The Smiling Warrior

Jack's life continued as normal as it could in this crazy box colored world. The ponies around had really warmed up to him especially after the party when the population finally all got to see the big hero. Eventually though a week had past and it was time to collect on a deal with the rulers so all the girls and Jack met at the station to catch the next train up to Canterlot.
"Hey where's Spike?" Jack asked looking around the group with mild confusion. "This is kind of a big thing, he should be here by now." He added.

"Spike doesn't normally come with us on these kind of trips since he's not an Element Bearer and all." Rainbow said nonchalantly, stretching her arms and wings out so they wouldn't cramp on the train.

"Not happening." Jack stated firmly turning towards the castle and walking.

"Hey where ya'll goin'!" Shouted AJ after the shrinking human, cupping her hands to carry her voice farther.

Jack turned back to them for a moment. "I'm getting Spike. He deserves to come along after all he is an adult." He said turning back and walking away. After only a few minutes Jack stood in front of the door banging on it and shouting. "Hey lazy scales open up we got a train to catch!"

The door opened to reveal a groggy Spike who did not look happy. "What do you want I'm trying to sleep here, besides you and the girls are the one's that need the train." He grumbled out trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Nope vetoing leaving you behind you get to come with us on this trip mister and no buts unless its yours." Jack replied with a wink.

Spikes eyes shot open devoid of sleep instantly on the news. "Wait I get to come too?" He said bolting for his room either missing the last part of Jack's statement or ignoring it.

"Yes and hurry train arrives in five minutes!" Jack yelled up the stairs after the dragon but then dodging out of the way as the now fully clothed dragon flew by.

"Come on, lets go already." Said an excited Spike bouncing at the door causing Jack to roll his eyes with a laugh as they raced back to the station making just in time as the train was preparing to leave.

"There you two are. We were worried you wouldn't make it in time." Rarity said looking at the two though her eyes lingered on Jack a little longer. "We should try and fix you up to be seen by the high-class darling." She added pulling out a bag from the overhead and sitting across from Jack.

"Like they won't look high and mighty if he's dolled up Rares." Rainbow said with a bored look on her face before she pulled out a 'Daring-Do' book.

Jack simply closed his eyes as Rarity began working on him while the others either chatted or did their own things. "So Rarity got any prince charmings in mind for the high-class lady?" he teased causing her brushes to stop for a moment.

"I have one in mind but I still need to see if he is a true gentlecolt." She replied simple but Jack had focused his hearing and knew her heart rate had sped up at the question making him smile inward.

Spike finally spoke up when Rarity finished with her touch ups on Jack. "So when do you think you can start teaching me how to fight?" He asked eagerly leaning towards the human his tail flicking excitedly.

"Well depends really, see I know a decent amount of styles that I learned over my many different careers." Jack simply said catching all the girls attention especially Twilight's and Rainbow's.

"No way am I letting you learn how to fight Spike. You could get hurt if you rush into a fight or worse!" Twilight practically shouted shaking her head at the young dragon.

"Ah come on Twi, let him learn how to fight and besides he could get hurt worse by not knowing how to." Countered Rainbow before turning her attention to the human who still had his eyes closed. "Plus I'd like to learn just how good a fighter our friend here is." She said pointing to Jack.

Jack cracked open an eye to look at her from the side. "I do agree with Rainbow on why Spike should be able to learn how to protect himself though I am curious as to why you want to know how good I fight." He said turning to look at her fully a relaxed look on his face.

"It's because Dashy here is a super duper good fighter and has a black belt in Peguses style jujitsu." Pinkie answered hopping in her seat making Fluttershy bounce slightly as well.

Dash folded her arms with a smirk. "Or you don't have to if you're scared." She goaded but was disappointed when Jack just gave a small chuckle at the jab. "Whats so funny?" She asked frowning at the man.

"It's nice you are eager and all to test your skills but one thing all my instructors told me is never issue a challenge without knowing your opponent." He simply said turning back to Spike. "As for you, when we get back we can run a few different styles around you to see which fits your body best." He finished closing his eyes once more falling into a nap as the others began talking amongst themselves again.

