Time: 3:37 PM ~ Date: August 7th
Location: Interrogation Room Block C, Canterlot, Equestria

Two individuals are seen inside the room at opposite ends of a center metal table. The young man on one side, where the dull brown wall is behind his back, is currently chained down with ground anchors to deny any attempt of escape. Further analysis of the room, reveals a mirror to his left side which appears to be a simple mirror but in reality, it’s one way. If seen from the room side, only reveals a reflection but on the other end, several people are seated as they watch and document what is occurring in the questioning. Two people fiddle with a crystal ball in front of them, another documenting the minutes of the session, and two others stand guard on the sides of the entrance/exit. Lastly, two women who wear regal dresses with crowns adorning their heads, sit on the main center table as they watch what is unfolding.

The lad looks around the room in wonder as he finally looks toward the man, who carries a serious expression, setting down files on the table to the right. The same man walks over to set up an arm cuff on the lad before moving to his right to start up a machine that resembles an EKG machine. One that prints out data on the individual’s heartbeat and breathing patterns.

Fed up with the silence, the young man speaks. “Explain this to me one more time… for what reason am I being detained?” his tone comes off with curiosity as he looks at the guard in wonder.

The guard, having finished all that needed to be set up, takes a seat in front of the lad before answering his question. “Hmm,” he begins with a serious tone, “it has come to our attention that there is a commotion going on in Las Pegasus currently. We have received a report from Fort Strong, but it was cut off before any more info was to be received.” The man crinkles his brow, releasing a low sigh before continuing. “Scouts have indicated that a siege had broken out and… you are in the center of it.” He points at the lad before relaxing his posture, raising his arm, and flicking his hand as a sign for those in the other room.

The guard in front of the lad, whose armor is painted gold and encrusted with a purple star engraved in the center of his breastplate, has wings that are sprouted from his back. The man looks to be in his late-fourties, with his eyes having a bright green color to them, his skin color being navy blue while his hair and tail being cyan with a streak of violet on the tips.

A click sound is resounded in the room as the lad, leans back on his chair with arms crossed. “Look… uhm, I had forgotten to ask. What is your name? I did not quite catch it earlier when I was escorted in here.” He releases a sigh and readies himself for what will be the longest week of his life.

“My name is Teal Featherhoof, Captain of the Royal Guard.” Teal’s front hardens before slowly inching forward as he points to the lad once more. “I also know who YOU are, Nero Mist.”

Nero rolls his eyes in disbelief, “Right, well. Captain Featherhoof. I- that sounds like a mouthful. Can I call you captain instead?” Without giving Teal a chance to answer, Nero continues, “Anyways, I’m going to need more info to go on with what you have told me. For one, what am I being accused of here, exactly?” His eyes shift over to take a quick glance at the machine to his right and the door behind Teal, impatience slowly setting in.

Teal, catching his glance, proceeds to get up from his seat. “I don’t suggest attempting an escape, Nero. That will be adding more crimes to the one you have not been made aware of, it seems.” He releases an angered huff, reminding himself to speak to the other guards about their lack of expressing the suspect of their crime. “As to what you have been accused of, Nero Mist. In this very moment, you are the sole prime suspect for the conspiracy and insurrection against the citizens and guardsmen of Las Pegasus. One in which you are identified as the ringleader of a church known as the Church of Unity.”

Nero takes a deep breath, rapping the table with his fingers as he squints at Teal to analyze his features. “Is he serious? I am accused of leading an attack in a city. Unprovoked and sudden? How bizarre.” He snorts in the hilarity of the accusation, “Really now. Me? Causing an insurrection in a city, to which I barely visited to once, with an organized group from a church?” He gives a quick chuckle at the thought of it.

“You think this is funny!?” Teal pounds the table with his right palm, “The city is in chaos! People have been terrorized, taken hostage, their homes lost, while some have been injured, and few have been killed from this insurrection! One that you are a cause of!” He stands up and moves over to the machine to check the data but frowns since there appears to be no sign of Nero panicking. “A calm suspect, let’s see if showing him the images will cause some panic.”

The lad releases a quick sigh of disconcert as he sits upright, “Let me tell you something about myself, Teal. I am a God-fearing man in my own right. But I am no church fanatic for one. Why would I, a man who barely paid Las Pegasus a visit ONE TIME. Be accused of starting some ‘insurrection’ when those types of ideals take weeks, or months depending. Think about that for a second.” He leaves it hang as he reclines back into his seat.

