Shooting Star: Six Points of Light

Syldor watched as they left the temple,"I assume you will be leaving?"

Vex and Vax only nodded, not wanting to say any more to their father. Scanlan nodded, "Heh we got things to do, godsto slay, ponies to save. You know."

"Fine." Syldor said,'You'll have no more trouble here."

Twilight nodded as they left the city.

Rohorn waited for them,"Wait..." He looked away,"I'm... sorry."

The group waited, and before anyoe cold say anything, Pinkie said, "Apology accepted!"

Rohorn waved them off.

Garmelie appeared before them soon after,"Well done."

"Hey was there any doubt ya insane nutcase?" Dash asked confidentally.

Twilight smirked,"Yeah, he didn't doubt us at all... did you Discord?"

Garmelie blinked before laughing maniacally. His body began to morph and shift.

Percy frowned,"Oh... him."

Dash gasped and said ,"Wait what? How did you figure that out!?"

"Oh, I figured it out by his mannerisms and his voice..." Twilight said.

Dash looked at Twilight, "You lie."

"Rainbow, why would I lie about that?" Twilight said.

Discord leaned over Dash,"It's because she doesn't want to admit she never realized it."

Dash grumbled and flew away. Fluttershy looked up, "Why did you help us?"

"Percy, what did you mean him?"

Percy grumbled,"One day while I was on a journey of vengeance, HE." Percy snarled,"Turned my gun into a duck! Had to spend the entire afternoon chasing after it!"

Vax, Scanlan, and Dash tried not to laugh out loud at this.

Discord floated down to them,"I decided to make a trip here after I gave that little exposition dump a few chapters ago, by the way," He lookeed at Twilight,"Welcome back to the land of the living, Twilight."

"Thank you Discor," Twilight said.

Fluttershy smiled, "And you saw us and decided to help us."

"You didn'tdo anyhing too weird while messing around here, dud ya?"

Discord laughed,"Nothing too out there... well, except for the fact that I sort of started my own religion."

"What?!" Applejack asked deadpanned.

"Anyway, I'm certain you want to head back home."

"No, what was your first clue?" Dash asked.

Discord smirked, and swiped the air with his claw, summoning a portal "here ya go!'"

Before Scanlan left, he stopped,"Wait, I gotta know... you're an amalgamation of multiple different creatures..." He looked him up and down,"What's it look like?"

Discord looked to him, and there was a thump, leaving Scanlan to exclaim,"Nice!"

"Thank you!"

"SCANLAN!" Rarity schriekd.

Scanlan walked into the portal,"Oh come on, I can't be the only who was wondering!?"

"You were!" Rarity argued.

Grog shrugged, before smirking, "Bigger, small fry."

Scanlan looked at Grog, before nodding,"Ah, good."

Twilight meekly raised her hoof,"I... was kinda curious..."

Tje group looked at her in shock.

"It was for science purposes!" Twilight shouted.

Tehy just stared at her in shock.

"Please stop staring," Twilight muttered.

Dash smirked, "Yeah, come along perv girl."

"I'm not a pervert!" Twilight said, walking forward.

"Its ok," Fluttershy said, "Scanlan is a perverr and we like him."

Twilight moaned.

Applejack chuckled and pated Twilight on the shoulder, "Let's just focus on where we're going next."

"Yeah..." Twilight sighed,"It looks like the unicorn font of magic is next." She began to run a little faster.

Dash culdn't help but let out a cheer, "And then full puowerTwilight!"

"And then I'll be the strongest mage in the party again!" She looked back at the few mages,"Er, no offense."

Pike smiled,"None taken."

Scanlan smirked,"Oh, I'm more than just a mage."

Keyleth blinked,"Wait, I'm a druid, does that really count, it is magic, but not arcane..."

"I was always curious about how it's different," Fluttershy said.

Keyleth smiled,"Well, druid magic is based around all kinds of nature, and communing with said nature!"

"So doesn't make that arcade or whatever?" Asked Dash.

"No, arcane is tapping into the magical weave of the universe." Twilight said.

"But isn't nature..." Dash began to try and figure it out.

"No, nature is different-" Twilight began.

Scanlan cut in,"Me and her break rules, Pike makes them, and Keyleth obeys them."

Dash groaned, "This is why I like my magic, it's just...flight and lightin. Easy."

Twilight sighed.

Percy patted her on the shoulder,"She just doesn't understand."

"I mean, lighitn and cloud control I can understand but-" Dash continued on, mumbling a litt.e

Vax simply smirked at this as he flew ahead.

Grog smiled as he patted Dashs back, "Its ok, I never understand magic either."

"Geee...thanks," Das said.

Twilight held up the map,"So, the font should be coming up right about..."

Bonk

"OW!" Twilight rubbed ehr head. She looked up and noticed a large temple in front of her, with various white pillars surrounding a large white unicorn statue dressed in purple.

"My, how artistic and beautiful," Rarity said in awe.

The statue then said,"Thank you."

"..."

Pinkie smiled, "Yay! A talking statue! I was wonerdering if we met one of those yet."

"Actually I'm a caretaker of this font." The stallion statue said,"My special talent is that I can stand still like a statue. It's not the most versatile talent, but it's great for parties."

Dash flew to him, followed by Vax and Grog, "So, you can stand still no matter what?"

"Yep!"

She then began to rub her feathers against his snout.

He stood there.

Scanlan began to pain his face, whule Grog played with his tail.

He still stood there.

Vax wrote down on his side "I lick small peguins for fun." Wich led Scanlan to write "And for an erection."

Dash laid on his back, giving a yawn.

Fluttershy stepped in o repremand the group, but Applejack stopped her, "I wanna see where this goes."

The stallion then moved...

to scratch his nose.

"Oh, he's good." Dash commented.

The stallion looked at them,"Are you quite done?"

They paused and looked at each other. Then nodded.

"Now, only those with unicorn magic can come through here." the stallion said.;

Rarity began counting,"Wait, Pike, Twilight, myself... and..."

Scanlan winked.

"Oh no/..."

