Twilight's First Foals -- Episode III -- The Three-Sixty-Fifth Parallel

Chapters

Chapter One -- Welcome to the Three-Sixty-Fifth
Chapter Two - Memories
Chapter Three - Just Not Our Cycle
Chapter Four - A Paine-ful Reunion
Chapter Five --- Challenge Complete | End All

Chapter One -- Welcome to the Three-Sixty-Fifth

“Prince Solaris, Prince Selene, we found an intruder on the premises,” a mare Unicorn guard said as she entered a throne room.

The room was pretty much barren with the exception of two Alicorn brother Princes sitting in separate thrones side by side; some torn flags hanging from the ceiling; a few pieces of a torn royal carpet that used to run along the length of the room; and lastly eight guards, two behind the princes, two along each of the sides of the room, and the final two on either side of the entrance, all mares.

“Get rid of them,” Prince Solaris boomed in a rough voice. His almost Black coat, Vibrant Blue sun talent mark, and flowing Crimson, Cobalt and Emerald mane and tail made him seem more intimidating than he truly was.

“Sir, the intruder bears your trophy mark as well as Prince Selene’s,” she stammered.

Instantly the brothers looked at each other in shock. “Take her to our room,” Prince Selene said in a guff voice. His Bright Red coat, almost White flank with a Black crescent moon talent mark, and flowing Light Red mane and tail made him seem much less intimidating than his brother.

“Sir, it’s a hermaphrodite,” she replied. “Also, it’s a Draconic Alicorn, a foal, and our magic doesn’t affect it.”

“What number does it’s dog tags read?” Solaris asked as he arched a brow.

“Number twenty-four dash eleven dash zero-three dash sixty-five, Sir,” she replied.

“Bring it in, posthaste,” Selene said in a near thundering voice.

“Yes, Sir,” she saluted before running out. “Why would they pick a hermaphrodite to be their trophy?” the mare wondered as she made he way through the almost empty castle. “Hardly seems it would be fair to have a half male-half female trophy while everypony else has trophies of only one gender.

She made her way down a flight of stairs and into the dungeon. All the cells were empty except one. It contained a monochrome Draconic Alicorn foal laying on the ground with shackles around each leg keeping it positioned in the middle of the room.

It’s coat and horns were Slate Grey, and the coat had patches of Black and White scales here and there and it had no talent mark. It’s mane was Black with White stripes, and it’s tail was longer than a normal pony’s and covered mostly in it’s hide with a Black and White tuft at the end of it. It’s wings had alternating Black and White primaries and secondaries. It’s eyes were of different colours, the left eye being entirely Black while the right was entirely White. It had small markings on each of it’s cheeks, one of a Vibrant Blue sun and one of a Black crescent moon. It wore two collars on its neck, one of solid gold and the other being solid gold with a crescent moon shaped Cobalt Gem. And lastly, it wore four solid gold leg rings, one around each leg, and two solid gold rings around the middle of it’s tail.

“Get up you wretched thing,” the guard said before kicking the cell door. It then rose and looked at the guard. “I’m coming in,” she started, “one wrong move and I’ll stab you.” As she finished her sentence a hidden blade came out of, and subsequently went back into, the gauntlet she wore on her front left hoof. It nodded then closed it’s eyes and stood perfectly still as the guard came in and removed the shackles. “Follow me,” she said.

They made their way through the dungeon and up the stairs. There, at the top of the staircase, three more guards joined them. The group made its way through the castle stopping before the door to the throne room.

The first guard knocked on the throne room door in a specific pattern and after five seconds it opened.

“Come in, we’ve been expecting you,” Prince Selene said with a dark smile as the guards brought it to the stairs in front of the Princes.

“Zi ehi ryd kyurk dy bciemohi ayo dnum duli, Prince Selene,” the Draconic Alicorn said in a double voice. The double voice consisted of a colt’s and a filly’s voices, they were previously known as the Metamagica Twins.

“Guards, leave us,” Solaris said before all the guards left the room.

“Contact, why will you not pleasure us? You’ve never objected to it before?” Selene asked as his voice began turning serious.

“We have come to finish a challenge proposed to us by our physical creators,” Contact replied. “Also, you know what the collars on our neck mean. We don’t think you’d violate such a promise.”

“Times have changed, Contact,” Solaris said. “We made sure that in this era there would be nothing stopping us from doing you.”

“You cannot do us without our consent and you know that,” Contact said as they struck a defensive pose.

“We know our magic is incomparable to yours,” Selene started, “but we aren’t the ones going to wear you out to the point of helplessness.”

“Then who are you going to use?” Contact asked as they lowered their defenses slightly.

“Us,” two voices said from behind them, one of a stallion and one of a mare.
The mare’s voice was familiar and instantly recognized as Chia, the Djinn. The stallion’s was not completely unfamiliar to them as they had heard it twice once before. They looked behind them to see Chia and a Draconic Alicorn stallion.

The Draconic Alicorn had a White mane with a Cobalt stripe. His coat and horns were Grey, and his caot had tiny patches of White and Cobalt scales here and there. The tuft of his tail was White and Cobalt. His eyes were Cobalt, his wings had alternating White and Cobalt primaries and secondaries. And, lastly, his cutie mark was of a lunar eclipse made by a gem shaped sun and planet.

“Chia, Lunair, why would you do this for them?” Contact asked.

“As the only one with power comparable to yours, I was selected to wear you down,” Chia said as she and Lunair came nearer to them.

“As leading researcher for the Arcane Faction, the process of the fourth most powerful creature being weakened appeals to my interests,” Lunair said.
“We’re not going to let you defile us,” Contact said before they flung a ring off their tail and into the air. The ring had a swirling purple void appear in it and it grew larger as it flew. It finally reached the size that a pony could pass through it as it began descending. It was about to land on Lunair before it froze in midair.

“I’ll not let you send him there,” Chia said as she held her front left hoof toward the ring. “Lunair, get back.”

“We can and will send him,” they said before jump-spinning and sending all the rings on them into the air. They all repeated the process the first ring underwent with the only difference being their approach to Lunair. They came at him from various angles. From the left, the right, the front, the back, and below; encasing him in an almost cube shaped trap.

“Either you leave us alone or we’ll send him to the Tech Faction Front,” they said upon landing. “We aren’t as violent as we used to be, but we will fight for our- Gah!” they said before being hit in the back of the head with a shock baton and falling to the floor unconscious. The rings around Lunair lost their power and returned to their normal size and state.

“Stupid foal,” Chia said as she looked down at them.

“Good work, Chia,” Solaris said as he rose from his throne. “You have now been promoted to Colonel.”

“Thank you, Sir,” she said.

“Ugh,” Contact groaned while they tried to awaken.

“This is very interesting,” Lunair said as he summoned a clipboard and pencil with Chaos Magic by snapping his claw. “It refers to itself in the plural and has a double voice. It can control those rings it wears without any visible signs of magic use. And it seems to be trying to force itself awake as if it were two minds inhabiting the same body,” he stated while making notes on the clipboard. “This is truly a scientific marvel!”

“Study while you can, Lunair, we’re on our way down,” Selene said as he and his brother made their way down.

“Ugh… I won’t… let that… happen!” Control said in their female voice. It then jolted up and opened it’s eyes to look at the princes. It’s eyes were now a different set of colours, the left now being Crimson and the right being Cobalt. The rings gained their power back, returned to their void like appearances, and their size increased to a size large enough to fit even Tirek of the normal dimension.

“Be gone!” Contact yelled in both anger and their double voice. The rings began flying toward each of the other four in the room, however, the only pony to disappear was Lunair. The other rings stopped above their targets. “You either leave us alone or we’ll send you three to the real void,” they said as the tension rose.

“Fine, you get what you wish for, so long as you return Lunair to the castle,” Solaris said as he and Selene backed away from them.

“We cannot bring Lunair back on account that our body’s existence hinges on him being taken prisoner by the Tech Faction,” Contact said in a slightly calmer tone.

“You will bring him back or I swear I’ll kill you!” Chia said in anger. The area around her began distorting as if her anger could twist reality itself.

“We cannot, as we told you-”

“You will!” she yelled as she charged at them.

The ring that was above her quickly dropped down on her causing her to disappear.

“We thought you were smart, Chia,” Contact said as they looked back in the direction of the fallen ring.

“And just where did you send her?” Selene asked as he looked at them.

“To a form of Varidia,” Contact said as the rings returned to them and their eyes returned to their monochrome state.

“Why? What do you have against her personally?” he asked.

“She doesn’t know it yet but you do,” Contact said as they looked directly at Prince Selene.

“The fact she will one day attempt to recreate the world into one of peace certainly is disturbing, but to take it personally is on another level entirely,” Solaris said as he looked at them.

“This is our world to protect when nopony else has the power to defend it,” they said in a slightly angered tone.

“Don’t start with us,” Selene said as he came nearer to them raising a hoof to hit them. When he swung they caught his hoof in their claw.

“You know not to get us mad,” they said as they twisted his hoof causing him much displeasure.

“Fine, I give, just don’t get mad again,” he said as he bowed his head.

“Forgiven, this time, don’t do it again,” they said as they let him go.

“Disgraceful,” Chia said as she came up behind Contact. “A Prince bowing to his trophy. You aren’t fit to lead a herd of cattle if that is the case.”

“Chia! What are you doing back here so soon?” Selene stammered nervously.

“If you think something that peaceful will throw my concentration for more than a minute you really are unfit to lead a herd of cattle,” she said.

“I just-”

“I know what you thought, there’s no use in trying to hide it,” she said.

“Enough arguing!” Contact yelled. “We know it’s this dimension’s natural law but still, something as small as a thought has no reason to be argued,” they said ending in a normal tone.

“Alright, but nopony should bow down to their trophy,” she said as she sneered at them.

“Duly noted,” they replied. “Now, Chia, do you want to see Lunair ever again?”

“Yes, but I’m not going to risk getting captured,” she replied.

“Fine, if he’s killed it’s not our fault,” they said. “We trust our room is available?” they asked as they looked at Solaris.

“Yes, it’s been ready since we built the place,” he replied before they began to walk away.

“Wait!” Chia called as she came near to them. “What must I do to get Lunair back?” she asked as she looked them in the eyes.

“…Get captured yourself,” they replied before resuming their walk to their room.

“How do you expect me to save him if I get captured myself?” she said. “If you are the fourth most powerful creature in the world, then you of all ponies should know they have been working on a serum to nullify my ability to concentrate.”

“We know,” they replied as they continued walking away.

“If they rape me I’m blaming you,” she yelled in anger at them.

“It wouldn’t be the first time somepony blamed us for something somepony else did to them,” they yelled back as they exited the throne room.

“What do you think you’re doing?” a guard said as she ran up on Contact with her hidden blade extended.

“Going to our room,” they said as they grabbed the mare’s hoof and removed the gauntlet with blinding speed.

“How did you…?!”

They continued their trek, and as they did, they passed several doors with socks on their nobs. The sounds coming out of those rooms were best left in them.

“Damn it. Why did they have to do this to us, Sol?” Lulu’s mind thought as they continued walking.

“Stay calm, you’re not the only one of us feeling hot,” Sol’s mind thought.

“We’re a walking ‘heat’ sync! How the Viridia do you expect me to keep calm?!” she replied.

“We’ll pleasure ourself when we get to our room,” Sol started. “Until then, try to keep your parts of our body under control.”

They continued down the hallway for a good thirty seconds before stopping in front of a door that was half Crimson and half Cobalt.

