This is a Summon Knight/MLP crossover! For those of you that don't know what the first series is, it's a GBA game that is quite enjoyable. You'll get a slight understanding of it if you read this first chapter, which will tell you some of the specifics. For those of you that DO know about that series, ENJOY!
Please read the author's note at the end. If it's not too much trouble anyways. That is where I explain most of the things other ponies don't understand…
I do not claim any rights to My Little Pony, or Summon Knight!
Summon Knight: A Brony Retelling
'Prologue: That Night & The First Day'
I.I.I Three Years Ago… I.I.I
The night was heavy with rain, and lightning struck in the distance. A single woman stood in the doorway of her home, waiting patiently. Beside her was a young boy, clinging to his mother's dress. He looked at her with his blue eyes, and instinctively knew something was wrong.
"Mommy, why are you so sad?" he asked, seeing the worried expression on the woman's face.
"It's nothing son," she answered calmly, smiling at him. "Mommy is just wondering where Daddy is right now."
"Is Daddy okay?" the kid questioned innocently.
The woman looked out into the driving rain, unsure how to answer that question. The boy was too young to understand just how terrible the situation was. She wanted to tell him that he was fine, but she would be lying to him, as well as herself. She was about to tell him that he was working hard to help everyone, when a large man dressed in white and brown came up.
He had a large, shaggy beard, and carried a large tool belt that ran down his legs, supported by two shoulder straps. On his head was a white cap, with a pair of goggles over it. He was leaning heavily on one leg, and was placing pressure on his left shoulder, which was bleeding.
"Shintetsu, he's almost done," the man said weakly. "I tried to buy him as much time as I could. Right now Masters Rondeau and Rumari are holdin' it off."
"…Get inside," the woman instructed, pulling the man by his good arm. When she had gotten him into the house, she walked over to a large, ornamental sword that hung on the wall, and removed it. "Those two alone won't be able to keep that monster at bay. It's my turn to fight."
"Wait Katsumi," the man stopped her. "Ya can't go. What about yer son? His father is already… Do ya really want to throw away yer life like this?"
"…Bron, you know I have to," she answered after a few seconds. "If I have to sacrifice myself to protect everyone, then I will. I know the odds of me returning are next to nothing, so will you do me a favor? Take my son to Amariss, she'll care for him… I'm going to join Claude."
"M-Mommy?" the young boy started, his voice scared.
"…Don't worry sweetie," Katsumi soothed, getting down and hugging her son. "Mommy is going to go find Daddy. Mister Bron here, he is going to take you to a place where you'll make a nice friend, okay?"
The little boy just stared at her, not really understanding. He was only about seven, and didn't understand many things. Eventually, he nodded and hugged the woman. She let a tear fall, knowing how sad he would be soon. She knew that she wouldn't be coming back, not this time. The man named Bron took the kid's hand, and held him at his side while Katsumi sheathed her sword.
"Good-bye Bron, and thanks," she smiled.
"…You, Claude, and Shintetsu are so stubborn sometimes," the man sighed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you all came from the same mother."
"Guess you'll have to settle with us growing up in the same town," Katsumi joked. "…Take care Bron."
With that, the woman walked out into the biting rain. The boy tried to follow, but the man in yellow held him back. After a few seconds, the darkness outside swallowed up Katsumi. Bron sighed, and looked down at the kid. His eyes were beginning to water, feeling sad for the little fella. The boy would never get to grow up, knowing who his mother and father were.
"C'mon lad," Bron spoke softly. "There are some people I want you to meet. You'll like one of them, as he's about your age."
The boy looked up at him, his blue eyes scared. He nodded slowly, still not sure what just happened. Bron smiled at how innocent he was, and grabbed his hand. The two walked out into the storm, making their way towards a different direction than the woman had selected…
I.I.I Present Day I.I.I
The sun began to peek over the horizon, and it shined a faded light through the curtain into a boy's face. He squinted as the light woke him up, squirming in his spot on the floor. The dream from last night returned to his mind, making him frown.
"That's the third time this week," he whispered to himself. "…Mom…"
It's been three years since the boy had lost his mother and father in a terrible storm. Before she left though, she entrusted her son to a man named Bron, who had taken him to a kind woman named Amariss. She has been caring for the boy ever since that night, raising him as though she was his own. In the process, he'd made a friend of her real son, and the two have been at each other's side ever since. The boy smiled as he thought about this, but lost it when the dream claimed his thoughts again.
"Why do I keep seeing that memory?" he thought aloud.
Running a hand through his short, light brown hair, the young boy got off his spot on the floor. Since there was only one bed, the two of them couldn't share it. The boy had decided to take the floor, saying that it would be good for his back. Whether or not that was true, had yet to be seen.
He was dressed in a simple deep green shirt and pants with a leather covering across his chest. Over that, he wore a black trench coat. On his left hand was a similarly colored glove, and on his forehead were a pair of goggles, making him look a bit dorky. His brown hair was parted off to the left, covering that respective part of his headgear. Around his neck were two dog tags, one with his name on it, the other held a cross with a sapphire in the center.
They were all that he had of his parents. His mother had crafted the first one for him, two weeks before that fateful night. The cross had belonged to his father, it was handed to him just a month ago. He was told that it should be his, and that his father would be proud of him. That had made Silver shed more tears than he'd done since he learned about what happened to his parents.
"Hey you two, wake up!" came a feminine voice from downstairs. "I've tried to wake you both at least SEVEN TIMES now! Are you going for a new record?"
"Make up?" asked the other boy in the room, just regaining consciousness himself. "With who?"
This boy had silver hair that spiked out everywhere, with similar blue eyes. He was dressed in a simple blue jacket and pants, with a leather torso covering and a weird forehead protector. He slowly got up and stretched, showing off his slight muscles. He yawned as he groggily rubbed at his eyes.
"Brother, you are SO not a morning person," the brown-haired boy laughed. "Amariss said 'Wake up' not 'Make up.'
"Oh, well I can sleep for a few more minutes," the silver-haired one smiled, rolling back into his bed.
"More like a few more seconds," came Amariss' voice again. "Don't you remember what today is?"
The brown-haired boy remembered, as he was always perfectly awake the moment he opened his eyes. Today was the opening ceremony for a large tournament. Both of the boys were entered, and they were excited to put their skills to the test.
"Ugn, today is…" the silver-haired boy tried to remember.
"Huh, what's that?" came the uneasy voice of the boy's mother. "AGH!"
"Mom!" he cried out, instantly awake.
