point of Jasper’s horn. He felt himself go cross-eyed, his head ringing like a bell as he staggered to one side. He saw Fancy quickly slip by him, an almost casually extended hoof tripping the panicking Goldbug and sending him sprawling. Jasper blinked as he saw Fancy catch the briefcase with his magic before it fell to the ground.

He swore he could hear the jingling of coins as the heavy case smashed into his head, rendering him unconscious.

13: Making Messes

Hidden Laboratory
Undisclosed Location

Zest slowly opened his eyes as he heard the soft hiss of the door and the sound of shoes on metal, a faint wisp of warm air tickling his bare skin. His eyes slowly re-focused, though not fast enough to prevent the slight wave of nausea that rolled through his stomach as the light poured down on him.

“Good afternoon, Zest,” Scaglietti said as he leaned over him, his face slightly shadowed. “I trust you’re feeling better?”

Zest grunted, but didn’t move as Scaglietti walked around his table. The scientist carefully removed the inter-venous and inter-artery feeds from his arms and legs, letting the thin needle-tipped tubes dangle down on either side of the table before they retracted. The monitoring patches on his bare chest were next, coming free with a rip of adhesive. A faint keening noise made Zest’s head throb as the holographic displays went into emergency mode, just before Scaglietti switched them off.

“You can sit up now,” he said, chipper and pleasant. “Unless you’d like some help…”

Zest shook his head and slowly sat up, rubbing his head slowly. “How long?”

“How long have you been unconscious? A while.” Scaglietti busied himself with a hovering holographic monitor, going over the data from his treatment. “Seventeen hours this time. That’s almost twice as long as the previous session.”

Zest grunted again as he slid his legs off the side of the table. “You sound concerned.”

Scaglietti turned to face him, his arms crossed. “A little. It’s not as though I didn’t expect it. Your body isn’t repairing itself as it should. The rate of degeneration is increasing as I predicted. At this rate I’ll have to formulate a new repair serum to keep your body functioning.”

“How long?”

Scaglietti shrugged. “Depends. If you don’t use any magic and live a peaceful life, you’ll probably have another year. A year and a half at most, assuming optimal conditions. Otherwise… well…”

Zest grunted in reply. Not much else he could say to that.

“There is still time, of course,” Scaglietti continued. “Even with the cellular degeneration, I have sufficient genetic and magical data to quickly produce an artificial-“

Zest glared at him, causing Scaglietti’s voice to falter. He sighed irritably and ran a hand through his purple hair. “It’s your decision, of course.”

“You know my answer,” Zest replied. “Why do you keep asking?”

Scaglietti grimaced. “You’re an excellent specimen, Zest Grangeitz. It’s just a shame to let someone like you go to waste. It seems so… inefficient to let you just die again when I could just as easily produce a new-“

“I’ve already defied the gods of death once,” Zest replied with a grunt as he slid off the table, stretching his arms and rubbing the needle marks. “I don’t intend on cheating them a second time.”

He watched as Scaglietti did his best not to sneer. The fox-faced scientist turned away and tapped on the hovering, holographic keyboard, his pokes sharp and precise. “Miss Lutecia will be joining us soon. I asked a favor of her while you were undergoing the procedure. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

Zest frowned at the scientist’s back. “If you put her in danger-“

“Of course not. She was merely serving as back-up for two of my Numbers. Honestly, you think I’d let her come to harm?”
He paused as Zest approached him, his bare feet slapping on the cool metal floor.

“We talked about this,” Zest growled, his voice low and angry. “Lutecia isn’t one of your minions. She-“

“She undertook this of her own free will,” Scaglietti interrupted, turning and looking up at him without a shred of fear in his eyes. “I did nothing to persuade her, if that’s what you’re implying. We’ve been working together for this long, and yet you still don’t trust me? Shameful.”

“I trust you about as far as I can throw you, Scaglietti,” Zest replied. “If she gets hurt…”

“Yes, yes,” Scaglietti waved dismissively. “We’ve been over the threats already. You’ve made yourself quite clear. Miss Lutecia, shockingly enough, is more than capable of taking care of herself. You, of all people, should know that much.”

Zest grunted softly. “Fine.”

Scaglietti nodded, then smiled that oddly hollow smile. “Now, onto other matters. How about I fetch you some clothes and some proper food? After all, it’s the least I could do for a friend.”

“I am not your friend, Scaglietti.”

“Nonsense.” Scaglietti replied, that smugly chipper tone of voice returning. “Of course you are.”

Zest shook his head. Better just let him have his little delusion…

“Ahhh, always good to be home!” Quattro stretched her arms above her head as she, Cinque and Lutecia made their way down the gently curving hallway, the yellow light emanating from the floor glinting off her rather dusty and battle-damaged dress. “Thank you for the teleport, Miss Lutecia. I’d have hated to have to fly home looking like this.”

“It was no problem,” Lutecia replied softly.

Cinque snorted. “Trust you to worry more about your looks than anything else, Quattro.”

Quattro hmphed softly and tossed her hair. “Unlike you, big sis, I actually take some pride in my appearance. After all, we Numbers are a shining example of the Doctor’s brilliance.” She paused, adjusting her glasses as she favored Cinque with one of her more friendly-looking smiles. “Or at least, I am.”

Cinque apparently didn’t take her expression well. The shorter girl scowled up at her, her good eye narrowed before she looked away.

Hmph. Quattro shook her head as they approached a junction in the hallway. Just goes to show some people can’t be satisfied by being next to greatness…

“Quattro! Cinque!” A mature voice called out from down the hall.

“Ah! Tre!” Quattro put on her best sugary smile as Tre approached. Unlike Cinque, she actually considered Tre to be her superior. Of all the numbers, she, Tre, Due and Uno were all blessed by the Doctor with a portion of his genome. Quattro looked up to Tre both figuratively and literally. Tre stood a foot taller than Quattro, her short-cut violet hair framing a slightly angular but attractive face and narrow golden eyes. She was well-muscled and broad-shouldered, clearly built for battle. The two-toned blue armor suit she wore clung to her body like a second skin, and her neck armor was embossed with a golden ‘III’. “We’re back with the Doctor’s package.”

“I see,” Tre replied curtly. “Good.”

“I see you’re ready to depart,” Cinque said, glancing past Tre. “On a mission with Sette and Deed?”

Quattro blinked, adjusting her glasses as she registered the other two Numbers standing just behind Tre. Both Sette and Deed were only a few inches shorter than Tre, but still enough to loom over Quattro and Cinque. Sette’s pale pink hair was held back by an armored head-band marked with ‘VII,’ and her attention was focused entirely on Quattro. Quattro really didn’t like the look of those pink eyes. Deed, meanwhile, was almost plain by comparison, with shoulder-length and straight brown hair, her dark eyes almost hidden by her bangs. Her armored collar bore a golden ‘XII,’ and her armor-suit had obvious shoulder and hip plates. Like Sette, Deed was giving Quattro an unfriendly glare.

“Correct,” Tre said. “The Doctor tasked us with the retrieval of another Relic. This should be quick.”

“Oh, of course!” Quattro smiled cheerfully, resting a hand on Tre’s shoulder. “If there’s anyone who could bring back a Relic safely, it’s you, big sister.” She then glanced past Tre, her smile tightening slightly as she glared at Sette and Deed. “And you’re even taking some of the newer models out with you. How generous of you…”

Sette stepped forward, standing closer to Tre than Quattro liked before she brushed Quattro’s hand away. “I volunteered to aid my dear sister, Quattro,” Sette said, her tone cool. “After all, some of us are focused on the mission.”

Quattro’s smile became frigid. “A-hah-hah… how cute. Still so eager to please, little sister. Tell me, does the Doctor know about how close you and Tre are?”

Sette’s cheeks turned red. “Why you… you… four-eyed little…”

“That’s quite enough, Sette,” Tre said firmly. Sette quickly stepped back, bowing her head slightly. Tre then turned back to Quattro and gave her a pointed glare. Quattro swallowed nervously and took a step back, looking away from Tre’s eyes and doing her best to look small.

Tre nodded in satisfaction. “You three should report to Uno about your mission. Excuse us.”

Deed glanced over at Cinque, quickly exchanging a nod with the silver-haired Number before she fell in behind Tre and Sette.

Ugh… Quattro glared at Sette and Deed as they faded into the distance. I knew I should have edited out those stupid personalities of theirs while they were in bio-stasis… but if the Doctor wants them to develop naturally, then that is his will…

“You know,” Cinque chided her, “if you keep poking at Sette like that she’ll probably break something important to you. Like your glasses. Or your back.”

“Oh shut the…” Quattro paused as she looked at Lutecia, then coughed. “Shut your mouth, sister dear,” she continued in as sweet a tone she could muster. “Now, why don’t we go and report in? I’m sure the Doctor will be happy to see what we’ve brought him.”

“And I can see Mister Zest,” Lutecia said quietly, finally breaking her silence.

“And you can see Mister Zest, Lutecia dear!” Quattro smiled wide and clapped her hands. “I’m sure the Doctor has him feeling all better now!”

Lutecia looked up at Quattro with those dead red eyes, then nodded and started walking. Cinque followed soon after.

Ugh… Quattro grimaced as she pushed her glasses up her nose. I’m surrounded by fools. I don’t see how Uno and the others can put up with this.

“Quattro! Cinque! Miss Lutecia! Welcome back, girls! I see the mission was a success as well!”

Scaglietti’s wide smile was a little unnerving to Zest, as was his overly cheerful voice. He moved quickly over to his minions, extending his hands out to accept the briefcase Cinque was holding.

Cinque, to her credit, looked about as unnerved as Zest felt. However, it was just for a moment before she recovered her poise. “Yes, Doctor,” she replied, folding her hands behind her back. “There were some… issues, however.”

“Oh?” Scaglietti turned his attention on the smaller Number. “What sort of issues?”

“A group of Bureau thugs interfered,” Quattro said snidely, giving her hair a dramatic toss as she did so. “However, they were no match for my talents… or Cinque’s for that matter.”

Cinque glared at Quattro, then turned back to Scaglietti. “The Type Zeroes were there.”

That caught Zest’s attention. The Type Zeroes? They don’t mean…

“Oh?” Scaglietti quirked an eyebrow. “Both of them?”

“Yes, sir. Both Zero-Alpha and Zero-Beta.”

“Interesting…” Scaglietti’s wide smile turned a bit pensive, the mask of good cheer dropping. “Did either of them activate an IS?”

“Negative,” Cinque replied. “However, I ordered a retreat rather than stick around much longer. I didn’t want to risk possible damage or capture.”

“Excellent thinking, Cinque. Don’t you think so, Zest?”

Zest grunted softly, then nodded. He extended a hand as Lutecia walked over to him. The girl grabbed his hand gently and pulled close to his side.

“Hmph…” Quattro shook her head. “We could have handled those obsolete prototypes, easily…”

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss the Type Zeroes, Quattro,” Scaglietti chided as he reached over and clumsily ruffled Quattro’s hair. “True, their augmentations aren’t quite as advanced as the ones you and the other Numbers have, but they have advantages that you lack.”

Quattro pouted. “As if whoever made them could ever compare to your genius, Doctor…”

Scaglietti chuckled and ruffled her hair again. “Of course. Now, run along girls. Make sure to report to Uno for debriefing.”

Zest watched the two leave, then knelt down beside Lutecia. “Are you alright?” His voice was soft.

Lutecia nodded. “We had some problems, but Garyu kept me safe.”

Zest nodded and gently stroked Lutecia’s cheek. “That’s good… Agito was worried about you.”

Lutecia nodded again. “Where is she?”

“Resting,” Scaglietti interrupted as he set the case onto a nearby table. “I gave her a check-up while Zest was undergoing his treatment. She should be her usual perky self soon enough.”

“I hope whatever it was you sent Lutecia after was important, Scaglietti,” Zest growled softly as the briefcase flipped open.

Scaglietti reached down and slowly pulled out a glass and steel containment cylinder, the insides faintly glowing with amber light from the containment field. Inside was what appeared to be a chunk of horn, about the length of Zest’s thumb and glossy red-and-black. Zest couldn’t help but feel a faint shiver run down his spine at seeing it.

“Oh yes,” Scaglietti cooed, his eyes wide. The expression on his face was almost rapturous. “Very important.” He shivered before slowly turning the cylinder about in his hands. “And so… very… beautiful…”

He then paused before coughing and setting the cylinder down. “If the two of you don’t mind, I have one more little errand I need you to run for me.” He smiled thinly and raised a hand as Zest began to speak. “Now, now, this won’t be anything dangerous. I just need you two to deliver something for me to one of my associates off-world.”

Zest grunted. “Fine. What is it?”

“Well…”

Hotel Augusta
Central Mid-Childa
Same Day

“So that’s the situation, then?”

Twilight nodded to Chrono. “Seems so. Mr. Jasper and his cohorts are currently in custody, but their clients escaped. The summoner’s gone as well.”

Shamal sighed, looking a bit embarrassed as she gingerly adjusted one of her rings. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect them to bypass my teleportation wards so easily. I would’ve made them stronger, but that would have involved raising a Gefängnis der Magie…”

“Nobody’s blaming you, Shamal,” Twilight quickly assured her.

“Indeed,” Chrono added. “I honestly didn’t expect there to be a summoner on site, especially one as powerful as the one Lightning Squad fought. At least we’ll have physical descriptions to work off of…”

Shamal nodded, then glanced to the side as she closed her eyes. “Signum and the others are searching the immediate area in case they appeared nearby…”

“Good. They’ve probably already teleported away, but maybe we’ll get lucky.” Chrono rubbed his forehead. “Keep tabs on them, Shamal. Twilight, I think you have a debriefing to attend to?”

Twilight nodded, then quirked an eyebrow at him. “What about you, Chrono?”

“I get the fun job of talking to the manager about the suite that just got blown to smithereens,” Chrono replied irritably. “Which is about as delightful as it sounds.”

Twilight winced. “Yeah, I’ve been in that situation before. At least they’ve probably got insurance…”

“Yeah… anyway, don’t let me keep you.” Chrono gently waved them off. He let out a groan as both Shamal and Twilight left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

After all this, I’m probably going to need a drink. I just hope Acous is buying.

“So,” Fate said as she stared across the table at the older stallion in the hotel’s mostly empty restaurant, her hooves pressed together before her, “that was the real reason you were here?”

Fancy Pants nodded and gently lowered his teacup. “To be totally honest, I had wanted to attend the auction without any ulterior motives. Unfortunately, my… work intruded, as you well know.”

“I was under the impression you were retired, Fancy,” Fate replied.

“A Kingmaker never truly retires until they’re dead, Captain,” Fancy replied with a smirk. “But you already know that. However, I was merely here in an advisory role. My apprentice…”

“Properly Posh, correct?”

“Yes. Properly Posh was investigating Mr. Jasper’s little side business at my behest. A little bit of a practical exam, as it were.”

“More like throwing him into the deep end, don’t you think?”

Fancy chuckled. “Posh is a clever colt. Reminds me of how I was when I first joined the business. At any rate, he needed a challenge, so I gave him one. He did quite well ingratiating himself into Jasper’s little inner circle. Had it not been for his little flub with the telepathy, he would have gotten away easily.”

Fate shook her head. She was starting to regret about learning Celestia’s private army of celebrities-cum-secret agents. True, it was handy to know about her opposite numbers of the Day Court, as it were, but sometimes she felt she was better off not knowing just how many of the tabloid darlings were actually weaponized philanthropists.

“I’ll make sure that Posh winds back up with you, sir,” Fate said as the stallion sipped his tea.

“There’s no need to worry about that,” he replied, giving a dismissive wave of his hoof. “Captain Harlaown will take care of that.”

“Ah. So he knows…”

“He knows enough.” Fancy Pants’ cup clinked gently against its saucer. “Her Majesty has made her support of this little endeavor well known to us. If your children ever need help in Equestria…”

“I’ll be sure to ask, but I’d rather not compromise your position unless necessary.”

“Of course.” Fancy Pants’ smile shifted from pleased to genuinely happy as he looked past her. “Ah, my darling swan, how kind of you to join us!”

Fate turned back to find Shamal standing there nervously, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I assume the Captain’s finished talking with you and Twilight?”

Shamal nodded. “Um… Twilight should be debriefing the Forwards soon…”

“Then I’ll excuse myself.” Fate nodded politely to Fancy, then slipped off of her seat and trotted off. Shamal quietly took the chair she had vacated, reaching over and resting a hand on one of Fancy’s hooves. She tried to ignore the tiny pang of envy at that gesture.

“…so, to sum up,” Twilight concluded as she addressed the Forwards in an unused meeting room in the conference center, “we’re quite satisfied with your performance today. True, there were a few bumps and mistakes made, but they’re ones we lived through and won’t make again. After all, any mission you can walk away from is one you can learn from.”

Teana didn’t reply to that, holding her tongue and staying at rest with the other Forwards. Scootaloo was still covered in dust and powder from the debris, while Spike had a very obvious scar on his cheek. Erio and Caro were looking a bit nervous, while Subaru was doing her best not to squirm.

“We’ll be returning to base once we’ve finished things up here,” Fate added. “Once we do, I expect full mission reports from everyone. We’ll also be doing individual debriefs so we can get details on the escapees. Until then, take a rest and collect your thoughts.”

“Though, Private Spike,” Twilight said as her eyes landed on the tall purple dragon, “could I have a word with you in private?”

Spike swallowed nervously, but nodded and followed the purple pony out of the room. Fate shook her head, then nodded politely. “Dismissed.”

Teana saluted alongside the others, then sighed as she walked over and slumped into a chair. Now that the adrenaline was out of her system she felt… exhausted.

Ugh… I can’t believe this. I can’t believe I screwed up that badly. Teana rubbed her temples as she brooded. If I’d just been a little quicker on the draw, I wouldn’t have been grabbed, and then…

She paused mid-thought as she felt a hoof poke her side. She glanced over at Scootaloo. “What?”

The orange pegasus smiled sheepishly. “Uh… I just wanted to, ya know, thank you.”

Teana blinked. “Huh?”

“For the save. Shooting that knife out of the air. I mean, you saw what it did to the ceiling. If that thing had hit me, well…”

Teana grimaced. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m your squad leader. I was just doing my job.”

“Yeah, but…”

Teana flopped back. “Look, just make sure to keep an eye on your surroundings next time, okay? I can’t be looking out for you all the time.”

Scootaloo paused, mouth slightly open as her expression shifted from gratitude to irritation, then finally to disdain. “Well, buck you too, then,” she muttered before she trotted off, her feathers bristled and tail swishing violently.

Teana sighed as she watched Scootaloo walk over to Subaru. Yeah… smooth move, Teana. Way to go. Good job as usual.

Subaru reached over and patted Scootaloo on the withers, then glanced over at Teana and gave her a weak smile and a thumbs up. Teana nodded in response, then leaned back and closed her eyes.

And as usual, Subaru picks up the pieces, just like in the Academy. Hell, have I ever really gotten past that point?

“Hey, Tea…”

“Nngh?” She sat up and shook her head. “Huh? Wha?”

Subaru grinned at her. “Tired?”

“No, just running on fumes. What’d you need?”

“Uh, well,” Subaru gestured over to the door. Teana blinked as she saw the familiar face of Ginga Nakajima leaning around the corner. “Sis wanted to talk to you about some-“

Teana quickly sprang up from her seat and strode over to the doorway. “Yes, ma’am?”

Ginga gestured for her to step outside, then shut the door carefully behind her. She paused, giving Teana the once-over before smirking. “Relax, Lanster. You’re not in trouble. You’re acting like you just got called into the Commandant’s office.”

“Sorry, ma’am.” Teana took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerve. It didn’t work. “You… wanted to speak with me, ma’am?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to thank you for your help today…”

Teana shifted slightly, hugging her arms about her waist as she did so. “Thank you, ma’am… though I have to apologize for the incident earlier. If I hadn’t gotten-“

Ginga shook her head and held up a hand to stop her. “If it’s about what happened during the bust, it’s fine. You did well.”

“Ma’am, if I hadn’t been so reckless, we would’ve been able to catch all of them…”

“Maybe, but if you really were reckless you’d probably have done something really dumb, like actually attacking a suspect in the middle of a crowded hallway filled with rich people. You’re fine.” She held up a finger. “Ah, ah… and before you say anything about that, I should say this. You’re young. You’re still in training. You’re bound to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes in the field. What’s important is that you learn from those mistakes. Got it?”

Teana swallowed, but nodded. “Yes ma’am. I will, ma’am.”

“Good.” Ginga reached over and clapped her firmly on the shoulder. Teana winced slightly. Apparently heavy-handedness ran in the family… “You’ve got good instincts, Lanster. If you ever need anything, just call me. Or have Subaru do it, whichever.”

“R-right.” Teana smiled wanly. “It was a pleasure working with you, ma’am.”

“Same here. I’ll let you get back to your squad, alright?”

“Right…” Teana nodded as Ginga walked off. She exhaled softly, then pushed the door open. She walked past Subaru, ignoring the slightly smug smile on her blue-haired companion’s face before she leaned against the table.

I did well, Teana thought to herself, her grip on the table tightening. I did alright. Passable. Satisfactory… but that’s not good enough.

Her gaze slid over the other Forwards. Would any of them have gotten captured like she had? Subaru would have handled herself. Scootaloo would’ve been too fast. Same with Erio. Caro would have had the good sense not to get close. Spike… well, Spike was a dragon. Getting into a grapple with him would’ve been suicide.

And then there was her. The outlier. The only average one.

“You know what,” she said loudly, interrupting her own thoughts, “we should probably see if we can’t get something to eat. Stars Squad? Lightning Squad? What do you guys think?”

“I’m not sure we can afford anything at this place,” Erio said over the sound of Caro giggling.

Teana sighed and shook her head. “It’ll be my treat, alright? Just a snack to tide some of us over until we get back to base.”

Spike followed Twilight down the hall, his tail swishing in time with his scarf as he walked. “Um... Twilight? Is there something…”

Twilight gestured for him to follow her into a nearby empty room, her horn flaring up as she slowly and deliberately twisted the handle on the door. Spike swallowed, but followed her inside. There was a soft click as Twilight shut the door behind her, still facing away from him.

Uh oh… Alarm bells started ringing in his head. “Uh… Twilight?”

“Spike,” she said, her voice harsh and clipped, “deactivate your Device, please.”

“Uh, right.” He reached up and touched Ritterherz’s gem. There was a flash of green light as the Device disengaged, his body shrinking down to its normal size before it re-formed into its belt-shaped Standby Form. “Is there something-“

Twilight turned and sprang at him, quickly pulling him into a fierce hug, her nose buried in the crook of his neck.

“Ack! Woah there. Easy Twi…” He returned the hug, then gently stroked her withers. “Are you alright?”

“Do I look alright you big, scaly idiot?” Twilight sniffed, pulling away and rubbing her eyes. “When I heard you were hurt I nearly had a heart attack! What were you thinking?!”

“I was just doing my job…” Spike shuffled, hiding his hands behind his back.

“You were…“ Twilight paused, then took a deep breath. Then another. Then another. Spike counted about six breaths before she continued. “Yes… I suppose you were doing your job. And you did very well, I should say. It’s just... I didn’t expect you’d actually get hurt.”

Spike sighed, scratching at one ear frill. “I was kinda surprised myself. But it’s just a shallow wound. No big deal.”

“No big deal?” Twilight leaned forward, eyes widening. “No big deal?! From what I heard that attack cut through your shield, your Knight Armor, and your scales! If it had been a few inches inwards, you’d be dead! Even a single inch might have severed the muscles of your jaw or nicked vital blood vessels! And that’s before you take into consider-”

Spike sighed heavily and held up his hands. “I know, I know, alright? Look, Twi… we both knew something like this would happen eventually, right?”

“Yes, but…”

Spike held up his hand. “Twi, I’m not just a baby dragon any more. I’m a Knight. I knew when I got into this I might end up getting hurt. I mean, I’m a dragon, but dragons can still get killed, right? So… yeah.” Spike shrugged and hugged himself. “I chose this path myself. I knew what I was getting myself into.”

Twilight paused, then slumped and took a seat on the carpeted floor, ears folded back. “I know… It’s just… you’re still my baby dragon. I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt… or worse…”

Spike smiled weakly, then walked over and hugged her. “Hey, it’s alright, Twilight. I’m still here. Don’t worry, the next time that stupid bug-thing shows up, I’ll be ready for him. I’ll roast him like… like… uh…” Spike tapped his chin with a finger. “Uh… like something really roastable?”

Twilight laughed weakly, then nuzzled his unscarred cheek. “That’s my number one assistant… now, let me take a look at that wound.”

“Uh, sure, be my guest.”

He tilted his head as she turned it with her hooves. “Whatever that… bug thing is, it’s clearly enhanced in some way. Even a magical blade has difficulty piercing dragon scales… at least, most of the ones I know of do. And this one did it after punching through two layers of defensive spells.”

“The creepy girl called it ‘Garyu,’ whatever that means.” Spike blushed as he felt Twilight’s magic tingle across the scar.

“Garyu’s probably its name.” Twilight hmmed softly. “Make sure to note it in your report. I’m sure the Bureau’s got a database on summoned creatures somewhere.”

“Hope so… Hey, Twi?”

“Hmm?” Twilight blinked and tilted her head.

“Do you mind if I keep this?” Spike traced a claw down the healed wound.

“Why would-“

“Well, it’s a scar.” Spike blushed. “And… well… now I’ve got one too… just like…”

Twilight sighed softly. “If it’s that important to you, then fine. Just make sure to tell Shamal that when you get your check-up.”

“Thanks, Twilight.” He reached up and hugged her neck, nuzzling her as he did so. He felt her arms slip around him and pull him close.

“I’m very proud of you, Spike,” she said softly. “Just… be careful next time.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Chrono did his best not to let his exhaustion show as he walked into the hotel’s bar. It was mostly empty, save for the bartender and a few of the less sociable hotel clientele. The man he was looking for, however, gave him a cheerful wave with one hand, his free hand clasping a tulip-shaped glass of bourbon.

“Acous,” Chrono said as he approached the green-haired Inspector.

“You look like you’ve just run a marathon, Harlaown,” Acous replied. The sphere of ice in his glass clinked as he took a sip. “Have a seat. Have a drink too; I’m paying.”

Chrono sighed and took a seat. The bartender approached promptly, a pristine white towel folded over his forearm. “What would you like, sir?”

“I don’t suppose you have any Equestrian Cloudberry Wine?”

The bartender nodded. “We do have a selection available, sir. Would you prefer the Cloudsdale Stratus ’54, or perhaps the Los Pegasus Azul ’51…?”

“A glass of the ’54, please.”

“Excellent choice sir.”

Acous quirked an eyebrow as the bartender stepped away. “Never took you for the wine type, Harlaown. Especially not something as exotic as an Equestrian vintage.”

Chrono shrugged. “Rainbow Dash got us a couple of bottles as a wedding present. It’s not something I indulge in every day, but after what I’ve just been through I could use a bit of a comfort drink.”

“Ah,” Acous nodded as the bartender returned with a bottle for Chrono’s inspection. The cork was promptly removed and the pale blue fluid poured into a waiting glass. Chrono made a show of swirling and sniffing it, before nodding in approval.

“To surviving another day,” Acous said, extending his glass to Chrono as the bartender slipped away.

“Amen.” Chrono clinked glasses with him and took a sip, barely noticing the smoothness of the alcohol as he swallowed. It did, however, burn like sugar-coated lightning as it slid down his throat. “Now,” he said as he lowered the glass, “business.”

“Always to the point, Harlaown,” Acous said with a sigh, turning around to lean back against the bar. “Well, I did a bit of digging like you asked.”

“Mhmm?” Chrono glanced down the bar at the bartender. Thankfully, he was far enough away that he probably couldn’t hear them.

“As it turns out, the items in question were reported missing about four months ago,” Acous continued quietly, his normally cheerful expression vanishing as he swirled his glass. “According to an internal investigation, the seeds were scheduled to be transported to a Bureau Containment Site on AW #12, Fedikia for further study. However, when the first transport arrived, several items were discovered missing, including the shipment of seeds.”

“How?”

“Good question. Nobody knows.” Acous sipped his drink. “Thankfully, only a third of the seeds were missing. They were separated into different shipments for security reasons, naturally.”

Chrono exhaled a sigh of relief. The idea of anyone getting ahold of the entire set of Jewel Seeds, much less Scaglietti, was enough to make his blood pressure sky-rocket.

“Still, that just opens up more questions than answers,” Acous continued. “Unfortunately, the investigation is still ongoing.”

“And nothing will probably come from it,” Chrono replied darkly.

“I’m inclined to agree with you.” Acous sighed. “But here’s the thing. The ones who signed off on the transfer were appointed by none other than our good friend, the Lieutenant General.”

“And let me guess, they were promptly fired or shipped off to some position in the middle of nowhere?”

“Gee, how did you know?”

“Lucky guess.” Chrono took another sip of his wine, wincing at the burn. “Have you found anything else I’ve asked you about?”

Acous glanced over at him, then slipped a hand into his pocket and produced a small data stick. “Here’s what I’ve got so far. Nothing concrete, mind you, but what little I’ve managed to dig up doesn’t look very good.”

“Thanks.” Chrono slipped the data stick into his jacket. “I’m sorry to put you in this position…”

Acous shrugged. “If it were anyone other than you, I wouldn’t be risking my neck like this. Then again, I guess I’m lucky enough that I haven’t attracted any attention from this mysterious shadow group you’re interested in.”

Chrono shook his head. “I don’t think you’re their type, Acous.”

“Too pretty?”

“Too principled. Plus, you’ve got connections.”

Acous chuckled and shook his head. “I’m usually not thankful to have my sister’s reputation hanging over me, but I think I’ll make an exception in this case.”

“Just be careful.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I will be.” Acous drained his glass, then stood up. “You take care of yourself, Harlaown. Don’t work too hard, alright?”

Chrono snorted as Acous patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll try.”

Long Arch Training Facility

Late Afternoon

“Alright everyone,” Twilight announced as the Forwards exited the helicopter, “good work today. We won’t be holding practice sessions today, so once you’ve finished your reports you’re free to do as you will. However, I expect all of you to rest up and be ready for training first thing tomorrow morning, understood?”

She smiled as she heard the chorus of agreements. “Excellent! Until then, dismissed!”

Twilight saluted them, then promptly turned and began trotting off, keeping pace with Fate’s slightly longer stride. Looks like things turned out better than expected, right?

Somewhat, Fate replied, her mental voice sounding a bit tired. I’ll admit, they’re showing improvement over when they first joined…

That’s all we can really ask for, Fate. They’re kids; talented kids, but still kids. We can’t expect miracles from them on a daily basis. I’ll be satisfied if they maintain their current rate of improvement.

“Special Instructor Sparkle, may I have a moment?”

Speaking of miracles… Twilight slowed, then turned around to face Teana. You can go on ahead if you like, Fate.

She asked for you, sis, Fate replied as she continued walking. She’s all yours.

Twilight smiled up at Teana. “Yes, Private Lanster?” She could read the stress in Teana’s body language; the stiff legs, the squared shoulders, the slight tightness in her arms as she folded her hands behind her in faux parade rest.

Teana inhaled and tried to steady herself. “I… would like to request supplementary training.”

Twilight blinked. “Supplementary training?”

“Yes, ma’am. I believe that my performance in the field today wasn’t up to expectations…”

Twilight huffed. “If this is about today, then I’ve already talked to Master Sergeant Nakajima about your performance. She spoke highly of you. Not to mention that you helped save one of your squad mates by intercepting an oncoming attack. Excellent marksmanship there.”

Teana glanced down slightly, avoiding Twilight’s gaze.

Huh… that didn’t have the expected effect. Twilight frowned. Let’s try something else then…

“Do you disagree with my assessment, Private Lanster?”

“No, ma’am… I…” Teana huffed softly. “Never mind, ma’am…”

She turned to walk away. Twilight frowned, then teleported in front of her, causing Teana to step back in surprise. “Teana,” Twilight said, her ears folding back as she dropped the ‘teacher’ voice, “I can tell something’s wrong. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what the problem is.”

Teana recovered her composure, then tucked her hands into her pockets and looked aside. “Permission to speak freely, ma’am?”

“Granted.”

Teana heaved a soft sigh. “I… I screwed up during the mission. I got myself held hostage. I made a mistake and I wasn’t prepared...”

“Teana, it’s alright to make a mist-“

“No it’s not!”

Twilight stepped back slightly as Teana stomped her foot, her hands clenched into fists and her eyes intense. Teana paused, then seemed to gather herself. “S-sorry, Special Instructor Sparkle… but it’s not alright. I could have gotten myself hurt because of my carelessness. I could have gotten my team hurt. I can’t let that happen again.”

Twilight nodded solemnly. “I understand, Teana.”

