Aha! I'm early today!
First off, I'd like to welcome the new followers of the story. Hope you stick with the Library for the long haul.
Second: No comments this week? Guess i didn't do anything overly amazing or overly bad. Middle road is always good, I suppose.
Regardless, on to the chapter!
Chapter 27: Magic Trick
"Again!" Shining Armor called out. The clang of metal on metal reverberated throughout the small yard that Celestia's guard was using for practice. The former Captain of the Guard was overseeing training today, at Celestia's request. He and his wife had rented an apartment in town in order to help out with the training regimen. At the center of the yard stood Ace and Tyr, both men sweating and panting lightly. Both were armed with their swords, Ace's shorter blade held in a reverse grip while Tyr held his in a two handed stance. At Armor's command, they charged one another, blades dancing in a deadly display. The other guards, located around the yard, cheered them on.
"It certainly is an interesting feeling watching two men fight with blades," Celestia murmured. She, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight sat together at a small table, watching the proceedings.
"Are they safe using real weapons?" Twilight asked, a little concerned.
"Tia enchanted the blades so that they can't cut," Luna explained. "At most, they'd just have some bruises."
"Which would be no cinch to heal!" Cadance pointed out. "Besides, they're getting better day by day. I doubt they'd get hurt that easily."
Luna looked over at the two duelists. Cadance was right, the four knights had been constantly training for the past two months. Tyr's swordsmanship had improved in leaps and bounds, and he had passed his marksmanship skills over to the other three as well. The other guards were improving as well, but the four Knights stood above them in every skill.
Barely any incidents had happened in the town, and the emotions of the townsfolk had cooled greatly. Many people were even stopping in the streets to speak to Luna, and a few even congratulated her on her pregnancy. It was peaceful.
A grunt from the yard drew her attention back, and she spotted Tyr pinning Ace to the ground, blade angled next to his throat. "I give," Ace said with a grunt. Tyr smirked and jumped back up to his feet, extending a hand to help his friend up. Ace took it, letting the taller man pull him to his feet. "Jeez. You sure you weren't some sort of sword master in a past life?"
Tyr chuckled. "Not as far as I know."
"Good work, you two," Grace said, coming over. She handed both of them towels with which to wipe themselves off. "Tyr, you're a natural."
"And I've got actual swordsmanship training," Ace joked, tossing the towel over his head. "But seriously Tyr, you're a fast learner."
"I'm a quick study, to be honest," Tyr admitted.
"And I'm still grasping the basics," Grace said with a sigh, looking down to the rapier on her waist. Out of the four of them, only Grace was falling behind with her weapon training. She had the lowest accuracy, and her skill with a blade was lacking. Despite that, she was more focused on her healing magic, able to project her healing aura to any wound as long as she could see it. She was the best healer out of the entire group, and yet she still felt inferior to the others.
"Hey, you're doing fine," Flash said, coming over. His longsword was strapped in a special sheath that he wore on his back, handle out far enough for ease of use. "It's our fault for giving you a weapon we can't train you in."
"Well… I prefer it, to be honest. This way, I can hit precisely what I want. Plus, puncture wounds are harder to treat than slash wounds."
"There's that medical know-how," Ace said with a grin, tossing an arm around Grace. "Although I thought doctors took that hippo oath thing."
"Hippocratic oath?" Tyr corrected.
"I was never a doctor," Grace pointed out. "So I never took it."
"Hey, Tyr!" Armor called. "Time for your lesson."
Tyr nodded up at him. Since he was still learning how to use his magic, he had asked for magic lessons from Twilight and Shining Armor. Twilight had been more than eager.
"Coming!" The violet haired girl jumped to her feet, only to have Cadance stop her. "Huh? What is it?"
"How about I practice with him today?" Cadance asked.
"You, Cadance? But…"
"What, you think I can't handle him? I was an Alicorn too, ya know."
"If she wants to, I don't mind," Tyr said. He sheathed Fenrir in the custom sheath Vanna had made for him. It had an opening shaped like a wolf's open maw, and runic designs adorned the sheath. He moved to the center of the yard.
"See? You've gotten to train him for almost two and a half months."
"Fine!" Twilight sat back down, frowning.
Cadance used her wings to float over to the yard, taking a place in front of Tyr. "Don't go easy on me, alright? Just cause I'm the Princess of Love doesn't mean I can't fight."
Tyr handed his sword to Grace, who took it with her as she moved away. "As long as you afford me the same courtesy, Princess."
"Of course!"
Tyr called his magic to him, the argent glow engulfing both his arms. Cadance did the same, her magic a very light blue. Armor cleared his throat. "Begin when ready!"
Cadance wasted no time. She flung her arms forward, a beam of light blue lancing out towards Tyr. His response was instant, wordlessly summoning a shield bearing soldier to deflect the attack. "Well done," She said, smiling. "You've gotten quick on the draw."
"Practice makes perfect," Tyr replied.
"Then, I'll make this a practice session to remember." Cadance's eyes glowed with power, as she rose slightly in the air. Her entire body glowed with magical power as her wings extended wide.
"W-what is she doing?" Grace asked, a little panicked.
"She's releasing the limits on her magic," Luna said softly. "Whenever an Alicorn wishes to use their full magical potential, it causes our eyes to glow like that. Cadance is planning on not holding back."
