Canterlot Academy Trials

Once everyone’s first day had come to a close, everyone’s skills and abilities would be evaluated and put to the test in order to see how they stack up as well as what assignments they should be given first.

The next day, dorm block Epsilon was in for a surprise…

“Looks like we’re gonna be taking field assignments,” Blue commented with a grin as he looked at their results on the bulletin board in the main hall.

“Ooh! Sounds exciting!” Mei chirped, prancing in place. “I can’t wait to see so many new and exotic places. I was never really allowed to leave our little kirin village when I was younger.”

“Well here’s your chance,” Blue encouraged her, spreading his wings wide. “And I’ll be there to wreck whoever we come across. I’m an apex predator.”

Mei giggled, though not to tease him. She was simply enthralled by the dragon’s bold personality. “You got that right, Blue. I can’t wait to spend more time with you guys.”

Nebula pranced up moments later, and called out what he saw on the board, “Ooh. Dorm Block Epsilon is gonna start heading out? Sweet! Can’t wait to see what our first assignment is gonna be!”

“Hey bud, you alright?” Blue asked as soon as he laid eyes on the indigo unicorn, “Rose told me you kinda had a bad time at training yesterday.”

“Oh, that? I’m fine,” Nebula shook his head, and rubbed his eyes to get rid of the blurriness once more. “...I think I’m gonna need glasses soon though. I told Cayenne about it and she said she’s getting help from Abyssinia.”

“The cat-folk?” Mei asked with a curious tone, “I guess a lot of them need glasses, huh? Isn’t their depth perception worse than diamond dogs?”

“Yes,” Jun Fang muttered as he hunched past the group to his dorm block’s place on the board: Dorm Block Sigma which consisted of himself, Gaea the griffon, Spearklip the zebra, and Rufus the yak--the same yak who unlocked a wyvern familiar.

“I guess that explains a lot,” Mei turned to look at the dalmatian and adjusted her own glasses. “Where’s Grimrose?”

“Here,” the pegasus’ gloomy voice called out from above them, causing everyone to tilt their heads upwards…

Where they sat her hanging upside down from a wooden panel in the ceiling akin to a bat. As soon as they looked up at her, she spread her wings, flew down, and folded them in upon landing. “Seems as if we’ll have an assignment that’ll take us to Somnombula near Saddle Arabia. Better prepare for desert travel.”

Blue flexed his arms. “I’m used to the heat. Hopefully you guys can keep up.”

“I’ll be fine,” Mei commented, “We kirin are no strangers to heat either. Just…don’t make us angry.”

“I’ve got plenty of sunscreen,” Nebula nodded and looked at Grimrose. “How about you, Rose?”

“I’m looking to see the effects of heat on the body,” she remarked gloomily, “Don’t mind me.”

Blue punched his fist into his open claw. “Alright. Looks like we’re gonna be working as a team for the first time. We’ll need a team name.”

“...do we, though?” Nebula asked with a sarcastic chuckle, “I think Epsilon is cool enough.”

Mei then spoke up next, “...There’s always the idea of combining the first letters of our names to make a team name…if you wanna, that is,” she idly rubbed one hoof against the other as soon as she suggested it.

“Isn’t there a comic book that does that?” Grimrose asked, “I wonder what that would sound like.”

“Hm? Never read comics before,” Nebula spoke up as he tilted his head, “What would it be like?”

“Ooh! That's a great idea, Mei!” Blue snapped his fingers, “I think I got it. So like, Atomic…that’s an ‘A’. Then ‘B,’ then an ‘M,’ and a ‘G’...GAMB…Gamb? Gamb…Team Gambit!”

Nebula put slapped his hoof against his forehead while groaning. “Ugggh…that’s so…out there,” he muttered, the broke out into laughter.

“It is a tad ridiculous,” Grimrose agreed, “But I think that’s what makes it work.”

“I like it....and thanks,” Mei squealed in response to the praise from Blue then quickly changed the subject. “I just hope our first mission goes well. Any idea what it’s about?”

That’s when Cayenne stepped in. “Settle down, kiddos. We’re not about to start fighting pirates or anything crazy. This is just a minor, overnight field trip to Somnombula where we’ll help a local village couple with their fruit stand. They’re currently sending some of their own students over to Canterlot to do the same for Restaurant Row.”