The captain gives out a huff before reaching the table on his left with his right wing to bring forth a folder, as he slams it on the surface. An album of photos spills out, giving Nero a chance to see what is pointing towards his guilt. “Care to explain this then? These photos were taken by some of our very best air forces several feet above Las Pegasus. It was hard to get these back as some of our scouts… were captured," Teal looks down melancholy, until his eyes shoot back up to the lad, rage filling them. “So, tell me… was this not YOU in it!” He points to one of the photos angrily from the collage for the lad to see.

Nero scans the photos, seeing what took place in frozen time of the catastrophe, buildings on fire, people running with fear in their eyes, guards captured, and some dead. But one picture is all it took to give Nero an idea of what is truly happening. A photo amidst the collection shows the city mid chaos with two people in it, who are wearing recognizable white robes and armor underneath, speaking amongst each other.

One of the two is a man Nero recognizes and what this means for the rest of the world. “No… how can this be?! How is he…” The man he looks at, the one who holds a parchment in hand, the one templar he has run into before, his previous adversary.

SLAM!

The captain slams the table to grab the lads' attention, “Is this not you, then?! This man has been identified as the ringleader and to top it off. He is stated to having no wings, no horn, and those who have fought him but barely left alive, say that his strength is not that of an Earthling in our world. He is you!” Another accusatory point is thrown towards Nero who holds his hands up in defense, as much as he can move them.

“Look captain, I don’t know what else to say but...” He puts his hands down on the table before pointing to the man in the photo, “I hate to tell you this, since you are doing such a fine job as an interrogator yet, don’t you see that his features differentiate from mine? Another point, have you not patted my body, checked my belongings, both on my person and in my rooms? I bet you didn’t even find no robes of such and no parchment that he is holding on me. So how can you explain these glaring contradictions?”

Teal, who has been regularly checking the EKG monitor and saw Nero’s heart rate pick up when he saw the photo but calmed down after giving his rebuttal. “You probably have some type of method to dispose of the items in question before the guards arrived. Maybe a type of magic to change your features. But can you deny that this is you, Nero? You are the only one of your kind that we have identified, outworlder.” He states in anger after presenting his own objection.

Nero shakes his head in disbelief, an amused breath released before continuing, “Heh, really now. This is how you want to play it. Alright, fine. Please recall where I was escorted from. I was in Ponyville at the time inside the home, bunking it with Twilight and we were in the library lounge talking with Fluttershy about the differences between this world and my own. Then a knock on the door and,” he gives a reveal hand gesture, “Here I am with no items on my person and no time to hide them. Hell, no time to even come and go from Las Pegasus to Ponyville while the insurrection is going on… so how is that possible, hmm?” annoyance starts to fill his body as his left brow twitches slightly.

“Again, you may have unknown magic to help you discard items and bringing yourself to Ponyville during and after the event to divert the attention away from yourself! I will repeat, you are the only outworlder we have identified, Nero Mist!”

SLAM!

Now, it's Nero’s turn to slam the table in frustration, “Okay. How about this then, asshole. Look at his skin tone,” the lad points to the man’s face in the photo. “He is more lighter than I am and also, check his hair color. I don’t have blonde hair either. Look at his eyes, his is more open than my squinted eyes. Oh! And another thing, look at his hands, to which you can CLEARLY see. No such scars on mine, here,” the lad shows his own hands, “so you can take a DAMN LOOK!” Nero’s irritation starts to climb before the guard can refute.

Teal sees the heart rate spike up alongside Nero’s irritation, one of which causes him to look at the photos and back to the man of the hour. Back and forth his eyes scan, analyze, not understanding what this could all mean. “Then… is he not lying? Is this man some other outworlder we have not identified yet?” He looks at the machine once more but shakes his head in denial, another thought comes to mind. “No, these machines are usually meant for worldlings of Equestria. Since he is not from this world, the machine is useless. Then there’s the Crystal of Identity which would have worked correctly, if he were from here…”

“Come on, captain. What do you expect of me? An outworlder who has no magic, which can be affected by said magic in this world, to be able to change my own features with a flick of my wrist?” To demonstrate his stance, Nero flicks his wrist, but nothing comes from it. His irritation mellows out as he gives the guard a deadpan sate before closing his eyes and reclining, taking deep breaths to cool down.

Teal looks at the lad with a static expression before relenting, “You are right. We do know that you are susceptible to magic in our world.” An idea comes to mind as his lips turn up for a smirk. “Although, you in fact could be lying about not being able to use magic, that is… magic from this world. So if that is the case, I will have to solidify this fact alone, even if you lie all you want, it will only lead you to a world of pain.” His smirk never leaving, as he stands and slowly moves over to the door.

