My eyes shot open as I saw the grenade, I had a few seconds to find out what kind of grenade this is. My eyes started to scan over the grenade putting a mental map of the grenade, I gasped when I found out what kind of grenade. Cecil Magic Grenade, a grenade used for assassinations that left no trace of a grenade being set off beside only injuring their victims, Then I heard the grenade start to beep. I looked over to the terrified eyes of Onyx, my body tried to lock up with fear but I resisted, my determination erupted in my eyes, and I moved so fast that not even I knew what my body was doing. I grabbed the grenade in my mouth and using all my strength I threw it away, the grenade exploded mid-air right after I ducked behind cover. My and onyx ears perked up when we heard swearing outside my apartment, Somepony was not happy. Onyx looked at me with an approving stare, I blushed slightly but focused.

My apartment was really a Studio room, it had barely anything but one thing I always is my knife that I keep under my bed, I minor martial arts training. What?! It isn't weird! I swear! You need to be protected in a city full of thugs and gangs. I launched off the ground aiming for my bed. The only issue there is a clearing between me and my bed, The clearing where the Bad ponies threw the grenade from. Somepony started to shout, but it was too late because I leaned on the ground and rolled. I was terrified, but my determination pushed me to my mental limits. I quickly grabbed my knife from the bed then I felt something pass over my back making my feathers ruffle, mere nanoseconds later I heard a Boom. They tried to shoot me! I backflipped on instinct and landed behind the cover again, where Onyx smacked me in the head hard.

"You bloody dumbass that could've gotten you killed!" Then I noticed something his bandages were off and on the ground, But that didn't surprise me nearly as much as his body is fully healed. I gaped at the healed skin and looked him with, fully healed without any injury!? I grunted in response to him, I will have questions later. "Give me that knife Miss Gear I can use it better than most can" I did as he asked and hoofed him my blade,

The blade was a basic knife with one thing that stood out, a Flame talisman in the handle. He barely touched the knife handle then the blade erupted into green flames. His expression was priceless, the sheer amount of surprise made me giggle. He can be cute when he wants to be. I mentally smacked myself, "Wow I wasn't expecting this from a commoner, they say this kind of flame talismans are only used by nobles or assassins." He took another look at me making me blush and squirm slightly, but what he said was true. My blade was a gift from a noble my father helped with his little issue, and when my parents died I got his knife now. I keep it with me everywhere I go. "Anyway, we have bigger issues questions later."

I nodded causing my blush to disappear slowly looked over the cover hearing nothing but silence, I looked back at Onyx and saw....nothing he was gone? Then I heard someone scream in pain and then someone trashing on the ground, I knew what happened when I smelt burning pony flesh. I gaged in disgust, I have never had a need to use the flame talisman.

Oynx came around the cover looked at me with a sad expression, it seemed he didn't wanna have to kill anypony. "we need to leave Miss Gear they will find out what happened soon." He looked to the ground and sighed, "We need to leave the country for a while. We need to get you trained for combat and we need help. I can't do this alone I'm just one pony, I may be powerful and smart but I have my limits." I smiled and nodded, I looked at my thrashed ruined home.

"I suppose, I should get out my tools because if I come with you I will need to use this talent of mine something, I have never done before." He smiled and nodded, "I have never used my talent so now I will!" My eyes became full of determination again. Time to do something worth my life, I won't fail like before I will succeed.

"Let's Go!" I started to trot off only to feel a sharp pain in my rear I looked back to Onyx who was biting my tail. "What?"

"You forget we need money, clothes, food, and general supplies." I froze money something I sorely lack.

"We need all that?" He nodded, I gulped. "I'm sorry but I have no money" He smiled at me, "So what do we do without money?

"Simple we go meet one of my friends, one of the few who can stand me, and ask for some money for our purpose. Also, she might ask some questions if she asks who you just say 'The newest Trainee'. Also just don't allow her to tease you too much, you're very very skinny."

I grumbled, "I wouldn't if I had a source of income, as It is I have a job."

He just smiled, "Good" is all he said and turned away and started walking down the street I noticed that knife is missing and started to follow him.

"Yo Where did my knife go?!" He froze mid-step and looked at me, then comprehension followed his stare. Then he disappeared right before my eyes then appeared again. This time holding my blood-soaked knife in my hoof.

"You mean this right?" I nodded and grabbed my knife and slipped it into my sheath.

Wait, "How the fuck did you just do that!?" He started to chuckle and smile at me, "I mean I understand fast movement is possible but that is just absurd!"