Teana blinked. “You… do?”

“You’re not the only one who beats herself up over her mistakes. Trust me, I know how it feels to know that you screwed up.” Twilight shook her head, then looked up at her. “I assume you had something in mind, Teana?”

She nodded. “Close quarters combat, ma’am. Ideally both armed and unarmed…”

“I see…”

“I’d be willing to train after regular practice, ma’am. Or before, as long as I have your permission.” Teana leaned forward slightly, her eyes pleading. “Please, ma’am…”

Well… I did allow Subaru and Scootaloo special training to get Scootaloo’s Cloud Road working… Twilight sighed, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll talk to Zafira about it. He’s the one in charge of close quarters combat.”

“Thank you…”

“But!” Twilight held up a hoof. “You need to realize what exactly you’re getting into. You’re asking for additional training on top of the practice and drills we’re already performing, which are already rather demanding. I can’t let you risk your health just because you’re not advancing as quickly as you like, understood?”

Teana nodded quickly. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. And just so we’re clear; if Zafira or I think you’re overdoing it, we won’t hesitate to pull the plug. Are we clear, Private Lanster?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Twilight gazed up at Teana, looking at those earnest eyes and that intense expression before she sighed and nodded. “Alright. I’ll see what we can do. Was there anything else, Private Lanster?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Then you should probably get to work on your report. Dismissed.”

Twilight shook her head as she watched Teana jog off. Why do I get the feeling I just made a huge mistake?
---

That Evening

“I don’t like it, Mistress.”

Trixie quirked an eyebrow as Zafira worked the heavy punching bag over, the wolf-man’s fists thudding heavily against the canvas. “Really? I’d have thought you’d be happy to have another pupil.”

Zafira grunted and launched a rapid series of body-blows to the bag’s center. “This is different. Lanster is not like Spike and Subaru. She’s fragile.”

“I think you mean ‘weak,’” Trixie replied.

“No. Fragile. There’s a difference.” Zafira drove his fist into the bag, sending it rattling backwards on its chain. “Weakness is physical. Weakness I can work with. Weakness can be turned into strength over time. Lanster is a normal human, but she isn’t weak. She is fragile; a strong enough shock would topple her.”

Trixie hmmed, crossing her forelimbs as she lounged on the bench. “I think I get what you’re saying…”

“She’s much like you in some ways, Mistress.” Zafira glanced back at her.

“Hmph. Are you saying I’m fragile, dear wolf? I’ll have you know my ego is as unyielding as the very stones of the royal palace!”

Zafira snorted. “And perched just as precariously, Mistress.” He turned and slowly stretched out his bare arms. “But that’s not what I meant. She’s rather… proud.”

“Hmph,” Trixie turned her nose up. “Trixie will admit, the girl has some skill, so a bit of pride is warranted. However, she has no… confidence. No panache. Strictly utilitarian and boring. She and I are nothing alike, though I’m doing my best to fix that.”

Zafira shook his head. “I’m not so sure the cosmos can handle two of you, Mistress.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. But that’s beside the point.” Trixie frowned at the Guardian Beast. “If you had concerns about training her, then why did you agree? You could’ve just said no.”

Zafira let out a slightly lupine growl. “Declining would have shown poorly on me as a teacher, Mistress. And it would’ve reflected poorly on you.”

Trixie giggled. “Sounds like Lanster’s not the only one with an over-abundance of pride.”

“It is merely a reflection of my Mistress’ own,” Zafira replied as he picked up a towel and slung it over his shoulders, his dark skin glistening with sweat. Trixie felt her ears fold back as she smelled his scent; a mix of human musk and wolf-smell that made a tiny, primitive part of her brain just a little nervous.

“Hehe, well…” Trixie recovered her aplomb as quickly as she could manage. “It’s not like my pride is unwarranted. After all, Trixie is one of the most talented, most beautiful, and most successful unicorns in the Saint Church…”

“If only because you’re the only one,” Zafira said as he sat beside her, letting her rest her head in his lap. A large hand rested on her back as he gently stroked her coat.

“Details, details,” Trixie smirked slightly, squirming a little. “You’re getting handsy, my dear Guardian Beast. What do you want?”

Zafira paused, then let out a grunt as his ears folded back, his tail swishing slowly. “Was it that obvious?”

“You forget, Zafira, I know you.” Trixie smirked, her horn igniting as her magic stilled his hand. “You always start petting me when you want something but are too stubborn to ask. So, what is it?”

Zafira huffed. “Very well. I wish to visit the Empire soon.”

“Oh? Ohhh!” Trixie giggled. “Sounds like someone’s missing a certain orange-haired she-wolf.”

Zafira growled deeply. “Mistress…”

“Oh come now, Zafira. I think it’s cute.” Trixie giggled louder and rolled onto her back. “So, have you finally worked up enough nerve to court her yet? Maybe given her tail a sniff?”

“Mistress…”

“What? It’s not like I haven’t noticed. Ooh, we’ll have to ask for Fate’s permission though. After all, it’s polite to ask the parents if one wants to date-”

Zafira growled menacingly. “If you weren’t my Mistress, I would be tempted to bite you right now.”

“I know. I’m just teasing you, Zafira.” Trixie reached up and gently poked him in the chest with a hoof. “But yes. Once we have some free time, I’ll schedule a stop by the Crystal Empire.”

Zafira grunted softly and glanced away. Much to Trixie’s amusement, however, she noticed his tail was wagging.

“Now, I think you need a bath,” Trixie said, pushing against his chest again. “You smell like a sweaty dog.”

“Were you expecting something different, Mistress?”

The Next Day

Subaru let out a loud yawn as she heard her alarm go off. She reached out and slapped a hand onto the clock to silence the insistent beep of the alarm, causing the plastic casing to bend slightly.

“Mmmf… Tea…” She sat up and rubbed her eyes before shuffling over and climbing down from her bunk. “Wakey wakey, Tea,” she said as she made her way over to the closet to change out of her pajamas.

No response. Not even the familiar groan of dismay.

“Tea, come on,” Subaru said as she turned back toward the bed as she pulled off her pajamas. “You can’t still be aslee- huh?”

Teana’s bed was empty, the sheets pulled up and the bed roughly made.

Huh? Tea’s not in bed. Then where… Subaru looked around the room, then quickly stepped outside. “Tea? Tea? Tea, where are you? Tea!”

There was a hiss as one of the other doors slid open. “Ugh… you really shouldn’t be yelling this loud in the morning,” Scootaloo muttered as she ambled out of her room.

“Scoots, have you seen Tea?” Subaru paused as Scootaloo looked at her, then looked back at her room, then gave her a flat look. “I guess not.”

“Nope. Why?”

“She wasn’t in her bed when I woke up…”

Scootaloo yawned as Subaru shuffled anxiously. “Maybe she just got up early for some reason?”

“Well… maybe.” Subaru shook her head. “But Tea really isn’t a morning person. I usually have to wake her up. She never gets up early…”

“What’s going on? Is something the matter?”

Subaru looked up as Caro walked toward them, wide awake and hair still slightly damp from the shower. “Uh, morning Caro…”

“Teana’s gone missing,” Scootaloo replied as she plopped down and let out a loud yawn. “You seen her, Caro?”

“Teana? Oh, right… I saw her this morning after I got up. She was in her training clothes and was heading out towards the lobby when I came out of my room.”

Wait, Tea got up before Caro did? And she was dressed? Subaru frowned. “Uh, Caro, did Tea say anything to you?”

“Well,” Caro ruffled her hair gently with the towel in her hand. “Not really, but she was in her training clothes. I think she’s probably outside…”

“Great! Thanks Caro!”

“Hey!” Scootaloo said as Subaru started to turn away.

“Huh?”

“Before you go looking for her, you might want to put some clothes on.” Scootaloo gestured to Subaru with one hoof. “Don’t wanna be running around in your underwear, after all.”

Subaru blinked, then glanced downward at herself, then let out a nervous giggle. “Eh-heh… r-right.”

Subaru could hear Scootaloo sigh in irritation and Caro giggle as she quickly slipped back into her room. A quick change of clothes later, and Subaru was quickly bolting down the stairs two at a time.

This is really weird, Subaru thought as she jogged towards the door. Why would Tea do something like this without-

The barracks doors hissed open just as Subaru approached. Subaru managed to skid to a halt right as Teana walked through, the orange-haired girl stepping back in surprise. “Gah! Subaru! You scared me!”

“Tea!” Subaru panted softly. “Sorry… I just… well, you weren’t in bed when I…”

Teana waved a hand gently. “Eh, relax, it’s not a big deal.”

“Huh?” Subaru blinked. “It’s not? But… where’d you go?”

“Just… doing some early exercises,” Teana replied as she opened the can she was carrying. “Nothing major or anything, just felt like getting some work in.”

“Oh! Okay.” Subaru giggled, eliciting a confused look from Teana. “Sorry. I was just worried when you weren’t there for me to wake up, you know?”

Teana nodded and took a long drink from her can, then grimaced in distaste. “I know. Sorry about that. Didn’t want to wake you… anyway, I’m going to rinse off really quick before we get breakfast.”

“O-okay.” Subaru watched her walk by, then scratched her head.

Okay, so Tea went outside to exercise or something… I guess that makes sense. Kinda. Maybe. She paused. She also had a can of coffee with her. That’s weird; Tea hates coffee. Is something going on?

That Evening

“Ugh… You’d think Twilight would take it easy on us today,” Scootaloo muttered as she skated down the bridge beside Subaru and Teana.

“She’s probably catching up for yesterday,” Subaru replied as she stretched her arms over her head, the towel around her neck bobbing gently as she walked. “Besides, it’s not like we had a full combat scenario today…”

“Yeah, and you didn’t have a couple hundred pounds of ceiling fall on you.”

Subaru giggled softly. “Oh please, you’re fine.”

Scootaloo pouted, then glanced over at Teana. The orange-haired girl seemed distracted, her hands tucked into her pockets and her gaze distant as she walked. “Hey, carrot-top!”

“Huh?” Teana seemed to zone back in. “What?”
“You’re awfully quiet over there. Did Trixie work you so hard you can’t even talk?”

Teana blinked, then shook her head. “No… I was just thinking…”

“Really? About what?”

Teana shrugged. “Well… uh… stuff. Nothing you need to worry about.”

“Come on Tea,” Subaru said as she reached over and flopped an arm onto Teana’s shoulders, “you can tell us. What’s on your mind?”

Teana shrugged again, gently pushing Subaru’s hand away. “I just requested some extra training, that’s all…”

“Extra training? Cool!” Subaru grinned excitedly. “What kind?”

“Unarmed combat. Apparently I’m going to be meeting with Knight Zafira here in a while.”

Scootaloo whistled softly. “Sheesh, you must be a masochist or something.”

“Hah, hah. Funny.”

“No, seriously. I’ve seen how hard he goes with Spike and Subaru. Zafira’s no joke.”

“Oh come on Scoots,” Subaru said lightly, though she did look a little worried, “Tea’s tough. I’m sure she can handle it. Right, Tea?”

“Right…”

“Ooh! I know!” Subaru grinned and held up her other hand. “How about I join you? That way, we can both-“

“No.”

Both Subaru and Scootaloo blinked as Teana gently shrugged the former’s arm off her shoulders. “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather this just be one-on-one.”

“Oh… uh… right!” Subaru gave Teana an uncertain smile and a thumbs up. “That can work too… I… uh… guess I’ll see you back at the barracks later?”

“Yeah.” Teana quickened her pace, leaving Subaru and Scootaloo behind.

“Is it just me,” Scootaloo looked up at Subaru as the blue-haired girl watched her friend pull ahead, “or is she crankier than usual?”

“Well…” Subaru frowned and rubbed the back of her head. “Maybe she’s just got a lot on her mind. I’m sure she’ll be fine. I mean, it’s not like she’s going to do something stupid, right?”

Scootaloo gave Subaru a flat look, then shook her head and skated off. “Yeah. Sure.”

I’m really starting to regret getting that sandwich, Teana thought to herself as she stepped into the training room. The faint smell of canvas and wood paneling reminded her of the gym at the Academy, though it was missing the overwhelming stink of sweat and the constant noise. Her sock-clad feet thumped against the wood as she walked, the butterflies in her belly fighting against the turkey sandwich she’d devoured on the way over.

Zafira was waiting for her. The Guardian Beast was seated on the practice mat, carefully working a set of wrappings around one wrist and between his fingers. He glanced up as she approached, his red eyes studying her. She paused and came to parade rest, her hands folding behind her back.

“Private Teana Lanster,” she said curtly and formally, “reporting for training, sir!”

“You’re early,” Zafira replied.

“Yes, sir!”

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes, sir!”

Zafira grunted. “At least you’re not a complete fool.” He picked up a pair of rolled up wraps and tossed it over to her. “Sit. Prepare.”

Teana caught the rolled up strips of fabric, then did as ordered. She quickly unrolled them and began wrapping her hands and wrists. Just like in the Academy…

Zafira watched her in silence as she worked, then nodded as she presented her hands for inspection. “Good.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I assume you’ve gone through basic Strike Arts training, yes?” Zafira grunted as she nodded. “Good. A proper foundation, if nothing else. On your feet.”

Teana quickly climbed to her feet. Zafira stood as well.

“Much of what are called ‘Strike Arts’ are based on a mixture of various fighting styles gathered from across the worlds aligned with the Bureau,” Zafira said as he began to slowly walk around her. “If I recall, the Ground Forces trains its members in the fundamentals of Strike Arts for the purposes of self-defense. Basic combat techniques with a focus on strikes and avoidance, correct?”

Teana nodded as Zafira came to a halt before her.

“That isn’t what I’m going to be teaching you,” Zafira continued. “We will be focusing on more… practical matters. How to escape grapples. How to disable an opponent that’s stronger than you are. Where to aim and what to hit to deal the most damage possible. It’s similar to the tactics I taught to Spike, with some obvious differences. I expect you to work hard, and do as I tell you, when I tell you. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now, let’s see what you already know.” Zafira took a few steps back and lowered himself into a fighting stance, hands open and guarding his chest.

Teana swallowed, then followed suit. Her feet were shoulder width apart, her hands raised in a defensive stance level with her nose, her weight centered and her breathing steady.

His stance is solid, she thought to herself as she eyed him. I’m not really familiar with his fighting style, but if he’s taught Spike then I at least know a little of what he can do.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Zafira said.

Teana inhaled slowly, then rushed him. Her quick jabs were blocked by his forearms, while her low kicks smacked against his calves and thighs without so much as nudging him off-balance. He moved back as she moved forward, ceding ground to her without comment.

Sheesh… hitting him is like punching concrete! Teana grimaced as she quickly drew back, resuming her stance.

“Your form is solid,” Zafira commented, “but basic. Much quicker than Subaru or Spike. Much less telegraphing than your squad mate. However, you lack power.”

“That seems to be a running theme with me,” Teana replied, lunging in again for another attack. This time, however, his hand snapped out and grabbed her arm by the wrist. She found herself spun around and slammed onto the mat with a loud thud.

“Aggression doesn’t make up for a lack of power, I’m afraid,” Zafira replied.

Teana grunted softly, then slowly pushed herself up to a seated position and glared up at Zafira. The wolf man quirked an eyebrow at her expression, then gestured for her to stand.

“Now, let’s begin the lesson proper.”

The polishing cloth squeaked as Subaru rubbed it along her Revolver Knuckle, her fingers pressing in firmly as she buffed out the smudge on the Device’s finger guards. She nodded in satisfaction as she inspected her work.

Alright, let me see… She reached over and dragged over her checklist, running down the list with a quick glance. ‘Clean Revolver Knuckle,’ check. Now I just need to change into my PJ’s and get to bed… once Tea gets back.

Subaru glanced over at the wall clock and watched as the glowing numerals slowly ticked over to 2300 hours. “Huh… she should be back soon…”

The soft hiss of the door interrupted Subaru as Teana slowly walked in, looking a little haggard. Subaru quickly got to her feet as Teana staggered over to the bed. “Tea? Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Teana muttered as she peeled off her shirt. “Just tired. Scootaloo wasn’t kidding about Zafira. Nnngh…” She winced as she rolled her shoulders slowly. “I feel like I’m back in Basic Training all over again.”

“Maybe you should hop in the bath for a bit? No need to go to bed all sore, you know…”

“I’ll just take a hot shower. Not enough time for a bath…” Teana got to her feet and reached into her pocket, setting Cross Mirage’s Standby Form on the desk as she passed by.

“Not enough time?” Subaru blinked. “Wait, Tea, are you going to get up early tomorrow too?”

Teana grunted in reply.

“Uh… Tea? Are you really sure you should be doing that?” Subaru smiled nervously. “I mean, Special Instructor Sparkle did tell us not to overdo…”

Subaru paused as Teana shot her a glare, then held up her hands defensively. “I’m just… being cautious, you know? I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll be fine, Subaru,” Teana growled as she walked over to the door. “Go ahead and hit the sack without me. I’ll try not to wake you up.”

“But Tea,” Subaru reached out slightly as Teana left, the door hissing shut behind her. “Ugh…” She sighed, ducking her head. “Me and my big mouth…”

The Next Day

“Good morning, everyone,” Twilight said cheerfully as she stood beside Shari.

“Good morning, ma’am,” came the reply.

“Now, I have some exciting news for everyone,” Twilight continued before she gestured to Shari. “After some discussion with Shari, I’ve decided that we’ve reached the point where move on to the next stage of your training.”

There was a soft, but noticeable collective groan at that.

“Now, now, this is good news!” Shari grinned, almost bouncing in place from excitement. “Fate, Twilight and I will be unlocking new functionality for your Devices on a case-by-case basis. Not only will we be increasing your Devices’ performance output, we’ll also be releasing the form limiters, allowing access to new functions for your Devices!”

That seemed to have the desired effect. Twilight smiled as she listened to the Forwards mutter amongst themselves. Subaru looked pleased, while Spike and Erio shared a small fist-bump.

“We’ll be expanding your training regimen in the coming days to take these new abilities into account,” Fate added. “After all, we want you to be comfortable with the new forms before you use them in the field.”

“Until then, we’ll continue with training as usual,” Twilight concluded. “Everyone, break off into your assigned groups.”

The Forwards scattered, as did the instructors. Twilight trotted over to Teana, glancing up at the orange-haired girl. “How are you this morning, Private Lanster?”

“Fine, ma’am.” Teana checked Cross Mirage’s magazines as she spoke, not meeting Twilight’s eyes.

“Did your first session with Zafira go well?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana replied, slapping the magazine home with a firm ‘click.’

“Not feeling tired or anything?”

“No, ma’am. Perfectly fine. Ready for my lesson, ma’am.”

Twilight frowned slightly. She looks surprisingly alright for someone who’s only been running on… about three hours sleep? Four? “Teana…”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“You’d tell me if you weren’t feeling well, right?”

“Of course, ma’am.” Teana glanced away, checking her other pistol. “Do I look like I’m sick, ma’am?”

“Well, no…”

“Then with all due respect, ma’am,” Teana interrupted as she holstered her pistol and dusted off her hands, “we should probably get to work.”

Twilight’s frown deepened and her ears folded back. “Duly noted,” she replied flatly. “Though I appreciate the candor and enthusiasm, Private Lanster, I’ll remind you not to be quite so insubordinate.”

“Sorry, ma’am.” It certainly didn’t sound like an apology. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Please do.” Twilight blew a stray bit of mane out of her eyes then nodded. “Very well, let’s get to work then. We’ll be working on your dual-pistol exercises today…”

Teana turned quickly, each pistol tracking a separate target. She shifted about, making use of her peripheral vision as she picked off the flying spheres of light swirling around her.

“Good! Now, let’s try a new set.” Twilight swished her burning horn as the targets shifted, quickly taking on new flight patterns. “Just remember Teana, always keep all of your senses open. Look, scan, aim, shoot!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Teana quickly turned and leveled her pistols, blasting a pair of targets out of the sky. She quickly turned again, firing a Variable Shot through the air and arcing it into the flight path of another target.

“That’s it! Keep it up!”

“Basic illusions are all well and good,” Trixie lectured as she paced before Teana. The unicorn’s horn was trailing sparkling motes of light as she spoke, the fragments forming into tiny white-and-blue fireflies that bobbed lazily in the afternoon sun. “However, you can’t just rely on those all the time. It’s never wise to use the same trick on the audience twice. That’s Trixie’s Rule Number Three, in case you’re wondering.”

“Doesn’t that contradict what you said before about letting your audience do the work?” Teana grimaced as Trixie smirked at her.

“Not at all! Sometimes, you need to put on a real show. You need to dazzle the audience. You need to make them stand in awe at your skills! Otherwise, you might end up getting hit by the things they throw at you. And trust me, your audience will have worse things than rotten tomatoes and cream pies. Now, to business! I want you to impress me, Miss Lanster. On your feet!”

“On your feet, Lanster!”

Teana quickly scrambled to a standing position from where she’d landed on the mat. Zafira was standing there, arms crossed, a scowl on his face.

“Whenever you’re fighting a larger foe, you cannot afford to fight fair. A larger opponent will use their strength and mass against you in order to put you down. Now, let’s go through this again. What are the key areas you need to aim for?”

Teana had gotten up well before Subaru was awake. She rubbed sleep from her eyes and quickly got ready, rushing through her morning prep in order to fit a few more minutes of practice in before the others started getting up.

The grass outside the barracks was slightly slick as Teana readied Cross Mirage. Hovering spheres of light sprang into existence several meters ahead of her, slowly circling and swaying in the air as she took aim. Each trigger pull set off a soft ‘ping’ as the target registered a hit and flashed out of existence. Her eyes were narrowed as she shot down each target.

The drink machine was waiting for her when she finished. One swipe of her card and a can of coffee later, she was ready to meet the others.

Three drones on your right, guys! Teana knelt and took aim. I’ll lay down suppressing fire while you…

No need, Carrot Top, we got this!

Teana watched as Scootaloo vaulted through the air, a sharp cone of purple light forming on one of her hooves. There was a noise like a jackhammer as she struck, the spell punching cleanly through one of the drones, then promptly spun and kicked another into the air. Subaru followed through, spiking the drone into its companion before landing and giving the pegasus a fist-to-hoof bump.

Teana growled under her breath. Focus less on celebrating and more on your surroundings! She turned her attention elsewhere. Lightning Squad, do you require any assistance?

Negative, Erio replied. Spike and I are cleaning up the last few drones right now.

Well… good. Keep doing that…

“Hmm…” Trixie slowly walked around Teana. Teana’s eyes were clenched tight as she concentrated, the orange spell circle around her thrumming with power. “I’m curious about something, Lanster.”

“Yes?” Teana tried not to let her stress show.

“Do you really need to keep your eyes closed like that when you’re crafting an illusion?”

“My eyes are closed because I’m concentrating,” she replied tersely.

“Mhmm.”

Teana jerked slightly as she felt a horn prod her beneath her left ribs. Her eyes snapped open as the illusion she was forming vanished in a scattering of orange mana. “What was that for?!”

“The thing about concentrating that hard, is that it leaves you open,” Trixie replied. “You can’t handle a crowd if you’re just sitting there like a lump on a log.”

“But-“

“But nothing! This is about improving your skills, Lanster, so suck it up! Now, this time, I want you to craft the illusion and keep your eyes open!”

“Yes, ma’am…”

“Rrrgh!” Teana squirmed in Zafira’s grip. The wolf-man’s arm was firmly wrapped around her neck, just tight enough to hurt but not so much that she couldn’t breathe.

“Focus, Lanster,” Zafira growled softly. “Remember your targets. The weak, soft spot that you need to focus on.”

Teana squirmed, then drove her elbow into Zafira’s side, right where his kidney should be.

“Good! Again!”

Her elbow stabbed in again.

“Again! Harder!”

Elbow hit side again.

“Good.” Zafira released her, letting her stumble slightly as she escaped. “Remember, your fists aren’t your only weapons. When fighting for your life, there is no such thing as a ‘cheap move.’”

Ping. Ping. Ping… Ping.

She ground her teeth together. Her eyes were burning, and her grip was uncertain. She almost missed that target.

She took a deep breath, then knelt down and grabbed the can of coffee and swallowed it, doing her best to ignore the taste. I don’t see how Subaru can stand this stuff, but I need the caffeine…

Twilight loosed another volley of shots. Teana quickly took aim and fired, her Variable Shots quickly intercepting the bolts with each pull of the trigger.

One shot, however, missed. The incoming Corona Shot streaked towards her. Teana dove and rolled to her feet as the blast landed in her previous position. She took aim again, kneeling this time. She tried to ignore Twilight’s slightly raised eyebrow.

“Focus, Lanster!” Trixie glared imperiously into her open eyes. “A performer must sweat and bleed for her craft while making it look effortless!”

Teana held her tongue. She could see the others practicing past Trixie’s big head and ridiculous hat. Scootaloo and Subaru were racing through a mock urban course, while Spike and Erio were sparring under Zafira’s watchful eyes.

“Focus, Lanster!”

“Again! Did I tell you to stop hitting, Lanster?” Zafira growled.

Teana made a strangled noise in her throat as she reached down between Zafira’s legs and clenched her fingers hard. The wolf-man only winced slightly, but nonetheless released his hold.

“Good. But that’s not the point of the exercise Lanster. Now, let’s do this again. ”

Ping… ping…

Teana’s hands were trembling as she took aim again. The white lights flickered in her vision as she drew a bead on the hovering targets. The trigger clicked softly as she squeezed it.

“Teana, are you feeling well?”

Teana nodded to Twilight. “Fine, ma’am… I’m fine.”

Twilight frowned up at her, then sighed softly. “I’m just concerned. You seemed to be moving slower than usual…”

Teana quietly cursed her bad luck. “Just having an off day, ma’am…”

The illusion faltered and flickered out. Sweat rolled down Teana’s neck as she slowly knelt down onto the ground, her stomach groaning softly.

Trixie quirked an eyebrow. “Giving up, Lanster?”

“N-no, ma’am… just need a second to catch my breath.”

“Hmph… take a few minutes then. Trixie is nothing if not merciful.”

Teana stumbled and landed in a sprawl on the practice mat. She slowly pushed herself up, even though her limbs felt like jelly.

There was the sound of heavy footsteps as Zafira walked over to her. The wolf man crouched down beside her, his nostrils flaring slightly and his red eyes focused on hers.

“…We’re done.”

“S-sir?” Teana gulped as he stood up.

“I said we’re done. You’re in no shape for practice tonight. Go back to the barracks.”

“Sir… I’m fine.” She slowly got to her feet. “I can contin-“

There was a sharp whoosh of air as Zafira moved. Teana suddenly found a very large fist hovering a scant few millimeters from her nose.

“This is not up for debate, Private Lanster,” Zafira growled softly as he withdrew his fist. “Leave now, and return to your room.”

Teana stared at him, then nodded and turned away. Her fists clenched as she exited the gymnasium.

Teana’s footsteps echoed slightly as she walked towards the barracks. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms, while her jaw was clenched in anger, both at herself and at the world.

I’m such an idiot… now I’ve shot myself in the foot with Zafira. She quickly turned the corner and walked down the smooth concrete path leading towards the barracks. How in the hell am I going to catch-

“Oi, Lanster.”

Teana stopped as she heard the familiar voice. She spun around as a familiar, flight-suit-wearing man approached, his hands tucked into his pockets. “What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Woah there,” Vice raised his hands defensively, “no need to get hostile. I was just saying hi, that’s all.”

“Yeah, right.” Teana glared at him. “Shouldn’t you be back at the hanger with your buddies or something?”

“Nah. The guys’re playing cards right now, and I don’t feel like losing my paycheck. Again.” Vice chuckled, then made a show of looking around. “I was just looking for the source of the target lights, that’s all.”

Teana paused. “Target lights?”

“Yeah. Basic training spell? Creates little glowing spheres for target practice?” Vice made a little shooting motion with his right hand. “Saw them this morning while I was doing my usual jog around the base. You wouldn’t happen to know about that, would you?”

Teana stared at him, then huffed and turned away. “Why should I tell you? What do you care?”

“Well, I was just wondering. Somebody getting up that early to practice marksmanship is either really behind or really putting pressure on themselves…”

“Oh shut up.” Teana snapped as she turned and glared at him. “What do you know about pressure, huh? A grease monkey like you wouldn’t understand what I’m going through! So just… just go and hop in your helicopter and buzz off! Got it?”

Vice slid his hands into his pockets, and his expression became neutral. Teana could feel his gaze on her as all pretense of friendliness melted away like an ice-cube in summer. “Okay,” he said flatly. “A word to the wise, though; the people who think they’ve got something to prove tend to be the ones that make the biggest screw-ups. Trust me on that.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

Vice shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’m just a grease monkey.” He turned on his heel and walked off, hands still in his pockets. “You have a nice night, Lanster. Sleep well.”

“Tsh…” Teana turned away and stalked off. Who does he think he is?

“Oh, come on Subaru, even you’ve got to admit Teana’s losing it.”

Subaru didn’t reply as she walked downstairs, her hand sliding along the railing. She could hear Scootaloo following behind her. “Scoots, Tea’s fine. She’s just working through her stress…”

“Uh, yeah. I don’t buy that.” Scootaloo’s tail brushed the back of her head as she vaulted over her and landed at the base of the stairs. “Not for a second. You’re honestly telling me you see nothing wrong with how she’s behaving? She gets up before Caro does, comes in nearly at midnight and she’s been avoiding us even more than she usually does! That doesn’t set off any alarm bells?”

Subaru glanced at Scootaloo, then looked away. “I… I’ll admit, Tea can get weird sometimes, but she always has a reason. Usually.”

Scootaloo face-hoofed. “Like what, exactly?”

“I… well…” Subaru paused, scratching her head. “I don’t know…”

“Exactly!” Scootaloo stomped a hoof. “Even I can see she’s being a moron. And if Twilight catches wind of her habits, who knows what’ll happen. Come on Subaru, you’re the only one that can talk to her about this.”

Subaru sighed. “Look, if she’s really-“

There was a soft hiss as the door to the barracks opened. Both Subaru and Scootaloo turned as Teana stalked in.

“Well, look who it is, the lady of the hour,” Scootaloo said as Teana slowed her pace. The pegasus glanced over at Subaru, then gently hip-bumped her before continuing. “Decided to join us?”

“I’m really not in the mood, you oversized feather-duster,” Teana growled. “I’m just here to pick up a few things. That’s it.”

“Too bad, ‘cause I think Subaru has some things to say. Don’t you, Subaru?”

Subaru winced slightly as Teana glared at her. “Tea, are… you alright?”

“Fine. Just fine. Now get out of my way, Subaru.”

Teana began to push past her, only for Subaru to step into her path. “I said-“

“I heard what you said, Tea, but you don’t look so good.” Subaru narrowed her eyes slightly. “Have you been feeling dizzy? Any weird aches or pains? Are you feverish or-“

“I said I’m fine, Subaru. Now get out of-“

“Tea,” Subaru reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder as she tried to push by, “I’m being serious. You’re pushing your body way too hard. You’ve been getting sub-optimal amounts of rest, you haven’t been eating as much as you should, and I’m pretty sure you’ve been drinking coffee to keep your energy up. At this rate, a crash is inevitable. You’ve probably been showing symptoms of-“

“I said I’m fine. Now leave me alone, Subaru.” Teana pushed her hand away sharply. “I’m giving you an order as your Squad Leader. Drop it.”

“And I, as your friend, am going to ignore that order,” Subaru replied firmly. “Twilight told us-“

“Shut. Up. About. Twilight!”

Subaru stopped as Teana snarled at her. “Listen to yourself; Teacher’s Pet, just like you were at the Academy! Except this time you get to be right under your most favorite pony in all the world! What’s the matter, humans not good enough for you anymore, Subaru?”

“No, I just…” Subaru stepped back.

Teana stepped forward, her eyes hot with rage as her voice became louder. “Am I not good enough for you anymore? You think I wouldn’t notice how quickly you replaced me with a pony! You and Scootaloo, best friends, and you’ve only been around each other for, what, a month? Was that all it took for you to decide to just throw me away?! Well?!”

“Tea, I-“

“Hey, cut it out!” Scootaloo stepped in and pushed Teana back with her head. “I thought you were her friend!”

“Oh, shut up!” Teana snarled as she glared down at the mare. “This was probably your plan all along, wasn’t it? Not bad enough that you have to steal the show, you also have to steal my only friend too? You ponies are all alike; all cute and innocent on the outside but devious on the inside! I bet you-”

“Oh, for the love Celestia’s fluffy wings, stop acting like a rutting martyr you whiny, pig-tailed bitch,” Scootaloo snarled back. “You don’t get to blame all your problems on me just because your stupid brother got killed by a pony!”

Teana stepped back as if she’d been struck. Scootaloo’s eyes went wide and a hoof clapped over her mouth as she realized what she’d just said. A ringing silence filled the air.