“The hell is that supposed to mean? Are you going to bring in some guards to beat the ‘truth’ out of me, is that it?” The lad throws a question, which is ignored as Teal opens the door to leave the room with a guard taking his place to watch over the suspect.

~~~~~<

The captain is seen walking down the hall, in search of the idea that sprung to him. In the distance, any person nearby could hear Nero’s taunt. “Cause if you do! All that it will prove is that you are one of those corrupt in their own position of power!”

The guards that stand outside the room grip their spears from hearing the suspects’ disrespectful nature towards their captain but relent. They don’t want to cause any more trouble with this one, chief. As for the room next to the interrogation one, in front of the one-way mirror, stands both regal women. They carry an air of authority to those around them, as they see Nero sit back down, giving an exhausted sigh before waiting patiently for Teal to return.

One of the women with starry night color hair and dark blue skin, appears exhausted, having just woken up rather early because of the news given to her that Nero was to be interrogated. The lad she considers a dear friend. The same woman releases a breath she had been holding, her eyes looking at her equal in concern, “Are you certain we should be doing this to him, dear sister? This… this does not feel right, to treat him so… so…” She stops her words before biting her inner lip in frustration, “Is there no other way?”

The sister who has rainbow-colored hair, speaks in a most regal tone, “I would wish for it to be different Luna, but even with the alibies his friends will present, or our own perception of the man. This is the only way to try to prove his innocence legally with no bias. For our people to hear the truth from his lips, something that you were not able to know about either, sister. Of whom he truly is…” She unknowingly gnaws on her inner cheek, feeling regret rolling down her entire being.

“The truth?” Luna starts, “What truth is there to even know? Truly, you have spent the majority of the time with him here, in the castle, under house arrest. Then when granted temporary citizenship, you sent him to Ponyville, alongside your dear student. To be accepted as a full-fledged citizen of Equestria as he conversed with the locals. Not only that, but he has also saved US in our time of need. All his actions, the alibies, the statements, and yet is that not enough to prove him just, Celestia?” Luna’s worried rant comes to a heated close, as her sister looks towards the guards and back to her younger sibling with warmth in her eyes.

Celestia, who eyes her sister warmly, brings a hand to cup Luna’s cheek, “Indeed, all that is truth you speak of sister. Yet, because of how close we are to Nero, we will come across as tyrants who will deny our people the legal system if we state that he is innocent and should not be questioned.”

She brings her hand down as she looks at the lad who has started amusing himself by making a popping noise from sucking in his lips and releasing to make the sound. She smirks a little at his antics, “But I trust in him to prove his innocence, if he is what WE believe him to be, then there is no need for worry.” She holds her closed hand up to her chest as she closes her eyes, “Indeed, he is our friend, our savior, and the man that reunited us. I will believe in him until the very end.”

Both sisters look forward, as the sounds of metal boot steps come closer, the door opening to reveal the captain and another newcomer to appear inside the interrogation room.

~~~~~~<

A few minutes have passed and the arrival of a new person, which causes Nero to stop mid-pop and eye them curiously. The person next to Teal appears shorter in stature, wearing black robes with the hood concealing their face. The lad tries to get a good look but no visage, aside from the feminine jawline that he can spot. “Who did Teal just bring in? Is he serious about getting the truth out of me that he brought someone for that? A Torturer? Nah, this is an interrogation, I don’t think he would go that far.”

“Is this the one?” a soft feminine voice sounds out as the robed individual calmly approaches the suspect. Arriving at his seat, she pulls up her hood slightly to see the lad as she gets closer, analyzing his features.

“That he is. As you know, he is the suspect in the current case of the insurrection. So best to get more hands-on with getting the truth out of him. Now, Aurora, how’s that runic magick training of yours working? Think you can conjure one of Princess Luna’s spells on him?” Teal mentions with a small smirk adorning his lips.

Aurora, moves even closer to the lad, seeing his hazel-colored iris. Slowly inching closer to his face, which causes Nero to lean back with a questioning look. “Yes. The spell will work just fine on him, captain. Might have to apply it differently, seeing that he is an outworlder that I was told about in a report.” She reaches out with her right hand to cup his cheek, caressing his face as a tiny tint of blush lights on his cheeks.

“Whoa, now. Getting a little close there, Aurora. How’s about we take the time to get to know each other first and the-” he is cut off, as he feels a sudden force, grasping his head. He notes a bluish hue surrounding his vision, which holds his head in place. “Christ. I hate magic in this world! How can it affect me so easily?! This is like that one time when Twilight-”

“Please.” She begins, “remain still, this will only take but a moment. No longer than that, and besides… you might enjoy it. Knowing the kind of man you are.” Her tone dips more lower, almost sensually, as she whispers a slew of words that he was not able to grasp.