"Shining Armor," Celestia called. "Place a barrier around the yard so that they don't cause any damage. And Chrysalis?"
Chrysalis, perched in a nearby tree, stirred from her semi-nap to glance over. "Yes?"
"Could you place an illusion spell around the barrier so that no one outside would be able to see what is going on?"
"Very well."
Armor's magic lit up, a light pink similar to his sister's magic aura. A translucent pink bubble surrounded the yard for a moment before fading away. The only indication that Chrys had done anything was the green glow about her hands. "You may continue!" Celestia called out.
Blue magical energy seared across the ground towards Tyr, forcing him to dive aside. He tucked, rolled, and got to his feet, sending a trio of silver soldiers armed with lances charging at Cadance. The empowered woman blew them away with a sweep of her hand, using the other to send orbs of magic hurtling towards him. Tyr responded easily, covering himself in his Turtle formation. "You can't stay on the defensive in a magical duel," Cadance warned him. "You always use more magical energy to defend instead of attack!"
"Then I'll shift to the attack," Tyr murmured. A matrix made of his argent magic formed around his right arm. With a simple flex of his hand, the matrix whirled and the outline of the shield on his hand glowed. "Escalating engagement."
"What… what is that matrix?" Twilight asked, leaning forward. "I've never seen him do that…"
"I taught him that," Chrys said with pride. "I informed Master that in order to utilize his magic more efficiently, he needed something to focus it, make it easier to wield. So since his proficiency comes from creating his soldiers…"
"It's like he's using that to recall designs at a glance," Luna murmured.
"He is. Think of it like a computer: he saved designs in a file and is accessing them now."
"Sounds complicated," Dash murmured, dropping down behind Ace and hanging her arms around him. Twilight glared at her.
"Of course you'd think it was complicated. Well, I suppose figuring out how to layer the proper lattices and spell weaves…"
"Yeah. Totally complicated."
"Here I come!" Cadance sang out, magic gathering. But before she could strike, Tyr dismissed his turtle, and flung his arm up. Almost two dozen mounted soldiers materialized and thundered towards Cadance, lances lowered. She pushed herself out the way using her wings, and sent another blast of magic at Tyr. He dodged it, and sent another wave of cavalry, backed up by a sudden charge of spearmen. In the space of a few seconds, he had taken the momentum and was on the attack. Before one attack finished, the next was already charging in.
Cadance blasted another cavalry charge aside, blocking a squad of swordsmen from bearing down on her with a quick barrier. But Tyr's construct soldiers were coming in from every angle, forcing her to keep on defense instead of offense. But Cadance had never liked to be on the receiving end. With a loud roar, she expended her magic in all directions, sweeping Tyr's constructed army away in a rush of blue and silver. "You're not going to overwhelm me that easily, Tyr!" She declared.
"Fair enough," Tyr said with a sigh. The matrix around his arm grew in size. "Escalating Engagement, Second Stage! Siegeworks!"
To the shock of everyone watching, Tyr's magical aura expanded, spiraled up around him, and then a quartet of catapults materialized behind him, along with more squads of soldiers. As Tyr pushed his magic further, it was if he was leading an army. Cadance's eyes widened in surprise as Tyr gave the order. "Fire."
Huge silver stones came hurtling across the yard, kicking up huge piles of dirt as they impacted the ground around the Princess of Love. She rushed forward seeking to close the distance, but found lances shoved in her face. She sent her magic slashing left and right, but Tyr had reserves, with even the catapults flinging a constant barrage. But she was indomitable, smashing her way through the constructs with furious bolts of magic. She tore through a phalanx of spearmen with a blast of blue light, sending the constructs flying. The ground around her was pitted with craters, and dust from the blasts and impacts was slowly gathering. "He can't win like this," Shining pointed out.
"Why not?" Luna asked. Shining glanced back at her.
"Well, no offense to Tyr, but Cady and I trained specifically to fight large numbers of opponents."
"Why would you…" Twilight began, but almost immediately, she realized why. The first time Cadance had needed to fight, she had to fight…
"You practiced strategies to fight Changelings," Chrys said, looking over. "Oh, I'm flattered."
"Better safe than sorry," Shining pointed out. "We couldn't be certain if you would invade again."
"…Fair enough."
"So Tyr's ability to make constructs is working against him?" Twilight asked. She frowned. Cadance was working herself into a groove, almost dancing her way through Tyr's onslaught. She was moving closer and closer to the man.
"You misunderstand Tyr's actions," Chrys said, with a small smile. "My Changelings would have swarmed her, tried to overwhelm her with numbers. What my master is doing is deliberate."
"How so?" Celestia asked.
"I believe it will be made apparent momentarily. Do not forget the name of Tyr's sword."
"Fenrir, the most powerful of all wolves…" Twilight murmured. She glanced back at the battlefield. "Wait… that dust…"
Chrys's grin grew. "Now you see it."
The dust cloud had grown so large that it was almost impossible to see. Cadance looked around, confusion giving way to understanding. Tyr hadn't been aiming directly at her. He had wanted to build up a smoke cloud so that he could obscure his movement. She couldn't help but smile. "Looks like you've outmaneuvered me, Tyr."
