Chapter VI

Escort

Little by little, people got used to seeing the small dragon walking behind Cerulean when he pulled small jobs around town. He learned that Lapis liked most meat and managed to feed her some of the left over Manticore meat. He still got chills whenever he saw Gale, but Comet assured him that’s how everyone reacted around her at first. It had been about three weeks since Cerulean and his group had joined the guild and they were only getting bottom of the barrel work. They needed some serious money with the rent just around the corner. Cerulean looked at the job board with the dragon on his shoulder and groaned as he saw the lack of high paying jobs.

“Hey Twilight,” He said as he looked at the indigo haired mage who was currently reading a book. The woman looked up and set her book down. “why are there never any good jobs?”

“It works on a first come first serve basis.” She stated.

“You can’t reserve certain missions?”

“Not unless you get special permission from the client.” The door to the hall opened to show a familiar grey winged mail woman.

“I got a few new jobs Twilight.” Ditzy said as she approached the job board. She pulled out a few tacks and attached them to the cork board. Cerulean quickly scanned them as he felt the guild members eyes lock onto the board. He quickly snatched one and dove out of the way as the masses crowded around it. Cerulean looked at the job and gave it a quick skim. He grinned and walked over to where Sunset and the others were sitting.

“Good news girls and Nix.”

“Hey!”

“I just got us a good job.” He put the piece of paper in front of the three. Sunset scanned it and bit her lip.
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“Seems kinda...risky.”

“Hey this one job has better pay than the last three jobs we did combined.” Nix said.

“All we got to do is escort some merchant from point A to point B and It’s only Rank C. We got this.” Amber said in a cocky tone.

“So it’s decided.” Cerulean said. “I’ll go tell Twilight that we’re taking this job.” He stood up and walked over to where Twilight was. Unfortunately, Gale was over there as well looking at the job board. “Hey Twilight, we’re going on this-” Gale quickly snatched the piece of paper from him. “Hey!” Her eyes scanned it gave it a once over.

“Interesting.”

“Hey that’s our job.” Cerulean said. Gale looked at him with a raised eyebrow before handing him back the post.

“I know. I’ll be coming with you on this mission.”

“No way!” Nix said. “We need the money to pay the rent!”

“Then take my share.” Gale stated.

“So why are you coming if you don’t care about getting paid?” Amber said in a confused tone.

“I want to see for myself how strong you four are.” She narrowed her gaze at them.

“Tag along if you want, but don’t be whining that you didn’t get paid.” Nix said.

“I’ll let the client know his job has been accepted.” Twilight said as she went to the back room.

“So where do we have to bring the guy to?” Nix asked.

“The job said to some small town outside Baltimare.” Cerulean shrugged. Twilight came out from the back room.

“Okay, he’ll be waiting in front of the guild hall in an hour. That should give you all plenty of time to get your gear together.” With that, the five dispersed and got their equipment ready. Cerulean settled on a small pack with a sleeping bag some spare food inside. The small dragon looked at him curiously.

This is going to be so cool! Adventure!

“You’re staying here.” He said in a dry tone.

What? Why?

“Because this is our first real mission and we can’t afford any slip ups.”

I’ll be fine! She hissed.

“No. I’m going to get Fluttershy to keep an eye on you.” Lapis hissed at the man. “We’ll only be gone a few days. You’ll be fine.”

Oh come on! I can help.

“By freezing everything? Not gonna happen, besides Gale will be there. You know she has it in for you and me.”

Why? What’d I do to her?

“I don’t know. It’s none of my business.” He said as he grabbed a duffle bag and started packing. A bit of meat on ice, his weapon and a sleeping bag made of wolf fur. It repelled rain and was very warm. He put on the new coat Rarity made for him to use during the warmer months. Cost a bit of coin, but it was worth it. The coat was colored a navy blue, had no sleeves and a hood. The length went down to his calves.

The material was light, but it walk also enchanted to deflect small offensive spells. It wouldn’t stop a bullet, or a large bolt of magic, but enough to keep him alive. She put similar enchantments on most of the other guild members’ clothes and gave her quite a bit of business. Lapis groaned as she hopped up on his shoulder. Cerulean walked towards the animal keeper’s home and knocked on the door. The yellow winged flyer opened the door and smiled as she saw them. Cerulean set his bag down and Lapis went off to explore the home while Cerulean talked to Fluttershy.

After explaining the situation, Fluttershy was more than happy to look after Lapis. Cerulean gave her some of the Manticore meat, with Fluttershy being a vegetarian she was a little nervous about it. Cerulean took his bag and headed off towards the guild to meet up with the girls.