Keyleth waved,"Um, I'm a 1/3 unicorn, does that count?" She watched him nod,"Yay!" She clapped her hooves together.

"I am sorry sir, but dear Scanlan has a bbroken leg and you know what happens to ponies with broken legs," Rarity thought to herself, but then shook her head as she took a deep breath and walked with him.

He took them along a long hallway with several mural painting of unicorns. They eventually came to a large room with three doors: One on the right, one in the center, and one on the left.

"Wicdoor is ours?" asjed Pike.

Twilight looked at the symbols above the doors,"WEll, usually I'm going in the center door." She looked at the other doors,"One door is intelligence, the other is charisma."

"Well, that definatlally mean that I will go in the charisma door along with-" Rarity then paused and looked at Scanlan as he waggled eyebrows. "Oh lord."

"Sorry Rares." Twilight said.

Keyleth smiled at Pike,"You know, we never interact much!"

"Strange," Pike said.

"Come on!" Keyleth went through the intelligence door;.

Pike smiled, not seeing Rarity signal "Change with me!"

Rarity sighed as she went through the door.

Scanlan cheered at ths.

Scanlan played a tune on a lute as he and Rarity walked down a large staircase leading to a podium.

Rarity sighed, figuring she might as well make small talk, "Marvelous tune Scanlan, what is it"

"Oh, it's a song about the battles we have fought on the way here! With a few embellishments of course."

"Oh of course," Rarity said with a smile as she walked to the podium.

The lights came on, and a stallion in a suit appeared before them,"WElcome to the grand debate!"

"Depate?" Rarity said.

Scanlan smirked, "Well, I am a Master Debater."

"Scanlan dear, you hold off on the innuendos for the res ot this adventure and I will help you get a date with Pike." Rarity dai."Depate?" Rarity said.

Scanlan smirked, "Well, I am a Master Debater."

"Scanlan dear, you hold off on the innuendos for the res ot this adventure and I will help you get a date with Pike." Rarity dai.

Scanlan blinked for a bit,"Damn, that's gonna be really hard for me."

"YEs, you must out-debate me!"

Scanlan adjusted his barret and smirked.Rariy nodded, "Than what do we start with?"

"You must first convince me of why we should not let the gods take over the world." The stallion said.

Rarity steppedd up, "Well first, tehy will do nothing good for this planet."

"Why is that? They would keep order in the planet, and their magic would keep the environment safe!"

"Is it worth it to take away our free will? Security and safety shouldn't come at the cost of free will,"Rarity argued.

"What has free will brought us? Death, war, misery." The debater said.

Scanlan nodded, "And music, art, magic, sex, books, stories, dancing, indiviuality, and fun."

"But with control, there'd be peace."

"But with too much peace, we would be more vunerable." Rarity said.

Scanlan nodded, "Not to mention boring!"

"But with too much peace, we would be more vunerable." Rarity said.

Scanlan nodded, "Not to mention boring!"

"Vulnerable to what?"

Rarity smiled, "To other warring planets. We are not the only species in the universe. What if a warring race to see our pacific society? We would be wasily beaten and taken captured

"Hmm, I didn't think of that. "

Scanlan smirked, "Well yeah. Also, peace is so borning. You never get to appeciate the exciting stuff because nothing happens!"

"Hmm, that's right, nothing would happen. Geez, I'm stumped now..."

Snalan nodded, "Not to mention, nobody wants to dte in a pacifist society. They all want to be normal and just be friends

"Be friends... I like that." the debater smiled as he disappeared.

Scan;an raised a hoof and Rarity returned in kind.

In front of them was a door leading to a small room with two holes.

"Sacrifice a little of yourself to give back what was lost." Said a sign above the holes.

"Well, I think I know what that mean," Rarity siad, putting her hoof out.

Scanlan bit his lip as he put his hoof in. A bit of pain shot through the both of them as their magic drained a bit.

"Well, that was less painful than I expected," Rarity said.

Scanlan nodded, his mouth shut.

Rarity chuckled, "You can scream scanlan dear."

"Thank you." Scanlan screamed.

Pike looked away,"Did you hear that?"

Keyleth nodded, "ITs ounds like screaming."

"Oh, shame we're stuck here." Pike said.

"I hop they're ok," Keyleth said.

"I'm sure they're fine." Pike said,"If not we can both heal them."

"I guessyou['re right," KEylet said. "I still can't helpbut worry."

Pike patted her on the shoulder,"Hey, I worry too."
Kayleth smiled at Pike, "You don't always show it. You sometimes can be as rough as Grog."

Pike laughed,"Well, I try to hide it for the sake of others." She frowned a little,"Though I worry that my partying might get in the way of my worship of Sarenrae."

"Do you really think your goddess would be upset?"

"I mean..." Pike sighed,"I don't know..."

Keyleth took Pike's hand and smiled, "I don't think your goddess would be mad for you being yourself."

Pike smiled up at her,"Yeah, probably."

"Comeon, the test is waiting for us," Keyleth said.

A little sphinx greeted them,"Hello." He said,"Um, this is my first time giving a test, so, um, I'm really kind of nervous. So, uh, you need to figure out my name."

Keyleth let out a little squee, "Aw, how cute! Don't worry little one, you are doing fine!"

"Pike began to look around for clues.

The little sphinx blushed,"Oh, uh, thank you..."

There was a small coloring book in the corner.

Pike walked over and opened h book while Keyleth happily talked to the little Spynx.

It had the words Cameras are really cool.

Pike quickly began to make a mental note of that, before asking, "Did you see anything KEyleth?"

Keylthy looked around.

There was a small teddybear in a corner.

Keyleth walked to the teddy bear.
The bear was very cute.

IT is very cute, and there's a tag with the letters uba on it

KEyleth looked around to see if there other clues

There was a pillar to the side with a ball of yarn.

Keyleth went to look at the ball of yarn.

On the yarn where some letters Subari

Pike quickly looked for anyhting that looked like anouther clue.

Nothing else seemed to be arou nd.

