Chapters Little Problem (unedited)
I see the night sky and see a multitude of stars, I smile knowing I would have never seen this many stars back on Earth. I wonder if this happens by accident or if this beauty is constructed by something. My thinking is interrupted by the sounds of snoring so I look to my side and I see two lumps of something knowing they are my friends so I slowly drift off to sleep.
I wake up to see my friends are still asleep so I try to flex my fingers to get the stiffness out of them, but I can't, looking down at my hands I see they aren't hands at all. Being the calm thoughtful person I am I scream "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH".
My friends wake up and see me freaking out and come over to say "Hey calm down the portal turned us into the dominant species of the world. We just happen to be ponies, but don't worry at least the breastplate still works watch" and with that I look to see a red pony with a golden horn poking out of his forehead, golden mane cut short, tail colored gold as well, and two HUGE golden eyes that took up most of his face summon a piece of armor on his fore hoof , a golden horseshoe "I am going to be Golden Horn".
The pony next to him green with iron colored (black) mane a little bit longer than Golden's, black glossy tail, hooves that were black from the bottom to a little bit above before turning into his normal forest green and two HUGE green eyes summon an iron helmet similar to a Spartan warrior's "And I will be Iron Hoof and you should be Silver Wing."
"Okay I'm better now." I state as we walk towards a pond and waterfall to get a drink. I look into the water at my reflection, a dark blue coat with silver mane longer than either of theirs, eyes still freakishly large, tail, and wings with silver feathers poking out of them, I spread out my wings and ask "Why am I a Pegasus?"
Iron says "Well these races have advantages apparently. I am an Earth Pony so I have increased strength and stamina, Unicorns can focus their magic into spells and shields, Pegasi have increased agility and flight. Add in the Breastplates and we should be fine."
We hear some voices and when they come into range we hear "-Magic then we can go home." I look at my friends and we know we have to hide. I see Iron get in a bush, Golden becomes invisible, and I wade into the water. Suddenly a pink blur goes near the bush Iron is in looks in and moves near where Golden was at. 'if that pony goes any closer we are screwed' I think to myself before she giggles and joins the rest of her group walking near the lake.
"We're close to the source, wait sources there are three" the lavender pony with a horn and wings says before the pink one chimes in
"OH OH OH it's like hide and seek Twilight, we didn't say ready or not, READY OR NOT HERE WE COME!!!" the pink one shouts.
Twilight reigns her in "Pinkie these could be hurt, injured and afraid or they could be dangerous and watching us." Suddenly a yellow Pegasus starts shaking and I think somebody said "Fluttershy" and she responded.
They are almost gone when Iron sneezed and they looked at his bush "Twilight did ya hear that?" A southern accent from the orange pony proclaims.
"There is probably a monster watching us as we speak." from a white pony I cringe at her voice but my attention is more on the colt thing.
"Look out below!!!" and suddenly there is a cyan blur that hit the water.
Next thing I know I'm in a bush with my front hoof in immense pain against my chest and another over my mouth. Iron looks down on me and my hoof and whispers "Its bent wrong. You broke your leg."
"Rainbow why did you crash into the water like that?" Twilight asked
"Because it was AWESOME." Rainbow deadpans.
"Well it moved the sources close enough to track" Twilight sighed Before her horn emitted a glow.
She looked over at us and I whisper "Iron. Take Golden and go they will sense you and leave me alone." All I get is a stoic nod and he walks near Golden and they take off.
"The sources are moving. We have to find them so we can report to the princesses!" Twilight shouts as Rainbow takes off with the rest of the group after the guys. I make a quick brace on my leg so I can move and I go into the forest hoping to see my friends.
A long walk later and I haven't seen my friends so I return to the lake when I hear a growl followed by a shriek. I take off towards the shriek to help whoever it is. While running my hoof stops hurting due to the adrenaline so I pick up more speed when I see Fluttershy surrounded by wooden wolves so I jump on one wolf's back and twist the neck hard enough to kill it and turn it into a wood pile and I jump to the next one and soon I have dismantled all of the wolves. I look over to the Pegasus cowering on the ground and take a quiet hoof step I back away to the lake. I soon see my friends and we decide to get out of this forest tomorrow but we need sleep tonight. We find a cave large enough to fit comfortably in and after checking to see if it is safe we go to sleep.