Great, I’m on a mission with a flirty fox, a fire sorceress, an alchemist with an attitude and an angry dragon swords-woman. He thought with a sigh. He soon came upon the guild hall and saw the others. Gale’s spliced eyes were immediately focused on him as he approached. “What happened to your pet?”

“Left her at Fluttershy’s. She’s got a knack for animals and is the only other person Lapis seems to like.” He said as he leaned against the wall of the guild. Cerulean looked down the road to see a carriage being pulled by two horses coming towards the guild. The man at the reigns was older, in his mid thirties at the latest. He had a scraggly beard that matched his messy brown hair that was covered by a new flat brimmed hat. He ordered the horse to stop in front of them and he stepped off the carriage. Cerulean saw that his clothes or shoes didn’t have a speck of dirt on them. His dark brown eyes looked at the group before him and raised an eyebrow.

“You lot are my escort?” He said in disbelief.

“Yeah, what about it?” Amber snarled.

“I’d better get my money’s worth.” He sighed. “Anyway, the name is Arbor. I need to head back to my village without any trouble. Bandits almost got me my way into Canterlot.” He sighed.

“That’s a long ways from here. Why come to this guild?” Gale inquired.

“You’re cheaper than hiring someone in Canterlot. No to mention they’re a bunch of snobs.”

“On that we can agree.” Cerulean said as he thought of Blueblood.

“So what are ya hauling?” Nix asked.

“Bags of flower, bales of hay and barrels of rice. The usual.” Gale opened the back of the wagon to see the contents the trader mentioned. Seeing everything was in order the group set off towards their destination. The group would take turns sitting in the wagon whenever they needed a break. Due to her height, Nix needed a little help getting up. Something that Amber found hilarious. For some reason, Gale chose to walk or fly a few feet above the ground as they traveled.

Desperate to break the silence, Sunset poked her head out of the wagon and looked at the dragoness. “So Gale, what kind of magic do you use?” Cerulean and the others turned their heads. They all had been curious about her.

“I use lightning based magic.” She held out her hand and a ball of crackling lighting formed on her palm. “Took me years to get it down.”

“Lightning magic is hard?” Amber asked.

“Yeah, it’s in the tier two magic.” Sunset stated. Amber raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Tier two?” Nix face palmed at the comment.

“There are five tires of magic.” Sunset started. “Tier one is basic spells such as elemental, barriers and glyphs. Elemental is based on the four basic elements; fire, wind, water and earth. Lightning is a branch of wind magic. Cerulean’s ice magic is also tier two.”

“It is?” The archer asked.

“You don’t even know what rank your magic is?” Gale said in a bland tone.

“Hey I’m no sorcerer. I just shoot stuff.” He said crossing his arms. “I’ve just always been able to use ice. I can use a little bit of water magic as well.” Cerulean shrugged.

“So what is considered tier five magic?” Amber asked.

“They type of magic that can blow up a town, raise the dead, or any other type of cataclysm.” Gale said. “Lightning magic is just really powerful and really hard to control.” She pulled out her longer blade. “This helps me focus my magic and keep it under control.”

“So what exactly can that do?” Jenkins finally added his two bits to the conversation. Gale walked over to a large rock and braced herself. Her right hand over the sword handle. Cerulean took note of her stance and the tension in her body. In a split second, she unsheathed her sword and sliced in front of the rock. Her blade was only a blur before she stopped. Gale started to sheath her blade but paused before she pushed the handle flush with the shield. Upon hearing the guard make contact with the sheath, the rock split into six pieces.

“Remind me to never piss her off.” The farmer gulped.

“Agreed.” Amber said as Gale returned to the group.

“We should keep moving. It’s already noon and we should cover as much ground as we can while there’s still daylight.” With that, the group continued down the path. Sunset sat in the cart and looked at the road behind them. The carriage stopped suddenly and whinnied.

“Easy girl.” Arbor said. Sunset got out and walked up to the front of the cart.

“Something wrong?”

“Something spooked the horses.” The farmer said as he tried to calm the animals.

“Hey fox, why don’t you talk to them? You’re part animal.” Amber hissed at Nix’s words. Cerulean’s eyes darted to the left and heard rustling bushes. Gale’s ears twitched as she heard something in the tree branches. She slowly reached down and put her hand on her sword’s handle.

Cerulean’s eyes caught a glint of silver shooting from the bush and quickly tackled Sunset as the arrow buried itself in the wooden cart’s side. Gale quickly charged towards the bush with her sword drawn. A masked figure shot down from the branch with two daggers drawn. Amber jumped up high and slammed her fist into his face before kicking him to the ground.