“You…” Teana’s hands clenched into fists. “You… arrrrgh!”

“Tea, wait!” Subaru cried out as Teana pounced on Scootaloo. The orange pony squawked as the both of them went sprawling, Teana flailing at her even as they rolled around on the floor.

“Don’t you dare call Tiida stupid you… you…!”

“Get offa me, you maniac! Ow! Gah! Subaru, help!”

“Tea!” Subaru quickly dashed over and grabbed Teana around the waist, easily pulling Teana away and lifting her off the ground.

“Let go of me!” Teana squirmed in Subaru’s grasp. “Let me go, Subaru!”

“Tea, stop! Please! We’re all friends, right?” Subaru’s smile was desperate. “It was just a mistake. She didn’t-“

“We’re not friends, you idiot! Now let… me,” Teana swung an elbow around, slamming it into Subaru’s nose, “go!”

Subaru’s head turned slightly, slower than it should have. And slowly, Subaru let her arms go slack. Teana slid down her front and landed on her feet before turning around to face Subaru. She was panting heavily, her hair a mess and her face red from exertion.

Subaru slowly turned to look at her as blood trickled down from one nostril. That just made the hurt look on her face even worse. Tears were starting to form at the corners of her eyes. “We’re… not friends anymore?”

Teana stared at her as her anger slowly melted away, then turned and fled, pushing past Scootaloo before running up the stairs.

“Get back here you bitch!” Scootaloo shouted at Teana as disappeared from the stairwell before turning back to Subaru. “Uh… you… you alright?”

Subaru didn’t look at Scootaloo. She nodded numbly as she wiped her nose.

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an orange-haired bitch I need to buck into orbit.”

“Scoots, no…”

Scootaloo paused as she looked back at Subaru. “What? But…”

“No. No more fighting. No more.” Subaru let her arms hang at her side, her eyes hidden by her hair.

Scootaloo huffed. “Fine. But she’s not getting away with this. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to tell Twilight what happened. You… you cool with that?”

Subaru nodded.

“So… you’re not going to stop me?”

Subaru shook her head.

“You, uh, wanna come along? I mean, I’d get it if you don’t…”

Subaru nodded again.

Scootaloo inhaled, then sighed. “Right. Let’s get going.”

Twilight slowly closed her eyes and swept a hoof over the holographic display. “Raising Heart, end playback. Save the recording and forward it to Captain Harlaown’s desktop.”

“YES, MASTER.”

Twilight shook her head and looked over at a rather stone-faced Fate. “Go ahead,” Twilight said with a sigh, “you can say ‘I told you so’ if you want.”

Fate sighed as well and rested a hoof on Twilight’s withers. “I wasn’t planning on it. But really, you had to know this would happen eventually. Why else would you have them monitored?”

“I’d hoped things wouldn’t get quite this bad. Guess I was wrong.” Twilight rubbed her head gently. She was starting to develop a headache.

“So, what’re your plans?”

“First, get some aspirin. After that, I’m going to meet with Subaru and Scootaloo. Meanwhile, I need you to tell Chrono.”

Fate nodded. “Done.”

Twilight glanced at her, then quirked an eyebrow as Fate smirked slightly. “What?”

“As bad as this sounds, sister, I’m actually looking forward to Vita’s reaction to all this.”

“Fate, if you tell her anything, I’ll have no choice but to do terrible, unspeakable things to you in retaliation.”

“Consider me properly terrified,” Fate replied as she stood. “I’ll go talk to Chrono.”

Twilight shooed her away with a wave of a hoof, then inhaled through her nostrils and counted to ten as she heard the door shut. “Alright Twilight,” she muttered to herself, “This is a friendship problem. You can work with friendship problems. You’re good at friendship problems. You got this.”

Hopefully she did have it. Otherwise, Stars Squad would be better named ‘Falling Star Squad.’

14: Cleaning Up

Teana sat quietly in the front row of the empty chapel, looking silently at the coffin. The TSAB’s flag was draped over it, the three-colored shield resting on a field of dark blue. Flower displays flanked the casket, artfully arranged and brightly-colored despite the solemn occasion.

She was the only one there. The officers had already left, as had Tiida’s peers and friends. She couldn’t bring herself to get up, however. She didn’t want to leave.

The chapel doors slammed open. “The body’s right over there, gentlecolts,” a disembodied voice stated matter-of-factly.

Teana sat up with a start and turned as four stallions marched in. Their faces were hidden in silhouette and the golden armor they wore was tarnished and splotched with rust. They marched along the aisle two-by-two, seemingly unaware of Teana’s presence.

Teana sprang to her feet and stood in their path. “Go away! You already took him from me once! I won’t let you do it again!” Her hand went to her side holster, ready to pull out her Device.

She didn’t pull out Cross Mirage. She pulled out a child’s toy; a blocky green piece of plastic that chirped and beeped when she pulled the trigger. She looked down in shock as the ponies marched past her and up to the casket.

“No!” She flung herself at the ponies. One expertly placed kick of the hind leg sent her flying, crashing into the lines of folding chairs. Teana groaned as the four ponies lifted the casket into the air and began marching towards the door, the Bureau’s flag falling limply to the ground as they went.

“No…give… give him back.” She staggered after the procession as they made their way through the door and into the light beyond. “Don’t take… him away…”

The doors slammed shut in her face.
---

The Next Morning

Teana’s eyes slowly opened. Her head pounded in time with her heartbeat as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Just a dream… She exhaled slowly as she slung her legs off the side of the bed and pushed herself to her feet. It’s just a dream, Teana.

She glanced at the desk she shared with Subaru, then reached over and pulled open one of the drawers. Inside was the little toy pistol from her dream. She slowly picked it up, cradling it gently as she took a seat in the chair.

She gave it an experimental pull of the trigger. Its little lights came on as it made ray-gun noises.

“Looks like the battery’s still good,” she muttered to herself as she slowly turned it over and over in her hands as she remembered…

“Pew! Pew! I gotcha, Tiida! I gotcha this time!”

“Haha! Oh no, I’m hit!”

“Now stay down! You’re under arrest!”
“Oof! Curses, foiled again! Please, have mercy, Enforcer Lanster! Spare me! Isn’t there some rule against using bad guys as seats?”

“I warned ya, you baddy, nobody escapes the Lansters!”

“Oh, really? Not even if I do… this?”

“Eeek! Tiida, stoppit! That tickles! Hehehe! Hahaha!”

“Nothing can stop Tiida the Terrible’s evil tickle spell! Not even the brave Enforcer Lanster can withstand it!”

“Tiiidaaaaa!”

“Alright, alright… whew. I think it’s time for someone to go to bed. Some of us have to get up early… Aw, what’s with the pout? Don’t tell me you don’t want to go to sleep yet.”

“Tiida… do you really have to leave?”

“Yeah. But don’t worry; it’s just for a few days. You’ll be fine on your own. Besides, I’ll make sure to bring you a souvenir from Manehatten. How’s that sound?”

“It better be nice.”

“Oh, it will. Anything for my trigger-happy little sister.”

Teana looked up as the door hissed open. Subaru paused at the threshold, looking at her awkwardly before fixing her eyes downward and walking in. “Morning, Tea…”

“Um… good morning, Subaru…” Teana opened the drawer again and set the toy inside, then quickly glanced at the clock. “You… let me sleep in?”

Subaru nodded as she dropped her damp towel onto the ground and opened the closet. She started changing into her clothes, not even looking in Teana’s direction as she did so.

“Thanks…” Teana shuffled slightly in the chair as she looked at Subaru. “Um… look. About yesterday, I…”

Subaru stiffened up.

“I… I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Teana turned and rested her arms on the desk, then rested her chin on her folded arms. “I just…”

“You wanted to hurt Scootaloo.” It wasn’t an accusation; it was a statement of fact.

Teana winced, then sighed. “I guess so. Look, I’m sorry… I just…”

The closet door clicked shut. “You should probably get dressed, Tea. We don’t want to be late.”

“Subaru, I-“ Teana turned towards her, only to fall silent as Subaru opened the door and walked out.

Twilight was waiting for them at the bridge that led out to the S4. She stood in the middle of the causeway, her eyes narrow and her expression neutral. She was dressed in her uniform, rather than her Barrier Jacket, which only made Teana more nervous.

“Good morning, Forwards,” Twilight said calmly as the group gathered. “I hate to do this to you, but there’s been a change in schedule.”

“Lightning Squad will proceed to the S4 as per usual,” she continued as the members of Lightning Squad looked amongst each other. “Stars Squad, however, will be coming with me. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana said in tandem with the others.

Twilight nodded as the members of Lightning Squad filed past her. Teana saw Spike give Scootaloo a worried look before he scurried along afterwards. She then turned her attention to Twilight. The purple unicorn’s expression slowly shifted from neutral to carefully-controlled anger.

“You three, come with me. Now.”

Teana didn’t reply. She promptly fell into step behind Scootaloo and Subaru.

“Privates Nakajima and Scootaloo,” Twilight said as she trotted along without looking back at them, “you will come with me to Captain Harlaown’s office. Private Lanster, you will report to Shamal for physical examination. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana said softly.

“Good.”

“You know,” Shamal said as she ran her hand-scanner over Teana’s back, “you’re lucky Twilight sent you here. From the looks of things you’re starting to show the beginning stages of energy overextension.”

Teana squirmed slightly as she felt the scanner’s beam run down her spine. “I am?”

“Mhmm. I assume you know what that is, yes?”

“It’s when a mage channels too much power without resting or eating properly,” Teana replied. “The body’s natural recuperative abilities become overwhelmed, and the resulting stresses cause the body to slowly break down while aggravating injuries. Our teachers taught us about it at the Academy.”

“Good, good.” Shamal walked around as she produced a tongue depressor from a lab coat pocket. “Say ‘ah?’”

“Ahhh…” Teana opened wide and stuck out her tongue.

“Thankfully,” Shamal continued as she inspected Teana’s mouth, “your case is relatively mild. A day or two of rest should bring you back up to fighting shape.” She removed the tongue depressor and flicked on the hand-scanner’s light, slowly sliding it across Teana’s eyes.

“A day or two?” Teana swallowed and rubbed her throat.

“Mhmm.” Shamal swept her hand to the side and summoned a small holographic display and keyboard. “With plenty of rest, water, food and minimal magic usage. That means no training.”

“Great, as if I needed to fall any further behind,” Teana muttered, then squirmed on the bed as Shamal gave her a flat look. “Sorry, ma’am. I just… can’t you just use a healing spell on me?”

“I could; that’d fix the damage you’ve already sustained. However, it’d be much better for you to recover naturally. Think of it as taking your medicine.”

“Yes, ma’am…” Teana slumped slightly and scratched at one arm. “Um… Dr. Shamal… did Subaru come in?”

Shamal busied herself with typing away at the keyboard. “Hm? Oh, yes. Last night, actually. Twilight insisted. She had a busted nose, but by the time she arrived she’d fixed it herself. Not bad for an amateur at healing magic.”

“Oh.” Teana looked over at the clock on the wall. “Am… I free to go?”

“Mmm… no.” Shamal tapped a button on the display and turned back to Teana. “Not yet, at least.”

“Right.” Twilight probably sent me here while the others talk to Captain Harlaown. Makes sense.

“You know, you’re not the only one who had trouble with her squad mates.” Shamal took a seat on the bed beside her.

“Oh?”

Shamal nodded. “Indeed. We… by which I mean, we Altenritter, didn’t exactly work well together at the start.”

“You mean… back when you four were known as the Wolkenritter?”

Shamal winced slightly at the name. “Correct. For a very long time, we hated each other. Of course, it was probably more due to circumstances than anything else. Yes, we worked together, but we weren’t exactly friendly with each other. Vita especially, poor thing…”

“How… long? I mean, how long did it take you four to start getting along?”

“Oh, a few decades,” Shamal said breezily. “I think it was at least a century. Maybe more. My memory’s a bit fuzzy.”

Teana stared up at Shamal, her jaw agape as Shamal giggled. “Of course, when you’re my age the memory’s the first thing to go.”

“Right… memory…”

“But look at it like this,” Shamal smiled as she folded her hands in her lap, her rings glinting as their gems caught the light. “It probably won’t take the three of you that long, right?”

“I… I don’t know.” Teana pulled her feet up onto the bed, curling her knees against her chest and hugging her legs. “Scootaloo hates me, and Subaru probably doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore. And that’s not even the start of things.”

“It’s not that bad…”

“With all due respect, ma’am,” Teana replied, “I know what’s coming. This isn’t the first time I’ve been called for a disciplinary hearing, after all. I’ll be lucky if they just kick me out of RIOT Force… and I probably deserve it.”

“Well, that’s entirely up to Captain Harlaown.” Shamal glanced up as the door chimed softly. “Come in!”

The door hissed open, allowing Twilight to enter. She nodded to Teana, then looked over at Shamal. “How is she?”

“She’ll be fine with a day or two of rest. I take it he’s ready for her?”

Twilight nodded again, then looked over at Teana. “Ready, Private Lanster?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Teana got to her feet and brushed her pants off. “Thank you, Dr. Shamal.”

“It was no problem, really. Good luck, Teana.”

Twilight said nothing as they rode the elevator up. Teana didn’t say anything either; she knew how this sort of thing went.

There was a soft chime as the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open. Twilight exited first, flicking her horn for Teana to follow. Teana did so, doing her best to stamp down her nerves as she followed Twilight down the hall towards Captain Harlaown’s office.

To her surprise, she saw Scootaloo and Subaru standing in the hall. Neither of them looked particularly happy. Teana nodded quietly to them in passing. Only Scootaloo responded with a similar nod.

Twilight came to a halt in front of Captain Harlaown’s door, then gestured at it with a hoof. “I’ll be waiting here. He’s expecting you.”

Teana nodded, then slowly reached up and knocked on the door.

“Enter,” came the muffled reply. Teana pressed the open button and stepped through, letting it shut behind her.

Captain Harlaown was seated behind his desk, quietly looking at an open folder with papers spread out before him. A holographic monitor hovered before him, but Teana couldn’t make out what he was looking at. A lone chair sat before the desk, seated directly across from him.

“P-Private Lanster reporting, sir,” she managed to say, her body stiff as she assumed parade rest.

“Have a seat,” Captain Harlaown said with a distracted wave of his hand, not looking up from his papers.

Teana quickly moved and took a seat in the chair, her legs pressed together and her hands in her lap. The room was quiet save for the rustle of paper and the soft hum of the monitor.

Minutes passed. Teana couldn’t help but fidget. Captain Harlaown’s eye never left the papers before him. He almost seemed unaware of her presence.

“Sir, I-“

His hand snapped up, his index finger raised. Teana’s mouth shut with an audible ‘click.’ He then sighed and slowly gathered up the papers, slid them into the folder, then shut it. A wave of his hand dismissed the monitor before he looked up at her, his good hand resting on the top of the desk.

“We have a problem, Private Lanster,” he said calmly, his fingers drumming on the ink blotter as he spoke. “Or, rather, you have a problem. Normally, I wouldn’t get involved with other people’s business, but your recent actions have made your problem my problem. And I’m not particularly happy with that. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” Captain Harlaown exhaled through his nose. “I assume you know why you’re here, Private Lanster.”

“I do, sir.”

“Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

Teana shook her head. “No, sir. I can’t make any excuses for my behavior. What I did was wrong.”

Captain Harlaown nodded. “That’s commendable. However, assaulting your squad-mates is a pretty big issue. Are you familiar with the Bureau’s Code of Conduct, Private Lanster?”

Teana swallowed, then nodded. “Y-yes, sir. I am.”

“And what’s the punishment for assaulting a member of your squad?”

“Depending on the severity of the infraction,” she said as she tried not to stammer, “punishment can range from docking of pay to… to dismissal and discharge, sir.”

Captain Harlaown nodded. “Indeed.” He paused, slowly turning to one side in his chair. “Private Lanster, what is your goal?”

“Sir?”

“Your ambition. What do you hope to accomplish? What did you join the Bureau to become?”

Teana swallowed. “An… An Enforcer, sir.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, sir. That’s part of the reason why I joined RIOT Force, sir.”

Captain Harlaown swiveled back to face her. “I assume you’re aware of the standards that Enforcers are held to then?”

“Yes, sir.”

Captain Harlaown nodded. “Private Lanster, do you think your recent behavior is befitting of an Enforcer of the Bureau?”

Teana looked down. “N-no, sir.”

“Do you think that the Bureau wants an Enforcer with a pattern of anti-social and insubordinate behavior? Who can’t get along with her squad mates? Who can’t be around our allies, the Equestrians, without sticking her foot in her mouth?”

Teana shrank inwards. “No, sir.”

“Good. Eyes forward, Lanster.”

Teana looked up as Chrono sighed. “Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring the hammer down on you, Private Lanster. However, there are certain… mitigating factors.” He gestured towards the door. “I’ve spoken with your squad-mates and heard their side of the story. Quite frankly, I think all three of you are idiots for letting the problem get this far.

“Furthermore,” he tapped his fingers on the desk, “I spoke with Special Instructor Sparkle, and she’s asked me to show leniency on you.”

Teana’s eyes widened. “She-“

“She believes that your recent behavior stems from the amount of stress you’ve been under, which exacerbated previous issues and caused the incident last night. I’m inclined to agree with her. Do you disagree, Private Lanster?”

“N-no, sir. Special Instructor Sparkle is correct in her assessment of my behavior. I take full responsibility for my actions.”

Captain Harlaown nodded. “Duly noted.” He leaned back slowly in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eye closing in consideration. Teana felt her heart pound in her chest.

“In light of the current evidence and your own contrition, you will not be court martialed.” Captain Harlaown sat up, his single eye drilling into her. “I won’t be wasting a tribunal’s time with this, so I’ll be brief and pronounce judgement based on Article Fifteen of the Bureau Code of Conduct. Do you object?”

“No, sir.”

“Noted. You will be confined to base for one week without pay. In addition, you will be attending mandatory weekly counseling sessions with Dr. Shamal until she sees fit to release you. Understood?”

Teana nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. But let me make one thing absolutely clear, Private Lanster,” he said, stabbing his index finger onto the desk as he leaned forward. “This will not happen again. Do you understand me?”

Teana nodded quickly, her eyes wide with fear.

“Good.” He swiveled his chair around until he faced away from her. “You’re dismissed.”

Teana slowly got to her feet, saluted to the back of Captain Harlaown’s chair, then turned and walked towards the door.

Twilight, Subaru and Scootaloo were waiting outside for her when she left Captain Harlaown’s office. Twilight’s expression was unreadable, while Scootaloo and Subaru weren’t looking at her or each other.

Twilight exhaled. “I take it Captain Harlaown’s handed down his judgement?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Teana replied softly.

Twilight nodded, then turned and glanced at Subaru and Scootaloo. “Stars Squad will not be taking part in class today,” she said, turning back to look at Teana. “For now, I suggest you all return to the barracks and think about what you’ve done. I’ll come by later tonight to see if you’ve made any progress. Clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” all three of them replied.

“Good.” Twilight turned and began to trot off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m needed elsewhere.

“Um, Special Instructor Sparkle?”

Twilight paused as Teana called out to her, but didn’t look back. “Yes?”

“Um… thank you. For what you did, ma’am.”

Twilight stood there for a moment before nodding quietly and resuming her trot, leaving the three members of Stars Squad alone.

“So,” Scootaloo said after a minute or two of silence, “maybe we should, I dunno, get moving?”

Teana nodded and started walking. She heard footsteps as the other two fell in behind her.

“So… uh…” Scootaloo continued as they reached the elevators, “what’d you get?”

“Huh? Oh… um… confined to base and docked a week’s pay, plus mandatory counseling.” Teana reached out and pushed the button.

“You too, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess- wait, what?” Teana turned and looked at Scootaloo in confusion. “What do you mean ‘you too?’”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Yeah, Captain Harlaown kinda read us the riot act when we met with him…”

“You know, I should’ve expected this from you, Scootaloo,” Chrono said as he fixed the petite pegasus with a one-eyed glare. “From what I’ve heard from Twilight, you haven’t exactly been the spitting image of professionalism. Did you honestly think you could just keep poking away at Private Lanster without any issue?”

Scootaloo did her best to look contrite, scuffing the carpet with her front hoof as her tail hung limply, her eyes downcast.

“It’s not her fault, sir,” Subaru objected softly, only to find herself under Chrono’s glare.

“You’re not helping matters much either, Miss Nakajima. Honestly, I expect Scootaloo to be a bit of a trouble-maker. You, however, aren’t helping anybody by enabling them the way you are. I know you want everyone to get along and be friends, but you seriously need to get your act together.”

“S-sorry, sir.”

Chrono pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know, for a fact, that the two of you are smarter than this. You’d have to be, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. The fact that I even have to get involved in this little drama makes me wonder how you three would manage to survive in the field, much less in a life-or-death situation. Both of you need to put on your big girl pants and grow up.”

“He continued on like that for a while, then hit us with NJP,” Scootaloo said as the elevator chimed. She trotted in through the open doors, letting Teana and Subaru follow. “So yeah, we’re all in the same boat. Welcome to Buck Up City, population us.”

Teana nodded numbly as Subaru hit the button for the ground floor. The doors slid shut with a click. I’m not sure if that’s entirely within the regs, but I honestly can’t blame him. I’d probably do the same thing.

The three of them continued on in silence as the elevator carried them downwards and opened up to the ground floor. They remained silent on the long walk back to the barracks, and even once they went inside. Teana sighed softly, then walked over to the couch in the lounge area and took a seat.

“Uh… girls… could you come over here for a second?” Teana glanced back over her shoulder, watching the others pause as they began climbing up the stairs.

“Uh, no offence,” Scootaloo said nervously as she glanced up at Subaru, “but maybe we should-“

“Please?” Teana tried not to sound too desperate. “I just… I just want to say my piece, and then you can go do whatever it is you need. I won’t take long.”

Scootaloo looked up at Subaru. Subaru shrugged, then turned around and slowly walked down the stairs and over toward the lounge area, followed closely by Scootaloo. The blue-haired mage took a seat on a chair across from Teana, while Scootaloo had a seat on the floor.

Teana took a deep breath. “I’m just going to come right out and say this. What I did was wrong. A lot of this was my fault, and I’m not just talking about last night.”

“Uh-huh.” Scootaloo arched an eyebrow. Subaru was still looking down at the ground.

Teana sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Apology accepted.”

Teana blinked. “What? Really?”

“What? Were you expecting something else?”

“Um…” Teana rubbed the back of her neck. “Maybe?”

Scootaloo fluffed her wings and gave a Gallic shrug from her seated position. It was odd seeing a pony make such a human gesture. “You’re not the only filly here that screwed up, carrot top. I didn’t exactly make things any easier. Way I figure, we can just say we’re both really rutting stupid and call it square.”

Teana blinked again, then nodded. “I… didn’t expect that, honestly. That’s actually pretty nice of you…”

“Yeah, but I’m not the one you really need to apologize to.” Scootaloo gestured a hoof to Subaru.

Teana looked over at Subaru, then sighed and closed her eyes. “Subaru, I…”

“Tea…” Subaru’s voice was soft and pitiable, “are we… really not friends anymore?”

“What? No, we’re still… Subaru, I wasn’t… Ugh!” Teana pressed her hands over her eyes and sighed. “Subaru, you’re still my friend. I just had a bad day yesterday and… well, I took it out on both of you.”

“Like always.”

Teana paused at that reply. She heard Subaru’s knuckles pop as she clenched her hands into fists.

“It’s…” Subaru’s voice shook slightly, though she kept her eyes lowered. Her shoulders were trembling. Scootaloo scooted back a little bit. “It’s always the same with you, Tea. Whenever anyone tries to get close, you always push them back! And whenever anyone tries to get close to me, you always get mad! It’s always been that way, even when we were in the Academy together! It’s… it’s like you don’t even know how to make friends! I’ve tried and tried and tried, but you never seem to want to open up!”
Teana recoiled as Subaru looked up, her teeth clenched and gaze angry as tears leaked down her cheeks. “Why can’t you just be nice? Why do you always have to take things out on everyone else?! Why… why do you have to take things out on me when I just want to help you?”

Teana looked at Subaru, then looked down. “Because… because I never had anyone else other than Tiida before you came along.”

Subaru blinked as Teana pulled her feet up onto the couch. “After Tiida died, I was alone. My parents were already only children, so I didn’t have relatives or cousins or anyone other than Tiida. When he died I didn’t have anybody else. I never was much for socializing or making friends anyway, so I just… locked up. Before the Academy I spent most of my time alone. If I’d had my way, I would’ve been happy to just stay alone; then I wouldn’t have to lose anyone else.

“And then… you came along.”

Teana stared at the girl sharing her bunk, all bright blue eyes and messy blue hair with an enormous, infectious grin. She’d already unloaded her duffle bag onto the desk, dozens of books and notepads scattered across the surface. Half of them were thicker than some of the dictionaries Teana’d seen.

“Hi! I guess we’re roommates!” The girl stuck out her hand. “I’m Subaru. Subaru Nakajima! It’s nice to meet you!”

“Uh, nice to meet you too, I guess.” Teana looked at the hand, then gently grasped it, only to find herself jostled around as the girl began shaking her arm so hard it almost yanked her off her feet.

“This is so exciting! I’ve never roomed with a stranger before! I was always with my sister, but now I have a new roommate! This is so cool! Do you wanna be friends?! Please say you wanna be friends because I really-”

“Arm… hurts!”

“Eek!” Subaru promptly released her hand. “Sorry. I sometimes forget about my own strength. Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I’m sorry…”

Teana flexed her fingers and winced. She started to reply with a snap when she saw Subaru’s sad, almost puppy-like eyes. “Yeah,” she said instead. “I’m fine. Just… try not to break my arm next time.”

“Okay. Uh, so, do you wanna be friends?”

“Why would you want to be friends with me?” Teana walked over to the closet and began putting her things away. “We don’t even know each other.”

“So?” Subaru walked over and reached into Teana’s bag. “That’s easy to fi-“

“Hey!” Teana swatted Subaru’s arm. “That’s my stuff. No touching!”

“I just wanna help…”

“You want to help? Go… over there or something.” Teana gestured off to the side. “And just stay out of the way.”

“‘Kay!”

Teana sighed as Subaru walked off and stood off to the side. She could feel the girl’s intense gaze on her. She paused, then looked back. “Okay, look, if I say we can be friends, will you stop looking at me like that?”

Subaru nodded quickly. “Sure!”

“Fine, we’re friends then.”

“Yay!” Subaru quickly scrambled over to the desk and picked up a book. Teana spotted the title; Essays on Harmony and Magic by Twilight Sparkle.

“Great, a pony-loving weirdo…” Teana muttered under her breath.

“You came along and basically forced yourself into my life,” Teana continued. “And at first, I hated you for it. I hated that you liked ponies. I hated that you never left me alone. I hated that you always got better grades than me. Part of me regretted ever saying yes to you when we first met.

“But… you never left me,” Teana said as she pressed her face into her legs. “You never abandoned me. Never left me alone. You helped me with my studies, you always had a kind word or a bit of encouragement, and you never seemed to stop smiling. So I made an exception. You were my only friend, Subaru. And to tell the truth… I don’t know what I’d do without you around.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch. I’m sorry I’m such a lousy friend.” Teana looked up at Subaru, her own tears starting to drip down. “I’m so… so sorry I hurt you, Subaru.”

Subaru didn’t reply. She stood up, walked over, and pulled Teana off the couch and into a bear hug.

“Uh… there… there…” Teana managed to squeak out as she tried to return the embrace.

“I’m sorry too, Tea,” Subaru sobbed as she squeezed Teana tighter. “I’m sorry! I should’ve tried harder!”

“Subaru…” Teana’s voice came out in a gasp.

“Huh?”

“Can’t… breathe?”

“Eeep!” Subaru released her. Teana landed on the couch with an ’oof’ and a gasp.

Twilight smiled slightly as she listened in, the invisible audio sensor picking up the entire conversation. Raising Heart, save the current recording to my personal records and continue recording.

Of course, Master, the Device replied as Twilight tuned back in to reality.

“Alright,” she turned back to Caro with a smile. “Where were we?”

“Anyway…” Teana said as she rubbed her side, a contrite-looking Subaru seated beside her, “that’s my piece. I’m not sure if I can make up for my bad behavior, but… well, no harm in trying, right?”

Scootaloo snorted. “Hey, at least you’re trying. That puts you ahead in my book.”

“What do you mean?” Teana tilted her head as Scootaloo climbed up onto the chair Subaru had vacated and curled her legs beneath her. “You got something to add?”

“I figured since we’re all airing our damage, I might as well join in.” Scootaloo chuckled weakly as she reached up and flicked her mane out of the way, her Device catching the light as it fluttered. “I mean, I should at least explain myself too.”

“You don’t-“

Scootaloo shook her head. “I know, but I want to.”

“Uh… okay.” Teana settled back against the couch. “Go ahead, I guess?”

Scootaloo nodded and closed her eyes. “I think you two’ve probably figured this out by now, but… I can’t fly.”

“Well, I had my suspicions,” Teana replied before looking over at Subaru. “I don’t know about you Su-“

“Actually,” Subaru said as her cheeks turned pink, “I already knew because Spike-“
Subaru promptly froze mid-sentence and clapped a hand over her mouth.

Scootaloo stared at Subaru, then face-hoofed. “I should’ve known. No wonder you were so eager to teach me your Wing Road spell. I’m going to smack that chatty little lizard square in the nose for this.”

“Real smooth, Subaru,” Teana said gently.

“Anyway,” Scootaloo coughed before continuing. “I can’t fly. I’m pretty sure you can figure out that that isn’t exactly good for a pegasus. Shuts out a lot of opportunities. When I was younger I tried lots of stuff; I did courier work around town, even tried my hoof at extreme sports for a while. That didn’t last long; kinda hard to compete against something like the Wonderbolts, especially with Rainbow Dash in charge.”

“That’s the Element of Loyalty,” Subaru said to Teana, eliciting a snort from Scootaloo.

“Yeah. Loyalty. Anyway, I was running out of options. Then Princess Luna put the Guard Reforms through and opened recruitment up to mares. I figured, what the hay? Couldn’t hurt. Besides, I was tough, I was athletic, I was fast. I could handle myself. Plus, I’m kinda a tomfilly, so I figured I’d fit right in.

“Turns out,” Scootaloo continued, her expression darkening, “that wasn’t exactly the case. Since I couldn’t fly, they stuck me in with the other ground forces. And let’s just say they weren’t exactly welcoming.”

“Let me guess,” Teana leaned forward, “hazing?”

“Yup. Pranks, mean jokes, nasty comments, the works. I knew I was gonna get some pushback, but sheesh.” Scootaloo grimaced. “Of course, that all calmed down after a while and some of the other mares got weeded out but it wasn’t exactly a pleasant place to be, even by the standards of Basic. And then I met him.”

“Him?”

“His name was Hotshot. He was a pegasus, a lieutenant. I must’ve caught his attention or something, because he invited me out with his buddies. They were all Cloudsdale upper class kids; you know, long and storied lineages and grand-daddies in the Royal Guard and blah blah blah.” Scootaloo waved a hoof, then sighed. “At first, it was kinda nice. I mean, he wasn’t much older than me, and all his pals were cool and rich and we could do all sorts of neat stuff. Heck, they didn’t even seem to mind me not being able to fly. So I started hanging out with them. Big mistake.”

“What happened?”

“Well, we’d all finished training and we were on leave when Hotshot invited me out to celebrate at Cloudsdale with his buddies. You know, like ‘real pegasi.’ I hadn’t been to Cloudsdale in… well, a pretty long time, so I jump for the chance. So we go up there and we got drunk off our asses (no offense to donkeys) and hung out at his dad’s huge cloud mansion when…”

“Come on, Scooty! Jump already!” Hotshot laughed from his spot on the cloud-stuff below as Scootaloo stood at the edge of the second story balcony.

“You… You sure this is a good idea, Hotshot?” Scootaloo peered down from her perch, blinking blearily at the soft pile of cloud below. “I mean, we’re pretty high up…”

“Sure! It’s cool!” Hotshot leaned over and smooshed a hoof through the cloud. “The cloudcrete’s nice and soft right now! It’ll be like jumping onto a big slice of cloudcake!”

“I dunno…”

“Come on, don’t wuss out! Jump! Jump!”

Scootaloo swallowed as the other stallions joined in, chanting ‘jump, jump’ as Hotshot flew up to her, his bright orange coat almost glowing in the lamp-light. ‘Come on, chicken,” he cooed with that playful smirk he always had. “You wanna prove you’re a REAL pegasus, don’t you?”

“Well yeah, but…”

“Come on then, Scooty!” Hotshot flitted over and pulled her into a noogie, pressing his hoof into her mane. “I know you got it in you!”