Not liking the prospect of what she is about to do, he tries to squirm off her grasp, to break her spellbound hold but to no avail. After being in this world for four months, he is stumped to realize that magic still has a hold on him, hating this current situation. He starts to wonder if maybe he brings out his most inner self, would he be able to disrupt the magic flow of this world. “That could work…”

She brings her head down towards his eye level, slowly inching herself closer as Nero finally gets a full grasp of her features, noting his impression. “She is undeniably beautiful under that hood. Her purple eyes are mesmerizing to look at… I wonder why she keeps it on, in the first place. Shy, maybe?” Her eyes drop half-lidded, which signals her next move as she leans her lips towards the lad, giving him a surprising kiss.

“Mffmph!” Nero muffles out a shocked tone, his eyes widen, as he feels the kiss deepening while his head is still held by the magic.

The woman further deepens the connection, sighing contently. She did not plan to give the suspect a kiss, since all that is required for the spell to activate was a simple touch on the shoulders. But something about the stories she heard from her close friend – how Nero is and what kind of gentleman he portrays himself as. She couldn’t help but grow curious and now that she has him in her grasp, she is loving what she discovers. Her hands unconsciously rub his chest up and down a few times, feeling out his muscles underneath his clothes, a blush forming on her cheeks.

The lad, slowly adjusting to the sudden kiss, feels a wet appendage touching his lips as he opens his mouth slightly for her tongue to invade. It explores inside, running it over his own tongue and over his teeth, which reaches his canines, giving her a shiver of delight. After a few steaming seconds pass, she reluctantly pulls back and a small trail of saliva is all that remains between their connection.

She clears her throat as she pulls down her hood, licking her lips in the process. “There, the spell is now set. He should be more truthful in his words with the onset pain being a reminder if he so chooses otherwise. A reminder for not being… honest~” Her eyes flutter as she gives Nero a quick wink before taking her leave towards the door. She grabs the handle as she takes one last look at him on the way out, giving him a charming smile before opening the door and stepping out of the room.

Nero smacks his lips a bit, surprised yet pleased with the passing situation. “Heh, guess that was not part of the protocol.” He smirks a bit before craning his neck, getting used to the freedom of movement. “Might not have expected a rather, ambitious kiss, in this type of situation but wow. She was really into it too, I wonder if I met her before…” He tilts his head down in thought as the guard clears his throat in annoyance.

Teal glares at him before speaking, “Either way Nero, it’s done. And no, that was not the intended way to use her highnesses spell, but it will do.” He straightens his seating position, as a grin forms on his lips, “Here’s the thing, young man. The spell placed on you will have an effect that if one is to lie… an adverse effect of its choosing will occur and trust me when I say, it is not for the faint of heart.”

The lad rolls his eyes as he shrugs, giving a beckoning wave for Teal to continue. “So, tell me, Nero. Prior to your four-month stay here in Equestria, where did you really come from and what were you doing during that timeframe?”

“Really… again with the same ol’ questions?” Nero stares at the unbelievable scenario in front of him, giving a heavy sigh. “Okay, once more then. I came from my original planet called Earth, where humans are also the only intelligent species, that overpopulated the world by billions. Course, none of us over there contain any magical abilities like your kind, nor did we have ridiculous bright pastel color schemes – no offense.” He holds up his right hand to emphasize his calm stance, to which Teal dissuades him with a waive of his hand.

“As to what I was doing the night before my sudden arrival. I was taking a stroll down the dirt path from my home, when a freak magic accident occurred and POOF, here I arrived and woke up in a hospital.” Nero shakes his head in disbelief, tapping his foot to see what is supposed to happen, testing the theory.

Then, as sudden as it came, an incredible burning sensation is felt throughout his throat causing him to clench himself in pain. “Kehk! Koff, Koff!” He coughs uncontrollably with his left hand clenching the edge of the table, to stave off the pain a little. However, just as the sudden pain came, it left in the same instant.

The guard taps the table to grab the lad’s attention, “I see you understand the results of the spell placed on you, Nero. You lie, some adverse effects, as I mentioned, will start to occur randomly in your body. I highly recommend telling the truth next time, unless pain is what you are after~.” The guard raises a brow, as he gives a short snort of amusement to the young man’s discomfort. Slowly rapping his fingers on the table, pondering what the lads’ next lie and punishment will be. “Truth or lie. All this boils down to is how much pain he can take.”

