Canterlot Academy Trials

As everyone prepped to make port on the Fragmentation Isles--a small series of heavily jungled islands off the coast of the Dragon Lands formed by volcanic eruptions in the past--Blue would gather Mei, and Grimrose into a quick, buckball style huddle on the deck.

“...guys, something’s wrong with Nebula,” he muttered to the girls with his arms around each of them, “...I think this is the first time I’ve seen him angry like this.”

“...wasn’t he angry when we dealt with Gaea?” Mei asked.

Grimrose shook her head, “...that was more like vented frustration. From what I can see, Atomic seems to be genuinely angry. Like his rage is building up from all of the nasty comments that Captain Pollux has made to him thus far.”

“...it’s strange,” Blue went on, “...I’ve been angry at a lot of stuff. But this…this is like…something scarier.”

“...That happens to me all the time too,” Mei commented in reference to how her kind would turn from kirins to niriks, “...but you’re right, this isn’t normal for Nebula at all. You two have known him longer than I have--have you ever seen him like this before?”

Even Grimrose had to admit this was new to her. “...no. I…I haven’t. I know what it’s like to feel emotions such as anger. But…well there’s an old saying in my family, ‘Beware the fury of a patient stallion.’”

“Yeah you’re right,” Blue agreed with a shudder, “We’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t fly off the handle. I think we’re about to make port in a bit, so let’s get ready.”

The three of them broke the huddle and joined Nebula up on the bow of the ship where they could see the jungle-infested island grow nearer with each passing second. Once close enough, the ship would stall, and the anchor would be weighed to hold it in place.

Pollux would exchange her captain’s hat for what appeared to be some sort of armored mask as she readied her cutlass with her sheathe on her hip as she flicked her tail.

“Avast. Let us be off, landlubbers. Yer target should be somewhere around here,” she commented as she jumped down onto the sandy beach of the island alongside Eastman, and Nebula and the rest of his team would follow.

The unicorn stallion in particular looked a bit more calm now, having been able to relax a bit since he had time to clear his head. However, before he could get very far, he was joined by a familiar face.

“Hey Cap'n, I’m comin’ with,” Marrow squeaked as he scampered up to them.

“...are you sure?” Nebula asked.

“Can this guy fight?” Blue muttered out of confusion.

“Heck yeah I can, but more importantly, I’m worried about Madam Paula,” he spoke in reference to the rodent captain, “She seems a bit on edge since we started and I wanna come along’ta help her feel comfortable. I’ll watch over her while ya’ll handle what yer after.”

“...well…” Mei weighed it for a moment before agreeing, “...he knows her better than we do, so it’s probably a good idea. We need to focus on Gloomtail, guys.”

Grimrose nodded in silence as she flipped through pages in her tome.

“Alrighty,” Blue added, “No sweat off our backs, then.”

“Ahem,” Pollux called out from where she stood, “Get a move on, maties.” The mouse woman flicked her tail and began to saunter off into the woods with her hips swaying and rear bouncing from the swagger in her confident step as her badger first mate followed.

“Go on, buddy,” Nebula encouraged Marrow, “You got this.”

“I’ll show you what I can do, ya’ll,” Marrow squeaked and sneakily showed them his harmonica before scampering off after his captain.

After that was established, the group members of Dorm Block Epsilon would venture forth into the Scalebound Wildwood. True to its name, it was a vast, wide open jungle that had been overtaken by luscious, green vegetation and various creatures such as malwurfs, tatzlwurms, manticores, and chimeras. Any unlucky adventurer would perish within mere moments just from entering this place, but the group’s combined skill and presence kept most of the monsters at bay for the time being.

“...alright, we’re in,” Nebula commented as he took point, leading the party through a rather damp floor of leaves and vines. Everything crackled and squished underfoot as they jogged through, “Place looks just like how I’ve seen it in the books…amazing…”

“Yeah, this is the place alright,” Blue replied with a less than enthused tone, indicating that he had more than likely seen this place before as he followed along closeby. “Way more monsters than I would’ve guess though…”

The group watched as a tatzlwurm would rise out of the ground and snap up several cockatrices in its maw.

“...metal,” Grimrose muttered with a chillingly excitable tone as she galloped along, “I’d love to see how many natural deaths could occur in this place in a single day. Oh the possibilities…”

Mei would give a nervous chuckle in response and adjust her glasses with her magic. Thre group had officially entered the wildwood, and were now crossing a mossy path that carved its way between two ponds on either side. “...uhh…let’s focus on the mission please. I can’t comprehend why a dragon would wanna have their base of operations here of all places…”

“...isn’t it obvious?” Blue scoffed as he took flight, and started to fly ahead. To their right, in a pond that led to a river, they’d witness a swarm of bite-acuda fish tear a giant bufogren to shreds, “No sane bastard would come here. That’s why.”

“...yeah you got a point there,” Nebula replied with a shudder as he witnessed such horrors of nature, but quickly shrugged it off.

“Think those little pirate rodents will be okay?” Grimrose muttered.

“Wow, you actually care about them?” Blue teasingly retorted, “I’m surprised you even have the capacity for it.”

“Shut up.”

The dragon snickered, and then gave a reply, “Eh I think they’ll be fine. They’re tougher than they look. I can tel--” Suddenly, he stopped on a dime, and hovered in midair for a moment where he started to sniff the air…

Everyone else stopped next to him in the middle of the crossing they had been travelling upon.

“What’s going on?” Nebula asked, “Do you have something, Blue?”

“...sorta. I smell shed dragon scales. We’re close. I’m feeling it.”