In reply, there was only the loud howl of a wolf. Before Cadance could properly register the sound, a silver wolf leapt out of the dust at her, fangs bared. She barely managed to dodge it before another attacks. As she continued to fight off the wolves, their attacks came faster and faster. The Princess of Love grimaced, knowing her practice fighting large numbers would do nothing if she couldn't see. With that in mind, she gathered her magic together, forming a barrier around herself. With a thought, she pushed it outwards, blowing away all of the dust and removing the sight restriction. The sight that greeted her made her blood ran cold. The open space of the yard was full of silver wolves, with Tyr standing amongst them, Fenrir drawn. Grace looked shocked that he had somehow gotten the blade from her. "Ho… how did he…?"
"Wolves always travel in packs," Tyr said, smiling. "And this one doesn't need me to focus on it."
Cadance looked to the sword in his hands. The blade was glowing a soft argent color. She looked back to Tyr, a small smile on her face. "I'm not going to go down that easy."
"I know," Tyr said, grinning. He lowered the blade, one of the nearby wolves catching it in its mouth. He created a new sword, one made of his magic. "But you will go down."
Blue magic flared up, scattering the closest wolves. Cadance used the opening to fly straight for Tyr, magic lashing out towards him. Tyr dropped low, dashing forward as the pack of wolves howled to signal their charge. Cadance mirrored him, sending her magic jumping forward in a bolt to strike him. Tyr's magic blade deflected the attack, slashing through it like it was paper. With an unspoken command, a trio of wolves broke away from the main pack and went wide, flanking in on the charging princess. They didn't get far, as Cadance easily directed her flow of magic to sweep them away. But before she could fully redirect her attention, Tyr was in front of her, blade arcing towards her. She blocked it with a quickly made shield of her own magic that cracked under the attack. She pushed him off, only to have a magic wolf clamp down on her arm with its fangs. There was no pain, only a sudden numbness coming from her arm. She grinned, knowing that Tyr was using his magic to tire her instead of wound. How kind. But she was about to end their little match. Tearing free of the wolves upon her, she closed the distance between herself and the human knight in a flash, using the teleportation spell she had learned from Twilight. To his credit, Tyr managed to keep a straight face as she suddenly appeared only an inch away from him. In the span of an instant, Cadance felt a chill run down her spine. There was a darkness in the back of Tyr's eyes, behind the dark look of a man who had killed before and doing his best to not do it now. She shook away the thought, and pushed him down, magic flaring up as she drew her arm back. "Yield," She hissed, pinning him. All she got for her trouble was an amused chuckle.
"I should be telling you that."
"What?" Cadance, confused, drew back a bit. That's when her senses became aware of the sharp point of a blade situated a centimeter from her throat. She turned carefully, catching sight of the wolf Tyr had given his sword to, standing beside her with the blade aimed at her neck. "…How?"
"When you have a lot of wolves running around, it's hard to notice the one simply walking."
"You're a clever man, Tyr."
"In my previous profession, preparedness meant life or death," Tyr pointed out. "Plus, I had an eccentric grandfather."
"I see. Well, I should get up before Shiny gets the wrong idea."
The wolf with the sword moved back, letting Cadance get up easily. Tyr rose as well, retrieving his blade before dismissing the pack. Silence held the yard for a long minute before Grace broke it. "That was… impressive, Princess Cadance, Tyr."
There was applause, as the rest of the guards gave their opinion on the sparring match. Celestia clapped her hands lightly. "That was quite the impressive display, you two," She said softly.
"I don't think I've fought like that for a while," Cadance said with a chuckle. She glanced over at Tyr. "We should do this again sometime."
Tyr grinned. "Sounds fun."
Chrys was laughing from her perch in the tree. "It seems my Master has bested your wife, Shining Armor!"
"So he managed it once," Shining said, blushing ever so slightly. "Big deal."
"Next he'll be defeating you in swordplay!"
"That wouldn't be so difficult," Cadance said, coming over. She took a towel from a side table and wiped off her forehead. "Shiny always preferred the lance."
"Sounds like an unfair match," Luna murmured, eyes never leaving Tyr as he came over to their table. The training in the yard resumed just as he moved over to his fiancé, leaning over to kiss her. She returned the gesture eagerly, lingering just a moment before scrunching up her nose at him. "…You stink, beloved."
Tyr flinched back, faking injury. "Ouch."
"It is to be expected," Celestia said with a giggle. "But I am not surprised embracing your future wife when you smell of sweat is not pleasant."
"Well, I can't really help it," Tyr protested.
Chrys spoke up. "Master. You have business."
Everyone looked up at the Changeling, who was in the process of lowering Tyr's phone from her ear. "Someone called?" Tyr asked. He had left his phone with Chrys so that it wouldn't get damage while he sparred.
"Yes. Her name was… Lyra Heartstrings." Chrys chuckled. "I believe she was quite surprised to hear my voice."
"I'm not surprised," Tyr said, getting his phone back from her. He turned back to the others at the table. "I guess I'll run home, take a shower, and then head over there. That alright with you, Princess?"
"I will be fine, beloved," Luna assured him. "Do not worry."
"You won't be lonely?" Chrys teased, but a sharp look from Luna caused her to cut off and start giggling.
"Be good, Chrissy, I'm leaving you here with her," Tyr pointed out.
Chrys looked upset. "But… Master…"
"Although we have welcomed your presence amongst us, others may not be so quick to accept you," Celestia pointed out.
