The Dragon Sword Master of Canterlot Academy

Chapters

Reincarnated in a New World, Part 1
Reincarnated in a New World, Part 2
Welcome to Canterlot

Reincarnated in a New World, Part 1

One night, in the streets of San Francisco, a boy with black hair was walking down the street. He was also on his phone while waiting for traffic. His name was Cedric Draco.

‘Man… I’m hungry. Guess I’ll need to figure that out front here on out,’ he said to himself.

As he got closer, the doors to the convenience store burst open, revealing screaming people who were panicking about something, which caused Cedric to put his phone down. He was suddenly able to understand the people running and screaming but two girls tripped over past him, and embrace themselves.

Suddenly, the crook came out with a gun, and a bag full of cash he stole. “You little bitches!” he said angrily, pointing the gun at them, startling the two girls. “I’ve got you now. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, ladies!” The girls screamed as they held onto each other.

“Hey! Lay off!” Cedric said, running towards the crook, and throwing him down on the ground, before he turned to the two girls. “Go on! Get out of here while I still keep him-!” He was suddenly cut off by a painful feeling on his body, before two drops of blood dripped onto the ground. The crook then got up and got away with the money.

The two girls got up and ran over to Cedric.

“Hey! Are you okay?!” one asked, before they turned one side of him over, revealing that Cedric had been stabbed in the gut, which made them gasp.

‘Thank goodness they’re safe… but it sounds like I made them cry… So what do I do? Do I just lay here and die?’

The two girls began to cry while kneeling over Cedric’s dead body, as the owner of the store ran back inside and called an ambulance and the police, before everything faded black as the echoing sound of sirens would appear.

Canterlot, 500 AD

Years ago, throughout the Dark Ages, when the Castle of the High Thrones was formed, and before the war with the Thracians, there was Canterlot.

The sun shone over the Castle of Canterlot, which belonged to the High Kings and Queens, who sat around a big round table.

One of the first self-governing people that ever existed, Canterlot was a center of power and enlightenment. For many centuries, they thrived.

The establishment of the kingdom ended abruptly as the kingdom then fell into chaos.

But then…

Soldiers from another kingdom were shown driving away innocent civilians and burning many of their homes, while the soldiers who lived with the civilians managed to protect them, while a lot not prevailed. From out of nowhere, an ascendant tyrant watched the subjugation of the people from the palace’s balcony, which is where he slaughtered the high kings and queens of Canterlot, but had one prisoner, the princess of Canterlot, daughter of the king and queen.

…came King Zodiac. Using his army to seize power, along with the kingdom’s army, Zodiac became a tyrant. But he had even darker ambitions. Obsessed with dark magic and powerful sorcery, Zodiac’s real goal was to rule for eternity, except he had one problem. He couldn’t stop growing old. So he needed something that would help him bestowed with the powers of invincibility and immortality, until he discovered the secret behind one magical artifact that could assist his tyrannical regime: the Crown of Eternal Calamity.

The book’s pages showed the Crown’s description. It was dark, full of evil, and glowed in two colors, based on his vision: greenish blue in “standby mode”, and pinkish red whenever used.

If infused with the powers of invincibility and immortality, but along with the many demons of the ancient world, it would make Zodiac unstoppable.

Forced into slavery by Zodiac and subjected into harsh labor conditions, the people of Canterlot worked their normal lives in a daily basis if they wanted to avoid being punished by the king, while some others toiled daily in many underground mines, and the rest were compelled to work on various construction projects, including building cities, fortifications, and monuments for Zodiac’s rule, their skins grey and pale from all the dust and ash clinging to their sweaty, worn out flesh.

To make the crown, he needed Eternium. A rare mineral of many magical properties, which can be found in many mines of Canterlot. So he enslaved his own people into many harsh labor conditions, which involved many construction projects that would expand the kingdom in his own image, including newer cities, statues, and monuments, while the other ones were forced to dig for the mineral.

One of the mine slaves, Gibbon, dug deep into the solid rock until he came across a sparkling greenish blue lump. The much desired mineral, Eternium. Triumphant, he raises his hand into the air.

“Eternium,” he said.

Gibbon immediately covered his hand and ceased to rejoice, seeing how he’s sparked interest. But it was too late. The other slaves surrounded and encircled him, reaching out their hands towards his Eternium lump, clawing at the precious nugget.

“Eternium. Eternium.”

Canterlot was teetering on the brink of despair, chaos and suffering. What they needed…

A young boy, who looked more like a young adult, stepped into the fray, defending the old man, “Get off him! Get off him!”

The slaves, intimidated by his forceful commands, backed off and stepped away from Gibbon.

…was a hero. One however believed in hope, faith, and justice. Leonidas Magnus.

“Why are we fighting each other? Remember who our real enemy is!” he said, and then turned to Gibbon. “Come with me.”

Leonidas took Gibbon to the outpost, where one of the King’s supervisors oversee the mining procedure.

“Look. Eternium,” Gibbon said, handing the lump over to the supervisor in front of him.

“Let me see that,” the supervisor said. He raises the clump into the air and assesses the value. It was indeed Eternium. “The king thanks you.”

“He’s supposed to reward him,” Leonidas defiantly said.

The supervisor glanced at the “lucky” slave. “Is that right?”

Gibbon nodded while gesturing with his arms in an apologetic manner. “I want what I’m owed.”

The supervisor gestures at the old man, and they both go to a sharp turbot from which the mines are clearly visible.

“You want a reward?” the supervisor asked.

Leonidas watched, slightly smiling, hopeful. But the supervisor drew his sword and stabbed Gibbon with it, much to the Leonidas’s and other slaves’ dismay.

“The king thanks you for your service,” the supervisor said.

Having said that, he let go of the poor fella and casted him off the turbot. Gibbon fell to his death. Leonidas was so distraught over this, the supervisor rushed towards him with a devilish grin on his face.

“You want the king’s reward too?”

An older man came just in time, taking a stand between the young slave and the supervisor.

“No, but my son accepts the king’s mercy,” he said.

He then escorted the boy out of the warden’s sight, who was very clearly busy cleaning the dusty Eternium lump now. Both Leonidas and his father went to another turbot to have a talk.

“You know I won’t always be here to protect you,” he said.

“I don’t need protection. I want to be free. If we fight together, we could overthrow the king,” Leonidas said.

“Let someone else be the hero… the graveyards are full of them. Stop dreaming and go back to work,” his father said, until he then turned and began walking away. Leonidas looked at his toiling, suffering compatriots with great compassion.

Someone to hold the hopes of the people. Even when all hope seems lost.

Leonidas, turning towards his leaving father, still wouldn’t give up, “If we had more heroes… then maybe our freedom wouldn’t be a dream!”

Leonidas then went back to work, but he still wouldn’t give up hope.

He ran to the supervisor, stole the Eternium lump from him, and began to run up a hill where he could be seen by most slaves.

“Freedom! Justice!”

The young man managed to hold off the king's men by throwing some stones at them. He got to the top of the hill and presented the Eternium lump to the crowd while holding his arm up in a sign of justice and freedom, giving people the chance to believe in hope and faith. The others follow his example and soon the entire mine is full of cheers and yells. The boy smiles, knowing a spark had been ignited.

King Zodiac knew that this spark could quickly ignite a fire. And so he ordered that it be snuffed out. But one figure saw that it would be a sign of something that could help their prayers. Princess Roselia.

From above the balcony of her bedroom, Princess Roselia watched how much confidence and determination the boy had, so she thought it’d be best to help him save her people and overthrow the evil king.

The next day, the guards set up the stage for the boy's execution, but expected to commence at dawn.

But at a terrible cost, they arrested not only the boy, but his family as well. Until the king sentenced Leonidas to death for treason.

“Wake up! Wake up!” a voice said.

His eyes opened until he saw a sight of beauty in front of him: Princess Roselia.

“Princess Roselia?” Leonidas asked.

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” Roselia said.

“It’s not my problem. What do you want anyway, without being rude?” Leonidas asked.

“I’m here to rescue you and your family,” Roselia said, as she helped him remove his shackles until she did his parents, and then his three youngest sisters and two younger brothers.

“Go! Don’t let King Zodiac see you or your folks,” Roselia said.

“Hey! Who opened the gate?!” a guard asked.

“Someone’s broken in here! Get down there and take care of it!” another guard said, until yells and footsteps approached.

“Someone’s coming! Go! I’ll hold them off!” Roselia said.

“But… Princess Roselia,” Leonidas said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” Roselia said, until she gave him a quick hug and kiss on the forehead.

Leonidas thought for a moment, “No, I need you to take care of my family. I’m not giving up hope.”

“Then take this. There should be something at the top of the mountain. I don’t know what it is, but it should help you defeat the king. Hurry!” Roselia said, as she and Leonidas’ family ran from the dungeon and back to their barn while Leonidas took a horse and rode off to the forest.

Upon his venture through the forest, Leonidas discovered that there were many other places that were full of magic. His discovery began in a tomb of a forgotten legend throughout history.

As he arrived at the cave, in the Enchanted Forest, Leonidas somehow found himself in an ancient tomb surrounded by many hieroglyphs and ancient scriptures.

But he suddenly stopped at what looked like a pedestal holding what looked like a scepter. It possessed a straight and black rod with a spherical gray and yellow orb on both ends, a sharp purple pommel on its bottom sphere, and what looked like four tips whose outer side had a tiny blue, yellow, green and violet gem embedded in it. Also, on the middle of the tips, right above the rod's end, was a light blue orb.

Luckily, he found the Bloodstone Scepter, an ancient mystical artifact of power, which is compared to many arcane and divine sorcery but also contains the might of a dragon. Once he grasped it, the power of the scepter already fused with his own blood.

Back at the castle, King Zodiac’s servant running through the palace with the Crown of Eternal Calamity, desperate to deliver it to the monarch as fast as possible.

Leonidas’ family got caught again, and Roselia as well.

“Hurry. Give it to me!” King Zodiac said.

But the crown had already been completed.

“Give it to me,” King Zodiac said.

Suddenly, the doors banged open and Leonidas came, but he was wearing godlike armor and wielding the staff, and carried a black and gold cloak with a gold clip with a red gem on one side.

“DROP THAT CROWN!” his voice hollered.

And when Leonidas arrived at the palace to challenge him…

Leonias indeed did arrive, strong, imposing, brimming with power of determination. In the same moment, Zodiac donned the crown. Its gleam shifts from azure blue to bloody pinkish red.