"NO I'm NOT going to school!" I shout at my friends as we walk into town. Seeing the colorful sky without a cloud to be seen will brighten up anyone's day but the prospect of going back to an educational system is ruining the perfect day.
"Why are you so opposed to the idea of school? You liked it on Earth." Iron asks as we enter the town and see more adult ponies, who force the idea that we aren't fully matured so we have to act like children.
"Because I have gone to college, gotten a diploma, and received my master's degree in Classical Studies which is worthless here" I raise my voice before calming down "but you two got your high school degrees and stopped your education soon after."
I see Golden receiving directions from a yellow mare with an orange mane while listening to Iron trying to reason with me "Maybe Latin is a language here, they have English after all."
"Iron I am a Pegasus who can't fly and Golden can't use magic outside of combat spells" I gesture to Golden with a hoof "if we get caught I want to know how to use my silver armory, and I don't think that is in the common core standard here."
"Then we don't get caught, but if we don't go to school we are going to seem really suspicious. Right?" Golden finally interrupts.
"Okay I get your point but we don't have the butt tattoos that ALL of the ponies have." I state hoping this will deter them.
"I don't care can we just get to school? I don't want to be late on our first day." Golden whines. 'damn it'
We start walking down a long road and I smell the scent of fruit in the air like a sweet candy trying to draw us in, I hear the sounds of birdsong and the clip-clopping of our hooves on the road. As we near the schoolhouse I can't help but say "I hate both of you with every fiber of my tiny pony existence."
We see fillies and colts outside watched over by a red sentinel with a pink mane. "Okay little ponies it's time for school" The sentinel says cheerfully.
We walk into the schoolhouse and Golden introduces us "Excuse me ma'am I'm Golden Horn and these are my brothers Silver wing" as he gestures a hoof at me "and Iron Hoof" and another gesture to Iron "and we would like to enroll into this school." he finishes with a cheery tone.
"I'm Ms. Cherrilee and I will be your teacher. Go ahead and find some seats and I will give the three of you a test to see how far along you are with your studies." We walk into the classroom and find seats, Golden near the front, Iron in the back, an I take the last open seat which is in the middle. Sadly the seats are a little hard to get into but I manage to get in after some struggling and stares from my classmates. "We have some new students today class, Golden Horn" Golden raised a hoof "Silver Wing" I look around and give a nod "and Iron Hoof." Iron raises a hoof in recognition. Soon Ms. Cheerilee comes and drops a test in front of me along with a pencil.
'some things never change' I think as I look down at my test starting. 'should I miss some of these' I wonder as I look at the easy math questions 'nah the history will show I'm stupid better get these right' I get all the math right or at least I think I do and look at the history. "When did the two royal sisters banish discord" well I don't know any of this so I leave them blank and see the science questions. "How do Pegasi fly?" easy they use their wings to generate lift and shape the wings to get more air to go under than over, I write that down. I see the writing and look at them before realizing they want names of authors that I don't know so I skip those as well. Near the end of my test I see something that makes me want to cry out of sheer joy. "What foreign language do you know? Prench, Saddle Arabian, Japaneighs, or Latin?" I quickly circle Latin and see the next question "How many years have you had in learning this language" well it took 3 years for the bachelor's 2 for the master's and 4 in high school so "9" I write quickly and put down the paper.
A bell rings and all of the school ponies leave the building and I put my test up on her desk and start to walk out before "Silver you didn't answer any of the history questions or the writing questions." Cheerilee calls out to me before I make my leave
"I know. I am REALLY bad at history so I decided to just skip it." I reply hoping that is all she wanted to say before I left but I ask a question to her instead "Did Golden or Iron answer any of the history?"
"Yes they did. Can you tell me who runs Equestria at least?" She asks innocently.
