Two days later, Trial's aura fades and he opens his eyes, looking exhausted and very hungry.
"What did I miss?" Trial asks as he turns around and stops at the sight of everyone around a campfire, looking very tired and even sees Sentire lying against Dusk as she had her eyes closed while her scythe is in her arms, even spotting some gloves on her hands. "What did I miss?"
"Trial!" Leone cheers as she turns to him and rushes over to hug him. "Finally. Princy wanted to cut you up and see if he can figure out your magic. I set him straight," she accuses as she points subtly to Dusk who raises an eyebrow at them.
"I will doubt he wanted to cut me open. Oh, and hand me William," Trial says.
"What for?" Leone asks as she picks up William and sets him down next to him.
Trial holds out a hand that glows green and the next thing Leone knew, William was staring down at them all.
"Oh…my…gods…THAT IS SO MUCH BETTER!" Leone cheers as she waves up at William.
"And now," Trial says before William returns to normal size.
"Aw. He's much cuter now," Leone fawns over.
"Here you go," Trial says handing William to her.
Leone hums happily and nuzzles William while he blinks slowly and nuzzles her back.
"So how far are we from Manehattan?" Trial asks.
"Another day and we should be clear," Leone says, still nuzzling.
"Alright…how far north from it is the Princes' location?" Trial asks.
"About…" Dusk spoke up, looking up his map and hums, "two days walk from the outskirts to the north I think," Dusk says.
"Great. Is there any food Leone?" Trial asks.
Leone smirks over to Spitfire and she digs into the bags before taking out a few strips of cooked meat and a can of corn. "I'll cook the corn for ya. We got the other stuff," Spitfire says taking away their cooking food and gave it to everyone before starting to cook the corn in a small pot.
Trial waited patiently for her to cook. Though anyone who watched him could tell he was dying to eat after meditating for so long.
"Come on. I got some appetizer meat strips," Spitfire offers as she holds up the meat while stirring the pot.
"Trial, you might as well put a ring on her," Leone says smirking.
Trial just ends up grabbing the meat and eats hungrily.
"He didn't say no," Leone says.
"Like he would," Spitfire voices as she points her spoon at her.
"Marriage and me…still long ways off if it happens," Trial informs.
"See," Spitfire points out, now pointing to him.
"Not say I wouldn't do it," Trial adds.
Spitfire blinks before going back to cooking.
"See," Leone says, showing William to her.
Spitfire rolls her eyes before taking the pot off the fire and keeps stirring. "Here," she says before placing it on the ground to let it cool down.
"Thank you," Trial says before gulping it down before it even cools.
"Take it easy," Spitfire says.
"Ah, good stuff," Trial says, not noticing to her shock.
"Okay…" Spitfire could only say.
"Ah, I like that," Trial says happily as the rest of the wonderbolts watch in some shock as well before snickering.
"Somepony likes Spitfire's cooking," Glide whispers.
Spitfire gives all the wonderbolts a look now.
"You best take the offer captain," one of them says smirking.
"Quiet," Spitfire orders in a leadership tone.
"I really like you," Trial says leaning his head onto her and her expression softens a bit.
"When's the wedding?" Rainbow asks teasingly.
"Oh, you included?" Trial asks, making her go silent as her face turned completely red as if she had eaten something incredibly spicy, making Spitfire smirk.
"Ha!" Vinyl laughs pointing at her.
'Maybe that wouldn't be so bad,' Spitfire thinks.
"So you ready Trial?" Leone asks, patting his back.
"For what exactly?" Trial asks flexing his hand, popping it a few times.
"To get on the trail again?" Leone asks.
"Yeah, I am," Trial says.
"Great. Guys?" Leone asks to everyone.
"Let them rest," Trial says patting Leone.
Leone purrs. "Okay. So who are you going to sleep with?"
Trial didn't respond.
Leone blinks before leaning over and pokes him. "Oh. Asleep. Looks like you are sleeping with him," she says, looking to Spitfire grinning.
"But he just woke up," Spitfire questioned.
"No. He came out of meditating and his body has been awake the entire time," Leone corrects.
"Oh…so he walks awake," Fleetfoot guesses.
"I carried him the whole time," Leone reminds.
"I mean in his meditation," Fleetfoot corrects.
"No, he can't and I carried him the entire time he was meditating," Leone repeats.
"She means in the spirit realm. She is talking that Trial's spirit is still awake and even when coming back to his body, his body will get all of it at once," Dusk clarifies.
"Oh…I do not know. Trial says it's something more you have to experience that can be explained," Leone says.