“Good, we’re here,” Lulu thought.

“Wait… I sense somepony,” Sol thought as they froze with their claw on the door handle. After a few seconds they burst into the room.

“We know what you’re going to say,” Chia said as she looked at them with what appeared to be a set of hoofcuffs in her hoof.

“And we’re not here to play,” Prysme said as he set a small whip down on the dresser across the room from the door.

“Then why are you here?” they asked as they walked over to the bed.

“This peaceful resolution bores us,” Chia started.

“We’d hoped you’d do some fighting for us,” Prysme finished.

“You said it yourselves, you’d rather settle this without violence,” they replied.

“What we said is we would not fight you,” Chia began again.

“And that is exactly what we’ll do,” Prysme continued.

“Fighting you now would break our word.”

“And during the fight, nature’s balance would be deterred.”

“So you would rather us go and fight for the Arcane Faction?” they asked.

“To that we say ‘yes’.”

“We advise you do your best.”

“Fine, but promise us this, we will not be violated.”

“You have our word.”

“Your collars’ promises will not be hurt.”

When they finished that last sentence, they disappeared in a flash of light.

“Great, now we literally have a war on our claws,” they mumbled to themself.

“Solair, Lunair, can you hear me?” a familiar voice resounded in their head.

“We hear you, Tia, what is it?” they thought as they looked upward.

“We just wanted you to know that today is Pipsqueak’s birthday,” Tia said.

“We wish him a happy birthday and Lulu wishes she was there with him on this occasion,” they started, “there is a gift for him under the bed we used while we lived with Twilight. Please give it to him with an expression of our happiness.”

“I will,” Tia said. “Don’t worry, the half year will pass faster the less you think about it.”

“Tia, we exist in and out of time,” they started, “Not thinking about time passing is impossible.”

“Just try not to let it bother you then,” she said. “I must go, the party starts in an hour. Take care you two.”

Author's Note

Two things:
First off, I wanna thank the admins and website creators for having such a great website.
Second:
So far I've had no complaints as to the fictional language I use in my stories, but in case someone actually wants to know what is said:
Visit this site to find out what is said.
This chapter only has one sentence that needs translated to be understood. In the future, you might not be so lucky.

Chapter Two - Memories

“Sure, by all means you can join the fight,” Solaris said as he looked at Contact from his throne. “Heh, we’ll even let you pick which front you go to.”

“What front we go to has no significance to us,” they replied.

“Fine, we’ll send you to the Chaos League Front,” Selene said.

“Fine, who will lead us?” they asked.

“Your leader will be Colonel Bloodrush,” Solaris said. “We will notify her before you leave.”

“Fine, we’ll wait in our room until we are told to leave,” they said before they began to leave the throne room.

“We didn’t say you could leave our presence,” Selene said as he rose from his throne.

“And how will you stop us?” they said as they turned to face Selene.

“Colonel Chia has gone missing,” Solaris said as he stood as well.

“And why should we be concerned?” they asked.

“Because, if history is any indication,” Selene started, “she has gone to the Tech Faction’s main base, F.F. Cloudsdale; has been captured; and is going to give them the Signet Case.”

“She did this on her own accord,” they replied. “Who are we to disrupt the flow of time beyond our Mother’s will?”

“You know very well what will happen if they get the Signet Case!” Solaris boomed. “You have to get it before she goes to the ‘Space-Between-Spaces’.”

“We will only do as our Mother wills,” they stated as they turned to leave.

“Fine, ask your Mother,” Selene sneered, “knowing her she’ll probably say leave it alone.”

“What she says is what will happen,” they said as they began walking away.

“Fine! You leave when the sun is in the North,” Solaris said before he took his seat.

“Remember, you’re now fair game when it comes to becoming somepony’s trophy,” Selene said before he used his magic to undo the mark he made on Contact’s cheek. His brother removed his soon thereafter.

“Fine by us,” they said as they exited the room.

“Brother, do you think they’ll mark us as ‘Male’ on the transfer papers?” Lulu asked as they walked back to their room.

“Most likely, after all, we do have a hermaphrodite body and Colonel Bloodrush is a mare,” Sol said as they rounded a corner.

“Do you think the Djinns will keep their word?” Lulu asked.

“I personally don’t count on it,” he replied as they began down the hall to which their room was connected.

“You! Foal with no trophy mark. Come here!” A unicorn stallion said as he looked out his door.

“Om?” they said as they pointed to theirself.

“Don’t start meditating on me! Get in here!” he said with an angered tone.

“Zna dy ayo zerd om?” they asked as the continued walking past the door the stallion was looking out of.

“I said get in here!” he said as he tried to use magic on them but failed.

“Magic doesn’t work on us, Brood-Stal,” they said as they turned around and looked at him. “Learn your opponent before engaging in any sort of action with them.”

“So you do speak Equestrian!” he said in shock.

“Just leave us alone if you value living,” they said as they walked away.

“Glad we averted that fight,” Lulu said as they neared their room.

“Let’s just go in get our stuff together and take a quick rest,” Sol said as they opened the door.

“Good I was expecting to see you walk in at any second,” Chia said in a calm tone.

“Chia! What the Viridia are you doing here?” they asked.

“I’m here to give you something you asked for in the future,” she said as she held out a cloth pouch. “These are your Blocked Temporal Memories. They’re necessary for the future to come out the way it does where I’m from.”

“Um… Thanks?” they said nervously as they took the pouch.

“Don’t mention it,” she said as she smiled. “It’s because of you two that our world will be at constant war.”

With that final sentence, she disappeared in a vortex of light. After she left, the vortex closed.

“Temporal Memories?” Sol wondered.

“She seemed so cheery,” Lulu thought. “I’ve never seen her like that.”

“Are you even listening?” Sol asked.

“Of course I am. We are in the same body after all,” Lulu replied.

“Do you have any idea what these are?” Sol asked as they looked in the pouch.

“I’ve never seen them,” Lulu replied as they reached in and pulled out a Cobalt orb. “She said they were memories, does that mean we put them to our head?”

“We can see if that’ll work,” Sol said before they did as Lulu suggested.

When the orb touched their head it was absorbed and Lulu had a flashback.

“I hope the other’s don’t mind my staying away from the dance floor,” Lulu thought as she pet Spike and watched the students of Canterlot High have a Pre-Graduation Party.

“Excuse me,” said a male with bright orange skin and blue hair as he walked up to her. “Um… Would you like to… you know… dance?”

“Sunset put you up to this didn’t she?” Lulu asked as she looked up at him.

“N-no, I came by choice,” he said.

“You’re not a very convincing liar, Flash,” she replied.

“Okay, maybe she did ask me to do this, but I’m also doing this because I feel like you’re unsure as to who really trusts you,” he replied.

“I’d rather not,” she said, “I don’t want to wake Spike.”

“Oh, uh, I’ve been awake the whole time,” Spike said as he hopped off her lap.

“Some help you are,” she replied.

“Please, Lunair?” Flash asked one final time.

“Alright, but only to humor Sunset,” she replied.

Flash then gave her a hand to pull herself out of her seat and they walked to the middle of the dance floor. When they found a spot to start dancing a slow song started to play.

“This is my first time trying to dance,” she said.

“It’s simple, follow my lead,” he said.

She tried her best, only fumbling up a few times. After the song was finished, they walked out of the gym and into the moonlit exterior of the school grounds.

“I did awful,” she said as she leaned against the guardrail just outside the gym.

“That was pretty good for a first try, Lunair,” he said as he looked at her.

“I messed up several times,” she insisted.

“I counted three mess-ups and none of them were major,” he said trying to make her feel better.

“You’re just saying that,” she said as she hung her head.

He lifted her head by the chin and made her look at him before he spoke. “No, I mean it,” he said before letting go of her chin. “There was a girl named Twilight Sparkle, not the one that’s inside the gym right now, but one from another world. I danced with her at the fall formal. You should have seen the way she danced. She was on her hands and knees dancing, I had never seen anything like it before.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Yeah, you can ask anyone in the school, even Sunset,” he said as his cheeks turned a bit redder.

“You said she came from another world. What did you mean by that?” she asked.

“She came from a place called ‘Equestria’ or something like that,” he said. “The moment I found out she was a princess I freaked.”

“Maybe I’ll meet her one day,” she said.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “The only way to get to Equestria from here is through the statue out front, but it’s against school rules.”

“Oh, okay,” she replied before she looked up at the moon. “Flash, can I tell you something that I’ve only told Sunset, her friends, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna?”

“Sure, what is it?” he asked.

Sigh “-I’m not entirely human,” she said.

“I already knew that,” he started. “You beat six Djinns in a power fight by yourself. I’d have to say there is no way you’re human.”

“No, that’s not what I mean,” she said as she looked at him. “They were the ones that made me. Or at least my body. I am the daughter of an angel and he who sits at the right hand. I’m no where near human.”

“What do you mean ‘an angel and he who sits at the right hand’?” he asked in confusion.

“I’ll show you,” she said before they departed for the library.

When they made it to the library, they ascended the stairs and went to the ‘religion’ section of the library. Lulu searched the section for a specific book. When she found it, she brought it downstairs where there was better lighting.

The book’s cover was white and read: ‘Nyca Pyyg’. She flipped to the back of the book where there were some pages with no writing on them. She held her right hand over the pages and they began to glow a Light Blue.

When the light died down, there was blue writing on the page that read:

-“The Book of the Era Eclipse

-“1.In the end of the First Era, six beings of great power will create vessels for the daughters of an angel and he who sits at the right hand. When this comes to be, a great struggle to protect the world from darkness will begin.

-“2.During the struggle, eight creatures of immense power will fall. Four creators and four vessels.

-“3.After the first two struggles, the daughters belonging to those eras will find one they love and spend the remaining time they have with them.

-“4.Before the third struggle, the daughter belonging to that era will find someone she loves and be challenged to take her true form.
-“5.When the first two meet the one they will call ‘Lover’, a light from the moon will beam down upon them and my voice will resound around them saying:-”-

“This is my Granddaughter, in whom I am greatly pleased,” a male’s voice resounded around them.

Flash looked at Lunair and saw she was covered in the moon’s light. “So, you are…”

“Yes,” she replied before he could finish.

“Lunair, I… I love you,” he said as he looked at her.

They stared at each other for a few minutes before hugging each other. They then pulled their heads away just enough to see each others’ face before they kissed.

“Flash,” Lulu thought.

“Flash? Flash Sentry? That pegasus guard from the Crystal Empire or the alicorn leader of the Chaos League?” Sol asked as if he were unable to see what she had seen.

“Neither,” she replied. “The human from the first era. Do you not remember?”

“I know who you’re thinking about but what did he do?” Sol asked.

“You don’t remember?” Lulu asked in stressed tone.

“No, honestly I don’t,” he replied.

“We… I kissed him…” she said as her tone saddened.

“How could you kiss him without me knowing? We’re connected mentally and we always have been,” Sol asked in confusion.

“We must not have been connected,” she said as they picked out another memory, this time a Crimson one, and repeated the process. When they put it to their head, Sol had a flashback.

“Angel come back with those keys!” Solair yelled as he chased after Angel, Fluttershy’s pet rabbit, near the edge of Everfree Forest.

“Angel, if you come back with my keys, um, I’ll fix you a special dinner,” Fluttershy called quietly. “Um, anything you want, I’ll fix it.”

Angel stopped for a second, looked back, and stuck his tongue out while holding down one of his lower eyelids with his paw.