"But…! But it's been almost four months…" Chrys was almost whining, and Tyr rolled his eyes. He motioned slightly, and the Changeling leapt from the tree, landing close to him while using her wings to lighten her landing. She almost eagerly leaned into the loving touch he placed on her cheek. She sighed as the comforting thoughts he had become even clearer through their physical contact. […You know I love you dearly, Master, and that separation makes me miss you all the more]
[I'm well aware,] Tyr thought back with a chuckle. [I love you too, but I'm doing this so you don't get hurt]
[…Very well. I almost envy Luna for being the one to marry you]
[Maybe if we had met sooner, it would have gone differently]
[You know… I do not believe I would have liked that]
[Oh?]
[Because my life with you and Luna is much more fulfilling.] Tyr was caught off guard by the honest answer, but his shock gave way to genuine fondness.
[Thank you for that]
Chrys smiled at him. [Of course, Master.]
"You know," Cadance murmured, "If I didn't know better, I'd think you two were having an intimate moment."
"Do not worry yourself," Chrys said, handing Tyr back his cell phone before returning to her perch in the tree. "I am wholly devoted to my Master, and my Mistress. I would never attempt to come between them."
All eyes went to Luna. Before anyone had the opportunity to ask a question, the Princess of the Night snapped a reply almost automatically. "Then if that one night has made me your Mistress, then I command you to be silent."
Chrys opened her mouth to reply, before simply closing her mouth and nodding. […As she wishes]
Tyr shook his head. "…Be good, you two."
Chrys nodded. Luna smiled over at him. "I will see you soon, beloved."
"Night willing," Tyr said, using Luna's normal parting blessing. He gathered up his belongings, hooked Fenrir onto his back, and left the compound Celestia had gotten for herself as a base for the Royal Guard. It was a spacious building, but empty since all the guards did not stay there. Most of them had their own families. All except Grace, Tyr thought as he climbed into his truck. As far as he knew, the girl lived alone. Hm. He'd have to ask about that one day.
He drove back to his home, showering quickly. The only one in the house was Snow, and the not-so-little kitten was asleep on the couch. He gently stroked the kitten once he was out of the shower, eliciting a soft purr. He got dressed, gathered his things, and drove out to the apartment complex where he had previously met the musician. As he pulled up in front of it, he noticed a large number of things were set out of the front in a big pile. "Guess someone's moving out… or in," He murmured to himself. He wasn't much of a rubbernecker, so he quickly headed up and into the complex. It didn't take long for him to find the apartment he had gone to so long ago. He gave the door three sharp knocks. There was the sound of shuffling feet, and then suddenly the door opened. Lucky for Tyr, the woman answering the door was completely clothed.
It didn't seem to help Lyra all that much.
The woman blushed furiously upon seeing him at the door. "T-Tyr? I wasn't expecting you so soon…"
Tyr raised an eyebrow. Lyra was dressed in a casual suit, with her hair tied back into a bun. She looked a lot more professional than the last time he had met her. "Am I… interrupting anything?"
"Ah… no. Please, come in." She moved aside to let the man enter. It was a bit tidier than he remembered, and he was mildly surprised to see Octavia at the kitchen table. She looked up as he came in.
"Oh, hello again, Tyr. I suppose you're here to fix our dishwasher?"
"That's what broke?" Tyr asked, glancing over at Lyra. She nodded.
"Vinyl overwhelmed it," Octavia said with a sigh. "I asked Lyra to call you."
Tyr nodded wordlessly. He moved over to the dishwasher and began working at the door. It came off without difficulty. Lyra came over to see what he was doing while Octavia went back to reading. "Um… Tyr?"
"Yeah?" Tyr asked, leaning into the inside of the dishwasher. He needed to get into the guts of the thing, so he began unscrewing the inside panels.
"I wanted to… um… apologize for my behavior the last time you were here."
"Your… behavior…?" Tyr frowned. He remembered Lyra making a lot of dirty comments and jokes the last time she was here. She was nothing like that now. "Now that you bring it up, you're a lot different now than you were then."
"She was drunk when you first met her," Octavia pointed out. Lyra's blush deepened.
"Oh… well, that explains a lot."
"I regret everything I said back then," Lyra said solemnly. "I really hope I didn't offend you."
"To be honest, it was kinda funny," Tyr said with a short laugh. "It was just… I don't get hit on often."
Both girls paused at that. "Is that true?" Octavia asked. "It seems to me you'd be working harder to keep them away."
"Or beating them off with a stick," Lyra said. "I mean, I was crude when I said it, but you are pretty handsome."
Tyr smiled. "I appreciate the thought, but no, actually."
"Hm… I guess it's because anyone can see that you're really devoted to Princess Luna."
"I suppose that's fair."
"You… you really love her, huh?"
Tyr paused in his work. He moved out of the dishwasher and sat up, looking at Lyra. The lyrist was frowning and looking away, although Octavia was also looking at her. "…Why are you afraid of Luna?"
"It's not that I'm afraid of Luna," Lyra began, speaking slowly and choosing each word carefully. "I'm afraid of what she was."
"What she was?"
"I'm almost certain you'd have to have heard. Luna was formerly the Mare in the Moon, or Nightmare Moon. She tried to bring eternal night to Equestria. Scared the hell out of all of us."
"It was pretty terrifying," Octavia added. "Although Twilight and her friends dealt with the issue pretty handily."
"But what if Nightmare Moon wasn't gone?" Lyra pointed out. "People say that the darkness was only banished, that it could still come back…"
"I don't think this is a proper conversation to be having, Lyra," Octavia warned, but it was a bit too late.