“Hehe! Stoppit! Alright!”

“That’s the spirit! Come on, don’t keep the fellas waiting!”

Scootaloo swallowed, then took a few steps back. “Promise it’s safe?”

“Totally. You trust me, right?”

“Yeah… yeah, sure! Alright you featherheads, here I come!”

There was a loud cheer as Scootaloo took a running jump off the balcony, curling up into a ball as she fell.

FOOMP!
She hit the cloud layer… and kept going.

She let out a scream as she fell, the wind whooshing up around her as she plummeted.

“Turns out,” Scootaloo said flatly as her wings bristled, “it wasn’t rutting cloudcrete at all! It was just regular old clouds.”

Teana’s face went pale as she covered her mouth with both hands. Subaru swallowed. “M-maybe,” she said nervously, “it was just a mistake? I mean, you were all drunk-“

“Yeah, everypony was drunk. Everypony except Hotshot.” Scootaloo’s tail twitched as she breathed in deeply. “The bastard planned it. I was just lucky my wings were strong enough that I could break my fall a little bit. Still wound up with a broken leg and a few busted ribs when I landed.”

“What happened?”

“Well, I was found the next day. The Guard brought Hotshot and his crew in for questioning. He claimed it was an accident. That I’d gotten drunk and taken a tumble off the edge of the cloud.” Scootaloo snorted, her nostrils flaring as she ground her teeth. “The bastard was smiling when I fell. Anyway, he comes by one day while I’m still laid up in the hospital…”

“Oh, Scooty, how’re you feeling?”

Scootaloo opened her eyes, then glared at Hotshot. “What the buck’re you doing here, you vulture?”

Hotshot was still smirking as he leaned onto the side of her bed. “I’m just checking in on my bestest bud, that’s all. Totally sorry about that whole falling thing. Really am.”

“Horseapples! You tricked me!”

“Tsk, poor thing. You must’ve hit your head when you landed.” Hotshot reached over and gave her a patronizing pat on the head. “Don’t worry, though. I’m sure you’ll get a nice medical discharge.”

“Don’t bucking touch me,” Scootaloo snapped. “When I get out of this cast, I’m going to feed you your own teeth, you hear me!?”

“Hey now, no need to get violent,” Hotshot cooed, the smirk spreading into a devious smile. “It was just an accident. No need to blame me for your own recklessness.”

“My-“

“Shhh.” He reached over and pressed a hoof over her lips. “Now, let me explain. I’ve already told the CO that it was your fault so I suggest you do the same. After all, we don’t want any messy inconsistencies. If you do, I promise I’ll make sure you get a nice cushy desk job instead of getting kicked OWW!”

Scootaloo pulled her mouth back from the bite-mark she’d left on his frog. “Buck off, you mother-rutting sack of ponyfeathers. I thought you were my friend!”

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” Hotshot hissed before he leaned in, almost nose-to-nose with her. “You don’t get it, you brainless little penguin; I’m trying to do you a favor! A cripple like you doesn’t deserve to be in the guard, much less an active member! You just got in because the Princesses felt sorry for you and your kind. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll play nice. Got it?”

“What am I, some tame showpony for you to advance your career? Oh, look at Hotshot, caring for the flightless pegasus. Go piss in a thunderstorm, fog-for-brains.”

Hotshot glared at her, then straightened up with a huff. “Fine. You clearly need some time to think about this, so I’ll leave you be. Just remember; I’ve got powerful friends. You don’t.”

“That was the last I heard from him,” Scootaloo concluded.

“Sweet merciful Celestia,” Subaru whispered.

“What happened to him?” Teana leaned in, eyes intense. “He didn’t get away with it, did he?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “No clue. Like I said, I never heard from him again. After I got better, I got transferred over to Twilight and Fate’s little side project testing pegasus magic and Devices and stuff. Then I ended up here.”

There was a moment of silence before Subaru slid off the couch, knelt down before Scootaloo, and gently hugged her around the neck.

“H-hey… it’s alright, Subs,” Scootaloo gently patted her on the back. “I’m fine.”

“So that’s why you were so nasty towards me when Subaru and I were roughhousing,” Teana said thoughtfully.

“Yeah… truth be told, I figured you were like Hotshot; nice on the outside but mean as a snake on the inside.” Scootaloo sighed. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

“No, it’s fine.” Teana shook her head. “I guess I kinda deserved it. I’m not exactly the cheerful sort as you can tell.”

Scootaloo nodded. “So, do you mind if we start over?”

“Sure.” Teana extended a hand to Scootaloo. “Teana Lanster, Private First Class, Ground Forces.”

Scootaloo thumped a front hoof into her hand. “Scootaloo, Private, Equestrian Royal Guard.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Teana blinked as she heard a soft sniffle, then turned and looked over at Subaru. The blue-haired girl had tears in her eyes before she pulled both Scootaloo and Teana in for a group hug.

“S-sorry,” Subaru muttered as she pulled the pair close. “I’m just happy that you two are finally getting along…”

“Hate to break the mood,” Scootaloo said as she squirmed, “but I think I’ve reached my limit for sappy stuff for today. Can we, I dunno, break for something else? Like punching each other?”

“Oh, uh, sure…” Subaru let go, then blushed. “Right. Sorry.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” Scootaloo pulled away. “Might as well do something other than sit around.”

“Agreed,” Teana replied. “I suppose we could do something productive. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to use magic for a while until I recover.”

“Bummer,” Scootaloo said as Subaru rested a hand on Teana’s shoulder.

“It’s okay Tea,” Subaru smiled and gave her a thumbs up. “You can still help us out.”

Teana shrugged. “Not sure how. You two seem to handle things pretty well. If anything, I’ll just slow you down…”

Subaru pouted. “You don’t slow anybody down, Tea…”

“Well, not physically at least,” Scootaloo quipped, then blushed as Subaru shot her a look. “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Shutting up now.”

“It’s okay. I know I’m not quite as mobile as you two even with Cross Mirage’s wires.” Teana gently brushed Subaru’s hand away and sighed. “Honestly, I’ve accepted the fact that I’m the least powerful member out of all of us, Stars and Lightning both…”

“But Tea, you’re smart!” Subaru leaned in, eyes wide. “You’re the one that always came up with all the strategies and stuff when we’re in trouble. You’re super important!”

“Yeah, but all the strategy in the world can’t change the fact that I’m not as good as you guys…”

“Ugh!” Scootaloo face-hoofed. “Sweet Luna’s starry mane, you’re giving me a headache with all this self-pity.”

“Scootaloo!” Subaru frowned as the pegasus shrugged.

“Hey, I’m just telling the truth. Tell you what, how about you let us be the judge?” Scootaloo smirked up at Teana. “Let’s do this whole strategy meeting…planning… thing. Or are you really incapable of coming up with something that can use all three of us in a way that can kick Twilight’s purple plot up and down the S4?”

Teana grimaced. “That may be a bit much…”

“Are you saying you can’t?”

Teana shook her head. “No, I’m just saying it’s difficult. Just give me a minute to think. And could one of you set up a monitor or something so I can plan properly?”

It was evening when Twilight arrived, having escorted Lightning Squad back to the barracks after a long day of training. Thankfully, she knew what was going on when she entered the barracks.

“…and assuming that the projectiles are guided, then the formation should optimize defense while allowing the three of us to close the gap,” Teana said as she gestured to the hovering hologram. “Plus, the projectile spread will let us maintain pressure as we advance, which means it should be effective as an offensive tactic.”

Scootaloo let out a soft grunt. “Okay, I’ve gotta admit, it makes sense. Though it’ll probably be a bit difficult with us weaving around like that…”

“That’s what practice is for, Scootaloo…”

“Well,” Twilight said cheerfully, “this is certainly an improvement.”

Stars Squad sat up in surprise as the members of Lightning Squad filed in behind Twilight. “W-well, ma’am, I… uh…” Teana blushed as Twilight waved a hoof.

“At ease, girls. I’m just glad you three seem to be getting along.”

“Wait.” Spike sounded curious. “They’re actually being nice? Really?” He glanced over at Erio and Caro. “Looks like I owe Caro a soda.”

“You and me both,” Erio muttered.

Twilight shook her head. “Tsk, tsk. Shame on you three…”

“It wasn’t my idea,” Caro objected as she blushed.

“I know. Now go on.” Twilight made a gentle shooing motion with one hoof, then turned back to her squad. “I take it you three have made up?”

They nodded with varying degrees of enthusiasm. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good to hear.” Twilight then looked over at Teana. “Teana, could I speak with you in private for a bit?”

Teana nodded and slowly got to her feet. Twilight turned and gestured for her to follow before trotting out the doors into the warm evening air.

“Hey, Spike,” she heard Scootaloo say as the doors started to close behind her, “come ‘ere…”

The light of the setting sun spread across Oured Bay, creating a streak of brilliant, molten-metal orange across the water. Twilight came to a stop near the water’s edge, slowly settling down on the edge of the pier. She glanced up at Teana, then nodded. “Have a seat, if you don’t mind.”

Teana glanced at her nervously, then took a seat as well.

“I suppose you’re expecting me to lecture you, right?” Twilight glanced at her with a small smile.

“Would you blame me if I did?” Teana said as she kicked her legs gently.

“Not really. However, I think you’ve probably had your fill of lectures for today, right?” Twilight smirked a little as Teana nodded. “I don’t really see the reason in berating you any further. At this point, it’d just be rude. So, let’s just talk.”

“About what?” Teana looked at Twilight curiously.

“Anything you want.” Twilight looked out at the water. “Ask me whatever’s on your mind. You’ve got my express permission to speak freely. Trust me, I won’t be offended.”

Teana seemed to digest this information, then looked out at the water. “Special Instructor Sparkle…”

“Just Twilight for now, Teana.”

Teana grimaced, then nodded. “Earlier, when you were talking to Captain Harlaown… why did you stick up for me?”

“Because you’re my student and my responsibility.” Twilight sighed. “True, what you did was wrong, but I should have stopped you before you reached that point. Really, I should’ve stepped in long before now.”

“Why… why didn’t you?”

Twilight shook her head. “I figured the problem would fix itself, or one of you would do it and clear the air. But it didn’t. And for that, I sincerely apologize.”

Teana looked a little surprised. “I forgive you, I guess.”

Twilight giggled. “Not used to a superior officer apologizing?”

“Not really… but still, why did you stick up for me? Was it just that you felt responsible?”

“Partly. The other part is that despite for all your flaws, you’re a fantastic mage, Teana. I’d be foolish to lose someone of your talent without a fight.” Twilight paused as Teana looked down. “You disagree?”

“Kind of… I just don’t get it. I’m nothing special…”

Twilight frowned. “Why do you say that?”

Teana clenched her hands into fists and steadfastly stared out into the bay. “Because it’s true. Compared to everyone else here I’m… average. I don’t have unique skills like Erio or Caro. I don’t have Scootaloo and Subaru’s physicality and power. I’m not something exotic or unique like Spike. And then there’s you and the instructors. Every single one of them is at least an Ace in their own right, or are well respected experts in their field. I’m just a girl that can shoot things and cast a few illusion spells…”

“So?”

Teana blinked and looked at Twilight as she sighed. “That’s all correct, Teana. If you’re look at it strictly in terms of uniqueness and magical talent, you don’t really stand out. But if you do that, you’re missing the bigger picture.”

“The bigger picture?”

Twilight nodded. “Teana, I’m twice as old as you. I was trained by some of the finest unicorn mages in Equestria and tutored by Princess Celestia herself since I was a filly. I’ve faced down giant monsters, insane quasi-deities, megalomaniacs and worse with my friends on a weekly basis. I’m considered one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria, and one of the most powerful and skilled Contract Mages licensed by the Bureau. I’m best friends with three Princesses, one of whom I’m related to by marriage. I run my own training and research academy in Equestria in between lecturing on behalf of the Bureau. My special talent is magic for pony’s sakes! Not to brag, but I tend to overshadow a lot of people.”

“Gee, thanks,” Teana replied flatly. "I feel so much better now."

Twilight paused, then face-hoofed. "Ugh. Yeah, that did sound kind of terrible..."

"Yeah, it kind of did. And I understand that you're way outside my league." Teana let out a soft huff and shook her head. "I just... I feel like I'm useless compared to some... pony like you."

"Teana, you're not useless. None of you are useless." Twilight frowned at her. "Let me ask you a question; what were you doing when I came in?"

Teana frowned. “Nothing important. I was just discussing combat strategies with Subaru and Scootaloo. We were going over how I could adjust some of the attack patterns Subaru and I used to use to include Scootaloo…”

“And do you think the pair of them would’ve been able to come up with something better than you could?”

“Well… no. But-“

“Teana, your strength doesn’t rely on magical or physical power,” Twilight interrupted. “Your talents lie in your ability to think on the fly and your accuracy. Trixie won't admit it, but I think your illusions have hers beat in terms of staying power and accuracy. And trust me, I wish I could shoot as accurately as you could; there's a reason I let Raising Heart handle targeting in battle. Not only that, but you're an excellent field leader. You’re a strategist. You’re a tactician. Why else do you think I put you at the top of Stars Squad?”

Teana bit her lower lip as Twilight continued. “You’re an excellent mage, Teana. You’re smart, you’re versatile, and you’re good at adapting. Remember the mock battle? Who was it that rallied the others and put together battle strategies almost on the fly? You did.”

“But I failed…”

“And yet you tried again. That’s the important part. And honestly, I’d rather have someone who’s clever and determined but weak instead of someone who’s powerful but dumb.”

“Like Subaru?”

Twilight paused, then giggled softly. “Maybe, but be nice. Subaru’s a lot smarter than most people give her credit for.”

“I know,” Teana blushed, then sighed. “I’m sorry ma’am… it’s just when I compare myself to you and the others…”

“Why’re you comparing yourself to me, of all ponies? Is it because Subaru’s a fan of mine?”

Teana glanced away. “Maybe…”

“Teana,” Twilight stood up and rested a hoof on her shoulder, “the only person you should compare yourself to is you. The ‘you’ of the past wasn’t as good as you are now, and the ‘you’ you are now isn’t as good as the ‘you’ in the future. You’ll improve. You’ll get better, and stronger, and maybe one day you’ll be famous in only way you can be. The way only a Lanster can be. You’re very special, Teana, and it breaks my heart a bit that you can’t see how much potential you have.”

Teana looked at Twilight, then slowly turned to face her. Twilight gave her a smile, then let out an ‘oof’ as Teana hugged her around the neck. She reached around and gently rested a hoof on Teana’s back, letting the girl bury her face in her mane.

Teana hugged her for several minutes, then slowly let go and wiped her eyes with a soft sniffle. “Sorry, ma’am…”

“No problem. I’ve been told we ponies are eminently huggable. I’ll have to test that sometime.”

Teana laughed weakly. “I guess ponies aren’t quite as bad as I thought.”

Twilight snorted. “Oh, we’re alright. We’re no better or worse than humans, aside from walking on all fours and eating grass. You should’ve read some of the news stories after first contact. Equestria is many things, but an idyllic utopia is not one of them. Believe me, I know that from experience.”

Teana nodded. “Thanks… Twilight.”

“It was a pleasure. Feel any better?”

“A little.” Teana slowly clambered to her feet and dusted off the seat of her pants. “I’m sorry all this happened.”

“These things happen. But you learn and you move on.” Twilight extended a hoof to her. “Next time, try not to bottle things up, alright?”

“Sure.” Teana reached down and shook Twilight’s hoof. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”

“No. Go get some rest, Teana. I’ll talk with Zafira about you doing some training tomorrow while your magic recovers.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Chrono groaned as he leaned back in his desk chair, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. “I’m starting to think the guys in Cranagan are just sending paperwork to spite me at this point. I’m starting to get sick of reports.”

He glanced up as he heard a chime come from the door. “Come in.”

The door hissed open, and Trixie stepped through with a smirk. “Looks like someone’s had a rough day.”

“Hello to you too, Trixie.” Chrono let out a grunt as he stretched his legs out beneath the desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’ve come to appease our CO with offerings of caffeine and sugar.” Trixie smirked as she levitated a tray supporting a mug of coffee and cookies off her back.

“Your captain is pleased by this offering.” Chrono reached up and plucked the mug from the tray before it hit the table and took a drink. “Mmm… I’m surprised Griffith let you slip by. He does say I drink way too much coffee…”

“Griffith is dealing with something else right now. Besides, you look like you could use a friendly face.” Trixie trotted over and plopped down onto the chair in front of the desk. “And Trixie is nothing if not friendly.”

“True.” Chrono took another drink. “If you’re here to ask about the visit to Equestria for Zafira, I’m still working on it.”

“Good.” Trixie replied. She pulled her hat off with a flourish of telekinesis, settling it onto the desk before plucking a cookie from the tray with her magic. “The poor puppy does deserve a bit of a break.”

“He’s not the only one.” Chrono set his mug down with a sigh. “How’re the rest of your kids? I assume Signum and Vita still haven’t come back yet.”

“Mhmm. Lady Gracia probably has them safeguarding one of the transports. I’ll give you an update once they contact me.”

“Much appreciated.”

Trixie popped the rest of her cookie into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I have to wonder, though,” Trixie muttered as she dusted a few crumbs off her muzzle, “is the timeline still set? I’m not doubting Carim’s prediction, but shouldn’t there be bigger signs by now?”

“There probably are, but we’re just not seeing them. Yet.” Chrono shook his head. “All we can do is keep preparing…”

A chime interrupted Chrono. “Hold that thought,” he said as he reached over, tapping a button. “Yes?”

“Call for you, sir,” a female voice said in reply. “Direct line from HQ’s SAR section. Says it’s urgent.”

“About time,” Chrono muttered softly before he cleared his throat. “Thank you, Alto. Put it through.”

There was a soft hum as a view-screen sprang into existence above Chrono’s monitor. The image showed an older man with a stork-like nose, his hair and eyebrows pale green and heavily feathered, his almond-shaped brown eyes behind a pair of pince-nez glasses.

“Lt. Commander Ravfore,” Chrono inclined his head politely.

“Captain Harlaown,” Ravfore replied politely. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything. You asked to be notified immediately once we found any relevant information.”

“You’re fine, Ravfore. I was just taking a break with an associate of mine.”

“Associate?” Ravfore paused as Chrono waved his hand and spun the monitor about. He then nodded to Trixie. “Zauberer Lulamoon, my apologies.”

“It’s hardly a problem,” Trixie waved a dismissive hoof before quirking an eyebrow and rubbing her chin. “Though I must admit, I’ve yet to make your acquaintance, sir.”

“Trixie, this is Lt. Commander Toyodai Ravfore, TSAB Spell Archival and Research Branch.” Chrono turned the holographic monitor with another wave of his hand. “I asked him to do a little searching after we ran into that summoner at the Hotel Augusta.”

“Ah. Good to see you have friends other than us, Captain,” Trixie teased.

“We’re hardly friends,” Ravfore replied brusquely as he adjusted his glasses.

“He’s still miffed that I didn’t give him exclusive access to Twilight,” Chrono explained, eliciting a snort from Ravfore. “Anyway, our little squabbles aside, I assume you’ve found something?”

“Was there any doubt?” Ravfore tapped his glasses, the lenses glowing as script flashed around the edges. “I’m sending the information to your monitor right now.”

There was a soft hum as several images winked into existence on Chrono’s monitor. All of them depicted an anthropomorphic, black-armored insect creature wearing a purple scarf.

“Well,” Chrono said as Trixie trotted around to look at the images, “this certainly matches the descriptions Lightning Squad gave us. So, what is he?”

“It’s a Kabuto-Family Insectoid-Pattern Summoned Creature,” Ravfore explained. “According to our records, this particular specimen was designated ‘Garyu.’ It’s a Belkan-system summon.”

“The name doesn’t sound Belkan,” Trixie said as her eyes narrowed.

“It was likely from a different magical system that was subsumed by the Belka during their Expansionist Period,” Ravfore replied. “A lot of unique magic systems were overtaken or outright absorbed when the cultures that used them were conquered. That, however, is beside the point. This particular summon is a Class A+ Assassin/Protector Type, which explains why your team had problems with it.”

“Assassin, huh?” Chrono drummed his fingers on the desk as he thought.

“Indeed.” Ravfore tapped his glasses again and brought up an image of one of the creature’s forearms. “Garyu’s primary weapons are a pair of natural-material high-frequency blades that possess a continuous Decline-class enchantment designed to easily pierce defensive spells. Combined with its ability to blend into shadows and its speed, it would likely be able to take down any target lower than its class with a single strike.”

“Which would also make it an effective bodyguard,” Chrono added. “So, you have this thing in the archives. I assume you also have the person it’s registered to?”

Ravfore nodded as his expression soured. “I do, but you’re not going to like it.”

“I’m used to it by now. Who is it?”

Ravfore brought up an image of a woman with long lavender hair and red eyes. “According to our records, the last registered summoner that was linked to Garyu was First Lieutenant Megane Alpine, Ground Forces Investigation Unit 108. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Alpine was reportedly KIA during a mission, along with the rest of her team.”

“Could someone else summon this Garyu?” Trixie rose up on her hind legs and rested her hooves on the desk.

Ravfore shook his head. “Most summoning spells are linked to specific bloodlines or lineages. Even if someone knew the formula and matrix for the spell, they wouldn’t have the last piece of the puzzle, as it were. That’s why summoners are so rare. As far as we’re aware, only the Alpine family had the necessary genetic key to use the Kabuto summoning family.”

Chrono’s brow furrowed. “Did Lieutenant Alpine have any children?”

“Not that we know of,” Ravfore replied, “but that’s a bit outside my area.”

“Fine, I guess…” Chrono paused, then flicked through the records. “Wait. You said her team was KIA during a mission, right? Who ordered the mission?”

“According to the records, the mission was ordered by Lieutenant General Gais.”

It could’ve been the caffeine, but Chrono could have sworn his heart skipped a beat.

“Chrono? You alright?”

“Fine, Ravfore,” Chrono replied as he tried to smile. “Thanks for the information. I owe you one.”

“You owe me more than just one, Chrono,” Ravfore groused. “But we can settle that later. Anything else you need?”

“No. That should be all. Thanks.”

“Have a good night, Captain.”

Chrono grew still as the communication window winked out. “Trixie,” he said slowly, “I think things are starting to get a bit clearer now.”

“I’m guessing you’ve got another piece of the puzzle, as it were?” Trixie levitated a cookie over and nibbled on it.

“Yeah, and I’m not liking the picture it’s making.”

TSAB Central Command Building
Cranagan, Mid-Childa

Gais glanced up from the sheaf of papers in his hands. “Is this everything, Auris?”

“Yes, sir,” Auris replied, the open folder laying across her palm. “Everything I’ve managed to pull together thus far. While there’s little we can do to put pressure on Captain Harlaown’s native friends…”

“Mmf, I see your point.” Gais carefully stacked the papers together before reaching up and handing them back to Auris. “Send the records to my station when you have the time.”

“Of course, sir.” Auris tucked the folder neatly beneath one arm. “Is that all for now?”

“For now. I have a private teleconference tonight, so please make sure I’m not disturbed.”

“Of course, sir.” Auris bowed slightly before walking off. “Make sure you go to bed early, sir. You have that press conference tomorrow.”

Gais waved her off gently. “Of course, Auris. Good night.”

“Good night, sir.”

Gais waited for the hiss of the shutting door before pulling up his monitor. A few taps on the solid-light surface brought up the privacy spells woven into the magitech device, followed by a gently glowing, opaque dome that surrounded him and the desk.

“Open channel DLHC-001,” Gais said firmly. “Authorization code, Warlock-Phantom-Draco-Seven-Two-Nine-Nine-One.”

“Acknowledged,” replied a mechanical, monotone voice. There was a soft hum as the monitor was quickly filled with three view screens, each one depicting a different red sigil.

“Greetings, members of the High Council,” Gais said respectfully as he folded his hands on his desks ink blotter. “How may I be of service?”

“Lieutenant General Gais,” the center sigil, I, replied. “Report. What is the status of Project Einherjar?”

“Construction is on schedule,” Gais replied. “Stations Five and Six will be completed in less than a month, and Station Seven will be completed in less than two. If necessary, Einherjar will be able to function at approximately eighty percent power with only the current stations active.”

“And you are certain of this?” The left-hand sigil, III, blinked as it spoke, its voice slightly higher in tone than I’s. “We are investing a great deal into this project. We are expecting results. Your ‘legacy’ had better deliver.”

“I can assure you, Einherjar will be fully functional soon enough.”

“And what of the public reaction to this?” The right-hand sigil, II, was slightly lower in pitch than the center member.

“Public opinion is mostly supportive of the project. Of course, that’s understandable given the fiasco surrounding Admiral Graham’s handling of the Equestrian incident. The CDC is maintaining the party line on the project’s necessity.”

“Excellent.” I paused, then continued. “We approve of your handling of this situation.”

“However, we have other issues to attend to,” II interjected. “Issues such as Scaglietti.”

“I can assure you,” Gais said smoothly, “the issue with Scaglietti is being handled. The Bureau is hunting him down even as we speak.”

“Do not presume he will be easily reigned in,” III chided firmly. “Scaglietti is not a common criminal. He is a rogue element that threatens the very stability of our order.”

“I’m well aware of how dangerous he is, sirs.” Gais steepled his fingers. “Once he has been contained, he will cease to be a threat.”

“And what of the other rogue element,” II snapped. “What of the Harlaown child?”

“Captain Harlaown is still an issue,” Gais admitted.

“Indeed,” I said flatly. “His investigation into our business is intolerable. Our previous attempts to… dissuade him have failed thus far.”

“If anything,” III added, “they have emboldened him.”

“The issue with Harlaown is complicated,” Gais interrupted. “He’s well connected and respected. He’s got friends in high places, some of which are unfeasible to deal with. I can only do so much. However, I may have a way to eliminate at least one or two of his Equestrian supporters.”

“Excellent,” II said excitedly.

“The fewer of those things he has currency with, the better,” I agreed. “The Equestrians remain beyond our current sphere of influence. We cannot predict what effect they will have.”

“Continue your observation of him,” III commanded. “The Harlaown child cannot be allowed to discover the full extent of our influence. Nor must he be allowed to gain evidence to use against us.”

“I am ever the High Council’s servant,” Gais bowed his head.

“See to it that you continue to be,” I concluded. “This meeting is adjourned.”

There was a soft hum as the view screens winked out. Gais exhaled and rubbed his temples. “One down,” he muttered. “Now all that’s left is-“

A soft chime from his monitor interrupted him.

“Speak of the Belka, and they shall arrive,” he muttered as he tapped the un-labeled window. A familiar, fox-like face appeared in view. “Good evening, Scaglietti,” Gais said gruffly.

“Good evening to you too,” Scaglietti said cheerfully, his smile just a little too broad for Gais’ comfort. “I assume you’ve spoken with the council of idiots?”

“I have,” Gais replied. “The High Council remains unaware of our dealings, for now.”

“Marvelous.” Scaglietti chuckled softly. “I knew I could count on a fellow visionary such as yourself.”

“Don’t get too comfortable, Scaglietti,” Gais growled. “We have a deal, remember?”

“Of course, of course.” Scaglietti waved him off flippantly. “You have nothing to worry about, friend. I’ll uphold my part of the deal so long as you do the same.”

“Good.” Gais exhaled slowly, then closed his eyes. “I’ve arranged for the resources you need to be allocated. They should be available for… pickup in a day or two. Just make sure your toys don’t cause any more damage than necessary.”

“Of course. And here is your payment as usual.” There was a soft chirp as a file popped up on the window. “A few scraps to whet the appetites of your ignorant masters.”

“I’ll see that it gets to the necessary people,” Gais replied. “However, I’m confused. At the rate you’re disposing of research bases, you should be running out…”

“My current resources are sufficient to achieve my goals, Lieutenant General.” Scaglietti smiled smugly. “However, your concern is touching.”

“My concern is whether or not you can deliver as promised, Scaglietti,” Gais replied. “That and maintaining the secrecy of this relationship. I’ve invested more than enough in you as it is. I expect results.”

Scaglietti frowned, which sent a chill running up Gais’ spine. “You’re reminding me an awful lot of the High Council, Gais. Always about the results…”

“I apologize,” Gais said quickly. “I’m just under a lot of stress. It’s impolite of me to take it out on… a friend.”

Scaglietti stared at him coolly for a few moments, then pulled the faux-cheerful smile back up. “Of course, Gais. No harm done. Good luck with your press conference tomorrow.”

Gais slumped in his chair as the window winked out. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest. I swear, he thought as he wiped his brow, that man will be the death of me.
---

Hidden Laboratory
Undisclosed Location

Jail chuckled to himself as he made his way into one of his many labs. Uno was waiting for him, her fingers tapping away on the keys as he inspected the quartet of bio-genesis chambers.

“How are they, Uno?” Jail let his fingers trail along the surface of one tube, the faint squeak of flesh on glass mixing with the beeping and chirping of the monitors.

“Zero rejection of physical augments detected,” Uno replied, her eyes flicking to one side as a window full of rapidly scrolling text appeared. “Neural augmentation is complete. Psychometric patterns all read green. Mental stability, also green. Metabolic processes are within expected standards. Linker Cores are stable.”

“Excellent.” Jail folded his hands behind his back. “I think it’s time for them to wake up, don’t you?”

“It’s your decision, Doctor,” Uno deferred, turning to face him.

“Of course, my number one assistant.” Jail smiled what he felt was a properly paternal smile. “However, I do appreciate your opinion.”

“Then in my opinion, I agree. I see no reason to keep them in stasis any longer.”

“Thank you.” Jail walked over and rested a hand on her shoulder. “This is a historic day for my experiments. Soon, you’ll have four brand new sisters to play with.”

“I am filled with joy,” Uno replied flatly.

“That’s the spirit, though the enthusiasm could use some work. That’s not important, however.” Jail gestured to the four tubes. “Wake them up, Uno.”

“At once, Doctor.” Uno turned back to her keyboard. “Initiating animation sequence. Disengaging stasis fields now.”

Jail watched as the machines went to work. The four figures floating in the tubes slowly stirred as blue-green arcs of energy leapt from the inner surface of the tube to their bodies. The translucent orange fluid supporting them slowly drained away, the faint scent of it reminding Jail of amniotic fluid. There was a soft hum as the tubes slowly rotated, then slid upwards into the ceiling.

Four sets of eyes opened, then looked at him with a mixture of curiosity, arrogance, calm and boredom.

“Good morning, Eins, Zwei, Drei, Viere,” Jail greeted them.

“Hehe, good morning doctor,” Zwei chirped as she stretched her legs.

“Good morning, sir,” Viere said placidly.

“Hmph, about time you let us out.” Drei hissed as she shook herself, sending some of the fluid flying.

Eins simply nodded.

“Aren’t they just adorable?” Jail said to Uno. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited. “Notify the other Numbers at once. I think introductions are in order.”

“Of course, sir,” Uno said as Jail knelt down and opened his arms.

“Come give me a hug,” he cooed, his smile turning into a wide, slightly manic grin, “my darling little ponies…”

1: Someone To Look Up To

Cranagan, Mid-Childa

NCY 0071, Late Spring

19:00 PM

The city of Cranagan spread out around the TSAB Main Office building like a sea of sunset-splashed silver, shot through with ribbons of asphalt, concrete and glittering lines of car headlights. It seemed to go on forever, reaching off to the horizon. Even from the windows on the thirtieth floor, she couldn’t see the end of it.

Even after everything she’d been through, her world was still being shaken.

“There you are, Twilight!”

Twilight Sparkle blinked as Yuuno walked up to her, hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. The sandy-haired young mage reached up, removing the glasses he was wearing and tucking them into the front pocket of his coat. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, rubbing a hand through his hair, “the meeting with the Academy ran a bit longer than I expected. How did it go?”

“The exam?” Twilight pursed her lips. Her tail swished behind her as she began to pace, Raising Heart gently tapping against her chest on its chain as she walked. “I think I did okay. I hope I did okay. I guess I’m more used to doing exams on paper than at a terminal. I think I did well though. Maybe. Possibly. I mean, I might have gone just a teensy bit over the word count with my essays. Oh, I hope they don’t count off against me for that. And then there was the practical demons-”

“Woah, woah, relax Twilight,” Yuuno laughed, holding out a hand and stopping her. “This isn‘t that big of a deal.”

“Not a big deal?! Yuuno this is the Bureau Instructor Certification Exam! If I can’t pass this, then I can’t get a Special Instructor License from the Bureau. If I don’t have the license, then I can’t teach at any of the Bureau facilities! And if I can’t teach, then this whole exchange program falls apart! That’s kind of a big deal! Oh no, what if I fail? I‘ll never be able to face Princess Cele-”

“If you fail,” Yuuno interrupted, “the worst that’ll happen is that you’ll have to retake it in a couple of months. I’m sure the Princess will understand. Now, remember what the others said? About relaxing?”

