Chapters I was walking around my local convention center. It was my city's yearly Anime-Con. I decided to go cheap and just wear some of my actual clothes, calling it a costume. When asked how I showed them a custom made Hunter's License that says my name in that language they use in Hunter x Hunter. As I was walking around I saw a deck of cards that looked really cool.
I walked up to the stand, "How much for the deck of cards?" The man dressed like the resident evil merchant turned to me.
"Those will be $20. If I may ask, are you in costume?"
I handed him the money, "kind of yeah," I put the deck in my pocket and pulled out my license, "I'm Julien Wood, Pro Hunter."
He chuckled, "How is your Nen training coming along?"
"Not too bad. I may be a fast learner but no where near the level of Gon or Killua. I'm still training in the basics and haven't even done water divination yet even though I've been training for a few months." I put away my license.
"Well, I hope your training will be good enough." Before I could question him I blacked out.
***
Waking up I looked around. I was I the middle of the forest, the trees blocking most of the sunlight. I stood up and check myself. Nothing seemed to be missing. I have my phone, license, wallet, and the new cards I bought.
'Stay calm Julien, this is what all that survival training was for.' I took a deep breath and checked my phone. Just like I thought, there was no bars. I took out my cards and shuffled them. 'If its a club I'll go west, heart south, diamond east, and a spade north.' I flipped over the top card to reveal a queen of clubs, 'West it is then.' I looked up at the sun and check the time. It was 11:36 a.m. so I went in the opposite direction of the sun. The forest was peaceful, birds were chirping and a few squirrels gathering nuts. Entering a small clearing I found a small river. Inside were plenty of fish swimming up stream. not to far off were some berry bushes and small saplings. A few large rocks lined the edge of the river.
Looking up the sun showed it was going to be nightfall soon. I quickly gathered some large sticks and lined them up against one of the rocks. After stacking the sticks to build a sort of wall I gathered some dead leaves and placed it on top of the lean-to, forming a layer of insulation. I took some shrubs, leaving the roots in the ground, and used them to make some padding inside. I continued to grab more sticks and dead leaves to make a fire later on. after that was done I found a sturdy branch. Picking up a sharp rock I began to sharpen it into a makeshift spear. The sun was close to setting so I started up the fire. While that was going I took off my shoes and socks; making my way over to the river I rolled up my pant legs and stepped in the water. The fish moved away from where I was and out of reach from the spear. I took a deep breath and readied my spear.
Suddenly, my chest felt cold and my blood like ice, 'What the hell! Push it out!' A blast of white energy enveloped my body. Surprised I stumbled over and fell into the river. Sitting up I looked at my body and arms. They were covered in a explosive white aura. I began to feel tired and my eyes drooped a bit, 'This must be Ren. That means the other was Zetsu then. I cant keep this up much longer, I need to contain it with Ten.' I focused on stopping the aura from escaping and keeping it around my body. The aura slowly began to retract and surround my body, 'Gon was right, it is like standing in a warm viscous fluid.'
I stood up, readied my spear, and activated Zetsu. I ignored the weird feeling and waited patiently. The fish slowly started moving closer. When they got within range I decided to wait a little bit longer. There was a big fish that could feed me tonight by itself but was just out of reach. The fish started to get really close, brushing up against my legs at times. The big fish got within a good distance, I stabbed the spear through the fish. I pulled off the fish and tossed it to the shore.
Walking over to the shore and grabbing the sharp rock, I gutted and deboned it. I took a small stick and stabbed it through the fish, then I pushed the end of it into the ground, the fish learning to the fire. While that was cooking I decided to work on my Ten.
I closed my eyes and felt like I was in a warm viscous fluid again. I imagined my aura flowing in and around me like a stream of energy. My chest felt extremely warm, like I accomplished something. At some point my mind started to go blank. I opened my eyes to see that night had fallen some time ago. The fish was done so I reached out to grab it.
*SNAP*
I shot up and reactivated my ten. Turning to the noise I saw the weirdest sight. An anthro Chrysalis , Cozy Glow, and Tirek . Their clothing was in shambles and look like they haven't eaten in a few days. We simply stared at each other for what felt hours. I lowered my hands and stopped my Ten. I waved them over and motioned them to sit. I took the fish and placed it slightly further away from the fire so it won't keep cooking but still keep warm. I grabbed my spear and walked over to the river.
The moonlight gave enough light to see a few more fish still trying to swim up stream. I entered the stream and activated Zetsu. I heard a few surprised gasps but just ignored them. I gathered three fish and brought them to shore. I gutted, deboned, and leaned them against the fire. While they were cooking I gathered some berries. I separated them into three piles and gave the three their share. I gave Cozy a slightly bigger share then the other two. The fish were done and I handed them to the three. I gave Cozy the larger of the three. I began to eat along with Chrysalis and Tirek. Cozy didn't eat however.
"Is something wrong Miss Cozy Glow?"
She looked up at me with a face of slight disgust, "First, I'm only 16 so just Cozy please. Second, why are you helping us if you know who we are? Third, why do I have more than they do?"
I swallowed what I was eating before replying, "To answer your third question, it's because you are still growing. You need to need more than adults do, especially since you haven't eaten in a while." I took a bite of my fish while the others nodded.
"What about the second question?"
I thought for a moment, 'If these three are here then I think I can assume I'm in Equestria. If that's so then Celestia is here as well, naturally. Damn I hate that mare.'
"I'm the same as you in a way. I don't like Princess Celestia or the magic of friendship." They looked slightly shocked.
"You don't like them either?"
I finished up the fish and threw the stick into the fire, "No. She says she's she brings peace and harmony, and she probably believes that too, but she doesn't. She has only created a divide in order and chaos, bringing the world into a imbalance. Anytime the world tries to fix itself she uses the elements and creates a greater divide. I plan to fix that."
Tirek spoke up, "And how do you plan to do that?"
'Now that I think about it, can I teach Nen to others? If not then there still is magic. I certainly don't want to do this alone. What should I call my team though. WAIT, THAT'S IT!'
"I plan on making a team called the Phantom Troupe. Me included there will be thirteen members. I will be the leader and give orders but that's it. No one person is higher than everybody else, we work as equals." The others rose a brow.