One form either side of the path charged with steel swords drawn. Cerulean quickly pulled out his bow and shot two ice arrows. The attackers’ tripped as the arrows formed ice around one of their feet. The archer then bound their hands and other feet with ice. Arbor managed to get the horses under control. Another jumped out from the bushes and charged at Sunset. The fire mage froze as she looked into the man’s murderous eyes.

A flash of silver crossed her field of vision and a knife buried itself in the figure’s leg. The attacker immediately dropped to the ground. She looked back to see the farmer holding a few more knives between his fingers. “Nice shot.” Cerulean said as he sealed the stranger’s wound with some ice.

“Why bother helping them?” Arbor said.

“Can’t interrogate them if they bleed out.” He said as he pocketed the knife. Gale walked out of the bushes carrying one of the men by their hood. The group tied them up around a tree. Nix quickly removed their masks and glared at them.

“Who are you and what do you want?” She hissed. None of them opened their mouths. “Okay, hard way it is.” Purple sparks arced between her fingers. Gale gripped one by the shirt and pulled out her sword.

“Either you start talking or I start cutting.” The man gulped a she looked into her spliced eyes that held no mercey.

“W-were just highway men. We saw your caravan and made a trap.” He gulped.

“How many more of you?”

“J-just us I swear!” Gale squinted and dropped the man.

“These guys are amateurs.” Amber said shrugging. “Seriously, I’ve seen seagulls have better coordination than these idiots.” The group grunted at her.

“So what should we do with them?” Sunset asked.

“I say we get rid of them. Permanently.” The farmer suggested.

“I don’t kill people.” Cerulean said.

“I agree.” Gale said. “How about we just leave them here; let them think about what they’ve done?” Fear shot through the group of bandits.

“Wh-what?”

“You got yourselves into this situation, you can get yourselves out of it.” The dragoness said as she turned her back. As they walked away Cerulean left them a dull blade a few feet away from the tree they were tied to.

“Well that was an eventful afternoon.” Amber said as she put her hands behind her head.

“You’re telling me.” Arbor commented.

“That was a good shot with the knife.” Cerulean said. “Tricky shot even for an expert like me.”

“We play a lot of knife throwing games back on the farm. What of it?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just making an observation.” The ice mage shrugged. “What kind of crops do you harvest?”

“Grain, vegetables and some herbs.”

“Have any sage-foot?”

“Yeah, we got that growing in the fields.” Cerulean poked the side of his cheek with his tongue and nodded.

“Good cure for athlete’s foot. Valuable to have.” Nix raised an eyebrow at the words.

“But-” Cerulean gave her shoulder a quick nudge. The alchemist frowned and hissed at the archer as they sat in the wagon. The day pressed on and noon soon turned into evening. The group found a spot to settle down for the night and started making camp along a stream bed.

The guild members delegated into three groups; Cerulean and Gale went out to form a perimeter a few meters away from the campsite and collect some fire wood along the way. Amber would help Arbor set up the camp while Nix and Sunset got some water from the stream and purify it. While the two collected some wood, Cerulean pulled out the dagger that was embedded in the bandit’s leg and examined it. The blade shined in the orange light of the afternoon.

“Find something?” Cerulean handed her the blade. “Four inches long, forged by hand,” She balanced it on her pointer finger and it stayed still. “perfectly balanced, and the metal is Griffonian. Must have paid quite a bit for this blade.” She said as she tapped the metal with her finger.

“You a blacksmith?”

“I know a good knife when I see one.” She aimed at a tree and gripped it on the blade and threw it. The knife spun end over end until the handle hit the bark and fell to the ground. Cerulean chuckled softly. “Let’s see you do it then.” She said as he picked up the knife.

“Gladly. I-” The two stopped what they were doing as they heard a yell come from the camp. Gale quickly took to the skies as Cerulean ran through the woods. They arrived back at camp to see the farmer holding another knife, his arm like a tightly coiled spring as he walked over to their bags. “Something wrong? More bandits?”

“Saw something shuffling near the bags. I ain’t taking chances.” Cerulean puled his bow out and readied an arrow as Gale gripped her sword handle. Cerulean saw one of the bags moving. His bag.

“Oh no.” He said as he put his bow and arrow away. “I hope it’s not what I think it is.” He walked up to the bag and opened it. A familiar dragon’s head popped out of the sack. “Creator damn it.”

“What in the name of Tartarus is that?” Arbor said not sheathing his blade. Sunset, Amber and Nix came over to see what the commotion was about.

“It’s my pet dragon. A dragon who is a lo of trouble.” He said as he picked Lapis up by the scruff of her neck.

I didn’t want to be alone! Lapis whined.

“I thought my bag was heavier when I left.” Cerulean sighed.

“Where the hell did you get a dragon?” The farmer asked sheathing his knives.

“Long story.” Gale glared at Cerulean.