“Right, yes. Deep breaths.” Twilight inhaled slowly and calmly, extending a hoof as she exhaled just as Cadence had showed her. “Okay… I’m calm now. Sorry about that.”

“It’s alright. Besides, I‘m sure you aced it, no question.” Yuuno chuckled, turning to the window and leaning against the wall beside it. Twilight turned as well, putting her front hooves on the window sill as she stared out at the city.

Yuuno chuckled. “I guess you‘re still getting used to Cranagan? I didn‘t expect this much of a reaction from you…”

“Can you blame me? It’s just… I’ve never seen a city so big. I mean, I’ve visited Manehattan and I thought that was rather impressive, but this is orders of magnitude greater. There are more people here in this city than there are ponies in all of Equestria, including the Crystal Empire!

“Not to mention, right now, we’re standing in an artificial structure,” she tapped a hoof on the carpeted floor, “taller than the Canterhorn Mountain. This is a building! No magic or anything, just engineering, physics and advanced metallurgy. It‘s just so mind-boggling to me how humans have pulled off something like this…”

“Well, no magic’s holding it up, but there was probably plenty used during its construction. After all, this place was built during the later parts of the war… at least, the original core structure was.” Yuuno paused, and then shook his head. “Listen to me, I sound like a history professor. Come on Twilight, we should probably get going. We don’t want to keep Fate and the others waiting.”

“You’re right. I mean, the view’s… nice…”

“Twilight?” Yuuno blinked as Twilight trailed off, her eyes narrowing.

“Yuuno,” she pointed to the window, towards a heavy black cloud that was slowly rising upwards into the air across the bay to the north. “Is it me, or does that look like smoke?”

“Now that you mention it…” Yuuno shaded his eyes as he looked as well. Twilight could see streaks of light pass through the sky in the evening gloom. “It does… and those look like emergency helicopters.”

“Raising Heart?” Twilight glanced down at the spherical jewel resting against her chest. “Is something going on?”

There has been a general emergency broadcast from the northern district, Raising Heart replied, the Device‘s telepathic voice smooth and calm in her head. A fire has broken out at Coastal Airport 8. Emergency crews have been dispatched. However, the fire is rapidly spreading out of control. It is unknown if they will be able to contain the spread of the fire without further assistance.

“Yuuno,” Twilight frowned at her human companion, who nodded in reply.

“I’ll get the others,” Yuuno replied as he turned to run off. “Don’t forget to request clearance before you take off!”

“Alright, will do! Raising Heart!”

“STANDBY READY!”

Coastal Airport 8 was burning.

Thick, hot tongues of red and orange flames licked and swirled along the surfaces of the walls and floors, spreading outwards and filling the air with dense, black smoke. Even the stone and concrete structures that made up most of the airport were wrapped in fire, even when there wasn’t anything to burn.

The fire crews worked as best they could against the inferno. Streams of water sprayed high into the air from pumping trucks, while emergency helicopters dipped their containers into the waters of the bay and dropped their payloads onto the burning roof. Meanwhile, firefighters rushed about inside in full hazard gear, the loud, hollow bursts of their extinguisher cannons firing as they tried to clear a path.

Captain Genya Nakajima of the 108th Battalion was staying surprisingly calm. He had to; he was the only senior Bureau officer on site, so it fell to him to lead the disaster response. His brown uniform jacket was laid over the back of his chair as he stared at the holographic screens in front of him, listening to the chatter of the fire teams as he barked out orders.

“Squad Five,” he called out, “pull back until the helicopters make another pass. Squad Eleven, move to support Squad Twelve on the eastern wing. Truck Fourteen, concentrate your spray near the towers; if those fall, it’ll take the whole building with them!”

“This is Squad Three,” a voice came through. “We’re having trouble evacuating the main building! The fire’s spreading too fast!”

Genya clenched his teeth, running his hands through his silver hair, the lines on his blocky face deepening. “Where’s Squad One and Two? They should-”

“Squad One’s reloading, Sir. Squad Two is doing their best to hold the entranceway, but we can’t keep it open much longer.”

“Shit,” another voice shot through, “there’s a girl in there!”

Genya felt his stomach drop. “Can you reach her?”

“Negative! The fire’s spreading too fast!”

“Um… hello? Can anyone hear me?”

Genya blinked as an unfamiliar voice came across the communications link. He reached over, thumbing a button. “This is a Bureau emergency comm-line,” he snapped. “Identify yourself or leave immediately.”

“Contract Mage License Code 10109288-E, Sir. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight Sparkle? THE Twilight Sparkle? Genya paused as the database entry popped up, confirming his suspicions. “This is Captain Genya Nakajima, 108th Battalion. Are you here to assist, Miss Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yes Sir. My friends and I will do what we can to help. What do you need?”

Everything was burning. That was all that Subaru knew.

She didn’t know why the fire had started, or what had caused it, or where anyone was for that matter. She had gotten separated from her sister during the panic, and now she was on her own.

The twelve-year-old girl staggered into the huge hall, her clothing covered in scorch marks and soot. Her skin was reddened and smudged with ash. It was hard to breathe, even for her, and she was very, very scared.

“Papa? Sis?” Her voice was weak and quivering as she called out, trying not to cough. She looked around as she moved, tears of fear and pain dripping down her cheeks as her eyes ached from the smoke. The walkways and pillars were wreathed in flames, and smoke pooled along the roof of the hall. The only remaining thing not touched by the flames was the massive statue in the center of the hall. Even the statue looked scary; what was once a woman with wings now looked like some kind of blackened fallen angel.

She paused, looking around in panic as she heard a loud rumbling, only to be thrown aside as part of the upper floor collapsed inwards, spraying her with dust and debris. She rolled slowly, landing on her stomach before the statue. She slowly pushed herself up, coughing pitifully as she did so.

“Some… body…” she whimpered. “Somebody… help me. Please… I wanna go home!”

And then, a faint pink light caught her attention. She looked up as a baseball-sized sphere of pink energy floated over her head.

CRACKLE-CRACKLE-CRUNCH!

Subaru turned as she heard the sound of stone breaking. The huge statue wobbled, the stone fracturing under the extreme heat. Then, slowly, the angel statue began to fall towards her.

Subaru froze, her eyes widening as several tons of hot rock fell towards her.

Then there was a brilliant flash of pink light, causing Subaru to cringe and shut her eyes. When she opened them, she froze, her mouth gaping slightly at the scene before her.

Before her stood a pony. She’d seen pictures of them in the news, but she hadn’t seen one like this. Her dark mane fluttered in the hot air, framing her purple-coated head. Her body was covered in gleaming white armor, while pinkish light spilled out from the crevices and seams between the plates. Her horn was glowing brilliantly, the pinkish glow matching the nimbus of light surrounding the now levitating statue. Beside her hovered a long staff, the shaft white and capped with a large, golden C-shaped ring and an apple-sized red jewel at one end and an angular blue block at the other.

“Are you alright?!” The pony shouted to her as she swung her head to the side. The massive statue floated over, landing with a crash as she set it down like a child setting aside a pebble.

Subaru slowly nodded, her eyes wide with awe as the pony approached her, leaning down and nudging her shoulder.

“Good. Come on, we need to get you out of here. Hold on…” The pony’s horn lit up again, the magical light appearing around Subaru now. She squeaked as she was lifted up, and then settled gently onto the pony’s back.

“Oof… you’re heavy for such a little girl,” she grinned weakly, glancing back over her shoulder at Subaru, then back to her staff. “Raising Heart, do we have a clear airspace?”

“AFFERMATIVE!”

“Good! Alright,” she glanced back at Subaru. “I need you to hold onto me, okay? Hold on real tight!”

Subaru nodded, wrapping her arms around the pony’s neck and burying her face into her mane.

“Oof! Alright, you got a hold?” She paused as Subaru nodded into her hair. “Good. Now hang on, and don‘t let go no matter what!”

Subaru did as she was told. There was a brilliant flash of light, a sensation of heat, and then coolness and clear air. Subaru opened her eyes slowly, and then gasped as she looked around. She was in the sky; the burning airport was far below. The pony carrying her was flying, a pair of ethereal pink wings flapping gently as she soared along.

“H-how…” Subaru whispered as she looked about, the cool night air whipping past her as they flew.

“I teleported us out of there,” the pony replied. “Can you tell me your name?”

“S-Subaru. Subaru Nakajima…”

“It’s nice to meet you, Subaru. I’m Twilight Sparkle. Now keep holding on. I’m going to take you to the medical teams, alright?”

Subaru nodded and held on tight, burying her face into Twilight’s mane as they descended. Even through the smoke, she could smell a faint hint of lavender. The magic of her armor tingled against Subaru’s bare legs, and her coat was soft under her arms.

And then they landed. Twilight’s hooves clip-clopped on the asphalt as she touched down, just before she kneeled down to let her off. Subaru slowly climbed down from Twilight’s back as the medical teams rushed to her. When she turned, Twilight smiled at her, then crouched and leapt up to the air, her wings leaving contrails of light as she flew upwards.

And then, Twilight Sparkle vanished in a flash of pink light.

As the medical teams helped her onto the stretcher, Subaru had a single thought in her heart. I want to be like her, one day…

I want to be like that pony…

TSAB Urban Combat Training Zone

Northern District, Mid-Childa

NCY 0076, Late Spring

10:00 AM

For all intents and purposes, the Urban Combat Training Zone was a wreck; a full forty square miles of ruined highways, dilapidated buildings, strewn rubble and cratered streets. This was entirely by design, of course. While the TSAB was more than capable of using mana-construct projectors to create a wide range of training areas, areas such as ’Urcotraz’ (as some service members called it) were still used for practical and real-world tests, including Licensing Exams.

The sky was clear and blue, the sun was high, and a gentle breeze whistled through Subaru Nakajima’s royal blue hair as she did her calisthenics atop the derelict parking garage. She was tall for her age, with a lean, athletic figure. Her Barrier Jacket rustled slightly as she worked through her exercises; a short white jacket pulled over a tight, midriff-baring turquoise and black top and a pair of blue athletic shorts. Her elbows and knees were covered in black pads, while her left hand bore a fingerless black glove with blue decals and studs over her knuckles.

“Mmm, blue skies, fresh air… this is the perfect kind of day, no doubt about it.” Subaru grinned as she bounced on her heels, throwing a few experimental punches. The sunlight glinted off her right arm as she punched the air. Her right arm bore a large, black metal gauntlet that swallowed her lower arm up to the elbow. It was a massive, blocky thing, easily as wide as a grown man’s thigh and heavily armored. A pair of large gears protruded from around her wrist area, just behind the large, studded metal glove that shielded her fist. Just behind the gears was the blue, cylinder-shaped bulge that contained the Device’s Cartridge system.

“Maybe you should be focusing more on the exam,” her companion noted, “instead of making observations on the weather, Subaru.”

“Hey,” Subaru turned to glance at the other mage, ”I’m about to ace this exam and move up a Mage Rank with my best friend. Can you blame me for being excited?”

Teana Lanster, or ‘Tea’ as Subaru called her, rolled her eyes and let out a long-suffering sigh as Subaru giggled. She was shorter than Subaru and a bit larger in the chest, but still had a similarly athletic build. Her hair was long and carrot-orange, pulled back by black ribbons into a pair of pigtails high on her head and away from her blue eyes. Her Barrier Jacket was a bit more modest than Subaru’s: a short white jacket over a red and black mini-dress, long white socks, black shoes and black gloves. A brown belt loaded with cartridges settled about her hips, and an underarm holster poked out from beneath her jacket.

“Don’t get too cocky, Subaru. We need to get through the test first.” Teana replied as she inspected her own Device. Her weapon of choice resembled an oversized derringer pistol; two long barrels arranged one atop the other, with a third shorter barrel just underneath. A winch-like assembly protruded from one side of the gun, just above the finger guard and trigger. Teana popped the barrels downwards, breech-loading a pair of cartridges into the gun as she spoke. “It’s nearly time to start. Shouldn’t you be putting your blades on?”

“Oh! Right! Yeah!” Subaru nodded, walking over and taking a seat as she pulled her second set of Devices over to her. Truthfully, calling her rollerblades ‘Devices’ was a stretch. They weren’t exactly impressive; just a pair of three-wheeled rollerblades with small but powerful magical motors. She’d had them ever since she’d entered the Academy, and they looked their age..

“Alright, one last check,” Subaru muttered to herself as she looked the blades over. “Wheels oiled, check. Gears looking good, check. Motor assembly looking good, check. Braking system…”

“Do you really need to do it out loud like that, Subaru?”

“Well, I don’t have my check-list with me, so…”

Tea sighed. “Whatever. Just do it a little quieter, okay? I‘m trying to focus.”

Subaru snickered softly before returning to her blades, humming to herself as she quickly ran through the rest of the checks before slipping her feet into the blades. She pulled the straps tight, then climbed to her feet just as a small klaxon sounded, a holographic screen appearing in the air above them.

“Good morning,” the man on the screen called out to the pair of them. He was in his early twenties, with lavender hair and matching eyes. He adjusted his glasses gingerly as he looked through the screen, the golden bar on the front of his brown uniform jacket symbolizing his rank as a Warrant Officer. “I’m assuming you’re exam group one, correct? Please approach the screen where I can see you properly.”

“Yessir!” Subaru quickly skated over and came to a stop beside Tea, the two of them falling into parade rest.

“Alright, now let me just confirm your identities.” The man glanced at the hard-copy before him. “Private First Class Subaru Nakajima, 386th Ground Forces Battalion, and Private First Class Teana Lanster, also of the 386th Ground Forces Battalion?”

“Yes Sir,” the two of them answered.

“Excellent. Now, as I understand, you’re here to qualify for a B Rank Mage License. Is that correct?”

“Yes Sir!” Subaru replied.

“That’s correct, Sir,” Tea added.

“Good. My name is Griffith Lowran, and I’ll be serving as your proctor for this exam. Now, before we begin, I should notify you both that there’s been a few changes made. Currently, there is a second group taking an exam at this time, so part of the course will be cordoned off by a barrier field. Please be mindful of this, and do not leave the designated test zone.”

“Yes Sir!”

“Also,” he continued, adjusting his glasses, “your exam today will be observed by two additional proctors. They’ve requested that their identities not be revealed until after the test is completed. However, their input will affect your final result. Understood?”

Two additional proctors? Subaru blinked. And we won’t know who they are until after the test? That’s a bit weird…

It was about that time that Subaru noticed the helicopter drifting in a lazy circle through the sky above the testing area.

“So, these are the two candidates you told me about, Chrono?”

Chrono Harlaown nodded as he leaned against his chair in the helicopter. His good hand reached up, gently adjusting the black patch over his right eye as he looked at the holographic screen, then back to his fellow passenger. “That’s right, Twilight. Subaru Nakajima and Teana Lanster. They’re a bit unpolished, but they graduated at the top of their class from the Ground Forces Academy, not to mention their unique skill sets match up to the profile I set up for the unit.”

“Mmmf,” the purple unicorn nodded as she glanced over the two girls’ information “They certainly look promising. Is this why you asked me to serve as a proctor for their exam?”

“Yes. I thought you’d like a preview of what they could do. After all, you might be working with them soon enough.” Chrono tapped on the holographic keyboard, bringing up a second screen. “Looks like the second group is getting ready too. It’ll be interesting to see how the candidates you suggested compare to mine.”

“I just hope they’ll be fine,” Twilight replied, nibbling her lip, causing Chrono to chuckle.

“Relax Twilight. I’m sure they’ll be alright. This isn’t a life or death battle after all Griffith should be finishing with the briefing soon…”

“…their identities will not be revealed until after the exam, but their input may influence your final result. Understood?”

“Understood,” the two members of the second exam group replied.

The first of the pair was a saffron-orange pegasus mare. She had a racer’s build; long legged: slim-bodied and lean-muscled, with high withers and a deep chest. Her wings, a bit short for a pegasus, were folded neatly against her back, their feathers well groomed and glossy. Her bright magenta mane was feathered and spiked up slightly in the front like a bit of down, while her tail was trimmed short. She was clad in a simple Barrier Jacket; a black, one-piece affair that covered her body, but left her limbs, wings and neck uncovered, the hems decorated with a simple gold stripe. Her four hooves were ensconced in a set of four-wheeled roller skates, the wheels a dark purple that matched her eye color. A single piercing dangled from her left ear, a small purple gem hanging from the silver ring.

Her companion had a more serious expression on his face. He was a rarity on Mid-Childa; an Equestrian dragon. He stood as tall as the mare beside him, and could easily look her in the eye. There was a hint of pudginess to his cheeks, but otherwise he was a slim young drake with a long, spade-tipped tail, bright purple scales and green dorsal spines that ran down his back. His only clothing was a pair of fingerless black gloves and a pair of toeless black socks. He reached up, adjusting the thin golden band of metal on his right wrist, the small emerald pressed against the underside of his wrist glinting in the sunlight as he did so.

“Good. Now, this is a standard Class B Ground Mage Practical Examination,” Griffith tapped on his keyboard, several images popping up around the holographic screen. “You have two objectives during this exam: to reach the goal point two kilometers away from your starting position in the time allotted, and to eliminate all targets on the course.

“The targets will come in two types.” He gestured to the images beside his holographic display, which depicted a set of roughly human-sized blue spindles in one window, and a basketball-sized metal sphere with a single red eye and a pair of bars extending from either side in the other. “The first set represents 'enemy' human combatants and civilians. Targets marked with a red circle in the center are to be neutralized with non-lethal magic, while targets marked with a blue triangle are non-combatants and must not be harmed. The second set of targets are what we call ‘auto-spheres.’ They’re basic drones equipped with low-grade barriers and a simple ranged blast spell. They can be destroyed in whatever method you see fit, so long as you don‘t violate test protocol.

“The exam will be graded on a number of factors, including targets missed or incorrectly damaged, completion time, and damage you take from 'enemy' attacks. Once you cross the goal line, your scores will be tallied, resulting in either a passing or failing grade. Any questions?”

“I think we’re good,” the pony glanced to her companion. “What do you think, Spike?”

“No questions here, Sir,” Spike replied.

“Excellent. You’ll have ten minutes to complete the course. The exam will begin in thirty seconds. Good luck to you both.”

Spike nodded as the screen winked out, and then glanced over at his companion. “You ready, Scootaloo?”

The pegasus snorted, flexing her wings. “Compared to the stuff I had to go through with Guard training, this should be a walk in the park, Spike.”

“Are you kidding? These exams aren’t exactly easy Scootaloo. You did watch those recordings Twilight lent us, right?”

Scootaloo shrugged her wings, causing Spike to face-palm. “Ugh, why am I not surprised…”

“Hey, relax. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Spike started to open his mouth, then glanced up as a glowing panel winked into existence above them, the word ‘READY’ sketched out in Mid-Childan script. “Never mind. Looks like it’s time.”

“Alright!” Scootaloo grinned, crouching slightly and raising her wings into position. Spike crouched slightly, getting into a running position as the sign shifted into a countdown. His tail swished in anticipation as his claws dug into the surface of the roof.

3...

Subaru crouched slightly, sending a mental command to her rollerblades as she did so. There was a soft squeal as the tires spun, a little smoke drifting up as Teana readied herself, her leg muscles tensed and her eyes narrowed.

2...

1... START!

“And there they go,” Chrono noted as both pairs took off. “Let’s see how well they do. I don‘t suppose you‘d like to bet on who‘s going to cross the finish line first?”

“Please, Chrono, not right now.” Twilight frowned, her eyes flicking between the two screens. “We‘re trying to proctor a test, remember?”

“Fair enough.” Chrono turned back to the screens, though he could swear he heard Twilight mutter under her breath. It sounded something like ‘Come on you two…’

“Subaru! Grab on!”

Subaru wrapped her arms around Teana’s waist, hugging her tight as Teana raised her gun. The orange-haired mage quickly turned a small dial on the side of the gun, the underslung barrel of her Device clicking loudly before she pulled the trigger. There was a loud report as a small anchor shot out, a long, thin wire trailing along behind it. A small Mid-Childan circle formed as the anchor struck the outer wall of the building across the street from their starting point.

“It looks like there are targets on the ninth floor of that building, and in the adjacent garage,” Teana said, giving the wire a quick tug to test it. “You handle the ones inside, and I’ll take down the ones in the garage from the roof. I‘ll meet you down on the ground once I‘m done.”

“You got it Tea!” Subaru grinned, crouching slightly in tandem with Teana. The two jumped off the building, the wire snapping tight as the gun’s motor whined to life, quickly pulling them upwards. Subaru released her grip on Teana, curling slightly as she barreled down on the window ahead of her.

Glass went flying as Subaru smashed through the window, the shards bouncing harmlessly off of her Barrier Jacket as she landed, drawing the attention of the four auto-spheres hovering in the room. The basketball-sized drones turned towards her, thin rods extending from hidden apertures and generating encapsulating pink barriers around them.

Subaru charged, her rollerblades sending out sparks as she shot across the room, ducking and weaving as the auto-spheres opened fire. Thin beams of blue light and energy streaked past Subaru, as she leapt towards the first drone, an armored foot smashing through the weak barrier and crushing the metal casing. She turned , the wheels slamming against one of the walls before she kicked off, smashing her gauntlet-clad fist into the second, sending it careening across into the third and disabling them.

The fourth opened fire on Subaru, the beams barely missing as she ducked, skidding across the ground.

“Revolver Knuckle! Load Cartridge!”

The Device complied, a sharp report echoing as the casing covering the cartridge chamber snapped back and triggered the cartridge There was a whine of metal on metal as the Revolver Knuckle’s gears began to counter-rotate, the air growing hazy as mana filled the air around them.

“Revolver SHOOT!” Subaru swung her arm up, quickly took aim, and fired. There was a roar of wind as a small cyclone blasted forth, smashing the drone into tiny pieces and blowing the door behind it into splinters. Subaru smirked, quickly skating through into the hallway beyond.

Meanwhile, Teana landed on the roof, rolling forward as she did so and coming up in a crouch, her gun in a proper two-handed grip. She scanned the area quickly from her position before getting to her feet, dashing across to the left side of the roof and taking up a sniping position across from the garage.

Her eyes narrowed as she regarded her targets. There were at least nine of them, all spindle-shaped ‘human’ targets. She mentally switched her Device’s shots to non-lethal as she took careful aim, measuring the distance between each target and calculating the ideal firing spread.

And then, she fired. Orange bolts of light streaked out from the dual barrels of her gun, each shot knocking a target aside and turning it green to signify a disabled target. She paused for a moment as she reached the ninth, stopping when she saw the blue triangle at its center. She scanned the rest of the building, and then nodded in satisfaction.

Subaru? She touched her temple as she sent the telepathic message, you clear?

Yup! Just finished clearing out a few targets on the third floor. I’m heading towards the north exit!

Right. I’m finished up here, I’ll meet you on the street.

Teana turned and ran across the rooftop, heading north. She quickly jumped up on the railing surrounding the roof, and then leapt into the open air. She took aim with her gun, the anchor firing out and catching on a sky bridge several dozen meters away. The motor hummed as she swung downwards, her feet only missing the ground by a meter or so as she completed her swing, somersaulting in the air before landing in a crouch on the ground. Her anchor retracted and snapped into her Device as she stood up and resumed running, Subaru skating up behind her and matching her pace.

“Looks like the second set’s just up ahead!” Subaru pointed, the glimmering of autosphere barriers twinkling in the shadow of a highway overpass. “Which ones do you want, Tea?”

“Just follow the plan, Subaru…” Tea replied as she took aim.

Scootaloo and Spike’s first target grouping was immediately below their starting point; a set of eight auto-spheres hovering in a loose ring formation around a group of six spindle targets. The auto-spheres weren’t aware of their presence just yet, so their barriers hadn’t activated.

At least until the pair attacked.

First came Scootaloo. The pegasus dove down towards them, her wings buzzing as she leapt from building to building, somersaulting as she bounced between the two surfaces. Crescent-shaped shockwaves of hardened air and purple light launched from her roller skates as she performed her acrobatics, falling like a scattered rainstorm on the targets below. The projectiles hit most of the spindles and one of the auto-spheres, smashing it into the ground and causing it to bounce. The drones extended their barriers and aimed upwards, returning fire.

Next came Spike. The young dragon plummeted towards the drones, having jumped from the rooftop unassisted by Scootaloo. He inhaled deeply, a circle of light forming in front of his mouth before he exhaled a blast of bright green fire, the jet of flame slowing his descent and melting one of the drones into slag. He landed in a three-point crouch, then quickly leapt up and drove a clawed hand through one of the auto-spheres, turning and pitching it at another. He quickly raised his hand, the green gem on his wrist glowing brightly as a crackling dome of green light formed over him, intercepting the incoming blasts.

One of the auto-spheres bobbed as Scootaloo landed atop it, perching atop its surface with a smirk. “Hey! Over here!”

The other auto-spheres turned, opening fire on their companion as Scootaloo leapt away, jumping from sphere before she pirouetted mid-air with her forelimbs outstretched, launching a scatter-shot wave of crescents in the drones’ directions. Two of the drones were smacked away, while the others were jostled as the errant blasts scraped by their barriers… at least until more precise shots of green flame roasted them, blackening their shells and dropping them onto the ground. Spike shook his head as Scootaloo landed, swerving to a halt as she let out a loud whoop.

“That was awesome! We got all of them, right Spike?”

“Yeah,” the dragon pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the lone glowing red spindle amongst the fallen green ones. “Except you hit a civilian…”

“Oops…” Scootaloo winced. “Um… well, it’s just one, right? So long as we don’t hit another…”

“Make sure you don’t. Now let’s go, we’re wasting time!” Spike quickly hopped onto Scootaloo’s back, causing the pony to wince.

“Jeeze… can’t you run? You’ve got feet you know…”

“I’m not as fast as you are, remember?”

“Ugh. Fine. Just don’t blame me if you fall off.” Scootaloo’s wings thrummed rapidly as she accelerated, her wing-flaps sounding like an engine as she shot down the street.

“I have to admit, I’m quite impressed. I see your research has been paying off, Twilight,” Chrono glanced from the screen showing Scootaloo and Spike.

Twilight blushed. “I wasn’t the only one working on it, Chrono. But yes, we’ve actually made quite a bit of progress with adapting non-unicorn forms of Equestrian magic for other uses. Scootaloo is actually one of our best candidates in the adaptation of Pegasus weather-control magic. Of course, given the… unique nature of her Linker Core, I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Indeed, though her accuracy could use some work. It looks like Spike’s gotten quite a bit more adept since last I saw him. Is he still training with Zafira?”

“Mhmm. Though this is the second Device he’s had since he started training…”

“Seriously?” Chrono looked at Twilight in disbelief. “What, did he eat the last one?”

“No, he overloaded the last one. Of course, it was my design so there may have been some flaws, but I didn’t expect it to break. Princess Luna had to make this one out of Imperial Crystal; it was the only thing that could handle the load. However, this is just a stop-gap until she creates something more suitable.”

“Wow. And here I thought if anybody would have overloaded a Device, it would have been you, Twilight…”

Twilight shrugged. “I think it’s because of the nature of his Linker Core. His magic is a lot more… volatile than a pony’s. He doesn‘t have the same degree of control that I do.” She gave a worried glance at one of the readouts. “It doesn‘t help that he hasn‘t used magic outside of his message-sending breath until recently.”

“I’ll take that into consideration when setting up the regimen.”

“Thank you. I’m actually impressed by Teana and Subaru,” Twilight glanced to the other screen. “They seem to work really well together, covering each other’s weaknesses.”

“They should. They’ve been together for several years now. They probably got paired together so much because of their unique combat styles and custom Devices. Teana’s Anchor Gun and Subaru’s Revolver Knuckle aren’t exactly standard issue, you know. Even S4U was a standard Bureau model before it got upgraded. At any rate, they‘ve been working together for quite some time, and their partnership is quite formidable.”

“You of all people should know how effective friends can be when working together, Chrono.“ Twilight glanced at the other screen, wincing slightly. “I wish I could say the same for Spike and Scootaloo.”

Chrono looked, then chuckled. “I guess someone forgot to buckle their seatbelt before they got on Scootaloo’s back.”

The drones hovering along the lower area of the overpass turned in the direction of the freeway above. Their sensors had detected a loud noise rapidly approaching their location. A noise that sounded distinctly like screaming.

“AAAAAH!”

Spike clung onto Scootaloo’s neck as the pegasus bounded across a large pit in the highway. She just barely landed on the other side, concrete and asphalt crumbling behind her as she raced on. She swerved sharply, barely dodging a collection of debris before rocketing down the ruined off-ramp, barely missing the concrete barrier along the edge of the curve.

“Stop screaming, you‘re throwing off my groove!” Scootaloo darted side-to-side like a hummingbird as the auto-spheres ahead of them opened fire, blue lasers flashing through the empty air. The mare leapt upwards onto the concrete barrier and began grinding sideways along the edge, her wings spread wide for balance.

“I‘ll stop when you stop driving like a crazy pony!” Spike lifted his hand up, a barrier forming around both him and Scootaloo, lasers scattering off the swirling dome of light.

“If you don’t like the ride,” Scootaloo snapped, “then get off!”

Spike let out a squawk as Scootaloo leapt off the edge she was grinding on, aileron-rolling in mid-air. He fell from Scootaloo’s back, his barrier catching the incoming fire as Scootaloo landed on the opposite embankment, sliding down to meet her targets. There was a hum as she rose up on her hind legs, arms extended to either side as she passed between two auto-spheres. The wheels of her roller skates flashed as she swung her front limbs downwards, streaks of purple light trailing after the dual rows as she sliced the drones into three pieces.

Spike let out a loud grunt as he landed on his back, then growled and kip-upped to his feet, chasing after Scootaloo. The pegasus landed, dodging amongst the incoming laser fire with surprising speed. He jumped into the air as one of the drones turned to draw a bead on Scootaloo, delivering a powerful roundhouse to the sphere and sending it careening into the side of the overpass. He landed in a crouch, inhaling deeply before he released a jet of green fire, sweeping it through the air and blasting the drones to ashes.

Scootaloo, meanwhile, shot beneath the stream of fire, crouching low to the ground before turning sharply and skidding. She was heading towards the spindle targets at the base of the off-ramp: an 'enemy' target situated between two ’civilian’ targets. The orange pony drifted sideways and, with a quick hop and a slight turn, bucked the lone ’enemy’ spindle backwards. The two 'civilian' targets wobbled as the 'enemy' target lit up green, indicating a non-lethal hit as it skidded along the ground.

“Cool,” Scootaloo smirked as she turned back to Spike. “Looks like we’re making great time. Aren‘t you glad I-”

“The heck were you thinking!?” Spike growled at Scootaloo as he stalked down the off-ramp. “You almost dropped me on my head!”

“Hey, you’re the one who kept griping about riding on me,” Scootaloo replied, fluffing her wings. “Besides, you’re a dragon. You’ve taken worse.”

“That’s not the point Scootaloo! You can’t just dump your partner, especially mid-jump like that. What if I’d fallen on something sharp and got stabbed, or-”

Scootaloo huffed and began to skate off. “But you didn’t, right? Now come on. We’re wast-”

Spike shook his head. “And here I thought Rainbow would‘ve…”

Scootaloo swerved to a stop and turned to face Spike. “What’d you say?”

“Nothing,” Spike replied.

“No, no, what’d you say?!” Scootaloo skated up to Spike, getting nose-to-nose with him and staring directly into his eyes. “What’d you say about Rainbow Dash?”

Spike didn‘t blink. “Just that I figured Rainbow would have taught you better than to drop a teammate like that.”

Scootaloo glared at him for a second, then exhaled and broke eye-contact. “Let’s go,” she snapped, turning away as she flapped her wings. “We’re wasting time.”

“Right. The goal shouldn’t be too much further.” Spike glanced at his Device, a small holographic timer appearing above the gem. “We’ve got about four minutes to go, and one last big target to deal with.”

“Like that’d stop us. Now stop being such a worry-wart and let’s go!”

“Scootaloo, wa-” The dragon grimaced as Scootaloo began to race off. “Oh for the love of… wait up! We need to talk strategy! Scootaloo!”

Several auto-spheres and spindle targets were scattered along the length of the ruined sky bridge. What was once a concrete and steel bridge suspended over the wide, multi-lane highway was now a wreck, littered with large holes, fallen rebar and chunks of fallen ceiling.

VWIP!

An anchor line shot up through one of the holes near the center of the sky-bridge, the tip attaching to the still-intact chunk of ceiling above it. In response, the auto-spheres turned towards the noise, raising their barriers and charging their emitters.

There was a soft rasp of the line retracting, just as the source of the line shot up through the hole and clattered against the ceiling. The drones opened fire, lasers rattling the gun about.