"…Are you that scared of her?" Tyr asked softly. Lyra frowned.
"Not like how she is now, but… what she was still terrifies me."
Tyr sighed. In the time he had come to know more about Luna, he knew that the quiet princess simply wanted to be appreciated and loved. Being feared depressed her.. "Lyra. I can appreciate your fears, but Luna is no more a threat to you than she is to my daughter."
"You have a daughter?" Octavia asked, grateful for the conversation change.
"Yes, her name is Sherry."
"Oh, I heard that name! I was having dinner with a friend of mine at a nice restaurant a week or two ago. It was the… 'Taste of Home' dessert, wasn't it?"
Tyr chuckled softly as he remembered the name Sherry had given her last minute winning entry to the competition. "Yeah, that's it. Did you like it?"
"It was delicious." Octavia smiled softly, remembering. "Oh, it was certainly divine…"
"Who did you meet?" Lyra asked, genuinely curious.
"You know him, Lyra. It was Silver Strings."
"Oh, I remember him! How is he?"
"Good, just…" Octavia frowned, remembering something unpleasant.
Tyr raised an eyebrow, a little confused. "What happened, Octavia?"
Octavia smiled over at him. "Call me Tavi, please. And Silver offered to… how did he put it… make a proper lady of me."
"A proper lady?" Lyra snorted. "What, does he think just because you aren't gloriously opulent, you're not a proper lady?"
"I don't think that's what he meant," Octavia said. Lyra caught on and shook her head.
"…Ew."
"See, that's just not polite," Tyr muttered, sliding back into the dishwasher. Octavia nodded in agreement.
"I told him as much. He told me it would not do for a woman of my caliber to stay single for very long."
"You fixed that line of thinking, right?" Lyra asked eagerly.
"Of course."
"You're in a relationship?" Tyr asked, a little surprised. From his first assessment of Octavia, he didn't see her as someone who put stock in relationships. He tilted up a bit just in time to see Octavia nod.
"In fact, I'm already married."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, in fact—"
"We're home!" The front door opened up and in walked Vinyl and Bon-Bon. The former went directly over to Octavia and moved behind her, arms slipping around her neck. "Miss me, Tavi?"
"The apartment is much quieter when you're not here, wubzy." Octavia smiled just slightly at the sudden display of affection, reaching up to rub a hand across Vinyl's arm. She glanced over at Tyr, whose expression of surprise wasn't as pronounced as she had imagined. "What, did you guess it?"
"I think 'wubzy' gave it away," Tyr joked.
"Guess what?" Vinyl glanced over at Tyr. "Oh, hey Tyr! I didn't even see you there, man!"
"I'm a quiet worker," Tyr said, noticing the matching rings on Vinyl's and Octavia's fingers. Guess two girls being together wasn't too uncommon for Equestrians. Or at least they had gotten married here in this world. He vaguely remembered Ace complaining about a female dominated society. "And to be honest, same-sex relationships don't surprise me as much as they used to. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if I'm a magnet for them." He slid the panels on the inside of the dishwasher back into place, his work finished. With the addition of Octavia and Vinyl, that made what, three of these relationships?
"Are you done?" Lyra asked. When he nodded, she turned around. "My purse was around here somewhere…"
"I got it," Octavia said. She handed Tyr a check she had already written. She must have been writing it while he was working. Lyra seemed a bit surprised, but didn't say anything. Tyr figured this sort of thing was common.
"Thanks," He said, taking it from her.
"It kind of was Vinyl's fault it broke anyway."
"Not my fault," Vinyl protested. The girls all broke out into a laugh, and even Tyr found himself smiling. He might have to hang out with them a bit more often. For now though, he had to be leaving, and he let them know. Vinyl and Bon-Bon were noticeably upset, mainly because they had just got there. But after Tyr promised to stop by sometime with Sweetie Bell, they relented. It was almost transitioning into evening as he made it outside, and he as greeted with another confusing situation. The owner of the apartment building was standing outside, in the middle of a heated argument with an Equestrian girl with light blue hair that bordered on white. She was extremely distraught, and the reason for that became obvious in moments.
"But you can't put Trixie out!" The girl protested. "I have nowhere else to go!"
"Not my problem if you can't pay the rent," The man said gruffly. "Can't pay, I got to kick you out."
"Please, just give Trixie time! I can get the money…!"
"Too late for that. I've given you a number of extensions, but you always come up short. Hate doing this to ya, lady, but that's how life is." He turned and went back into the building, leaving the upset woman to fall to her knees on the ground. Tyr could hear her quietly sobbing.
"Why must Trixie have such horrible luck…?"
Tyr let her be for a moment, but his inner chivalry wouldn't let him just leave the girl there. He moved over to where she was, standing quietly for just a moment before speaking. "Um… hey. Trixie. You alright?"
"Trixie does not need your pity!"
"I'm not trying to pity you. I simply wanted to see if I could help you."
Trixie looked up at him, her light violet eyes shining with tears. Despite the pitiful state she was in, Tyr couldn't say the girl wasn't pretty. Upon further inspection, her hair was bluish white instead of just white. It gave her a mystical look. "…Truly? You are not, as they say, pulling my leg?"
"Not at all, Trixie."