Nero clears his now parched throat, as the dull pain sets in regardless that the searing one is gone. “Bastard… he knows how to push me, doesn’t he? Haaaaa… he is a good interrogator, I will give him that much.” A creek of the neck with a roll of his shoulders, Nero fixates his posture and stares at the guard. “No way out of this then, might as well roll with the flow, no need to keep anything a secret that is asked of me. For my own innocence, if nothing else.”

“Alright, okay,” Nero starts. “You want the truth on what happened during the day before I was dropped off here? I will speak nothing but facts, just because I rather be a killjoy when it comes to your little amusement.” He smirks at Teals direction before clearing his throat once more, waiting for the question to be repeated.

Teal’s frustration continues to grow but he keeps his cool since the royal princesses are watching. He must not give them a bad impression of how the royal guard captain acts during interrogations. “Good, then I will repeat my question once more. What were you doing the day of April 2nd, before your sudden arrival to our planet of Equus?”

Nero takes a deep breath, his lips taking a nostalgic grin. Memories resurfaced in his mind on the day before he was pulled into this new world. He parts his lips as he weaves the tale of what he was doing the day before being brought to Equestria, all those four months ago.

4 months ago
Time: 5:40 AM ~ Date: April 2nd, 2010
Location: Yomiyawa prefecture, Osaka

“Ha! Hnh! Hmph! Hnh!” Grunts can be heard in the backyard of a Shinto temple, which is situated around small forestry, with a flowing river separating the woods from the temple. A young man, who is seen next to a medium-sized pond, is wearing a blue striped kimono* top with black hakama* pants, swinging his blade in practice. “It’s still not enough, that last fight was cutting it too close.” He slightly bends his knees, sheathing his katana, taking a deep breath, before commencing the act of Iaido. A technique in which one uses to develop their signature simultaneous draw and cut motion.

“Fuuuu…” After releasing a calm exhale, he takes a sharp inhale as he pulls out his blade for a diagonal cut, then shifting to a vertical swing, then swiftly, swapping the blade between his hands to end it with a horizontal swing down, all in the matter of 8 seconds. “Tsk. Not quick enough.” Re-sheathing his blade once more, he closes his eyes and takes slow melodical breaths, hearing the calm ambiance of nature.

These are the mornings the lad so readily enjoyed, but with a training regimen that is different from before. Usually, his starting workout is a jog for a couple of miles from around the city and back, then afterwards it ends with strength training. Sadly, life was not going to remain still, obstacles will always test those who get too comfortable and complacent. “Those crusaders have been getting annoying. The Church of Solomon have it out for me, just because I carry a ‘special lineage’ in my blood… in my very soul.” He releases an amused breath as he recalls about the groups mission.

The Church of Solomon are currently on a mission to capture or kill a certain demonic presence that resides in Osaka, Japan. The young man being a target for such knights, that surprised him one day when he was out shopping. It was a tough battle; one he did not expect to end up getting wounded badly, compared to the fighting he is used to. It demonstrated on how necessary it was to sharpen his skills, unless he wishes for more struggles in the future conflicts to come.

Over the time he spent lending a hand to those who needed it. News and rumors started to spread of all the great deeds that the lad had done these past few years. Saving lives, performing miraculous healings, dealing with forces that cannot be seen by the naked eye, and charitable feats that most citizens came to the conclusion in which he is a divine presence sent by God himself. Governments have kept a keen eye on him, but thanks to his uncle’s influence, they back off for a time, so long as Nero himself did not reveal his extraordinary power for misuse.

Yet, one day, the leader of the Church of Solomon caught wind of this and sent out scouts to observe the young man, to find out what he truly is. After enough reports had come in and an oracle was given to them by their ‘God,’ they deemed him a being of pure evil to be erased. He was considered a Nephilim, a being of the antichrist, and must be taken out of the equation so that he may not spread false blasphemy or be the cause of Armageddon. Of course, missions came back as a failure since the knights were bested by Nero time and time and again. Some were hospitalized, subdued by him, while many others were locked up for their crimes of assault and attempted murder in the public eye. But that still does not stop them from sending more knights, no matter the cost.

“Hey kid, ready to move on with your training?” a gravelly voice calls out to the lad, opening his eyes to see who has called out to him.

Nero smiles warmly, seeing who he knew would show. A middle-aged man stands in front of the backdoor, who is nearing his mid-50s and standing about 5’10 in height. You can see hints of muscle build on the man through his white kariginu* outfit without the usual hat on, seeing his combed back black hair which is graying slightly. A noticeable scar runs past his right eye as he walks toward the lad, massaging his long goatee.