The two boys rushed down the stairs, praying that it wasn't something really serious. As they reached the last flight of stairs, the silver-haired boy lost his footing, and fell onto the ground floor. The vibrations of his impact shook the whole house.
"Well that's an interesting way to come down the stairs, isn't it?" Amariss joked.
"That's my brother for you," the brown-haired boy laughed.
"I tink my node id bwoken," the other boy said uneasily.
"That looked like it hurt," the woman commented with a caring smile. "Are you alright?"
"I imagine he'll be fine," the younger one replied dismissively. "Master Bron's training was more taxing than that."
Master Bron, the man who had brought the boy to Amariss. After two years of living within this household, the boy had felt it was time to work, like his father. He was slowly learning the ropes, and was getting quite good at his trade, but he wasn't entirely confident in his skills yet. The year he spent under the man had been not as fruitful as he imagined.
"Still, how could my own son forget where the stairs in his house are?" Amariss asked, looking at the silver-haired boy carefully. "Are you trying to make me worry, because it's working!"
"I didn't forget Mom," the boy smiled. "Seriously, I'm fine!"
"I'm not convinced," she said. "Do you know where you are? What's your name?"
"You're kidding right?"
"No, I'm not," Amariss answered sternly. "I'm making sure you're okay! Now tell me your name."
"Okay okay," he gave in. "It's Cleru! As if I could forget!"
"Okay then, what is his name?" she asked, pointing at the other boy.
"He's Silver," Cleru responded calmly. "He's been my best friend for years now."
"Good," Amariss nodded. "Now what is your job?"
"That fall must've looked worse than it really was," Silver thought to himself with a laugh.
"I work for Craftknight," Cleru answered with a smile. He looked over at his friend. "We both do."
"And just what do you both do for this Craftknight?" the woman asked.
"We're his apprentices," Silver answered for him, feeling the need to take some of the pressure off his friend.
"Are you now?" she asked, looking at him carefully. "Okay then, just what does a Craftknight do?"
"He forges metal into weapons, and sells them off," the brown-haired boy told her casually. "He's teaching both me and Cleru to do the same."
"Yeah, but you're better than me," the silver-haired boy admitted with a laugh.
"Only because I'm always on time," Silver joked, wrapping an arm around his friend playfully. "And the difference in our skills isn't much!"
"Okay you two," Amariss broke in. "Final question Cleru. What is my name?"
"Easy," the boy laughed. "Amariss!"
"What?" she asked in a dead serious tone. "That's not my name!"
"Quit fooling around Mom," Cleru smiled at her.
"…Okay, I'm just kidding," she grinned. "You're fine!"
Silver sighed, happy that strange ordeal was over. During his three years in this house, he'd come to expect unusual things between the mother and boy, but that didn't mean he had to adjust to them. Truthfully, he kind of envied the boy, since he actually knew his mom. Silver had been too young at the time to remember much. In fact, all he really did remember was her back vanishing into the storm on the last night he saw her.
Dismissing those thoughts, Silver went back upstairs and walked over to the dresser. He grabbed the two tickets resting on the shelf, and placed them in his pocket. As he walked back downstairs, he heard his best friend and Amariss talking about the recent earthquakes.
"Hey Cleru," Silver called out to his friend. "C'mon, we've got maybe a few minutes left before the doors in the Central Tower close!"
"Oh right," the silver-haired boy remembered. He grabbed his water scooter by the door and started out. "Bye Mom!"
"That boy," Amariss sighed. "He's always going to be late. Just like his father."
"You know what they say," Silver laughed. "Like father like son! Oh snap! I need to get going myself! Later Amariss!"
"Oh wait," Amariss stopped him, handing the boy a small red pouch with a string attached to it. "Can you please give this to Cleru? It's a good luck charm. The same that his father used to carry with him. He never got hurt with it on. But on the last day, three years ago, he left it behind… Maybe he knew?"
"I'll… I'll make sure he gets it," the brown-haired boy nodded, placing the item within his pocket.
Silver grabbed his own water scooter, and dashed out the door after Cleru. As he made it outside, he saw his friend already moving into the water. No, they didn't live in a water town, it was just the first floor of their city was submerged. Here in Wystern, people lived by the sea, and every year, more of it kept going under. It was theorized that about two inches go under every year.
Wystern, the City of Swords, and capital of the weapons industry. This was the town where most Craftknights learned their trade, training within one of two guilds: the Gold Guild, or the Silver Guild. Both Cleru and Silver were a part of the Silver Guild. The master of their organization was Bron, who had decided to train both of the boys himself. Today was a special day for the younger apprentices of these guilds!
Today was the start of a tournament that would determine who would become Craftlord. That meant they were the best at their trade, and were placed in charge of Wystern. There were seven positions within the Craftlord title: Diamond, Crystal, Iron, Ruby, Amber, Jade, and Sapphire. Each one of them held equal power, beside the Diamond rank. That was reserved for Master Rondeau, who could craft true masterpieces and fight hundreds of foes at one time.
"Oh snap! I'm getting left behind!" Silver thought.
Quickly, the boy caught up with his best friend, who was standing in front of the Central Tower. It was the working place of the Craftlords, and it held two important things. The first was the arena on the first floor. If Silver had studied enough about the tournament, he would have to fight many opponents there, maybe even Cleru. The other important feature of the building was the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth was a special place for Crafknights and Craftlords alike. Supposedly, there were many crafting materials down there, which were guarded by wild creatures known as Summon Beasts. These things were at one point summoned to protect the main piece of the Labyrinth, but after their masters died, they were stuck here, unable to return to their world.
Their original job was to prevent others from getting down to a certain floor where the Shrine to the Spirit of Swords was held. The Spirit, known as Parista, was offered swords made by one of the Craftlords every month to keep him calm. If Silver remembered correctly, then this month was the one for the Craftlord of Ruby.
Finally, Silver caught up with his friend, who was standing atop the bridge leading to the Central Tower. It towered over them, reaching far into the skies. Of course, neither could see them right now, since there was an entire second floor above them that held the rest of the Wystern population.
"Cleru, Silver, what're you two doin'?" came a heavy voice behind the two friends.
Turning around, they both saw Master Bron coming up to them. He looked at Cleru first, then turned his gaze to Silver. His thick eyebrows made the man look funny, but both boys had learned the hard way that laughing at him was not a good idea.
"Why're ya just standin' there?" Bron questioned them. "Yer both gonna be late!"
"Oh, good morning Master!" Cleru greeted the big man cheerfully.
"We were just on our way to the ceremony, weren't we, Cleru?" Silver reminded his friend.
"Yer cutting' it a little close, ain't ya?" the Guild Master commented.