Pike looked up, "Camurbari

the Sphinx nodded,"You got it!"

"Yay!" Keyleth cheered and gave the kitty a little pat.

"Thank you!" Camubari said. A door opened behind him,"The wall where you help your friend is back there. Be careful, it hurts a little.

Pike smiled as she patted her head, "We got it covered.

"Okay, bye!" He said as the door opened to the wall with two holes.

Keyleth gulped as she put her nhand in, while Pike just rammed it in.

There was a brief shot of pain.

Twilight sat in the pod, before feeling several waves of magical energy hit he.

Dash stared at her cards,"How could we lose, it's a freaking bear!"

Trinket sat with all of the girls equipment, items, and money. He happy clapped his paws.

Vex petted him,"Good job, Trinket."

The unicorns left the temple, without Twilight,"Hello, everyone." Rarity said.

Dah growed, "Welcome back." she said, flapping her wings away.

Rarity noddded, before looking behind her.

Scanlan began to play some music as Twilight came through the entrance, levitating with her magic,"I have returned!"

"SWEET! We go our bomb back!" Rainbow Dash cheered.

"That's wonderful!" An yellow alicorn flew down be3hind them,"PErfect for our fight." Her eye twitched,"You... jerks..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, what did we do wrong?" Fluttershy asked

"I went to where Syngorn was supposed to be... only to find that it wasn't there!" The alicorn said,"I wanted to wait until you showed up, but no, they had to hide! So I waited in the area you were supposed to appear from, but you didn't show up!" She began to snarl,"I was following the rules set up by the story, but you weren't!"

Applejack looked at her, "Rules?"

"Look, we don't follow any rules." dash remmarked.

"We tend to fuck shit up," Scanlan said with a confident smirk.

Rarity looked at her, "But we do apologize, we did have other things to do."

The alicorn grabbed a book and frowned,"Why I oughta-" She roaredd,"I am Persei, I will annihilate you in the name of story conventions!"

"Don't do it near the font." The Statue Unicorn from before said, standing near the font.

Persei looked at him,"Don't give me orders!" She punched him in the face.

The Statue frowned, not moving or flinching.

She stared at him for a bit,"... Let's fight somewhere else, he scares me."

"Agreed," group said, leaving.

An emotionless mare walked to the statue. She kissed him, "Honey, time to come home. Your daughters miss you."

And older teen walked to him, "Like, whatevs mom. I'm only here because you dragged me here. I really wanna be with Lemon dreams tonight."

"Wow, daddy is so cool!" said the little filly.

Once they got to a large clearing, Persei flew above them,"Now, feel my wra-"

Twilight blasted her with a lightning bolt, sending her flying back,"Nope." She grinned.

"You're gonna be enjoying thi s a lot, aint ya?

"Yep!" Twilight said, watching as the alicorn got up,"Bigby's Hoof!!" She summoned a hoof to slam into her.

Scanlan smirked,"I taught her that."

"Think we should help?" Rainbow asked.

"I think we need to wait until she is done with her fun. I think she needs this.

Twilight held up her hoof,"Spiritual weapon!" She slammed Persei with a glowing golden book.

"A book really?"

Twilight wasn't paying attention as she flew up,"Lightning Storm!" She shouted, causing several clouds to form. They sent a lighting bolt down upon the alicorn. Twilight landed in front off her,"Do you yield?" She smirked.

Persei's body was smoking as she got up, and smirked,"Anti-Magic Field." Her horn glowed,

"What!?" Twilight noticed a large symbol on the ground beneath them, and then the familiar feeling of weakness hit her,"No..."

"Relax, you're only magicless inside this field..." Persei got up,"As am I."

That was when she met a face full of a battle ax hilt and two daggers. Applejack stood with Twiligh as she frowned, "Now...when ya start to cheat? That's when we kick your ass."

Persei let out a gasp of pain as the attacks hit.

"Wait." Percy said, walking towards her, he looked back at them,"You seem to like stories, right?"

Persei smiled,"OF course! I love following tropes and story conventions."

"Do you like riddles as well?" Percy asked.

"... Yes." Persei smiled,"Are you proposing a battle of wits over a battle of brawn? I can oblige."

Vax looked back at Dash, "Guess that leave you out?"

"... wits?" asked Grog, stumped.

Persei trotted around, circling Twilight and Percy,"Well then, Smart Guys... do you wish to begin with a riddle?"

Twilgith started, "Thirty white horses on a red hill,
First they champ,
Then they stamp,
Then they stand still.

Persei scoffed,"Teeth. An easy one."

I can be crushed to pieces, but only if I am given away first, I can be clogged and attacked, but that’s usually my own doing. No matter how many problems I have, you wouldn’t dare let me go. What am I?

"A heart," Twilight said.

"Good. Next?" Persei said.

Scanlan stepped forward, "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I? "

"An Echo." Persei said.

"Dang, that alicorn's good," Scanlansaid.

" I am something people love or hate. I change peoples appearances and thoughts. If a person takes care of them self I will go up even higher. To some people I will fool them. To others I am a mystery. Some people might want to try and hide me but I will show. No matter how hard people try I will Never go down. What am I? "

"Ego," Twiligh guessed

"Actually it's age." Persei smirked,"Strike one."

"I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I? " Scanlan said.

"A map." Persei said.

Scanlan sat down to think while Twilight got ready for another puzzle

"The more you take, the more you leave behind."

"Footsteps" Twilighr said. "That was simple."

"Correct." Persei said

You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?

Persei blinked,"What?"

Scanlan crossed his hooves, " Its a riddle, come on!"

PErsei thought for a moment,"The boat is full of married couples?"

"Are you cheating?" asked Scanlan

"How could I possibly be cheating?" PErsei asked.

Scanlan retored, "I don't know, you jus are!

"I am a Goddess of the Written Word, I do not cheat!"

"Fine fine, just play your next riddle," Scanlan said.

Mr. and Mrs. Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the Mustard family?

Twilight began to count, and then smirked, "8. Mr and mrs mustard and the six daughters."