King Zodiac summoned its demonic power. In the ensuing battle, the champion was victorious. The Crown of Eternal Calamity was destroyed in the battle… making a huge relief so that it would never again fall into the hands of man, and King Zodiac was vanquished. And after many victories over the past few decades, the legendary warrior Leonidas, champion of Canterlot, was never heard from again. But someday he would return, and all would respect his powerful spirit of justice. It has been said through the ages by Leonidas, that without sacrifice, there can be no victory.

CANTERLOT, PRESENT DAY

1,500 years later

Today, the outskirts of Canterlot, where the outside world is forbidden for exploration, is occupied by many monstrous creatures that occur from the depths of pure darkness. Except we have international security and navy forces, the latest in a series of advanced technology, tactical weapons, and military operations in our city. Except we’ve been developing in many ways of wielding sacred swords and divine magic.

Deep in the forest, a trio of teenage girls wearing matching uniforms arrived near the top of the mountain. The outfits were a combination of charcoal gray blazers with light gray sleeveless cardigan vests and grayish purple blazer vests, along with white blouses with black bow ties, and grayish purplish blue pleaded skirts.

The first had long dark sapphire blue hair with moderate purple and brilliant raspberry streaks, but also had a purple star with white outer tips and a purple geode in the center, and moderate violet eyes. Along with her uniform was a set of black nylon thigh high socks with garter straps and black Mary Janes heels. Her name was Twilight Sparkle.

The second girl had vivid crimson curly hair with brilliant yellow fiery stripes, and moderate cyan eyes. She also wore beige colored nylon thigh high socks and a set of double strapped heels in copper brown. Her name was Sunset Shimmer.

The third girl had moderate purple curled hair with lighter purple and pale light grayish aquamarine highlights and moderate persian blue eyes. Her footwear was a set of black nylon pantyhose and black loafers. Her name was Starlight Glimmer.

“Are you sure about this?” Sunset asked.

“The inscriptions we found are clear. And I’m positive about that translation. There is something inside that mountain,” Twilight said.

“What if it really is a Terror Void nest? Then what? It’s like a huge wasp nest or beehive full of monsters,” Starlight said.

“I can relate to that,” Sunset said. “But I think it was something else Twilight found out.”

“It’s actually the burial place of one source of ultimate power: the Bloodstone Scepter,” Twilight said. “We can’t let that scepter fall into the wrong hands, so we’ll have to take it to Canterlot with us and make sure it goes to a safer place rather than here.”

“I hope you’re right,” Starlight said.

Until they made it to their destination, which was a cave, as Sunset and Starlight started admiring the mountain's immense size.

“This is it?” Starlight asked.

“Not yet,” Twilight said, as the group began moving towards the mountain. “Let’s go.”

Our brave explorers soon entered the heart of the mountain. They began investigating its dark passages, with Twilight leading the march.

“This way. Almost there,” she said.

They then entered the cave and began to discover the columns and tunnels of the place, which looked like they were in some ancient tomb.

“Okay, let’s go over the mission again. According to the latest info from my intel, this is what happens to be some sort of underground ruins of some kind of ancient temple that was discovered after the earthquake and could be a very possible place for a Terror Void nest, but if what you said about it hiding the Bloodstone Scepter, then I’m with you,” Starlight said, reading from her journal. “And I might suggest that self defense to be the only form of combat allowed, if necessary.”

“Got it,” Twilight said. “Then let’s get this investigation underway.”

Twilight then activated her radiation scanner and began to scan for thermal radiation for any Terror Void activity.

“Looks like there’s no magical anomalies of any suspicious Terror Void activity,” Twilight said.

“Uhh… Twilight, let’s try not to get too carried away. Because it’s gonna be a little bit more difficult if we ended up in the middle of nowhere,” Sunset said.

“Sunset, Terror Voids typically appear from underground ruins, but are typically nocturnal monsters meaning they can also appear at night. We can’t just let them run wild during the nighttime,” Twilight said. “Besides, I just want to get that scepter to safety.”

She then saw some ancient inscriptions written on the stones, until she read them out loud.

“Men were given the gift of magic, but their hearts were too easily corrupted.”

She stopped as soon as she heard some suspicious sounds in the distance. Starlight gestured at the inscriptions.

”You might wanna keep reading,” she said, allowing Twilight to continue.

“The source of ultimate power was taken from the earth and hidden… here.” Until now,” Twilight said.

The three girls advanced through the dark corridors.

“This mountain has kept the Bloodstone Scepter safe for 1,500 years,” Sunset said.

“I’d probably say we’re 100 percent, totally, no take-backs certain that we want to move it?” Starlight asked.

“We don’t have a choice,” Twilight said.

They suddenly heard rocks tumbling from the distance, startling them. They stopped and saw many debris of statues of knights, and gargoyles, except some were shaped like dragons.

“What are these things? Statues?” Sunset asked.

“I think so, except some of the gargoyles look like dragons, but the rest are pretty much the same,” Starlight said.

“According to legend, dragons are symbolized as beings of majestic significance and might. While the rest of them probably symbolize their presence with the deceased,” Twilight explained.

“Almost makes you wonder who they buried underneath this place nearby, huh?” Sunset asked.

Twilight reads the inscriptions of the stone quietly. A voice behind her reads it out loud.

“Turn back,” Starlight said.

Twilight quickly turns, jump-scared, but it is just Starlight.

“That’s what it says, right?” Starlight asked, as Twilight nodded.

“Don’t… ever do that to me again,” Twilight said, trying to catch her breath.

“Sorry,” Starlight said.

They then advanced further down below, until they reached two big wooden doors in front of them.

“You sure this the way to the scepter?” Starlight asked.

“I think so. Because these readings are off the meter,” Twilight said, as her scanner was tracking more magical radiation.

Sunset and Starlight tried busting it open, but they stopped and looked at what appeared to be latched bars made of stone and a portcullis made of impenetrable metal, and some gears made of stone and metal.

“Maybe we should just bust it down or something?” Starlight asked, making a suggestion.

“Wait, hold on. What do you think these mean?” Twilight said, looking at the inscriptions on the stone. “Beware what lies ahead, or face the doom that awaits you eternally.”

“I think me and Sunset will go this way, and check for more interesting stuff,” Starlight said, nervously pointing at another direction.

“Okay, sounds good to me,” Twilight said, distracted by the inscription.

Sunset and Starlight then went to investigate the other side while Twilight kept looking at the inscription on the door.

She then thought of something inside her head, “Hmm… I feel like I’ve seen these before, but where?”

She then touched the stone panel, before it reacted to her touch as the walls began to crumble, and then the locking mechanism on the doors began to move aside so that Twilight could go through the door.

Unexpectedly, the roof began crumbling down onto where Twilight was, until she got out of the way before it could crush her, but Starlight and Sunset were on the other side.

Sunset and Starlight were coughing from the dust and ash.

Twilight could suddenly hear Sunset’s voice.

“Twilight! Twilight!”

Twilight looked from the rubble and saw Starlight and Sunset from behind the rubble, “Sunset! Starlight, are you two okay down there?!”

“We’re fine!” Starlight said. “What the hell was that anyway?”

“It might’ve been a reaction to the door’s mechanism’s movement,” Sunset answered.

“So what do we do now?” Starlight asked.

“Okay, you and Sunset see if you can find another way around or a way out of here. I’ll go on ahead and look,” Twilight replied.

“Okay! But be careful!” Sunset said.

“You too!” Twilight said, as she slid down from the rubble on the bottom of her heels, and then continued forward.

“We should probably start looking for another route,” Starlight said, as she and Sunset started heading to another direction for a way to reach their friend.

As Twilight continued onward, she began to view some of the hieroglyphs and inscriptions of every wall she felt familiar with, but couldn’t remember where it came from.

Suddenly, she stopped and saw six torches of blue fire light up, and then regular flames geysered upwards, lighting up the rest of the area, before she found herself in a vast, dimly lit chamber that exuded an eerie, yet majestic ambiance. The cavernous room was illuminated by soft, otherworldly blue light emanating from the walls, which were embedded with veins of glowing rock, lava, water and crystals. Stalactites and stalagmites, dripping with crystalline formations, added to the otherworldly feel.

The floor was made of polished stone, etched with ancient symbols and patterns that seem to pulse with a life of their own. The chamber was dominated by enormous statues of long-forgotten warriors, each holding a different pose of vigilance and honor. These statues were partially covered in moss and vines, adding to the ancient and forgotten aura of the tomb.

“It’s a tomb,” Twilight said, feeling amazed at the sight in her eyes.

She then moved to an even lower part of the room. It had no roof, but rather a gaping hole that brought some light into it.

But suddenly, she stopped. At the heart of the chamber stood a raised platform, accessible by a series of wide, shallow steps. On this platform lied the centerpiece of the tomb: a massive crystal that was made of dark, translucent crystals that pulsed with a deep, inner light.

Four massive statues of armored guardians kneel at the corners of the platform, their heads bowed in eternal vigilance. These statues hold flaming torches that cast flickering shadows across the chamber, adding to the mystical atmosphere.

“What in the world is that thing?” Twilight asked, as she got closer before her scanner died out.

“A counter failure. Why’d you have to break now?” Twilight said, feeling disappointed at her now useless tech. She then went to get a closer look before reaching her hand out, but all of a sudden… bump!

“Oof!” Twilight said, landing on her butt, but got back up to find out what she bumped into. She then touched it again, before looking at an invisible barrier along with a large symbol.

“A spell seal within an invisible barrier? But how?” Twilight asked, until she looked at the ground and all around. Around the crystal, intricate runes are carved into the stone, glowing faintly and creating a protective barrier.

“Oh, so that’s what it does. But I wonder what it’s hiding, unless if the Bloodstone Scepter’s in there. Better find out,” Twilight said.

She looked down on the inscriptions on the floor beneath her, glowing in cyan light. She began reading as the gaps in the inscriptions filled with teal light, forming a quadrangle of sorts.

“In shadows veiled, in magic sealed,
Awaken now, thy fate revealed.
By words of old, thy essence free,
From crystal grasp, emerge to be.”

As she read it, the glowing quadrangle was complete, until the crystal was immediately struck by lightning which descended through the hole in the roof. It blew her away and turned the floor into glass, crumbling the crystal into shards.

As she coughed the dust out, and then stood back up, she looked and saw what was now in front of her: a rectangular box with some sort of decorative Celtic carvings and ancient hieroglyphs. She got closer to the tomb, and carefully pushed the lid out of the way until she saw a sarcophagus of some sort, before she heard a faint sound of breathing, before it revealed the sound of groaning.