"That's why I'm trying to get him moving," the brown-haired boy explained.
"Don't worry Silver, we've got time still," Cleru told him dismissively.
"Sounds like something' yer father woulda' said." Bron sighed. "Why don'cha try bein' more like yer mother? Or at least takin' yer friend's advice?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" the silver-haired boy asked, offended.
"He was always runnin' late, and made an excuse fer it each time." the Guild Master explained.
Silver sighed, turning away. Yeah, Cleru was just like his dad… Dad… The brown-haired boy frowned, thinking about that word. Three years ago, his dad vanished too. The boy had grown up without knowing either of his parents. While Cleru had also lost his father on that terrible night three years ago, he could take comfort in the fact that his mother was still around.
"Ey, you listenin' Silver?" came Bron's voice, snapping the boy out of his thoughts.
"E-Excuse me Mater?" he asked.
"I said I'm headin' back to the Silver Guild," the large man sighed. " Come an' find me after the ceremony. And try to not get as empty headed as Cleru, okay?"
"HEY!" the insulted boy shouted.
"Easy, Brother," Silver tried to calm him down. "He's just trying to joke around."
"Hmph!" Cleru pouted.
"C'mon, let's get inside before we're actually late," his friend advised.
"Hey!" Bron called out to them again. "One of you better win the tournament, b'cause I don't work with second-class apprentices!"
"Really filling us with confidence, isn't he?" Cleru whispered to Silver. He looked towards the large, round building that was their Guild. "Man, we've been there so much lately it almost feels like a second home!"
"Yeah," the brown-haired boy agreed. He looked out at the rising sun, and saw it was almost entirely above the horizon. "Crap! C'mon Cleru, we've got little to no time left!"
With that, the two boys took off sprinting towards the large tower that resided in the center of Wystern. They burst through the front doors, and saw a sign that said 'Opening Ceremony, Second Floor". Silver took the lead, and covered the large flight of stairs in no time flat. He saw a man in front of some double doors, just starting to close them.
"Please wait!" he called out, grabbing the man's attention.
"Oh, and who might you be?" the man asked.
"My name is Silver, and coming up behind me is Cleru," the boy huffed, tired now. "We are candidates in the tournament, and are here for the ceremony."
"…You're late," the man eventually said. "But kids will be kids. Show me your tickets, and I'll let you in."
Silver handed him the two slips, and the man stood aside. Cleru came up, and fell to his knees, exhausted. His friend just grabbed him by the arm, and dragged him into the ceremony hall. They took up places near the back of the crowd, and listened to what other contestants were saying.
"Hey, you!" called out a random kid, indicating Cleru. "Who's your Guardian Beast?"
"My what?" the boy asked, confused.
"Bro, surely you're joking?" Silver questioned incredulously. "You know, an assistant in crafting and fighting? Usually they're from another world? Have supernatural powers?"
"Oh right, those!" Cleru laughed, remembering. He turned to the stranger and answered his question. "I don't have one yet."
"Well, everyone will be using a weapon that they made with their Guardian Beast," he warned the duo. "You two will never survive without your own!"
"I think we'll do fi-"
"Welcome to the opening ceremony of the Craftlord tournament!" came the voice of a random Central Tower employee, cutting Cleru off. "Lubert, the Craftlord of Amber… Ureksa, the Craftlord of Jade… And Sakuro, the Craftlord of Sapphire! These three masters have deigned to address you, and it would be wise to heed their words!"
Everyone turned their attention towards the front of the hall, and saw three men standing atop the stage. The one on the left was dressed in a brownish-gold cloak with a deeper shade of it underneath on his color of his clothing looked like puke, ugly to look at, and made you want to puke yourself. His hair was brown, and sleeked back like he had put WAY to much gel in it this morning. He had a very thin mustache that curled outward from right under his nose. It was pencil thin, and looked creepy. He was Lubert, the Craftlord of Amber, and if Silver had done his research right, had many issues.
"Welcome apprentices. Welcome children of the Craftknights who defend the City of Swords," he called out to them.
"Today begins the tournament in which the skills you have learned will be tested," the man on the right end came forwards.
This one was dressed entirely in green, save for a white scarf that hung around his neck, and the black undershirt he had on. The sleeves of his outfit ran past his hands and made him look smaller than he really was. His hair was parted down the middle, and it fell to the bottom of his head. It was deep green at the roots, but about half way down it changed to blonde. This was Master Ureksa, the Craftlord of Jade.
In between these two men was the remaining Craftlord, Sakuro of Sapphire. He wore a blue jacket, similar to Cleru's but much larger, and he had on a white cloak. His blue pants were tucked into his tall, black boots. His brown hair spiked out behind him, save for his bangs, which spiked out to the sides. He wore classes that made him seem just a bit older than he really looked. He stepped forward and continued where his colleagues left off.
"It was three years ago that we lost Shintetsu, our strongest and most respected Craftlord," Sakuro began.
Silver looked over at Cleru, who was staring off into the distance. The boy knew that his friend's father was the said Craftlord, and that spoke plenty about the silver-haired one in front of him. Cleru knew that he had a large weight on his shoulders, being the son of a Craftlord, but Silver knew that his friend could do it! If he couldn't, then it was up to HIM to bring the boy right back up.
"Cleru," Silver started, placing a shoulder on his friend. The boy looked at him, smiled, and turned back towards the front where Sakuro was still talking.
"And Shintetsu's loss was followed by the disappearances of Claude, the candidate for Craftlord of Crystal at the same time, and now Tyram, the current Crystal Craftlord, just a few months ago." Sakuro continued. "We need to find a replacement for these men, to join the other Craftlords of Wystern as the guardians and protectors of Parista, the spirit that dwells within the holy sword."
Now it was Silver's turn to get lost in his thoughts. Claude had been HIS father, and was known for his talents with a drill. Many times the boy had heard of his father's exploits, vanquishing many foes with only a drill and his determination. It moved him to try and emulate his father, and now Silver could say his skills with a drill were good enough to get him started on the right path.
"Dad…are you watching me right now?" the boy thought to himself.
"A position has been prepared for one of the apprentices within this chamber," Sakuro spoke once more, dragging Silver out of his musings. "And we will determine which of you standing before us is worthy of claiming this position."
"Majority of you lack the skills worthy to be an apprentice, let alone a Craftlord," Lubert joined in, his mustache twitching as he spoke. "But each of you possess the gift of youth, and for some, the potential that comes with it. We must harness that potential to protect Wystern. We must do whatever is needed to fortify the City of Swords!"