“Why you little…” Solair said as he picked up speed getting ever closer to the rabbit.

“Wait!” Fluttershy called before tripping over a rock. “Ouch!” she yelled quietly when she caught herself as she fell.

“Flutters!” he said before jumping into the air, opening his wings, gliding into a u-turn and running to Fluttershy. “Are you okay?” he asked as he helped her up.

“I-” sniffle “-I’ll be fine,” she sobbed as they looked at her bleeding hands.

“Come on, let’s get this tended to,” he said as he picked her up and flew them to his house. When they got there, he set her in a loveseat on his porch. “I’ll be right back with some first-aid supplies,” he said before going into his house.

“Oh, Angel, I know you didn’t want me to get hurt,” she mumbled as she looked at her hands.

“Okay, I’ve have some Rubbing Alcohol, some paper towelettes, and some medical gauze,” Solair said as he came out with the aforementioned supplies.

He put a paper towelette on the table on his porch, held one of her hands over the paper towelette, opened the Rubbing Alcohol, and poured a little of the liquid on it. The solution then began reacting with the dirt and germs causing a stinging sensation in her hands.

“It hurts!” she cried as he jerked her hand away.

“Flutters, it’s rubbing alcohol, it’s going to hurt,” he replied. “The stinging sensation means that it’s working.”

“Well, I just… haven’t used it before,” she responded as she gave him back her hand.

“Flutters, you use it all the time when one of the animals around town needs a wound cleaned,” he started before he poured a little more on her hand. “I’m surprised you haven’t needed to use it on yourself after all this time.”

“Well, that’s because the animals don’t hurt me when I use it on them,” she said

“Well, that hand looks clean, what do you say, Doc.?” he asked as he looked at her.

“It looks clean enough,” she replied after carefully looking at her hand. “I hope it doesn’t stain my hands Red,” she said nervously.

“If it does, it won’t be for more than a few weeks,” he started as he picked up the gauze. “Now, if I wrap your hand incorrectly, you’ll tell me, won’t you?” he asked before she nod and he began wrapping gauze around her hand.

“No, you wrap that hand counterclockwise,” she said gaining his attention.

“You’re the doctor,” he told her before unravelling what he had already wrapped and proceeding to wrap her hand counterclockwise.

“You know the rabbit is faster than the catcher,” she said before making a few soft laughs.

“Haha, you’re right,” he replied before he finished wrapping her hand. “Now, on to the next one,” he said before she gave him her other hand.

“Sol, you never really told me where you come from,” she said trying to get him to tell her.

“I told you and the others, my body comes from the magic of another world,” he replied before he poured some Rubbing Alcohol on her hand. “It was crafted by the ones I have fought to protect that world from.”

“I know where your body comes from,” she started after wincing in pain, “but where do you come from?” she asked trying to give him a clue as to what she meant.

“Look, I’d rather not talk about it,” he replied in a depressed tone.

“Please?” she asked as she used her wrapped hand to turn his face toward hers.

“Oh, alright,” he started as he began to wrap her other hand, “I’ll tell you after wrap this hand, okay?”

“Okay,” she said.

“Looking back now, I should have wrapped your fingers up as well,” he teased as he finished wrapping her other hand.

“I know you wouldn’t have, Sol,” she said after a short giggle.

“How do you know?” he asked truly curious as to her answer.

“Because you like me, don’t you?” she asked before she giggled once more.

“That’s for me to know, and none of your friends to find out… yet,” he stated before kissing the back of her hand.

“Oh, you said you were going to tell me where you come from,” she stated before he stood up.

“So I did,” he started, “Let me go get my Biography,” he finished before going into his house.

“You already have someone working on your Biography?” she asked in a curious tone.

“No, it’s already complete,” he replied as he came out with a book with a Black cover that read: ‘Ornyca Pyyg’.

He opened the book and flipped to the back where there were some pages without writing on them. He held his left hand over the pages and they began to glow a Dark Red.

When the light died down, there was Red writing on the page that read:

-“The Book of the Era Eclipse

-“1.In the end of the First Era, six beings of great power will create vessels for the sons of a demon and she who sits at the left hand. When this comes to be, a great struggle to protect the world from light will begin.

-“2.During the struggle, eight creatures of immense power will fall. Four creators and four vessels.

-“3.After the first two struggles, the sons belonging to those eras will find one they love and spend the remaining time they have with them.

-“4.Before the third struggle, the son belonging to that era will find someone he loves and be challenged to take his true form.

-“5.When the first two meet the one they will call ‘Lover’, a light from the sun will beam down upon them and my voice will resound around them saying:-”-

“This is my Grandson, in whom I am greatly pleased,” a female’s voice resounded around them.

Fluttershy looked at Solair and saw that he was covered in a bright light from the sun.

“So, you’re-”

“Yes,” he responded cutting her off.

“I want to be with you forever,” she said before they hugged each other.

“You will,” he said before they gave each other a kiss.

“Flutters,” Sol thought.

“Let me guess, roughly the same happened between you two as well?” Lulu asked.

“Yes, second era though,” he replied.

“There are still a few memories left in the pouch, but the sun is in the Northwest,” Lulu said as they looked out their bedroom window to see the sun and moon in the ever twisting sky. “We had better prepare ourself.”

“Yes, let’s,” Sol agreed as they closed the pouch.

They picked a saddlebag out of the closet and put the following in it: An oddly shaped Gray glass bottle that had a decorative, rose blossom shaped glass cork atop it and three Gold rings fit tightly around its neck, called the Relic Bottle; a crystal flask containing a Gray liquid, Called the Spirit Dew Flask; a Gold locket that had a Gray crystal with a pattern in it that resembled two crossed horns in a power struggle, called the Contactium Locket; a Gray bangle with the same design on it as the one in the crystal locket, called the Contactium Bangel; and a Gray orb, bound to a neck chain, with an ‘Alpha’ symbol merged with a ‘Delta’ symbol and an ‘Omega’ symbol in it, called the Grey Orb.

“That’s all our relics,” Sol thought.

“Let’s go see Solaris and Selene,” Lulu thought before they departed for the throne room.

*********

“I’ve sent the transfer papers to your new C.O.,” Solaris started. “She expects you there in two minutes.”

“Fine we’ll leave now,” they said as they tossed a ring off their tail. The ring grew to a size that they could pass though and a swirling purple void appeared in it.

They passed through the ring and ended up about three miles from the Chaos League Front. As soon as the ring returned to them, they heard a whistling sound above them. They looked up and saw a bomb Fifty meters above them.

“Hello!” an Earth-pony stallion soldier said after seemingly appearing from nowhere. His coat was Dark Red, his mane and tail were White, and his eyes were Dark Yellow. He wore a Black suit of armour with a Maroon coloured energy pulsing through it. “Uh, I might wanna get us outta here, right?” he said before he grabbed them and they teleported about thirty meters away.

The bomb landed right were they had stood before and exploded causing debris to fly everywhere.

“I’d stay away from the front lines if I was you, kid. Ya might end up lookin’ like dat dirt patch back dere,” he said. “Why ya out here anyway? A foal your age shouldn’t be nowhere near the front lines.”

“We’ll use my voice,” Sol thought.

“Agreed,” Lulu responded.

“I was looking for my C.O.,” they said in Sol’s voice.

“Who’s your C.O.?” he said as he pulled what looked like a baseball bat handle off the back of his armour.

“Colonel Bloodrush,” they replied.

“Ha! As if!” he replied as he pressed a button on the handle and a beam of Maroon energy extended out of it. “She’s my C.O. and the only new memba we got transfer papers for ’s a mare. You’re a… whatever the heck you are. Ya ain’t a mare, that’s for sure.”

“Well, that certainly is a surprise,” Sol thought.

“ Why would they do that?” Lulu asked.

“I haven’t a clue,” Sol responded.

“May I have your name?” they asked.

“That depends, who’s side ya on?” he asked before the beam of energy went back into the handle and he put it back on his armour.

They then saluted him and began to recite the Arcane Pledge:

“Upon the Princes’ fighting word
My strength shall not be deterred
Until the world is born again
I will defend them the best I can
In our Faction’s darkest hour
I will give them all my power
The Arcane Faction and it’s walls
I will protect until I fall”

“Okay, dat’s good ‘nough for me,” he said. “My name’s Temporal Break, code name: Tracin’ Scouta. Let’s get you to my unit to see if we can’t find your real C.O.”

They then teleported several times before his suit ran out of energy. The glowing lines of energy on it flickered a few times before fading away entirely.

“Good news is: We’re only two kilometers from the base,” he started. “Bad news is: I just ran out of powa and we need to wait for my suit to charge back up.”

“Well at least we’re further away from the front lines,’ they said.

“So, how did a little foal like you get all the way out there?” he asked as they continued to the base on hoof.

“I don’t really remember how I got there,” they replied.

“Do you remember anythin’?” he asked.

“No, I guess I’m unsure that any of my memories are true,” they replied.

“Well, only a few more seconds and my energy should be back enough for us to go faster,” he said.

“I want to see if one of my memories is true,” they started. “Will you help me test it?”

“What’s it?” he asked as he looked down at them.

“Well, in my memories, I was able to make a rift in Space-Time using my rings,” they said. “I want to see if it’s true, and if it is, I’d like you to test it.”

“Well, alright, but if I get hurt, you’ll be buying my Epona-Colas for the next tree weeks, understood?” he asked.

“Fine by me,” they said.

They then tossed a ring off their tail and the rift was made. This astonished Scouter as he hadn’t really seen this before.

“I’ve heard of somepony dat could do dis a long time ago, but I wasn’t ever able to meet ‘em,” he said.

“Well, are you going to try it?” they asked.

The energy in his suit began shining again causing him to take notice. “Well, now dat I know if something goes wrong I can get back, why the heck not?” he said before jumping into the void.

After he completely passed through, they closed the rift. After that, they pulled out their flask and took a sip of the liquid inside.

“We’ll take your form and voice now, sister,” Sol thought.

“I know, we have to,” Lulu replied.

After they swallowed the liquid their body began to glow and began changing shape a small bit. Their mane and tuft on their tail turned Cobalt and White, their coat grew darker, and their body became completely female.

“Now it is our turn to get to the base,” Lulu thought.

After closing their flask and putting it back in their saddlebags, they then opened the rift again and passed through. When they arrived they saw Five ponies looking at them.

The only one they recognized was Scouter, the others they had not seen before. The first was a unicorn mare. She had a Dark Red coat, Basic Black and Bright White jagged mane and tail. She wore a metallic mask over her muzzle concealing even her eyes. And finally, her armour was White and Deep Blue and had the number Sixty-Seven engraved on the right side of the chestplate.

The second was a unicorn stallion. He had a Pine Green coat, Clover Green mane and tail, and Light Red eyes. What he wore was a suit of Black armour with mechanical wings that had glowing blue feather-like lights coming from them.

The third unknown figure was a unicorn. It’s entire figure was covered in a Bright White cloak, a Cosmic Black kabuki mask with a Light Blue scar mark over the left eye. It also had a Gray mist coming from the eyes of it’s mask, and the only part of it’s body that was not covered was a piece of it’s curved Light Gray horn.

The final figure was an Earth-pony stallion. his coat was Grass Green and his mane and tail were Blood Red. He wore a pair of glasses and a stetson hat. He also carried a Mach Twelve Rail-Rifle. Basically a rail gun used for sniping.

“Who’s zhe stutfohlen?” the stallion with mechanical wings asked.

“My name is-”

“Lunair?” Scouter asked.