"Well I haven't paid much attention to politics in the last five years so I'm afraid not."
"It's the same ponies since then. If you know who was in power then than you should know who is in power now."
"Is it a monarchy?"
"Yeeeeesss." She drew out her word like I was a child. Wait I am.
"King-" I start to say before
"NO!" she shouts quickly "No king."
"Queen-" I say before once again being shouted at
"NOT A QUEEN!" 'weird it's like all the kings and queens have messed up the politics pretty bad for this treatment'
"Princess" I stop awaiting a sharp disagreement but she simply nods as if I am to continue "I forgot her name" I squeak out sheepishly.
"I am going to get you a tutor because if you want to graduate you need to know history. I know just the pony to do it too. Let me get you her address and you can go see her today." She picks up a pencil with her mouth and scribbles down some numbers and letters and hands the slip to me with her mouth. I carefully take a corner of the paper in my mouth and walk outside.
"Silver what took you so long?" Golden asks me inquisitively as we walk to the address which reads 'Golden Oak Library' with a bunch of numbers attached to it.
"I need to see a tutor" I say before quickly dropping my voice to almost a whisper "for history."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" They laugh at me for my misfortune.
"YOU need a tutor for HISTORY?" Iron asks with a mocking tone before "Well let's get you over there to get you caught up. Luckily you were always good at history so this shouldn't take long."
"Guys I think I can handle a tutor on my own. It's not like there going to try and attack me if I don't know something. Right?"
"Okay have fun Iron and I will be in the forest collecting food and water." Golden says cheerfully before walking off into the forest with Iron at his side.
'Great so now I have to get a tutor for history of all things AND work on flight and making the silver work.' I see a large tree with the address I'm looking for near the door so I walk up and knock on the door. The door opens to show a lizard thing welcoming me inside I jump back in surprise of the creature and slowly walk into the library. It looks nice with bookshelves lining the walls and wooden floors, It smells like books, the old paper and its distinct aroma. 'Damn' is all I can think before asking "So you must be my history tutor right?" I ask the lizard thing.
"Me no I'm her assistant she should be down in a second." he calmly says before shouting "THE COLT IS HERE!" and looking back at me he sticks out a hand "My name is Spike the dragon" I put out a hoof to shake.
"Silver Wing" I say while I stifle a laugh. 'Really if this is a dragon then we are not going to have any problems defending the cave.'
"I'm coming Spike just let me get my books." I hear a voice that sounds familiar before turning to the stairs and seeing who it is.
"YOU!" I say before quickly putting a hoof in my mouth. "I mean YOU must be my tutor." I say trying to save myself.
The purple pony responds "Yes my name is Twilight Sparkle and you must be Silver Wing." I wonder how she knew before remembering my wings were silver and stood out from my body.
"Yes. Where do we start?" trying to get down to business.
"With you of course. I want to know about you before we begin." I gather my thoughts before I begin.
"Why don't you ask me questions and I answer?"
"Are you a changeling?"
"A changeling what is that?"
"Let me just cast a spell and I can see if you are or not. Most ponies will answer no and I ask them about their lives but some just prefer the spell. Do you want me to cast the Identity Spell on you?"
'If I say no I have to answer about my life and I cant do that but if I say yes she may see that I'm not normal, her friends were looking for us yesterday I cant risk it.' "Can you just accept me as a pony and not bother asking questions? I want to learn history and get back to my brothers."
"Nope" her horn lights up and I try to back away before I am held in the air by her aura.
"Let me down! Just set me on the ground." I plead but my cries fall onto deaf ears as she holds me in the air while I thrash around.
After a while she puts me down and glares at me. "For somepony who isn't a changeling you really didn't like that spell. Why is that?"
"I don't know but I still want to learn the history." Twilight gives me a look before beginning he lesson.
"In the beginning of Equestria there were three races the unicorns, Pegasi, and earth ponies."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You should be heading home, your parents might be worried about you" Twilight says after finishing her lesson.