"What if you gave a order that would make it so the others can't protect you and die?"
With no hesitation I answered, "My orders are top priority, but I am not. Even if the head is sacrificed it doesn't matter as long as the spider lives." The others stared at me with wide eyes. They remained silent for a few moments.
Chrysalis asked me, "What will your team do? You didn't really explain that."
"She has made a world filled with to much harmony, so the Phantom Troupe will do the opposite... And wreak havoc. We do what we want, when we want. If we see something we like, we take it." We spent a few moments in silence. I stare at the fire thinking about what I need to do tomorrow.
I was interrupted by Cozy, "Can I join?"
Chrysalis cut in, "May I as well?"
Tirek butted in, "And I as well?"
"Do any of you know how to use Nen?" They looked at me with looks of confusion. "Get some sleep, we are going to have a looong day tomorrow. I'll make you guys a place to sleep tommorow after you begin training." I stood up and walked over to my lean-to. Crawling inside I went straight to sleep. I'm going to need it.
I awoke from my sleep and crawled out from under my lean-to. I looked over to the sleeping forms of villains past, 'I guess it was real. This is going to be fun when they learn Nen. Until then I'll have to put my plans on hold. I need to train my own Nen anyways so it's good I found them now instead of later. I have to find other members however.' I took off my clothes, minus my underwear, and stepped into the river. The fish swam around me and kept moving up stream. I noticed that my body had changed when I can here as well. While I wasn't super buff I did have some muscle.
I finished up my makeshift bath and steeped out of the river. I didn't have a towel to dry off with so I decided to try something. I gathered my aura and used Ren. the explosion of energy blew off most of the water. I turned it off and put my clothes back on. I went to wake up the three only to be met with them wide awake. Tirek was indifferent, but the girls were blushing slightly.
"Are you ready to begin training?" That snap the girls out of their trance and all three of them nodded. "Good, to start I'm going to explain what Nen is first. okay?" They sat down and looked focused. "Nen is a technique that allows a living being to use and manipulate their own life energy, also known as aura. Aura is the life energy produced by all living bodies vital for survival. Aura from all parts of the body has a tendency to flow together, producing one mass of energy. This happens without the individual's awareness, typically resulting in a slow leak of aura continually escaping the body and stemming up and off the top of the head. The pores or points on the body from which aura flows out from are called Aura Nodes." They had a slight look of confusion but had a understanding.
"Nen users are able to manipulate their aura and create supernatural like powers. Normally it takes years of meditation to open and control the opening and closing of these nodes. I will however, be speeding up the process by sending my aura into your body. This will force the aura nodes to open up. Tirek will be first. Please stand up." He got up and I walked behind him. I put my hand near the back of his neck and I used Ren. His Aura started to flow out of his body in mass, almost like Ren but without any refinement. "Focus and stop the aura from escaping. Imagine it flowing through and around your body without leaving it."
He closed his eyes and started focus on his aura. It slowly started to retract and flow smoothly around him. he opened his eyes and looked down at himself. "Go sit down and focus on maintaining this state." he sat down and closed his eyes. I did the same with Cozy.
Cozy's aura almost instantly formed into Ten, 'Holy shit! She might be on the same level as Gon and Killua. Maybe even more.'
"Very impressive Cozy. Go ahead and join Tirek." She sat down next to him. I walked behind Chrysalis and sent my Ten into her body. Her aura came flooding out.
Chrysalis had a lot more trouble than the previous two. She was sweating profusely and out of breath. She barely made any progress since starting about ten minutes ago. She kneeled over and started to cough up blood. Cozy tried to help her but I held out my arm to stop her. Chrysalis slowly stood back up, clearly in pain. Her eyes were bleary and out of focus.
'Her aura has been drained by a great amount. She's on the verge of death at this point. Come on Chrysalis, don't die on me.' Her aura began to smoothen, taking on a more caring feeling. She fell to her knees, gulping in every breath.
"You did great. Go get some rest."
"I NEARLY DIED! WHY DIDN'T YOU LET COZY HELD ME?!"
I sighed, "It's not like she could. The reason you almost died is because too much of your aura escaped."
"SO WE COULD DIE WHEN YOU FORCE OPEN OUR NODES?!"
"please stop yelling. And yes, my initiation could easily kill someone. You and I both know if I told you that nobody would have done it." They looked in thought and nodded. "Get some rest."
She shook her head, "No, I'm going to keep working."
I simply shrugged, 'If she wants to continue then that's fine with me.'
"Everyone form in a circle. Class is back in session." I sat down and the others gathered around me. Activating my own Ten I began to speak, "What you are doing is one of the four major principals of Nen, it's called Ten. Ten is the process of keeping the nodes open, but also having aura flow through and around the body rather than away from it. Once maintained, it creates a shroud around the user that feels similar to standing in a lukewarm, viscous fluid. Ten maintains youthful vigor and reduces one's aging, since the energy powering the body no longer leaks away; one can keep the body from breaking down and deter the aging process.
"Ten is the most basic defense against emotional Nen attacks, and it also offers limited protection against physical attacks, but hardly any when said attacks are enhanced with aura. Through frequent meditation and practice, one can improve the quality of their Ten and even maintain it in their sleep. Once it has been learned, it will never be forgotten, much like cycling and swimming.
"Despite being the most elementary technique of all, Ten is also one of the most important, since, together with Ren, it plays an instrumental role in determining the strength and smoothness of a Nen user's aura flow. For the next few days we will be working on nothing but our Ten. Understood?" They all nodded and started meditating. I put my hands on my knees and closed my eyes.
My senses started to grow dull as time passed. My hearing was the first to disappear. Touch and taste left at the same time not long after. A few minutes later my sense of smell. I was only able to tell when the smell of grass want further and further away.
I began to think, 'Who should I pick to be the other Troupe members? If Twilight hasn't gotten to them yet then I want to get Trixie, Starlight, and Tempest. Discord is a obvious choice, but it will be difficult if he's already reformed. If at all possible I would like to get Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker on my side as well. If Sombra is alive then he would be a great choice. Convincing him might be even harder than discord. That leaves two open spots left.'
"This is a interesting sight. Who and what might you be?" I turned around to see Princess Luna .