Lucky stood leaning against a tree near a cliff with Brave sitting next to him as Jack walked out of the woods. "Hey guys, You've been quiet since that whole issue a week ago." Jack said waving at them.

"Just thinking on how we can better counter if that problem happens again." Lucky said turning to wave back at the human before looking back up to the stars.

"On top of getting our notes together for the next lessons we have for you" Brave added, who had gotten more casual with Jack but still keeping his steely edge. "Also we need to tell you about forms and drives." He said looking at the human as Jack past him to sit near the edge of the cliff.

Jack looked back at the two and shrugged, an easy smile slipping onto his features. "Well we got three hours before reaching our spot why not give me the run down on them?" He asked looking to the stars.

Brave cleared his throat to catch Jacks attention next. "now on to the topic forms and drives." He said stretching out his hand and turn making the stars shift spots till a Jack was being made by them. "There are four forms the first being normal form, then there's beast form." He said shifting stars into what Jack had become that night when he let his anger go out of control. "Then monster form." Brave added next changing them into the image of a twisted being. "Now keep in mind each form I'm saying goes up in power and how much control you will need and since we don't know what your monster form looks like this is just a stock version idea. But finally there is Hero form." Brave stated shifting the stars one last time into an image of Jack in armor and posing like a hero would. "This is the most powerful form and it also unlocks drives. This is what you want to strive to achieve but that will take time." The large lion stated, sending the stars back into place.

"And what are drives exactly?" Jack questioned looking between the two with a raised brow.

"You have drive which provides a boost in your speed and strength." Said Lucky who had a glow around him as he zipped around the area. "But it eats up your stamina fairly fast so you'll want a lot of it."

"Then there's overdrive which unlocks more abilities that your body couldn't normally handle without damaging yourself and this one eats up your body." Brave said with an aura and tougher looking armor appearing on him.

"And is there one past that??" Asked Jack looking at the two with wide eyes.

"Maximum overdrive." Said brave his voice deadly serious. "Is a form you should never use unless nothing else will do. It unlocks your greatest potential and makes you almost unstoppable." He said staring into Jack's eyes as if seeing his soul.

Jack gulped before stuttering out. "And w-what exactly does it use?"

Lucky stepped next to Brave looking serious for the first time since Jack knew him. "Your soul." He said as the world disappeared and Jack fell into the darkness.

"Fuck." Was all Jack said when he woke up making the group look at his sudden swearing.

"Somethin' wrong sugar?" Asked Applejack looking at the human with a concerned expression.

"Nah just thought of something not as fun as I'd have liked it to be." He said dismissively not lying but not telling the full truth either making AJ squint at him before saving her thoughts for later. "Anyways, looks like we are here so lets grab our things and get this deal over with." Jack said standing up and grabbing the coat he had brought that Rarity had given him during the party.

Everyone gathered up their belongings and disembarked the train where they saw a small squad of royal guards waiting for them. One approached and after removing his helmet was immediately tackled by Twilight. "Hey Twi good to see you too." The stallion said with a laugh.

"Shining, when did you get here?" Twilight questioned after being pried off by Spike. "I thought you and Cadance were still in the Crystal Empire?"

"Well we were till Celestia sent a letter about something important that was going to happen and that she wanted us here..." His smile dropped when his eyes fell on Jack. He stood up straight and walked forward with the march of a soldier. "Who are you and better yet what are you?" He commanded drawing his sword along with the guards.

Jack chuckled before leaning closer. "I'm the big bad boogyman." He teased before walking past them all, calling over his shoulder. "I'm also the reason you've been called here. Celestia owes me something."

Shining turned to Twilight and the girls but before he could say anything Spike passed him saying, "Sorry Shining, he likes to tease new people. Don't worry he's perfectly safe as long as you aren't a bad guy." Chasing after the man followed by the rest of the girls leaving the siblings to look at each other.

Twilight sighed before taking Shining's arm. "I'll explain everything on the way."