"Right…" Dusk simply says.
"You could probably go if Trial showed you how," Leone says.
"But…?" Dusk asks, knowing there must be one.
"Will he teach you how or have time?" Leone asks.
"What will he be doing that will keep him so busy?" Dusk asks.
"Simple, he will be working. If your princes pay us, we will start clearing out the monsters and you can take back the land," Leone says.
"How much we talking?" Dusk asks, ready to take a mental note.
"We will discuss that with them," Leone says smirking.
"Uh-huh," Dusk says unconvinced.
"Leone is not allowed to dictate the prize. That is left up to Trial," Sentire says nervously chuckling.
"I figured that," Dusk says turning to her before looking at the sleeping Trial as he snores quietly and wraps his arms around Spitfire to pull her close.
"But, after what we did at that last nest, you know we won't come cheap," Leone says smirking.
"And that's what I'm worried about," Dusk mentions.
"Seeing as the demand is high. You will have to pay us lots of drinking money," Leone says, her smirk becoming wider.
"I'll talk it over with them," Dusk grumbles.
"I like her," Vinyl says.
"You always did like the wild ones," Octavia laminates as she ate idly away.
"Don't worry my wife. She will be fun for both of us," Vinyl says.
"Would you please stop saying that?" Octavia requests frowning at her.
"Why?" Vinyl asks before giving a fake shocked gasped. "Are you embarrassed by me?"
"No. No. Just," Octavia starts in a fake tone, "you are the craziest pony I have ever lived with. And we know Berry."
"Oh, yeah. Wonder how she is doing with her bar now?" Vinyl questions.
"Maybe trying to prove her worth," Octavia points out.
"More like her taps are still flowing. I think she is a friend of a few of the generals," Vinyl says.
"Lucky her…" Octavia stops as she sees some of the others smirking. "Don't say a word."
"When was the wedding V?" Spitfire asks.
"Just before we left. Made it a shotgun wedding," Vinyl boasts grinning as she wraps an arm around Octavia. "Right hun?"
"WE DID NOT!" Octavia yelled so loud, nearby birds were scared off.
"Take it easy. Don't worry. I'll sleep close by tonight," Vinyl promises before giggling behind a hand.
"Her or Spitfire?" Leone says chuckling.
"Maybe both if Spits wants it," Vinyl says teasingly as she looks at Spitfire with an eager grin.
"If you do, you have to sleep in between Octavia and Trial," Leone teases.
"Deal," Vinyl agrees quite eagerly.
"Alright," Leone says smirking.
"Come here," Trial mutters sleepily, holding his arm up for her to join.
Vinyl giggles as she crawls over and snuggles to his side.
"What have you wrought?" Octavia asks.
"Something cool," Vinyl answers giggling.
"Hush you," Spitfire says.
Vinyl sticks her tongue out at her before going back to snuggling against Trial. "Such a good bed."
"Well, I am going to sleep. Come on William," Leone says.
William slowly lumbers over and stays with her before retreating into his shell to sleep.
"Morning cute thing," Vinyl says opening her eye behind her glasses.
Trial groans and mumbles before rolling over and drapes an arm over her.
Vinyl chuckles deviously before kissing his nose and makes him mutter awake to see the smirking DJ. "Good morning…what time is it?" he asks as he slowly sits up.
"Ah…a little before sunrise," Vinyl says.
"Okay. Good. Maybe we can get an early start," Trial suggested offhandedly as he stands up and stretches.
"Oh, what's the hurry?" Vinyl says smirking.
"Beat the sun and monsters," Trial points out.
"But, we could have some time together," Vinyl says smirking at him.
"You're not going to wake the others?" Trial asks turning to her.
"I don't think it is necessary," Vinyl says smirking getting up.
"Okay…what do we have for breakfast?" Trial asks, still stretching his limbs.
Vinyl smirks and gives him a kiss.
Trial blinks a bit before humming. "Okay. But what is for breakfast?"
"You will see later," Vinyl say before letting out a yelp as Octavia pulls on her tail.
"What are you doing Vinyl?" Octavia asks tried as she picks her head up while still hanging on.
"Uh…nothing," Vinyl tries to lie.
"Right…" Octavia mutters slowly.
"Good morning," Trial says to her.
"Morning…" Octavia replies before yawning and letting go of Vinyl's tail in the process. "At least someone is chipper."
"Parlez-vous francias?" Trial asks.
Octavia's jaw drops at this point. "Wha…you speak prench?"
"Oui m'dame," Trial says.
