Chapters The train eventually arrived in the markies town of Lemerio. The six girls each got of the train, meeting face to face to one of the markies. He smiled softly, bowing towards twilight "Good evening, Twilight Sparkle. We have much to show you, but please. Follow me to your stay. One of our residence had agree'd to house you." he stood up. Smiling softly,
Twilight smiled "Thank you, sir. Can i ask something?"
The man snickers "Yes, he is a mark wielder. So you can get a lot of information from him if you wish." He began walking. Twilight gasping in joy as her and the rest of the girls follow this man. The group look upon the town, Fluttershy smiling softly as she see's how beautiful it is with nature, it being a town that has seemingly overgrown with vines and trees. Yet it prospers as a fully fledged living environment, nothing like shes seen in the regular sides of Equestria. Animals roaming around helped her liking for the place. Dash looked up at the skies, watching the few Pegasus's and smaller dragons fly around in the sky
"G-geh, d-dragons.." she gulped, a small sweat rising from her head. She wouldn't admit, but she had a small fear of dragons, since her little run in with one on a mountain top.
Eventually, they arrived at a big house, the man smiling "a man named Raidoku lives here. It's a bit of a..different name then you're used to, but i wouldn't worry about him. he can be harmless, for what he is." he smiled, Bowing towards the princess and her friends. Before knocking on the door and walking away. The door opens, revealing a well lit home, a young Manticore standing at the door way. Although unlike most manticore's. this one was standing on two legs, about as tall as big mac. Along with the muscles of a teenage colt, so not to small nor to big. He blinks
"You must be the girls that need a housing for your stay. Come in." He turned around, his scorpion tail covered by a protective gear. Just so it wont stab anyone and hurt them. The girls blink and stand there agape, not sure how to react. he looked back "..you coming in, or what?" he walked inside, the girls slowly following him. Fluttershy staring at him, interesting at why such an animal would become something smart like this. He looks at her, blinking.
"You ok there?" He asks, causing fluttershy to squeak and hide behin her mane. he blinked, looking forward "..ook.." he looks to the group of girls "My name is Raidoku, if you haven't noticed, i'm a manticore, before you ask yes i can speak normally, any questions?"
Dash slowly put her hand up. "..You got any food by chance?" she smiled,
He shrugged "yeah, kitchen. Eat whatever, i got a lot of food, herbivore and..meat if you go that way." Dash smiled, finding his kitchen and making herself a hay sandwich, happily eating it up with a small burp, the manticore explaining the rest of the house and giving them the tour. Before showing them the bedroom they each have, the girls thank him and each going into there own room, unpacking there stuff. Twilight excited for learning of the mark wielders. She slowly steps out of her room, finding Raidoku. He looks at her
"Yes?" he asks, twilight squees softly
"Can you..show me your mark weapon? I'm rather interested." She smiled
He scratches his cheek, before shrugging, "Yea, sure. Come out back." he walks out the backdoor, Twilight following him. Outdoor was a rather nice training area. She sat down against a fence, smiling. Rai holding out his arm, shutting his eyes as he focuses. Growling his mark begining to glow through his clothing. Soon enough a large blade forming. he pants and rests it against his shoulder, it being the size of a large great sword, showing his strength to wield such a weapon. Twilight gasps and walks over, studying it, studying the chain on the end of the handle, the sharpness
"Such powerful magic.." She smiled, "..can i hold it?"
Rai looks at her, slowly spinning it so the handle is towards her, she slowly took it. He let go, only for her to drop it, "GYEH!" she squeaks, unable to hold it up, it making a dent in the ground. he looks at her, lifting an eyebrow
"..." he helps her out, lifting it with one hand, "..No offence, but unicorns aren't known for there strength.."
She let out a pout, "..and Manticores aren't known for being so small and talkative.."
he snickers, "touché." He looks down at her, taking his weapon back.
Twilight looks at him "is there any other way i can study it with out breaking my spine?"
he thought for a moment, before stabbing into the ground "Go for it..don't break it..though it wont work and will regenerate in a few hours..but have fun." he left her outback, she smiled. using her magic to pop up a paper and a quill, squeeing as she began to test the blade, for it's magic properties. Giggling like a giddy school girl as she delves into her research, Dash watching her through a window. She opens it
"Twilight! by the look of the clouds it might rain!" she warns her friend. Twilight looks at her and smiled
"I'll put a magic bubble up, it'll stop the rain from touching me!" she smiled. Dash nodding and shutting her window, before going back to checking out the room for anything weird inside. Applejack sat in her room. Rarity in her own, although she was checking out the extra clothing that the home has, finding the fashion..Bleh. Although it began to rain quick, Twilight kept her magic bubble. Keeping herself dry. She smiled softly, continuing her study of the great blade.
In another room, sat a girl named Fluttershy. She sat wondering, she always was interested in animals, including manticores, even if they were more dangerous then normal. She sat up, shyly finding her way out of her new bedroom. She squeaked as she soon bumped into Doku downstairs. He looked down at her, being fairly tall. Being about six feet and four inches. She gulps and shiver softly. Why was she acting like this? A bigger Manticore was nothing before, yet Rai was a bit more, he was..More sentient, much like a pony, or dragon. She slowly looked up at him, she herself was tall, but only five foot eleven. He blinked
"Hi?" he says, in a somewhat questionable tone. Causing Fluttershy to let out a squeak, her big woolly sweater hiding her
"u-u-uhm..H-hi..." she blushed "m-My names... Fluttershy.."
his ears perk up and twitch from her name "uh? ..butterfly?"
She shook her head "N-no, F-fluttershy.." she blushed heavily, her normally yellow cheeks stained a bright pink.