“Someone’s inside the sarcophagus,” she said, feeling concerned. “I have to help them.” She then looked at a puzzle box key lock which could only be opened by the key that matched the mechanism.

“Huh… it looks like it needs a key or something to open this,” Twilight said, until she began to look for the key.

But suddenly, she saw the key was next to one of the columns where one of the statues stood, which was a octagonal shaped box.

“Ah! Here it is,” she said, before heading back to the sarcophagus and by using the key, after popping it open, twisted the lock left, which unlocked it after hearing a click, and after opening the lid, she saw another sarcophagus inside, which she used the key on again.

But as she opened the lid, she saw a hand raise upwards, scaring her as she screamed but tripped deeply the stairs, knocking her unconscious for a few seconds.

But as she laid there, a mysterious figure in some sort of black hooded cloak with gold ancient decals approached her.

“Miss? Are you okay?” the voice asked.

Twilight opened her eyes and looked at the person looking at her.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” he asked again. “Let me help you up.”

“Hey, wait a minute… How did a child end up in a place like this?” Twilight asked.

“What? Child?” the voice asked, looking at his hand, which was a child’s hand. He then looked at the shattered crystal piece, until his reflection revealed itself: the sight of a young boy with green hair and green eyes, but wearing a blood stained tunic that was too big for him, baggy torn shorts that revealed himself to be barefoot, and a huge hooded black cloak with gold decals on the edges, and a gold clip with a red gem in the center.

“What the?! What the hell happened to me?!” the boy asked.

“Hey, how did you end up in that tomb?” Twilight asked, until looking at her made the boy feel nervously uncomfortable in some way.

“I honestly have no idea,” he replied.

“Are you injured?” Twilight asked, touching the boy’s sides to check for injuries.

“I don’t think so. I feel fine, probably,” the boy said.

“I’m guessing the explosion might’ve made your memory all fuzzy, huh?” Twilight asked.

“No, not really,” the boy said. “Except all I remember was something about a painful feeling, and everything going all black and white, but then nothing! I can’t remember a thing past that!”

‘Uh-oh… sounds like he has some small brain damage, possibly a small case of amnesia or something,’ Twilight said to herself.

“Oh, man! I’m so confused! What am I gonna do?! What can I do?! Why am I a kid again?! How did I end up here?! Where do I go from here?! What’ll I-”

The boy was cut off from a pair of arms hugging him, which was Twilight wrapping her arms around him for an embrace, before he felt his face gently smothered into her bosom. “Shhhh… you’re going to be alright now. Big sister will keep you safe. I promise,” she said, stroking his hair.

He was shocked but confused about what she was doing, but suddenly after a few seconds, felt calm and relaxed. ‘Wow… this is a really nice feeling. I kinda feel relaxed already… Now I’m dozing off…’ he thought to himself, as he enjoyed the softness of her rack, before falling asleep.

Author's Note

Well, this is the first chapter. Sorry it took so long. I just didn’t know how long it would take.

Maybe in part 2, we’ll find out what happens next.

Reincarnated in a New World, Part 2

A few moments later, after getting situated, Twilight and the boy sat down on one of the steps so they could get acquainted with each other, while Twilight got out some food, which were salami and cucumber sandwiches, some fresh apple slices, and buttermilk biscuits. But Twilight then decided to pour some water from her steel water bottle into separate cups.

He then thought to himself while enjoying his lunch, ‘It’s been awhile since I’ve had a sandwich like this when I was a kid, but I never had buttermilk biscuits like these, except the butter makes them taste good, and I kinda like how the apples taste. But still, I can’t believe how pathetically ridiculous I look. But I wish I knew how I ended up here or why I’m in these clothes or in this useless body. But I’m not gonna lie… that girl sounded pretty friendly and I think I liked her behavior towards me, especially that hug.’ He stopped and looked from her legs to her face, before she turned around, holding two cups of water, one for him and one for herself. ‘Although, this girl did help me from that tomb, so I guess I owe her my life. I still wish I knew why or how I ended up in there.’

“Does your stomach feel better?” Twilight asked, smiling at him.

“Yeah, it does,” the boy said.

“Thank goodness,” Twilight said, handing the boy a cup of water, before she then decided to introduce herself. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m a swordswoman at training and the leader of the Rainbooms platoon, at the Canterlot Sacred Swords and Divine Magic Academy. Oh, and I’m 17.”

“That’s pretty interesting stuff,” the boy said.

“So what’s your name?” Twilight asked.

The boy then started thinking, “Huh? Hmmmm. Huh? What IS my name?” He then started to panic, “AHHH! I don’t know! I can’t remember!”

Twilight spat out her drink in shock, “What?! You forgot who you are?!”

“Yup. My mind’s still fuzzy from waking up, meaning I might’ve forgotten something about like where I came from or what happened back then, except for the things I mentioned earlier. Like I’ve been unconscious for months, or worse I’d rather be dead,” the boy said.

“Gosh… that is harsh,” Twilight said. “But looking at your appearance, I’d probably say you’re probably 10 or 12 years old, I assume?”

“I guess so. I’d probably say 12,” the boy said.

“Okay, then,” Twilight said. “But I don’t think you might have gotten down here by yourself. Unless if someone kidnapped you, like one of those monsters or something.”

“Uhh… what monsters are you referring to?” the boy asked.

“Terror Voids,” Twilight said.

“What’s a Terror Void?” the boy asked, leaving Twilight shocked.

‘Wow, he doesn’t know much. Guess I’ll have to explain everything to him,’ she said to herself.

Meanwhile, Starlight and Sunset continued on through the rest of the tunnels.

The dimly lit tunnel stretched ahead, echoing with the distant sounds of machinery and ancient mechanisms. Starlight and Sunset moved cautiously, their flashlights flickering on the damp walls.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this. These old tunnels are probably filled with traps,” Starlight nervously said.

“We’ve handled worse. Just stay alert. Look for anything out of place,” Sunset said, confidently.

Suddenly, Starlight stepped on a pressure plate, and the ground beneath them began to rumble. Arrows began shooting from the walls.

“Move, Starlight!” Sunset yelled.

They dashed forward, dodging arrows and tumbling over a series of hidden tripwires. The tunnel narrows, forcing them to duck and weave.

Starlight started panting while running, “This is insane! Who designed this death trap?”

“Probably someone who really didn’t want us to get to the other side,” Sunset said, until she noticed holes on the walls. “Watch out!”

Giant spikes on shot out from the ceiling and the floor. They jumped and twisted to avoid them, then heard a hissing sound. Darts started flying from the walls.

“Darts now? Seriously?” Starlight asked, while dodging the arrows.

“Keep moving!” Sunset urgently said.

Flamethrowers then began to burst to life, filling the tunnel with waves of fire. They timed their movements to avoid the flames, feeling the heat singe their hair.

Starlight started coughing, “I hope there’s a reward at the end of this!”

Sunset grinned, “Getting out alive is the reward!”

They then reached a section where swinging axes threatened to cleave them in two. Starlight used her psychokinesis to slow the axes just enough for them to slip through. From behind, they saw a huge boulder starting to roll towards them.

Starlight’s eyes widened, “Oh, come on! A boulder?”

“Run! Now!” Sunset said, feeling determined.

They started sprinting down the tunnel, as the boulder started gaining on them. They suddenly saw an alcove and dove into it just as the boulder thundered past.

Starlight, breathing heavily, looked at Sunset, “Thanks, Sunset. I owe you one.”

“You can pay me back by not triggering any more traps,” Sunset said.

“Noted,” Starlight said.

They continued on, the tunnel turning sharply. A blade swung down from the ceiling, narrowly missing them.

Starlight started getting annoyed with this, “Seriously, who thought swinging blades were a good idea?”

Sunset laughed, “Probably the same guy who thought rolling boulders were a must-have.”

They finally reached a wider chamber, momentarily safe from traps. They took a moment to catch their breath.

Starlight began looking around. “Do you think we’re close?” she asked.

“We have to be. Just a little further. Let’s go,” Sunset said.

They pressed on, ready to face whatever else the tunnels would throw at them.

But as they kept walking, Starlight started getting reading from her scanner, which came from behind them.

“You hear that?” Starlight asked.

“Yeah,” Sunset said.

Suddenly, they saw purple swirling voids appear out of nowhere, before out came a pack of, except some were different. They resembled chameleon-like beings with thick arms, spiked backs and a small horn at the front, and had purple smoke emitting from their backs.

Nine of these creatures had cyan-hued and black colored skin with glowing purple markings on their bodies, while six of them were slightly taller and their horns and tails were larger and more jagged. They also had several more teeth with tusks in the corner of their mouths, and they had a great number of spikes on their backs (which are larger than the other ones). Additionally, their skin was colored a darker blue, and their markings glowed in a darker electric crimson.

“Uh-oh. We got trouble,” Starlight said, as she and Sunset actively their sacred gear, which was Sunset’s pyrokinesis and Starlight’s psychokinesis.

The Nightmares and Deep Nightmares began to move slowly towards them, while Starlight and Sunset made defensive positions.

“It just had to get worse, didn’t it?” Starlight asked.

“Looks that way,” Sunset replied, feeling confident that she and Starlight will make it out alive.

Twilight then began explaining the situation to the boy, “Ever since we were children, random beasts appeared out of nowhere and began causing chaos every night or in the shadows. We call them Terror Voids, because according to our many recent studies, we’ve discovered that they’re perpetually nocturnal, neon-glowing, savagely intelligent and offensive monsters. They’ve been our enemies since they attacked Canterlot 7 years ago. All I know is we don’t know what they really are or what they want. It’s said they came from another world or another dimension, but that’s just one of the many theories that are out there. The Terror Voids however are just beings that are like filled with negative energy but appear from the shadows.”

The boy then understood what she meant, until Twilight continued, “Me and my friends Starlight and Sunset came here to do an analysis of the Terror Voids. The outbreaks are normally caused in ancient ruins or temples.”

“I think I understand what you’re saying, but I have no idea what it’s got to do with me. I don’t think I was kidnapped,” the boy said.

He then started to realize that he forgot to ask something, “So, uhh… Miss Twilight?”

Twilight giggled, “You can just call me Twilight.”

“Right. Anyway, I don’t know if I remember or might’ve lost track, but what year exactly is this?” he asked.

“Oh. Well, according to the annual calendar, the year should be 2075,” Twilight answered.

The boy then realized that he might be somewhere in the future, before Twilight got up and started packing up her backpack.

“How about this? Maybe after we go find my friends, we can take you to Canterlot and get you settled in. What do you think, Spike? Sound good?” she asked.

The boy got confused until Twilight started walking, before asking, “Spike?”