“N-no, it’s Contact, codename: War-Keeper,” they said in Lulu’s voice.

“Ah so you’re the transfer,” the mare with the Sixty-Seven armour said. “To be honest I expected somepony… older and more capable. I’m Colonel Bloodrush, codename: Sixty-Seven. This is Tracing Scouter, Merciful Medic, Grim Reaper, and Sniping Widower. Codenames of course,” she said pointing to each one respectively.

“Thank you for the introductions, Ma’am, but with all do respect, I am much, much older than I look, and I am the most powerful pony in Equestria,” they said.

“Bah, lies,” Grim said in a mare’s voice as she looked down at them. “How can such a small filly be more powerful than a trained fighter, let alone the princes?”

“Use magic on me and I’ll show you I’m the most powerful creature,” they said.

“Ha, this is going to be fun,” she said before trying to lift them with a levitation spell. Her Gray aura appeared around them but could not lift them.

“Are you purposefully screwing up, Grim?” Medic asked.

“Can it, Medic, or I’ll perform surgery on you,” she replied.

“Let me try,” Bloodrush said before she tried the same type of spell. Her Sea Blue aura appeared around them and she yielded the same results as Grim. “Okay, foal, what’s the trick?”

“No trick, Ma’am,” they said. “Since I am of a higher level of magic than you, your magic has no affect on me.”

“Unmöglich,” Medic said. “All Draconic Alicorns have magic effect zhem. Magic hurts zhem more zhan any ozher veapon.”

“I’m not a Draconic Alicorn,” they said. “I’m a Demon.”

“Wait just a second ‘ere,” Scouter said as he held a hoof in front of him and made a few motion silencing everypony else. “Ma’am, permission to speak with War-Keeper in private?”

“Not yet, Scouter,” Bloodrush said as she held a hoof up to silence him. “What do you mean: ‘A Demon’?” she asked them.

“What I mean is just what I said,” they started. “I come from the lowest depths of Tartarus for the sole purpose of helping the Arcane Faction.”

“Uh-huh,… Anypony else believe this?” Grim asked as she looked around at the others gaining no response. “Thought so.”

“Scouter, your request to speak with War-Keeper has been Granted,” Bloodrush said before Scouter grabbed Contact and teleported them a kilometer away. “Maybe he can talk some sense into that filly,” she said as she looked at them from a distance.

“How the heck do you not remember me?” Scouter asked as he looked at them.

“Look, I don’t know who you think I am, but you are mistaken,” they replied.

Suddenly a flash bright light appeared near them leaving a mare zebra with a horn behind.

“Colonel Chia, what are you doing here?” they asked in shock.

“Contact, look in the pouch I gave you, there is one White orb in there, absorb it,” she said before disappearing in another flash of light.

“You are who I thought ya are,” he said. “Dat Djinn dat spoke to ya gave me the proof.”

“Look, since you know me but I don’t know you, yet, keep your knowledge of me to yourself,” they said before pulling the White orb out of the cloth pouch given to them. They then put it to their head and absorbed it prompting a flashback to occur for Lulu.

“I’m nervous, Solaris,” Lulu said as she stood outside the doors to a Marriage Hall in the Arcane Faction’s main Fortress of Canterlot. She wore a Black dress with places for her wings to come out, a veil over her face, and she held a bouquet of Black roses.

“Don’t be, this is a rare time, a time for joy as opposed to sorrow and grief,” he replied. He wore a Black tuxedo with matching tie.

Suddenly, they heard the “Wedding March’ play from a pipe organ inside the hall. “It is time,” Solaris said before taking her arm, opening the door, and slowly walking down the aisle with her. When they reached the end of the aisle, he departed from her and she continued to the altar.

When she arrived at the altar she looked to her right and saw Temporal Break before facing the priest. Temporal wore his armour as it was the one thing keeping him in the boundaries of time.

“Dearly beloved,” the priest started, “we are gathered here this cycle in the sight of the Goddess to witness the binding of these two souls by the bonds of matrimony. Before their vows are said, is there anyone here who disagrees with their decision? If so, speak now or be forever silenced…” There was a moderate pause before he continued. “Well then, do you, Lunair Solstice, take this man, Temporal Break, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and hold in health and sickness, in wealth and poverty, in peace and war, ‘till death do you part?” he asked as he looked at Lunair.

“Affirmative,” she said as she nod slightly before glancing at Temporal.

“And do you, Temporal Break, take this woman, Lunair Solstice, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and hold in health and sickness, in wealth and poverty, in peace and war, ‘till death do you part?” he asked as he looked at Temporal.

“I do,” he replied gaining some awkward stares from the others in the room. “I mean: Affirmative,” he said correcting himself.

“Please exchange your rings,” he said.

Lunair then slipped a solid Gold wedding band on Temporal’s right ring finger and Temporal slipped solid Gold ring with a Diamond on it onto Lunair’s right ring finger.

“By the power given to me by the Princes of the Arcane Faction, bestowed upon them by the Goddess, I now pronounce you man and wife,” he said. “You may kiss the bride.”

Temporal then lifted the veil that was in front of Lunair’s face and kissed her.

“Temporal… I… I hadn’t known…” Lulu said quietly in confusion as tears came to their eyes.

“Now do ya remember me?” he asked.

“Yes, but I must tell you something,” they said.

“What’s it?” he asked.

“Lunair isn’t the only one in this body,” they said in Sol’s voice.

“What the Viridia?!!” he exclaimed in shock.

“I’m Lunair’s brother,” they said. “My name is Solair. I’m the one of us two that comes from this dimension.”

“You live the same body?” he asked.

“Not by choice,” they said in their combined voice. “We were given a hermaphrodite body when we entered this dimension less than two cycles ago.”

“Wait, Lunair, do ya remember what happened to ya before ya died in the last era?” he asked with a confused look about his face.

“No, she didn’t die in any era,” they said. “If she had, she wouldn’t be able to speak to you now.”

“Ya died in my arms, I’m pretty sure I’d’a known if ya died,” he said.

“Then it wasn’t her,” they said.

He then tapped a button on his armour which began to play a recording of Lunair saying: “I loved every minute of knowin’ ya. Don’t ever forget me. Tell my brotha Sol… I had fun in his world.”

“I’ll never forget dat day because dat day was the day I found out she was expectin’,” he said.

“Impossible,” they said. “The only stallions we’ve know are the Princes of the Arcane Faction. That was eons ago, and we never conceived a child.”

“Most likely ‘cause ya were a… whateva the heck ya said ya were,” he said.

“Still, we have no memory of her bearing a child,” they said.

“Dat doesn’t matter, the thing dat matta’s is she’s back and when you’re old ‘nough, and you two get separated from each otha, we can get married again,” he ranted.

“No you two cannot,” they said. “She has somepony she loves in the dimension she comes from. And Solair also has somepony he loves in the same dimension.”

“I ain’t losin’ you again, Lunair,” he said before attempting to knock them unconscious only to have them stop every attempt he made causing him to run out of energy in his suit.

“You can’t stop us, Temporal,” they said.

“Fine, ya win, but I ain’t givin’ up ‘till I’ve got Lunair back,” he said.

They then used their rings to teleport them back to the base camp.

“So what did you two talk about?” Widower asked with a smirk on his face.

“Don’t play foal with me, Widowa,” Scouter said as he pulled a microphone off his armour, “I know you shot a wia at my arma.”

“Well, la-ti-da, somepony has an attitude,” he said.

“It’s bad ‘nough ya got cameras hidden in Grim’s room dat watch ‘er when she’s undressed,” he said instigating a fight between the two.

“What!” she said as the mist around her eyes flared.

“Did you have to say that?” he asked as he started running away.

“Get back here you Brood-Stal!” she exclaimed before a White mist appeared around her and she started moving at a speed twice as fast as Widower.

“You two cool it,” Bloodrush called. “Damn it, this team grows more and more unorganized with each passing month.”

“I can fix that, Ma’am,” Contact said in their female voice.

“How? You’re not but a foal,” she asked.

“Watch,” they said as they tossed both of the rings off their tail and made Grim and Widower walk through them.

“Ha! You’re mine now, Brood-Stal!” Grim said as she charged at Widower.

Before she could lay a hoof on him, Contact rushed between them and cause them to lose focus. “Look at you,” they said. “Arguing like foals over who is father’s favorite. What would the Princes say?”

They looked at each other and pondered for a second before Widower spoke. “We should not argue over something trivial,” he said.

“Agreed, let’s work together to fight our common enemies,” Grim said as she lost her anger and the mist around her eyes returned to a more natural state.

“Good, now how about we all train and try to work together as a team?” they asked.

“I think that would be a great idea,” Bloodrush said before looking over to Medic. “Medic, contact Canterlot Fortress and request permission for a Two week training break.”

“No need, they gave me authority to give any training necessary for any length of time,” Contact said.

“Um, should I still contact Canterlot Fortress?” Medic asked in confusion.

“Uh… Negative,” Bloodrush said after looking back and forth between Medic and Contact during a short pause. “Uh, War-Keeper let’s get training underway.”

Author's Note

Will post the next chapters on the first of every other month starting with this one. Check back 6-1-17 at 12:00 for the next chapter in this series.

Chapter Three - Just Not Our Cycle

“Widowa, you got a visual on the target?” Temporal asked as he held a hoof to his communicator.

“Affirmative, target is on the third floor, room 365,” he replied as he looked at a Gray briefcase through the scope on his rifle. “Sixty-Seven, what course of action should I take?”

“Keep your sights on it and don’t let the enemy notice you,” she said before she jumped from a nearby roof and landed on the target building. “Grim, cover me.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” she said as she made a White mist appear around her and she hovered over to the target building from the same building as Widower. “I’m almost there.”

“Grim, behind ya!” Temporal called as he saw a Gray figure pass behind her.

She turned around after landing on the building and saw nothing. “Switching to thermal,” she said as she tapped the mask she wore with her hoof. She looked all around her but saw no trace of anypony having been near her.“I’ve got nothing,” she said.

“Could'a swore I saw somethin',” he said in confusion.

“Keep your chatter to a minimum, we don’t want to give away our positions,” Bloodrush said as she picked the lock on the rooftop entrance. “We’re in,” she said before entering the building. “Grim, follow.”

“Affirmative,” she replied as she backed into the building.

“Scouter, get inside and check for hostiles,” Bloodrush said. “Oh, and set your trackers, I’d hate to lose a good soldier like you.”

“Nah, takes too long,” he replied as he teleported through a window on the third floor.

“Scouter, set your damn trackers,” she repeated in anger.

“I’ve got the case,” he said as he tapped his gauntlet. “Tracka’s set,” he said before preparing to teleport.

“Hold it, Scouter, I’ve got something on infrared,” Widower said as he saw a weirdly shaped object behind Temporal’s tracking emitter.

Temporal turned around to see an odd Draconic Alicorn-like creature. Its forelegs were severed from its primary body without any signs of dismemberment or surgery and there was nothing past the middle of its barrel. Its mane was White and Cobalt while its coat was Dark Gray. It wore a solid Gold collar and a solid Gold collar with a crescent moon shaped Cobalt gem attached to it. There was a ring around its barrel where its body stopped, and there was a ring on each of its horns. The forelegs were nothing more than the middle of the forearm to the claw. Each forearm was cone shaped and had a rounded Cobalt tip.

“What the heck?” he asked as he looked at the creature.

The creature took one of the rings off its horns and tossed it in front of it. The ring grew to a size big enough for the briefcase Temporal had to go through.