He smiled "..Well, nice to meet you, Fluttershy. My names Raidoku, I think i said that, but is everything ok?"
She nodded quickly "Uhm..I was wondering if..um..I could know why you're..like what you are..? .....if thats ok with you..
Rai looked away, before he began explaining to her why he was like the way he is "When i was born, i was naturally less bulky then other manticore males. My father and mother thought it might be a good idea to..Teach me how to speak normally, like a pony..if they could conceal my tail, but, frankly i don't want to conceal my tail. I might not be a normal creature like you, or your nerdy friend. But i still walk, talk, feel."
Fluttershy smiled softly, nodding "t-thank you.." she spoke a wee bit louder. "I d-didn't mean to offend you if that happened.." she squees softly, Rai nodding softly
"yea..no problem. Listen, it's starting to get late, i'll start cooking dinner..you ponies are vegetarian, correct?" with that question, fluttershy nodded slowly,
"Y-Yes." She looks up at the tall manticore infront of her, squeeing softly. Rai nodded softly, before walking off, fluttershy tilting her head, before heading to her own new room. Hoping that Spike and the cutie mark crusaders are doing well with her animals. She knew they could do well.
Down below, Raidoku began to cook the dinner. Not sure on how these ponies would eat. but he got it down, making them some noodles and vegetables. He looked outside, via the window. Smiling as he saw some of the new mark wielders being trained. The teacher was a friend of rai's. A young ex-pirate by the name of Vladicarus. He stood happily, teaching the new recruits. Them going by the name, Aki, Luvia, Azure, and Daikerro.
Aki, was a young zebra boy. His fur a vibrant orange with blue strips. His mark lead him to the weapon of a katana, the pendant attached was that of a hydra's head. Showing that he had the fearsome personality of a hydra. He fought with strength and was also relentless.
The next markie. was Luvia, a young changling girl. Using her magic to control ice and water, her mark lead her to the weapon of a fencing sword. The pedant hanging down was that of an icicle shard. She would use her magic to conjure up icicles to distract her enemies
Azure. one of the hybrid markies. Had a bit of a different type of weapon. She had twin claws that she used to sash with. Her pendant was instead attached to her hands when she summoned her weapons. She was a fast fighter and a quick thinker. Although she could be overpowered by the right person.
Daikerro. He was a dragon that was precise and quick. His weaponry where a twin long swords. he could outspeed many opponents. Each swing hit where it should. Unless he was unlucky.
Vlad continues his lecture, Rai watching them from his home. Dai soon losing his focus and trailing his gaze over to the home, looking up at the window, noticing that the young rainbow dash had began changing. He blinks, staring. Dash unaware, although she didn't seem to mind even if she did notice. She would find it weird, but how could someone not stare at someone so awesome. Vlad, soon came aware to Dai's training. Frowning. He walked over to Dai and held his fist tight. Dai slowly looking over
"Wha-" his sentence was cut off short as he was blown back from Vlad's strike. He squeaked, smacking into a tree. Slowly falling, causing Aki and luvia to let out light snickers as Dai flops onto the ground, spirals in his eyes
"You can have time to oogle guys later, Daikerro. Now it's time for training." Vlad stated, with a rather calm tone in his voice.
Dai groaned. "Pretty sure thats a girl.." he slowly got back up, holding his stomach. Getting back into position with a light wobble.
Back inside the house, Rai snickers. shaking his head. "Silly boy." He had a feeling Dai was having a bit of a look-see. He shook his head. having a feeling that this was going to become a long few days.
Twilight sparkle sighed at excited sigh. She sat against the wall of her train seat as she excitedly awaited to meet the heros of the 'marks' beings that where extremely rare in equestria. Although her castle was at a point where it needed to be watched, she managed to get the princess to give her a watcher, who now kept over her castle while Twilight was out. She smiled softly at her friends, Pinkie jumping around with joy, as Rainbow snickers and watches her, these two where excited as well. Pinkie for the reasoning of new friends, parties. NEW PEOPLE!!! although Rainbow Dash's reason was for the glory of being the best in there country as well. She wasn't normally an arrogant girl, but today she was excited for a possible race. Rarity sighed softly, her legs crossed against eachother
"please, Pinkie.. Sit down for a few moments? bouncing around wont make it come quicker, darling.." She said softly, in her normal posh voice. She attempted to say it in the least rude way she could. She wished for pinkie to stop for the fact that it's starting to give rarity a headache. Pinkie stared at her, slowly stopping her bouncing
"i'msorryrarityi'mjustsoexcitedbuti'malsonervousi'mnervousexcited!!!" she said, although no one..could really understand here, AJ placed her hat over her head, letting out a soft groan
"Pinkie pie, ya'll need to slow yer talkin' down, sugarcube." she giggled softly. "Although ah do know yer excitement. Meeting new people is always a great thing to do." she smiled, Twilight softly clapping her hands, standing up.
"has anyone seen Fluttershy? i haven't seen her since we all got onto this train.." She frowns, worried for her friend.
Dash shrugged, Rarity softly saying "Yes, she went to the back of the train, something about birds flying by, i believe." she smiled, softly sipping her tea. Dash looked out her window, noticing a flock of birds fly by.
"..explains a lot." she relaxes, shutting her eyes with a soft yawn. "Twilight, how long will it take?"
Twilight thought for a moment, before smiling "About 2 hours, although i've set up someone to meet us!"
Dash smiled. "time for a nap." she falls asleep quickly, AJ going to check on fluttershy who was calmly watching the birds fly over the train. AJ smiled softly, and let her be with out interrupting her. she calmly sat down, and relaxed herself, the girls awaiting for the train to arrive.