"I should think a Craftlord would know better than to have such a flawed opinion," one of the contestants called out. He smirked as he continued. "How does he explain all the adults in this city who cannot craft a decent weapon?"
"Someone is full of themselves," Silver whispered to Cleru, who snickered.
The boy that called out wore a white jacket and pants with a blue undershirt, fastened down by gold buttons. On his wrists were a pair of blue gauntlets. He was a blonde with spikey hair, slicked back gently. As he moved, a few strands bounced with him. He had this cocky gleam in his eyes that made Silver uncomfortable.
"I think the next Craftlord should be strong and beautiful, just like me," a girl in front of the duo called out herself.
Silver looked at her and found his breath taken away. Indeed, she was beautiful. She had red hair, tied into a ponytail behind her, save for her bangs with parted to the sides from the center. She wore a purple top with white shoulder protectors, fastened down by a good bow knot around her neck. Her sword was tied around her between her waist and chest. Her skirt was short and looked like it barely covered what it was supposed to. She also wore white boots that came all the way up to her knees. Her purple eyes were stunning, and Silver was almost tempted to try and talk to her.
"Beautiful and confident," he thought. "That's a deadly combo right there. If she has the skills to back it up, then she'll probably get far in this tournament."
"Heh, look at all these worry-warts! I'm guaranteed to win this tournament!" came a scratchy voice from the other side of the hall.
Turning to look at whoever it was, he saw it the voice belonged to a young kid garbed completely in yellow. It was hard to tell what gender they were, but Silver guessed that it was a girl. She had on a bright yellow bandanna, with a yellow shirt that ran past her shorts. The only thing not yellow about her was her skin, hair, shorts, belt, boots, and gloves, which were all a light brown. But her hair was a dark brown, and spiked out from under her bandanna.
"Wow, he has to be the youngest out of everyone here," Cleru commented to his friend.
"What about me?" Silver asked him. "I'm only about ten!"
"Well, you two could be on par with each other for youngest Craftknight then," the silver-haired boy laughed. He looked towards the front and motioned for Silver to do the same. "Hey, it looks like Master Sakuro still has something to say."
"To test your skills and to see which of you is worthy of becoming a Craftlord," Sakuro spoke to the crowd. "You are allowed to fight only with weapons that you have crafted yourself. A battle is won when your opponent yields to you, or when their weapon breaks. We will allow your masters to aid you in the forging of your weapons, as well as a single partner to accompany you into combat, but that is all. Now then, all of you are hereby granted passage into the dungeon of the Central Tower. There you can collect materials with which to craft your weapons. The man that possesses the keys will bring each of you one later on."
"The Labyrinth, wow this is great!" Silver thought to himself. "A great chance to boost my skills with fighting, and get some materials in the process!"
"There are many dangers in this dungeon, placed there to insure the safety of the great Parista," the Craftlord of Sapphire continued. "There dangers will not be lessened or removed for you. Confront and overcome them on your own. If you cannot defend yourself, you're not worthy of being in this tournament."
Silver could feel the tension in the room rise as Sakuro said this. This meant that they could lose the tournament, even before their first match! That wasn't really a problem for the boy, as he was confident in what he could do. But for many of these people, it was a warning, saying that if you can't handle a few wild summons that one should have no troubles with, then you don't deserve to be a Craftlord.
"As for who you will fight in each round of the tournament," Sakuro kept going. "Your opponent will be announced by the Central Tower before the start of your fight. You will only know who you fight at the last minute, as can happen in the real world… You must always remember the Craftknight's Code: A sword is not Strength. A sword is not Skill, and A sword is not Fellowship… Let the code guide your efforts, and you'll be rewarded. Friendships will be forged in the heat of battle! When your skill is sharpest, and your weapon is deadliest, you will be your own master… I sincerely hope that one of you will become our equal, and join us as a Craftlord. That is all!"
With that, the ceremony ended. Silver and Cleru made their way out of the Central Tower, and slowly walked towards the Silver Guild. They stepped inside, and were promptly greeted with the warmth of the forges, and the smell of heated metal. Though the tournament held onto the younger apprentices, life continued. Work was still work, and every Craftknight still had to make weapons
"Ah, there ya are!" came Bron's voice as the two entered a room that held many forges. "An' yer late, again!"
"I'm sorry Master," Cleru said, bowing. Silver repeated this action, and did not rise until their master placed a hand on their shoulders.
"Yer apology is accepted," he smiled. "Now, let's talk about the tournament, eh? Answer me this. Do the both of ya have the skill an' the confidence to win this tournament?"
"Of course Master!" Cleru grinned. "I'm the son of Shintetsu, the Craftlord of Iron! I'll win this tournament no matter who stands in my way!"
"And I was the son of a Craftlord candidate!" Silver answered as well. "And while I don't think it'll guarantee my victory, I know that I can count on his blood that runs through my body to give me strength and help me forge to the best of my abilities!"
"I admire yer confidence," Bron nodded. He looked at Cleru and continued. "Yer father was a great man, and earned the respect of everyone in Wystern. But ya can't expect to win the tournament just 'cause yer his kin." Now he looked to Silver. "And yer father was a good man too. I can see his son learned that nothin' is given in this world, but earned. You both could go far in this tournament."
"Thank you Master," Silver smiled.
"But I'm gonna be blunt!" the large man cut him off. "Neither of ya have the skill or the brains to win this tournament. Cleru, you don't even have the skill to win yer first battle. Silver, I can see you MAYBE winnin' the first match, but just barely."
"Th-Thank you for your brutal honesty Master," Cleru spoke up. "…I think."
"But ya don't have to worry," Bron continued. "B'cause I'm gonna tell ya how to take this tournament!"
"But, we've never even crafted a weapon on our own," Silver protested, not sure where the man was going.
"Quit yer whining' Silver," the Guild Master stopped him. "I'm gonna give ya a little boost… Just remember that I've got other apprentices in the tournament, an' I'm not gonna play favorites with any of ya."
"Right," Cleru and Silver nodded in unison.
"Good, now the two of ya follow me to my room," the large man instructed, turning around. "I've got something' special for ya!"
The two friends followed the master into his bedroom, where they saw another man at the table. He was garbed in a green jacket and pants, with a hat of the same shade on. He wore a blue cloak that fell to his shins. If Silver remembered his lessons well, that man was a…
"Is that who I think it is, Master?" Cleru asked Bron.
"Tha's right," the large man nodded. "He's a summoner. I brought 'im to Wystern for one purpose, and one only. He's gonna summon the Guardian Beasts that'll become yer partners in battle. An' I've gotta help him get ready."
"Right," Cleru said, turning to look at his friend.