Meanwhile, there was an odd shimmering in the air at either end of the sky bridge. The air seemed to wobble like heat haze as two person-shaped blurs climbed onto the bridge.

Six seconds, Subaru. Go now!

Right!

One blur took off, dust kicking up as a pair of mana-driven engines whined to life.

Five!

One of the auto-spheres turned towards the sound of the noise, only to get smashed to scrap before it raised its barrier. The blur leapt over pits and kicked off of chunks of fallen debris.

Four!

The drones surrounding the gun stopped firing.

Three!

There was a whining of metal on metal, and the loud report of a Cartridge being triggered. The mirage-like blur began to warp, color bleeding through as it became unstable.

Two!

The illusion dropped as Subaru accelerated, crouching slightly and preparing to leap.

One!

The drones turned as Subaru leaped into the air, her gauntleted arm pulled back. Meanwhile, at the other end of the sky bridge, Teana’s own illusion dropped. The young mage was aiming carefully, index and middle fingers extended and thumb pointing upwards like a gun. Three orange spheres of energy hovered about her.

“Zero!” Teana shouted. “Crossfire…”

“Revolver…” Subaru shouted in tandem.

“SHOOT!”

Projectiles flew. Subaru’s Revolver Shoot flashed out, the vortex slamming into the assembled drones like a hammer. Meanwhile, Teana’s Crossfire Shoot streaked out, neatly piercing through the drone’s barriers and blasting them to bits. Not a single one survived.

Subaru landed and braked sharply, coming to a halt just at the lip of the pit. She exhaled, and then grinned at Teana as the orange-haired mage ran up to meet her. “You were right, Tea. I guess the drones weren’t able to detect your Optic Hide spell.”

“I thought as much.” Teana hopped up, grabbing her Anchor Gun’s handle and disengaging the anchor, winding it back up. “Just don’t get used to relying on it. The spell‘s pretty mana intensive, so we shouldn’t make a habit of using it for every Cross Shift.”

“Well, I guess we can… cross off another set of drones. Right, Tea?” Subaru grinned, skating over to one of the spindle targets and punching it, lighting it up green.

“Ha ha,” Teana retorted as she checked her Anchor Gun over. “Make fun of the term all you like, but-”

Teana paused, her eyes widening as Subaru turned to look at her.

“Tea, wha-”

“Subaru, MOVE!”

Teana body-checked the blue-haired girl out of the way as several lasers blasted past them. Three drones slowly drifted down from their hiding spot above the ceiling, drawing a bead on the pair.

Teana stumbled back, quickly rushing to the side as she took aim.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite paying attention to where she was going.

CRACK!

Teana let out a cry of pain as she fell to the side, her left foot twisting sharply against the edge of the shallow crater she had stepped in. She landed on her side, then inhaled and rolled over, pulling herself just behind a fallen chunk of concrete. She peeked over the edge, took aim, and fired.

Her first shot flew wide. The next three, however, hit their marks.

“Tea!”

“Rrrgh,” Teana groaned as Subaru skated over to her. “I’m fine Subaru. I’m-”

“Like hell you are. I heard it pop all the way over there!”

Teana hissed, grabbing a hold of the boulder as she lifted herself up. “I said I’m… NNGH!” She dropped, falling onto her rear with her teeth bared in pain.

Subaru knelt down beside her. “Which ankle?”

“L-left…”

Subaru nodded, gently touching her companion’s leg and wincing. “It looks like a pretty bad sprain…”

“Your powers of observation never fail to impress.” Teana’s reply was thick with sarcasm. She let out a yelp of pain as Subaru slid her hands around her ankle. “What’re you-”

“Try to relax, okay?” Subaru closed her eyes as blue light shimmered along her hands, wrapping slowly around the injured extremity.

“Huh…” Teana winced slightly. “And here I thought you were pulling my leg when you said you were learning healing magic.”

“Why do you say that?”

“It just seems… well, not your thing. Ow!”

Subaru blushed. “Sorry… I just know some of the basics… but it’s like it says in the book; ‘a well-rounded and extensive knowledge of the fundamentals is the foundation upon which all magical expertise is based.’ I figured learning some basic healing would, you know…”

Teana rolled her eyes. “Sheesh. You keep quoting that dumb book of hers like it‘s some kind of religious text. Weirdo.”

Subaru blushed a bit brighter as she removed her hands. “Better?”

“A little. It doesn’t hurt quite as bad, but I don‘t think I‘ll be running any time soon.”

“Um… Tea? Maybe we should contact the proctors. I mean, you’re hurt. I‘m sure they‘ll understand if we ask them to call-”

“No. We’re about two hundred meters from the goal.” Teana frowned, calling up a small, holographic timer. “We’ve got about four minutes. You go. I’ll cover you from here.”

“What?! But Tea…”

“If we call off the exam, we both fail by default. It’s better one of us passes than both of us failing, right? I’ll just take the test again in six months.”

“No.”

Teana glared up at Subaru as she shook her head rapidly. “I can’t… I mean… I screwed up Tea. I wasn’t paying attention and-”

“It happened. I‘m used to it by now. But if you fail this test because of me, so help me I will blast you myself.” Tea grimaced as she pulled herself up, sitting clumsily on the concrete boulder. “Now go!”

“No! You’re my friend Tea. And friends don’t just abandon each other!”

Tea looked over at Subaru, frowning as she saw the determination in her eyes. “Okay… fine.” She sighed heavily. “I already know I’m beat. But we’ve still got the last obstacle to handle, and there’s no way we‘ll be able to handle it if you‘re carrying me.”

“Well, why don’t you let me handle it then? If I could just get close, I could take it down.”

“Mm… it‘ll be risky though.” Tea frowned, rubbing her chin in thought before she looked up to Subaru. “Okay, fine. I may have an idea. You’ll need to get me into position first…”

“I’m not sure I feel comfortable with this, Chrono.” Twilight frowned, looking over at Chrono. “Are you sure we should let the test go on? If Teana’s hurt, we shouldn’t put further stress on her injury.”

“If it was just her taking the test, we’d have called it.” Chrono tapped on the display, switching scrying points as he observed Teana and Subaru. “However, she’s got Subaru with her, and her injuries aren’t catastrophic. As long as she’s able to continue, we should allow it.” Chrono reached up, touching another button on the screen. “Griffith?”

“Yes, Captain Harlaown?” The young man’s response was quick.

“Have you notified the medical team at the goal point that Teana Lanster has been injured during the exam?”

“Already did so, Sir.”

“Good.” Chrono glanced back to Twilight. “See? Everything’s under control.”

Twilight sighed. “Good. I just hope nothing else happens…”

“If something does, it’ll be handled. They’re both nearing the end, but the last obstacle is going to be rough.” Chrono’s fingers flicked over the keyboard. An image of a huge auto-sphere popped up, easily six feet wide with a short, cylindrical bulge on the top and bottom. “It’s a mid-to-long range sniping auto-sphere. It‘s equipped with two guided energy burst emitters, a much tougher barrier, and can synchronize with the smaller drones to use as spotters. A lot of candidates have problems with it, so I wonder how they’ll approach it.”

“I’m sure Subaru and Teana will do just fine.” Twilight looked over to her screen, tapping one of the buttons to switch sensors. “I’m more concerned about Scootaloo and Spike…”

“Yeah, they don’t seem to be working well together.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Spike to partner up with Scootaloo…” Twilight rubbed her chin gently, looking a bit sad. “I’d hoped that they’d make a good team, maybe get Scootaloo to open up a bit more…”

“Hmmm.” Chrono smiled faintly, causing Twilight to quirk an eyebrow at him.

“What have you got planned, Chrono?”

“A few things, Twilight. But that can wait for now. It looks like Scootaloo’s reached the target first.”

Scootaloo’s wings buzzed as she shot along the highway, her eyes narrowed and her mane fluttering in the wind. The length of highway of head was mercifully clear of rubble, and her destination was just a scant hundred and fifty meters away.

Of course, there was one last target between her and the goal line. An overpass system loomed high ahead of her. Ribbons of concrete, asphalt and metal swirled together in a multi-tiered modern art project. All she had to do was get past it, and she’d be home free.

Suddenly, a bright blue blast of light shot out from the third level of the overpass. Scootaloo’s eyes widened as the blast changed course, barreling down on her at high speed. She dodged to the side quickly, only to cry out as the blast detonated on impact with the ground, the shock-wave almost caused her to fumble her landing.

Scootaloo landed hard, skidding sharply as she regained her footing, only to see the second blast launch and arc towards her.

“Okay, you want to do this the hard way?!” Scootaloo’s wings flapped harder as she darted out of the way, the blast leaving a plume of smoke and dust behind her as she rocketed up one of the ramps. “Let’s do this the hard way! Yaaah!”

Blast after blast flashed out towards her, each bolt exploding and showering her with dust as they impacted the asphalt. However, each blast missed her, if only by a scant few inches as she weaved and danced around the blasts. She crouched, leapt across to another road before quickly swerving into a sharp U-turn. Her wings buzzed loudly as she accelerated up the ramp towards her target.

Unfortunately, there was more than just a single drone waiting for her. Scootaloo skidded to a sharp halt as the huge auto-sphere turned its emitters on her, just as the four smaller drones hovering around it activated their shields and took aim.

“Oh horse-feathers,” Scootaloo squeaked before she backpedaled, quickly ducking behind one of the concrete barriers along the curve as bolts of energy rained down on her position.

“Yeah, I thought that’d happen,” Chrono noted, shaking his head. “Most of the candidates that get taken down by that drone try the full-frontal assault. It rarely turns out well.”

“And Spike’s not in a position to support her. Ugh!” Twilight rested her head in both hooves, groaning. “I don’t believe this…”

“There, there. They’ve still got three minutes, and they’re not too far from the goal. She‘s lucky that they can‘t lock onto her through the concrete.” Chrono glanced over to the screen showing group one and frowned. “Hold on a minute… Twilight, take a look at this.”

Twilight glanced up, blinking at the scene on the screen. Teana was running at full speed down the highway, her arms pumping and pig-tails fluttering behind her. “Huh? How did she manage that?”

“I guess Subaru did a better job fixing her ankle than she expected. Still, running out in the open like that…” Chrono nodded as a blue blast shot out from the auto-sphere’s hiding place in a nearby office building, slicing through the air before barreling down on Teana.

The blast hit. There was an explosion of blue light.

“Ouch,” Chrono winced. “A direct hit… wait a minute.” He reached up, zooming in on the cloud of smoke and dust, revealing the road to be empty. “Where’d she go?”

And then Teana ran back into view, almost like nothing had happened.

Chrono frowned, zooming out as Teana weaved down the road, still running. “That’s odd. Her profile mentioned nothing about teleportation or high-speed movement. Is she…”

“It’s an illusion.”

Chrono glanced back at Twilight. The unicorn had a very big smile on her face. “She’s using an illusionary copy to draw out the sniper’s position!”

“Huh. Her profile did mention she was proficient in illusion magic,” Chrono admitted, “but I didn’t expect something of this caliber…”

“Indeed. A complete copy of herself with full motion? At that range? That’s very impressive. Oh! Look! Now there’s two of them!”

“Question is,” Chrono leaned in, eying the screen, “where’s Subaru gotten to?”

“She’s got to be nearby,” Twilight’s horn lit up as she tapped the button, cycling through the sensors before stopping. “There! On top of that building!”

Subaru felt the wind whip through her hair as she watched. The blasts were coming from the top floor of the office building a hundred or so meters away from her current position. The Drone was protected on all sides by the structure, and the windows on three sides of the building would let it see her if she approached it from the outside.

I can’t keep these Fake Silhouettes coming Subaru. Teana’s voice crackled in her head. She could hear the strain even through the telepathy. You need to end it quickly!

One shot’s all it’ll take, Tea, Subaru replied as she lifted her fist into the air. There was a loud crack as a cartridge triggered, a blue Belkan triangle springing up beneath her feet before she brought her fist down.

“WING! ROAD!”

Subaru’s fist smashed into the roof of the building she stood on, blue light exploding out from her knuckles. There was a waterfall-like roar as a ribbon of solid mana blasted forth before her, curving quickly through the air, around the building, and into the windows on one side of the building.

“Let’s go!” Subaru let out a shout as her rollerblades kicked into gear, launching her down the Wing Road. She followed the path, turning sharply and heading at full speed towards the window. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the tell-tale flashes of orange as Teana set up her illusions inside the building, drawing the drone’s fire.

Subaru’s eyes narrowed as she calculated the range, measuring the distance between the window she was about to barrel through and the drone itself.

And then she jumped.

It was a very impressive jump. Even without a ramp, she easily cleared the lip of the building’s roof with at least ten feet or so to spare. She reeled her fist back as she flew through the air, the rest of her cartridges firing in rapid succession. A firing loop appeared around the Revolver Knuckle’s gears as they spun up to full speed.

“DIVINE!”

A second firing loop appeared beneath her, quickly filling with a large, glowing sphere of blue-white light. Subaru swung her fist downwards, smashing the sphere as she called out the second part of the spell’s name.

“BUSTER!”

A deafening explosion ripped through the air as the spell launched. A thick blue beam smashed through the roof, slamming into the auto-sphere from above. The drone’s barrier cracked under the pressure of the blast before shattering into pieces. The beam drilled through the drone and kept going, smashing through four more floors before it dissipated.

Subaru somersaulted in mid-air and landed, sliding to a halt as her Revolver Knuckle let out a gout of thick steam.

Did you get it?

I was off a little, but I nailed it! Consider it well and truly busted, Subaru smirked as she heard Teana groan. Stay put. I’m coming to get you Tea.

Not like I have a choice. Just be quick. We don’t have a whole lot of time left and a lot of ground to cover.

“Okay.” Twilight looked at Chrono, her eyes intense. “I’m sold. I don’t care what strings you have to pull, I want them.”

“I thought you’d like them,” Chrono chuckled, then turned back to team two’s screens. “And it looks like your little assistant’s finally caught up to his squad mate.”

Scootaloo winced, still crouching low behind her cover as blasts chipped away at the concrete. She was pinned down. If she even extended so much as a feather out of cover, a laser would try to zap it.

“Rrrgh! Come on Scootaloo, think!” She huffed, puffing her cheeks out. “What would Rainbow Dash do in a situation like this? Come on…”

Scootaloo blinked as she heard what sounded like claws scraping on concrete, followed by a whoosh of magic. She risked a peek out of cover just in time to see Spike leaping upwards from his perch on a ramp below. The drones turned their attention to him as he flew upwards, lasers opening fire on him. A swirling dome of light flashed up in front of him, blocking the shots as he landed beside Scootaloo’s position, his feet only a few inches from her nostrils.

Scootaloo glanced up at him. “What kept you?”

“Sorry,” Spike growled, “but some of us don’t have wings!” He winced, stepping back slightly as the sniper drone’s blasts slammed into his barrier.

“I could‘ve saved myself, you know.” Scootaloo climbed to her feet, snorting softly. “I would’ve figured something out.”

“I‘m sure. Look, we’ve got maybe two minutes, so we need to do this quick.” Spike glanced at her. “I can knock down the little drones and deal with the big one’s barrier, but you’ve got to hit it before it returns fire, alright?”

“Fine. Just get me a clean shot, alright?”

Spike nodded and reached over the golden band of his bracelet to his glove. His fingers fumbled slightly before he pulled out a small golden cylinder, no bigger than his thumb tip.

“Wait,” Scootaloo blinked. “Is that…”

“Yeah,” Spike replied. “Just be ready to go, okay?”

Scootaloo nodded, crouching down and spreading her wings as Spike began to inhale. It was a loud, deep breath, Spike’s chest expanded as he drew in as much air as he could muster. And then he held it as he slipped the cartridge in between his fangs.

He bit down. There was a bright flash of light as he let out his breath, the energy mixing with his flame as it exploded forth, spreading out in a great torrent of emerald-green death.

The smaller drones were almost vaporized, chunks of molten slag splashing onto the liquefying asphalt and blackening concrete. The larger auto-sphere’s barrier rippled and crackled, shattering as well as sparks flew from the barrier emitters.

“Go!” Spike coughed out, black smoke leaking from around his teeth.

Scootaloo didn’t need to be told twice. She dashed forth, leaping onto one of the concrete barriers as she accelerated. She could feel the heat in the air, sweat running down her neck as she drew in her own magic.

She jumped towards the drone, her right front limb pulling back as purple light rippled outwards from her roller skates, the air hardening into a pair of long, scimitar-like blades.

“PEREGRINE CLAW!”

There was a sound of rending metal as Scootaloo passed by the auto-sphere and landed on the opposite barrier. Two thin lines of purple trisected the drone for a moment before it collapsed, sliced into three parts.

“There! How do you like that you pile of scrap?!” Scootaloo smirked, then paused as Spike coughed loudly, bending over a bit with his hands on his knees. “Hey… uh… you okay?”

“Y-yeah…” Spike coughed. “Sorry. Just a bit… of back blast from the Cartridge. I’ll be fine in a sec.”

Scootaloo grimaced, glancing from Spike, then over the edge, then back to Spike before she skated towards him. She came to a halt beside him, her tail flicking irritably. “Get on.”

“Huh?” Spike blinked at her as Scootal huffed.

“I said get on. We’re in a hurry, right?”

Spike nodded, slowly climbing onto Scootaloo’s back. “Um… thanks.”

“Just hang on, okay? And don’t gripe about me going too fast.”

Spike let out a grunt as he shifted his weight. Scootaloo turned, her wings buzzing as she began descending down the ramp, picking up speed as she did so.

“Well.” Chrono ran his good hand through his hair. “That was… certainly a trick.”

“Yes. Yes it was.” Twilight tapped one of her hooves on the seat’s arm rest. Her expression was almost aggressively neutral, and Chrono could swear he could hear her teeth grinding.

I’ve seen that look before, Chrono thought to himself. My mom used to look like that after I did something stupid… I foresee a lecture in Spike’s future.

“Well,” Chrono coughed, tapping gently on the keyboard, “looks like it’s just the home stretch for the four of them.”

“We should probably go and meet them,” Twilight replied.

“Good to see we’re on the same page.” Chrono reached over and tapped the communications button. “Pilot, take us to the goal point and prepare to land.”

“Yes Sir,” came the reply. There was a shift as the helicopter banked slightly, no doubt heading towards their destination.

“You might want to consider putting your uniform on,” Chrono cautioned Twilight. “This is official business after all. Can‘t have you walking around naked in front of the recruits.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Not that it seems to bother you all that much. Raising Heart?”

The Device on her neck chimed softly. “AM I TO SET UP?"

“Yes. The modified uniform, not my Barrier Jacket.”

“ALRIGHT.”

“By the way,” Chrono glanced back to his readouts, “one of our friends is working with the medical squad for this little exercise. I asked for her specifically.”

“Oh?”

A tall, slim woman with golden hair perched atop the divider, a gentle breeze stirring the white medical coat she wore over her green dress. Large golden hoops dangled from her ears, and a pair of golden rings decorated her index and ring fingers on each hand. She shaded her green eyes as she peered down the road, past the hovering time clock and the thin bands of energy that marked the groups’ respective finish lines.

“Do you see them, Knight Shamal?”

Shamal nodded, glancing back at the medic that called out to her. “Yes, I do! Positions everyone!”

Shamal watched the other mages scramble out of the way as she herself hopped off her perch, quickly jogging in their direction and taking up her position. She lifted one hand to her lips, giving one of the gems on her rings a kiss. “Klarwind, if you don’t mind?”

“JA. WEICHSTÜTZE.”

Shamal turned her palms upwards, extending her arms to either side as she raised her hands. A pale green Belkan triangle sprang up beneath her, spinning slowly as she cast her spell. There was a shimmering light as tall, whitish-green ’roots’ of a spongy material pushed up from the ground, forming a cushioned backstop. “Make sure the Holding Net is active in case someone goes out of control,” she called out as pillars finished forming. “We don’t want a crash, especially at the speed they’re going!”

And then she heard them approaching. Shamal turned back as the two groups approached. Subaru and Teana were barreling down the left-hand road at full speed, the latter riding piggyback on the former, her orange pigtails fluttering in the wind. Meanwhile Scootaloo and Spike were shooting down the right-hand road, Spike pressed close to Scootaloo’s back, the mare’s wings a blur of color.

The timer began to flash red as it began to count down, passing through the thirty second mark.

Twenty seconds.

Ten seconds.

Then the two teams crossed their lines. There was a loud claxon as the beams were broken, the times being locked in.

Shamal braced herself slightly as the two teams rushed past her, the wind of their passing ruffling her hair and coat. She quickly turned, listening to the shouts as the two teams approached the first barrier.

“Brake Subaru! BRAAAAAKE!”

“Wall! WALL, SCOOTALOO, WATCH OUT FOR THE WALL!”

Subaru turned and began skidding to a halt, her rollerblades sending out a spray of sparks as she did so. Scootaloo, meanwhile, flared her wings and turned sideways as well. Spike extended his feet, his toe-claws scraping along the ground and leaving deep grooves in the asphalt.

Scootaloo and Spike were the first to stop, coming to a halt just before the wall of marshmallow-like pillars. Subaru and Teana hit the wall, the Weichstütze pillars bending as they cushioned the impact. The pair bounced back slightly, though Subaru quickly recovered her balance and swerved to a halt.

“Is everyone alright?” Shamal looked at the quartet, quickly sweeping her hands in a dismissive gesture to deactivate the spell.

“Hey Shamal,” Spike called out as he dismounted from Scootaloo, rubbing his neck. “What’re you doing here?”

“My job. I am a medic after all,” Shamal replied, tucking her hands into her coat pockets. “But we can talk later, Spike. Excuse me.” She glanced over to Subaru, and then walked over towards her and her orange-haired compatriot. “Private Lanster, my name’s Shamal. I was told you injured yourself during the exam. Please come with me so we can inspect your ankle.”

“Um, sure.” Teana leaned over Subaru’s shoulder to look at her. “I think it’s safe for you to put me down, Subaru.”

“Okay, Tea.” Subaru crouched down, letting Teana off her back. Shamal knelt down, letting Teana put an arm around her shoulders before walking off with her towards the medics.

“Hey! You!”

Subaru blinked as the orange-coated pegasus skated over to her, gliding with ease on her roller skates.

“Uh… hello?” Subaru rose to her feet, dusting off her hands as she did so.

The pegasus looked her up and down slowly. The pony may have come up to her stomach, but the way she was sizing her up reminded Subaru of some of the guys from her hand-to-hand combat classes; the ones that took sparring a little too seriously.

“So,” the pegasus continued, looking up at her with a look of challenge in her eyes. “I’m guessing you guys were the other group, right?”

“Yeah. Name’s Subaru.” Subaru quickly extended her un-gauntleted hand to the pony. “It’s nice to meet you… uh…”

“Scootaloo,” the mare replied. She glanced at Subaru’s hand before begrudgingly resting a hoof in Subaru’s outstretched hand, looking up at her with a hint of irritation.

“Nice to meet you, Scootaloo,” Subaru gently shook her hoof, careful not to squeeze too tight. She paused, looking down at the roller-skates covering said hoof. “Hey, these are pretty cool skates. They look like Oldsmotion Delta Eighty-Eight Quads…”

Scootaloo paused, looking a little nonplussed. “Um… actually, they’re Equestrian. Hoofdell Derby Pro Line Alloys…”

“Cool! Nice to meet someone else on wheels.”

“Uh…yeah, sure.” Scootaloo glanced downwards, pulling her hoof away quickly. “Um… are your skates supposed to be smoking like that?”

“Huh?!” Subaru looked down, then squeaked and took a seat, quickly un-strapping her skates. “Oh no, oh no, oh crap! Don’t tell me I broke something again!”

“Again?” Scootaloo flapped her wings as Subaru blew loudly on the skate in her hands, wincing as she opened up the casing. Thin streamers of smoke hissed out as Subaru sighed, looking at machinery inside.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Subaru grumbled. “The brake-pads are ground down to nubs, and it looks like I cooked the primary motor circuits. You’d think they’d make these things a bit sturdier. Ugh.” Subaru sighed, dropping the roller blade onto the ground beside her as she slipped off its partner. “Good thing I swapped them out last night. At least it had the decency to break now, instead of when I crossed the finish line…”

“Hey, maybe they would’ve given you bonus points if you crashed,” Scootaloo snickered.

“Jeeze Scootaloo, leave her alone.”

Subaru looked up at the purple and green dragon approached her, her eyes going wide even as Scootaloo shot him an irritated glare. “Oh my gosh… you’re Spike!”

The dragon blinked. “You know me?”

“Of course I know you! You’re Spike, Twilight Sparkle’s personal aide!”

“Well,” Spike grinned, rubbing one of his ear-fins, “I kinda prefer ‘number one assistant.’ ‘Personal aide’ makes me sound like I’m her butler or something…”

“This is so awesome! Do you think you could- I mean…” Subaru swallowed, blushing as she ruffled her hair in embarrassment. “Sorry. I’m just… well…”

“Let me guess,” Spike supplied, “a fan?”

Subaru nodded wordlessly.

“Don’t worry. Totally used to it by now.” Spike glanced over at Scootaloo with a grin. “See? Told ya I was famous.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and then winced as a powerful gust of wind blew over the freeway. Subaru shielded her eyes as the helicopter from earlier descended, slowed to a hover, and then landed on the asphalt. The rotors let out a soft whine as the engine was cut, the whupp-whupp-whupp of the blade diminishing as the side door slung open.

The first person to exit the helicopter was a tall man in his early twenties. He was dressed in a proper Enforcer uniform: black jacket with silver braid on the shoulders, white shirt and trousers, a dark blue tie and white gloves. His navy blue hair was neatly cut, though the bangs on his right side were feathered up slightly. He’d clearly seen some action: a black eye patch hid his right eye, while his right arm rested in a sling, folded over his stomach. Subaru quickly climbed to her feet and saluted when she saw the Captain rank badge on his arms.

Thankfully, she wasn’t the only one. Scootaloo and Spike came to attention as well as the young man stopped before them, a faint smile on his face.

“At ease, you three,” he said, waving his good hand gently.

“’Sup, Chrono?” Spike said casually.

Chrono shook his head. “It’s Captain Harlaown right now, Spike. I’m on the clock, remember?”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Spike replied sheepishly before coughing and coming to attention. “Hello, Captain Harlaown, Sir.”

“Much better,” Chrono replied with a nod of satisfaction as he glanced amongst them. “Congratulations on completing your exam, all three of you. Now, as Warrant Officer Lowran informed you, there were two special proctors for this exam. I was one of them. The other,” Chrono glanced back at the helicopter, “should be joining us shortly.”

An Enforcer Captain? Then who’s the other one? Subaru blinked, risking a glance at the helicopter.

And then, her heart stopped.

A lavender unicorn hopped down from her perch in the helicopter and began trotting over to them. She was dressed in what was, no doubt, a heavily modified version of a Bureau Instructor uniform; a white jacket with blue shoulders in front, white leggings in back. Her mane was long and straight, dark violet with a distinctive purple and magenta stripe. A small red crystalline orb bounced against her chest on a golden chain.

She… she… she… Subaru’s brain froze up. SHE watched my exam!? She was one of the proctors?!

“Special Instructor Sparkle and I have been observing your exam,” Chrono continued as the unicorn came to a stop beside him, “and we’re quite satisfied with the results. You can expect a detailed report once we go through the debriefing later.”

“A very detailed report,” Twilight said, shooting a glare at Spike and Scootaloo. The pair tensed up, Spike swallowing loudly.

“Indeed,” Chrono continued. “But for now, congratulations on completing the exam.”

“T-thank you, Sir,” Subaru saluted quickly as Chrono walked away. She swallowed nervously as Twilight walked over and stood in front of her, looking up at her.

“Hello Subaru. I have to say, you‘ve grown a bit since I last saw you.”

Subaru let out a small squeak. “You… remember me?”

Twilight laughed. “Of course. It’s not every day I carry a little girl out of a raging inferno on my back, after all. It’s especially rare that I end up autographing the same little girl’s book after she and her father attended one of my lectures… Uh… are you okay, Miss Nakajima?”

“I…” Subaru swallowed, “I think I’m going to faint…”

“And there we go,” Shamal smiled cheerfully, the green light fading from her hands. “Your ankle’s good as new. Just be a bit more careful next time, alright?”

“Thank you, Knight Shamal,” Teana replied, flexing her ankle carefully.

“It’s quite alright.”

Teana nodded as the blonde woman stood up, then sighed as she watched the scene play out before her. “Jeeze,” she muttered under her breath, “you’d think that idiot would play it cool…”

“Hmm?” Shamal turned to look, then giggled softly. “It seems your friend’s a bit star-struck by Twilight.”

“So I noticed,” Teana replied.

“Are you familiar with Twilight Sparkle, Miss Lanster?”

“Only from what Subaru’s told me,” Teana sighed, resting her chin on her palm as she eyed the unicorn.

“She’s one of the most visible Equestrian mages, and easily one of the most powerful in terms of both magical strength and range of talents. Personal student of Princess Celestia, head magical researcher at the Royal Equestrian Thaumaturgy Academy, honorary fellow of the Mid-Childan Academy of Magic, and special instructor for the TSAB Aerial Tactical Instructor Corps. Those who’ve trained under her or seen her work call her ‘The Alicorn Ace.’”

“Well, that’s quite an extensive bit of trivia,” Shamal acceded.

“Like I said, Subaru’s the one who told me all about her. At length. Repeatedly.” Teana grumbled, looking at Subaru and Twilight. “I guess I‘m just not as… fond of ponies as Subaru is…”

“Well, that’s a shame to hear, Private Lanster.”

Teana blinked, then quickly got to her feet and saluted as Chrono approached her. “Sir!”

“At ease, Private Lanster,” the Captain replied, glancing over to Shamal. “So, how is she Shamal?”

“Good to go, Captain Harlaown,” Shamal replied, slipping her hands into her pockets.

“I hope I didn’t pull you away from any Church business,” Chrono said, causing Shamal to shake her head.

“No, it’s alright. I figured you’d need a hand anyway.”

Chrono nodded, then looked to Teana. “Congratulations on completing your exam, Private Lanster. You did exceedingly well from what I saw.”

“Thank you Sir!”

“The debriefing will be later today. Special Instructor Sparkle and I will be looking forward to seeing you then.”

Teana nodded, saluting as Chrono walked off. Her eyes, however, went back to Twilight Sparkle.

Ponies, she thought to herself. And here I thought I’d never have to deal with those damn ponies…

Author's Note

A few notes

NCY stands for New Calender Year, which is the Mid-Childan dating system that was established after the war with Belka.. This is opposed to the Equestrian calender system, which uses BD/AD (Before/After Discord).

When Subaru calls Teana 'Tea,' she pronounces it 'Tee-ah' not 'Tee.' Private Lanster is not a beverage.

Bureau Mage Licenses are based on degrees of capability with magic, and are used to determine what level a mage is capable of operating at. Mage ranks (from lowest to highest) are D, C, B, A, AA, AAA, S, SS, and SSS, with a + or - added to indicate the extreme high or low of a rank.

6: Examination

Longinus Archway Military Training Facility (Long Arch)

Cranagan, Mid-Childa

Second Week of Training

The sun had yet to cross the horizon, but Caro was already awake.

She was always very quiet in the morning. She didn’t want to disturb Erio or Friedrich; the former was always grumpy when he first got up, while the latter was finally sleeping soundly, so he could wake when he pleased. She carefully slipped out from the sheets of her bed, dragging her pillow along with her. Her bare feet were muffled by the carpet as she went to the window and carefully opened the drapes.

She paused for a moment as she heard Erio and Friedrich stir as the drapes rustled. When nothing came of it, she relaxed and went about her work. She plumped the pillow between her hands, then leaned down and dropped it on the floor. Then she slowly knelt, knees resting on the cottony surface, spine ram-rod straight. She closed her eyes, her hands reaching up to her face and touching her middle and index fingers to either side of her nose. With a practiced motion, she drew her fingers along the underside of each eye, then drew a pair of tear-tracks down her cheeks, not stopping until she touched her jaw-bone. She then crossed her arms before her, hands resting on either bicep and her forearms resting just below her ribcage.

Such an act would have been odd to anybody unfamiliar with Caro or the Lu Lushe tribe, but those who did know were all too aware of the significance of her actions. And so, Caro knelt there, her breathing slow and meditative as she mirrored the stance of the Guardian Dragon of Alzas.

Her eyes slowly opened, and she watched the sun slowly creep over the horizon. She quietly mouthed the prayer that her mother had taught her, whispering it in her mind as dawn broke.

Voltaire, Whose Roar Shakes the Heavens, I pray to you as your flame lights the sky. I pray to you to protect me. Watch over me, your humble servant…

Caro felt a faint stirring and a rising heat inside herself as she recited the words, like a campfire’s ashes being blown away to reveal banked coals. She swallowed nervously, a few beads of sweat trickling down the back of her neck as she fought the urge to quake with fear.