Twilight stopped and turned around, “Gotta call you something, don’t I? Besides, I thought I’d help give you a name. What do you think?”

“Spike… Yeah, Spike! I like it!” The boy, now named Spike, said, enjoying his new name. “I think I’ll stick with that.”

Suddenly, they heard a faint explosion, making Twilight gasp.

“Incoming enemy Terror Void attack! Currently engaged in combat!” Starlight’s voice said over Twilight’s earpiece, which was platinum white and silver, but looked like an earbud that had a microphone inside.

“Starlight! Sunset!” Twilight said, trying to get their signal, but unexpectedly noticed tumbling rocks falling towards them, before Twilight scooted Spike out of the way, landing on top of him.

Twilight looked down at Spike, “Are you okay, Spike?”

“Y-Yeah…” Spike replied.

“Don’t worry, Spike. I promise that I’ll protect you,” Twilight said, which Spike agreed on.

Suddenly, they heard the walls crumbling, until Twilight got out her two dual slingers, which were two blasters that had ring shaped handles and rectangular nozzles on the front, and were all black, dark chrome and navy blue.

From out of nowhere, more Terror Voids came, from Nightmares and Deep Nightmares, but they had a much bigger problem. There were more Nightmares and Deep Nightmares but they had a pinkish-red colored skin and their glowing marks were cyan. The bigger problem was the Titan, which was a five-meter tall cyclops-like giant with oxford blue and cyan skin, and had magenta highlights all around its face and neck area. Its body was bulky with large forearms and feet, a broad chest, a thin tail, and a head with two horns and a magenta-colored eye that seemingly floated on its neck. It possessed curved spikes on its knees, wrists, chest, and back, and had a motif around its neck and shoulders that resembled a monstrous mouth of some sort.

“A Titan-class Terror Void?” Twilight asked, looking at the size of the creature.

Spike suddenly got really afraid, but tried to stay calm. ‘So that’s what a Terror Void looks like? Freaky…’ he said to himself.

Twilight then started shooting her blasters at the Titan and the other Terror Voids, but there was no sign of slight damage to the Titan.

‘Something inside of me is saying I should help. I guess I could, but how? I don’t even have anything to defend myself,’ Spike said to himself. ‘It doesn’t matter. I can’t let that thing hurt Twilight after what she did for ME!’ He then tripped over his cloak, and fell face flat on the ground. Twilight stood in front of him so she can defend him.

“Stay behind me, Spike!” she said, while continuing to fire her slingers.

Spike raised his head, and from his view of Twilight’s backside, he saw she was defending him from the Terror Voids, “Damn it! This stupid cape’s in the way. Wait a minute…’ He then poked and punches his arms, and discovered something odd. ‘How come I’m scrawny but have a ripped bod?! It doesn’t make sense!’

Twilight kept shooting as the Titan Terror Void got closer to them both, until her guns overheated.

“These weapons aren’t doing any damage!” Twilight said in a panicked reaction.

As the Titan was about to swing its club, a blast of cyan colored energy hit the creature in the arm, causing it to fall off, before striking it in the eye and then the stomach.

It was Starlight and Sunset, with their weapons.

Except Starlight was wielding an antigravity particle wave cannon, which was silver, and has some shades of aquamarine, chrome purple, and neon cyan lights. It was held by two hands.

Sunset, however, had a Solar Blaster, which had a sleek, futuristic design with a metallic finish that glows with a faint orange hue, reflecting Sunset Shimmer’s fiery nature. And alongside her was a Solar Blade, which had a sleek, futuristic design, with a blade that glows with a vibrant orange light, matching the blaster.

“That was too close!” Sunset said.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Starlight asked, as she and Sunset walked over to Twilight.

“Starlight! Sunset!” Twilight said.

Starlight turned to Spike with confused brows, “Whose the little kid?”

“And why’s he dressed like that?” Sunset asked.

“I’m protecting him. I’ll explain later, but right now it’ll have to wait. We have more important matters in mind,” Twilight said, as she saw another Titan appear from the depths as the other one got back up.

“Looks like we won’t get anywhere with firepower like this!” Starlight said.

“Then it’s time for me to turn up the heat! Super Solar Bazooka! Combine!” Sunset said, as she inserted her sword on top of the blaster, and then charged it up with the power discs.

‘What kind of weapon is that? Did she say bazooka?!’ Spike asked to himself.

Sunset’s weapon began charging up, before it blasted a huge beam of orange blazing energy into the first Titan as the other Titan missed.

“Is that one dead?” Twilight asked.

“Please, Twilight. Are you trying to jinx us?” Sunset asked.

The first Titan disintegrated magically, as the other Titan regained its balance, before the other Terror Voids began to charge, including the second Titan.

‘Those weapons are so awesome! I’ve gotta get me some of those for myself! But how come the other Titan missed?’ Spike said to himself.

“Head for the exit, Twilight! Sunset and I will deal with them!” Starlight said.

Twilight looked at Spike, until she grunted, arguing with herself about what to do. But suddenly, her mind was made up.

“Okay then. You two gonna be alright?” she asked.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine, I hope,” Sunset replied.

“Hurry! Well hold them off!” Starlight said.

Twilight put her slingers away and turn to Spike, reaching her hand out, “Take my hand, Spike! Let’s move!”

Spike looked at Twilight’s hand, until he didn’t know whether to trust her or not.

Later on, Twilight and Spike started running down the halls and through the tunnels, with Twilight holding Spike’s hand.

‘Nothing about myself is making any sense. It’s all so confusing. So far, I’ve only been awake for a couple hours with no memory of what happened or who I am, and to make matters worse, now these Terror Voids or whatever they’re called are everywhere, following me around and trying to get me killed or something! I wish I could’ve done something to help, but I hope this girl here has the answers I’m looking for. So I’m probably gonna have to stick with her,’ he thought to himself.

“We’re almost there, Spike! Keep running!” Twilight said.

But suddenly, they stopped, and more Nightmare and Deep Nightmare Terror Voids appeared, but this time, there were Killer Bees, Little Rexes and Dark Frights.

The Killer Bees looked more like wasps or yellow jackets than bees. They had a long thin horn and antennas on their foreheads and possessed mouths that resembled a beak with tusks. Their thoraxes were rather spherical and possessed small spikes and four wings, and they had purple smoke emitting from their backs. They also had stingers on their abdomens that resembled arrowheads. Finally, they had yellow-green and black skin with cyan markings.

The Little Rexes were small creatures that mostly resembled a cross between a bulldog and a Tyrannosaurus rex. They had stubby legs, tiny arms, spikes on their backs, a small horn on their snouts and rather large heads with jaws that were very large in comparison to their bodies. Like the rest of the Terror Voids, they emitted purple smoke.

The Dark Frights mostly resembled balloon-shaped birds with small wings, a small knot on the bottom of their body, and a small horn on their forehead. They had dark blue and black skin, and had markings on their body that resembled a face, while their actual black faces with yellow eyes were hidden inside their "mouths".

‘Now there’s of more of them?! Seriously?!’ Spike asked, hiding behind Twilight.

“Listen to me! Run away!” Twilight said, as she pushed Spike aside.

‘I guess it’s necessary since I don’t know how to help,’ Spike said to himself, until Twilight took out another gadget, which was a handle with a mechanism that opened up into a katana of some sort.

Suddenly, Spike’s hands started glowing in a cyan-green color, and did a flaming aura. Before inside his head, he felt the presence of a dragon, which felt more like a vision or something.

‘What was that? Weird…’ Spike said to himself.

“GET OUTTA HERE! RUN!” Twilight said, pushing Spike, until he landed on the ground.

Before Twilight could attack, one of the Deep Nightmare swatted its arms at the girl, until they did one more attack from above, slammed her to the ground. As she got up, a Killer Bee tried to jab its stinger into her, but she kept dodging it, before she felt a painful feeling from her stomach, which was the part where one of the Killer Bee’s stinger stung Twilight, before a Deep Nightmare made a rolling attack and struck Twilight, leaving scratches on her stomach. Until she was sent flying to the ground, and was hurt really bad, but also fatally wounded.

“Twilight!” Spike said, as he rushed over to her, seeing if she was okay.

“Run… away…” Twilight said, feeling weak, as she was bleeding from the wound, and saw a purple mark, meaning that it must’ve been poisoned. “Find Starlight and Sunset and get to the surface. They’ll help care for you. My sacrifice will not be in vain.”

“No, I’m not leaving you behind,” Spike said, holding her hand in his hands, as the Terror Voids started to surround them, and got closer.

“Please hurry, Spike. You must…” Twilight said, as Spike wiped the tear from her eyes. “I’m s-so-sorry… sorry th-that I… couldn’t p… pr-p-p-pro-p-protect you… Spike…” before she then did one last breath of air, then her eyes closed, and her head was laid on the ground. Twilight was dead.

Spike then closed his eyes and lowered his head, mourning for Twilight’s selfless sacrifice for him.

The Terror Voids stopped in distance, forming a half-circle over them both.

One of the Nightmares began to charge towards the boy, before he seized the creature’s arm and began choking it with the other hand, twisting the Nightmare’s arm in pain. Electricity and fire surged through his being, reaching the poor defenseless monster and killing it. The other Terror Voids watched in horror as the Terror Void was fried alive until it’s nothing but stone. Once he was done, Spike tipped the statue over, letting it crumble into pieces, before turning into darkness dust.

“You hurt her. So I’ll take you all on!” Spike said, until he summoned something from his own power: the Bloodstone Scepter.

“Whoa! I didn’t know I can do that,” Spike said, as he was unfamiliar with the scepter’s powers and abilities.

The Terror Voids started charging towards Spike, until he made a defensive position.

“Okay, then. Let’s dance!” Spike said, as he was about to find out what the Bloodstone Scepter does or how it works.

He then sprung into action, taking them out one by one with lots of lightning strikes on the Killer Bees since bugs are weak to bug zappers, flurrying blizzards and ice shards, and lots of flaming meteors without destroying the place.

As Spike kept demolishing the Terror Voids, Starlight and Sunset appeared to find out where their friends are. But they suddenly saw Spike taking out the rest of the Terror Voids, which surprised them.

“Since when did he learn to fight like that?” Starlight asked.

But suddenly, they both saw Twilight injured.

“TWILIGHT!” Sunset and Starlight both said, rushing over to their friend. Starlight checked on Twilight’s pulse while her head was laid on Sunset’s lap gently.

“There’s no pulse. I think… I-I-I think she’s dead…” Sunset said, in heartbreaking concern.