Celestia couldn't help pace the throne room while Luna sat in hers playing on her GamePony. "He should have been here by now." Celestia muttered to herself slowly making a trench with the path she'd been pacing.

Luna glanced up before going back to her game its soft beeps and boops filling the air other then her sister's mutterings. She knew Jack would keep his end of the deal and be here soon since she saw how well he keeps a promise or how one could see their situation as a threat. "Calm sister, we both know he won't fail to arrive to collect it." She said.

Before Celestia could shoot a comeback the door to the throne room swung up revealing a smug human and his group of friends. "Oh ruler dears. Your judgement day has come." Jack said in a sing-song voice waltzing up to the two but stopping when the guards crossed their spears in front of him. "Oh boo on you guys for ruining my fun." He said with a pouty face.

"Yes so it would seem but first we would like to speak to you privately before we help you collect." Celestia stated straightening herself up to not show how much this meeting had been driving her crazy with worry.

Jack looked at them his smile dropping at the corners slightly as his eyebrows furrowed. "Sure." He replied with slight annoyance.

With a wave of her hand the guards began moving everypony but the human out the door to the protest of Rainbow and Shining each with their own worries and complaints about the situation. Once everypony was gone Jacks smile dropped. "So what do you want." His deep voice causing them to shrink a little but Luna pushed through.

"We wish to make amends by proving we had no ill-intentions towards you. If you'd allow it, we would like to show you a personal memory of our past that we hold secret to how you say 'Even the field' between us." She said stepping forward with her head bowed though it didn't help they were taller then Jack by two feet.

Jack stopped for a moment letting his posture soften on hearing the sincerity from Luna's voice. "Is this true?" He asked turning his gaze on Celestia.

"Yes, it was my idea in the first place so I should be the first to show you." She said sitting on her throne and closing her eyes waiting for Jacks decision.

He stood there for a moment before chuckling. "You two really don't want me as an enemy do you? Fine but if this is a trick you'll be sorry." He said walking up to Celestia and sitting in front of her. "Plug me in chief." He told Luna, closing his eyes.

Luna focused her magic to connect the two and selected the memory her sister had decided to show him. Bringing the two into it she bit her lip hoping this would make the man carrying smalls gods happy.

Jack woke up to a setting sun in front of him while he laid on a beach where a few feet in front of him was a younger looking Celestia and a mystery stallion locked in a fight neither gaining advantage over the other.

The present day Celestia appeared next to him watching the scene with a deep sadness in her eyes. "I have lived over a millennium. Seen and experienced so many things but one experience has always stayed with me." She said as she raised a slender finger to point at the fight.

"Who is he?" Jack asked his eyes not leaving the struggle.

"His name was Scorched Burst. He was the general of my Solar guard my most elite soldiers or he was till the corruption took him." She spoke but it was a hollowed sound compared to the emotion filled one he'd heard before.

Jack watched the fight and began to notice the black tendrils on Burst's body that looked eerily similar to the ones that made Jack turn into his beast form. He looked at his wrist at the mark of the Rabbit and Lion chasing each other. "He was one of the bearers wasn't he?" Jack asked looking to the princess.

"Yes, this memory is one of the reasons we had to see what you were like as the last time we saw that mark was when I had to fight Scorched here on this beach. When I had first met him he saved me and Luna from a trap Discord laid to stop us from sealing him away. He was a gentlecolt but stubborn, willing to stand his ground on what he believed and save those who couldn't until that is..." Celestia said confirming Jacks thoughts.

"Until the power corrupted him right?" Jack stated as the younger Celestia got a few lucky cuts in slowing Scorched down giving her the edge in the fight.

As the fight neared the end Celestia merely watched the fight continue till the battle ended when her younger self ran her sword through Scorched's chest making him fall to his knees bringing her down with him. The younger Celestia began crying out in sadness as the old bearer's life slipped away.

When she laid sobbing into his chest Jack turned to Celestia and was somewhat shocked to see tears rolling down her cheeks. He reached over and wiped them away as best as he could before asking, "What exactly was he to you?"

Celestia sat there in silence watching the memory play to the end before whispering out three words.

"My other half."