“I’ll take that,” it said in a female voice as it grabbed the briefcase through the ring with its right claw. “Hehe, catch me if you can!” she said as she put her ring back on and quickly hovered away.

“Why you little-”

“Scouter, what the Viridia?” Widower asked.

“Sorry, I’ll get the case back,” he replied.

“Negative,” Bloodrush said as she made her way down a stairwell with Grim following close behind. “I’ll get it. I don’t want it lost again.”

“But, Ma’am-”

“Don’t ‘But, Ma’am,’ me, Scouter,” she said as she rushed past the room he was in.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said before teleporting to Widower. “Are ya still trackin’ ‘er?” he asked.

“Yeah, she’s on the fifth floor now, why?” he stated.

“You’ll see,” he said before teleporting to the rooftop of the target building.

“Scouter, get back here!” Widower called.

“Negative. I’m gonna get dat case back,” he said before entering the building through the rooftop entrance and quickly making his way to the fifth floor.

“Sixty-Seven, Scouter has disobeyed orders and has gone to get the case,” Widower said.

“Damn it, Scouter!” Bloodrush yelled over her communicator.

“What’cha lookin’ at?” the creature said spooking Widower.

He turned to his right to see her less than two decimeters away from him. “What the Viridia?” he said before firing a few shots in her direction.

Every shot missed because she used her rings to make Space-Time Rifts so that the bullets would miss her.

“You’re mean!” she said before going through the ring herself and making it vanish after she had gone completely through.

“Widower, I heard you fire a few rounds, are you alright?” Bloodrush asked.

“Yeah, but she was just here,” he said. “She spooked me. I fired a few rounds. She disappeared. End of scenario,” he finished.

“Do you have the case?” she asked.

“Negative,” he replied.

“Everypony, find her!” she said in anger.

“Yes, Ma’am,” her soldiers replied simultaneously.

Widower kept his position and began sweeping the building with his infrared scanner. Temporal kept teleporting through the building until his energy ran out only to let it recharge and repeat the process. Grim began concentrating on searching the first, second, and third floors. Bloodrush focused on searching the fourth and fifth floors as well as the roof. And Medic kept his position on a rooftop about Twenty-Five meters away from the target building.

“Hello, Sir,” the creature said as she appeared near Medic.

“Vhy, hello zere, stutfohlen,” he said . “Is zhere somezhing I can do for you?”

“Yeah, you seem nice, watch this case while I go stir up trouble,” she said as she set the case down near him.

“Certainly,” he said before dashing at her and knocking her to the ground.

“Owwee!” she said as tears came to her eyes while she tried to lift herself off the ground. “That hurt!”

“Vell I’m still not done vizh you yet,” he said before kicking her over and over.

“Stop! It hurts!” she cried as she tried to roll away.

“I’m not going to let you go just yet, stutfohlen,” he said before kicking her in the back of the neck and knocking her out.

*********

“Ugh,” the creature said as she slowly opened her eyes.

“…ya could’a at least let her up enough to get away!” she heard Temporal exclaim.

“Look, she’s waking up,” she heard Grim say.

Her vision was still blurry and she ached all over. “Wh… Why?” she said weakly as her eyes tried to adjust to the amount of light her surroundings gave off.

“What? What did you say?” she heard Bloodrush ask.

“Why? Why… hurt… me?” she said a little louder than last time before her eyes became used to the light around her.

“Why hurt you?” she asked before the creature nod once. “You heard the question, Medic, why did you hurt her as bad as you did?” she said in anger.

As Bloodrush asked the question, the creature turned her head to face a mirror and saw that her body was covered in bruises.

“I just vanted to see if I could find her-”

“Dat’s enough, Medic!” Temporal said in anger. “It’s bad enough ya hurt ‘er dat much in the first place, but to try to rape ‘er? Dat’s on a whole new level ’a stupid.”

“Vhat? You vould have vanted to do zhe same,” he replied.

“I wouldn’t’a done dat!” he replied in anger. “I would'a just knocked ‘er out and took the case. Nothin' more.”

“Yeah, and my codename is ‘Fancypants’,” Widower said.

“You stay outta dis,” he snapped at him.

“Fillies, fillies, you’re all beautiful, but can we please focus on the task at hoof?” Grim asked as she pointed to the creature.

“My… My Rel… Relic… Bottle,” the creature said as she pointed to the oddly shaped Gray bottle sticking out of Contact’s saddlebags.

“This?” Grim asked as she pulled out the bottle.

“Au, does zhe vittle stutfohlen vant her bottle?” Medic said mocking her.

“Shut up, Brood-Stal,” Grim said before the creature nod to her prior question.

“Open… it,” she said before Grim removed the decorative glass cork from the top of the bottle.

A Gray mist began to flow from the bottle and fill the room. Nopony could see what was going on, but they could hear claw-steps being made.

“Close it,” they heard Contact’s female voice say.

Grim closed the bottle and when the mist dissipated, The creature was gone, Contact was near their saddlebags, they had their flask in their claws, their body showed no signs of physical injury, and they were in their female form.

“You better pray to low Goddess that I don’t kill you for what you did to me, Medic,” they said before closing the flask, putting it back in their saddlebags, and putting their saddlebags on their back.

“You shouldn’t have just given me zhe case, stutfohlen,” he said in an ‘I don’t care’ sort of manner.

“I told all of you that taking that form would alter my personality and make me seem even more foal-ish and naive,” they said in their defence.

“That’s enough!” Bloodrush yelled. “Everypony, give me One-Hundred laps around the compound, NOW!”

“Ma’am, yes, Ma’am!” they all said before beginning to depart for the exterior of the building.

“Everypony, except Grim and War-Keeper,” she said stopping everypony in their tracks.

“Why us, Ma’am?” they asked in confusion.

“Yes, vhy zhem? It’s not like zhey deserve a break from training,” Medic said.

“This isn’t part of your training, Medic,” Bloodrush started, “this is punishment for all the screw ups you three made. Scouter for disobeying orders, Widower for missing several tranquilizer shots on a point blank target, and you for beating and attempting to rape War-Keeper.”

“Sexist,” he mumbled as he and the other stallions turned around to leave.

“Did I hear you ask for Two-Hundred?” she threatened.

“No, Ma’am,” he replied before they ran outside.

“Now then,” Bloodrush said as she turned around and began to walk to her room. “Why don’t you two join me for some coffee?” she asked before opening the door to her room.

“Thank you, Ma’am,” they said before following her.

They entered her room and sat down on cushions around a small round table. Contact set their saddlebags beside themself.

“How do you like your coffee, War-Keeper?” she asked while pouring three cups of coffee using her magic.

“I like it Black,” they said.

“Really? No cream? No sugar? No ‘milk’?” Grim asked.

“No, the less altered the better,” they said.

“Alright, Black for War-Keeper and ‘milky’ for Grim,” she said as she set the cups down respectively.

Grim removed her hood and mask to drink her coffee, however, what Contact saw was so disturbing they were surprised that they didn’t lose their lunch. Her hide had been surgically removed and put back on several times leaving a few cracks between the pieces and her skull’s shape matched that of a stallion. Her eyes were Sea Blue; her mane was a Platinum Blonde, and her coat was Pale Light Grayish Gold.

“So War-Keeper, how did you get put on the roster of the worst team the Arcane Faction has?” Grim asked before taking a sip of her coffee. “It’s a little creamier than usual. Have you been holding it in for the past few weeks?” she asked as she looked at Bloodrush.

“Hehe, you got it,” she replied after taking her mask off to reveal a slightly scarred up face and Deep Blue eyes but before taking a sip of her coffee.

“Anyway, back to the initial question,” she said as she faced Contact.

“I was the trophy of the Princes of the Arcane Faction until-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Bloodrush said stopping Contact’s words. “How could you have been the trophy of the Princes? Your transfer papers and Grim say that you have yet to know a stallion.”

“How can I still be a virgin? I’ve done the Princes several times,” Lulu thought.

“Our memory must be inconsistent with the truth,” Sol responded. “Perhaps absorbing more of the memories Chia gave us will reveal the truth.”

“Agreed, but what do we tell them?” Lulu asked.

“That’s because they have never done me,” they said. “And how would Grim know that I have yet to know a stallion?”

“When you were unconscious I checked you out instead of Medic because Sixty-Seven didn’t trust him alone with you,” Grim stated after taking another sip. “And why wouldn’t they? I know you are just a foal, but by your age, I had already been with several stallions.”

“I don’t know why, ” they said after taking another sip. “All I know is they wouldn’t do me and they used me more as a filly-servant.”

“Well, either way, I’m glad you’re in our unit,” Bloodrush said before taking another sip. “Oh, and you may continue your explanation.”

“As I was saying, I was their trophy until they decided it was best for me to help the entire Faction,” they said. “They let me have my pick of C.O. and I chose this unit.”

“Then that begs the question: Why pick this unit?” Grim asked before finishing her drink.

“I chose this unit because of its poor battle record and the fact that you each have unique abilities,” they said before finishing their drink as well.

“Either of you fillies care for another cup?” Bloodrush asked as she looked at them.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Contact replied.

“I’ll take another,” Grim said before sliding her cup toward her.

“One more for Grim, got it,” she said before getting up to fix another cup for her.

“Oh, War-Keeper, there’s something about me you should know before the next training regimen,” Grim said as she looked directly at them. “I’m a masochist.”

“So… you get ‘in the mood’ from being in pain?” they asked with a confused look about their face even though they already knew what the term meant.

“Precisely,” she replied. “I just wanted you to know so when we go back to training you know not to hurt me.”

“Here we are, one more ‘milky’ coffee for the Shadow Magic user,” Bloodrush said as she set the cup down in front of Grim.

“Thank you,” she said before beginning to sip the warm drink.

“So, War-Keeper, wanna play around a little before the colts come back?” Bloodrush asked as she started to remove her armour.

“I’d rather not,” they said before they stood up. “Besides, I’m not feeling too well,” they said as they started feeling a little light headed.

“Well, maybe you’re just too stressed,” she said as she finished removing her armour and came nearer to them.

“Please, leave me alone,” they said as they moved away from her.

“Brother, I think she put something in that coffee,” Lulu thought.

“I agree, I’m feeling warmer too,” Sol replied.

“We’ve got to get out of here. Tartarus knows what Grim could end up doing to us,” she said before they tossed a ring off their tail, grabbed their saddlebags, and ran through it.

“I didn’t give you permission to leave!” Bloodrush yelled at them before the portal closed.

The portal reopened just so they could spit a sentence at her that would make her furious. “I didn’t ask to,” they yelled back.

“Brother, we’re going to have to pleasure ourself now,” Lulu thought as they set their saddlebags on the floor in front of their bed.

“Let’s try looking at another memory and see if that helps cool us down,” he replied as they pulled the cloth pouch Chia gave them out of their saddlebags.

“Contact, my child,” a female’s voice resounded in their head.

“Yes, Mother?” they asked as they looked upward.

“Contact, now is the time for you to take the Signet Case from the ‘Space-Between-Spaces’,” she said. “It’s now or I will forbid you from entering my kingdom when your work ends.”

“Yes, Mother,” they said before putting down the pouch and using one of their rings to make a rift to the ‘Space-Between-Spaces’.

When they passed through, they reverted to their hermaphrodite body and found themself in a place that was a barren void of nothing but darkness. There were no visible outlines of walls or a floor. It was as if they were walking on nothing but were able to walk nonetheless.

