Canterlot Academy Trials

About ten years ago…

“C’mon, Misty! Leave those munters behind. Come hang with us!”

“Yeh, we’re gonna spook some sailors. Gonna go down in history for the senior prank of the century, love.”

Dewdrop Mistwalker looked at her friend with uncertainty. “I dunno, lads. I’m kinda busy watchin’ over the Carpenter’s foals right now.”

“We’ll be back before they even know you’re gone, love.”

“Yeah just put ‘em down for a nap or somethin’ so they won’t get into trouble.”

“Well…” Mistwalker couldn’t pass up the opportunity to cause some mischief so that she could land herself some fame. “...gimme a quick whizz and I’ll be out.”

And so, Mistwalker joined her fellow water-horse friends and managed to spook various pony sailors off the coast of Trotland. It all seemed to go well and no on managed to get hurt from what seemed to be a few harmless scares that would surely go down in history for their senior year.

That was, until Mistwalker return to the Carpenter’s home…to see their house on fire.

“OI! HELP ME, GUYS!”

Misty and her friends used their control over water to put out the flames and they quickly ran inside to find…a colt and a filly had burned to death.

“....No…no…I…”

With nothing left to do but sob in the ashes, Mistwalker’s friends called for the Trotland Yard emergency services who quickly arrived to assess the situation. Soon after, a mare and a stallion who had dressed up for a date returned to find what had happened to their home…and their children.

The mare--the mother of two, simply collapsed to the ground and wailed like a banshee out of horror as she watched her children get taken away from her in body bags.

The stallion--the father, simply grit his teeth and glared at Mistwalker. “What in the bloody hell happened here?”

Mist stammered as her friends looked on in shame. “I-I only left for a minute, sir! I didn’t think the oven would...I…I’m sorr--!!”

CRACK!

Before she could say a word, the stallion had attacked Mist and her friends. Several blows landed before the ponies could be seen flung into the street where they took a rough tumble and were left with black eyes.

“Get yer arses out of my sight,” he grumbled, seething with rage, “Before the coroners have to wheel off three more!”

By that point, the entire town had arrived to see what had happened. Mistwalker and her friends had no choice but to run away…and never look back.

In the present…

“AGH!”

Mistwalker had awakened in a sweat with her body steaming due to the nature of her biology as a water-horse. She rubbed a hoof against the side of her head as she shivered and sighed after re-experiencing the same haunting nightmare.

“Again…dammit all. Still can’t shake it off. Hopefully things go better tomorrow.”

Nearby, Thiasus had walked past her room and had heard her scream. The buck almost knocked at her door, before he shook his head and continued walking to his room.

The next morning…

With that, the plan was in motion. Every major section of Chang’s army would head out and begin their invasion of the Serpent City. The naval units made their approach first, seizing everything from the docks and preventing anything from getting in or going out.

Next, the first set of troops would make their rounds and enter the city itself, taking down most of the arms dealers who were positioned and holed up in various places around the city. It took no longer than an hour before the next set of troops were called in.

This was our main group who had been perched on a cliff overlooking the city itself.

“It begins now,” Tai glanced at them all. “Show us the might of the West.” Without another word, the monkey woman jumped down and began her assault on the city followed by several other primate soldiers and Blue Blazes.

But before Mistwalker could jump in, Thiasus spoke to her.

“Hey.”

“...och--what do ye want right now?” she rolled her eyes out of annoyance.

“I heard you screaming last night,” the buck glanced at her with sympathy in his eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“...” Mist opted to bury her feelings for now. “...so ye were eavesdroppin’ on me then?”

“No, I was just--”

“I didn’t ask for ye help,” the water mare grit her teeth, “Stay in ye place!”

But Thiasus had already walked away by the time she had finished speaking. The buck had re-aligned his focus and was combing through his tome. “Fine then. Prepare yourself for battle.”

Just that, Ban would give the signal from afar with a smoke signal fired off from his wrist. “GO!”