The middle-aged man gives the lad a delighted grin, seeing how much he has grown. “Always the enthusiast, when it comes to his training. I am glad I taught him well.” He crosses his arms to his chest, waiting for his answer.

“Sure thing uncle, just give me time to wash my face and we can begin,” Nero says, quickly moving over to the nearby well to draw water from. Eyes closed, he grabs a wooden ladle to pour water on his face, feeling the cool liquid land, humming in satisfaction. The water drips from his face, as thoughts come back to him, a warning given to him by his uncle.

…

“Nero, you must tread carefully. There has been word from the other priests that mention of a knight who has come to pick up the slack of his fellow brethren. A templar knight who carries a book with him in tow, the aura they feel from the man is distorted and vile.”

“Please, nephew. Take care not to cross that man’s path, but in the event that you do. Go at him with everything you got and do not hold back. I doubt he will…”

…

Nero hums in thought, as he wipes his face with a towel that was draped around his neck by his uncle. He looks to his uncle's back as the man walks over to the front of the temple, with the lad following suit. The sounds of birds chirping, the wind blowing the occasional leaves in the air, his smile never leaving at the sight of true tranquility around him. After he turns a corner, through gravel steps, he stops onto evened-out stone tile flooring.

He faces the middle of the walkway, in front of him is the gorgeous temple that his uncle’s ancestors have taken care of for many generations. In the very front of the temple, stands a massive Torri* gate with two placed statues of guardian dogs or Inu* on either side. A symbol of protection, to keep all negativity and evil out.

To the left is a small shrine that contains a fortune box to draw from, hoping to get blessed luck or sadly getting dreadfully bad luck, and to the right are a few wooden stands that hold 3 wooden bars in between, used for people to tie up their bad luck fortune in hopes to wash it away and in hopes of getting a better one in the following year.

In front of the temple, placed before the middle of the steps, is a donation box where people give a couple of coins, ringing of the bell, and followed by three claps of their hands before making a wish for their potential future or quick prayer.

Nero hears his uncle clearing his throat, turning around to face the middle-aged man, now donned in the black keikogi* uniform. The very same man who has raised Nero since he was just 9 years old and has taught him all the means to be a proper adult, keeping focus, learning different defensive and offensive techniques, and how to thrive in this harsh yet beautiful world they live in.

“Now then, remember why you must fight. Do not forget what I have taught you, nephew. Now as a formality; no cheap shots, no use of your inner power, no healing either, and certainly… no display of cowardice.” The middle-aged man smirks at the lad as he assumes his fighting stance. He puts his right leg forward with his left back, bending his knees slightly. Extending his right arm forward, open palm, and his left arm to the side of his gut with a closed fist. He gives Nero a weighty stare as his brows furrow.

Nero grins as he prepares himself as well, “Heh, but of course, Kiyoshi. Throughout all those years you have taught me, I am not one to make such a blunder.” He mimics his uncle's stance with his legs but instead of the same arm position. He out-stretches his left arm with a clawed hand while his right arm is bent up towards his right cheek with a slightly closed fist. He gives his uncle a nod, to show he is prepared.

Wind gently blows in the air, a single leaf is seen flowing back and forth, falling downwards towards the ground. Slowly, the wind carries it up and down, and both men await the signal to start their spar. Once the leaf rests on the ground slightly, it is abruptly blown out by the two men dashing at one another.

His uncle starts the attack first, driving his left fist quickly toward the lad’s right elbow to temporarily disable him. To which the lad, blinking quickly, catches the offending fist in his left claw, bringing his right to throw a quick jab at Kiyoshi’s inner chest. In quick succession, his plan is thwarted as Kiyoshi slides past the lad's grasp, who feels his left hand grasping no hand from the blow. Nero’s eyes widen as his teacher, grips his right arm, from wrist to elbow, pulling him inwards and driving his right leg in between Nero’s legs. This causes him to trip over and Kiyoshi takes full advantage to turn his body around and attempt to throw Nero over his back, in one clean motion.

The lad grits his teeth, and with quick thinking, he avoids a potential bruise as he catches his fall towards the ground. Using his legs to land slightly haphazardly, his knees begin to shake from the unexpected crash. He twists to his right, as he sends a straight kick towards Kiyoshi’s mid-region, only for his lower leg to be caught in the offending arm. Nero sees his uncle giving him the finger wag before he brings his elbow towards’ his nephews knee. The lad recognizing this, brings his entire weight down onto his right foot, causing his teacher to lose grip on the leg. Which he takes this chance to take a step back, giving himself some room to breathe.