Silver looked at him, and saw his eyes sparkling. The brown-haired boy felt the same way. They were finally getting Guardian Beasts! This was big! The boy began to wonder what his would look like. Would it be male or female? Would it look human or like something completely random? Would they get along with him?
"Why're ya both is surprised? Bron asked, braking into his thoughts. "Did ya think ya would win the tournament all by yerselves?"
"Well, no but," Silver started off. "Have I really earned the right to a Guardian Beast?"
"Do we really deserve to have one?" Cleru asked as well. "We were taught that only skilled Craftknights should have Guardian Beasts."
"The only way yer gonna win this tournament is if ya stop playin' by the rules," Bron advised them. "Take the Guardian Beasts. Yer gonna need 'em. Now do what ya came here to do, Summoner."
"Indeed Bron," the man said, and turned to Cleru. "Tell me child, what do you think of Shintetsu?"
"…I guess," the boy began. "I always hear about the respect my father garnered, but I know next to nothing about him. I'd love to learn about what he did, and who he was. I want to be a person that is as respected and loved as he was."
"…Bron, it seems that Shintetsu's child was raised well," the summoner commented.
"Of course," the Guild Master said matter-of-factly. "He was raised by Amariss!"
"The bonds between parents and their children are very special," the man agreed.
"Yer mother was the best teacher either of ya could've had." Bron explained to the boys when he saw their faces. "She taught ya how to survive an' thrive."
"She was a bit over protective," Cleru admitted quietly. "She rarely scolded us when we were growing up… But we always listened when she did."
"And boy, was she strict!" Silver put in with a laugh.
"Remember that Amariss had to act as a mother and father to both of you," the summoner reminded them. "She had to discipline you as Shintetsu and Claude would've."
"So most mothers don't threaten their children with spankings?" Cleru asked.
"Only the smart ones," Bron laughed. "Now it's time to get yer Guardian Beast!"
'Not quite yet Bron," the summoner stopped him. "I have one last question for Cleru. Boy, did you grow up preferring the strictness of Shintetsu, or the kindness of Amariss?"
"Honestly?" Cleru asked. "I'd have to say Mom's kindness. She kind of made us WANT to do as she asked when she was nice!"
"Heheheh, so true," Silver grinned beside his friend.
"…My questions are finished," the summoner finally said. "Let us begin the ritual. I need something important to you in order to call forth the Guardian Beast that is bonded with you."
"I don't really have anything on me like that," Cleru admitted after a second.
"…I've got something," Silver spoke up, remembering the item he received earlier. He pulled the red pouch out of his pocket and handed it to the silver-haired boy. "Bro, Amariss wanted me to give this to you. She said it was the good luck charm your dad used to carry around."
"…Right, now take hold of the Summonite Gem," the man instructed, handing a gem to Cleru.
"What's a Summonite Gem?" he asked.
"Seriously Cleru, don't you ever pay attention?" Silver sighed. "It's the magical stone used to call forth a Summon Beast."
"That's correct," the summoner nodded. He looked at the silver-haired boy carefully. "Now focus your thoughts and wish for a Guardian Beast to aid you in battle. Concentrate!"
The man turned to the empty space that was most of Bron's room, and raised his hands to the ceiling. A ball of pure energy appeared in a flash in front of them, creating a gust as it pulsed. It was a faded purple, and continually moved about.
"Now I will open the portal into the other world, using the words and methods of the ancients." the summoner explained to them. He looked back at the pulsing energy, and spoke loudly. "Hear me, noble beast! Hear me and submit to my power! And now, shout thy name! The name of the new bond! Thy master shall be…"
"CLERU!" the boy called out.
There was a flash of light, and everyone was blinded. As they regained their sight, they saw a female standing - or actually floating - where the ball of energy had been a few seconds prior. She had pink hair, and wore a skimpy black outfit. It only covered her chest, pelvis, wrists, and shins! On each piece of clothing there was a small collection of pink fur. Around her neck was a ball of the stuff, while around her legs and arms it wrapped around the limbs. She had on this weird neck piece that separated into four longs extensions, two branching out on each side. At the end of each piece, which went all the way down to her feet, was a miniature sword, looped onto the ends.
"Is this Wystern?" she asked, looking around.
"Wow, she's cute," Silver thought to himself.
"Cool, who're you?" Cleru asked, walking up to her.
"…Hello, " she said. "It's nice to meet you. Please… be kind to me."
"Huh?" the boy questioned, confused. "I mean uh, sure. No problem!"
"How 'bout that!" Bron exclaimed. "I didn't expect ya to call forth th' same Guardian Beast as yer father!"
"You know her?" Silver asked beside the man.
"Yeah," he grimaced. "Her name is Sugar, and she's… well it's kinda hard to explain."
"You're the child of Shintetsu, aren't you," she asked, looking at Cleru. She squeed when he nodded. "Good, very good."
Without a warning, she leaned in and kissed Cleru. He blushed deeply, and fell onto his butt. Silver laughed, but couldn't keep back the feeling of jealousy he had. No fair! How come HIS Guardian Beast was cute, AND wanted to make out with him?
"W-Whoa!" he stammered, trying to get up. "Wh-What was that for?"
"Heheheh, I think she likes ya!" Bron joked. He turned around and walked out of the room. "Anyways, ya got yer Guardian Beast. Now follow me to the second floor!"
"That was my…my first kiss," Cleru said quietly.
"Are you…upset with me?" Sugar asked sadly, her eyes starting to water up.
"N-No!" the boy stammered, afraid he would make her cry. "I was just caught off-guard. Please, don't cry."
"You… You mean it?" she sniffled.
"Of course," Cleru smiled at her. "I'm not mad or anything. Just, ask next time, okay?"
"N-Next time?" Sugar blushed. She did a small spin and jumped (can she really jump if she's floating?) in the air. "YAY!"
"…Right," the silver-haired boy said, giving her a weird look. He turned to Silver and continued. "I think me and Sugar should follow Master. Catch up with us after you get your Guardian Beast."
"Got'cha Bro," the brown-haired boy grinned, watching as they walked away. Then he turned to the summoner. "So, shall we begin?"
"Yes," the man nodded "Tell me boy, what do you think of your father Claude?"
"…Dad?" Silver whispered, considering the question.
How was he supposed to answer that one? There were so many things he could say, what with all of the things people said about him. Some said he was a great man, even better than Shintetsu at times. Others said that he had so many issues that he couldn't bear the strain, and went mad. There were so many things that could have been said about Claude, and many more became available after his death. Rumors spread like wildfire, and soon he was known as the 'Two-Faced Candidate'. Silver never saw him as that though. No, he only saw what his Master and Amariss had seen and told of him, a good man that fought for what he believed in, and died for it too.