"9, actually, you forgot the brother." Percy said immediately.

"Saved by the noble." PErsei smirked.

What word in the English language does the following: the first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four letters signify a great man, while the entire world signifies a great woman. What is the word?

Persei blinked,"... I'm afraid... I'm actually stumped here!"

"Heroine," Twilight said. "Strike one. You vae two more.

What has six faces, but does not wear makeup, has twenty-one eyes, but cannot see? What is it?

"Dice," Scanlan said.

"... Excellent..."

Twilight narrowed her eyes, "Your turn."

"It;s yours isn't it?"

What English word has three consecutive double letters?

Persei raised a brow,"..."

Scnlan smiled, "Bookkeeper.

"... Well then..." Persei frowned.

There was a man who was born before his father, killed his mother, and married his sister. Yet, there was nothing wrong with what he had done. Why?

Scanlan stepped up, "They lived in the southern part of the contient!!!"

She shook her head,"His father was in front of him when he was born, therefore he was born before him. His mother died while giving birth to him. Finally, he grew up to be a cleric and married his sister and his brother-in-law at their ceremony.

Scanlan frowned and narrowed his eyes, "You sun of a-"

"How can the number four be half of five?"

Persei narrowed her eyes,"I'm not good with math..."

Twilight smiled, "Romane numerals. IV, wich is part of the word five."

Persei sighed as the anti-magic field was removed,"You have beaten me." She said, glowing bits flowing from her,"I must leave now."

"For losing" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I have lost a duel, and now I must ascend... I am not looking forward to it as my sister Ioun is likely to give me an earful..." Persei grumbled.

"Ioun?" asked Dash

"Ioun is the goddess of knowledge, prophecy and skill, and the patron of the study of magic." Persei said.

Twilight's eyes widened,"REALLY!?" She grinned.

Applejack held Twilight back, "Wait a moment Twi, we got other things to look at.

"But... Goddess of Knowledge..." Twilight whined.

"Laer, you can look her up later,"

"Aw..." Twilight said as Persei disappeared.

"You know I kind ofmiss him," Pinkie said.

Grog frowned, "I wanted to kill everything."

Pike patted him on the leg,"IT's okay, we'll kill something later."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Pike smiled.

"OH thank you!" Grog said, hugging Pike closely.

Pike laughed as she hugged him back.

The pirate figure sat back as he watched the videos in front of him. Three images played out thier eseperate scenes in sybch, but he was able to gleam information from each one. On the right, a video played of a report of a meeting of several bounty hunters for a mission in deep space. On the left, was Twilight and friends making their plans for their next leg of thier journey. And in the center was Samus, glaring up at an airship. Smiling, he reached up and traced a talon along the screen, "Samus...you are doing well. I am so proud of how you have become stronger now."

Samus on the screen lowered her hind leg while adjusting her shoulders, "I wonder, do you fear your power? Are you scared of losing that wich made you a pony? Or are you too focused on the mission."

The beholder could only smile as he watched his men working on the ship. He hd planned this well, for a year now. Wait until the day the newly crowned princess died, invade, and eke out his own land. His men even were prepared for a new world of oppertunity. Several elks and giant ponies were all ready for a quick invasion and to bring his wrath. Now if only he could lose the Slayer's take and their new member.

Down below, said new member gowled, her eyes narrowing. Then she heard on her helmet, "Space jump online screw attack online. energy rerouting to legs, energy limiters unlocked. Ionizing armor."

Samus smiled as she breathed slowly, and then pushed herself off the ground. The beholder began to laugh, "Its a shame that she cannot fly. Otherwise she migt-"

"Slackoff! The hunteress, she's-" but the bulky pony could not finish as a glowing spinning buzzsaw broke through the hull of the the ship. The glowing buzzsaw them began to descend back to Equis, cutting out another big hole in the ship. The beholder bearly had time to scream.

As Samus landed, she could ear Adam speak, "You know lady, you like that power of the suit too much."

"Gets the job done quicker," she quipped.

Twilight looked at her map,"The next stop is Vasselheim."

"Vasselhiem?" asked Rarity, taking a step to look at the map.

Pike walked up to them,"Right, it's one of the oldest cities in Glidesdale. If not the oldest."

"Oh really, it must be a fabulouse looking city," Rarity said.

Pike nodded,"I've been there a few times before, it's a nice place, if a bit big..."

"Ah, then do not worry my dear Pike. I shall be your chaparone for when we enter the big city. I'll keep an eye on you and watch over you when you need it," Scanlan said, waving his arms.

"Oh, thanks, but I'm pretty sure I'd be watching over you more likely than not..." Pike mutterec.

"Ah, then we can watch each other really closely!" Scanlan said, "Especially our b-"

"Oh, I could watch Pike's front!" Grog said happily.

Scanlan frowned.

Vax walked with Scanlan,"Nice try, buddy."

"Thank you," Scanlan said, before looking back at Keyleth as she walked with Fluttershy. HE smirked as he playfully asked, "So, hows the other half deer here?"

Vax turned her, and smiled,"She's... fine. Great."

Oh,just fine?" teased Scanla

Vax muttered,"I mean, okay, she's pretty, cute, powerful."

"Oh, you think she's that huh? Don't worry, next bar trall I'm gonna help your game," Scanlan.

"Really?" Vax smirked,"You're going to help me?"

Scanlan smiled, "Of course, you know how many girls I gotten? You see the amount of babes that have kissed me."

"Yeah, and probably added to the population too!" Dash snarked and flew, not seeing the little bit of sadness in his eyes.

shaking his head, Scanlan said, "No, let's talk."

"Yes, please teach me your ways, oh master.": Vax bowed.

Dash flew on ahead, listening to other conversations. She smiled when she heard Applejack and Grog talking, "And that is why any earth pony can be just as strong as you." Applejack said with confidence, enjoying their one pony ship

"Really!?" Grog laughed,"I'd like to test that!"

"When we ge into town and if we find a good fighting ring, we'll test it!"Applejack said.

"Right!" Grog said.