Kiyoshi smirks at the display of quick actions, as he massages his goatee, “My, my. I recalled a memory from when you were a young sapling. These methods of attacks would end our spar fairly quickly, to which I had to nurse you back to health. I am proud of how far you have come. Hoho!” He laughs at the memory flowing in his mind, looking at his student, proud of the man he has become.

Nero huffs a quickened breath, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. “Well, what can I say? I am taught by the best. You and my other teachers have shown me so much that no matter how much I give back, it is never enough. It will always be a pleasure to learn throughout all the lessons given, even my own failures. I am glad that I can still impress you to this point, uncle.” He bows his head forward, before preparing for the continuation of the spar.

“I am growing older, nephew. Yet you still have not bested me in a spar as of late. Will this be the day that I hoped for you to grant this old man’s wish of being bested? I would love to see how far your growth has come.” The man smiles before resuming his previous stance, reading himself for Nero’s oncoming onslaught of traded blows. “Now ready yourself, you need to show me how much you have prepared for. Come!”

An excited smile forms on Nero’s lips, as he regains his stance as well. Instead, changing it up with one hand, held to his side open palm while his right hand shifts into a claw. He then dashes forward as he drives his left palm low to start the fight with a faint of an attack…

Time: 7:35 PM ~ Date: August 7th
Location: Canterlot, Equestria

“Wait, let me get this straight,” Teal tilts his head to the side, “you were having a simple training regimen with your uncle, in the morning before your unintended arrival, as per usual. IS THAT all you did before you showed up here?” He squints his eyes, motioning for the boy to continue with his chin.

“Of course not, that was just the morning. I will tell you the rest of my day, like a schedule, if you prefer?” Nero questions him back, noting the spell not activating.

“Please. Enlighten me, what did you do the DAY before your arrival. I mean, the whole day, Nero. That aside, tell me about your uncle, who is he?” Teal says, in a serious tone.

“Getting a little personal there, huh captain,” Nero smirks, before crossing his arms and looking towards the ceiling. “Still, no harm in it. His name is Kiyoshi as stated, Kiyoshi Nakai. He is a man with no wife and one child, my cousin. He works at his temple as a head priest, to help spread peace and teachings to the people.” He taps his left bicep with his right hand before looking towards the guard with squinted eyes. “Is that all?”

The guard cocks his neck to one surprising tidbit, “No wife? Is he divorced or a single father?”

Nero feels his muscles tense at the question, “Is that necessary to know? I told you who he is, but do you need all of his life story too?” he asks defensively, preparing for the spell to activate.

“I need to know everything, Nero, so that your innocence can be proven, AND just to be certain your uncle is not the one who came here to Equestria with yo-”

“NO.” The lad cuts him off, looking at him with anger in his eyes. “Do not go there, Teal. He is not the one who came with me. I repeat. He is not the one who was brought with me here to Equestria.” His odd reprimanding tone, disguising his anger, sets the guard to note for another potential weakness to exploit if needed.

…

Teal waits for the spell to take but no activation is shown within Nero’s body. “Okay, relax Nero. We will move on. Tell me how the rest of your day went. No skimping the details.”

The lad rolls his eyes as he lets out an amused breath at this farce they call an interrogation. “Right… so after the spar that morning, I spent most of my time helping my cousin with her college homework. Then I set off to work at a family dinner, whose owners know my uncle. I am a chef there, making food for the locals, such food that changes every trimester of the year, depending on the owner’s request. First tri, we have typical home cuisine or in my case, Japanese cuisine, next we have Western foods, then Spanish foods, and so on. After my time was up, I went back to the temple to help assist my uncle in his work, making sure the shrine was clean and safe from negativity. Working to help keep the peace is tough work, you can imagine.”

He laughs as he clears his throat but notes the dryness starting to bother him. “Hey captain, before continuing on, can you be so kind as to bring me some water? I am parched and in need of sustenance. I guarantee that more will be said from me after… since you so thoroughly enjoy my voice so much, my friend!~” He smirks at seeing the guard crunch his eyebrows in annoyance to the lad's attitude.

“Fine. Let it be remembered that I was and can be kind to you, Nero. IF you cooperate and comply with my questions.” He blows out a whistle, and a couple of seconds later, the door opens for another guard to walk in. The guard treks to the table with items in their magical grasp. Magic spewing from their horn in a yellowish hue, helping to lift a jug of water over to the right-side table away from Nero. Then the guard places one of the plastic-filled cups on the table in front of the captain and one in front lad, brimming with water. Once the duty is complete, Teal waves his hand to motion the guard to take his leave, to which they salute and walk about face, out of the room.