"Thanks for thinking about it but I don't think they will mind." I say as I exit the library.
"Goodnight Silver" Twilight calls to me as I make my way down the road.
"Goodnight Twilight." I shout back as I walk down the road. I see the night sky decorated with a beautiful moon and plenty of stars. When I arrive in the clearing where we arrived I see two silver bands reflecting the moonlight. I rush over to the bands and look at them, simple silver bands large enough to fit around my hooves. I look up at the moon and say a quick prayer "Thank you for letting me find these." I slip them onto my hooves before I walk to our cave.
Easily able to fit the three of us and our gear I walk in and arrive at the sleeping forms of my new brothers. I know that one of us should be standing watch so I sit down near the entrance of our luxury palace. "Scootaloo why are we in this forest it's dangerous and ah think ah hear growling?" a voice with a heavy country accent asks.
"Yeah what if something happens to us? Our sisters probably know we're missing and are looking for us." a new voice says.
"Nothing is going to happen this forest never harmed us before." I walk out of the cave and see three fillies a yellow earth pony with a red mane and bow, a white unicorn with a light purple and pink mane, and an orange Pegasus filly with a purple mane and tail with really small wings. "We just want to get our cutie marks in forest exploring."
I see a pair of green glowing eyes behind them, and another, and another... there were eight timberwolves in the woods around the clearing and as one the walked into the clearing surrounding the fillies. The fillies were too scared to move so they closed their eyes to accept their fate, not a single buzz of the wings or spark of the horn. I know I have to save them so I walk into the clearing as quietly as I can and reached around one of the wolves necks choking him into a pile of wood. I see them getting closer so I pick up my pace and start snapping necks. Go behind wolf grab head twist 180 degrees repeat. soon all that remained of the wolves were piles of sticks. Seeing one of the girls pull her head up I run out of the clearing and into the cave.
I calm myself so that I can rest and slowly let sleep take me as I lose consciousness.
Looking For a Teacher. Finding A Home
"Silver wake up" I get prodded by a hoof "Silver wake up" this cycle continues while I sleep through it, for 10 minutes I am told,
"Iron I bet I could wake him up" I start to awaken having learned in the past that those words from the mage usually mean something unpleasant. "You know how he hates magic being used on him right?"
"Golden I'm all for fun and games, but using magic on him is something you said you wouldn't do since the incident ."
"nah I'm sure he is over it" with those words spoken I feel a tingly sensation around me and I snap my eyes open to see a blood-red aura surrounding me. I start moving, or trying to at least, when suddenly the aura stops. "Ow that hurt like a motherbucker!" Golden whines as I pick myself up off the cave floor after Iron gives a little slap to his horn.
"We need to do something about this whole no bed situation." I say as Golden gives a quick sigh of relief. "And Golden." He freezes in mid-step, "Use magic on me again and I will end your miserable little pony existence." He falls onto his face getting a quick little snicker from Iron.
"Well if we are going to blend in we need to start working on our 'pony powers' so I need a flight instructor, Golden you need a magic teacher, and Iron you should go and find someplace to work on building muscle strength." I say walking out of the cave and taking in the scenery. Bright day with a few clouds in the sky little puffs of white on the big blue backdrop, the sun is shining brightly and there is a nice breeze gently blowing through the forest. I look at my hoof and try to get a coating of silver on it but all I manage is a silver horseshoe 'I need to learn what kinds of weapons are used here so I can start some sort of training. Is there anypony who does this kind of thing that would be willing to teach me?' I think as I follow Golden and Iron to someplace before looking up and seeing the school building. I groan but head in anyways knowing that I need to be near my brothers. I take my seat before Cheerilee begins her lesson.
"Alright my little ponies" Cheerilee begins while I stifle a laugh "today we are going to learn some science. Who can tell me how Pegasi are able to fly?" I look around and see that none of the school fillies or colts have a hoof in the air "Silver why don't you try."
"By shaping the wing to get more air flowing under it than above it causing the difference in air pressures to pull the Pegasus up into the air and to get up they shape their wings to get the most air resistance allowing them to get the most lift with the least effort." I say using both the mechanics of a bird and an airplane to explain my guess.
