Dawn of the Jaegers

Twilight couldn't believe it. She had been accepted into U.J.A. The literal best Jaeger academy in the world! Now she knew that she had rightfully earned a place in its ranks but to actually be standing there, looking up at the towering place was a whole other thing to prepare for. As she looked over the structure her mind wandered back to that day that set her on this path.

The smell of blood and snapping bones filled the air as the monster gorged itself on the flesh of the two people it had killed. Tearing chunks out without any struggle as the little girl watched from the closet, tears streaming down her face as she fought to stay quiet. The beast sliced its way across the neck of one of the dead causing the head to roll away and stare lifelessly at the little girl making a whimper escape her lips. The beast's head shot up, looking around before it turned slowly like grinding stone toward her hiding spot. Stalking closer, it's rancid breath leaking out as it sniffed the air honing in on her location. She could see it's eyes shrink as it found her. With a roar it lunged at her spot, ripping the top of the closet off. The girl screamed as she ran out of the now destroyed hiding spot and ran for the door. Bursting it open she cried out into the pouring rain. "Help, someone please help me!" The beast gave another roar, tearing the door and some of the wall off as it charged her. The girl tried to run but fell when her foot snagged on a hidden root. Stumbling on the ground and now covered in mud she could only watch as the beast came closer and closer.

As it lunged at her the girl heard a voice yell out. "Repulse!" A wave of energy flew past from behind her as the monster was sent flying back into the house, taking more down with it. A figure strode past the weeping girl with a staff pointing at the home. The monster charged out again, cuts now across it's body. The figure sighed before raising their staff. "They never die easy." It said, barely audible above the rain as it sent a wave of energy into the monster once more this time sending it into the air and slamming it back down. The figure send wave after wave slowly crushing the monster into a flattened mess. Once the creature moved no more the figure turned to the girl, their eyes glowing from inside the hood.

"Who are you?" the young girl asked while backing away, worried she'd replaced one monster with another.

The figure laughed before removing her hood as the clouds parted and the rain eased up. The face underneath showed a fiery red haired lady with soft gentle eyes full of kindness. The figure stepped toward the girl and rested a hand on her chest. "My name is Lady Cinder. I'm a Jaeger on a hunt. I've been looking for that beast for a while now." The lady said, a small smile crossing her face. "And who are you?" She asked back.

The girl looked at her and back at the corpse of the beast. "Twilight, my name is Twilight." The girl replied.

Cinder smiled. "Where is your family?" She asked. She frowned when Twilight burst into tears, then it clicked. Looking back at the wreckage of the home she sighed. "Too slow." She muttered to herself as she looked back at the weeping child. "Do you have anyone else you can go too?" She asked, reaching out and wiping the tears from Twilights eye's.

"My brother but... he's training to become a royal guard." Twilight stuttered out. "I can't stay with him." She added with more tears forming on he eyes.

Cinder frowned before doing a scan of the girl finding a shocking surprise. "She's full of magic. More then even I have." She thought to herself. Looking the little girl over she made up her mind. "Twilight dear." She started, earning the wanted attention. "How would you like to learn how to defend yourself or even fight these monsters to help others?" She asked.

Twilight wiped the tears away with her mud covered hands leaving streaks of dirt. "You mean stop the bad things from hurting others?" She questioned looking at the woman. When Cinder nodded she thought for a moment before a stroke of courage fell over her. "I want to stop the bad monsters from hurting other and avenge my parents." She said, trying to look as brave as possible.

Cinder smiled before standing up. Reaching a hand to help the little girl up she spoke. "Well then follow me. You'll have a long road but it will have its rewards." Taking Twilights hand they began walking away from the home, Twilight giving one last look to burn it into her memory so she'd never forget it.

Twilight shook herself out of the memory when the bells of the academy began to ring. "Oh no, I'll be late for orientation!" She shouted in a panic, rushing forward into the building. Following the signs she made her way to the arena finding it full of students, some older then others while across from the entrance was a raised section with two familiar woman sitting on thrones. "Woo, are those..?" She never finished as a woman with purple curled hair bumped into her from behind.

"Oh, pardon me darling I didn't notice you there." Said the lady before she stopped and looked at Twilight. "You are new here aren't you?" She asked, eyeing the girl up and down.

Twilight chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head. "Is it that obvious?" She asked.

The lady giggled daintily. "No offense darling but you stick out like a sore thumb and thats not even counting you don't have a marker." The lady said. "I am Rarity by the way. Pleasure to meet you." She said sticking out a hand for a shake.

Twilight grasped it and was slightly shocked at how strong of a grip Rarity had. "I'm Twilight. You wouldn't happen to know where to go would you?" She asked hoping Rarity would help.

Rarity waved her hand for Twilight to follow as she said. "Of course, just follow me. I'll introduce you to one of my friends." She began heading down some steps and turning to one of the aisles as Twilight did her best to follow through the crowds. Once they reach their spot Rarity sat down and patted the spot next to her. After Twilight sat down Rarity said. "This is a good spot as any to see everything and my friend should be arriving soon." As if on cue a tall woman with long pink hair and a butterfly hair clip sat next to the fashionable woman. "Ah, there you are Fluttershy. I'd like you to meet Twilight, she's new here." Rarity said, introducing the two.

"Pleasure to meet you Fluttershy." Twilight said nodding her head at the shy looking lady.

Fluttershy gave a squeak as she hid behind Rarity. "Don't take it the wrong way darling. Fluttershy lives up to her name when it comes to meeting new people." Rarity stated waving away the confused look on Twilight's face. "Oh, it's starting now. Shhhh." Rarity quickly said hushing her.

The arena fell into silence as the two woman on the higher stand stepped forward. "Hello everyone. You are all here for different reasons. For some its for the chance to gain revenge for others it may be fame. You all know who me and my sister are, after all we are the last original Jaegers." The lady with flowing rainbow hair and ethereal wings said, her voice flowing over the crowd.

"Princess Celestia." Twilight whispered. She could feel the power rolling off the warrior.

Next stepped up Celestia's sister who seemed the polar opposite of her as she had darkened skin with a starry sky in her hair. "No matter the reason you are striving to become a Jaeger, you all have been accepted to take part in the schooling of the best academy in the world. We make the best so the world has the best. You will fight, you will bleed, and some of you WILL die, but those that survive will walk out those doors as the new champions of this realm. The new set of warriors to push back the threat of total annihilation and to protect those who can not." She said, her voice booming over the thousands of students.

"And theres princess Luna." Rarity said her eyes never leaving the two.

Celestia raised her hands as energy began forming in the space between. "Today marks the first challenge you all will face. Perhaps even one of the greatest you will ever take." She said sending the ball of energy into the middle of the arena. It began to swirl and change into twenty ever changing faces as the crowd began cheering. "Today there are ten thousand of you. By the end of today there will only be five thousand. You all will be selected at random to fight an opponent. The goal is simple. Win and you may become a student here. Lose and your education here ends. Those that have taken the challenge and passed will be excluded leaving only two thousand five hundred spots left. Good luck and may you live to see the next days sun rise." She yelled over the crowd as the first twenty faces locked into place.