She had drawn the dragon’s attention. He was listening.

He always listened.

She quietly finished the prayer, holding herself steady until she felt Voltaire’s attention turn away from her. Then her shoulders slumped, her breath rushing out as she relaxed. She wiped the sweat from her brow, then quickly ran her fingers through her hair before getting back to her feet. She returned her pillow to its original position on the bed, glancing over at Friedrich’s makeshift nest on the desk before padding out of the room.

Caro blinked at the hallway’s lights, wincing as she made her way down the hall to the bathroom. A small yawn escaped her lips as she pressed the door button, the door sliding open with a hiss as she stepped through.

“Oh, hey. Morning.”

“Eek!” Caro almost jumped out of her skin as she heard the voice, spinning to face whoever was talking. A familiar purple dragon stepped out of the showers, plumes of steam drifting behind him as he rubbed a towel against his cheek.

“O-oh… Spike… Good morning.” Caro exhaled, trying to will her heartbeat to slow down. “What’re you doing up so early?”

“Got tired of ending up with the last of the hot water in the showers, so I figured I’d get up early.” Spike slung the towel across his shoulders as he walked over to the sinks, his toe-claws click-clacking on the floor. “You?”

“Uh…this…this is when I usually wake up.”

“Early riser, eh? That’s cool.” He paused, then looked back at her. “Uh… you okay, Caro?”

Caro blinked. “Wh-why do you ask?”

“You just look pale and sweaty… did you have a bad dream or something?”

Caro shook her head. “No… no bad dreams or anything like that.” She then gestured to the showers. “Um… do you mind-”

“Oh! Sure. Eyes closed, no peeking.” The little dragon turned around and covered his eyes.

“Thank you.” Caro quickly disrobed and stepped into the shower. After the heat she felt from Voltaire, the hot water from the shower was almost tepid.

Her shower didn’t take too long. She quickly stepped out, drying her hair before wrapping the towel around her. The fluffy towel was almost big enough she could’ve used it for a bathrobe.

“Uh,” Spike began uncertainly, his eyes still covered, “are you decent now, Caro?”

“Yes…” Caro walked over to the sinks, picking up her hair brush and running it through her still-damp hair.

Spike dropped his hands, then quickly glanced around. “So, uh… where’s Friedrich? He’s usually with you all the time.”

“He’s still asleep.” Caro tugged the brush, wincing as it caught on her thick pink hair. “I guess he’s finally comfortable with this place.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah… Fried is always super-vigilant whenever we sleep someplace unfamiliar. It usually takes him a while to get settled in.”

“Huh.” Spike frowned, leaning against the sink. “Maybe now he’ll chill out a bit around the rest of us.”

Caro glanced away nervously, causing Spike to straighten up, raising his hands defensively. “I-it’s not like I’m blaming you or anything. I mean, it’s just…”

“It’s alright. Fried’s just… protective, that’s all. I mean, his insulting you aside.” Caro sighed, quickly shaking her head before ruffling a towel through her hair.

“Is it because you’re a ward of the Bureau, whatever that means?”

Caro paused, then looked down, letting the towel hide her face.

“I-I mean,” Spike quickly scrambled, picking up on her expression. “Oh Celestia, I didn’t mean to upset you or anything. Please don’t cry or-”

“It’s okay. And yes, it probably is.” She slipped the towel around her shoulders. “We had to stay at a special Bureau facility on Alzas. It wasn’t fun. We were always separated, and the staff there… they didn’t really trust me. Or my powers.”

“Why? I mean, Friedrich’s kinda powerful, but he’s not exactly terrifying. What, did they think you’d call up something else?”

“Yes.” Caro replied, turning to look directly at Spike.

“Oh…” Spike scratched at one of his ear-fins. “Wow… I’m just being all kinds of insensitive, aren’t I? I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay.” Caro reached over and gently patted Spike on the head. “I have my new family now, and they’re really nice and caring. And now I’m here with all of you, so I can make new friends…”

“So…” Spike smiled at her from under her hand, “are we friends?”

Caro blinked, then giggled. “Sure! I mean… if you want to be.”

“Of course! I mean, it makes sense, right? I’m a dragon. You’re a dragon summoner. It should fit, right? Well… just as long as Friedrich doesn’t get all snooty at me.”

“Well…” Caro pulled her hand back and blushed. “I’ve been talking to him about that…”

Caro paused as the bathroom door hissed open behind her.

“So help me, Subaru,” Teana said as she stepped through, her orange hair a fluffy mess, “if you wake me up like that one more time, I’m…”

Teana stopped mid-sentence and mid-stride, causing Subaru bump into her from behind. “Spike! What in the heck are you doing in here?!”

“Uh…” Spike waved weakly, “morning?”

“What is wrong with you?!” Teana marched toward him intently, circling around Caro. “Being in here with Caro? Alone? Don‘t you have any manners?!”

“Hey!” Spike flailed as Teana pushed him along towards the door. “What’re you doing?! Leggo! I still need to brush my teeth!”

“Then do it later! Boys shouldn’t be in the bathroom with girls! Out, out, OUT!”

“We’re not even the same species!”

“Doesn’t matter! Now get going!”

“Oof! Fine! I’ll just go and meditate or something! See you later Caro!”

Caro just stared as Teana pushed Spike out the door, then pointedly stabbed the door button and hit the lock.

“Good morning everyone!”

Twilight smiled as her trainees quickly responded. Despite the rough start, her students were actually starting to work together properly. True, there were still problems she had to iron out, like Teana’s issues and the hostility between Spike and Friedrich. However, all-in-all, she was more than hopeful for their chances.

“First of all,” she announced, “I’d like to congratulate everyone for their work up to this point. Both Stars and Lightning Squads are more than meeting my expectations.”

“However,” she continued, pausing to make sure she had their full attention, “last week was the warm-up. From here on out, things will only get tougher. Consider the kid gloves off, so to speak. There’s no time for personal drama.” She glanced over at Spike and Friedrich. “Nor can you afford to mistrust your teammates.” She then shot a pointed glance at Scootaloo and Teana. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the six replied quickly.

“Good. Now, let’s get to work. Jackets on, everyone!”

There was a flash of light as the trainees engaged their Barrier Jackets, shimmering auras in six different colors lighting up in front of her, then quickly dissolving away to reveal their Barrier Jackets. Erio’s and Caro’s were much like Subaru’s and Teana’s; regular clothing with a simple white coat over it, though Caro’s was closer to a hooded cape than a coat.

“Now, as we covered in the briefing, all six of you will be working together as a whole squad. We’ll be undergoing a mock battle scenario in an urban environment. Consider this to be your first exam, to test all the skills we’ve worked on last week. Now, for safety purposes we‘ll be working under standard one hit, zero lethality guidelines. When you‘re hit, your Devices will deactivate, your telepathy will be jammed and you‘ll be counted as ‘shot down’ until the round is over. This exercise…“ She paused, nodding to Teana. “Yes, Private Lanster?”

“Um… you didn‘t mention who we‘d be fighting, Special Instructor. Who‘re our opponents? More drones?”

“Actually, no.” Twilight replied, her horn glowing as she levitated Raising Heart off her chest. “I wanted that to be a surprise. And it’d be more appropriate to say ‘opponent.’ Singular, not plural.”

The other trainees glanced at each other nervously, while Teana’s expression changed from curiosity to fear. “You mean…”

“Indeed. Raising Heart!”

“STANDBY, READY!”

“Set Up!”

There was a blaze of magenta light as Raising Heart initiated its transformation sequence, forming a barrier around Twilight as it did its work. Chunks of orichalcum and white-enameled metal sprang into being from the ether, rapidly forming into the familiar C-shaped ring and shaft of Raising Heart’s Corona Form. A deep purple body suit spread along Twilight’s skin, covering her from the neck down before segments of light-weight white armor sprang into existence. Feather-like motes of mana spilled out as the plates connected to the undersuit, forming the outer layer of her protective Barrier Jacket. This was followed by gleaming golden boots on each hoof, and a short white skirt with a pink-and-white star pattern around the hem.

“CORONA FORM, READY,” Raising Heart announced as the barrier dissolved away. “BARRIER JACKET ‘RADIANT FORM.’”

“Your opponent for today‘s mock battle,” Twilight said as Raising Heart floated to her side under its own power, “will be me.”

She quirked an eyebrow as she watched a wave of dread wash over the six of them. “Oh relax,” Twilight assured them, “I’m not planning on blasting you into unconsciousness or something like that.”

“Whew,” Spike let out a breath, though Teana and Subaru still looked terrified. Scootaloo looked like she was about to wet herself, while Caro was scooting closer to Erio.

“Now, as I was saying,” Twilight continued as Raising Heart projected a small holographic screen into the air above her, “this exercise consists of a series of nine rounds. Each round will last a total of ten minutes, with a ten minute interval for you six to regroup and recover. In order to pass the round, you’ll need to successfully land an attack on my Barrier Jacket, or survive the duration. If you’re all shot down before then, you fail. Five rounds is the bare minimum I expect if you want to pass, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The six of them seemed much less enthusiastic now.

“Don’t sound so glum. Just remember to rely on each other, and use every resource you can think of. Now, I‘ll give you ten minutes to plan out an initial strategy. Good luck, and I‘ll be seeing you soon!”

And with a cheerful smile, Twilight winked away, reappearing atop a nearby skyscraper where Yuuno and Fate were waiting.

“Well, I see you’re not wasting time,” Yuuno said sardonically from his seat. He peeked over the railing, looking down at the scurrying trainees below. “Throwing them headfirst into the deep end of the pool, eh?”

“They’ll be fine,” Twilight replied. “If they keep their wits about them and work together they should have no problem.”

“Mmm…” Fate grunted under her breath as she eyed the readouts.

Twilight paused, glancing over at the yellow mare. “Something the matter, Fate?”

“I’m not sure I like this, Twilight,” Fate replied. “It‘s worries me.”

“You think there‘s something wrong with the scenario?” Twilight trotted over to her.

“The scenario itself is fine. I’m just concerned that it might be too early to drop the six of them into a pressure-cooker test like this one.” Fate frowned, a bit of sunlight catching on her golden mane as she glanced over at Twilight. “They’ve been working as separate units or in mixed pairs thus far. Putting them up against an opponent like you at this point is… well, to put it likely, I‘m not sure they can handle it..”

“I’m not planning on going all-out on them, Fate,” Twilight objected. “Besides, they need the practice. This should give them a chance to stretch their muscles, so to speak. Besides, if something does go awry we’ve got plenty of safety precautions.”

“It’s not the safety precautions I’m worried about.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow as Fate turned to face her. “You can’t just fix a friendship problem by just putting their feet to the fire like this. It‘s not going to turn out well.”

“This has nothing to do with a friendship problem, Fate. This is just a training exercise. Need I remind you that this scenario is something you put the Shadowbolts through?”

“And most of my Shadowbolts are career military ponies, some of whom are nearly twice as old as these kids,” Fate replied calmly. “And by the time I put them through something like this, they’ve already been working together for a while.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a while, Fate.” Twilight grimaced, her ears folding back. “Look… I know what I’m doing, okay? I know you’re better at this than I am. That’s why you’re here advising me. But please, at least trust me…”

Fate closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, then trotted close and gently nuzzled her cheek “I do trust you, sis. I’m not mad at you… it’s just…” She tossed her head, her braided tail swishing in irritation. “Never mind. We can talk later…”

“If you say so.” Twilight raised her head and rested Raising Heart against her side, “But right now, I need to get ready.”

“Just don’t overdo it, Twilight,” Fate warned. “And pay special attention to Erio and Caro…”

“I know, I know. And Yuuno? Make sure to keep those communication lines open, alright?”

“Right… though do you think they’ll figure it out?”

“I certainly hope so. Otherwise, this’ll be a very unpleasant exercise.”

“Okay,” Teana tried desperately to sound calm and ignore the feeling of absolute dread creeping up in her belly as she looked around at her teammates. “Show of hands. Who thinks we can last ten minutes against Twilight Sparkle?”

No hands were raised. Nor were any claws or hooves, for that matter. Erio was fidgeting with his staff, while Caro was gently hugging Friedrich to her chest. Spike was seated cross-legged on the ground, while Scootaloo rolled back and forth on her skates. Subaru was leaning against a nearby concrete pillar, her eyes flicking between Teana and the open airspace.

Morale was low in the parking garage they‘d holed up in, that was for certain.

“Right. Good to know.” Teana began pacing, the sound of her footsteps echoing against the concrete. “Okay. Capabilities. What do we know about our opponent’s capabilities? Spike, Subaru, you two are the resident Twilight Sparkle experts. What can we expect?”

Spike shrugged. “A quick and thorough beat-down is my guess.”

“Not. Helping.” Teana glanced over at Subaru. “So, what can we expect?”

“Uh…” Subaru scratched her head. She looked calm, but Teana could see the tell-tale sheen of sweat on her skin. Subaru was nervous. That was a bad sign. “She probably won’t hit us with Bombardment spells or wreck the area. But aside from that… well.” She began ticking off on her fingers. “She can fly, teleport, use telekinesis, and hit us with a wide variety of attack and binding spells. Plus, she knows more magic than all six of us combined.”

“So, our opponent has superior capabilities compared to ours, greater mobility and range of fire. Right. Okay. We can deal with this.”

“Uh… Tea… your eye’s kinda twitching…”

“Hush, Subaru.” Teana snapped, before taking a seat and rubbing her temples with both hands. She only had a few minutes to formulate a workable strategy to fight their instructor.

Thankfully, she worked well under pressure.

“Okay.” Teana took a deep breath. “We can do this. We can do this…”

“Who’re you trying to convince; us, or yourself?” Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow as Teana glared at her. “What?”

“How about you provide something useful aside from snide remarks, featherhead?”

Scootaloo began to snap back, but paused when Subaru looked at her and quickly shook her head. Scootaloo puffed out her cheeks then hung her head and exhaled. “What’s the plan?”

Teana stamped down on the twinge of jealousy and took a deep breath. “Okay… everyone listen up. There‘s no way I can come up with a proper plan right now, so we‘re going to have to go for general strategies. It‘s pretty clear we won‘t be able to outlast her, so we need to go on the offensive.”

“Erio, Subaru, Scootaloo,” she pointed to each person in turn, “you’re our most mobile fighters. You’re on intercept squad. Keep Twilight busy and hit her from as many angles as you can.”

“Right,” Subaru nodded.

“Roger,” Erio hefted his staff.

“Sure, whatever,” Scootaloo flexed her wings.

“Caro, Spike, you two are with me.” Teana looked at the other two members of Lightning Squad. “Caro, you and Friedrich will provide enhancement and fire support, respectively. Spike, you’re our sentinel. Anything she shoots at us, you block.”

“Right. Just be ready to dodge, though,” Spike replied as he flexed his claws. “Twilight can shoot through defense spells.”

“S-she can?!” Caro squeaked.

“You let me handle that,” Teana drew her Anchor Gun and quickly loaded two cartridges. Including the two she had loaded, she had… twelve shots. Not nearly enough. “Subaru, cartridge count?”

“Revolver Knuckle’s fully loaded, and I have two fast loaders,” Subaru replied quickly. “Eighteen shots total.”

“Right. Try to conserve your cartridges.” Teana clicked her Anchor Gun back into position. “Anyone have anything they’d like to add?”

The other five glanced amongst themselves, then shook their heads.

“Duly noted,” Teana raised her Anchor Gun into position, the barrel pointed upwards and the grip in both hands. The weight of the metal was at least somewhat comforting. “Keep your telepathy lines open at all times. If you have problems, shout. I’ll do my best to keep tabs on everyone. And most importantly, remain aware of your surroundings.”

It was just then that a loud klaxon echoed off the buildings. The six trainees quickly readied their weapons, turning to look out the open sides of the parking garage.

A telepathic message sounded in Teana’s mind. This is Twilight Sparkle to all points. Now commencing round one. Time limit, ten minutes.

Teana slowly stepped backwards, her eyes scanning nervously as her index finger rested on her Anchor Gun’s trigger. She could hear the others shuffling backwards, mixed with the sound of Friedrich’s wing flaps and Subaru and Scootaloo’s grinding skate wheels.

“Everybody ready?” Teana tried not to sound nervous. She wasn’t sure she succeeded.

“No,” Scootaloo answered. “Any idea where she’ll attack from?”

“No clue,” Erio replied. “Shout if you see something…”

They’re right, Teana thought, her grip tightening on her gun. Way too much open space. She could attack from any angle. Dammit…

“Stay calm everyone,” Teana replied, trying to quash her inner monologue. “Stay calm and stay alert… we can do this.”

“R-right… come on everyone, we can do this!” Subaru did her best to sound confident, though Teana could almost hear the grinding of metal as Subaru’s fingers tightened.

And for a few seconds, nothing happened… until Caro let out a shout.

“What‘s that?!”

Teana spun, the paused as she saw a softball-sized ball of pinkish light hovering just outside of the garage. “What the…”

“Area Search Beacon!” Spike’s shout broke through Teana’s confusion. “She’s found us!”

There was a loud crack as Teana took aim and fired. The beacon vanished in a puff of mana as Teana‘s spell-shot hit. “Then let’s move! We-”

And then several dozen magenta spheres of light winked in where the beacon used to be.

“Incoming!“ Teana went down on one knee and started firing as the spheres shot towards her squad. For once, she was glad she‘d been practicing interception shots with Twilight. The others were following suit; Scootaloo volleyed several blasts, her crescent shots mixing with Friedrich’s blasts of orange flame. There was a loud whine as Subaru’s Revolver Knuckle spun up to speed, right before she launched a Revolver Shoot into the mix. Those projectiles that made it through quickly splashed up against Spike and Caro’s raised Barriers, purple and green light swirling together.

Of course, a few projectiles winked out, then reappeared past Caro and Spike’s combined defenses. Erio quickly leapt up and swatted the shots out of the air, the blasts exploding into smoke and sparks of magenta mana.

“We need to move,” Teana snapped as she swept her gun about, checking the area. “If we stay here, she’ll just pin us down…”

“And you’d be correct, Private Lanster.”

Teana bit back a curse as she turned to face the voice. Twilight was hovering just outside the garage, a pair of energy wings flowing outwards from her withers and her Device leveled in their direction.

“Everyone scatter!” Teana took aim and fired at Twilight. The orange blasts quickly slammed against an upraised Shield. Twilight swung her staff, several magenta projectiles winking in around her before they launched towards Teana.

Teana rolled to the side, the blasts exploding around her. She quickly scrambled to her feet and hid behind a pillar as Subaru shot towards Twilight with a shout, followed close behind by Scootaloo. Erio, meanwhile, scooped Caro up in his arms and darted towards cover, while Spike ran over to Teana’s position.

Twilight swerved back and shot upwards and out of sight, but that didn’t stop Subaru.

“Wing! ROAD!”

There was a loud roar as a ribbon of blue light sprang up before Subaru. Subaru leapt on, soon joined by her pegasus companion.

“Great,” Teana groaned. “They’re taking it to the air. Last thing we need is an aerial battle…”

“We need to follow them,” Spike quickly noted. “We should head to the roof…”

“If we get on the roof, we’ll be sitting ducks,” Teana replied. “It’s completely open. We’ll have no cover…”

“I can handle cover,” Spike replied brusquely, holding up his arm with his bracelet-shaped Device. “But Scoots and Subaru are gonna need support, and fast.”

Teana grunted. She couldn’t disagree with that logic. “Ramp’s over there. Let’s move, Spike.”

“You know, it still seems a bit unfair.”

“Hmm?’ Fate glanced at Yuuno as the two of them monitored the fight. The S4’s sensor readouts let them see every angle of the fight, including the locations of all the trainees. Twilight corkscrewed upwards into the air, quickly gaining altitude as her Flier Fin wings flapped. Twin contrails of magenta light spilled from the tips of her wings, tracing her path through the air as a blue ribbon of light shot upwards in pursuit.

“This whole fight. The six of them against Twilight.” Yuuno crossed his arms as he looked over the readouts. “Even with her limiters on, they‘re pretty clearly outmatched.”

Fate nodded in agreement as she watched the fight. Subaru and Scootaloo charged up towards Twilight, the pair riding Subaru’s Wing Road. Twilight dodged out of the way of the former’s charge, then quickly turned as the latter leapt towards her, claw-like blades of purple light and hardened air forming from her skates. Twilight quickly raised a Corona Wall, the Shield intercepting Scootaloo’s slashes and sending sparks of mana in all directions.

“Of course, it doesn’t help that Twilight already knows their basic strategies,” Yuuno noted. Twilight raised her hoof as Subaru came in for another pass, the blue-haired mage’s fist slamming into a second Corona Wall. Twilight flicked her head, Raising Heart’s core glowing as the two Shields launched outwards, sending Scootaloo and Subaru flying. Subaru sprawled out on the Wing Road, while Scootaloo twisted in mid-air, kicking off a nearby building and landing on the Wing Road again.

“’Better the practice field than the battlefield,’ as Teacher would put it.” Fate replied, glancing at another monitor as Teana and Spike reached the roof. Teana took up her position, quickly firing on Twilight. Her sister swerved and swept through the air, dodging Teana’s shots before returning fire with her own Corona Shooter bolts. Magenta spheres of light darted down, only to collide with Teana’s shots or Spike’s quickly raised Panzerhindernis Barrier. Subaru and Scootaloo quickly gave chase, though the airborne unicorn easily dodged their attacks.

“Oh?”

Fate nodded, though her eyes never left the screens. “Those kids are going to eventually run into someone better, stronger or tougher than them. When that happens, they need to figure out how to respond, and quickly.“ She winced as one of the Twilight’s shots phased back in inside Spike’s barrier, striking the dragon and knocking him back. His scales flashed pink for a few moments, indicating he’d been defeated. “Of course, that won’t always be enough.”

“Mhmm.” Yuuno replied, his eyes locked on Fate instead of the fight.

Fate glanced over at him, her ears folding back slowly. “What?”

“You want to be down there, don’t you?”

Fate grimaced, then glanced back to the screens. She winced as Teana went down beneath a hail of pink projectiles, her body glowing pink as she was ’shot down.’ “Is it that obvious?”

“A bit. I guess Princess Luna rubbed off on you in more ways than one.”

“Maybe,” Fate replied as Twilight landed, soon joined on the ground by Scootaloo and Subaru. The pair charged straight at Twilight, clearly aiming to break through her defenses.

They didn’t succeed.

“It’s just… I can’t help but feel like I should be the one down there instead of Twilight. She’s good at teaching theory and she’s a skilled mage, but she’s not exactly what you’d call a military instructor, no matter how many sessions she’s taught at ATIC.”

“You’ve got a point,” Yuuno replied. “But I’m sure Chrono has his reasons. And besides, it’s not like you’re completely out of the loop…”

“Yeah,” Fate replied with a grunt.

“Have you tried asking him?”

Fate glanced over at Yuuno. The human quirked an eyebrow as Fate nervously turned back to the screen. “I’ll take that as a ‘no.’”

“As my superior officer…”

“He’s not just your superior, Fate. He’s also your friend,” Yuuno replied. “I’m pretty sure he’d tell you if you just asked.”

“I suppose,” Fate replied distractedly. “Hmm… looks like Twilight’s on the hunt…”

Caro tried not to look too scared as she, Erio and Friedrich crouched behind a concrete pillar. The sounds of fighting several floors above them had stopped, which probably wasn’t a good sign.

“C-can you raise anyone telepathically?” Caro whispered quickly to Erio.

Erio shook his head. “No… looks like we’re all that’s left.”

“Erio…” Caro squirmed as Friedrich climbed out of her arms and took wing. “Erio, I’m scared…”

“Of Twilight?” Erio peeked out from cover, then looked back to her as she shook her head.

“N-no. I mean.. yes… b-but what if there’s an accident like what happened with Spike? This isn’t like fighting drones, or accidentally hitting Spike. Twilight‘s not fireproof. What if-”

Erio shook his head and knelt down beside her. “Caro, listen to me… it’ll be alright. Special Instructor Sparkle probably has countermeasures for this sort of thing. I mean, she already covers everything else during our training. I’m pretty sure she’d remember Friedrich’s fire breath.”

“But…”

Friedrich hissed softly, landing on Caro’s shoulder and nuzzling her ear.

She comes, the dragon whispered to her, the silver dragon’s telepathic voice echoing in a language only Caro was familiar with.

Caro quickly put a finger to her lips and tugged on Erio’s sleeve. The boy quickly nodded and crouched down, his breathing quiet and his hand tightening on the shaft of his staff. Caro could hear the tell-tale clip-clop of hoof steps coming from the direction of the ramp.

Okay, Erio whispered mentally to Caro as he peeked around the edge of the large pillar. I don‘t think she‘s seen us yet… I might be able to get a sneak attack on her when she passes by.

Is… that a good idea? Caro swallowed nervously. I mean… maybe we should wait it out…

It’s risky, but I think I’m fast enough to avoid her shots. Erio slowly got to his feet, his breathing quiet and steady. At least… I hope I am. Can you give me a boost?

I-I’ll try.

Caro slowly stood up, then reached over and touched Erio’s staff. Her Device glowed gently, but her eyes shut tight as she focused, doing her best to contain the distinctive display that most magic produced. It was harder than it looked.

“What I ask for,” she whispered, her voice tiny and soft, “is a swift wind to carry this knight’s footsteps. Boost Up, Acceleration…”

Pink light shimmered along Erio’s body, then slowly suffused his Barrier Jacket. He nodded quickly, risking another glance around the pillar before pulling back again. Okay… she’s nearly at the other ramp. I’ve got a straight shot at her. Now or never…

Caro nodded, then stepped back. Erio crouched, a soft crackle of static running up his body as he initiated his Sonic Move spell.

Caro paused. There was something off about the sound of Twilight’s hoof steps. They sounded… like a recording. Eri-

There was a crack as Erio set off, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Oh no… Caro quickly peeked around the opposite edge of the pillar. Twilight was facing away from Erio, seemingly unaware of his approach. Not that it mattered, because Erio was right on top of her. He flickered into sight, the tuning-fork tines of his staff thrusting in to score a blow.

The blow hit.

And then Special Instructor Twilight vanished in a flash of magenta light, leaving a small hovering sphere of magenta mana in its place. There was a loud snap as several rings of light locked around Erio, yanking him out of Sonic Move and causing him to land on the ground with a loud ‘oof.’

“Thought so,” came Twilight’s voice.

Caro quickly jerked back behind the pillar as she heard a soft rush of wind, followed by a clicking of hooves as Twilight landed. “I thought you’d try something like that, Erio. I’ll give you points for bravery though. Had that actually been me instead of a decoy, you probably would’ve gotten me.”

A decoy! Caro clenched her eyes shut. No wonder the sound seemed off to her.

“Are you okay, Erio? You did land pretty hard from that Sonic Move.” Twilight definitely sounded concerned.

“Fine… My Barrier Jacket took the hit… I guess I’m out?”

“Mhmm.”

“Shoot.”

“Don’t worry. You did fine.” Caro heard Twilight pause. “Caro? Are you here?”

Caro quickly covered her mouth and tried not to breathe. Friedrich landed on her shoulder, looking at her curiously.

“You‘re probably close by. Even with you boosting Erio’s Sonic Move, he can only go so far. And considering the direction he attacked from, you have to be somewhere… over there, I’m guessing.”

Caro didn’t move. She heard Twilight take a few steps.

“You did a very good job on the enchantment, by the way,” Twilight continued. “Especially since you managed to do it without generating a circle. Very nice. Now, why don’t you come out and face me properly?”

Mistress, Friedrich’s voice hissed. We fight? Teacher desires fight. We fight her, yes?

Caro shook her head quickly.

Friedrich let out a soft, displeased hiss into her ear. Why? Teacher desires fight! We must fight her! Show her power of dragon-kind! Not like stupid common lizard.

“I can hear Friedrich, Caro,” Twilight noted. “You can’t hide forever. If you’re not going to-”

“OKAY!” Caro’s voice came out in a strangled shout. Her hands were trembling. “Okay… I-I’ll come out! Just… just stay there, okay?”

“Alright.”

Caro swallowed, then slowly stepped out from around the pillar. Friedrich took to the air, letting out a loud trill as smoke drifted from his nostrils. She could feel Friedrich’s eagerness tickle at her senses like a warm breeze.

Twilight stood away from Erio, Raising Heart floating beside her. She took one look at Caro, then frowned. “Caro? Are you okay?”

“Y-yes,” Caro lied.

Give command, Mistress, Friedrich hissed eagerly. Give command!

Caro shook her head nervously, her arms hugging about her waist.

“Caro, what’s wrong?” Twilight lowered her staff, looking concerned.

“I…I surrender…”

“Huh?” Twilight tilted her head to one side in confusion. Erio closed his eyes from his position on the ground and looked away. Friedrich let out a loud, puzzled trill.

“I surrender.” Caro looked down at the ground. “I… I don’t want to fight…”

Twilight nodded, then walked closer and gently touched a hoof to her shoulder. “It’s okay Caro. Really, it’s fine.”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry.” Caro slumped down and sat on the ground, her head hanging as Friedrich let out an irritated hiss. “I just… I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“That’s alright, Caro.” Twilight crouched down, doing her best to get to eye level with Caro. “Really, I understand. And that’s okay.”

“R-really?” Caro peeked at Twilight through her pink bangs.

Twilight nodded firmly. “Absolutely. It’s okay to be scared. And it’s okay to be cautious, especially with Friedrich.”

Caro sniffed softly, causing Twilight to gently touch her cheek with a hoof. “Do you need some extra time?”

Caro nodded.

“Alright.” Twilight closed her eyes. Attention everyone, she announced telepathically, round one is over. All Trainees have been defeated. However, given current circumstances, there will be a twenty minute break before the second round. I’m releasing the bonds and telepathy locks now.

Raising Heart’s core glowed gently, the gem flickering magenta as Erio’s bindings dissolved.

“Thank you,” Caro whispered.

“No problem. This might be something you’d need to tell the others though. I’ll leave you to it.”

Caro nodded as Twilight winked out in a flash of purple light. Erio quickly moved to her side, pulling her into a gentle hug.

Caro shivered and leaned into the hug, though she could feel Friedrich’s displeasure. The little dragon snorted and landed, pointedly turning away from her.

For the time being, however, Caro ignored him.

There was one thing Chrono disliked about having only one functional arm; it made paperwork a pain in the ass. Even if he could telepathically dictate text to his terminal via S4U, he still had forms to fill out and sign by hand. He still wasn’t used to using his left hand to write with.

“That should be everything.” Chrono quickly scratched the last letters of his name onto the dotted line of the form on his desk, then slid it over to Griffith. “This week’s itemized budget’s approved and signed. I swear, you’d think the Bureau runs on paperwork…”

“Such is bureaucracy, sir.” Griffith adjusted his glasses as he picked up the paperwork. “Besides, it’s better we be ahead of the game, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.” Chrono leaned back in his chair, shrugging his shoulder as he sighed. “Last thing we need is Gais pouncing on some discrepancy in our paperwork.”

“True…” Griffith shuffled the sheets of paper, then tucked them neatly into his folder. “I’ll submit these to the Main Office, then?”

“Go right ahead. And make sure to keep hard copies. We’ll drop them off at the Base Command Authority while we’re in Cranagan.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chrono exhaled. “That’ll be all Griffith. Call me if something comes up.”

“Of course, sir.” Griffith nodded, then turned and walked out of his office.

Chrono closed his eye for a moment, then sat up as he heard the soft chiming of an incoming call.

No rest for the wicked, I suppose. “S4U, open channel on my terminal screen.”

There was a soft hum as a communications window opened up. Fate looked at him through the screen. “Captain,” she said firmly and calmly.

“Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” Chrono replied in kind. “Something the matter?”

“Yes. One of my trainees just had a bit of a meltdown.”

Chrono paused. “Who?”

“Caro.”

Chrono sat up, quickly leaning forward to get closer to the terminal. “Is she okay? Please tell me she‘s okay. Did something-”

“She’s a bit shaken up, but she’s fine. She’s with the others right now, and I’m keeping an eye on things via the S4‘s sensors.”

Chrono sighed in relief, slumping back against his chair. “That’s good. Sorry, I just expected something worse since you called me directly…”

“Like what?”

Like something huge, black and scaly preparing to burn down the entire base, Chrono thought to himself. Would that be considered ‘worse?’

“Captain?”

“Still here. Sorry.” Chrono shook his head. “Let me guess… she didn’t want to fight?”

Fate nodded. “She surrendered almost immediately when confronted. For what it’s worth, Twilight handled her quite well. I‘m not sure she‘ll be ready to direct combat any time soon, but at least she didn‘t break down completely.”