"Princess Luna? If you're here then I must've dosed off while meditating. To answer your question, I'm Julien Wood, and I'm a human."
Her eyes widened slightly, "A human? My sister has told me little about them when they appeared after my banishment. They disappeared before I could return however." She looked me over slightly, "You have a very smooth Nen, but it should only be able to be used by the element bearers and the Princesses. I must ask, how do know about it?"
I looked over her to notice she also had Ten, 'So only the main six and the Princesses can use Nen? That will be great down the line, but why did she call it Nen and not Ten. Does she not know about the four principals? What about the others, do they not know as well?'
"Thank you for the compliment. I learned about it through images I found while exploring one day." AKA I found the manga Hunter x Hunter while I was walking around the city. It was in a bargain bin at some hole in the wall bookstore.
"Is that so?" She slowly started to fade away, "It seems your waking up. I hope to speak to you again Julien." She completely faded and I felt .my senses come back to me. I opened my eyes to see the moon high in the sky. A small stone 'house', for a lack of a better term, was made by the river. Cozy walked out and noticed me.
"Your awake, we called it quits when the sun fell. We were going to ask what to do next but you seemed to be asleep. Dinner is ready if you want some." My stomach decided to make itself known.
I stood up, "Dinner sounds nice."
'That was a short talk with Luna. Hopefully we won't have to again. I don't know if she can track me like that or not.'
I was walking down the hallway to the throne room. I had just risen the moon and it was my turn to rule. Entering I found my sister talkt with the element bearers .
I sped up, "Sister I have something to tell you." She turned to me, "I was exploring the dream realm and found something interesting."
"What did you find dear sister?"
"A human." She flinched slightly, "Not only that but he can somehow use Nen as well." Her eyes went wide. She started shaking and hyperventilating, "Sister!" Everypony did their best to help but to no avail.
She suddenly spoke, "We must find him. Where is he sister?"
I was confused, "I don't know. Why do we need to find him. He was quite nice to me."
"Don't let him fool you. Humans are monsters that kill without any remorse. We must find him right away." She teleported away before we could ask her anything.
I looked at the bearers, "I'm sorry for my sister. Please stay the night. I'm sure we will have much to discuss in the morning." The bearers slowly walked out, confusion clearly written on their faces.
I sat down on my throne, 'What is it that you're not telling me sister?'
It's been three days since we've began training. We got to the point where we can maintain Ten even in our sleep. Their bodies were no longer just bones anymore and had some muscles. I think it's time we move on to Zetsu and Ren. Zetsu shouldn't take long since it's just closing the aura nodes. Ren is going be different, I'm thinking of having them work on it while we go search for more members. I learned from Chrysalis that we're in the Everfree forest. I walked outside and gathered the three of them.
"I have a few things to say before we begin. First, we're going to be working of two principals today. Zetsu is very simple and shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Then we're going to the the castle of the two sisters. I have a feeling we'll find someone I want to join us. Alright?" They all nodded in agreement.
Cozy asked me, "Who are we going to go look for?"
"Nightmare Moon, from there she could, hopefully, lead us to Daybreaker. I'll explain the rest of the plan from there. Right now we're going to learn how to use Zetsu." I activated my Zetsu, my aura stoped flowing and the cold feeling came back.
"While Ten allows a user to keep aura from leaking away from their body, Zetsu stops the flow of aura from their body altogether. By closing all of their Aura Nodes, the user is able to halt all outflow of their aura like water from a valve, making their presence much harder or even impossible to sense. Shutting off the nodes in their eyes prevents the user from being able to see aura, but, since they are no longer surrounded by their own aura, they become more sensitive to the aura of others.
"This technique is thus doubly useful when tracking another person, as not only it will make it easier to follow them, it will also prevent other users of Nen from noticing their pursuer. However, there are other ways to perceive a person hiding with Zetsu: aside from the five senses being effective, particularly perceptive individuals are capable of detecting the gaze of another person, although they might not manage to discern the position and number of onlookers.
"Furthermore, if Zetsu is utilized within a certain range from a Nen user, that Nen user might notice their presence disappearing, especially if the Zetsu user's aura is powerful. Despite the technique not affecting vision directly, activating Zetsu in front of someone else will give them the impression the user has turned transparent.
"Zetsu can also be used to relieve fatigue, since it forces the body's external layer of aura to be fully contained within. However, for the same reason it can be dangerous due to it leaving the body defenseless against any aura attack. Even a weak attack enhanced with Nen could do massive damage. Since even the thin protection offered by Ten is gone, a Zetsu user is particularly susceptible also to hostile emotional attacks, resulting in their mind becoming as vulnerable as their body.
"Now, try using Zetsu yourself." The three of them closed their eyes. Chrysalis was able to close her nodes almost instantly. Cozy and Tirek took a few seconds but got it non the less. They shivered slightly, "Feels weird, I know. Next we're going to learn Ren."
I activated my Ren, the aura was a few inches away from my body, "Ren focuses on outputting a larger amount of aura than Ten, projecting it outwards explosively. This amplifies the user's physical strength and durability and provides a large pool of aura for any advanced techniques or individual skills they decide to use, albeit at the cost of expending said aura. One can train their Ren to extend its duration and increase the amount of aura at their disposal. It is said it takes one month to prolong one's Ren outside of combat by 10 minutes.
"If Ten is considered purely defensive, Ren can be regarded as its offensive counterpart, although it also grants the user vastly enhanced defensive abilities. With the right timing, Ten can be used to contain the aura produced with Ren.
"By tingeing one's Ren with hostility, a Nen user can exert what is colloquially referred to as 'bloodlust'. A prolonged emission of malicious Ren can induce uncontrollable dread in those who cannot use Nen, paralysis and if contrasted without Ten, even death. On the other hand, a neutral Ren can rarely be felt by non-users. Since Ren is a show of power, it can also intimidate other Nen users, as it offers an approximate measure of the user's raw strength.
"In most cases, Ren reflects the user's hostility without their control, and it can even leave faint traces in the environment after the Nen user has left the scene. Now I want you to try." I deactivated my Ren, sweating slightly.