Spike then used some dark magic tentacles to smash a group of Deep Nightmares by whipping them side by side and some others like a hammer slam, before using some spiraling light lasers at the Dark Frights and Killer Bees.

While he was distracted, the Titan Starlight and Sunset faced came in, and was about to crush Spike, but he used a flashing light spell, which knocked the Titan back, which was strong enough to send some rocks from all around the chamber tumbling down.

A huge pile of rocks appeared, coming down on the two girls aiding their friend any minute. They ducked, spotting it. But so did Spike. He generated a lightning bolt strong enough from his scepter and directed it at the stone, razing it instantly, and saving Starlight and Sunset, and an unconscious Twilight.

Spike then used whatever amount of fight he had, and with a wave of his staff, summoned two spirit dragons: one dragon was purple and blue with yellow horns, and started breathing smoke to create a huge foggy cloud of dragon smoke. The other dragon was yellow and orange with yellow horns and blazing yellow eyes, which started to breathe fire.

From inside the fog, Starlight and Sunset could see some flashes of magical energy of various magical abilities that Spike’s scepter wielded, and painful screeches from the Terror Voids.

After all of that was over, the fog began to clear out, leaving what looked like piles of rocky debris, and lots of dead Terror Voids that disintegrated magically.

“That… was so cool!” Spike said, seeing how awesome he was at this stuff, he then turned around and remembered Twilight’s condition. “Oh, right!”

He went over to Starlight and Sunset, and knelt down, and noticed that they were both very sad about the loss of their beloved friend.

‘Man, I wish I had more time, meaning I could’ve saved her,’ he said to himself. But he then looked at his scepter, before he got an idea. “Hey, let me try something. So I’m kinda gonna need you both to take a couple steps back.”

Starlight and Sunset nodded as they backed away.

‘I may not know who I really am or why I’m able to wield this thing, but something tells me that I’m about to find out next, hopefully if this one works. So I’ll probably have to offer something in return, honoring someone such as her. Meaning, she did risk her life trying to protect me, but I’ll guess I’ll thank her when she wakes up,’ he said to himself, before the orb of the scepter turned green and began to form a spell circle around her, which looked like a flora based circle, before she started glowing green.

Her fatal wounds began to disappear, some of the blood went back into her body, some of the cuts and bruises began to fade away, and the poisonous sting began to fade permanently and the mark healed. After she gasped for air while her eyes were still shut, she began breathing silently.

When the spell was done, Starlight and Sunset went to her, with Spike between them, until Twilight’s eyes slowly began to open, her vision blurry.

“Twilight…” Starlight said, as Sunset sniffled with pride.

Twilight then lifted her self up before looking at Spike, smiling at her.

“Welcome back, Twilight. Glad you’re doing better,” he said.

She then quickly got up and hugged him again, “Oh! Thank goodness you’re alright!”

“Uhh… shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself?” Spike asked.

“But how am I…?” Twilight asked.

“Sunset and I wanted to check on you and Spike, so we kinda did whatever we could to take out the Titan class Terror Void,” Starlight said.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Sunset said.

“But the bad news is your injuries looked fatal, and not only did you lose a lot of blood, the sting you received might’ve had poison in it or something,” Spike said. “I’m not entirely familiar with this staff but I kinda figured that I can perform a healing spell, so I thought I’d do it on you, and maybe bring you back to life.”

“You… saved me?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah,” Spike replied. “Oh, by the way. Starlight and Sunset had weapons of their own. Since I don’t know much about these powers or how, what exactly were those guns they were carrying?”

“Our main weapons are Sacred Swords and Divine Magic,” Sunset explained.

Twilight then took over, “Sacred Swords are a source of power that arose in humankind in order to protect our city and its people and fight the Terror Voids. When the Terror Voids first appeared many years ago, children all around Canterlot who possessed many mysterious abilities began cropping everywhere. The majority of those abilities took in the shape and form of weapons and energy constructs, so we began to call them Sacred Swords, while the ones who used energy based attacks were what we called Divine Magic.”

“So Starlight and Sunset’s abilities?” Spike asked.

“Psychokinesis is Starlight’s ability, including her sacred sword, but the one you saw was another accessory. Sunset however can form two weapons into one, along with the flames of the phoenix. Her Blazing Sword is her primary weapon while her Blazing Bazooka is the secondary, but her combined forms are useable in both ways: one as a super weapon like for a supercharged power shot, or a scythe,” Twilight said. “We’re not entirely sure how they work, but it seems as though these weapons have the ability to embody the personalities of their wielder.”

Spike understood what she meant.

“I, however, have yet to claim my own Sacred Sword soon,” Twilight said.

“I hope you get there,” Spike said.

“Aww, you’re so sweet,” Twilight said, but suddenly realized something she completely forgot. “WAIT! Spike, what happened to those Terror Voids earlier?!”

“I didn’t want to lose you, so I might’ve taken care of them. I didn’t know how or why I was able to do that, but I kinda found out that I had this with me,” Spike said, showing them the Bloodstone Scepter.

“THE BLOODSTONE SCEPTER!” the three girls said in unison.

“That’s what this thing is? Weird,” Spike said, admiring the texture of the crystals encrusted on the metal plating.

“According to legend, the Bloodstone Scepter is a source of ultimate power, but whoever wields it grants a huge advantage against any enemy. But only one whose pure of heart and undying spirit can wield it,” Starlight explained.

“Guess it likes me better,” Spike said, while looking at the scepter in his hands.

“Looks like Terror Voids tend to typically behave in many ways we don’t fully understand,” Starlight said.

“I think we should get going. It’s not safe here anymore,” Sunset said.

“Right,” Twilight said, until she stopped and looked at Spike. Until she walked over and knelt down to him, “Do you want to come with us, Spike? We can give you a good home, if you want. And hopefully find someone who knows you.”

Spike then thought for a moment, until his decision was made.

Outside the cave’s entrance, the three girls, and Spike, who accepted Twilight’s offer earlier, began to walk towards their ride, which was a motorcycle in blue, purple, cyan and chrome silver, but it looked wider, and had a sidecar that looked like an ATV from the front and back.

“So, did you ever figure out who the kid is?” Starlight asked.

“Well, not entirely. He doesn’t remember like where he originally came from, so it seemed like he was abandoned or something, and now he’s suffering from a small case of amnesia. And from the look of his clothes, it looked like he hasn’t been outside for a while,” Twilight explained, until she raised one of her legs up and swung it around before placing her butt on the seat of the motorcycle, and then patted the seat behind her to Spike, “Hop on behind me.”

“Okay…” Spike said, feeling unsure about it.

Later on, they were riding down the hill, with Spike riding behind Twilight, his arms wrapped around her waist and abdomen, and Starlight and Sunset in the sidecar.

“My name is Starlight Glimmer, and I’m the intelligence officer of the Rainbooms platoon,” Starlight said, introducing herself to Spike.

“And I’m Sunset Shimmer, and I’m second-in-command of the platoon. Nice to meet ya,” Sunset said.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Spike said, nervously blushing.

“Hate to say it, but I think this kid’s kinda cute,” Sunset said.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Starlight said. “I guess he’ll fit right in.”

“I’m counting on it,” Twilight said. “Spike, it’s gonna get bumpy! Hold tight!”

Spike then made some screaming noises as the road got bumpy.

“Relax, Spike. We’ve got you,” Sunset said, looking over with a playful smile. “And don’t worry, if you fall, I’ll catch you.”

Spike’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “Thanks, I think…”

Starlight leaned closer to Spike from the sidecar. “You know, you’re pretty brave coming along with us. Not many boys your age would dare.”

Spike gulped, trying to act nonchalant. “I… I just want to help.”

“Well, we appreciate it,” Sunset added. “Plus, it’s nice having someone as cute as you around.”

Spike’s blush deepened, and he looked down, trying to hide his face. “Uh, thanks…”

“Don’t let Sunset tease you too much,” Starlight said with a wink. “She can be a bit of a flirt.”

“Hey, I’m just being honest,” Sunset replied, chuckling. “You’ll get used to it, Spike. We’re a fun bunch, promise.”

Spike managed a shy smile. “I think I’m starting to see that.”

Twilight glanced back, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Just hang on, Spike. We’re almost there, and then you can get to know everyone better.”

As they continued down the hill, the conversation kept Spike distracted from the bumpy ride, and he started to feel more at ease with his new companions.

But suddenly, he began to see something up ahead from where they were now.

As they descended the hill, the sight of a futuristic city of came into full view, sprawling out beneath them like a glittering jewel set against the azure backdrop of the ocean. The city was constructed on a massive artificial island, shaped in a perfectly symmetrical circular design, with intricate geometric patterns of waterways and streets radiating from the center. It was a marvel of advanced urban planning and engineering, blending natural beauty with cutting-edge technology.

The outer perimeter of the island was fortified with sleek, high-tech defenses, a testament to its role as a bastion of international security. Docks lined the edges, housing an impressive array of navy ships, while the perimeter roadways buzzed with the activity of military vehicles and personnel. The landscape was dotted with green spaces and lush, futuristic parks that harmoniously integrated with the urban environment, providing a balance of nature and technology.

In the heart of the island, towering above the rest of the city, was the central building. It was an imposing, cylindrical structure with a commanding presence, resembling the hub of a giant wheel with the city radiating out from it. The building’s sleek, metallic surface gleamed under the sunlight, and its design was both functional and aesthetically striking, symbolizing the strength and unity of the city’s inhabitants. It served as the headquarters for the advanced military technology and intelligence operations that the was renowned for.

As Twilight, Spike, Starlight, and Sunset approached the city on their motorcycle, the true scale of the city’s sophistication became apparent. The roads they traveled on were smooth and well-maintained, lined with streetlights that doubled as surveillance equipment, ensuring the safety of its residents. The architecture varied from ultra-modern skyscrapers to preserved ancient structures, showcasing a blend of the old and the new, where historical sites were meticulously maintained for tourists and scholars to explore.

Spike’s eyes widened in awe as they rode past gleaming towers and verdant gardens. “Whoa…,” he said, his voice filled with wonder.

Sunset smiled and nodded. “There it is, Spike. Humanity’s last hope, built to defend us all against the Terror Voids.”

Starlight leaned over, pointing out various landmarks. “That central building you see is the heart of our operations. It’s where all the strategic planning and intelligence work happens. And is the home for the many trusted sacred swordsman, and the most important weapons and equipment we use to fight back. You’ll get to see it up close soon.”

Twilight glanced back at Spike, her eyes twinkling with pride. “Spike… welcome to Canterlot.”