AT that moment, they started coming up to a large glowing city on the road.

"Wow, so pretty, so glad that we can see a bright light up ahead and know so muh," Scanlan mocked the narrator.

The city was fairly crowded, with a whole slew of races talking with one another. Ine thing is notable, however, was a large group of people crowded around a ring, where the sound of cheering could be heard.

Grog, being Grog, raced out, "Well, while he's doing that, I guess we can do some sight seeing for a bit. Just."

Most left, with Rarity following Grog, "Don't cause trouble," Vex finished, before sighing. "We are all going to be killed, in prison, or in prison killed.

KEyleth beamed,"Aw, we'll be fine!"

Vex smiled warmly, "Thank you darling."

Scanlan looked at you the reader,"You can see where this is going..."

Twilight walked away,"I'm going to look for a library.

"Oh, can I come too? I want to look up some herbs," Fluttershy said

"Sure!"

The feelign of dread continued to come over Vex as everypony went off to tier own fun times and town adventures.

Vex frowned,"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

Vax chuckled, "BEcause you are a worrywart, tiny?"

"Perhaps..." Vex muttered.

"And you need to let your hair down more?" he aasked, "Why not travel with Percy for a bit?"

Vex smirked,"Oh, can I!? You're so kind."

"What are older twins for?"

"Really, could've sworn I was the older one." Vex said.

Vax then motioned over her ehad, to show how short she was compared to him.

Vex walked away before sticking her tongue out at him.

Vax stuck his tounge out too.

{}

Applejack and Grog would go to the front of the arena, where they saw a boar and a yak fighting each other.

Grog laughed and smiled, "AW YEAH! Finally some viloence!"

"Yeah, now we can rumble." Applejack chuckled before looking back ,"How do you think we enter?

A random pony said,"Oh, you sign up over there by the booth!"
Applejack smiled and walked over o it, taking te pen and writing it down. Then she looked up at the sign up, "How brutal do these things go?"

The stallion in the booth brough out a piece of paper,"Deaths don't normally happen, but we do require you to sign a waiver.

Applejack began to sign, "Usually?"

The stallion nodded,"Yeah, we get the occasional overzealous combatant who breaks one neck too many."

"And he isn't here tonight is e?"

"Nope, we banned him." He said,"There is a large... alicorn? waiting to fight though."

Applejacck paused, "What?"

"Yeah, an alicorn. She's big, strong, and talks like a Professional Wrestler."

"...You're serious."

"Why would I lie?"

"To make me nervous."

"If I wanted to make you nervous, I'd have told you that Earthbreaker Groon is watchin." The stallion said.

"O, who is hat?!" Grog asked.

The stallion smirk,ed,"One of the strongest ponies in existence, my friend. The Dawn Marshal of the Braving Grounds District.

GRog let out a small squeal, "IS he here!?"

The stallion laughed,"He usually only shows up when a battle gets intense here. Otherwise, he's within the Trial Forge."

"So what you are saying, is to make the fighitng intense?" asked Grog

"Of course!" The stallion said.

"How wild," Grog asked with a big grin.

"Well, first, it's gotta be a little long. You also have to be newcomers, then you have to face overwhelming odds!

Grog sqiealed.

"Ah, I like an eager combatant!" The stallion grinned.

Grog smiled, "You know it!" he said as he began to sign his name, or try to.It was just a squiggle

The stallion shrugged and took it. He looked at Applejack,"You too?"

"Dang straight." Applejacl said.

"Alright, here ya go! Waiting room's in the back, you'll know it because of the perpetually angry Breezie at the top."

Applejack just stared at this, raised an eyebrow, shook her head, and walked awaay with Grog in tow. Grog smiled as he cracked his head side to side, "Finally, a real scrap. It feels like I've havent had a day to do anything."

"Sure love fighting, huh?" Applejack said.

"Yeah, don't you? Oh wait, aren't you from the east, and one of those...how did Vax say it. "Swingers and Dancers who solve with hugging?" Grog asked.

Applejack laughed at Grogs comment and shook her head, "Don't let Dash hear ya. She's still grouchy about it. Me, I don't mind it. Because I know how we really are. Yeah, we tend to get more invoved with singing and dance and talking, but that don't mean we don't have to fight when we need to. I just don't like it and prefered to step away if I can help it."

"But why? Fighting is fun!" Grog said with a big smile.

"Yeah, it can be, but I only lke to fight the big monsters when my family needs helping, or if it's nessecary. It would be like...if somepony was threatening Pike," Applejack siad.

"Yeah, but Pike usually kills the bastards before hand," Grog said.

Applejack facehoofed, "Wrong pony. Look, it's like if one of your famil-" she then paused when she saw Grog frowned. "Touchy subject?"

"My uncle was a monster who wanted me to kill an innocent pony. It's how I met Pike," Grog said, "That kind of killin I hate."

"See, that's kind of what I'm talking about. I like fighting, but only in fare competitions like this. Monsters, gods, that kind of thing? That's a matter of survival and something I need to do. This? Tis is just something I can enjoy with a big friend," Applejack said, lightly nudging Grog.

"Aww, you are a great friedn too AJ," Grog said, hugging Applejack tightly.

"Man, you are huggy," Applejack said.

"Real Stallions hug!" Grog said happily. As Grog hugged Applejack tight, she noticed a little raven looking at her before flying away.

There was a large building nearby, with three stories, a little steeple in front, and was colored blue with a red roof. It was made with nice bits of stone and shingles.

On the steeple was a little breezie cursing to the wind.

"Hey Breezie, why are you so mad?" Appljeack asked.

The Breezie shrugged,"I get paid to be perpetually angry. It keeps up tourism." he said in a British accent, before making more swears.

"How does that..."

He then looked down at her,"Imagine if there's a dancing bear in your village. Ponies flock to see that." He continued.

"I tried, but Fluttershy said he was a bad dancer and was nervous." Applejack said.

The breezie smiled,"Well, he needs a little bit of confidence, that's all! The amazing thing isn't that he dances well, but that he dances at all!"
Applejack shrugged, "That's what Fluttershy tells him, but he;s too shy."