The three's auras were small, barely bigger than their Ten. After only a few seconds Chrysalis stopped, completely out of breath. Cozy lastest a little longer but stopped as well. Tirek surprised me however, he managed to keep up his Ren for thirty minutes before having to stop.
I began clapping, "That's very impressive Tirek. Your the first person I know who can last that long from the very start."
"Thank you." He crossed his arms.
"Now then, before we had out into the forest I need to know something." I looked over to Chrysalis, "Is it possible to use your magic to make a tattoo?"
"Yes, by putting the magic just under the skin one can make a tattoo. Why do you ask?"
"I want us all to get a tattoo to signify we're members of the Phantom Troupe." They rose a brow, "When we start making a name for ourselves people will start claiming that they're one of us. By getting a tattoo it shows that we are the real members and bring us closer together as a group." They looked down in thought.
"I suppose that makes sense." Tirek stated in a low voice.
Chrysalis asked, "What will the tattoo be?"
"It will be a twelve legged spider with our corresponding number inside of it." I tapped my left forearm, "I want mine here with the number zero in it." She put her hand on my arm. I could feel her magic go through my arm. She pulled away and the spider was there. I chose my forearm because I was wearing a short sleeve shirt and it would show to others.
"Everyone pick a number between 1 through 12. You can put the tattoo wherever you want." Chrysalis started giving out tattoos. Cozy's was the number 8 on her shoulder blade. Tirek's was the number 12 on his stomach. Chrysalis' was the number 5 on her right thigh. Hers was white so it would show against her black chitin.
"Who here knows where the castle is?" Cozy raised her hand, "Everyone use Zetsu, I don't want to get into trouble on the way there." Everyone activated Zetsu and we began walking into the forest.
'I'm going to miss this area. But we must all move on at some point.' The walk was slightly boring. We saw some birds and small animals but nothing to exciting.
We made it to the castle. It was in ruins and the wood was rotting. I took the lead and walked into a tower off to the side. While we were walking up the stairs collapsed and I started to fall. Tirek grabbed my hand just in time and pulled me back up. I nodded my head in thanks.
We made it into the room the elements of harmony defeated Nightmare Moon. I looked around the room and shouted, "NIGHTMARE MOON! I KNOW YOUR HERE SO COME ON OUT!"
Nightmare Moon walked out from behind a pillar. Her ten was still and filled with malice, "How did you know I was here... Whatever it is you are."
I shrugged, "Honestly I didn't. After the elements blasted you I didn't have any idea if you were even alive or not. If you were then it was just barely. You'd have to stay here in order to regain your strength. It's the safest. Nobody ever comes here. Also I'm a human."
"You're smart hooman. But why are you here?"
"It's human not hooman, and I'm making a group know as the Phantom Troupe. I want you to be apart of it."
She rose a brow, "Why would I want to do that?"
"What if I told you that you could get revenge on Luna and Celestia?"
She crossed her arms, "I'm listening."
"Join me and you can wreak havoc across Equestria. You never have to work alone and be supported by the rest of us. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"Indeed it does. What's the catch?"
"I'd knew you know. I need two things. You have to help us find more members for the Troupe and I need to know where Daybreaker is."
"You know about Daybreaker? You must be more prepared then I thought. She still stuck in the others body. If you wish to get her then you have to get close and say Daybreaker's name."
'That simple huh? Nothing never is, she's probably withholding info. Not much I can do though.'
"Thank you, now I ask you pick a number between 1 through 11, except five or eight."
"I pick seven. Why ask me such a trivial question?" I nodded to Chrysalis she began walking over to Nightmare Moon.
"Each member has a tattoo of a twelve legged spider somewhere of their choosing on their body. It signifies that you're a member." She chose to have it on her collar bone. Her was also white as to show against her black fur.
"Who is Daybreaker?" Tirek asked me.
"To over simply it, Daybreaker is Celestia's version of Nightmare Moon. Unlike that one," I pointed to Nightmare, "Daybreaker never escaped." He nodded in understanding.
"Now then, it's time to tell everybody the rules of the Troupe." They all turned to me, "Rule number one, My orders are your top priority, but I am not your top priority. Even if it means sacrificing me you are to follow my orders." They all nodded, albeit hesitantly.
"Rule number two, you are to never prioritize the individual over the group. I don't care how well you bonded with them the spider as whole comes first." They nodded with even more hesitation.
"Rule number Three, you are never to go out alone. You must be with at least one other partner at all times." The nodded to that one almost instantly.
"Finally Rule number four, there is to be no infighting within the spider. If a clash of opinions can not be solved through discussion then it must be settled with a coin toss." They all nodded.
"Good, those are the rules to the Phantom Troupe. This is also where we are splitting up." Everyone looked confused, "I want Nightmare Moon, Tirek, and Cozy Glow to travel Equestria and find three mares I'm looking for. They are Trixie Lunamoon, Starlight Glimmer, And Tempest Shadow. Me and Chrysalis will head to Canterlot and get Daybreaker."
They three got together and Chrysalis walked over to me, "Why do you want me to go with you?"
"You're a changeling, unlike them you can fit in much better than anybody else. We're going to need that in Canterlot. I'll meet up with you at the entrance, I need to talk to those three." She nodded and left.
I walked over to them, "The three mares I mentioned are all unicorns. Starlight Glimmer is in a town near the outskirts of Equestria. Tempest Shadow is most likely with the Storm King. Trixie is more difficult however, she's a traveling shows woman. After you find them bring them back here, willing or otherwise. Afterwards get in contact with me and I'll come straight here."
I began to walk away, "Oh, and Cozy." She looked at me, "Teach Nightmare Moon how to use Zetsu and Ren." She nodded and I left. I met up with Chrysalis and we made our way to Ponyville. The walk was very uneventful. We made it to the edge of the forest. Chrysalis turned into a generic pony. Green fur and red hair.
"When we go in there I want you to use Zetsu. While all the attention is on me you will pickpocket everyone you can. When we make it to the train station we'll count how much we got."
"Alright, but what if the elements of harmony are there?"
"We'll deal with it when it happens. Also when in towns and cities call me Gowther. I don't want anyone learning my name." I walked out the forest with Chrysalis not to far behind. People stared at me the entire time. One unicorn mare was bouncing around all excited after seeing me. The walk to the train station took about an hour.