As they continued their journey into the heart of Canterlot, the city buzzed with life and energy, promising new adventures and discoveries at every turn.

Author's Note

Here’s the next chapter.

And it looks like Spike’s discovered how to use the Bloodstone Scepter well.

Welcome to Canterlot

6 YEARS AGO, THE 3RD TACTICAL CITY, CANTERLOT

Surrounding the headquarters of the city, armed forces with their weapons loaded looked into the sky and saw the night sky turned into a surreal, otherworldly void. It was predominantly dark purple, giving it a mysterious and ominous atmosphere. There were swirling patterns and gradients of lighter and darker purples, adding to the sense of depth and movement, and speckled with various bright colors, including pinks and blues, which could be indicative of energy or magical elements, enhancing the otherworldly feeling, before a huge swarm of Terror Voids started appearing from dark purple swirling black holes on the ground, and went on a rampage in the city.

The heavy artillery cannons began firing at the Terror Voids.

Inside an apartment building, a younger Twilight was sleeping in her bed peacefully tucked in the covers, snuggled against her pillows and hugging her stuffed toy she named “Smarty Pants”, before the explosions and gunfire, and a siren woke her up.

When all of a sudden, it started to scare her, before she saw her mother, Twilight Velvet come inside. She had moderate purple and light gray striped hair with one side in a curl, and had light arctic blue eyes. She also wore a light grayish violet cardigan over a light gray blouse, rich lavender mid-length khakis, and copper brown flats.

“Honey, come on. We’re gonna go somewhere right now. Get your shoes on, hurry,” Velvet said.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked, putting her shoes on and getting her coat on.

“Everything’s gonna be okay. We just need to head somewhere to hide right now,” Velvet said, as she and her daughter left the bedroom to meet up with Twilight’s dad.

Her dad, Night Light was at the door, while two other people were with him. He had dark phtalo blue hair and moderate amber eyes. He wore a grayish azure button down shirt, dark navy blue pants, and black shoes.

The boy had moderate sapphire blue hair with moderate cerulean and dark phtalo blue streaks, and moderate cerulean eyes. He wore a black t-shirt over a navy blue long sleeve, a pair of blue denim jeans and black sneakers. It was Twilight’s big brother, Shining Armor.

The girl next to him had moderate violet hair, brilliant rose and pale gold streaked hair tied into a ponytail with a blue bow, and had pale light grayish purple eyes with cyan eyeshadow. She wore a pink jacket over a pale light blue t-shirt with pale yellow linings on the chest and arm cuffs, a purple high waisted skirt with a white belt, and a pair of pink knee high boots with black soles, white tongues, and white cuffs. It was Twilight’s babysitter and Shining’s girlfriend, Cadance.

“Okay, we need to hurry!” Shining Armor said, as they all left their apartment to get to the elevator.

“Sunset! What’s happening?!” Twilight asked, as she saw both Starlight and Sunset running.

“I don’t know! The alarm went off!” Sunset replied.

As they arrived, a lot of people were in, but as Shining Armor and Cadance got on, there was too many people. So Twilight and her parents tried to take the stairwell, but only to discover it was gone. As the people who managed to get in the elevator prepared to leave, Night Light and Velvet looked at their daughter for a moment, before an idea came to them.

“Cadance! You and Shining Armor take Twilight! She’s your responsibility for now!” Velvet said, as she motioned Twilight to go with them.

“Mommy! No!” Twilight said, reaching out for her parents as Cadance held her back, stroking her little body.

“Mom, Dad, you can’t!” Shining Armor said. “There has to be another way!”

“I’m sorry, honey. But I promise your father and I will come find you all,” Velvet said.

“Look after your sister for the meantime. And be safe,” Night Light said.

“Be good to your brother and Cadance, okay, baby?” Velvet said, before kissing Twilight’s forehead.

The elevator then closed its doors and went down, while Twilight hugged Cadance’s waist, burying her face into her stomach, while Shining Armor and Cadance comforted her.

Inside an emergency bunker, Twilight, her friends Sunset and Starlight, and both were taking shelter with the other civilians. Twilight was being held into Cadance’s breasts while her babysitter stroked her hair.

“What are we gonna do? So much cannon fire out there,” Starlight asked.

“Twilight, isn’t Shining Armor part of the international security operations but as captain of the Royal guard or something?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah, he is,” Twilight asked, while grasping her stuffed toy and Cadance’s shirt.

“It’s okay, Twilight. Shining and I will keep you safe for now,” Cadance said, patting her back.

“And if I’m correct, the admiral might’ve commanded everyone on the front lines, so we should be covered. Hopefully, that is,” Shining Armor said.

“But Shiny, I’ve never seen so many. The sky’s dark and scary, and there’s so many Terror Voids out there,” Twilight said. “I want Mommy and Daddy…”

“Shhhhh… they’ll be fine. I hope,” Cadance said.

“Just don’t lose hope, Twily. We’ve never lost a battle, not even once. I’m sure they’ll scare the Terror Voids away soon enough,” Shining Armor said.

“And when it’s all over, we’ll go and find your parents, okay?” Cadance said, trying to cheer up Twilight, who nodded in reply.

Suddenly, a big tremor shook the bunker, causing people to panic.

“What was that?!” Sunset said.

“Sounds like an explosion from outside,” Shining Armor said.

“Maybe when I’m old enough, I’ll probably wield a Sacred Sword and help protect everyone from the Terror Voids. Meaning my friends and I are already starting school in a few weeks to start our training,” Twilight said.

“If we survive, that is,” Starlight said.

“When I start school, I’m gonna study really hard, and train as hard as I possibly can. Meaning I’ll be a full grown adult when I’m done reading them all,” Twilight said.

“Maybe me and Starlight can do that with you,” Sunset said.

“I’d actually like that,” Twilight said.

Suddenly, more tremors hit and caused more rumbling on the ground.

Cadance tried to stop Twilight from leaving, realizing that she knew what she was feeling.

“Twilight, stop!” Cadance said.

“I have to find my mommy and daddy! I have to help them!” Twilight said.

“Twilight, please, you have to calm down!” Starlight said.

“I can’t! I have to make sure they’re okay!” Twilight said.

Cadance and Shining Armor held her in their embrace, and so did Sunset and Starlight.

“Twilight! I swear everything will be alright! You just need to calm down! Listen to my voice,” Cadance said, as she gently but tightly held the little girl in her embrace as Twilight’s face was smothered against her babysitter’s bosom, allowing her tears to flow. “Wherever we go, the safer we are. The safer we are, the calmer you are. Relax. We’ll still be here when it’s over.”

Twilight was still shaking but suddenly she, and the other two girls started to get sleepy, so they fell asleep, with Twilight using Cadance’s chest as her pillow, as she cuddled with her babysitter.

“Thattagirl,” Shining Armor said.

Hours later, the attack ended, until the doors to the bunker opened, which woke up Cadance and Shining Armor, while Twilight, Sunset and Starlight were still sleeping, with Starlight and Sunset sleeping next to each other, and Twilight on Cadance’s lap.

“Girls, wake up,” Cadance said, as they woke up and saw daylight from the door.

As they all got out, they saw that most of their city was destroyed in the attack.

Paramedics arrived along with more soldiers and some rescue squads to help the civilians to safety.

“About 50,000 civilians and counting still alive and counted for, depending on how many are out there. Sending rescue teams out now,” a soldier said.

“Soldier! Did you find any more civilians. They look like this,” Shining Armor asked.

“We did, sir, but… when we found them…” a soldier said, allowing Twilight to listen.

“Well, what happened?” Shining asked.

“Sir… they didn’t make it,” the soldier replied. “I’m sorry. We tried.”

“Thank you. Carry on,” Shining Armor said, feeling heartbroken about the loss of their parents.

Twilight began to cry, as Starlight and Sunset felt the same way.

“I’m so sorry, girls,” Twilight said, until she felt tears bursting from her eyes. “Cadance swore that everything would be okay, and I believed her, but I was wrong.”

“No, it’s not your fault, Twilight,” Cadance said.

“I’m sorry that I lied to you and Starlight, Sunset!” Twilight said, until the three hugged each other while Cadance and Shining Armor formed a group comfort, since Cadance and Shining Armor were also crying.

THE BRIDGE TO THE 3RD CITY, CANTERLOT, PRESENT DAY

On the bridge to the city, the four were on their way back to headquarters, with Twilight driving the motorcycle, both Starlight and Sunset in the sidecar, and Spike sitting behind Twilight and holding onto her.

Spike was still shocked about the way the Canterlot Academy looked in size and design, “Whoa, so this place is some kind of massive stronghold with lots of cities?”

“Yep. But it’s also the town where we live,” Starlight said.

“Not only that but it’s also where we go to school,” Sunset said.

“Right. It’s a place we have to keep safe,” Twilight said, until she thought to herself. ‘I will never… lie again.’

They kept riding forward through the bridge.

Later on, they arrived at one of the terminal sites to check in.

“Incredible! I never imagined that people could build an island like this,” Spike said.

“Well, unless if it took years to evolve, the better,” Sunset said.

Starlight continued, “But we usually have the best technicians in advanced sciences and military engineering. But some other areas are megastructures that look like parts of the island but they’re actually floating. Traveling across by land, air or sea to seek and destroy Terror Void colonies on the front lines is the mission assigned to those whom wished to protect this assault garden of Canterlot.”

Spike turned to look at the terminal but saw that the water was bubbling from underneath like a hot tub from the edges of the island.

“Whoa… so some parts of the island are standing still while afloat?” Spike asked.

“Yep,” Sunset said.

Twilight was talking to someone on the phone, “I sent the data from our analysis at the ruins. Oh, by the way, we rescued a young refugee boy so we’ll bring him back to the dorms. Yes, he can wield a sacred sword and divine magic, but we also secured the Bloodstone Scepter and bringing it over for further analysis. See you there. Bye.”

“Why didn’t you tell them about Spike wielding the Scepter? They would’ve been interested to know,” Starlight asked.

“Because it’ll cause a huge gossip and lots of rumors about it, so we have to keep this in the DL,” Twilight replied.

“But no wonder Spike could wield a weapon that powerful as a sacred sword,” Sunset said, admiring Spike’s ability.

“And he also used it to heal my wound,” Twilight said, her hands around her stomach, where her wounds used to be. “I guess it must’ve been your kind heart that made you wield the Scepter, Spike.”

“So you weren’t just some refugee kid, huh?” Sunset asked.

“Actually, it was your kindness that made me heal you. I just felt like what was needed, so I kinda wanted to offer something in return for helping me,” Spike said, softly blushing.