"Aw, poor guy!"

"Yeah, got any advice for him?"

"Try imagining the audience as fluffy bunnies."

"That could work"

"Worked with me!"

Applejack and Grog walked in.

Several creatures of all shapes and sizes were hanging around the large room. They turned to the newcomers and stared.

In the very back was a very large figure in a cloak. She had the words "Cephei, God of MIGHT" on the back.

Grog walked to the figure and tapped a hoof onto the back, "Hey, tough one. Ready to rumble and lose the title?"

The figure turned, revealing a blue alicorn with an eletric blue mane. He smirked as he looked at Grog,"Oh, I'm unlikely to lose this title, boy!"

"Oh yeah?"

"YEAH! IF YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT DOWN CEPHEI, THE WARRIOR KING, YOUUURRRR GOONNAAA BEEEE DISSSAPPPPOOIIINTTEEEDD!"

Grog pushed his snout to his, "Listen here buddy. I'm Grong Strongjaw and I am the bbaddest pony on the whole content. I've crushed small bees weaker than you!"

"HAH, WELL I'VE BEATEN TOUGHER BUNNIES THAN YOU, BOY!"

"How dare you harm little bunnies!" shouted Grog.

Cephei spat,"IF THAT MAKES YOU MAD, TAKE IT IN THE RING!"

Grog growled, pushing his nose against Celphi, "Oh, I'll bring it to the ring. I'll crush you between my hooves and throw you out of it!"

"I'LL TURN YOU INTO MINCEMEAT, AND FEED YOU TO THE GRIFFONS!"

"I'll crush you! and your whole family! And then the horse you walked on!"

A horse laid outside, hoofmarks on his back, "All I asked for was the time."

Cephei grinned,"I can't wait to break you!"

Grog laughed, "Ha! I am invinicable! What do you got?

"GODLIKE STRENGTH! WHAT ABOUT YOU!?"

"GROGLIKE SRENGTH!

"Alright, alright, save it for the ring!" A pony in a refreee uniform said as he appeared between them.

Grog pu his hoof o his eyes andten back to the alicorn.

Cephei did the same.

Grog then shouted, "Coming for you!"

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, welcome back to the Braving Grounds!" An announcer said to the cheers of many.

"Today, we have a special match! In this corner, weighing in at 400 pounds, Cephei, the God of Might!"

"In the other corner, weighing in at 800 pounds, our new challenger, Grog Strongjaw!"

Grog stepped out, doing some flexing and posing. Appljecak stayed back, "If ya need me-"

"I'll call." Grog said.
Cephei stepped towards Grog,"I must break you."

"And I like to see you try," Grog said.

"Let's get Ready to Rumble!" The announcer got the heck out of dodge.

Grog ran out, slamming his forehooves onto Cephi's shoulders and narrowing his eyes at him.

Cephei responded with a hoof to Grog's chin.

Grog smiled, his rage clear in his eyes and he head butted te alicorn. Then he rammed his hoof into Cephei chest.

Cephei slid back, before running at Grog with a clothesline.

Grog was flipped over by the clothesline and went for a leg lock.

Cephei leapeed up, and then aimed his legs for Grog's side.

Grog rolled to the side and jumped up to drop his leg aonto the alicorn's back.

Cephei gasped in pain before rolling over and punching him in the nose.

Grog wiped he blood off and laughed in glorious laughter. He then ran at Cephie with his own clothesline, as that connected he leap off the tturnbuckle and dropped the pony's elbow onto the back.

Cephei roared in pain before grabbing at Grog.

Grog twisted and rolled, wrapping his forelega around Cephei with a neck lock.

Cephei began to lift Grog up while being grappled, before slamming down onto the floor, back first.

Grog got back up and ran to the turnbuckle before running back with a clothesline. Then he picked him up to put him into the rope and bash his head into the pavement.

Cephei groaned before laying on the ground...

And then sat up.

Grog waited, wiping his nose a litle from the blood before hitting his head twice to let out a roar.

Cephei roared back before charging at him.

Grog charged back fully intending on ramming his skull into his.

They headbutted each other with a loud bang.

Grog fell back a little, swirling back and forht. Then he looked back at his opponent while blood trickled down the side of his face.

Cephei looked at his broken horn. He took his hooves up and tore it off completely with a roar.

Grog let out a laugh, and a big giggle that was very child-like, "Oh, that is just badass!"

Cephei smiled, before beckoning towards him.

So Grog did, running at him before doing a leg drop into te skull.

Cephei flew back before wobbling.

"Now get ready to get RECKT!" Grog shouted.

Cephei yelled,"DON'T COUNT ME OUT YET!"

"And don't underestimate ME!" Grog walked slowly towards Cephei before back hoofing him, and doing it again. then he grabbed him, picked him up, and then suplexed him into the mat before running to the turnbuckle and then doing a leg drop onto the neck. Then he picked the alicorn up and began to head butt again and again, with the sound of a thunderclap each hit. Then he piledrived him again.

Cephei groaned,"... I yield..."

Grog laughed, "AW yeah, who's the best?!

Cephei looked up at the sky and smiled,"Thank you for a good fight..." He said as light encompassed him and then he disappeared.

The crowd cheered, then silenced. The audience turned to a figure in a cloak that walked to the edge of the ring. The figure took off his hood to reveal a grey stallion with a long white beard. He looked at Grog, and then nodded before walking away.

"..." Grog raised a hoof, but his rage inally gave out and he fainted.

"And Grog is the winner!" The announcer said.

Applejack ran to Grog and helped him up, "Come on big guy!"

{}

Vex whistled as she walked with Percy,"I've never actually had the chance to come here, you know?"

"Never?" Percy asked curiously.

"No, I was mostly focused on hunting and mercenary work." She looked at Percy,"Every had any places you never got to go in Equestria?"

"Hmmm," Percy said, putting a hoof to his chin, "Canterlot for one, Ponyville for the other."

"... Ponyville... a bit on the muzzle, isn't it?" Vex cocked her head.