Chrysalis walked up to me, "I managed to get about 500 bits." She held up a small bag nearly filled to the brim. I took a look inside and saw small gold coin. As we were about to enter the station I noticed a art store right next to it.
I pulled out 50 bits and handed them to her, "Buy the tickets for us, I'm going to get something really quickly." I entered the store and looked around. Paints, brushes, and any art supply you need can be found here. I picked up a bottle of white and black paint. Looking over them there was a 'Instant dry guaranteed' . I grabbed two brushes, a thin one for detail and a slight wider one for larger areas.
It took a little bit to get the cashier to ring me up but I got them. I walked into the station and sat down next to Chrysalis.
"The train will be here in thirty minutes." I took out my hunters license. Uncorking the white paint I took the larger brush and painted the back of it. Tapping it the paint was already dry. I uncorked the black paint and used the thin brush to paint a outline of a twelve legged spider. I then took the larger brush and filled in the rest of the spider. I put away the brushes and paint. I looked at my handy work .
Token
I felt a random urge and started to use Shu, infusing my Nen into the license.
Message
I brought the license close, "I am Gowther, should you need our help, you can always call on the spider." I tossed it off the the side and a portal opened up, swallowing the token.
"What was that?" Chrysalis asked me.
"I don't know," I looked forward as our train arrived, "I don't know."
The train ride to Canterlot was uneventful. I was stared at the entire time. Most looked slightly scared but I think it was because my tattoo was in plain view for all to see. The only thing of significance was me teaching Chrysalis a advanced technique. My hand was wrapped in a thick layer of aura while the rest of my body was not in any aura.
"Gyo is an advanced application of Ren by which a Nen user concentrates a larger than normal portion of their aura into one specific body part. It increases the strength of that one body part, but leaves the rest of the body more vulnerable. As such it's best used as a counter rather than a actual attack." I deactivated it and let my aura flow around my body. She tried to do it herself. Her hand was wrapped is a shaky aura for a few moments before returning to normal. She tried again to the same result.
"Here try this." I moved my aura to my hand but didn't use Ren to increase it's power, "An alternative version of this technique gathers only the aura naturally leaking from the body instead of the greater amount produced with Ren. This application of Gyo can still increase the amount of aura in one select body part and thus its power, but the output is much lower than what is obtained through the regular technique." She tried again, her aura moving to her hand. She managed to get her hand entirely covered but I could tell it wasn't very strong. Still, I'm impressed how far she's come along in such a short amount of time.
The train pulled into the station and we got off. I activated Zetsu and she took the hint. Canterlot was not something to scoff at. Almost every building looked like it was carved out of marble and lined with gold. Mansions bigger than any one would ever need or use. The castle looked not different. Gold covered nearly every part of it, causing it to shine in the sunlight.
We made it to the gate in no time at all. I walked off to the side where the wall was least guarded. The guards at the gate were out of sight and the patrol just passed by. I got a running start and jumped on the wall, grabbing the ledge. I pulled myself up, then leaned over with my hand outstretched. Chrysalis grabbed it and I pulled her up. We jumped down into the courtyard. We passed by every guard without much effort. A wrong turn caused us to end up in the garden. I was about to turn around when I saw a particular statue.
I walked over to it... Yep that's discord. He was trapped in stone with the sign do not release under it, "Wasn't Discord supposed to be reformed?" I asked Chrysalis.
"He was but after betraying the elements he was sealed away again."
'Is that so? While it does make it easier to find him I don't like how far Celestia is pushing things. She's locked away the literal spirit of chaos.' I switched over to Ten and Chrysalis did as well. I saw a guard walking in this direction, on a routine most likely.
I stopped him, "Excuse me. Can you please go tell Celestia someone is waiting for her next to the statue of Discord. If she asks who just say it's an old friend, she'll know what it means." He looked me over before nodding and walking off.
I turned to look at the statue of Discord, 'I can't wait, dear princess.'
(POV Luna)
My sister, the element bearers, and I were eating lunch. Now that morning court is over, she had cancelled the rest of the day so she could tell us why she hated humans so much. We were nearly finished when one of the solar guards entered. He walked over to my sister.
"Princess, there's a stallion in the garden by the statue of Discord who asked to see you."
"Were you expecting somepony sister?" I asked her, some anger in my voice.
"No, I wasn't dear sister. Did he say who he was or why he is here? I never got a letter from him." She folded her hands on the table.
"No princess, he didn't tell me why he was here. He just said to tell you the he was an old friend and that you would know what it meant." Both of our eyes went as wide as saucers.
"Sister, you don't think it can be him, could it?" I asked her.
"I don't know dear sister, but it is very possible. We must see him right away." The two of us stood up, the element bearers confused all the while.
Twilight was the first to speak out, "Who's this 'old friend' you two are talking about?"
We began walking to the garden as my sister answered, "He was a very powerful magic user during the time discord reined Equestria. It was thanks to his help we were able to find the elements."
I continued, "He disappeared not long after but said he will return when the world will be in danger. It seems today is that day." The eight of us made it to the garden in record time. We wasted no time, heading straight to Discord. When we got there we saw somepony different.
Instead of the pony we were looking for it was some other creature with a unicorn mare. What was odd however, was that they both were using Nen. He seemed to notice us and turn to look at us, as did his companion. He wore a white tee-shirt and jeans. His mane reached down to his shoulders. The most interesting part about him was a magical tattoo of a twelve legged spider with the number zero on his left forearm. His companion had one as well, though it was the number five and on her thigh.
My sister's face twisted into anger, "What are you doing here foul human."
He put his hand on his chest and put on a fake look of shock, "My my Celestia, that hurt my feelings. Is this how you treat all your guests?" He chuckled a little, "But in all seriousness, I do want to talk to you. You as well princess Luna since you're here."
Before my sister could say anything I answered, "What is it you need to know talk about Julian?"
Sister looked at me, "You know this human?" Her voice sounded like she was just betrayed.
"Yes, he was the human I met in the dream realm."
"It's nice you remember me. However I do need your help finding a missing mare. She very important to me and I need to find her."
My sister spat out, "I sure you're the one that took her and just trying to cover up your tracks."