Octavia squeaks happily and actually look like she has seen the best thing in her life with sparkles in her eyes.
"Je parle français aussi Octy," Vinyl says.
Octavia still looks with sparkles in her eyes to Trial who just smiles at her and Vinyl looks slightly disappointed.
"What's all the gibberish about?" Dusk mutters as he rouses.
"Prench. Trial speaks," Vinyl says, still disappointed as Octavia is now very interested in Trial and looking at him closely.
"Well, in the magic realms, you learn quite a bit," Trial says, explaining how he knows prench to Octavia.
"I am really interested in what else you know now," Octavia says happily, still with the same look in her eyes.
"About the realms or something else?" Trial asks.
"Everything," Octavia answers and Leone smirks.
"Aka, marry me," Leone imitates in her voice.
"Isn't it a little soon for that?" Trial asks Octavia.
Octavia blushes deeply and gives a small glare to Leone. "No. That is not what I meant."
"So what do you mean?" Trial asks before giving Vinyl a hug.
"I mean I want to know what else you know? Like what other languages and…maybe some classical music?" Octavia asks at the end with a blush and a smile.
"Do sa me sendoqu?" Trial asks.
"Una weka da sota," Leona says shrug.
"Kate," Trial says nodding in understanding.
"Um…was that another?" Octavia asks curiously.
"Our native language," Trial says.
"Oh…maybe I can learn it later if you can?" Octavia asks, trying to smile.
"Alright," Trial says as Leone walks over.
"You got ten minutes," Dusk yawns as everyone starts to get up and get ready while Spitfire and Sentire start to cook.
"Kay na doencha?" Trial asks before Leone chuckles.
"What?" Octavia asks.
"It's an inside joke," Leone says smirking, chuckling at Dusk.
"What does it mean?" Octavia asks.
Both of them started to chuckle at Dusk, showing they were not going to say as Dusk catches on.
"You have to be kidding," Dusk huffs.
Leone gives an 'I know right' to Trial as he smirks back.
"So…what can you teach?" Octavia asks eagerly.
Trial opens his mouth before Leone closes it. "Don't start Trial. We will be here all day," Leone says.
"Too much to teach?" Octavia asks, turning to her.
"Yes," Leone says simply as Rainbow gives her an expression before looking to Dusk then back.
"Yeah, know what that is like," Rainbow says.
Leone just giggles to herself at this point while William pops his head out and yawns.
"Finally here," Dusk says walking over a hill.
Trial hums as he looks over the circular settlement. Surrounded by old buildings of suburban homes that are lined with wood and metal fences. Each street side having a large gate with many forces patrolling along it. Inside being renovated houses to suit the purposes of a small sized capital within a few buildings. While wood and metal stairs led to more levels above them, each one housing a shack that had citizens milling about or sleeping for their next shift. Multiple living levels built on top of one another and to top it off with a flat area on top of the houses for a patrol and makeshift guard tower and searchlights pointed all around.
"Gaudy," Trial simply says.
"Not adequate," Leone commits.
"It's life," Dusk adds frowning.
Trial just sighs as he sees this and facepalms.
Dusk rolls his eyes now before walking towards it. "Come on. The sooner we deal with this, the better."
"Sentire, I leave this part to you," Trial says.
"Me?" Sentire questions, turning an eye to him as the others walk ahead.
"Yes, talk to the guards. You need the negotiation experience," Trial informs.
Sentire hums before walking on ahead and the two follow behind her.
"So tell me, where are you going to be staying?" Trial asks the wonderbolts.
"Probably be rerouted to work for the forces here. It's the only thing we have left really," Spitfire explains.
"I mean a residence," Trial says leaning on her.
"We'll grab some temporary homes. Don't worry," Spitfire reassured.
"You can stay with us," Trial says.
"With our status, we should get some. You don't have to burden yourself," Spitfire reassures again.
"For you, it is no burden," Trial whispers to her.
Spitfire eeps quietly and makes her jump in place while the others just smirk and snicker at her.
"What do you say now?" Trial asks leaning onto her.
"Well…um…" Spitfire tries to say.
Trial smirks before pecking her cheek.
Spitfire blushes hard and tries not to squeak out.
Trial smirks as he wraps an arm around her.
Spitfire keeps blushing while the other wonderbolts kept snickering at her as they approach the gate.
"We should announce the captain is off the market," Fleetfoot says.
"Maybe get her a date in a cafe with him," Glide suggests.
"Or a nice flight," Rainbow adds.
"Or straight to the wedding," Vinyl chimes in.