"…How do you know Trixie's name?" Tyr and the girl stared at each other for a long time. After a bit of thought, Trixie understood. "Ah… right. Trixie apologizes."
"So… about that whole third person thing…"
"Third person… ah. Trixie… er… I apologize. I am… was a performer, and I would always do it on stage. You get used to that sort of thing after a while."
"Makes sense. So, is there anything I can do to help?"
"Unless you have some massive house with multiple guest rooms, then I doubt it."
Tyr smirked. "I live in a castle. I think we have somewhere around ten extra bedrooms?"
Trixie's head snapped back around at his words. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're joking."
"If you don't believe me, I can simply show you."
"I… very well. I do not have much of a choice."
She sounded tired, Tyr noticed. Like she had been working so hard and for such a long time, and now she really doesn't see much good in her current situation. On top of that… her voice reminded Tyr of Chrys when she first began living with him and Luna and Sherry. Lonely. He figured he could at least be somewhat friendly. "You always have a choice. I'm just offering to help out."
"…then I will take you up on your offer." Tyr held out a hand to help her up, and she accepted it. She glanced over at her belongings. "But how will we transport all of Trixie's belongings?"
"I have a truck," Tyr said. He gestured over his shoulder.
"Ah, that will do just fine."
It didn't take much for Tyr to load up Trixie's things into the back of his truck. He noticed Trixie's Cutie Mark on the back of her hand as she neatly used her magic to lift her things. It was a wand with a star tip, trailing a path of stars. With her things packed up, the two of them got into the truck and drove off. Trixie was quiet for most of the drive, content to simply look out the window. After a few minutes, she finally asked a question.
"I don't think I ever got your name."
"Oh? Sorry about that. I'm Tyr."
Trixie frowned. "An unusual name."
"Speaking of which, you have the closest to a human name out of most of the Equestrians I have met."
"I suppose that is fair. Lulamoon does sound like a last name."
"…Lulamoon?"
"Do not laugh at Trixie!"
"I wasn't going to, but now I am!" Tyr began laughing, getting a deep blush from Trixie.
"Oh, you insufferable man! If it wasn't for your kindness…!" She trailed off, the threat she had wanted to say dying on her lips. Almost forlornly, she repeated the last word. "…Kindness."
"What's wrong?"
"Trixie has very little experience with kindness," Trixie muttered. "To be perfectly honest, you would be the first person to truly show me any kindness after Trixie ended up in this world. Although it would be Trixie's fair due, after all I have done…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Trixie was not the… nicest pony to ever grace Equestria. I created false stories about myself in order to make people fear me, and admire me. I told a lot of lies…" She sighed. "I made a fool out of myself on several occasions. It took Twilight and her friends to put me in my place."
"Did you ever apologize?"
"Yes, but… Trixie does not know if she was ever forgiven."
Tyr frowned. "Did you ever ask?"
"…No."
"Hm. Well, I happen to be friends with Twilight and the others. I could always help you talk to them."
"You… you would do that for Trixie?"
"Sure."
Trixie stared at him for a long moment before looking back out the window. "…I do not deserve your kindness."
"You wanted a friend, right? So let me be the first."
"You are…" She paused momentarily before chuckling softly. "You are a very nice person. Trixie would be glad to have you as a friend."
"Just no lies, alright?"
"Trixie agrees."
They pulled up in front of Tyr's home. He noticed a familiar car parked in the driveway, most likely belonging to Celestia. "Seems Tia brought them home…" He murmured softly to himself. He glanced back at Trixie, her eyes glued to the window.
"You… you were not joking at all, were you? You really DO live in a castle!"
He suppressed a small laugh. "Just grab your stuff. I need to see who's home."
"You live with others?"
"Yeah, my fiancé, my daughter, and my… er. My Changeling."
"I had not expected you to be engaged," Trixie murmured, getting out of the truck. She paused. "…Your Changeling?"
"You'll meet her in a minute," Tyr said with a smile. He felt the familiar gentleness of Chrys's thoughts on his mind. She was aware of him being home, and that he was bringing someone with him. "And what, didn't think someone like me would be looking to get married?"
"Well, you did just bring home a woman I have not met yet," A gentle, yet stern voice said. Tyr and Trixie looked up to find Luna coming from the front of the house. She had a small frown on her face.
Trixie looked a little worried. "P-Princess Luna? Trixie… Trixie did not…"
"You know you can't fake being mad at me with Chrys nearby," Tyr said with a small smile. Luna simply sighed and let a smile appear on her face.
"I suppose that is a fair point. Come inside, both of you."
Trixie moved to gather her things, but a powerful blue glow enveloped them and carried them to the house. She turned to see Luna moving her things with her magic, the Princess not even showing the slightest bit of strain. Guess there was much merit to the Alicorns being considered the most powerful beings in Equestria. Sitting in the living room were Chrys, Celestia, and Sherry, and all three of them looked up as the others entered. "Dad's home!" Sherry cheered, going over to her father and embracing her. Tyr embraced the girl back, squeezing her tightly.
"So you're the one who Master wished to help," Chrys murmured, looking over Trixie. She frowned slightly. "…I sense shattered pride in you."
"Ah, I recognize you," Celestia said. "You must be Trixie Lulamoon. Twilight spoke of you in a letter."
At the mention of Twilight's name, Trixie winced. "She… Trixie assumes she did not speak too fondly."