"Good guess but no." Cheerilee says before seeing a grayish white pony with purple glasses and an orange mane with her hoof in the air. "Twist do you know?"
"Magic." Twist says in a perfect nerd stereotype voice. As soon as I hear that I don't know why but I just break out into laughter.
"Oh god that's a good one Twist. Magic." I look around the room to a large group of confused students and a very angry Cheerilee. "Oh she was serious?"
"Yes Mr. Wing not only was she serious but she was correct." My mouth drops open out of shock "Now you should apologize to Twist, or do I need to speak with your parents?" I look and see Golden staring at me with flames dancing in his golden eyes.
I look at Twist and say sincerely "Twist I'm sorry I laughed at your answer it just seemed silly that magic would be the answer to something as complex as flight." I hear a quick acceptance and look up at Cheerilee who nods and continues her lesson. I blank out for most of it but once in a while I hear the word Magic so I kind of give up knowing I wont understand. When all of the other ponies make for the door I get up and follow.
"Iron, Golden, Silver can you three stay a little longer?" I nod to Cheerilee "Okay well the three of you need to bring your parents in so I can tell them about our school program."
Iron steps forward to talk to Cheerilee "Ms. Cheerilee I'm afraid they cant do that they are both out of town and will not be returning for a while but when they arrive I promise you will be the first to know."
"If your parents are out of town who are you staying with? We cant have colts unsupervised."
"Don't worry Ms. Cheerilee we are staying with some friends and they are perfectly responsible."
"Okay, but you three let me know if you need anything."
"Bye Ms. Cheerilee" we say walking from the school house.
"Wow that was close." Golden says when we are far enough from the school. "We still need to find teachers, I think I can go and find a unicorn to tell me where to go, you should ask a Pegasus, and you should go talk to the farmers."
We arrive in the market and split up to look for instructors. I see a familiar yellow Pegasus and walk to her. "Excuse me Ms. do you know where I could find a flight instructor?" I ask. "eep" she put her whole head behind her hair so she could not talk to me.
I start to walk away before I hear her speaking "Why don't your parents teach you? Normally a pegasus learns how to fly from their parents."
"They cant do that" I respond while trying, and apparently failing, to keep a neutral tone.
"Oh you poor thing. Here come with me and we will get you all situated. Okay" she replies sweetly and takes a wing and puts it over me lovingly. We start to walk off until we get to a house and she knocks quietly on the door.
A bright green pegasus with a brown mane and tail opens it and sees us standing there "Oh please come on in Ms. Fluttershy who is the little one?"
"My name is Silver Wing. Are you the pegasus who is going to help me?" I ask hopeful that I found my flight instructor.
"Yes I am. First we need to fill out some paperwork." She says happily.
"Okay where do I need to sign or stamp or whatever?" excited to begin I walk over to the clipboard. 'Ponyville Orphanage' I look over at Fluttershy "I said I needed a flight instructor not new parents." I say in a whiney voice 'Damn I REALLY hope that doesn't become a habit'
"You said your parents couldn't teach you and any non pegasus parent would get their child an instructor not make them do it." she says and I have to give her credit on that.
"Silver is that you?" I turn to the voice and see a very familiar red and gold unicorn. I nod "so they got you as well" I nod again he comes really close to me before whispering "Do they have Iron?" I shake my head before he smiles. "Good he can get us out of this mess."
"You two know each other?" the mares look at us in disbelief "Silver and Golden. They must be brothers." We nod. "Okay well I have a room for you two ready, but we hold onto all your possessions for you."
"What possessions?" I ask wondering if I have something on me.
"Your hoof bands silly if you could hoof them over we could put them away for you." The green and brown mare points out.
"Are those what I think they are Silver?" Golden asks knowing about the rings and what they mean to me. I nod solemnly before he speaks up "I'm sorry but you can't have those." I look at him in shock 'Golden isn't very confrontational. Why is he doing this?'