Percy could only shrug and shake his head, "I was not the one who named it. But there is a part time clock-maker and adventurer who inspired me and I want to thank him."

"Oh, really?" Vex smiled.

"Yes," Percy said, smiling as e looked down, "I remember when I was a little colt, he showed me how a clock worked and moved that it just inpired me to tinker with it. I found myself enthralled with it, loving every movement and every spring of themechanics tat I just ad to continue making mine." he then frowned a little, "Sounds weird, doesn't it.

"Not at all." Vex said,"I think it's great that somepony inspired you. Why would you think it weird?"

"Just the idea tat somone so asscoitated with this," he looked to his gun, "Would be occupied with something so simple as clockmaking. Doens't excatly match does it."

"Well, I suppose not." Vex said, putting a hoof on his shoulder.

Percy took a moment to smile, and ten look into Vex's eyes. He smiled warmly as he looked for a while into her pretty eyes, "Hmmm, such a wonderful color. Your eyes, they are very...interesting."

Vex looked into his eyes as well,"You know... your eyes aren't so bad either..." She looked behind him,"Um, Percival darling?"

"Yes?" Percy asked, shaken out of his reverie.

"I think I see two of our friends in trouble." Vex said.

Behind Percy, near the ring, was Keyleth and Twilight being taken away by guards.

Twilight walked forward, head down "We'll be fine, we'll be fine. No insane things will happen. I mean, I'm with Keyleth and she's the Fluttershy of their team. It should be fine, I mean, what kind of trouble could a druid get into. It's like Fluttershy getting into trouble. Yeah, Twilight, you should be worried about Pinkie and Scanlan!" she looked up and leapt to a lightpost, "YEAH! I'm MORE WORRIED ABOUT PINKIE AND SCANLAN AND DASH CAUSING MICHESFT THAN MYSELF!!"

Keyleth looked up at her,"Uh, you okay? Do... do you need a break?"

"Yeah, I', fine," Twilight siad, "Maybe I do need a little break."

Keyleth smiled,"Well, maybe we can, I don't know, pet furry animals?"

"Sure!" Twilight said, needing to do somehing cute.

"Okay! Maybe there's a petting zoo nearby!" Keyleth began walking ahead.

Twilight smiled, thinking to herself, "Yeah, nothing bad will happen there."

They began walking to a small house, when they walked by the fighting ring.

"Hmm, I wonder whats going on there," Twilight asked

The two would see Grog fighting an alicorn.

"Grog is in a fight?! HE might need some help!" Twilhgt said. "Think. Oh I know. I could use a subtle speel and give him a bost."

Keyleth nodded,"And I'll provide some healing!"

Then a pair of hooves placed themselves onto their shoulders,"What do you two think you're doing!?"

"Um, helping our friend who looks like he needs help?" Twilght said.

"So, ya cheatin'!" The guardpony said.

Twiligh felt her mane beginning to spring out of control. "What did you say?"

"Ya. Cheatin'." the guard said.

"CHEAT!" Twilight screached, "But I never cheat. I'm not a cheat,Idon'tcheatatanything! I just wanted to hep!" she then curled up in a fetal position and petted her tail in sandess.

The guard picked her up in his magic and pulled her and Keyleth away.

"Wait, no, help!" Keyleth shouted.

Vax popped his head out of hte crowd,"Kiki?"

Pinkie began to play with her cloak, looking through it for her various new items and weapons.

Scanlan played on a flute as they walked on.

Pinkie stopped for a moment, and began to tap her foot. Fininding a wall, she began to knock on it to create a beat.

At that moment, a blacksmith began banging his hammer on an anvil nearby.

Pinkie started to tap her feet in time with the hammer.

A tailor began to cut through fabric with rythmic precision.

Scanlan used prestigitation to create a wind to blow through some strings.

Several ponies began stomping in a rythim.

Scanlan added a few more strings, While Pinkie found a set of keys.

Somepony was hacking away at a mannequin with a sword.

Pinkie Pie twirled, and began to play some strings to match with the chopping motion. This caused a few more ponies to dance in a rythmic motion, moving alonf and clap to the beat.

More ponies began to dance around them.

Scanlan started to rock with his flute and his lute. Pinkie added some more drums.

Rarity walked in, seeing all this.

Pinkie rached out, and grabbed Rarity by the hooves to join in.

Rainbow Dash danced while in the air.

At that moment, Twilight and Keyleth could be seen being dragged away.

Pinkie waved to the two, "Hey, where are you going?"

"Oh, you know. Here, there, to the library, then to the jail while I go to Tartarus for cheating!!!!" Twilight said with a whimper.

Scanlan blinked,"Cheating?"

"We kind of-"Keyleth skipped a step, "Tell oyu later if you can help us!"

Scanlan put on a fake mustache,"Bert Reynolds is on the case!"

PInkie looked at his fake mustache and raised her hoof in approval.

Scanlan and Pinkie followed the guard into a small house that held a couple of jail cells.

"Hello guards, we're here!"

The guards scoffed,"What do ya want?"

"Hello, my name is Burt Renyolds and I do believe you have somme of my clients in your custody," Scanlan said.

"Ya mean those two cheaters?"

"Yep, tose the ones," Scanlan said.

"And how are you gonna get me to take them out?"

"Well, first, did you read them their rights? How about states evidence? This sir, is a fabrication of justice!" Scanlan said.

Pinkie stepped in, wearing a purple kimono and a little talisman around her nexk, "And besides. I have it on good authority that you saw changlings!"

The guard blinked,"What!?"

"Excatly, in this world, how can you be so sure what you saw with your eyes? HMMMMMM?!" Pinkie said.

"Oh, god, you're right!"

Scanlan nodded, "Not to mention, you are clearly ignoring their Gods given rights and proper evidence. Why this would be thrown out of cort so fast."

"I am so sorry!" He opened the cage.

Scanlan smiled, "AS you should be. Now, I'll be taking my two clients out of here."

Keyleth poked Twilight,"She's broken,n I don't know how to fix her..."