"She was… forgiving," Celestia said honestly. "But that is a matter you will have to bring up with my student. What brings you to Tyr's home?"
"I came across her being kicked out of her apartment building," Tyr explained, sitting on the couch. He set Fenrir against the side of the couch. Luna sat beside him, sliding into her favored spot against his side. "And since we have quite a few extra rooms here, I offered her a place to stay."
"Such a kind gesture," Chrys said with a small laugh. "It seems Fluttershy and Rarity are rubbing off of you!"
"In fact, perhaps Tyr is some aspect of all the Elements combined," Celestia said thoughtfully. "He is kind like Fluttershy, loyal like Rainbow Dash, honest like Applejack, generous like Rarity, and knows how to laugh like Pinkie."
Trixie frowned. She was about to ask about Twilight's element, the Element of Magic, but Tyr spoke up before she could. "I mean, those are all qualities a person can grow up with, right?" He said with a chuckle.
"True enough," Luna agreed. "I suppose it is easier to see such qualities in you since you are close to those who embody them."
"Daddy's just awesome in his own way," Sherry giggled, earning a kiss on the forehead from her father.
"Aren't you just the sweetest," Tyr chuckled. "Now, come on. It's been a long day, so you should get some sleep."
"Fine…" Sherry groaned, but giggled good naturedly. She and her father went upstairs.
Luna glanced over at Trixie. The girl was sitting quietly, not wanting to jeopardize her position. "You need not worry, Trixie. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need. I would not refuse you that hospitality."
"Thank you, Princess Luna," Trixie said.
"But do realize this," Luna said softly, although her voice had taken on a dangerous tone. "I may be gracious enough to allow you to stay here, but overstep your bounds and I will remove you."
Trixie swallowed hard. Luna's eyes were cold, her point clear. Celestia was looking out the window, her silence signaling her agreement. Chrys's face bore a look of plain amusement. In the span of a few seconds, it was made obvious to Trixie what lines she should not cross. "If I may ask…" She spoke up finally. "Why does she call him Master?"
"Because he owns me," Chrys said flatly.
"Owns… you?"
"Long story," Tyr said, coming back downstairs.
Trixie nodded. "Very well. Trixie will not ask."
"Wonderful," Chrys muttered. "We now know someone else who has a strange speaking habit."
"Oh, quit it, Chrissie," Tyr said with a smile. "Go show Trixie to one of the guest rooms."
"Very well, Master. Come along, Illusionist." Chrys got up and headed to the stairs. Trixie jumped up and rushed after her.
"How do you know…?"
Chrys smiled. "Someone with subdued pride like yours must have been hiding behind facades all their life. I can taste it with every word you speak."
At that moment, Trixie was certain. She was involved with quite the strange family.
-x-
"So we're having breakfast here?" Rainbow asked dryly. "Couldn't we have had breakfast somewhere else?"
"What, are you opposed to having breakfast here?" Twilight remarked. She and her five friends were walking up the short walkway that led to Tyr's castle home. It was the day after Tyr's sparring match with Cadance, and Twilight had thought she hadn't seen all her friends together in a long time. Late last evening, she had called all her friends and suggested they have breakfast together. Fluttershy had suggested they include Tyr and his family, and somewhere along the line it was agreed that it would be a surprise. Pinkie was excited.
"It's a surprise again!" Pinkie cheered.
"That's sort of why," Rainbow said with a roll of her eyes. "Plus, if it wasn't for this, I'd be having breakfast with Ace."
"I'm pretty sure Ace is with Flash this morning," Twilight said. "Princess Celestia called them in this morning, didn't she?"
"Oh. Well… whatever."
"Come now, Darling," Rarity said gently. "We have seen so little of Tyr lately, haven't we? It would be good to spend time with him."
"I agree," Fluttershy said.
"Yeah, whatever. I would have rather had Ace here," Rainbow pouted.
"And I'm sure Twi would like ta have Flash around too," Applejack said, elbowing her friend. Twilight blushed a bit and turned away.
"Yeah, whatever," Twilight said. "Let's just go in, shall we?"
Before another word could be said, Pinkie suddenly zipped up to the door. She sniffed it up and down, a frown on her face. "Pinkie-winkle, what are you doing?" Rarity asked.
"Something smells like… plot holes," She murmured.
"…Plot holes?"
"For us at least, cause we don't know the whole story."
"Pinks, what the hell…?" Rainbow murmured.
"Let's just go in before Pinkie gets any weirder," Applejack said, going up to the door. She knocked on it three times.
"Oh, hi guys!" Sherry greeted them at the door. "What are you doing here?"
"We decided to come by for breakfast," Twilight said. "You guys haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"No, Chrys and I were just about to get started. Come on in!" She turned and headed back inside, letting the six girls enter. As they rounded the corner to the dining room, they all paused. Trixie was sitting at the counter, aimlessly twisting a finger through her hair as she read a newspaper. As the sound of footsteps stopped, the former magician looked up, the shock on her face mirroring the looks from the six women staring at her. She coughed slightly.
"…Hello."
More silence. Finally, it was Rainbow Dash who spoke. "…What the hell are you doing here?"
"Before you begin running your mouth in your typical fashion, be silent," Chrys snapped, coming out of the kitchen. She was dressed in an apron and had a pan in her hands. "This one—Trixie—is a guest of this house."