He rolled his eyes and put on a sarcastic tone, "Yes, I clearly kidnapped someone important to me and immediately went straight to the Princesses to try and trick them into thinking that I didn't do it before the guards even know about it." He put on a blank face and flat tone, "Do you even think?"
Sister was about to attack him when I held out my arm, "Sister, your anger and preconceived thoughts of humans are clouding your judgment. He has done nothing wrong or we would've heard about it." She looked angry but back down. I looked over to him, "And you are no better. Insulting a princess while asking for their help."
He sighed, "You're right. my apologies, but we should get back on topic. The reason I came straight to you is because I believe you know her."
"We do?" I rose a brow.
'Who could it be that he's talking about'
"Yes, she's a alicorn with white fur. her mane and tail look like fire and she wares orange battle armour." We knew exactly who he was talking about. He must have noticed because he began to smirk, "She goes by the name Daybreaker."
Sister erupted into a pillar of fire. her screams of agony could be heard across Canorlot. The heat was so strong that all of us had to step back. the flame slowly died down. In my sisters place was somepony else. It was Daybreaker standing there in full armour.
(POV Julian)
"Ah, does it feel good to be free again. I must asked, who was it the freed me?"
I slightly raised my hand, "That would be me Daybreaker. I ask that we save the pleasantries for later. Right now I need to speak with them." I pointed to the others, "Until then, I ask that you wait for me. Chrysalis, Teliport her to the hideout and return for me in a few minutes."
She dropped her disguise and walked over to Daybreaker, "Are you sure you want to wait that long? You could die if I don't return."
I looked at her, "Have you forgotten or do you need to be reminded of what rule number one is."
"Rule number one, your orders are our top priority, but you are not our top priority. Even if it means sacrificing you we are to follow your orders."
"So you do remember. Then why are you still here?" I know I'm being rude but she needs to leave for the rest of the plan to work. her horn lit up and in a flash of green light the two of them were gone.
"Julian, Just what is it that you are planning? Why are you doing this?" Luna asked me.
I looked at her in the eyes, "Your sister, you, and the element bearers have created a unbalance in the world. Order and harmony has spread too far and created a rift between it and chaos. I am putting together a group known as the Phantom Troupe. We will bring balance back to the world with chaos." A small crack appeared on Discord, "The world will know that we are something to fear." Off in a icy tundra a black unicorn with a curved red horn looked south to Equestria, "A world where chaos and harmony are equal to each other." In a town near the outskirts of Equestria a lite purple unicorn looked to Canterlot, "With powers that can rival magic itself." On a airship In a far off land a red unicorn with a broken horn looked to Equestria, "No matter what race you are. Pony or not." In Ponyville and young dragon put down his book and looked out the window, "A group who accept all, no matter what they have done in the past." In Manehattan a unicorn street magician looks to Canterlot. "And a place where one can find themselves with the help of others." In Ponyville a pegasus filly looked up at the sky, "We will set the world back into motion. We will right the wrongs you have made. We are Equestria's Spider and our venom is the cure to the poison you call peace."
Chrysalis appeared and grabbed ahold of my arm. her horn lit up with magic again, "And we will be the ones left standing in the end." We teleported away and into the castle of the two sisters.
Author's Note
Hey guys I'm back. I wrote this chapter a while ago and I have a few more in stock. I'll post them either once a week or biweekly. I'm not sure yet. But I hope you enjoy it non the less.
"In umbra, igitur pugnabimus; then we will fight in the shade"
Chapter Five
After the flash of light, I felt nauseous. I fell to my knees and did my best to keep my food in my stomach. I felt Chrysalis pat my back. I stood up and looked around for Daybreaker. She was standing off to the side chuckling.
"First time teleporting?" I nodded my head, still with a little bit of vertigo. "You get used to it after a while. But I must know, how do you know about me? Celestia did her damn best to make the world forget, yet you clearly knew about me. So, I ask how you know about me?"
I sat down on an old chair and leaned on the table next to it, "I'm a person who knows things that the rest of the world forgot about. A holder of knowledge I have no right in knowing. My point being, I know a lot of things that I shouldn't know about. You being one of them."
She nodded, "I suppose you want something? You don't seem like the kind of person to set me free for the Tartarus of it."
I sighed, "And you'd be correct in that assumption. I want you to join my group of... villains for a lack of a better term. We are to cause chaos and disharmony throughout Equestria." I stood up and started to walk around her, "Personally I always hated Celestia. Her view of peace and harmony has been twisted and turned into absolute order. I want to bring the world back into balance. Do you want help me in my endeavor?"
She mulled over it for a few moments, "What will I gain in this deal of yours."
I kept circling her, "There are many things." I moved behind her and leaned over her right shoulder, my right hand extended, "Exponential power at your fingertips." I leaned over her left shoulder and extended my left hand, "To get back at Celestia and the elements of harmony." I spun so I was in front of her, extended both of my hands, and put on an evil smirk , "Almost anything you could want is yours for the taking. What isn't there to gain with us?"
She lowered her head in thought. While she was thinking I looked around. The place was clearly falling apart, the sunlight coming through the open ceiling. Large tables and chairs lined the room. Plates and other silverware was strewed about the place. This must have been the dining room when it was still being used.
Daybreaker finally looked back up, "Okay, I'll join this group of yours."
I looked back over to her, "Good. Now, pick a number between 1 and 12."
She looked slightly confused, "Why do you want my to do that?"
"Each member has a spider tattoo somewhere on their body with their corresponding number on it."
"I'd like the number nine on my side then." Chrysalis went up and put the tattoo on her right side.
"One last thing Daybreaker. You have to leave Celestia's body."
"What, Why? You said anything I wanted was for the taking." She crossed her arms.
"I said almost anything. The point of the Phantom Troupe is to bring balance back to Equestria. As much as I hate to emit it, Celestia is important to the balance. She must be brought back to Canterlot."
"That's going to be a problem." I rose a brow, "Unlike Nightmare Moon I can't keep my form without a host."
"What if we found someone to act as your host?"
"It could work but my strength will drop exponentially. My strength is proportional to my hosts strength."
"That's fine with me. We still need to build our strength anyhow." I turned to Chrysalis, "Go to Ponyville and kidnap someone to act as our new friend’s host, will you?" She simply nodded, and I turned back to Daybreaker.