"…I know my dad," Silver started quietly. "I know who he is, what he did, and how he lived. I know everything that those close to him were willing to tell me. Everything I've heard… and what I believe in… I want to be like my dad! If I can live as he did, with friends, family, and a good life to live, then I'll be content!"
"…It seems that Amariss has raised you well, alongside your friend," the summoner smiled. "Next question. What is most important to a Craftknight?"
Yet another tough question to answer. Silver thought about what his father might've said, thinking an answer would present itself within the way he worked. The man had been a good weapons maker, but he had always held a close connection with those around him, as well as the world he lived in. At least, that was what Amariss had told the boy. Silver knew that it was the right thing to say.
"…A consideration for living things," Silver told him, conviction in his eyes. "A Craftknight must take the natural order into account each time he forges a weapon. All of his creations must embrace nature, instead of reject it."
"I see," the summoner nodded. "Although, a Craftknight must be more than a simple tree-hugger. they must also be a fighter, should they not? Otherwise, they could not protect the nature they so love."
"A Craftknight must know how to fight, yes," the boy agreed. "But our profession isn't all about fighting and defeating whatever stands in our way… To take the life of another is never the answer… One day, I intend to craft a weapon that will end all of this fighting! It'll be a tool to protect those close to me, and save the ones that need it! My creations will never take a human life, and that is something I intend to make sure happens!"
"Hmmm…" the man started quietly. "You are a strange one. Tell me boy, what does love mean to you?"
That was a random question! Just what exactly does love have to do with the Craftlord tournament? Oh, right, it's not for that, it's for getting a Guardian Beast. Silver pondered this question. There were many ways to say what love meant. But it varied upon the individual. No two people shared the same beliefs about love. Sure there were common ideas about it, but everyone had their own little notions that made their versions of 'love' different. To Silver, it meant many things. Caring, protecting, and staying true were only a few of his beliefs in love…
"Love is…" Silver began, his mind grasping the one concept that stood apart from the rest. "…Love is, that feeling you get when…when you've found that someone special in your life. It fuels your every action, and gives you strength when in doubt. You know it when you realize that you can't stand to be away from them, not even for a second. It's almost like a disease… But love is so much better than that. I could keep telling you what I think about love, but then you'd be here for another hour at least."
"Heheh, that's a fine answer," the summoner grinned. "Let's begin the ritual. Would you please hand me something of importance to you?"
"…My tags," the boy smiled, removing them from around his neck. "The only things I have left of my parents…"
He held them in his hand, just staring at them. His mother, who made the front one just before she left, and his father, who held the back one up until his last day… He closed his hand, and pressed it along with the tags to his chest. Silver knew they had died doing the right thing, even if Bron and Amariss withheld most of the events of that dreadful night.
Reluctantly, the boy handed his memento to the summoner, and received the small shard of Summonite from him. Once more, the ball of pure energy was created, and Silver could feel his heart beat faster in his chest. Today was the day he'd become a true Craftknight, and receive a Guardian Beast. Today was the day he would make a new friend, a partner, and someone he'd be able to work with until he couldn't work any more! But at the same time, he was nervous. Things would never be the same after today…
"As with Cleru, you must focus your thoughts," the summoner explained. "Wish for your partner with all of your heart… Now then… Hear me, noble beast!" he continued, returning his attention to the energy that cast a faded light around the room. "Hear me and submit to my power! Shout thy name! The name of the new bond! Thy master shall be…"
"SILVER!" the young boy shouted, his confidence returning for a split second.
The light blinded him once more. As it faded, he felt something different touch him. Not physical contact, but spiritually, he felt…stronger, and a bit afraid. He opened his eyes, and gazed upon the one that would be his partner.
The being within the center of the room was small, and it's body was a golden yellow. It had blue eyes, the most shockingly blue that Silver had ever seen. It stood on four legs, or hooves for that matter, had long, pink hair that curtained to the side in the front, and across the body in the back. It also had a tail of the same color, which flowed down almost to the floor. It was a pony! But this one was different from the stereotypical ponies of this world. This creature had wings, of the same golden hue as it's body.
"…Are you… my Guardian Beast?" Silver asked, at a loss for words.
"…" the creature made a very quiet sound and backed away in fear. It's eyes dodged his gaze.
Why was this little one so afraid of him? All he did was ask if they were the one that was to be his partner! He slowly walked over to them, and got down on his knees, so that he was eye level with them. By the looks of the being, Silver guessed that it was a female. He smiled warmly at her, and spoke softly.
"It's alright," he began. The boy slowly extended his hand to her. "I'm Silver. What's your name?"
"…Eep," she squeaked, and backed away once more.
"You're a shy one, aren't you?" Silver commented with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, I don't intend to hurt you or anything. In fact, I'd love to be your friend."
"…" the small pony backed up into the wall, and squeaked out in fear.
"Am I…really that scary?" the boy asked, lowering his eyes. "I'm sorry…"
Silver got up and turned back to the summoner. The man returned the dog tags to him, and walked out of the room. With a sigh, the boy placed the tags around his neck, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He turned back to the small pony, and gave her a kind smile.
She continued to stare at him from her spot beside the wall. What made him appear so intimidating to her? Maybe he should try a different approach? If this little one was to be his partner, then he had to show her that he meant well, and that they could work together.
Slowly, he walked back over to her, holding his hands out, palms up. She tried to back up once more, but the wall prevented any such action. Finally, Silver stood in front of her, towering over the little one. He crouched down, getting eye level with her once more. He VERY slowly reached out his hand to her. She flinched as it came within an inch of her, but that was it. Silver let his hand rest atop her head, then gently moved to the side, and began to stroke her soft pink mane.
"Please," he began. "There's no need to be afraid of me. If I'm scary, or there's something about the way I look that you don't like, I can change it just a bit. Please, just give me a chance… My name is Silver, what's yours?"
"…Flut…" She trailed off. She had this really soft and kind voice. Silver kind of thought it was adorable.
I'm… sorry?" the boy tilted his head a bit. "I didn't really get all of that."
"Flutter…" she started quietly.
"Um, I'm afraid I didn't really catch it all again," he told her.
"My name…" she tried once more. "Is… Flutter…shy."
"It's Fluttershy?" Silver asked. He continued when she nodded slowly, smiling kindly at her as he spoke. "Well then Fluttershy, it's nice to meet you. I hope the two of us can become good friends."