“Aww, Spike. That’s so sweet!” Twilight said.

“But how come you kept calling me a refugee? I know what they are, but I don’t sound like a refugee,” Spike said.

“Well, refugees are known as people who are driven away from their homes from incoming Terror Voids,” Sunset explained. “Refugees are also part of the search and rescue operation in the mission protocol.”

“But… what'll happen to me now?” Spike asked.

“Don’t worry about it, Spike. You’re going to be living with us and our friends at Canterlot Academy,” Twilight said. “Which is a school where people can train to learn how to use sacred swords or other sacred gear, or learn how to wield divine magic. All kids who are in doubt about their powers have the abrogation to enroll. And in exchange, they’re provided with a place to live.”

“Alright then. Sounds like fun,” Spike said.

“You just let me handle all the paperwork, passports and everything else,” Twilight said, which made Spike feel grateful.

“Okay, me and Sunset are gonna do some shopping before heading back to the dorms,” Starlight said.

“And then we’ll come up with something to cook for tonight,” Sunset said.

“Okay, I’ll head back with Spike,” Twilight said, as Sunset and Starlight left, leaving her alone with Spike. “Spike, just so you know, those who come from outer the city have to go through that entrance over there and under examination.” She then bent over to his level, “Think you can manage by yourself?”

“I guess so…” Spike said, as Twilight giggled.

Twilight got back on the motorbike and started the engines, “Okay, I’ll meet you back at the exit!” She then rode off, leaving Spike by himself.

He then went to the entrance Twilight mentioned, before he went through two doors, before he stopped and looked. ‘Hmm… guess this must be some kind of checkpoint,’ he said to himself, before he was struck by steaming vaporizing hoses, which lowered back into their slots, and then stood still to be scanned. After the two columns finished scanning Spike, an arrow pointing forward lit up on the floor so he could move forward, before two panels came out before two bars lit up, causing Spike to stop.

He then slowly moved forward, until the panels went from blue to red all the way, causing the alarm to go off, and causing Spike to panic. He then started glowing while panicking, which made his mana suppressed, before the alarm deactivated and the colors on the panels went downwards and allowed Spike to move forward.

As he moved forward, he stopped at the slot to get his badge, which automatically printed an ID card for him, with his name “Spike Obsidian” printed on it, regarding him needing a last name, and both his height around 4’9” to 5’2” (145 to 157 cm) and his weight around 80 to 100 lbs (36 to 45 kg).

Suddenly, footsteps approaching, sounding like a pair of heels, until a voice spoke up, “Let me see that for a second.” It was Twilight as she took Spike’s ID card, before she took a picture of it with her phone. “Perfect. Now to set up your profile and inquiry. I have everything I need.”

“Profile and inquiry? For what?” Spike asked.

“When someone enrolls into Canterlot Academy, they have to register all the properties of their sacred gear or sacred swords, or divine magic. After the inquiry, you’ll officially receive your student ID card,” Twilight explained, before she noticed Spike sorta looking a bit down. “Hey, try not to look so stressed out. It’s just a formality. This is a card to prove your identity, so I’m going to hold onto it.”

“If you say so,” Spike said, as he and Twilight left the terminal towards her bike.

“Oh, before we go to the dorms, I’ll give you a quick tour of the academy,” Twilight said.

Later on the road, Twilight rode her sleek military-grade bike, her hair fluttering slightly in the wind. Spike sat comfortably in the sidecar, with his arms resting around his legs. His eyes were glued to the breathtaking view around him. Rows of towering solar panels gleamed like mirrors, their clean energy keeping the city below alive and thriving. Alongside them, automated turrets stood ready, a silent but intimidating reminder of the academy’s ability to defend its citizens.

Spike marveled at the well-organized streets, where citizens moved about peacefully, the lush greenery interwoven with futuristic architecture creating a near-utopian aesthetic. “I know you mentioned being on the frontlines, but this place; it looks so peaceful here,”Spike said, his voice filled with awe.

Twilight glanced at him briefly before returning her attention to the road. “That’s right,” she replied. “The frontlines are where the chaos happens, but our advanced military operations - combined with cutting-edge technology - make sure no Terror Void has ever breached our inner defenses.”

Spike turned his gaze back to the view. “Still, I’d never think a place like this could exist.”

Twilight smirked as she caught his gaze wandering too long. With a sly grin, she said, “Hey, Spike, eyes forward.”

Spike turned to look ahead just as Twilight gestured with her hand. “Say hello to Canterlot Academy,” she said.

Spike’s jaw practically dropped. Rising out of the heart of the district was a massive structure, equal parts elegant and intimidating. The design of the academy blended advanced technology with architectural grandeur. The central command tower loomed at the core, standing as an aesthetically and technically marvelous piece of architecture, roughly in the shape of a shark’s fin, with a two-toned silver color and white concrete. There was also a few holographic banners showing the academy’s emblem, and one logo emblazoned on the side, which glowed. There was also a large blue door prominent on the front. The entire facility gleamed with polished metal and glass, exuding both sophistication and strength.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Spike murmured, his voice barely audible. “That’s huge.”

Twilight chuckled softly. “Wait until you see what’s inside. Let’s park and get started on the tour.”

As they walked through the academy, Twilight led Spike through the expansive corridors, their footsteps echoing off the metallic floor. The interior had a clean, high-tech look, with walls illuminated by glowing energy lines and floor maps embedded beneath the surface glass.

First, she stopped at a massive room filled with rows of seats and a stage at the front. “This is the lecture hall,” Twilight said. “It’s where all our classroom learning happens. Well, at least the theory part. We spend a lot of time here before heading to the next phase.”

Spike peeked inside and noticed the state-of-the-art holographic projectors and interactive desks. “Looks more like a tech convention than a classroom,” he joked.

Twilight smirked. “Wait until you see the training facilities.”

Next, they entered the auditorium, a vast space with a domed ceiling lined with lights. Twilight explained, “This is where we hold large assemblies, events, and sometimes even competitions between divisions.”

They moved on to the main library. The sheer scale of the room stunned Spike—massive shelves filled with both physical and digital archives stretched endlessly. Holographic interfaces allowed students to search and access information instantly. Connected to the library was the research lab, its glass walls showcasing students and scientists working on advanced tech and weaponry.

“This is where a lot of the magic happens,” Twilight said, gesturing toward the lab. “Literally, in some cases.”

Spike laughed lightly. “So all of these facilities make up Canterlot Academy?”

Twilight shook her head with a small smile. “This is only a fraction. There are other places like the training facilities, the dance hall, and the dorms where we all live. It’s a whole ecosystem in here, Spike.”

Spike hesitated as they continued walking. “Twilight… I get that this place is amazing and all, but what’s the point of it? Why does this academy even exist?”

Twilight stopped walking and turned to face him, her expression serious. “Canterlot Academy isn’t just a school, Spike. It’s the foundation of our society’s survival. Every cadet here is trained to combat the Terror Voids that threaten our world. They’re relentless, Spike. They come from places we barely understand, and without people like us, this city—this peace—wouldn’t last.”

She gestured toward the central command tower visible through the window. “That’s where all major operations are handled. Every military deployment, every scientific breakthrough, every strategy to keep our people safe—it all starts there.”

Spike stared at her, trying to take it all in. “So, everyone here is either fighting or helping the people fighting?”

Twilight nodded. “Exactly. Even the unexpected stuff, like the training facilities—” She paused, thinking back to some of the more unconventional training she’d undergone. “Let’s just say it’s not all running obstacle courses. They throw you into simulations, teach you survival in extreme environments, and sometimes… they test your limits in ways you’d never expect.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Test your limits?”

Twilight sighed, a small smile forming. “Let’s just say I’ve had my fair share of surprises. But hey, that’s what the academy is about—preparing us for anything.”

Spike nodded slowly, still processing everything. “It sounds… intense. But I guess it makes sense.”

Twilight placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You’ll get the hang of it, Spike. Trust me. We’re all in this together.”

Spike found himself staring up at the towering halls and intricate designs. His thoughts wandered as he glanced at Twilight, who walked confidently ahead of him. I can’t believe this… he thought to himself. A girl like her—older, smarter, and almost worthy of wielding some sacred sword—is enrolled in a place like this. A military academy? He shook his head in disbelief. She could probably save the world ten times over.

His musings were interrupted as two girls, both wearing academy uniforms, walked by. One had bright blonde hair tied in a ponytail, while the other had short purple locks. They both stopped in their tracks as their eyes landed on Spike.

The blonde one clasped her hands together, a delighted grin spreading across her face. “Wow! What a cutie!”

Her friend smirked mischievously, leaning closer to whisper, but making sure her voice was loud enough to be heard. “Careful, though. Kids that age usually grow up to become feral monsters in bed!”

Spike froze, his face instantly flushing bright red as his eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something but found no words would come out. He simply stood there, staring at the ground as if it would swallow him whole.

Twilight sighed and gave him a small, reassuring smile. She reached out and lightly ruffled his hair. “Don’t let them get to you. Some people just like to joke around in bad taste. You’re fine, Spike.”

Spike gave a small nod, still too embarrassed to speak, but the warmth in Twilight’s voice and the protective gesture helped ease his flustered nerves.

“Come on,” Twilight said as she continued walking, throwing one last glance over her shoulder to ensure the girls were gone. “Let’s focus on getting through the tour. You’ve got a lot more to see.”

Spike followed closely, grateful for Twilight’s support but silently vowing to keep his distance from any more passing students.

Spike hesitated as they walked on, trying to shake off the embarrassment from earlier. After a few moments of silence, he looked up at Twilight. “Hey, uh… is it just me, or are there more girls than guys at this academy? I mean, I haven’t seen a single dude yet.”

Twilight glanced at him and smirked. “It’s not just you, Spike. There’s actually an even split—50% boys, 50% girls. But we’re in the girls’ dorm section right now, so it might feel a little one-sided.”

Spike’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, dorm sections? So the boys live somewhere else?”

Twilight nodded. “Exactly. The dorms are separated by gender, and each has its own facilities. But there are plenty of common areas where everyone mixes—like the cafeteria, the training facilities, and some of the lecture halls. Trust me, you’ll see your fair share of both genders soon enough.”

Spike scratched the back of his head. “That’s a relief. I was starting to think I’d wandered into some all-girls academy by accident or something.”

Twilight chuckled. “Not quite. Although I will admit that the girls’ dorm tends to be… louder.”

As they turned a corner, the sound of heavy boots clacking against the tiled floor echoed toward them. Twilight stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing as a group of uniformed cadets marched in formation toward them.