“Funny, we don’t feel hot anymore,” Lulu said as they looked around.

“Probably because coming here returned our body back to its default state,” Sol stated. “The Signet Case should be a kilometer ahead,” he thought as they began lining their rings up in front of them and cast all but one into the darkness.

They then walked through them one by one, picking them back up along the way, until they reached a pedestal with a light shining down on it and, in the center, there was a Scarlet Red ring case that had a Black rose petal magically attached to the lid.

“This is it,” Lulu thought before they grabbed the case. “I hope Mother will be pleased with us.”

“She most likely will,” Sol said. “Now, let’s get out of here before Chia comes to get the case,” he finished before they used one of their rings to escape the barren abyss.

Knock, knock, knock “-War-Keeper, answer me or I’ll override the door lock!” Bloodrush yelled after kicking their bedroom door.

“Yes, Ma’am?” they asked in their female voice

“I’ve been kicking your door and calling you for almost five minutes!” she complained. “It’s almost time to get back to training,” she finished.

“I’ll be out in a few minutes, Ma’am,” they said as they pulled their flask out of their saddlebags.

“Okay, but just so you know, training resumes in five minutes,” she said before they heard her walk away.

“We had better take a sip of our Spirit Dew,” Lulu thought, “Next time that happens she just might use an override code,” she finished as they drank a sip of the liquid from inside their flask and changed form once again to that of Lunair’s body.

“This just isn’t our cycle is it?” Sol asked as they put the flask back into their saddlebags and put them on.

“Judging by all the bad things that have happened this cycle, no, it isn’t,” Lulu responded as they exited their room and began on their way outside to the training grounds.

“Hey, War-Keeper,” Grim said as she stumbled upon them while making her way to the training grounds as well.

“Oh, hey, Grim,” they said as they continued on their way.

“Please, when we’re not in front of a Commanding Officer, call me Paine, it’s part of my real name,” she started. “And I’m sorry that I didn’t warn you about Bloodrush having a tendency to spike drinks she offers to others.”

“That’s okay, Gr- Paine,” they replied, “it probably slipped your mind because you’re used to it.”

“Thanks for your understanding,” she responded.

“You’re welcome,” they smiled.

“Alright, who took my baseball?” Temporal exclaimed as Contact and Paine walked by.

“Is that it over by your wooden bat?” Contact said as they pointed to a baseball laying next to a wooden bat.

The bat was painted Red and had words carved into the handle that read: ‘May the Goddess see you through time like she has me, your loving Mother, Oxton.’

“Oh,” he said awkwardly. “Uh, thanks Contact, I owe ya big time,” he said before tossing the ball up. “Paine, catch,” he said as he hit it with the bat. It flew at her but before it could hit her, she threw a Blue butterfly knife at it, knocked it upwards, and it fell into Contact’s claw. “Hey! Dat was my dad’s!” he said in anger.

“You should have thought about that before you threw away my dad’s spent ammunition casings,” she replied before taking the ball and knife from Contact. After she removed the knife from the ball and held it in front of them. “His bat was given to him by his mother two eras ago,” she said. “My knife was given to me by my father,” she said as they looked closely at the knife. There was writing engraved in the handle that read: ‘May the Goddess give you eternal life like she has me, your loving father, Reyes.’

“I guess Temporal told her who we are,” Lulu thought.

“Most likely,” Sol replied.

After a moment of thought, they opened their mouth to speak. “Neither yours nor Temporal’s parents were from this dimension,” they said.

“No, they weren’t,” Temporal started.

“And our families have had been fighting each other for as long as they’ve had their jobs. It doesn’t workout too well between us when were on a mission because we always compete to see who’s better,” Paine ended.

“Yeah and the fact you claim to be a stallion unda dat cloak only makes it worse,” he stated angrily as he took the baseball from Contact while looking at Paine.

“Yeah, and I know it’s you Sola- Contact,” Grim said before she continued walking.

“What did you mean by ‘Sola’?” they asked as they and Temporal followed behind her.

“Nothing, you probably don’t remember,” she said before they exited the base.

“Let, me guess, Solair married you in the first era?” they asked as they neared Bloodrush.

“I’ll let you remember by yourself,” she replied.

“Ten-hut!” Bloodrush said as she turned around to face her troops. “Okay, during this session Grim will guard the case. You may use any tools at your disposal. We know she can’t die.”

“Permission to speak freely, Ma’am?” Paine asked.

“Permission: Granted,” she replied.

“Be careful what you say, you may regret it,” she said before making a white mist around her and disappearing with the case.

“Now, she has five minutes to hide the case, we have five minutes to prepare,” she said before they began preparing.

Widower put shock bullets into his rifle. Temporal put his Light-Bat on his back to charge. Medic loaded a Needle-Launcher. Bloodrush loaded her Rocket-Pistol. And lastly, Contact pulled their Contactium Bangle out of their saddlebags and put it on.

“Everypony ready?” Bloodrush asked after her troops returned to standing at attention.

“Ma’am, Yes, Ma’am,” they replied simultaneously.

“Then we have two minutes until training starts, make the most of it,” she finished.

Temporal then turned to Contact and began speaking. “Contact, is that one of your attack enhancers you’re wearing?” he asked.

“Yeah, you know what it is, but do you know what it does?” they responded.

“It let’s you do a one-time attack dat paralyzes your enemies and hurts ‘em real bad if it don’t kill ‘em,” he replied stating the truth.

“Very good, maybe Lunair did marry you,” they said.

“Alright everypony, time to begin training,” Bloodrush called out before they began to go toward the ruined city they used as training grounds. “Widower, find a good place to camp,” she said as she looked at him.

“Consider it done,” he replied before teleporting away.

“Scouter, get out there and do your job,” she said as she pointed behind her and looked at him.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied before doing practically the same as Widower.

“Medic, Contact,” she started, “you two go to separate sides of the city, I want you two as far away from each other as I can get you.”

“Vhy?” Medic asked.

“You know why, Brood-Stal,” Contact said as they looked at him.

“Be quiet, stutfohlen, or I’ll give you a surgery you don’t want,” he said angrily.

“Just do as you’re told,” Bloodrush said before they went their separate ways.

“I’m so glad she didn’t make us work with him,” Lulu thought as they tossed a ring up in front of them.

“Knowing what Medic tried earlier, I don’t think he’s gonna give up that easily,” Sol replied before they went through it.

“Agreed,” Lulu responded as they landed on top of a building that was covered in vines.

*********

“Scouter, have you spotted the case yet?” Widower asked over his communicator.

“Negative, and I’ve searched the entire city,” he replied.

“What do you mean searched the you’ve searched entire city?” Bloodrush asked.

“Just what I said, ‘I’ve searched the entire city’,” he responded.

“Damn it, Grim, you know not to leave the training grounds!” she said angrily.

Suddenly, Contact received a vision. It was of a room under the fallen city full of congealed blood and bodies of dead ponies. In it, Grim was performing surgery on what appeared to be a mare. The mare was in great pain as she was not receiving an anesthetic. After seeing that, the vision ended.

“Ma’am, I may know where she is,” Contact said.

“Where?” she asked eagerly.

“Under the city, in a place only she and I can get to,” they replied.

“You have permission to search there,” she replied.

“I need everypony to leave the training grounds just in case she’s there,” they stated.

“Why?” she asked.

“You absolutely don’t want to find out,” they responded.

“I order you to tell me,” she stated angrily.

“If you don’t leave the training grounds your entire group may die with the exception of Grim, Scouter, and myself,” they replied.

“… … Fine, everypony fall back,” she called.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the others replied simultaneously.

*********

“Okay, we’re back at base, we should be far enough away,” Bloodrush said.

“Good,” Contact replied. They then opened their saddlebags, put away their Contactium Bangle, pulled out their Grey Orb, and put it around their neck. “Perhaps we should find and absorb the memory containing her and see what she is capable of,” Lunair thought before they pulled out a the pouch of memories, pulling the black orb out of it, and absorbed it.

Doing so gave Solair a somewhat painful memory:

“Solair,” Paine began as she dodged a bullet by less than a centimeter, “if we fall in this fight, I wish you to know, I love you,” she finished as she fired a few rounds in the direction of a Maroon skinned woman, shooting her in the throat.

“Paine,” Solair started as he fired a round at a Emerald Green skinned male cyborg shooting him in the head, “I swear, if we make it out of this alive,” he continued as he threw a throwing knife to eliminate a Topaz skinned woman, “I’ll marry you,” he finished as he fired his last bullet and shot a Light Gray skinned man shooting him in the heart.

“That seems to have been the last of them,” Paine said before she heard Solair fall to the ground. “Solair!” She exclaimed as she turned around to see that he had been shot in the chest and began coughing up blood. “Temporal, I ne…,” was the last thing Solair heard her say.

*********

“… … …I am in your debt,” Solair heard Paine say as he slowly awoke.

“Look, he’s waking,” he heard Temporal say as his vision began to clear.

He then tried to speak but he couldn’t make a sound. After he noticed words we not being said he resorted to telepathy: “What happened?” he asked as he looked at Paine, vision still slightly blurred.

“You were shot in the chest by a sniper,” she started, “the bullet clipped through your right bronchus. Johan has been able to keep you alive so far but your life force is dwindling. Right now you’re hanging on by a thin rope.”

“Get, Colonel Bloodrush,” he started as he looked at Temporal, “I have a promise to keep,” he finished as his ekg started beeping rapidly.

“Yes, Sir,” he replied before hurrying out of the room.

“Solair, you’re hanging on by a thread, I don’t think we’ll make it,” Paine said as she came near to him.

“If mother knows what’s good for her, she won’t take me yet,” he stated as the beeping calmed down.

“Solair, if I could reanimate your body after you die, would you still be in it?” she asked.

“No,” he started, “my body would be mindless and just lay down doing nothing. Its cells wouldn’t be able to perform cellular mitosis to restore necrotic tissue. In fact the entire body would be comprised of necrotic tissue.

“In summary, it would be useless to try and resurrect me. After all, I’m not my mother,” he concluded.

“Understood,” she replied.

“What is it?” Bloodrush asked as she entered the room.

“Marry me and Paine,” Solair said as he slowly turned his head to face her.

“You’ve only known each other for a hypercycle,” she replied.

“Please, Ma’am, respect a dying soldier’s final wish,” he responded.

She thought it over for a few seconds before replying. “Alright, I’ll contact command and-”

“You’ve no need to,” he began, “In my case, Command will understand.”

“Are you-”

“Don’t question me,” he said sharply.

“Understood,” she replied a moment later. “Do you, Captain Pleasureful Paine, take Major Solair Solstice to be your wedded husband?” she asked as she faced Paine.

“Affirmative,” she replied before looking back at Solair.

“And do you, Major Solair Solstice, take Captain Pleasureful Paine to be your wife?” she asked as she turned to face Solair.

“Affirmative,” he replied as he slowly turned his head to face Paine again.

“Then by the power given to me by the Arcane Faction Military High Command, given to them by the Goddess, I now pronounce you ‘Man And Wife’,” she finished.

It was about five minutes after the fact that Solair died.

“What happened, brother?” Lulu thought as they put the pouch away in their saddlebags.

“I… I died,” Sol replied in a state of partial shock.

“Did she kill you?” she responded.

“No, I was shot in the right Bronchus by a sniper,” he stated as they put their saddlebags on. “I woke up in the VA Hospital in Canterlot.

“What did she say when you awoke?”

“She said something about owing Temporal then she asked me a weird question.”