I spent the next few minutes teaching Daybreaker the other two Principles to Nen. She was surprised to say the least. After she learned the basics I had her work on Ren. I think it had to do with her being in Celestia's body, but she was lasted for about an hour each time. I also worked on my Ren as well. I was only able to last for 10 minutes each time however. 10 minutes was all in needed though.
I went into the kitchen that was off to the side. I managed to find a glass that wasn't either broken or unclean-able. In the corner I found a small tub filled with mostly clean water. I dipped in the cup and took a leaf off a nearby vine. I went back out to the dining room and placed the cup on a table. I put my hands next to the glass while Daybreaker looked at me oddly. I activated Gyo, focusing my aura into the glass. Something started to appear inside, they looked kind of like iron fillings. I stopped and pulled my hands away.
'So, I'm a Conjurer huh? This is certainly makes thing much more fun.'
"I'm back with the new host." I looked over at Chrysalis. She had a Pegasus mare over her shoulder. The Pegasus in question had a blond mane and tail. Her fur was a light grey color and she wore a mail woman uniform. She placed her down and I looked over to Daybreaker. She walked over to the mare and placed her horn against her forehead. A pillar of fire erupted, the heat was so powerful that I had to step back some. When it died down Celestia was on the floor passed out and the mare was now a smaller version of Daybreaker.
Daybreaker sat up and opened her eyes. Chrysalis and I started chuckling; Daybreaker's eyes were facing two different directions. I picked up Celestia and started heading for the door.
"I'll take Celestia back to Twilight's castle. In the meantime, work on Ren or rest up." I left the castle and went to Ponyville. When I arrived, I went right into town. Everybody was already asleep or indoors. One thing I found interesting however, was that there wasn't a single guard around. I made it to the castle uninhibited. I left Celestia on the porch when I was stricken by an idea.
'Spike could make a good candidate for the Troupe. Maybe I could convince him to join us. With how the others treat him it shouldn't be too hard.' I opened the door and snuck inside. 'They really don't care about security, do they?' I activated Zetsu and looked around the castle. Just like in the show everything was made of crystal. I wondered how Sombra would react to this place.
It took a little while, but I found Spike in his own room. Quietly, I entered the room and made my way over to him. He was sound asleep, a smile plastered on his face. Looking around his room a grabbed a rope and small cloth he had under his bed. I'm not asking, but I'm not complaining either. I lightly tied the cloth around his mouth and made sure it wouldn't fall off when he woke up. Quickly I tied his hands behind his back... He didn't wake up. I then quickly tied his legs together... He has yet to wake up.
'Dudes a heavy sleeper.' I picked him up and put him on my shoulder. I snuck back out the castle and looked over to Celestia. She was still passed out on the porch. I quietly ran through Ponyville, Buildings soon turned into trees. I made it back to Base in record time. Not counting Teleporting of course. Daybreaker and Chrysalis were sitting at the table by the cup of water. Both were sweating profusely. I dragged a chair to the middle of the room and sat Spike in it. I undid the ropes on his hands and re-tied them to the chair.
I turned back to the other two. Both the cup and table were covered in water. I simply rose a brow and looked at the two of them. They avoided my eyes and did their best to look elsewhere. I slowly walked closer and the two of them started to look nervous. I stood right in front of them, Chrysalis was sweating even more and Daybreaker was slightly uncomfortable.
"So, what have you too been doing?" They didn't answer me, "You haven't been messing around with my glass, have you?" They still didn't answer. "I really hope you haven't because neither of you are ready for it yet." There still wasn't an answer. I turned around and started walking, "I'm going to bed. I'll see you two in the morning." I was only messing with them, but it was fun to see the look of confusion on their face when I left. I looked through the different rooms until I found a bed room. It wasn't very special. Just a bed and window with some curtains. I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes. Sleep slowly took hold of me as I feel unconscious.
I woke up and stretched. Looking out the window, sunlight filtered through the curtains. I walked into the dinning room to see Spike has yet to wake up. I looked around the kitchen and found very little to eat. Most of the stuff that was etable was tomato soup. I still had most of the bits from yesterday so I left for Ponyville. Once I reached the edge of the forest I stared out at the town. People moved from place to place, interacting with one another. I activated Zestu and walked out from the trees. When I entered I stuck to back alley's and large groups. I stole a newspaper to read when I went back.
The marketplace didn't have much to offer. Basic fruits and vegetables were for sale but nothing worth noting. I saw an apple stand, I couldn't see who was running it but I could see the sign. They were selling 20 apples for only 8 bits. I pulled out the bits and walked over. When I got there I bent down, grabbed a bag of 20, and placed down the money. I was about to leave when a orange hand grabbed my wrist. Looking up I saw a very angry AppleJack.
'Shit! How could I forget that AJ ran this stall.' I stared at her as she did to me. Unlike her however, I remained calm and didn't show any emotion. I moved my hand slightly and pointed at the bits with my other hand. She looked down at them then back to me.
"This ain't 'bout you not payin'." Her grip tightened so a deactivated Zetsu. Since I was no longer 'hidden' people started staring at me. Some even ran away.
"Then what is this about Miss Apple?" I knew what it was but I needed to be sure before saying anything.
"This is 'bout you foulnapping Princess Celestia yesterday."
I rose a brow, "What do you mean? I heard she was found outside Princess Twilight's castle. I also heard she was safe with no signs of damage or anything either." This was true, nobody would shut up about it.
"And what 'bout Spike or Derpy dis'pearing last night?" Her grip tightened into a vice.
"You're mixing up correlation and causation Miss Apple. Just because it happened after I showed myself that doesn't mean I didn't." She stared at me before finally letting go. I rose a brow and stared back at her.
"You're tellin' the truth so I can't be too mad at ya. Now leave before I change ma' mind." I moved through the crowd and went into a alleyway. Once I was out of sight I activated Zetsu and left town. Before you ask, technically I didn't lie to her. All I did was answer her question without actually answering the question. If that makes any sense.