Silver slowly got to his feet, and stretched his arms. He looked down at Fluttershy, who just kept to her spot against the wall. He sighed once more, and shook his head. His dog tags jingled as he did that, catching the small pony's attention. When she saw the one in the back, she gasped and came up to the boy. She got on her back hooves, and placed her front ones on his chest.
"Is that… Is that the tag of Claude?" she asked, the shyness from before gone.
"Y-yeah," Silver answered, surprised by her sudden change in personality. "It's all I have left of my father…"
"He was your dad?" the small golden pony questioned. Her eyes lit up when he nodded. "Oh, how wonderful!"
"W-Why?" the boy asked, not sure why she had changed so much.
"You see, my mother was your father's Guardian Beast," Fluttershy explained. "About four years ago, our parents made an agreement. Your father promised my mother that his child…you… would forge a bond with one of her children. She promised that it would be her first born child, which was me… When Claude died, my mother gave up hope in trying to find a way for their promises to be kept. She told me that maybe one day I'd find him, but I could just as easily be bonded with another random Craftknight… I'm so glad that we met Silver! Mother always told me about Claude, and always said that his son would be just as kind, and as respectful as he was."
"I uh, thank you," Silver said. "I'll uh, try to be like my father."
The boy and his new Guardian Beast walked out of the room. They took a right, and found themselves at the base of a flight of stairs. Slowly, the began their ascension to where Bron was supposedly waiting for them. They reached the top, and looked around. They stood in what appeared to be a lobby, with six different doors around it. The large man Silver had come to call 'Master' entered the lobby from the first door in front of the stairs, and looked at the two of them.
"Ey, ya finally got yer Guardian Beast!" he exclaimed, making Fluttershy flinch and hide behind the boy's legs. "…Wha's wrong with her? Was it somthin' I said?"
"She's just a shy one," Silver explained, getting on one knee so he could look at his partner. He whispered into her ear so that his next sentence wouldn't be heard by Bron. "Don't worry Fluttershy, Master Bron might seem intimidating, but he's really just a softie. Just don't laugh at him, and there won't be any problems…"
"What're ya whisperin' about?" the large man questioned.
"Oh, nothing," Silver grinned, avoiding the man's gaze. "Just telling her she doesn't have to worry."
"Oh there's plenty o' reason ta worry!" Bron warned with a glint in his eyes. "Yer both gonna hafta fight yer way to the top! But before we get into any details, follow me over here."
He led them to a room in the farthest corner away from the stairs. Bron took out a key, and unlocked the door. The three of them walked into the small corridor on the other side, and approached the opening in the right side of the wall. Upon going through, Silver and Fluttershy found themselves in what looked to be a Craftknight workshop, built for two.
At the back of the room was a large forge. It had the smelter, anvil, and other assorted tools and items needed for crafting weapons. To the left side of the room was a large bed, one that could easily hold two or three people. At the right side of the room was a desk, with a quill, parchment, and other note taking items. There were two rugs about the whole room. One was under the desk, the other was at the foot of the large bed.
"Here ya are," Bron smiled. "Only tournament entrats are allowed into the workshop on the second floor. This'll be yours."
"This…is ours?" Silver asked, stunned. "You're just giving me and Fluttershy this workshop?"
"Yup, I hope ya like it," the large man told them. "B'cause yer gonna be workin' here day an' night from now on."
"…You mean that I'm supposed to live here?" the boy questioned. "This is great!"
"R-Really?" Bron did a double take. "Aww, I had this whole speech planned out for when you rejected it."
"It's okay Master, you can give it anyway," Silver laughed kindly.
"Hmph!" the man huffed. But he didn't argue about it. "If ya wanna be a Cratlord, if ya wanna win the tournament, then ya gotta be willin to go the distance. There ain' no point in complainin' like a spoiled little brat!"
"…This was the speech you intended to give?" the boy thought aloud.
"Let me finish!" Bron told him. "Anyways, Amariss agreed with me, sayin' that ya should live here durin' the tournament. The decision's already been made for ya. But be happy 'bout it! Ya get to follow in yer father's footsteps, like ya wanted to. Be proud!"
"Yes Master!" Silver nodded, a large grin on his face. He liked the sound of that.
"Good," the man nodded. "Now, tomorrow I'll teach ya my secret techniques of weapon-forgin'. I'd start today, but I'm a busy man. I'll let ya know when I'm ready to start yer lessons. Just hang around 'til then."
"Yes Master," Silver told him. The large man walked out of the room, and the boy turned to his partner. "Can you believe this Fluttershy? Our own workshop! It's almost like a dream come true! I wish you had fingers, because then you could pinch me to make sure I'm not dreaming!"
"I'd r-rather n-not…" she stammered.
"Still a bit shy around me eh?" Silver noticed. "How about we go outside, since we won't have anything to do for a bit? There is a place I'd like to show you."
The boy walked out of his new workshop, and waited for his partner to follow. Fluttershy was a bit slow at first, not really sure if they should leave. But once Silver told her that it would be a good amount of time until Bron was ready to teach, she was a bit more willing to follow along.
He led her down to the first flight of stairs, and out the front door of the guild. When she saw the town at first, Fluttershy cringed, and backed into the building. Silver understood why, and quickly walked back in to encourage her. She had seen so many people, and was afraid of how they'd act towards her, as well as the stench about the city. Having grown up in Wystern, he had never smelt it, but then again, that was basically all he had ever smelled. He just stroked her soft mane, and told her that the people wouldn't bother her. They would just go about their business, and leave the two of them alone.
Once Silver finally got her to give the outside world a chance, he led her around the side of the Silver Guild building, and over to a ladder. He slowly climbed up to the roof of the building, with Fluttershy right behind him, using her wings to scale it. The two of them sat on the ledge at the top, just looking out over the town as the sun set.
It cast a golden glow about Wystern, and the sea waves crashing against the shore added a soothing sound to it. Silver sighed in content, and looked over at Fluttershy, who was just staring into the horizon. He smiled, seeing her like that.
"This is my special place," he told her. "I come here when I need to escape the hardships of being a Craftknight, or when I really need to think something through. No one bothers me while I'm here, and it's always so peaceful around this time."
"It's so beautiful up here," she smiled. "I can see why you like this place so much."
"…Recently, I've been visiting this spot more and more," Silver admitted to Fluttershy. "…I've been having these dreams… memories really… about the last night I saw Mom and Dad. Every time, I see my mother go out into the rain, then Bron takes me to Cleru's place, and finally I wake up. I've had them before, yeah, but now these dreams are starting to happen more often."
"…Master Silver?" Fluttershy asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Please, just call me Silver," he smiled at her. "We're partners and friends, not master and servant."