The mare looks at us before "I'm sorry but rules are rules and if we let you keep them and you lose them we are responsible for it. Please just give them to me and I will make sure they are safe."
"NO!" I shout at her before quickly lowering my voice. "I wont give these to you, they mean to much to me."
"I'm sorry about this but if you wont give them I will take them." She lunged at us before hitting a red shield. I look at her and than at Golden who has his horn glowing. "I am going to get the Princess of Magic herself and when I do the bands are going into an enchanted box. Those are real silver and we don't have enough money to replace it." she walked out leaving us with Fluttershy.
Looking around the room I see a bland beige cube of a room with a simple counter on one wall with a table in the center with four chairs at its sides. Oh! There is also the large shield taking up a good bit of space. I look down at my hooves and wonder if they are going to use magic on me 'So long as I don't have a repeat of the incident I wont do anything I regret, but that kind of ruined magic for me.' "Golden. Don't do all of this for me I mean if she finds out we are the disturbances she went looking for..." I stop and let his imagination do the rest. We may have been good at what we did but that doesn't mean we didn't get caught. There was the instance of the Himalayas and the other time at Cuba. I shudder at the thought of Cuba.
My thoughts are soon interrupted by a quiet voice. "Uhm could you put the shield down, if you don't mind I mean?" I look at Fluttershy and then to Golden to whom I nod. The shield slowly fades into nothing and Fluttershy asks "Why didn't you give your hoof bands to Ms. Evergreen?"
"They mean too much to me. Have you ever loved anypony, like with all of your heart?" I ask Fluttershy who nods to me "What if they were to pass away and the only one who could have stopped it was you? If after the fact the only thing you could keep to remember them are your memories and a small trinket that matched to one of yours? Then somepony tries to take it from you." I look up and see her about to cry, but I can't say I'm any better, she comes next to me and gives me a hug with her wing muttering quiet apologies during the hug.
The door bursts open and I see Ms. Evergreen standing with Twilight at her side. Twilight walks in and looks at me surprised "Silver you never told me you were an orphan" I cringe at that word "why don't you just do what Ms. Evergreen says and we can find you a new home. Why don't you just give your-" she is cut off, not by me or Golden, but by Fluttershy.
"Twilight don't do this please. If they were to get lost he wouldn't want to have it replaced, and there is more sentimental value than physical. Just let him have them." Fluttershy stands in front of us defensively. Quite honestly I'm impressed, I don't get impressed easily.
"Fine. He can have the bands." Ms. Evergreen says.
"Ms. Evergreen said you put up a shield is that true?" Twilight asks Golden in a kind voice. Golden nods with a little bit of fright in his eyes probably wondering if he was going to be put in pony jail. "Can you do it again?" I look in shock to see Golden put a shield around me smiling. I shoot a glare at him before Twilight walks over to the shield and zaps it with a beam of magic. She looks over at Golden and repeats the zapping of my prison-shield and looking at Golden. "Okay you can release him now" Twilight says to my brother before my prison disappears. "Golden do you know how shields work?" He shakes his head "Each time the shield is hit the magic comes from the user to repair it until they cannot repair it so it cracks and shatters leaving the unicorn unconscious from magic exhaustion." She looks at him with a look before continuing "If I would have kept going your shield may have caused magic exhaustion to me. Can you levitate your brother?"
"NO!" I shout "do not cast any magic on me. Golden we went over this I said no magic on me unless I ask for it or am dying and it is the ONLY way to save me." I look around the room and see Fluttershy and Twilight giving me odd looks and Ms. Evergreen writing something on a pad of paper and hoofing it to Twilight who puts it in her mouth opposed to using magic afraid of what might happen. "Magic is fine as long as it isn't used on me." I see the pad encased in purple before floating at her eye level. "What's on the pad?"
"Silver has a unicorn ever used magic to hurt you?" Ms. Evergreen says looking at me and my brother.
"No. No unicorn has ever used magic to hurt me aside from when Golden wakes me up." I still want to know what the hell is on that paper.