“A weird question about what?”

“Reanimating my body,” he said before Lulu received a sickening memory:

“That was a somewhat invigorating fight,” Paine said as she and Lulu entered the women’s locker room.

“Yes, and I can’t wait to get this blood off of my hide and wings,” she responded.

“Wait a second, you haven’t yet seen me undressed have you?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t” she started. “Why? Is there something I should know?”

“You’ll see sooner or later,” she replied as she took off her mask to reveal a dark grin.

“Well I’m going to go get a shower, and please, don’t bother me,” Lulu said before she did as mentioned.

*********

“… Factory, where failures pay their toll. Not another person, I’m taking back control,” Lulu sang as she showered.

“You have a beautiful voice, Major,” she heard Paine say behind her. However, before she could turn around, she felt Paine’s knife against her throat and her hand over her mouth.

“Don’t move if you value your life,” she continued as she took her hand off Lulu’s mouth and placed it just below her breast. “My, my, what a large set of melons you have,” she continued as she cupped one of them.

“As your command-”

“I dare you to finish that sentence,” she stated as she pressed the knife harder against her throat.

“Tem-”

“Don’t even think about calling your husband,” she said as she pressed the knife even harder against her.

Lulu’s eyes then flashed a Pure White light that caught Paine’s attention.

“That’s it, down you go,” Paine said before hitting Lulu in the back of the head, knocking her to the shower floor.

“What is it that you-” Gasp “-Why the Viridia do you have a dick?”

“Like how it looks?” she asked as she rubbed it a little. “I took it from Sol’s body after he died in the first era. He said I wouldn’t be able to revive him. Well, I sort of proved him wrong.”

“You sick Bitch,” she responded as she tried to make Paine fall to the floor by kicking her leg, failing the attempt.

“I’m not moving until you satisfy me,” she responded as she pressed herself against Lulu’s face.

“Get that thing away from me!” Lulu exclaimed as she tried to back away only to be stopped by a wall half a meter behind her.

“I told you, satisfy me and I’ll leave you alone… for awhile,” she responded as she moved nearer to Lulu.

“TEMPORAL!” she yelled as loud as she could before being slapped across the face.

“Silence, you have naught but your brother to blame for not returning to me like he promised in the First Era,” she said before grabbing Lulu by the ear and pulling her closer.

“Get’cha hands offa my wife, Bitch,” Temporal said as he hit Paine in the back of the neck with his Light-Bat.

“She… she’s insane,” Lulu thought.

“Why do you say that?” Sol asked.

“After you died in the First Era, she removed your, umm… the part of a pony’s body that makes them a male… and, umm, surgically attached it to herself,” she said, stumbling in her thoughts every now and again.

“So she tried what I told her not to do,” he replied with a mental sigh.

“Apparently,” she replied.

“Then let’s get this over with,” Sol thought as they cast one of their rings in front of them and passed through it.

Chapter Four - A Paine-ful Reunion

Contact emerged out of their portal in a room with congealed blood all over the walls, floor, and ceiling. They ventured around for about thirty seconds before they heard a noise coming from a nearby room. It sounded like a mare getting hurt by somepony.

They walked about five meters before Paine came out of the room the noises came from. She was not wearing her cloak, mask, or her under armour, thus revealing a scarred and stitched up body.

“I’ve been waiting for you, brood-herm,” she said before jumping and trying to grab them. However, she failed because the passed through one of their rings and appeared about three meters in front of where she landed. “You don’t want to get me mad, Sol,” she commented before she arose and tried again failing this time as well.

“Brother, I’m starting to feel warm,” Lulu thought.

[.i]“I think it’s in our best interest to avoid hurting her and prevent her from hurting herself,” Sol replied.

“I’m not going to give up until I get what I’m after,” Paine said before charging at them and managing to pin them to the floor under her right forehoof.

“Paine, if you know what's best for you, you won’t dare harm us,” they said.

“I’ve said it so many times before, ‘Not until I get what I want’,” Paine replied before letting them up. “Now, give me some fun and run,” she stated with a dark smile.

“We won’t give you that pleasure, Paine,” they replied as they stood there in front of her.

“Good, I didn’t want you to run,” she said. “Now, what shall I do to you to make you do what I want you to do?” she pondered aloud. “Oh, I know. I’ll clip your wings off,” she said with a demented grin.

She then teleported beside Contact and hit them in the back of the neck knocking them to the ground unconscious. After that, she picked up their saddlebags and threw them into a shadow vortex she created. Next she put contact on her back and carried them into the room she first came out of.

*********

Contact awoke in a room covered in darkness with the exception of a light shining down on them. They heard hoof steps being made every now and again. When they were fully conscious they felt hooks in their wings and metal shackles around their hooves preventing them from moving even a half of a decimeter.

“Show yourself, Brood-mare!” they called aloud.

“Why? Are you afraid of the dark or what’s in it?” she asked before stepping into the light near them.

“You don’t scare us,” they replied.

“Enough talk, are you going to do as I want you to, or am I going to have to rip your wings off?” she said with a dark smile.

“We will not submit to this!” they said in an agitated manner before their Gray orb started to glow.

Before Paine could get to them, they were encased in a crystal-like orb that broke all the hooks in their wings and dematerialized the shackles. After about ten seconds, the crystal orb shattered leaving an anthropomorphic creature behind.

It was two meters tall, covered in a Half-Black-Half-White hide, and it’s tail was like that of a Draconic Alicorn, however, the tuft was made of Red Ice covered in Blue Fire. It’s mane was comprised of Green Lightning and it’s eyes were Pure White on it’s Black side and Absolute Black on it’s White side. It’s wings were made of green electricity and had alternating Red Ice and Blue Fire primaries. Instead of having fingers it had claws and it had long pointed ears. Lastly it wore a Half-Red-Half-Blue Hide-Tight suit, two solid Gold rings around each wrist and near the end of it’s tail, one solid Gold ring around it’s neck and a solid Gold ring with a Cobalt Crescent Moon gem around it’s neck as well.

“We know we’re going to regret this,” the creature said before dashing at Paine. Before Paine realized what happened, she was being held up against a wall by her neck. “If you wish to live, you had best keep you muzzle shut, your ears and eyes open, and stay far away from us,” they said before letting her fall to the floor barely conscious.

“I will get what I want from you,” she said weakly as she slowly got off the floor.

“The only way you will get what you want from us is to kill us,” they started. “However, that’s impossible while we follow our parents’ will,” they finished.

“I will have what I want, and I will have it now!” she yelled as she began to charge at them.

“Pitiful mare,” they said before lifting her in the air with their magic.

“How are you doing this?!? You have no magic,” Paine struggled to say as they began choking her.

“This form is our original form,” they started. “This was our form before we became the Djinns’ weapons.”

“Then let’s try this!” she said before launching a ball of shadow magic at them causing them to drop her. “Now it’s my turn to attack, you worthless collection of magic energy!” she said as she stabbed them in the left leg with her horn, burying it in their leg and breaking it off of her in the process.

Contact then pulled her horn out of them and threw it across the room far from Paine. Doing so caused them to bleed heavily. Their blood was not like that of Humans, Anthros, or Ponies. It was a Gray liquid that was very thin.

“That does it!” they yelled before they began to glow in many different colours. After ten seconds of charging energy, they released it as a massive explosion that completely destroyed the ruined city above them. The shock wave could be heard from just over a five hundred kilometer radius and caused large wind gusts within a two hundred and fifty kilometer radius.

When the winds died down Bloodrush went to check the crater and found Paine and Contact unconscious and in the center of the crater. Paine’s body was bleeding out, the mist around her eyes was no more, and she was barely breathing. Contact was back in their Draconic Alicorn form with their saddlebags near them.

“Medic, get over here now, on the double!” she called over her communicator.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Medic replied.

*********

Contact awoke in a hospital bed to a beeping sound from a vital monitor. Its readings were not like that of a normal pony or Draconic Alicorn. They tried to get off the bed to figure out exactly where they were, however, upon trying to move they felt a sharp pain in their left hind leg. They looked back at the source of pain causing them to remember what went on in the aquaduct ruins. Another detail they realizes was that their rings had been covered up by Anti-Magic shackles.

“Brother, do you think-”

“No, I’m sure she survived,” Sol interrupted as they noticed they were in their default forme. “But one thing is for certain: She will no longer be able to cast magic ever again.”

The door then opened and a doctor walked in. His name-tag read: Dr. Blue Heart. The irony in this is the fact that his coat, mane, tail, and Talent Mark were all different shades of Blue. The only things about his forme that were not Blue were his eyes, they were Blood Shot Red.

“Oh, so you’re awake,” he said as he came near to them. “The Prince told me to make sure you felt ‘at home’ around our little Fortress.”

“Where are we?” they asked in their double voice.

“You are a V.I.P.O.W. in the Chaos Faction P.O.W. camp: Destination: ‘XIII’,” he stated. “Prince Sentry and the other Elements Of Chaos found you in a crater about one hundred kilometers north of the Arcane Faction Front. They’ve claimed you as a ‘Shared Trophy’.”

“What did they do with Paine?” they continued.

“They brought Agent Paine back to work on restoring her horn,” he replied.

“Agent Paine?” they asked a little confused.

“That is none of your concern,” he started, “what is your concern is what your future job will be.

“You’ve been recognized as a pony with immense power rivalling and surpassing that of the Diarch leaders of the Arcane Faction. Magic has no effect on you and you can open rifts in time and space. Needless to say, you would be a great addition to the Chaos League army.

“This leaves you with two options:” he began to end, “Join our army, or serve our Prince and the E.O.D.”

“What if I told you I have the Black Rose Signet Case?” they replied causing him to pause and think for a second.

“…What are your terms?” he asked.

“Release Paine into our custody, first off,” they started. “Second, release us and send us to the Arcane Faction Canterlot Fortress. And finally, don’t ever try to capture us again.”

“… … …They agree to the first two but not the third,” he answered.

“Then tough luck, they’re not getting it,” they stated before a male Alicorn burst through a painting on the wall.

His coat was Lime Green, his mane and tail had a style much like that of “Twilight ‘Solid’ Sparkle” only, the colours were two variants of Lime Green. He had an eye patch over his left eye and a Golden crown with a Lime Green six-pointed star on his head. And Lastly his eyes were Lime Green.

“We have ways to make you give it to us,” he said angrily.

“Flash, do not make us mad, even the princes of-” they said before being back-hooved across their face by him.

“Silence, you brood-foal,” he started. “You will give us that artifact or I swear to the goddess I will beat you until all you know is pain.”

“Flash,” Lunair’s voice mumbled from their body as a tear rolled down their right cheek.

“I said SILENCE!” he yelled before he back-hooved them so hard they were sent flying into the wall leaving a small dent in the metal.

Suddenly their body began changing form. Their body became an amorphous mass of magic energy causing the shackles to fall off. About ten seconds passed before they began to take a defined form again.

The form they chose was that of an anthropomorphic fox about two decimeters tall. It wore a Bright White vest and Blind Black shoes and gloves. Its fur was Solid Gray and its eyes were Brilliant Green.

“You just fucked up,” they said before he began firing bolts of magic in their direction only to have them be absorbed by Contact.

“Impossible, she didn’t warn us of this,” he stated before teleporting away.

“Please don’t hurt me,” Blue Heart said as he backed out of the room.

“So, You decided to use the second most powerful form we would let you use only to scare them off?” Chia asked as she passed through the shattered painting.