“We’re on a dangerous mission filled with danger, bandits and who knows what kind of wildlife, and you brought a baby dragon?”

“I didn’t mean-”

“It’s actually rather smart.”

“What?” The others said in unison.

“Dragons have heightened sight, smell and hearing. They’re excellent hunters even ones as young as her.”

“I’m smart.” Cerulean said with a hint of pride. Everyone else only face palmed and sighed.

“Just keep that thing away from my crops.” Lapis stuck her tongue out at the farmer.

Rude. Sunset got a fire going and Cerulean started making some stew with Nix’s help. It was a simple stew with some carrots, potatoes, onions and Manticore meat. The evening sky soon turned dark and the stars were shining.

“Never seen the sky so clear.” Sunset commented. “The lights from Ponyville and Solaris are usually so bright that it makes it difficult to see.”

“What’s Solaris?” Cerulean asked.

“It’s where I’m from. It’s on the southern most tip of Equestria. Practically on the equator.”

“Blistering heat and humidity. Great.” Cerulean shuddered.

“Beats being cold.” Amber said before taking a spoonful of stew into her mouth.

“Yeah, how far up north are you from?” Gale asked. Cerulean walked over to the wagon and pulled out a map of Equestria.

“Let’s see. Ponyville is here.” He pointed at the small town bellow the mountain of Canterlot. He moved his hand north towards the Crystal Empire, but didn’t stop till he was just on the edge of the map. “Zircon is right here.”

“Really off the grid. Doesn’t even show up on the map.” Gale said.

“We like our privacy.” He said as Lapis jumped up on his shoulder.

“Hey fire spitter, why’d you freeze up when those punks jumped us?” Nix said glaring at the fire mage. Sunset hung her head and stared at her bowl.

“I panicked.” She said in defeat.

“You panicked?” Nix said with a raised eyebrow.

“Leave her alone shrimp. Girl just isn’t used to people wanting to kill her.” Amber said as she glared at Nix. The alchemist grunted and went back to her meal.

“Hey I didn’t sign on to kill people. Beat them senseless maybe, but nor kill.” Cerulean said. “But maybe you should learn how to defend yourself properly.” The mage shot a glare at him.

“I can defend myself just fine!” There was a rustling in the bushes behind her and she shot a fire spell while the others put a hand on their weapons. Amber walked over, fists ready to bash who or whatever it was, that was spying on them. She parted the bushed and shook her head.

“Nice one Sunny, you caught a rabbit.” She held up a rabbit that had fur white as snow with a little bit of it’s back right leg singed. Sunset immediately started fussing over hurting the defenseless animal.

Rabbit stew anyone? Lapis suggested as she drooled at the mouth.

“Cut the waterworks Sunset. I’ll handle this.” He took the rabbit from Amber and set it down on the ground in the light of the fire. “The rodent isn’t dead. It’s just stunned from your magic blast, but it won’t get far on that leg.” Cerulean took out his canteen and moved his hands around the container. Water slowly came out of the container and seemed to move with his hands.

The archer’s hands were soon coated in the liquid and pressed them against the burn on the rabbit’s leg. The wound glowed and the burn slowly started to fade. The rabbit snapped out of it’s stunned state and scurried off into the woods. “A wasted opportunity for some meat.” Nix huffed.

“What the heck was that?” Arbor said.

“Just a little healing trick my dad taught me. Works well on small burns and cuts.” He shrugged.

“I’ve had enough weirdness for one day. I’m going to bed.” Nix said as she walked over to her sleeping pad and laid down.

“I’ll take first watch.” Cerulean said sitting back down and the dragon sitting in his lap. As the rest laid down to sleep, Cerulean couldn’t shake the feeling he was being watched from afar.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait.
And Yes Cerulean can use water magic since Ice is just another form of water.
I mostly based Cerulean off of three people:
Korra from 'Avatar: Legend of Korra'

and: Gray Fullbuster form 'Fairy Tail'

Also: Hawkeye from the 'Avengers'

Might as well get the rest of the characters out of the way as well.

Amber is a fusion of Leone from 'Arame Ga Kill'

Yang Xiao Long from 'RWBY'

and
Ahri form 'League of Legends' (I do not Play LoL I just really like her character design.)

Nix is a combo of
Raven from THE ORIGINAL 'Teen Titans'

Touka Krishima from Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul Root A

and Edward Elric from 'Full Metal Alchemist and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.'

Believe me these are the last people I want to piss off.

Oh please no. (Just got slammed by a rock, encased in ice and shot several times)

No more....please. (Was just thawed, punched several times and hit by energy orbs.)

I am now more scared than I was. If you need me I'll be under my hospital bed while I cry myself to sleep.