"Okay well I think you have had a long day and us grown-ups need to talk. Your room is upstairs and to the right." She says expecting me to go without further question. I see Golden heading upstairs and I look into the room to see the three mares talking.
I know I need to say it so I spit it out before walking upstairs. "I still need a flight instructor, finding a flight instructor is the only reason I'm in here anyways. Oh and Golden is going to need a magic instructor." Having said my piece I go upstairs to see Golden on a low bunk looking at me.
"Weird the first time I was an orphan I was taken up by sensei and that led to me meeting my two best friends. I wonder what this time will bring me." Golden monologues "If I were to just run out of here would I thrive or at least survive. Iron was at a farmers stall so I don't think he will end up in here but he is out in the forest by himself."
"Iron will be fine. I'm a bit more worried about me and you being stuck here." I look at my hoof and focus trying to make a gauntlet but I just don't know what it should look like. "I need to find somepony with some armor so I can make some of my own. I don't even know what kinds of weapons are used here."
"Pete or Silver or whatever. I'm sure if we just wait it out somepony will get us out of here. I think I heard of somepony that may be able to help you, her name is Cloud Kicker and if we can find her she may teach you how to fly and use weapons."
"It's all I got so I'll make it work" I give him a gentle punch "When has anything gone wrong for us?" I joke hoping into another bunk. I see him walk to a lamp and blow it out putting the room into darkness before I slowly drift off to sleep and into dreamland to face a nightmare.
Why we came here (unedited)
David and I walk into our dojo house hybrid and we sit at a table to look back on the day. I look around our dojo and see the beige paint on the walls starting to peel into flakes of brown that litter the worn floor of our training area and cover the mats with a coating of dust and I can hear the sounds of an old building the gentle yet ever present sounds of the building groaning and straining in its ever constant battle with gravity. The smells of dust and sweat hang in the air stinging our noses when we enter but slowly fading into the background like the symphony of groans made by our home. Yet above all the feeling of comfort when you arrive to a loved one's or your parent's house is always there not in my mind, but in my heart telling me that no matter how worn down the dojo gets it will always be my home.
My friends and I had unorthodox childhoods. We were left at the front door of the dojo and were brought in to our sensei's, and later our, home. David was the first to be dropped off, but the sensei must have felt something in him or he would not have trained him in magic and illusions. Phillip was brought to the dojo second, and he has been training in ninjitsu and muay thai and everything in between. Finally I was dropped off and I began my education by learning knives and daggers and how to use them, when I became larger I was taught how to use swords, shields, maces, and most other weapons, when I had mastered those I was taught tactics and non-lethal weapons used to distract an opponent or turn the tide of battle. Along the way I had learned judo and nerve strikes to use an opponents energy against them. I was never able to match up with Phillip in close quarters if it was a fair fight or David in long ranges but if it was an environment that allowed for trickery I was often able to get a blade across their throats. Our training was completed when we reached the ages of sixteen. When we turned twenty our sensei died, leaving us with the dojo. We became mercenaries able to hunt down a man in any environment and returning or killing them as we were hired to.
Phillip walked into the house as David was talking to me "Pete we can't keep doing this, we are wanted mercenaries in every country on the planet save the Vatican, we lost our sensei who has been our mentor and the closest thing we had to a father, and our dojo, the very one we have lived in our entire lives, is about to fall to the ground because we haven't had a single person walk in ever since the sensei died FIVE YEARS AGO." he finally loses his control and yells at me "Pete I found a spell that will take us to another world, but I can't control where we go or what we turn into. We can start over, I can finally set up my magic show and become a magician, Phillip can become an engineer like he wants to, and you can get your medical license." he almost whispers to me "a fresh start no more running and no more fear of death every day."
"David, being a doctor was something that I wanted years ago, I have become a master blades man, but you two are all I have left in this world so if you go I go." I respond to him in a calm voice.
"That's so sweet guys" David and I glare at Phillip "but I think if that plan is going to work we need to have access to weapons and armor in case we end up in a place like The Walking Dead. " Phillip finishes.