Pinkie reached into her pocket and brought out a book. Twilight had a happy smile on her face as she grabbed it, curled up with it, and purred like a kitten, "Book!"

"Oh." Keyleth looked at this,"It really is that easy, huh?"

Pinkie nodded.

Rarity sighed as she walked in,"You know, I honestly expected Rainbow Dash to be the first to get into trouble."

Scanlan nodded, "I know. It kind of breaks the pattern, but this is still funnier."

"Dang straight," Pinkie said, hoofbumbpin him.

A purple gazelle came into the room,"Oh, you're talking about that cyan pegasus?" She said.

Raritt nodded."

"Ah, so you are her friends. Her and a half-deer are currently waiting back at the Slayer's Take... for an unauthorized hunt."

"Slayer's take?" asked Scan;an.

"Unathorized hunt?" asked Twilight, getting up and putting away her book.

"Oatmeal?" asked Pinkie.

"Yes, your friends fought off a chimera that we were tracking." Teh Gazelle said, She looked at Scanlan,"The Slayer's Take is a guild with a focus on monster hunting."

"And she interrupted your hunt and kill something she wasn't supposed to. Probably bragged that she knew me, gave a list of friends, and now we are all implicated," Twilight said, eyes wide, her mane a little frazzed.

Vax tapped his hoof to his head as he looked at Rainbow Dash,"'I'm the most awesome pegasus ever,' huh?"

"Dang straight I am! I took down that Chimera before any of your dagger hit him!" Dash bragged, completely forgetting where she was and who was in front of her.

A male halflinger pony sighed,"By Ioun..."

Dash then turned to look at them, "And look, I know I may seem like I'm alone with an emo boy over here. But giess what, he's got frieinds! A cool large pony, a badass musician, his sister, a pony who uses this weird thing that I can't begin to talk about how it works, Fluttersy if she was a deer, and a mare of the cloth. Yeah, and if you think that's something! MY friends: Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Twilight can all back me up to. So send over what ever punichment you got."

"And there goes the other one," Vax said.

"And who says you got any better right to kill than us huh? Why not set us all up for this cool Slayer's cake thing and we'll be even cooler than your best!" Dash bragged.

The stallion smiled,"Well, my wife has something for you."

Pike burst through the door,"I heard something bad happened, are you alright!?"

Fluttershy meekly peeked from behind her,"I'm here too..."

"Everything that ha gone wrong has. We were just flying together when we spotted a chimera. We decided to see who could take it down quicker, and well...we wound up like this." Vax said.

Dash grumbled, "And somehow webroke the law. The only thing more annoying would be if Twilight found out and overreacted.

Pike said nothing. She and Fluttershy then stepped aside.

The world shook, even though there was no spell being cast, "What...was that?" Dash asked

Pike looked outside,"I think Twilight found out."

"No, if Twilight found out, then we would hear her call me by my full name."

"RAINBOW MIRAIM DANGER DASH!!!" Twilight shouted.

"Like that," Rainbow daid, before calmly looking to Pike, "Last rites please?"

Pike began making motions with her hoof,"Sarenrea, please make sure that this poor pegasus gets to the other side safe..."

Twilight walked in, fire in her eyes, mana flowing off her body in all five colors, and her hair done in a reasonably nice style, "You had one job, one JOB! Try not to get into trouble and what did you do, you not only got into trouble but with an organization I never even knew about until today!"

"Twi-"

"If you gave me a few seconds I could figure out the rules, but no! Ypu had to go on your own,cause trouble, and put us into who knows what kind of situation! HOW DO I EVEN WIND UP WITH THIS!"

"Twilight"

"You always decided to do this, go off half cocked! I have half a mind to keep a leash on you or send in ninjas because knowing you the next time I leave you alone with friends you are going to tick off a god or a whole freaking pantheon!!!"

"Twilight, the head cheese is behind you," Dahs said calmly.

Twilight turned around with a smiled, "Dear sir, please do forgive my best friend's idoicy and whatever punishment you have planned, I will gladly stand by het side as reperation."

"Techinically I'm the Co-Head Cheese with my wife, but we do have something for you."

"can it wait until the rest of my friends arrive and hopefully they didn't do anythin-"

Applejack and Grog burst in through the door,"Hi, we just beat up a god."

"...wha?"

Applejack looked around,"What's goin' on around here?"

Twilight could only face hoof as she listened to Applejack describe Grog's wrestling match.

Samus looked down at her hoof and smiled, "Oh look, Grapple is back online."

"You don't sound too enthused lady," Adam said.

"Well, look, I love my grapple and all. It's a nice to have when I'm in trouble but in reality," Samus shruggd, "It wwasn't one of the big ones."

Adam could be heard groaning, "But considering you just fell from an airship."

"Well yeah, now I need it," Samus said, aiming and firing her grapple line to the side, "Now I love it. but on any other day, it's just a fun thing to have."

"Ok, Applejack, next time one of the gods appears, pleasse tell us."

"Hey, everyone was separated, and we didn't know at the time!"

"Fine fine," Twilight said, watcing as the others made their way to their location. she then turned to the stallion, "So, what do you have for us?"

The stallion nodded,"If you want to escape punishment, you'll have to take a trial."

The Gazelle, Vanessa, walked in,"You must separate into two teams, and tackle two different monsters for us."

"Two teams, no problem," Rainbow Dash bragged, "Twilight and Flutters are on my team."

"Hmmm," Twilihgt began, "I could think of a good algorithm that could pick e best ones for each monster. What are we hunting?"

Vanessa frowned,"I'll pick the teams."

"..." Twilight looked down, and then put away a book with the words n the cover

team possibilities for beginners and the alogritihms that love them.

Percy looked at it,"They will make a book out of everything..."

Vanessa nodded,"Now, go to the room on the left. I will send for the first team shortly."

Twilight sighed,"Well, as long as I get Applejack and Rainbow Dash, we'll be fine."

Rainbow Dassh laughed, "HA! As long as I get Twilight or AJ, I have it made."