"Oh, shut up," Spitfire orders to them as she gives a small glare.
"What does that involve in this country?" Trial asks her seriously.
"A date?" Glide asks.
"No. A wedding," Trial says.
"Oh…um…" Spitfire trials off as she mostly doesn't know herself, especially in this world still.
"Just a piece of paper? Ceremony with a person of authority? Just between us or with a group of others and hope for the best?" Trial lists off curiously.
"Um…not sure. We hardly bother with that since of our jobs and everything. Never really checked it out myself," Spitfire admits, slightly confused.
Trial looked to the living encyclopedia hearing that.
"Person of authority, that's all you need. Other stuff is if you want to," Dusk explains looking back at them for a moment before returning to talking with the guard with Sentire helping him.
"I have some authority, so I pronounce you stallion and mare," Glide says smirking.
"Glide, stow your trap," Spitfire orders, really not liking her taking the initiative.
"Let's see," Trial says counting his gold and starts doing some calculations.
"I rather do this from a real holder of an authority," Spitfire huffs.
"Is claiming territory now through clearing the monsters or buying?" Trial asks.
"Both. Usually when given as a reward or someone who is done with the life," Spitfire explains.
"Hey Leone, how long would it take to build a house for my new wife?" Trial asks completely serious.
Leone hums. "Considering what we can use around here…maybe around…a few months."
"Da qi soem deshqa?" Trial asks in their native language.
"Dosaka nah," Leone says making Trial nod with a thinking expression before looking at Spitfire for her reaction.
"Uh…what was that?" Spitfire tries to ask while being more confused.
"Your thoughts?" Trial asks.
"For what?" Spitfire asks, still confused.
"A house built for you my now wife," Trial says seriously.
"Uh…you know we are not married yet. Glide was just joking," Spitfire says, giving a harsh glare to the mare at the end.
"I thought any with authority could do it," Trial says.
'Oh, my wub. He really thinks they are now married,' Vinyl thinks.
"She was joking along. And she still needs to learn how to shut her mouth at those times," Spitfire quickly explains.
"Jehana sa tendacha," Trial says looking to Leone.
Leone pouts heavily. "Poo."
"What did he say?" Rainbow asks.
"Forget the large bedroom," Leone pouts heavily.
"Why would he…oh," Rainbow says.
"Yeah…we were going to have so much fun," Leone whines as she grovels while hanging onto her arms and looking up at her.
"You sure you want to back out of it?" Glide asks smirking at Spitfire.
Spitfire groans. "Way later in life. Besides, this is way too quick."
"Spitfire, the mother," Fleetfoot teases.
"Of how many?" Glide chimes in.
"One stallion, but maybe more mares soon enough," Fleetfoot says teasingly.
"And how many foals later?" Glide asks before giggling.
"I say around four over her whole married life," Fleetfoot suggested, giving a wild smirk.
"Just four?" Glide asks giggling still before they are both bonked on the head.
"I'm right here beside you two numbskulls," Spitfire scolds as she holds a wooden stick that is now broke in half.
"Stare at your future wife Trial. Because she has a hot body, especially in those suits, and she can take charge," Leone whispers to him.
Trial didn't respond as he had started making crude diagrams of what he was thinking of adding to the house.
Leone just smiles as she pats his back. "That's my Trial."
"Okay," Dusk spoke up as he walks back and ignores the scene in front of him. "We can be let in. Princes will see us in a few hours, so we can rest at an inn for the night. Once that talk is over, we can all head to my relocated building and sleep there as like when we were living in Canterlot."
"Where is it?" Trial asks.
"That's the weird part. The guards aren't telling me. In fact, they are quite skittish about it and try to steer it toward when the princes are available," Dusk explains, slightly confused.
"Leone, we are going to have to clear a way to it," Trial says with a neutral expression.
"Just to sleep in a very comfy bed? Yep. Looks like it," Leone grunts as she stretches her limbs.
"This is why I hate blind teleportations," Trial says as Sentire returned.
"Hey. If we are going inside, we have to do it now or they will lock us out. Can't keep it open forever," Sentire informs them all.
"Sentire sweetie, have you met us?" Leone asks smirking.
"Oh no," Sentire moans hauntingly.
"They would need to replace the entire gate if they did that with Leone here. Now let's go drinking," Vinyl says.
"I'm good for that," Trial says wrapping an arm around her.
"Oh, let me join. I need a release as well," Leone says wrapping them both in a hug.
Sentire sighs as the others start to walk into the settlement. "At least they are milder in their mannerisms," she mutters before following behind the group.