"I can make us something for that all I need is the metal and some time." David says to us before continuing "I need tonight to get it done and it will be ready tomorrow, but we need to leave once we have it packed."
"We can pack for the trip, food, water, and our journals." Phillip says as he walks upstairs to get the materials. I look around and see David picking up his spell books and potions.
I walk over to my weapon rack and look at my twin swords before I hear David yell "PETE I NEED ALL THE SILVER YOU HAVE!!!" I look at my weapon rack and simply roll it to him because all of the weapons were supposed to be used for decoration and were made of silver with writing down the side of each blade. ducam meo amico victoriae quod sum noster dux I shall lead my friends to victory because I am our leader.
I push the rack into his little shop of horrors and think 'I am never going to see most of these again' I pick up a small dagger and its sheath and attach it to my belt remembering it as the first dagger the sensei had given me. I walk away from the room and go up the stairs and into my room. A decent room with a full sized bed, closet with gear for any type of environment in it, and a dresser with a mirror connected. I pick up two silver rings I stored in a drawer and put them on.
A full moon and plethora of stars occupy the sky tonight as I think to myself how wonderful tonight is going to be. "Come on Pete you're going to love it they have rides and food and games." A sweet voice enters my ears and a hand grabs my own. I look at the hands and see the rings, one on my hand and the other on hers. I look at her and see her eyes looking into mine and she says again "C'mon we don't wanna be late for the fair do we?" I shake my head laughing as we ran down the pier to the fair and we bought our tickets. Time goes by in a blur as I see myself with her and know the ending of this day with a pain in my heart, the blurriness goes away and I'm left seeing me and her walking home.
We take a quick shortcut through an alley and I hear a gruff voice "Gimme your money and nobody gets hurt." I see a man with a slightly heavy build holding a pistol to her back and the walls, the sky, and anything not him or her fades to black.
"I don't have any money on me we just spent it all at the fair" I say truthfully as I see silent tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Aww that's too bad for you then, maybe this will teach you to say you spent all your money to save your wallet. well you saved your wallet but you didn't. SAVE. HER." I lunge for the man but I'm too late. I hear a BANG and the love of my life is on the ground bleeding. My hands find his gun and disarm him throwing the gun down the alley far beyond his reach, I pull out my dagger from my belt and slash his neck quickly killing him. I drop the dagger and kneel by her side crying as I see her stop breathing as I sat there weeping. I look at her hands and see her hands clenched into fists but I don't see the ring opening her hands I see it, the ring that I gave her to show that I would love her forever, soaked in her blood but still reflecting the moonlight.
I slide onto my bed and feel myself drifting off into sleep wondering what will occur.
I wake up and take a good long look at my room, well the little stuff that's in it anyways. I walk downstairs and see David at a table with a cloth over it to hide what's underneath. Phillip walks down the stairs and gives a polite "Good morning David, good morning Pete" as he walks up to the table and asks "What's under the sheet?" blunt and to the point like always.
"These are our only tools we can take into the new world" he rips off the sheet to show three breastplates. One shone like the sun on a hot summer's day, another giving off a bit of darkness from its surface, and finally one that shone with the brightness of a full moon lighting up the darkness to give light to those in need. "I didn't want to risk bringing anything high tech so I enchanted these plates to become a part of you and appear as armor or weapons if you need it. Gold will amplify my magic, Iron will increase your strength and endurance, and silver will help your speed and creativity." He hands us our armor and he puts his on "See?" the gold melted into his skin and he made a knife appear in his hands. "You guys should put yours on too." he adds walking into the next room.
I put mine on and feel a sense of coolness go through my body, Phillip puts his on and I see it melt into his skin as well. "PETE! PHILLIP! COME QUICK!" David yells at us from another room. I rush into the room to see a portal hovering off the floor "Time to go guys. A new life, a clean record, a second chance." He walks into the portal soon followed by Phillip.
I look around the dojo one final time and whisper "Goodbye sensei. Requiescas in pace" may you rest in peace.