On the way home I found a small stream with some large fish swimming in it. I grabbed a sturdy branch and broke it so the end was sharp. I took off my shoes, stepping into the stream, and started fishing. I only grabbed 4 since I didn't have a way to keep them good for tomorrow. I made it back to the castle and went to the dinning room. Spike was still asleep but the other two were up and training. I went into the kitchen and tried to turn on the stoves. To my surprise they actually worked. I started gutting and deboning the fish before cooking them. While that was cooking I found a clean and sharp knife to cut up 4 apples. Once they were cut into slices I held them over the flame to give then a nice brown color.
It was difficult but I managed to find four clean and usable plates. I split the food up equally and walked out with all four plates. I placed them down and looked over to Spike. He was finally awake and boy did he look mad. I went over to him while the other two went to eat. I undid his gag and threw it off to the side.
"You hungry?" I asked him. He didn't let up his stare and remained silent. "I'm asking if you're hungry. I made some food for you to eat." He once again remained silent. I shrugged and went behind him, his eyes never leaving me. I undid the rope then started walking over to the table. "If you get hungry then come and eat." I sat down next to Daybreaker. Leaning over I whispered, "If he tries to leave or send a letter, kill him." She nodded subtly.
I couldn't find any silverware so the three of us ate with our hands. Every now and then I looked back at Spike. He has yet to move and looked completely confused. It wasn't until we were almost finished we Spike came over and sat down. He sat across from me and next to Chrysalis. It was then that I realized why dragons live so long. His aura was leaking away very slowly. So slow in fact that I almost thought he was using Ten somehow. He picked up the fish and took a small bite. I could see the light in his eyes spark as he chewed. That was the fastest I've seen someone eat a whole fish. I was pretty sure he would've eaten the bones if I didn't remove them. He started eating the apple slices when the three of us finished. The other two went and trained while I took out the newspaper I stole.
I read the front page, 'Celestia foulnapped and rescued the same day.' Reading the article it said that I did something to her that caused an evil clone or something to be created and take her place. Then I kidnapped her and a Squad of guards saved her while I was escaping. Me, Chrysalis, and Daybreaker managed to get away before we got caught however. I turned the page to see a Artist rendition of Daybreaker, Chrysalis, and I with 'Wanted Dead or Alive.' We had a bounty of 40,000 bits each on our heads. Spike finished eating and looked at me.
"You going to tie me up again?" he looked on edge, like he was about to fight us.
"Nope." I answered simply.
He looked dumbfounded, "But I'm a hostage aren't I?" The rest of the paper was basic news so I closed it.
Looking up at spike I told him, "You're a hostage by definition only. To me, you're just a guest that is staying at my home. You're free to move around the castle as you want. If you try to leave or send a letter however, there will be grave consequences." He gulped and nodded. "Good, now I am going to train. As I said you're free to wander around." I got up and walked a little aways. Activating Ren I started to do push ups. Kill two birds with one stone, I get a workout and train my Ren at the same time. Since I was working out at the same time I could only hold Ren for 5 minutes. Spike has yet to move from the table. I took a small break and sat across from him. I was covered in sweat and my arms burned.
"You're not going to explore?"
"No, I want to see how you guys got so strong. But It looks like you are working out and those two are just standing there but worked up a sweat somehow." I chuckled and looked at him.
"So that's how it looks to non-users huh?"
"Non-users?"
I nodded, "The three of us can use the same powers your sister and her friends." We were quite for a moment.
"What's it like?"
"Huh?" I tilted my head.
"What's it like? Having that kind of power." He was staring at my intently. I thought about it for a moment.
"It's scary." It was Spikes turn to look confused. The other two started paying attention.
"Scary?"
"Yes, scary. You can easily kill someone without even trying. A simple flick of the wrist and you've broken a persons bones." I looked down at my number, "And... it's even scarier when that's your job. The reason why you gained this power." Everybody was silent, not even daring to breathe. "But enough about that. That's move on to something less depressing. What are the missions with your friends like? Saving the world day after day."
It was his turn to look sad, "I don't actually go on any of the adventures."
I rose a brow, "What? Why not? You saved an entire kingdom by yourself. That has to be worth something."
"No, I just stay at the library and sit around. Clean maybe but I don't actually help at all."
"That's not true." He looked up at me, "You're the most important piece. It's you who finds the book Twilight needs. It's you who gives them what they need to win." I leaned over the table, "You're the one who finds the final piece of the puzzle that they need to solve it, and what do you get? Nothing. No party, no celebration, no cake, not even a thank you. Yet, you still choose to help them... Why?"
He looked down in thought. I could see the conflict in his eyes. Reliving how important you are but never appreciated. helping the ones you love, but never get helped yourself.
'Good, if this works then the seed of doubt will have been sown. It'll eat away at his heart until he comes back to us willingly. It will be a great blow to the others, both strategically and emotionally.'
"I... I don't know. I'm not sure how to take this..."
I sat back down, "It's alright. In truth I only brought you here to talk. I wanted to know what it is like to be a hero from their perspective." I turned around, "Chrysalis, make sure he gets back home safely." she nodded and started walking to the door with Spike. I caught up with them and placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you ever need a place to feel like your truly free, we will always accept you with open arms." I let go and watched him leave.
I activated Ren and started doing some sit-ups. While I was doing that Daybreaker left to hunt for some food. My abs were burning and i was sweating up something fierce. I stood up but left my Ren on. If I had to guess than my Ren was already at 2 hours. If I'm correct then Daybreaker is at 2 1/2 hours and Chrysalis is at 45 minutes. I'm not sure how but we seem to be training faster then we should. I just said magic and left it at that until I could really understand it. Daybreaker came back with some fish and berries she found. She went to go cook them while I continued to train my Ren. Chrysalis soon returned not long after. We had a small lunch and went back to training.
'I'm not going to let then do the water divination test until they can use Ren for 4 hours. What should I do for my own Hatsu though? I'm a conjurer so I'm a little limited. I could always do my favorite weapon or something...' I continued to think until night fell. It was when Chrysalis said she was going to bed that it hit me. 'I don't need to use MY weapon, I could use their weapons. I will be... The Spiders Armement.'
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. I'm taking a small break from writing. It won't be long and I'll return to the story. I've just lost a lot of inspiration and focus. As I said I will be coming back to it. I hope I don't disappoint anyone.