“We’ve had enough of this challenge, we demand a fight,” they said angrily.

“We are the ones pulling the strings, puppet, we’ll decide whether or not we fight, and we don’t want to fight so deal with it,” she replied.

“Than at least lessen the challenge by three supercycles,” they asked.

“Fine, because we know time here is pretty much crawling we’ll lessen it,” she replied. “However, we add a stipulation: You join the Chaos League. What role you take is up to you so long as you join them.”

“Fine,” they responded, “we will join them, but only as a servant, not a breeding partner. Now, if you’ll excuse us our form’s power is weakening and we wish to frighten Flash a bit more before it fades completely,” the finished before teleporting away.

*********

“What is your first command, Master?” Contact asked as they looked at Flash.

“You can go clean Amber’s room,” he started, “It’s quite the mess and somepony has to clean it because she won’t.”

“Yes, Master,” they replied before they turned around and left for Amber’s room.

“On your way back, ensure she gets her rations of Sapphire gems,” Flash called prompting Contact to turn around and reply before continuing their task list.

“Brother, why don’t the Djinns just fight us?” Lulu thought.

“We’ve pondered that question for over a hypercycle and we have found no answer,” Sol replied. “We’ll just have to deal with it.”

“There you are, Contact,” asked a rather young looking female dragon after walking around a corner.

The dragon had a reverse colour scheme of Spike: Purple stomach and chest plates and bright green standard scales with purple spinal scales.

“Yes, Mistress Amber?” they replied.

“Flash sent you to get my rations, am I correct?” she asked.

“The order of the command he gave us-”

“I don’t care about the order of the command, just get my damn rations I’m starving!” she burst out in anger.

“Yes, Mistress,” they replied before turning around to head toward the food storage.

“Wait, I was told you had the ability to change certain aspects of your body to better please those you work for. Is this true?” she asked.

“To an extent, Mistress,” they replied.

“What do you mean: ‘To an extent’?”

“We can only alter our body provided we have drank a bit of our Spirit Dew from our Crystal Flask and still the alterations wouldn’t be very different from our current form.”

“Can you change your body to suit my likings?”

“What are they?”

“A Light Blue nine tailed ice fox or wolf. I’ve been mad about that description since I read about it in the fiction section in Prince Flash’s library.”

“We will try our best Mistress,” they said before pulling their flask out of their saddlebags and taking a sip of the gray liquid. Their form then began to slowly change to that of a nine-tailed Draconic-Fox covered with ‘Blue-Fire’ fur. “Is this good enough, Mistress?” they asked.

“Not exactly what I had in mind,” she replied before her stomach rumbled. “Oh, that’s right…”

“No need to speak, Mistress, we are on it,” they said as they returned to their base form and resumed their path to the storage room.

“I now realize why we should have picked fighting for our role.”

“Why, Brother?”

“With eight owners our minds won’t stand up to the inevitable stress and we’ll crack under the pressure of having to please eight others.”

“It was at this moment we realized: ‘We fucked up’.”

“Can the memes. Let’s just get these next three supercycles over as fast as possible.”

“You, Servant, get me a bottle of ‘97 Chateau De La Cloud, ON THE DOUBLE!!!” A unicorn stallion barked. His features included Slightly Bright Green Tinted White eyes, near Black coat, and Slightly Bright Green Tinted White Mohawk Style mane.

“Yes, Master Fil-”

“You will refer to me as Master Rich,” He replied as he hit them with a book.

“Yes, Master Rich,” they replied as they picked themself off the ground and continued their trek.

*** *** ***

“Limenera, where do you think we should strike next?” Flash asked as he looked an ‘EarthBound’ stallion.

The EarthBound’s entire body was covered in variants of Lime Green. The only exceptions were his Dark Red eyes.

“I say we bring a hearty end to the rogue bandits between us and Appleoosa by setting up a dummy shipment of ammo and end them,” he replied slamming his hoof on the table.

Contact then walked into the room with three silver platters of food balanced on their wings and back.

“Master Flash, I have the meals you requested,” they said.

“Good, bring them to the table,” he responded. “And I would like your opinion on where we are to strike next,” he finished.

“Our opinion, Master?” they asked in a very confused manner as they set Flash’s food in front of him.

“Yes, your opinion. Paine says you are the eighth oldest being in this dimension therefore one would believe you to me among the best of tacticians,” he continued as they placed Limenera’s food before him.

“We have some experience, however, it is not enough to say we are amongst the most poor of tacticians let alone amongst the best.”

“Who cares about a servant’s battle experiences?” A pegasus stallion asked before being served his meal. This specific stallion had a Dark Blue coat and Lime Green mane and tail.

“I care,” Flash said angrily as he slammed his hoof on the table. “Now, shut up and let them speak,” he said before he gave a motion for Contact to speak freely.

“Appleoosa is one of the League’s greatest supplier of food. If they can’t get the ingredients to make their food, they won’t be able to supply the soldiers at the battle fronts,” the said before looking around the room. “And we all know an army marches on on its stomach,” they finished.

“If we wanted to hear that phrase we would have asked for it,” the aforementioned stallion said.

“Master Gale, I believe you should at least take this into account,” they replied.

“Yes, Appleoosa is a major producer of food,” Flash stated. “I have a feeling there’s something we’re overlooking.

“If you set up a dummy shipment you’ll only lose it,” Contact continued. “However, if you send a real shipment but cloak some fighters with a temporary invisibility spell you may be able to capture some of the bandits,” they concluded.

“We just might do that,” Flash said as he rubbed his hoof along his chin.

“That is not all I see that you can be doing,” they continued.

“Then, by all means, continue,” Limenera stated.

“The Arcane Faction is on their way to attack the Tech Faction headquarters. Now would be a good time for an aerial attack,” they stated.

“Which would you send your troops to?” Flash asked.

Author's Note

Fair Warning:

The upload on [ October !st, 2017, 1200 hrs. ] will be the final upload for this account. However, Old Chapters of this series will have any errors i can find repaired. Errors such as: Time-Skips, Character Colour Pallet, and Character Misplacement will be fixed. Errors such as incorrect terminology will be studied and fixed upon necessity. And lastly, any "Ships" I didn't launch will be sunk.

After all corrections have been made, this user profile will only post on holidays of importance.

Again I repeat the final upload for the "Twilight's First Kids" Series will be [ October 1st, 2017, 1200 hrs. ]

Αντιο σας

Also,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,for not publishing this chapter earlier. Life happens.

Chapter Five --- Challenge Complete | End All

“The food is a necessary resource. It would be better to get rid of the bandits rather than to launch a full aerial assault on the Arcane Faction Fort Canterlot.”

“Explain your reasoning,” asked a stallion as he entered. The stallion had a Light Blue coat and Dark Lavender eyes. He also wore a Stetson hat. His Talent Mark was that of three apples with crosshairs over them.

“Our reasoning is that an army marches on it’s stomach. Your army will do better knowing they can return to their unit hold position and have good food to eat,” they stated, “You of all soldiers should know this, Master Macintosh.”

Hehe “-Point taken,” he started. “Nopony could best my Grandpappy's Apple Cobbler.”

“Enough on the subject,” Flash stated as he slammed his hoof on the table. “Back to the problem at hoof,” he continued before looking at Contact. “If I asked: ‘How many soldiers it would take to perform this preferred course of action.’, What would you say?”

“If you choose to send us, one. If you send a group of soldiers, approximately a battalion.”

“Why a Battalion?” Limenera asked.

“The reports our supply units have given to us state that there were around one-hundred raiders of high power in magic, above normal strength, and remarkable flight experience,” Flash said.

“Oh,” he said realizing his incompetence.

“We’ll send you,” Flash said. “If you are victorious, ponies generations from now will recognize you as a war hero.”

“Fail and you will be known as the pony that betrayed the world,” a pegasus stallion said while he entered the room alongside Rich.

The pegasus stallion had a Blood Red coat, Lime Green eyes, a monochrome main and tail consisting of five shades of Grey, one stripe of White and one stripe of Black.

“Master Thrash, I swear to you and the Elements of Discord, I will succeed,” they said as they bowed before him.

“Good, you leave now,” Flash stated.

“Understood,” they replied before rushing to tend to their new task.

*********

“You? A Supply Guardian?!?-” Pfft “-As if,” a Supply Wagon Master said
mocking them.

They looked at him with a White mist coming from their eyes. “Do you wish to die?” they asked before he took a step back.

“N-No…” he replied.

“Then by all means… SHUT UP AND DRIVE!” they yelled angrily. After the said altercation, all the surrounding soldiers slowly trotted away picking up in pace the further they were.

“Now, if you don’t mind, saddle up, We’ve got a group of bandits to either capture or kill,” they finished as they took their positions for the ride.

*********

“We’re at the entrance to Everbound Forest. This is usually where we take a break,” the Supply Master said.

“Then we will take a break,” Contact replied. “Would you like something to eat?” they asked.

“Why do you ask?” he replied. “Do you have food with you that is good food, unlike our shipment?”

“No, but-”

“Then why do you ask?” he rudely interrupted.

“Because we can summon food through a Spacial Rift,” they said in a moderately angered tone.

“Prove it, foal.”

They then created a spatial rift and walked through it. They soon returned with a bag of rice balls covered in curry powder.

“We heard you like curry rice balls,” they said before tossing them in his direction, “Thank us later. Right now we need to get this mission done.”

“You got these straight from the Royal Kitchen,” the Supply master said. “Are you insane?! I can get the firing squad for eating food from the Royal Kitchen!”

“We got them from the Royal Kitchen, yes,” they started, “However, The Elements of Discord allow us to have whatever we want from the Royal Kitchen. So shut up and eat.”

“Fine but I’m dragging you down with me if I get in trouble.”

“That does not worry us.”

After they had rested for an hour, they continued their mission and entered the Everbound Forest. As they neared the center of the forest, Contact heard leaves rustle to the east of their position.

“Slow down,” they told the Supply Master.

“Why? He responded.

“Just do it,” they replied.”

“Understood,” he ended turning his slow trot to a slow walk.

The leaves rustled a few more times over the course of the next two minutes before a pegasus bandit appeared in front of the supply wagon.

“We know the shipment is fake,” she said. “Lord Thrash let us know before you left the castle. Give that stallion a good and well-behaved mare and he’ll be disloyal even to his own Legion.”

“And Lord Rich let us know exactly which route you would take,” another bandit said as she came out of the bushes on the other side of the path.

“Still, we won’t let you out of the woods to go tattle on them,” the first continued.

“You don’t know who you’re messing with, do you?” the second bandit resumed.

“Girls, Come on out!” The bandit leader said as she dropped down from the trees above. Soon thereafter, Mares of every type, Unicorn; Pegasus; and Earth-Bound ponies, dropped from the trees in the surrounding area.

Before the Raiders hit the ground, time stood still for Contact. A brief flash of light appeared and the two remaining Djinns appeared.

"Prysme, Chia, if we forfeit the challenge, will you take this Wagon Master back to the Chaos League?" they asked.

"The challenge was a test to see how long you could keep your true form," Prysme started.

"And you have exceeded our expectations," Chia continued.

"in exchange for his safety, you leave the physical realm and join your parents and siblings in their respected areas," Prysme proposed.

"Deal," they replied.

A glowing light appeared around Contact and they were absorbed by it...

Since then... Their life, nay, existence has been questionable... Yet to those ponies they knew, they will always remember them.

Author's Note

Thank You if you've read this far. Truly, Thank you. I'll be taking my leave now. Arrivederci.