“Ah! A culture exchange!” Nebula’s freckled face lit up at the prospect, “Amazing! I can’t wait to see what sort of architecture and musical instruments they’ll have over there.”

“I can’t wait to see what kind of food they have,” Mei wondered aloud.

“Hope they got some sick weaponry,” Blue added with a grin.

“I’m hoping to get a peek inside a sarcophagus, Grimrose muttered plainly.

Cayenne giggled at their enthusiasm. “There will be plenty of time for that. But we have to stick to a schedule and help out at the marketplace first, understand? I’ll be leading you on this excursion. We leave tomorrow afternoon. Any questions or concerns?”

“I’m good,” Blue replied with a nod, “I gotta get myself ready. See ya’ll there.” With that, he spread his wings and took off down the hall.

“Me too,” Mei added as she started to trot away, “I need to make sure I take notes of everything I see!”

Grimrose started using one of her feathers as a quill to scribble something down in a journal. “I need to gather a few things.”

“Hm,” Nebula tapped his hoof against his chin. “If I have time, I might paint a picture or two of the landscape.”

“Very neat idea, Mr. Nebula,” Cayenne approved, “I’ll be eager to see what you can come up with. Now if you’ll both excuse me…I gotta make sure my hair is done right! If any Saddle Arabian stallions look my way, I need to look my best!” And with a poof!, she used her magic to teleport away.

“She seems to be in a hurry,” Nebula noted with a chuckle as he started walking down the hall back towards his dorm. “Alright, now what do I need…”

But to his surprise, Grimrose would actually join him, trotting alongside him with a concerned query. “Atomic. Are you alright? About yesterday…”

With no other options, Nebula decided to explain himself lest Grimrose be strung along in confusion. “...My dad never left us,” he explained with a low tone of voice, “He was one of the Royal Guard and he…was killed. By Queen Chrysalis.”

Rose froze, unable to process what Nebula could possibly be feeling as a result of Gaea’s teasing. “I…I see. You have my sympathies. No one deserves to lose their family like that.”

“It’s…fine,” he went on with a sigh, “Tungsten always taught me to keep my head up, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. But…being reminded that mean folks are out there that still wanna hurt you…it’s changed my perspective a bit.”

“There’s no need to listen to someone like that,” Rose tried her best to console him, “She doesn’t know you, and has no right to speak to you that way.”

“Doesn’t mean it won’t happen again,” Nebula replied with a shrug. “There’s always gonna be people out there who wanna put others down. And…I can’t let myself fall victim to that.”

“While that may be true, know that you don’t have to stand alone,” she encouraged him. “Others cast me aside, call me strange for my interests in death and the black arts. But you…you’ve stuck by me throughout highschool and even to this point regardless.”

Nebula replied with a cordial tone, “Well of course. You’re my friend. I want you to be happy above all else, you know that? Besides, a little study into the arcane never hurt anyone. I actually really like that stuff. Pentagrams, candlelight, enchantments…”

“...” Grimrose glanced at him with a set of wide eyes as her wings unfurled involuntarily. “...You…do?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod, “In fact, if you’re ever free, I’d like to help you with your forays into the other side sometime. Ooh! Maybe you can even use me as a vessel for contacting ghosts!” he squealed with an excited tone--which visibly caught Grimrose by surprise.

The mare blinked once, then twice. “...You’d…like to help me?” She cleared her throat and folded her wings back in. “...meet me in my dorm later, okay? There’s a hex I’ve been looking to test out.”

“Sweet. It’ll be helpful if we encounter trouble on our little trip to the desert city of Somnombula.” Nebula replied with a toothy grin as he started to trot away. “I’ll see you then, huh?”

“...yeah. See you then,” Grimrose muttered as she watched him leave. ‘...he’s so bubbly and positive. Why do I feel the urge to protect him? Most mortals aren’t worth it…unless…’

Meanwhile, as the pale blue pegasus flew off to her dorm, a certain griffon was idly watching from around a nearby corner.

‘I’ll break him one way or another…’