"She's a guest!?" Rainbow seemed surprised. She turned back to Trixie, who gave her a nervous smile. "How on earth did you manage to trick Tyr to let you stay here?"
"Oh, would you quit your complaining?" An irritated voice from the couch snapped. Everyone turned just in time to see a shock of messy brown hair with silver streaks rise from the top of the couch. A young girl was sitting here, rubbing at her eyes. A pair of wolfish ears sat atop her head, and twitched irritably. "Odin's bones, you complain more than a small, hungry child!"
There was silence. Eyes went from the new arrival to Chrys and Trixie, who both looked just as confused. "…Who…?" Rarity managed to say, still confused. The wolf-eared girl frowned, and then her eyes snapped wide.
"…You… you all can hear me."
"And see you," Twilight confirmed.
"…Blood and thunder. I must have woken up more than I thought…"
"Who in tarnation are you?" Applejack demanded.
The girl scowled. "Wonderful. Now I have to answer to you all… what are you doing?"
The last comment was directed at Fluttershy, who had moved over to where she could examine the girl closer. She hadn't said a word before she had reached out to touch one of the girl's ears. "Oh! They're real."
"O-of course they're real!" The girl protested, jerking away from Fluttershy. As she scrambled away, Fluttershy caught sight of a wolf's tail trailing behind the girl. Seems the wolf characteristics followed all the way. "Don't get all handy with me!"
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"What's going on down here?" Tyr came down the steps then, Luna following in his wake. Both of them seemed surprised at all the people in their house. "Well, didn't know we were having a party today."
"Every day is party worthy!" Pinkie squealed happily.
"It seems we have a new housemate," Chrys murmured. She tilted her head to indicate the girl sitting on the couch, whose ears perked up.
"Alpha!" The girl said, a little surprised.
"Alpha?" Tyr repeated, a frown crossing his face. He stared at the girl for the longest time before some kind of recognition passed. "…You couldn't be. Fenrir?"
"One and the same!" The wolf girl grinned. "Nice of you to recognize me, Alpha!"
"Wait a sec," Dash said, holding up a hand. "Fenrir? Wasn't that the name of your sword?"
"It was indeed," Fenrir said, nimbly jumping up to the back of the couch and sitting there. "You all look upon the mighty Fenrir!"
"Mighty?" Applejack chuckled. "Mighty tiny is what I'd call ya."
Fenrir frowned. "…So I haven't regained all of my power yet, and I am restricted to this form."
"You are actually pretty cute," Fluttershy said, smiling.
"Wha… Don't call me cute!"
"Well, looking like that you can't help it," Tyr said with a chuckle. "To be honest, I didn't know you could take a physical form."
"I suppose your little match with that Cadance woman energized me enough. I was quite impressed at how you used the pack, Alpha."
"You were awake for that?"
"I only sleep when you sleep."
"I can sense her faintly, Master," Chrys pointed out. "She is who she says she is."
"The number of women you have in your thrall seem to increase daily, beloved," Luna said dryly. She was beginning to wonder if he was doing it on purpose, but she knew Tyr well enough to know it was simply dumb luck. Her fiancé chuckled softly.
"Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. Hopefully it stops at two."
"Agreed."
"No worries, Moon Princess," Fenrir said. "I know my place. Alpha is free to use me as a blade."
"Um…" Sherry peeked out from the kitchen entrance. "I have no idea what's going on, but breakfast is ready."
As if waiting for that moment, every stomach in the room rumbled, save Chrys's. "I think we'd all be happy to eat," Twilight said with a chuckle.
With that last comment, the large group of friends moved to the dining room, talking, laughing, and generally enjoying one another's company. However, just as they were beginning to enjoy their food and company, none of them noticed the faint twinge of magical energy shoot through the air as a large orb like barrier engulfed the entirety of the city, shrouding it from outside eyes. As the barrier solidified, a battalion of white gold armored soldiers marched in, each armed with a large shield and longswords. Their faces were obscured with face concealing masks and adorned with black circles where the face would be. At their head was a huge armored figure with a twin headed silver axe at his side. His armor was more decorated, and a long white scarf trailed behind him as he strode forward. He walked with confidence, stopping only once they were at the crossroads of two streets. The formation behind him neatly fell into ranks as their leader looked slowly around. A few Equestrian and human citizens stopped to look at the strange procession happening. A few even took pictures. As the leader stood watching, a second, slender warrior strode up beside him. "A penny for your thoughts, dear Taurus?" The second warrior spoke with a decidedly female voice. The first turned ever so slightly before replying in a deep bass voice.
"I can sense them, Pisces."
"Good! Are they all here?"
"Yes."
"Then we should do our duty and end this, no?"
Taurus nodded. "Then…"
"Actually, let me handle the bright ones," Pisces said excitedly. If one could see his face, they would have seen Taurus frown ever so slightly.
"…Very well. Take half of the warriors."
"I'm sure I won't need that much, but I will do so."
With a simple snap of her fingers, Pisces led half of the large group away, marching down the left most street. Taurus turned back to the pedestrians, the faceless mien of his horned helmet betraying no emotion. When he finally spoke, it was in an even tone.
"…Find the Princesses. Kill them. If any others resist, kill them as well."
I would have a witty comment or some such here, but I think the cliffhanger speaks for itself.
As always, thanks for taking the time to read my story, and favorite, follow or review as you wish. The Library Accepts all, and any input is good input.
Mae alssalama!