Nero grasps the cup and holds it up to his lips, gulping down the contents as the cooling liquid not only wets his mouth and throat but also soothes the aching pain from earlier. “Hmm.. that feels better. Interestingly enough, the spell did not activate a few times there when it came to skipping a question or not answering. Is this something of a loophole?” Teal does the same as he drinks some of his water and places it back to wait for Nero to finish. “Guess I will test the theory once more.”

Nero licks his lips before smacking them as he gives a satisfied sigh before continuing, “That’s more like it. Thank you so much for the hospitality, captain. Wish food is another option but I don’t feel like pushing my luck.”

“Right. Now that you had your fill. Mind getting back to the question.” Teal raps his fingers on the table, patiently waiting.

“Course, so as I mentioned. After helping my uncle with his job throughout the late afternoon, my cousin had arrived home from visiting a friend and just in time for dinner to be served. I was on cooking duty and made the family a meal for the evening. After dinner was enjoyed, I spent time chatting with my cousin about how her day went, which went great according to her. Then I bid farewell to the family as I left the home a bit earlier than usual since I had a work party to attend. My boss was footing the bill, and I couldn’t say no to free food. So I left down the same dirt path… that path… the one that had sealed my fate, on that very night.” He closes his eyes as he remembers it all, the night of consequence of that templar's actions.

“The dirt path?” Teal looks at him in confusion, “Did something occur on that dirt path, that caused you to appear here? Remember to mention it in detail, Nero.” He leans in to get engrossed in what is about to be said. His purpose is to spot any lies, and important slip-ups that may occur.

~~~~~<

In the peanut gallery, the two royal sisters have now decreased to one. The night drew near, Luna excused herself early to get supper before starting her royal duties for the night court. Now all that leaves is Celestia to watch, turning away once to accept the food brought to her earlier, as she sat on the small round table to enjoy it. She continued to survey the interrogation, paying little mind to her meal as she slowly picked at it.

She was surprised earlier by Nero, who continues to keep a calm yet optimistic outlook on the situation. With only a handful of times when he slipped and was annoyed by certain aspects of the interrogation, the time Aurora had bastardized the way Luna’s spell was meant to be used, and when questioned if his uncle was divorced or if he was the one who came here with the young man. She looks down to her now half-eaten cold pasta, biting her lower lip, feeling sadness as she looks at Nero who has his eyes closed.

Her body had stopped giving her signs of hunger, knowing that she needed to remain healthy, eating is a priority, but skipping a day wouldn’t affect her too badly. Closing her own eyes, many thoughts roam inside her perplexed mind. “I do not believe, he is the one who orchestrated the insurrection against Equestrian kind. This can be backed by his time spent in the castle with close friends, guards, and workers alike. Then the time he spent in Ponyville when he was sent with my student like Luna mentioned…”

Her guilt toils, replaced by disappointment and dissatisfaction. “Yet, my citizens throw false claims. That he was just disguising his true nature, making fake friendships, telling lies to every person he met, and so many… lies.” She shakes her head, letting out a huff of annoyance at those accusations. “I may have made my own mistakes to which I own up to. But, after a millennium of experience, I would know if a person carries a blackened heart.”

Her train of thought is interrupted when a maid, escorted by a guard, speaks to the royal. “Princess Celestia. The evening tea is ready, your highness. Would you like to have it now?” The maid asks diligently.

“Yes. Thank you, Limeglow.” Celestia accepts the tea within her golden magical grasp as the maid bows before moving to set the rest of the essentials on the table. Then, the maid notes the royal's yellow-golden magic encasing the leftover pasta and handing it over to her, forgoing the notion of eating for now.

The maid holds her hand to her lower stomach, “Call me or any of the available workers, if you need anything else, your highness. Have a restful night.” She mentions to the royal before leaving.

“Of course, Limeglow. I will call for you if I need anything. Thank you for your hard work.” Celestia says warmly, giving Limeglow a motherly smile as the maid bows once more, before taking the rolling cart out of the room and away to continue the rest of her duties.

The royal smells the waft of her calming tea, feeling her mind relax a little. “Nevertheless, it is utter nonsense.” She takes a sip of the tea, letting out a satisfied hum, before seeing Nero's lips part as he begins to weave his tale. “Yet, with this interrogation as evidence, it will be able to prove his innocence just… Time will only tell if my citizens are willing to listen.”

Author's Note

Another set of asterisk words. I will set a hyperlink to show the clothes that the characters sport in the conversation of the past that Nero explains. Enjoy.

Images of clothes mentioned and tagged.

*Kimono top with Hakama pants
*Kariginu without the hat
*Torri gate
*Keikogi uniform