"Probably because I use Magical Arts a type of power devoted to all forms of Magic, Pegasus, Unicorn, Earthponies, Dragons, Griffins, and finally changelings also other species but they are not as important as ponies. Well they are but you are not anything else but a pony, As I was saying though I study Pegasus Arts. Most powerful in the sky, but something we can do is rapid movement." My jaw drops, 'Pegasus art?!' I slowly look at my wings and realize something. He will be training me in Pegasus arts!

"You wouldn't." He looked into my eyes and smiled, then he nodded.

"You will be learning Magic arts of the Pegasus style, You will be the knewest and last knight our country has. I don't have faith in our country anymore so I lost my title but you, If I can teach you this you will be able to make a difference. Something I could never have done, I will support you of course, but You will be the boss when you learn because you will learn both Elchor arts and Equestria arts."

That last name drew my attention and my jaw dropped again, he isn't kidding, But Equestria?! That is at least 200 miles through dangerous jungles then another couple hundred miles across the desert. Not to mention the sea in between us and them.

"Also just so you know, my friend is a changeling. so try not and scare her that badly." I blinked in surprise, A Changeling. A not-so uncommon occurrence, they are quite common in Elchor. The only issue is some ponies find their kind creepy and scary and fear them. I don't though I kind of them...cute, I always wished I could find one.

I looked around because I was lost in thought and noticed we have arrived at the bad part of town, I could sense the eyes on me and him. My nerves started to be pushed to the edge, This caused Onyx to smile. 'Why is he smiling!?'

"I was right about you, those instincts of yours are near master levels. What did you practice in again?"

I blinked and smiled, "I trained with the Royal Army Special Forced once when i was working to create those faulty Lightning cannons, then I had martial arts training with one very old but powerful pony."

His jaw dropped I was surprised by the reaction, "You were trained Ancient Azure Skies?!"

'So that's his title, I thought it was something like that.' I nodded.

"Good job kid that guy is one of the most difficult teachers our country has. Many of his students ran away in fear." then he mumbled something I barely picked up, "Maybe that's why the Order of Fallen Knights Killing intent didn't work on her. Most ponies could run away screaming when they started to feel anything like that. It was almost powerful enough to cause ponies to see their own death." I shuttered when I remembered that feeling of pure terror.

"Anyway Green," I mentally groaned at my nickname, "We need to get you to our friend's place she will teach you how to activate that potential."

I looked around at a large number of earth ponies, Still so many earth ponies. I forgot Pegasi are disliked by both Earth ponies in Unicorns in this country. Most of the population is Earthponies and Unicorn, Pegasi are. Hell, the Royal Family is Earth Ponies, so it is quite common for both species to have tribalists. Thinking their race is the most important, but the unicorns are quieter while the earth ponies are loud about it.

Honestly, most pegasi have fleed the country long ago. My family refused to leave. The nearest country is across the Jungle Not Equestria but Zebra lands.

Then I bumped face first into Onyx flank, lost in thought I suppose. I looked up and Onyx was smiling at me. That's when I saw the house in front of us. A house that looks to be falling down, no paint, the door looked like it needs fixing. The grass was 2 feet tall, 'this place is a wreck'

Onyx seemed to follow my thoughts and smiled, "Yeah it's a trash location, but she is a nice pony and very young. There used to be an older pony living her but she died a couple of years back. Then Miss Shine moved in, her real name is Wind Shine but she likes to go my Shine." I nodded in understanding.

He slowly moved to the door and knocks on it so hard I thought the door would fall off along with the wall. A quick few seconds later the door opened and I saw her.

Rose pink coated mare with candy-pink eyes. dark pink mane and tail with dark grey and green stripes in her mane. I felt it about her she was a changeling, one of the kindest and nicest ponies I could see. Her aura is just as pink as her coat, my jaw dropped to the floor. Then she noticed me and also dropped her jaw but for different reasons.

"Onyx, what the buzz! I-" she was cut off by a loud cough, then I felt a killing intent behind me. My first instinct was to roundhouse kick that pony.

Onyx was about to speak but I beat him to it, "Who do you think you are!" I slowly looked at the pony, the way he looked at me showed his clear surprise. That surprise quickly shifted into a rage, something I didn't expect to be focused directly on me.

"Uhh, I'm just the mail pony." Both me and Onyx could detect the lie, but it seems he dropped the subject I grunted softly and did the same shortly after

I rolled my eyes in disgust, whoever this stallion is I did not like the killer intent that rolled off him, he was different not a simple civilian. Onyx saw my reaction from the corner of his eyes and smirked, he knew it. He knew this pony was bad news but he wanted to test me, man, he's good.