One was a junior or senior cadet with blonde hair, light brilliant arctic blue eyes, and he wore the boy’s uniform of the academy. Beside him were four girls.

The first girl had moderate cerise eyes, and her hair was short colored grayish mulberry with light raspberry streaks with a flaring yellow sun barrette in it.

The second girl had moderate indigo eyes, freckles on her face, and long hair colored moderate rose with streaks of both a lighter moderate rose and grayish aquamarine while done up in a ponytail.

The third girl had amber colored eyes, a few ear piercings, goggles on her head, and her hair was both spiked and swept back and colored bluish indigo with streaks of different shades of blue in it.

The fourth girl had grayish orchid colored eyes covered by red glasses, and her hair was light opalish gray with light arctic bluish gray streaks styled into two long ponytails on the back of her head with a bun tracing on the back of her head from a widow's peak.

Finally the fifth girl with light brilliant amber colored eyes, and long hair with a mix of different shades of green, and blue eye shadow.

Blueblood smirked mockingly as he noticed Twilight walking past. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Sparkle, the volunteer who’s unfit for quests. How’s that scratch on your uniform holding up?”

Twilight froze for a moment but quickly straightened her posture, brushing off the comment. Instead, she took Spike’s hand and spoke with quiet resolve. “Let’s go, Spike.”

Blueblood stepped in front of them, blocking their path. “Hey, hey, now. Where do you think you’re going?”

Twilight clenched her jaw. “Get out of the way, Blueblood!”

Blueblood chuckled and shook his head. “Now, now, no need to be nasty.” His gaze shifted down to Spike, who instinctively hid behind Twilight’s hip. “So, who’s the little runt?”

Spike glanced up at Twilight, confused about the tension. He had no idea what was going on, but the unease in the air was palpable.

Twilight crossed her arms, her voice cold. “It’s really none of your business, is it?”

Blueblood laughed, the sound sharp and grating. “Oh, this is rich! Pretending to play platoon with your outcast girlfriends wasn’t enough, and now you’re babysitting kids? You deserve an applause, Sparkle.” He gave a slow, mocking clap.

Twilight’s glare could’ve melted steel. “This kid happens to be a sacred sword master.”

Blueblood blinked, then burst into laughter again. “This little boy? Rubbish.”

Spike stared up at Twilight, more confused than ever. ’Sacred sword master? What does that even mean? And why is this guy so nasty to her?’

Blueblood leaned in closer, his smug expression growing more insufferable as he touched Twilight’s lower jaw and cheek with feigned affection. “Quit wasting your time and join my platoon. Joining with me near the top of the pack means you don’t have to worry about getting expelled. Even for a loser like you, who can’t manifest a sacred sword despite it being in her blood.”

Spike’s heart thudded in his chest as he hid behind Twilight. ’What’s he talking about? Sacred swords? Expelled? And why does he keep touching her like that?’

Blueblood smirked as he tilted his head. “All you have to do is say yes, Sparkle. Join my collection of toys. You’d fit in nicely with the rest of the girls in my platoon.”

Twilight jerked her head away from his touch. “Not interested!”

Blueblood scoffed. “Oh, come on, Sparkle. There’s no reason to risk your life going on dangerous quests for Terror Void investigation missions. Not when you could stay nice and comfortable under my protection. You’d make a lovely addition to my harem of ladies.”

Twilight’s glare was icy, but she turned away, grabbing Spike’s hand. “Come on, Spike. Let’s go.”

Blueblood’s face twisted in irritation as Twilight tried to walk away. “You’ll regret this, Sparkle!” he snapped, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her back.

Twilight winced but gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out. “Let go of me, Blueblood!”

Spike’s eyes widened in shock as he watched Twilight struggle. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and anger bubbling inside him. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.

“Leave her alone!” Spike shouted, stepping forward with more courage than he realized he had.

Blueblood glanced at him and sneered. “And what are you going to do, little boy? Stay out of this before you embarrass yourself.”

But Spike didn’t back down. Something deep within him stirred, and before he even realized what was happening, a dark energy began to seep from his hands. The air around them grew heavy, and an ominous hum resonated through the space.

Blueblood’s sneer faltered as he noticed the shadows around Spike’s feet swirl unnaturally. “What… what is this?” he muttered, his grip on Twilight loosening slightly.

Spike’s hands glowed with a dark, crackling aura, and without warning, a blast of shadowy energy shot forward, aimed directly at Blueblood. It wasn’t strong enough to harm him, but it exploded near his feet, sending him stumbling backward.

The five girls were shocked about what he just did, as Blueblood cried out as he fell, scrambling to his knees with wide, terrified eyes. “W-what was that?! What kind of monster are you?!”

Spike blinked, staring at his hands in shock. “I… I didn’t mean to—”

Blueblood quickly stood, his face red with a mix of embarrassment and fury. He reached for his sacred sword, drawing it with a flourish. “You’ll rue the day you dared to humiliate me, boy! I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!”

Before Blueblood could advance, two voices rang out.

“Stop right there, Blueblood!”

Sunset Shimmer and a new girl ran over, both with looks of fury directed at Blueblood. The girl next to Sunset had long purple curled hair with three cut-out blue shaped diamonds for a hair clip, blue eyes, sky-blue eye shadow with long black lashes, and roving purple eyebrows. And she was wearing the girls’ uniform as well.

“Are you seriously about to use your sacred sword on a kid?!” Sunset yelled, stepping between Blueblood and Spike.

“Have you no shame?” the purple haired girl added, her tone sharp and laced with disgust. “Picking on someone smaller than you? Absolutely disgraceful!”

Blueblood faltered, his confidence visibly shaken under their combined scolding. “T-this little brat attacked me first!” he stammered, pointing at Spike.

“Only because you wouldn’t stop harassing Twilight,” Sunset shot back. “And don’t even try to deny it—we saw the whole thing!”

The purple haired girl placed her hands on her hips, her icy gaze pinning Blueblood in place. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll put that sword away and walk away right now.”

Blueblood hesitated, glancing between the two girls and Spike, who was still standing protectively in front of Twilight. Finally, with a huff, he sheathed his sword and straightened his coat. “This isn’t over, Sparkle. Or you, brat.” He pointed at Spike, his tone venomous. “You’ll regret crossing me. Mark my words!”

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed off, muttering under his breath, as his five ladies followed him.

As the tension faded, Sunset turned to Twilight and Spike, concern replacing the anger on her face. “Are you guys okay?”

Twilight nodded, though she still looked shaken. “I’m fine. Spike… are you okay?” Spike nodded, without realizing what happened.

Twilight gently pulled Spike into a hug, her voice warm and reassuring. “You were so brave, Spike. Thank you for standing up for me.”

Spike relaxed slightly in her embrace, though the memory of the dark energy still lingered in his mind. What was that power… and why did it feel so familiar?

The purple haired girl then knelt gracefully to Spike’s level, her gaze softening as she looked at him with curiosity. “So, you’re the little darling Twilight and Sunset found at the ruins, aren’t you?”

Spike hesitated for a moment but then nodded. “Yeah… I’m Spike.”

Her expression brightened, and she extended her hand elegantly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Spike. I’m Rarity Rivers, a fellow student here at the academy. I must say, you’re quite the hero already, saving Twilight like you did.”

Spike shook her hand, his cheeks warming at the compliment. “I… I didn’t really do much.”

Rarity chuckled, standing upright. “Oh, don’t be so modest, darling. Twilight’s been singing your praises since the moment she arrived.”

She turned to Twilight, her gaze dropping to her friend’s uniform. Her expression quickly shifted to concern. “Speaking of which… what have you done to your uniform, Twilight? It’s positively in tatters!”

Twilight glanced down at herself, brushing off some dirt from her sleeve. “We ran into some trouble during the investigation. A Terror Void attacked, and I got a bit roughed up.” She offered a small smile. “But thanks to Spike’s healing powers, I made it out in one piece.”

Rarity’s eyes widened as she looked back at Spike. “Healing powers? How is that possible?”

Twilight folded her arms, glancing at Spike thoughtfully. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. He seems to have abilities even he doesn’t fully understand yet.”

Spike rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. “It just… happened when I tried to help her.”

“Well,” Rarity said with a warm smile, “whatever it was, I think we can all agree it’s quite extraordinary.” She gestured toward Twilight’s uniform. “In the meantime, I’ll arrange for a new uniform for you, Spike. I’ll have one of my drones scan you for measurements while we walk.”

With a flick of her wrist, Rarity activated a small holographic device on her bracelet. A sleek, bird-like drone flew out from her bag, hovering around Spike as it scanned his body for measurements.

Spike’s eyes widened in amazement. “Whoa! That’s so cool!”

Rarity beamed. “A bit of ingenuity and style go a long way, darling. It’ll have your uniform ready in no time.”

The group began walking down the corridor, with Rarity falling in step beside Twilight. “So, tell me,” she said, her voice curious. “What exactly did you and Sunset uncover at the temple? I heard it was quite the discovery.”

Twilight nodded. “We found an ancient archive with encrypted data. It looks like it holds information about a lost civilization that may have battled the Terror Voids centuries ago.”

Sunset chimed in, catching up to them. “The encryption is pretty advanced, but Starlight’s working on cracking it. If we can access it, we might learn something that could turn the tide in our fight.”

“And there’s more,” Twilight added, her voice taking on a serious tone. “We recovered data linked to the Bloodstone Scepter. According to the ruins, it was used by an ancient hero to command entire armies and channel immense power against the Terror Voids. What’s strange is that Spike’s energy signature seems to match the scepter’s residual energy.”

Rarity’s eyes lit up with interest. “Fascinating. Do you think the scepter might have something to do with Spike’s abilities?”

“We’re not sure yet,” Twilight replied. “But if Spike’s connected to the Bloodstone Scepter, he could be the key to understanding its power—and why it was hidden away in the ruins.”

Spike frowned, his gaze dropping to the floor. “So, all this stuff about me… it’s tied to some ancient weapon? What does that even mean for me?”

Twilight placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It means you might be more important to this fight than any of us realized. But don’t worry, Spike. We’ll figure this out together.”

Rarity nodded reassuringly. “Indeed. You’re not alone in this, darling. You’ve already proven yourself capable, and I daresay we’re lucky to have you here.”

The conversation continued as they walked, the weight of the discoveries sinking in for all of them. For Spike, it was a lot to process—but with Twilight, Sunset, and now Rarity by his side, he felt a flicker of hope.

Author's Note

Sorry I didn’t get back to it, but I was having trouble deciding on which story to do, so I thought I’d give this one an update

Let me know what you think