"Um, o-okay," she stammered. "What…What if those dreams mean something? Like maybe that something is going to happen soon?"
"…You might be right Fluttershy," Silver agreed, looking back at the sunset. "But at the same time, I hope you're wrong. I've got this feeling that whatever it is, if something happens it won't be good."
"…"
"…I think I'm going to head back in now Fluttershy," Silver told her, moving for the ladder. "Meet me back in the room when you want."
The brown-haired boy climbed down the ladder, and began his walk back to his new workshop. As he reached the second floor, he remembered that he hadn't talked with Cleru yet. Walking over to his friend's door, Silver knocked and waited for an answer.
"Enter," came Cleru's voice.
"Hey Bro," Silver called as he opened the door. "Just came by to see how you're settling in."
"Ah, Silver!" his friend exclaimed. "Sugar, this is my closest friend, the one I was telling you about."
The brown-haired boy entered the room, and took a look around. This workshop was almost exactly like his, except it was maybe a bit smaller, and it didn't have the hall like his. There was also a blue glowing sword embedded in a pedestal beside the door. Cleru and Sugar were standing by the forge, looking at him.
"So this is the boy that you say is the better Craftknight," she commented, looking him up and down.
"I'm really not that much better," Silver replied modestly. "I can make drills just a bit better than him, but that's it. He has me beat when it comes to swords."
"…I like him," she told Cleru, making the brown-haired boy blush. "If I wasn't engaged to you, I'd be all over him."
"Whoa! What now?" Silver exclaimed. He looked at Cleru, who was looking away. "You and her are getting married! Man, you two work fast!"
"It's not like that!" his friend argued, a blush on his face. "She says that my father promised that his child, me, would marry her!"
"It's true," she giggled beside the boy. "Back when I was his Guardian Beast, and he got married, he promised Master Cleru's hand in marriage."
"That's… different," Silver grinned. "Well, I wish nothing but the best for you two!"
"S-SILVER!" Cleru cried out. "You gotta help me! I'm not ready for marriage yet!"
"Hmph!" Sugar huffed. "I'll have you know that I intended to wait for when you were!"
"Ohhh, ya got her all riled up now!" Silver laughed. "Sorry Bro, but I can't intervene in someone's love life. This is something you have to work out with her, not me."
"Thank you Silver," Sugar smiled at him. "Maybe you can be the best man at our wedding?"
"I'd love to," he nodded with a smile. Then he had a hilarious thought. "And Bron can be the ring-bearer!"
"…Pfft!" Cleru let out, trying to hold back a laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"What's so funny?" Sugar asked. "I don't get it."
"Try picturing Master Bron in a tux, carrying a pillow with two rings on it," the silver-haired boy explained.
"…Hmhmhmhmhm," she chuckled as she thought up the large man in that outfit. "That would be funny!"
The group was interrupted by a knocking at the door. When Silver opened it, they saw it was Fluttershy. She walked in, and looked around. Her eyes rested on Cleru and Sugar, and she backed up into her master. She jumped when she felt him, and he smiled kindly at her. The boy got down on his knees and began to soothe her.
"Who's this?" Cleru asked.
"Oh, this is Fluttershy, my Guardian Beast," Silver explained, looking at his friend. "She's a little timid, but she's really nice too. Go ahead Fluttershy, introduce yourself to them."
Reluctantly, she stepped forward and held out a hoof for Cleru to shake. He looked at her for a second, then smiled. He slowly reached down and shook her hoof. Fluttershy repeated this process with Sugar, then quickly retreated to a spot by Silver.
"I'm… I'm sorry," she apologized to them. "I-I just…"
"Don't worry about it," Cleru smiled at her again. "I understand that it's who you are. Maybe we can be friends after you've gotten a chance to know me and Sugar."
"Yes, it's nice to meet you," Sugar bowed to the pony. "Tell me, what realm do you originate from?"
"I…I come from the realm of Maetropa," Fluttershy answered. "Also called Equestria by…some of us."
"Realms? What?" Cleru asked.
"Bro, you seriously need to pay attention when Master Bron is talking," Silver sighed. "There are four realms in the Spirit World, one for each attributed Summon Creature. There is the realm Silturn, which houses the fire type summons, and the realm of Sapureth, where the water spirits live. There is also Loreilal and Maetropa, the Machina realm and the nature realm respectively."
"Someone studies their textbook constantly," Cleru commented.
"Master told me to pay close attention to that section," the brown-haired boy laughed. "I want to be the best Craftknight I can be, so I need to make sure I'm learning the material as best I can."
"So, you're from Maetropa," the silver-haired boy asked Fluttershy.
"Y-Yes," she stammered. "But, can you please call it Equestria?… That is… If it's not to much trouble…"
"Sure, we can do that," Cleru nodded, smiling at her once more.
"…I think that's enough for one day," Silver yawned a few seconds later. "I think me and Fluttershy will head to our workshop and get some rest. Something tells me tomorrow is going to be eventful."
"Alright then, night," Cleru waved him out. Sugar stood behind him, waving as well. "You're probably right, but I think me and Sugar will go for a walk before then. I could use the fresh air."
Silver and Fluttershy watched as Cleru and his partner walked down the stairs into Wystern. Then the two of them went into their room, and walked up to the bed. He noticed that it would be large enough for both of them, and smiled. Evidently, Bron had set things up like this. Shaking his head, the boy let Fluttershy take the side against the wall, so she wouldn't accidentally roll out of bed. He crawled in after her and rested his head on the pillow. The small pony turned to him and smiled.
"Good night Silver," she whispered.
"Night…partner," he smiled at her.
Fluttershy blushed a bit, and turned around. Silver smiled, and closed his eyes. What an interesting day this had been! He managed to get himself into the Craftlord tournament, got to watch Cleru get a Guardian Beast, got his own right after that, and then Bron handed him the key to a private workshop, completely free of charge! Things were really starting to look up for him! The brown-haired boy sighed in content, and let himself fall asleep…
I.I.I Author's note I.I.I
What do you think? I plan to run this story just like the game, but following a side character's view. There will be times when the two converge, many actually, but mostly it will be bout Silver and Fluttershy. I won't alter major events in the story though. So for those of you that have played 'Summon Knight: Swordcraft Story', don't worry about major changes happening. I might have Silver take on other character's roles for certain points, but that is it. No actual plot changes.
Please review if you liked it! Heck, review if you didn't and tell me how I can improve! I want to get better as much as I possibly can, so whatever you say can get me on my way! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read this story!
Tory Mills/Silverwing Strong