After that stallion, I do not trust left me, and Onyx entered Wind Shine's home. Saying the place is a mess is an understatement, it was a disaster. The house itself was the worse part, she seemed to keep the house as clean as possible. The ceiling was sagging, obvious signs of water damage, broken floor, and ragged carpet. The main thing was the smell, it smelt like rotting furniture and already rotted fabric. Even then I could tell the care that was used to try and fix everything. Repairs on the ceiling to help hold it up, new carpet is put in. Finally, the thing I noticed, she had no electricity. The house was dark with only a few candles, this changeling was living in a terrible place.

I looked over at her with pity in my eyes but she is an adult, it isn't my place to tell her how she lives. I looked over at Onyx even he looked surprised. So it didn't look this way when he was last here, however long that must have been.

When Onyx Spoke it was most calm and relaxed than when he spoke to me, "So Shine I need help escaping the country... this time for good." My eyebrow raised, 'this time?' I shook my head, also why does she not have a cutie mark? I thought changelings could do that, is that just a lie, or is she special.

Shine turned and looked Onyx in the eyes, "What you want money?!" Onyx nodded, she just snarled. "Well too bad I have nothing! This house is soon going to get demolished because of how it looks! All my money went to keeping it around!" She started to cry and my heart ached for her. "I just wanna be happy again or left alone!" I quickly moved closer to her and hug her, this caused her to tense in a form that I noticed as Master of Combat Martial Arts, something far better than I. I quickly released her after I felt frightened, this pony/changeling can be terrifying if she wanted to be.

Then Onyx spoke causing me to lose track of my thoughts but what he said made me pale. "Also I need to teach noobie here how to use Magic Arts, pegasus style. I need to give her magic rings, it will help her Relearn how to fly. Also, I need to push her to her limits constantly so she will be no assistance in a fight. The real reason I came to see you out is this. Will, you one of the few final Changeling Knights join me." I looked over to wind and saw she also paled, apparently he wasn't supposed to know about her being a changeling. His tone also showed a sense of finality, like nothing would prove him wrong.

"How do you know?! This is a secret not even our own people know about!? I kept this secret for as long as I can but if someone found out I would have to-" She was shaking not in rage but in fear, it was as if this could get her killed. I blinked, 'No this was a death sentence if anyone found out, this isn't about keeping their ponies safe this was basic silence or death treatment.

"Simple, I'm am or was a Royal Knight, one of the best at detecting lies. I am the Knight of Icarus, the fasted Knight this country has seen. Though I prefer the title of Royal decoration Knight of Lightning God, since well my magic is oriented towards Lightning magic. Something most pegasi struggle with, and also I have an idea this little mare-" He pointed at me with a hoof and I blushed. "-will become powerful enough to do something great. Maybe even fix what those noble bastards did." I could hear the sound of gears churning in Wing Shine's brain.

Shine slowly looked at me and her jaw dropped, I suppose she felt my love before but didn't pay attention to it. "She loves changelings? Odd, this is unexpected in all honesty." Then I could hear her stomach rumble and I blushed slightly, 'hum I suppose I wouldn't mind that much as long as I don't die.'

"I suppose I could join you guys it wouldnt be the worse thing to have happened to me, Seriously all you wanna do is leave the country and go to where again?"

Me and Onyx look at each other and smile wince, "Uhh, we are headed to Equestria." 'And here is the reaction.'

"What!? Equestria! Thats like 400 miles away, across the worse locations to evenm reach it! That Jungle is bad enough but the Deseret then also the savana, and dont get me started on the Luna Sea! Your asking ME to risk MY life from Hydra, Rogue, Dragons, Bandits, and Finally Tribalist. No, no way will I risk my life because of that!"

Onyx thought for a second and said, "I mean it wouldnt be difficult for any of us" He looked at me and winced, "I take that back Green has no real combat expeirence," He looks at my wings. "I suppose we all three can fly," now it was my turn to wince.

"You see about that." That make both their heads looks at me in unison, 'in retrospect that was creepy.'

"I kinda can't fly" The entire room was shocked into silence, hell I didn't even hear the creaking of wood.

"Well, that makes this more difficult. I just hope you can learn before we reach Equestria, The pegasi population will call you a freak and be disgusted at you. The earth ponies and unicorn won't care though, so there is that." He got a glint in his eyes something that made me shiver. "I suppose I will have to train you know to fly the same way I did, Through magic arts." Yep I will hate this kind of training,can someone save from this sufering!

Author's Note

Attempted, Complete, Book 1: Learning. Be patient for it will take years to complete this story.