“Good… that’s good.” He exhaled in relief. “That’s a step in the right direction, at least.”

“Did you really expect a repeat of what happened on Alzas?”

Chrono shrugged. “Maybe. I trust Caro, but still…”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, sir,” Fate replied. “From what little I worked with her, Caro doesn’t seem the type to do something like that in a safe space like the training field.” She briefly paused. “At least, that’s my assessment, sir. Twilight may have a different opinion. I‘ll submit my own observations to the post-training report later this evening.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Chrono replied. He started to disconnect the call, but paused as he saw Fate bite her lip. “Was there something else, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle?”

Fate paused, then cleared her throat. “Actually, sir… there is something else I’d like to ask… but this probably isn‘t the time or place.”

“If there’s an issue, Captain, then I‘d like to hear about it.” Chrono replied.

“Sir, I-”

“Fate,” Chrono interrupted. “Please. If something’s bugging you enough to bring it up, then it needs to be covered. You have my permission to speak freely.”

“Very well, sir.” Fate closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

“Why did you put Twilight Sparkle in charge of the training operations?”

“Ah…” Chrono grunted softly.

“I’m not questioning your decisions, sir,” Fate continued quickly. “I’m sure you have a logical basis behind them. Nor am I suggesting that Twilight is a poor instructor. It’s just…”

“It’s alright Fate,” Chrono interrupted, holding up his good hand. “I understand your concerns. Really, I’m surprised you didn’t bring them up before.”

“I’m not particularly fond of questioning the decisions of my superiors, sir,” Fate replied stiffly.

“I suppose so.” Chrono sighed, then leaned back in his chair. “And honestly, I’m not sure you’ll like my answer.”

“I think I can cope, sir.”

“Very well.” Chrono pinched the bridge of his nose, then slowly slid his hand up and ran it through his hair. “Like most things, it comes down to politics.”

“Bureau, or Equestrian?”

“A little of both, but mostly the Bureau,” Chrono replied glumly. “Normally, a training outfit like this one would have more than a few instructors from the likes of ATIC, the Ground Defense Drill Corps, and others… but we don’t. Care to guess why?”

“My guess is that there are people in the Bureau that don’t feel like playing ball.”

“Partially. The rest has to deal with… certain other things.”

Fate grimaced. “Director Gracia’s…”

“Other things,” Chrono quickly interrupted, “which I’d rather we didn’t discuss over this connection.”

“Very well. However, my question still stands…”

“I’m getting to that.” Chrono grumbled. “Despite certain… setbacks, I managed to pull together a rather… eclectic faculty, as you’ve noticed. And thankfully, all of you have either Special Instructor licenses like you, Twilight and Yuuno, or are already vetted like the Altenritter. The reason Twilight’s in charge is… well, she’s popular.”

Fate nodded. “I see…”

Chrono nodded. “Officially, Twilight Sparkle is in charge of overseeing RIOT Force’s day-to-day training regimen. After all, she’s a licensed Special Instructor, she’s taught at ATIC, and for all her quirks she does have a good reputation amongst the higher ups. Better someone who’s worked for the Bureau’s military than someone from a foreign military, a civilian contractor, or three former members of the Wolkenritter, don’t you agree?”

“I concede your point, Chrono,” Fate sighed. “I’m just… disappointed, I suppose.”

“Patience, Captain Testarossa-Sparkle,” Chrono replied. “Once things have settled down a bit more, I’ll have Twilight step back and put you in the driver’s seat, so to speak.”

“Good. Sorry to have bothered you.”

“That’s fine. No problem at all. Anything else, Captain?”

“No, sir. Testarossa-Sparkle, out.”

Chrono nodded as the window winked out, then grimaced as he swiveled his chair back and forth slowly. For a brief moment, his eyes landed on the framed photo of himself, Amy, Erio and Caro, causing him to pause.

Maybe Twilight was right, he thought to himself, picking up the photo and looking at the pink-haired girl shyly hugging his side. Was it the right call to pull Caro into this? I hope so…because I’d hate to see the alternative.

Caro was sitting apart from Stars Squad, leaning against one of the parking garage’s pillars. Erio was seated with her, gently holding her hand as she shivered. Her chin rested against her chest as she breathed slowly and deeply.

Spike approached cautiously, glancing around to see if Friedrich was nearby. The last thing he needed was the silver-scaled chicken snarling at him while this was going on. He spotted Friedrich perched on one of the outer walls, staring pointedly out into the city.

Yeah… that’s not good. Spike thought to himself. Friedrich always hovered over Caro. Things must be pretty serious if he was giving Caro space.

He paused for a moment in front of the two kids. Erio glanced up at him curiously as Spike shifted, then coughed loudly into one hand.

“Uh…hey.”

Caro slowly looked up as Spike addressed her. The purple dragon stood there awkwardly, shuffling his feet with his hands behind his back. “You okay?”

“I…” Caro swallowed. ”I dunno…”

“You… uh… wanna talk?”

Caro glanced at Erio. Erio looked back at her, then nodded. He gently patted her hand, then stood up. “I’ll go see how the others are doing. Teana’s probably busy planning right now…”

“Uh… right. You do that, dude.” Spike offered him a thumbs up, then walked over and took a seat beside Caro, opposite of where Erio had sat.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Spike waited for her to make the first move.

It didn’t take long.

“I… I didn’t want to hurt her.”

“Huh?” Spike looked over at Caro. The girl’s hands were balled into fists in her lap.

“I didn’t want to hurt Special Instructor Sparkle. That’s why I surrendered.”

“Oh.” Spike nodded. “I… guess that makes sense. Though really, it’d take a lot to hurt Twilight. I doubt even Friedrich could put a dent in her defenses.”

“I… I couldn’t take that chance.” Caro shivered. “Not with Friedrich. What if we’d got a lucky shot? What if he’d missed and hit Erio? What if… what if I hurt someone…”

“Uh…” Spike paused as Caro shot him a look. The girl seemed close to tears.

“I… I don’t want to hurt people. Dragon fire isn’t like a spell… you can’t just set it to non-lethal and attack. Eventually, someone‘s going to get burned…”

Spike swallowed. An uncomfortable memory trickled into the back of his mind.

Spike! Run!

I’m not leaving! Let her go, you jerks! Let her g- ooof!

That’s the ticket Hold ‘em just like that fellas.

Spike!

What’s the matter, ‘Spikey-wikey?’ Did I hit ya too hard?

Garble… let… her go…

Look at you. You’d think I’d stole a prize diamond from his hoard instead of some dumb white nag!

Don’t… you dare… touch her…

Or what? What if I did… this?

AHHH!

LET HER GO!

Sheesh, look at you. Getting all torn up over a pointy-headed little pony. What is she, your girlfriend or something?

She… she…

Wow, I always joked about you being part pony, but I didn’t think you’d actually abandon your own species like that. You really are pathetic! Maybe I should do you a favor and roast me up some fresh unicorn. Bring’er over here, fellas!

NO!

Poor little Spikey-wikey. All alone with no purple unicorn to save you this time! What’re you going to do, runt? Cry on me?

RrrrRRRAAAAAA!

Tiamat’s five heads, he’s huge! Run! AIIIE!

Spike! Spike please, it’s me! SPIKE!

“Yeah… I know.”

Caro blinked as Spike clenched his eyes shut. He took a deep breath and, just like Zafira taught him, sought out his focus.

“Trust me Caro… I know how that is. I know what it’s like to accidentally hurt someone.”

“Y-you do?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah.”

“H-how do you… handle it?”

Spike sighed softly. “I do what I can. I’ve been training, meditating… focusing myself so I never, ever do something like that again…”

“But… what if it does?”

Spike looked at Caro as the girl stared down at the ground. “What if… after all that, you do hurt someone. Or… or worse?”

Spike let out a huff of breath, a thin stream of smoke curling out from his lips. “If that happens, then it happens. I’ll face the consequences of my actions.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

Spike shrugged, then raised one hand. “There’s always the possibility of an accident. Maybe I’ll lose control. Maybe I’ll hit someone with a stray blast of my breath. Maybe I’ll throw a bad punch and hit too hard. Maybe my claws might nick an artery or vein or something.”

He clenched his hand into a fist, his claws pressing into his palm. “But I can’t just sit there and let myself get swallowed up by maybes. Not when I can do something. Not if I can use my power to stop bad guys. That’s why I’m going to be a knight. A knight that protects the innocent. A knight that shields the weak. A knight that rescues the damsel….“

“I wish I could do that…”

Spike paused. “What?”

“I wish I could be brave like everyone else.” Caro shuffled in her seat, pulling her knees against her chest and hugging her legs. “Subaru and Erio and the others are so willing to run headlong into danger. All I can do is just sit on the sidelines, hoping I don‘t mess up…”

Spike watched her, then reached out and offered his hand to her. Caro looked at his hand, then slowly rested her own in it, seemingly unmindful of the very sharp claws just a few inches from her soft skin.

Spike chuckled, causing Caro to blink. “What’s so funny?”

“First time I offered my hand to Erio like that, he wouldn’t even touch it. And yet you don’t have a problem with it.”

Caro let out a squeak, then blushed as Spike chuckled some more.

“Caro, trust me. You’re brave. You just haven’t found the right circumstances to be brave in. Heck, one of the bravest ponies I know spends most of her time getting bossed around by a rabbit. And yet she’s done some of the craziest things I’ve ever heard of. So trust me; sooner or later, it’ll come to you.”

“But…”

“But nothing,” Spike replied firmly. “If something happens, then it’ll happen. But being scared of that won’t help you in the here and now. If you’re really that scared, then me and Erio’ll keep an eye on you until you‘re not.”

“Really?”

“Well, yeah. We’re your teammates, right? Lightning Squad and all that.”

Caro seemed to mull that over for a few moments, then nodded. “Y-yeah… I guess so.”

“Feel better?” Spike gave her his best smile.

“A little,” Caro replied, before she pulled herself up and dusted off her cloak. “I should… probably go talk to Friedrich. He’s a little unhappy with me right now.”

“I get the feeling that’s how he usually is,” Spike replied dryly, causing Caro to shake her head.

“He’ll calm down once I talk to him. Trust me, I know how to handle Fried.”

Spike nodded and watched her walk off. He then let out a grunt as he hopped to his feet, then walked over to the others.

Erio looked over at him as he approached. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks… for that, I mean. I’m not real good with the whole… you know…”

“No worries, dude.” Spike replied, waving a hand dismissively. “Trust me, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s helping with this sort of situation. I’ve got more than enough experience in it.”

“You two done?” Teana asked irritably.

“Yeah,” Spike replied. “So, what’s up? What’s the plan?”

Round Four is over! Special Instructor Sparkle’s telepathic message echoed in Teana’s head as she sat up. All Trainees have been defeated. There will now be a ten minute break before the next round. Good luck!

“Good luck, she says,” Teana grumbled as she dusted herself off. “Good luck my ass…”

Teana was hardly a fan of Special Instructor Sparkle. There were a few reasons why that was so, the least of which was the fact that she was a pony. Part of it was because Subaru was so enamored with everything she did. Part of it was the fact that Teana felt like the purple unicorn was talking down to her.

Now, however, Teana had a whole new reason to dislike Special Instructor Sparkle. Special Instructor Sparkle was invincible.

Teana had chalked up their first loss to a lack of planning, combined with the element of surprise their opponent had had. That was fine. The extra time Special Instructor Sparkle had given them had let Teana think clearly and put together a better strategy.

The second round had some flaws, she had to admit; Like before, they had holed up in shelter and waited for her to come to them. This time, it had been in the stairwell of a nearby office building. Only two directions, and both were easily covered by their combined force. Which was why it was surprising when Special Instructor Sparkle started blasting chunks out of the stairs beneath them to force them out of position. Afterwards, she proceeded to pick them off one-by-one.

The third round had involved a modified strategy similar to the ’Cross Shift’ pattern she and Subaru used. Erio served as bait to lure her into position so Scootaloo, Spike and Subaru could hit her in a three-way ambush, hidden by a mix of cover and a static illusion spell. And it would’ve worked, had it not been for the fact that Twilight had used her sensors to locate Teana and Caro’s position. They’d still managed to pull off the ambush, but none of the three had managed to so much as scratch the pony’s Barrier Jacket.

Finally there was the fiasco of the last round. Less than a minute after the round had begun, their location had been showered with long-range projectiles. She had been nailed by the initial salvo, which she was pretty sure was aimed directly at her general position. To their credit, the rest of the team had rallied together, with Subaru leading the charge. And just like before, the five of them had gotten stomped.

There was a flash of purple light as the rest of her team was teleported to her side, their various Barrier Jackets scuffed up and bearing small scorch marks from where Special Instructor Sparkle’s shots had landed. Teana stood up, then made her way over to them. “Everyone okay?”

“I will be,” Scootaloo groaned. The pegasus was laying prone, her four limbs splayed out ungainly about her. “Just as soon as I figure out how many carts ran me over.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Teana replied, resting her hands on her hips.

“You okay, Tea?” Subaru quickly climbed to her feet, dusting herself off. “You took a lot of hits back there…”

“Don’t worry about me Subaru. I’ll be alright.”

Subaru grinned, flashing her a thumb’s up. “Alright! I knew you’d be fine Tea.”

Teana tried not to let her irritation show. As much as she admired Subaru’s seemingly unflagging optimism, she was starting to have her doubts. All of her plans up to this point had been sketchy at best, or subverted at worst.

And given that I was her first target last round, I’m starting to get the feeling Special Instructor Sparkle has it out for me, she thought to herself moodily. She wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

“So, Tea, what’s the plan?”

“Huh?” Teana blinked at Subaru.

“What’s the plan? Come on, surely you’ve got something up your sleeve, right?”

Teana glanced amongst the others. Most of them were looking at her curiously. The only exception was Scootaloo, who snorted and rolled her eyes at Subaru’s question.

“I… um…” She felt a few beads of sweat trickle down her spine.

“Come on Tea…” Subaru supplied encouragingly.

“Uh…”

“Oh give it a rest Subaru,” Scootaloo interjected irritably. “If you haven’t noticed, carrot-top there’s plans haven’t exactly had a stellar track record so far.”

Teana was about to retort, when Subaru turned to Scootaloo and just… looked at her. “Scootaloo,” Subaru replied quietly, “please don’t be mean to Tea like that. Okay?”

Scootaloo met Subaru’s gaze briefly, before she glanced away. “Uh… okay. Sorry Subaru.”

Hmph. Well, at least Subaru’s being a good influence on the brat… Teana filed that away for later, then turned away and crossed her arms, one foot tapping on the ground.

“Okay…” Teana began, “I hate to admit it guys, but I’m running out of options. If we fail one more round, this’ll be counted as a failed mission. And I don’t think any of us want that. But… I don’t know what we can do. Nothing I’ve tried has worked so far. We might as well just run off with our collective tails between our legs. What we need is some support. If this were an actual mission, we‘d at least have an open line to… head… quarters…”

Teana paused mid-sentence, her eyes growing wide. Twilight’s parting words rang in her head. “Just remember to rely on each other, and use every resource you can think of.” But… no, that can’t be true. She wouldn’t have… but it’s worth a shot…

“Tea?” Subaru sounded worried. “Tea, you got that funny look on your face again…”

“Shh…” Teana lifted a hand to hush Subaru, then held up her wrist. A small communication window winked into existence, the static on the screen hissing softly.

“This… this is Teana Lanster, Stars Squad on all Bureau frequencies,” she stated clearly. “Can anyone hear me? I repeat, this is Teana Lanster, Stars Squad…”

There was a loud hiss, right before the image cleared, revealing a familiar bespectacled, blonde-haired young man. “This is Training One,” Yuuno Scrya replied. “We copy. I was wondering when you’d try this.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Teana said slowly. She couldn’t actually believe what she was seeing.

“We’re not kidding.” A second face joined Yuuno’s in the screen; that of Captain Testarossa-Sparkle. “I admit, I’d expected you’d try calling before now. We’ve been monitoring you for some time now.”

“For some-” Teana groaned and slapped her forehead. “You mean to tell me we could’ve called for assistance at any time?!”

“Yes.”

“I’m an idiot! I‘m such a freaking idiot!” Teana’s hand slowly slid down her face. “Arrgh! How could I’ve been so stupid?!”

“You? What about them!? Hey!” Scootaloo skated over and butted her head up under Teana’s arm. “Why didn’t you guys call us? Why didn’t Twilight tell us we could use-”

“She did tell us,” Teana replied stiffly. “’Use every resource you could think of.’ I’d just assumed we wouldn’t have access to a headquarters, so we couldn’t get battlefield sensor data or anything else.”

“We were asked by Twilight to maintain radio silence until you tried,” Yuuno replied apologetically. “Twilight figured you guys would try every option possible.”

“So… does this mean,” Erio started slowly, eliciting a nod from Fate.

“We’ll be serving as your hub for the duration of this test. We have no contact with Twilight, so she won’t be able to hear our chatter. What do you guys need?”

Teana exhaled slowly, then nodded. “Everything. Data on Twilight’s Area Search beacons, her heading… everything you can give us.”

“Alright.”

Twilight was perched atop one of the practice field’s many skyscrapers, her eyes half-closed as she paid attention to her Area Search spell.

Originally, the spell had been a simple seeking spell, based on a modified version of Rarity’s gem-seeking spell. However, she’d never stopped tinkering with it; now she could effectively ‘see’ a dozen places at once, allowing the beacons to move autonomously while switching between sensors at will. Of course, she could also watch multiple feeds at once thanks to the attention-splitter enchantment she’d wrangled out of Yuuno, but doing that put an uncomfortable amount of stress on her brain.

How much time do we have left, Raising Heart? Her attention wandered as she addressed her Device.

Five minutes, forty seconds before fifth round, Master, Raising Heart replied.

Good. She sighed, letting her mind wander a bit. While she’d been impressed with the Trainees’ work thus far, she had to admit she felt a little disappointed with their performance thus far.

Maybe Fate was right. Maybe this was a bit much to dump on them all at once…

Alert; Sensor Three has been destroyed.

Huh?

Twilight’s attention quickly shifted back to her Area Search. Sure enough, one of the magical sensor orbs had been destroyed, its feed replaced by soundless magical static.

Huh… She paused, quickly flicking through the feeds. She quickly paused as she saw a familiar bolt of orange light streak towards one of her sensors, right before the feed went dead.

And then another went dead. And another. One vanished when a blast of green flame engulfed it, while another flicked off just as a gauntleted fist slammed into it.

Twilight smiled. There we go, kids. That’s what I was expecting… seems someone managed to put the pieces together and found out where I was hiding the beacons.

Twilight waited patiently as the last few sensors were destroyed, then inhaled and ‘woke up’ back to the real world. Now it was going to be an actual challenge. Without her Area Search spell up, she’d be flying in blind. And if they knew where the beacons were hiding, then they probably had access to Yuuno and Fate.

Which means that they probably know which direction I’ll be approaching from, she thought idly.

Indeed, Raising Heart concurred. Should we increase attack power, Master?

No. We’ll stick to our current strategies for now. No Bombardment, no winking.

Yes, my Master.

A soft chiming noise quickly caught Twilight’s attention. She nibbled her lower lip as a holographic timer winked in before her, quickly counting down to zero.

This is Twilight Sparkle to all points. We will now begin Round Five. Time limit; ten minutes.

She backed up slowly, then leapt off the edge of the building. Her Flier Fin spell quickly kicked in, two wings of energy and light unfurling from her back as she took to the air.

This is going to be a lot harder than before, she thought idly as she flew, her eyes scanning the ground below. Without her Area Search spell active, she was limited to her eyesight and what magical awareness she possessed. While she did have reasonably accurate vision, she was nowhere near the level of a pegasus.

She dipped lower, flying down into the ravine between buildings. Thin, glowing contrails flowed out from her wings as she swooped and turned, quickly flying a search pattern down the streets of the fake city the S4 had generated.

And then she saw something out of the corner of her eye; a brief flash of orange from below and to the left.

She ascended sharply as a familiar orange shot flashed past, barely missing her hooves. She quickly came to a halt, spinning towards the glimmering orange glow highlighting a familiar silhouette inside the office building.

“There you are, Teana,” she muttered, slightly amused. She had to admit, it was pretty audacious; attacking without cover like that. Of course, knowing Teana, that was just the opening play.

Twilight quickly replied, her Corona Shooter spheres winking into existence before she loosed them. The projectiles flew out in a rough corkscrew, the first one smashing through the wall next to the window Teana fired from, making way for the others.

Only for Teana to vanish as one of the shots collided with her.

Illusionary decoy. Very good, Teana.

There was a sudden roaring noise as a blue ribbon of light swung out from around a corner. There was a loud whine as Subaru charged toward her, sparks spraying from the wheels of her skates.

Twilight swung her staff, a few more Corona Shooter spheres winking in before they launched toward Subaru, aiming towards the center of the girl’s mass.

Subaru didn’t even raise a hand to defend herself, which was the first thing that tipped Twilight off that something wasn’t quite right.

The second thing that tipped her off was when the shots went through Subaru. The girl vanished, revealing a petite orange pegasus crouched low on the Wing Road.

Okay, now that’s impressive, Twilight thought to herself as Scootaloo leapt towards her. “Raising Heart?”

“CORONA WALL!”

The magenta Shield intercepted Scootaloo, the pegasus holding steady as she dug her magical ‘claws’ into the surface of the defensive spell. Twilight grimaced, then blinked and flicked her ears as she heard the roar of another Wing Road. She glanced over her shoulder as Subaru shot towards her from the opposite direction.

However, she wasn’t alone.

“Here we GO!” Subaru shouted as she slung herself about. Her gauntleted hand was clenched tight around Spike’s wrist as she physically flung the dragon directly at Twilight. Spike let out a battle cry as he extended his claws.

Multiple feints… excellent. A second Corona Wall winked in to block the rocketing dragon. Spike’s claws sent out sparks as he raked them across the magical wall, right before he kicked off of it and jumped higher into the air.

“Revolver…” Subaru shouted, the sound of three cartridges going off in sequence mixing with the whine of her Revolver Knuckle’s gears spinning up.

“Wall Launch!”

There was a whoosh of wind as Twilight’s Corona Walls produced wings, then fired out from her position. Scootaloo let out a loud squawk as she went flying. Spike spread his legs as the circular wall flew underneath him, straight towards Subaru.

“SHOOT!”

The vortex of mana and wind slammed into the Corona Wall. Unfortunately for Subaru, the Shield was quite a bit stronger than her attack spell. There was a loud whine as Subaru’s skates skidded along the Wing Road, her fist pressed against the wall as it pushed her back.

Twilight, however, had other things to worry about. Spike landed on the Wing Road, then lunged toward her. He inhaled deeply, then let out a stream of green flame towards her.

Twilight retreated, her Flier Fin wings flapping as she flew backwards. Her eyes darted about as she tried to anticipate where the next attack was going to come from.

She didn’t have to wait long. There was a flash of orange light as several shots streaked towards her, right before Teana ducked back into cover

Twilight dove, letting both the shots and Spike pass over her as she dropped in altitude. She inhaled, taking aim at both Spike and Subaru with her staff and horn before she initiated the spell.

“MOTION BIND!”

Subaru and Spike let out a surprised shout as pinkish rings of light locked around their limbs.

“That’s two of you…” Twilight exhaled, then paused as the mage and the dragon began to glow bright pink. “What…?”

Both Subaru and Spike looked equally confused as they winked out in a flash of pink light, the bindings quickly dissolving.

Huh… Twilight thought to herself as she landed with a click-clack of hooves-on-asphalt. That’s new…

It appears that the targets have teleported away, Master, Raising Heart supplied.

So I noticed. But the question is, who teleported them? The only person whose magical color matches is…

She didn’t have long to think, as she heard the tell-tale crackle of static. She spun around, but Erio was already barreling down on her.

Correction. Three Erios were barreling down on her.

More illusions… Twilight swung her staff around, letting loose a volley of Corona Shots. The three Erios promptly vanished in flickers of orange light.

And then a second trio of Erios leaped out from hiding: two on her left, one on her right.

Again, she turned and retaliated, and again, they vanished in flickers of orange light.

And then there was a crackle of lightning. This one was much louder, and coming from right above her.

Twilight looked up just as Erio reached melee range. His staff was wreathed in golden lightning, and he was way too close for comfort.

The forked tip of Erio’s staff struck home, right on her withers.

There was a loud, hollow boom as Twilight’s Barrier Jacket initiated a low-level Reactor Purge. Magenta motes of light and smoke filled the air as the armor piece Erio struck exploded, knocking him backwards and away. The young Knight somersaulted in mid-air and landed in a crouch, skidding slightly as he did so.

Tiwlight shook her head as the smoke slowly cleared.

“ROUND FIVE OVER,” Raising Heart announced. “TRAINEES, PASSED.”

“Well, I guess that makes it official,” Twilight said, panting softly as the adrenaline dwindled. “You can all come out now…”

Erio grunted, slowly standing up from where he’d come to a stop. Scootaloo soon joined him, fluttering down and lightly landing beside him with a click-clack of her skates. A few minutes later, Subaru, Teana, Caro, Spike and Friedrich joined them. Teana had an arm looped over Subaru’s shoulders, while Caro looked more than a little worn out. Spike was glancing at her with concern as Friedrich trilled softly to her.

“Oh dear… are you two alright?” Twilight quickly trotted over as Teana got to her feet.

“F-fine, ma’am.” Teana replied. “Just a bit worn out.”

“You look more than a bit… hold on.” Twilight closed her eyes and raised her head. She willed magic into her horn, sending tethers of energy toward the two girls. There was a soft, song-like tone as she held the charge, then slowly released it into them.

Teana jerked slightly as she opened her eyes, her body shuddering. “Woah…”

Caro, meanwhile, was standing bolt upright, looking like she’d just been hit by lightning.

“Better?” Twilight smiled.

“Much…wow…” Teana shifted her weight and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Was that some kind of energy transference spell?”

“Mhmm. I just gave you both a small shot of mana. It’s not much, but it’ll replenish whatever you used during the last round… and considering how many illusions you were using Teana, you probably needed it.”

Teana nodded. “Y-yeah, well… it wasn’t like it was that big a deal or anything…”

“Considering you managed multiple, highly realistic illusions of your allies that allowed them to set up several quite successful feints, I‘d say it was a pretty big deal.”

Teana looked away, causing Subaru to laugh softly.

“Though there’s another thing I’m curious about,” Twilight continued as she looked at Caro. “Caro, did you teleport the others out of my binding spells?”

Caro nodded nervously.

“Interesting. I didn’t realize you had a knack for transporting magic…”

“S-Some of the same principles from Summoning apply to that type of magic,” Caro replied. “I’m… not the best at it… and I was spending most of my time boosting Teana’s illusion spells…”

“Still, I’m quite impressed you managed a teleport spell like that. You’re all just full of surprises!” Twilight smiled as she glanced around at her Trainees with not a small hint of pride. “So, I suppose that puts the record at four to one, my favor?”

The six of them nodded.

“Good. I’m looking forward to your come-back. Good luck! You have ten minutes to prepare.”

And with a flash of light, Twilight winked out, reappearing back atop the skyscraper Fate and Yuuno were observing from.

Twilight trotted over to her sister and her human best friend, a bit of a bounce in her step. “So,” she began jauntily, “it looks like they won that round, didn’t they?”

“Mhmm,” Yuuno replied, peering over the hovering holographic monitor at her. “Have to admit, it was a pretty good showing on their part.”

“Are Teana and Caro alright?” Fate glanced over at her as Twilight came up beside her.

“They’re fine, sis. I lent them enough energy to get them back on their feet, so they should be good for the next round. I’ll have Shamal check up on them after lunch, though. How’s the data looking?”

“So far, so good,” Yuuno replied. “I’ve been sending the readings from each round to Shari. I haven’t gotten a response back from her, but then again…”

“We really should check on her this afternoon,” Fate noted. “She’s been cooped up in her lab since last week. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t left except to get food or go to the bathroom…”

“Considering she’s working on at least five projects, I’m not surprised,” Twilight replied. “Thankfully, this should be the last of the data she needs to finish the fine-tuning.”

“I guess some bad habits transcend species,” Yuuno teased, eliciting a small giggle from Fate and an eye-roll from Twilight.

“I’m not that bad, right Fate?”

“Well…” Fate glanced away, rubbing her chin in thought. “There was that one time Princess Celestia asked you to translate that old book by Starswirl the Bearded…”

“And don’t forget the time when I took you on the trip to HQ’s Infinite Library,” Yuuno added.

“And then there was the time you had that weird box you got from the Tree of Harmony…”

“Okay, point taken,” Twilight sighed. “Sheesh…”

“Hey,” Fate nudged her gently, “we still love you sis, problems and all.”

“Heh, thanks.” Twilight smiled, then shook her head. “Anyway, I should probably get ready for the next round. Give the kids my regards when they call you.”

“Righto,” Yuuno saluted jauntily as Twilight winked out.

“Alright everyone,” Teana announced as she reloaded her Anchor Gun, “you heard her. Let’s get ready for the next attack. Everyone, get to your positions.”

“No need to get bossy,” Scootaloo noted. “We‘ve got this in the bag.”

“Scootaloo, we’ve got precisely zero margin for error,” Teana replied snippily. “Just because we managed to win one round doesn’t mean we can get overconfident, understand?”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on Subaru, let’s get some altitude.”

Caro glanced over at Friedrich as Subaru and Scootaloo rode off. The little dragon landed on her shoulder, his wings folding back as his talons dug into her Barrier Jacket. Fried?

Mistress? Friedrich let out a loud snort as he replied.

Are… you still mad at me?

Friedrich let out a low trill, his tail swishing. Not mad. Just want fight. Want fight bad.

I know Fried, I know… it’s just…

Mistress says no. This one follows Mistress’s commands. This one does as Mistress asks. But want fight bad. Want to protect Mistress.

Caro winced slightly as the grumpy note of Friedrich’s voice. I’m sorry, Fried… But I just… I’m not sure if I let you fight, that we’ll be able to…

Friedrich hissed. Mistress CAN control this one…

“Caro?”

Caro blinked, then turned as Erio addressed her. “Huh?”

“I was asking if you were okay…” Erio leaned his staff against his shoulder. “You looked like you were zoned out. Were you talking to Friedrich?”

Caro nodded quietly.

“Right.” Erio glanced at the little dragon. Friedrich stared right back at him, his red eyes unblinking. “Everything okay?”

“So far…”

“Okay. Good.” Erio glanced away from the little dragon. “Um… we should probably get into position.”

“R-right.” Caro nodded, then began following after Erio.

But then, she felt something weird… like a cold breath on the back of her neck. She paused mid-stride and glanced around. Fried… did you feel that?

Fried trilled in confusion at her query.

“Caro?” Erio glanced back. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah… just… never mind.” She shook her head, then began walking again.

There’s no other summoners near the base… right? Then why did I…

A small, silvery insect, sensing it may have been noticed, flitted off from where it’d been hovering above the surrounding outer barrier. It coursed through the air like a little silver bullet, heading on a direct path towards its destination.

The bug in question was hardly natural; its spindly silver body was vertically oriented, resembling a roofing nail with its disc-like ‘head’ and pointy lower body. Two wings buzzed on either side of its head, while four purple compound eyes dotted its front like tiny jewels.

The insect buzzed over the waters of Oured Bay, unnoticed by most anyone, then flitted through the docks of Cranagan’s southern edge. It flew further inland, quickly gaining altitude before it came to rest at its destination; the glove-clad hand of a small young girl seated on a park bench.

“Thank you, insekt,” she whispered softly, a finger delicately stroking the bug’s wing. A small breeze stirred the girl’s waist-length lavender hair and rustled the ruffles on her black and pink dress. Her skin was oddly pale; the sort of fair complexion that suggested she rarely saw the sun. She looked to be around ten years old, though the distant look in her dull red eyes and the almost vacant expression on her face had no place on a girl her age.

“Finished, Lutecia?”

Lutecia looked up from the silver bug to the man seated beside her. Despite the day’s warmth, he wore a long, hooded coat. He was a tall, muscular man, his shoulders and chest broad, his hands large and his legs long. His face had a rough-hewn quality to it; like a sculptor had failed to smooth out his cheekbones and chin underneath his tanned skin. An unruly mass of dark brown hair topped his head, barely hiding his aquiline nose and piercing blue eyes.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice soft, but flat and uninflected. “The Doctor should be interested by my findings.”

He man grunted in reply, the noise deep and rumbling. Lutecia dismissed the insekt in a tiny flicker of purple light, then reached over and carefully took his hand. The large, circular purple gems on the backs of her gloves glinted in the sunlight. “We should go, Zest. Agito will be wondering where we went…”

Zest nodded, then gingerly took her hand and rose to his feet. Lutecia followed, carefully pulling up the hood of her own coat as they began walking.