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Post by crystallance on Oct 21, 2011 9:42:49 GMT -5
The office looked both distant and familiar to her. Stepping into her quarters, Crystal could remember both the most fond memories and the most forgettable conflicts that had occurred within the room. At the same time, a number of changes seemed to have been undergone. It seemed the former head mage took the time to make a number of renovations during her time in office. Furniture had been heavily rearranged compared to Crystal’s last visit, but overall there appeared to be a slightly more open space, so it was all really for the best.
Crystal’s office was located at one of the top floors of Equestria’s Forces HQ, inside the magic division of the complex of course. Her room featured windows across almost every wall, bringing in a truly ambient natural light along with a beautiful view of the city of Canterlot from below. Between each window hung a number of patriotic flags, honoring her beloved country of Equestria and its military.
“It’s been a long time… hasn’t it?” Crystal muttered softly, the nostalgia of the moment dominating her every thought.
She had scheduled her two personal recruits to meet her at Equestria’s Forces HQ’s Training Grounds. At the base and center of the building, there had been a large open field featuring a variety of terrains. The weather within the Training Grounds looked nothing alike to the common winter weather elsewhere outdoors. The pegasus ponies of Equestria’s Forces worked hard to sustain a variety of different weather conditions at the Training Grounds. This prepared Equestria’s Forces for a variety of terrains and weather conditions in combat.
The majority of the Training Grounds was made of a large, summer-weathered grass plain. Along with the large plain of grass, there was a miniature forest, lake, and even a small mountain area within the training field. Crystal personally preferred the mountain area, as she felt it was easily the most versatile terrain for use of her crystal magic.
It was for this reason that she had specifically informed Apporta and StarShade to meet her in the mountain area of the Training Grounds. Crystal Lance could be seen laying her hooves below the hard surface of the mountain rock, waiting patiently for her two recruits.
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Post by apporta on Oct 21, 2011 12:02:15 GMT -5
Apporta had just became accomodated with her new living arrangements before journeying to the Training Grounds. She was excited to start learning, a hunger she had ever since she was a little foal. She wondered what it would be like working with Crystal Lance who their relationship was tense at the moment. With a deep breath, she ascended the mountain side with quick teleportation bursts until she finally reached the top. "I'm reporting for training," she said to Crystal Lance.
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Post by crystallance on Oct 21, 2011 12:52:51 GMT -5
Crystal responded with nothing but the nod of her head, acknowledging Apporta’s presence with an ever-cold silence. Though she responded with nothing but mild indifference, it would be wrong to assume she had been holding any sort of grudge with the young unicorn. It was only the fact that she had held very little of an emotional connection with her new apprentice so far. That was an issue Crystal sought to correct in today’s training. She slowly began in a trot towards Apporta, hoping to break at least a small amount of the ice.
“So, I trust you’ve gotten at least a little accustomed to your new living arrangements while in HQ?” Crystal began, spewing nothing really aside from meaningless small-talk. All while avoiding the real issue at the same time. In the end, she knew she would have no choice but to swallow her pride.
“Also, I must add: If I offended you in any possible way that night at the concert, I am truly sorry,” Crystal confessed to the other unicorn, her eyes forced to a close in the shame. She didn't want to admit that she was wrong... But still she knew there would be no other way to make this relationship work. “I feel that during the days I had been retired, I lost a key element to myself. I had nothing or nopony to live for and I was far too stubborn to allow anypony else to intervene in the mediocrity that was my life. As fellow ponies serving this military, we will need to work together if we wish to accomplish anything. If you would be kind enough to forgive me Apporta, I would certainly be grateful.”
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Post by apporta on Oct 22, 2011 12:31:24 GMT -5
Apporta at first felt the very present chasm still between her and Crystal Lance. Then something happened that Apporta was not expecting: Crystal apologized for the events of the concert. She realized that past her abilities and her prestiege Crystal was still just a pony looking for friends and her place in Equestria. Apporta thought about what it would be like if she was in Crystal's place feeling isolated and unwilling to let any ponies in.
"I forgive you, Crystal. I can only imagine what you were feeling when you met me. I also must apologize as I may have been too excited at the concert when meeting you. I was trying to find somepony to teach me, and it blinded me from the fact that you had feelings as well. Will you forgive me for my niaveity?"
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Post by starshade on Oct 24, 2011 7:55:41 GMT -5
A dark, shadowy shape began making its way at break-neck speed towards where Crystal Lance and Apporta were. It was StarShade, galloping as fast as his legs could carry him as he rams through the dense grass and small foliage that littered the the area, making his way to where the Battle Magic Master had instructed him to meet her. After nearing the other two unicorns by five feet or so, the black colt straightened his legs and came to a grinding halt just a few feet before Crystal Lance, his right forehoof already raised to his head in salute to his teacher/trainer.
"StarShade *huff* reporting for duty *puff* milady," he gasped in the most respectable of manner as he salutes Crystal Lance.
He silenced himself when he realized that he had just interrupted a conversation between the two, his gaze shifting from Crystal Lance at one moment then to Apporta the next.
She's already here, he thought to himself, she must've used her teleportation magic skill.
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Post by crystallance on Oct 24, 2011 11:20:47 GMT -5
“Really… It’s no problem. You weren’t at fault Apporta,” Crystal insisted her apprentice. At Apporta’s response, she couldn’t help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable on the inside. Sure she wanted to get along with Apporta, but perhaps they had been getting just a little bit too emotional together… at least for now. Crystal had still been a military mare at heart after all. It was then that her second apprentice StarShade suddenly appeared on the site.
“StarShade… It's very nice of you to join us,” Crystal promptly greeted her second apprentice. She had been quite honestly impressed and flattered by the unicorn colt’s great respect and courtesy for her, bringing a pleasant grin upon her face as she lifted her hooves to address her two apprentice ponies.
“And now we’re all here… Time to get going,” Crystal spoke softly, slowly trotting her hooves against the hard mountain rock. She moved a short distance away from Apporta and towards StarShade, trotting off to an even distance between the two unicorn ponies. “But before we begin any formal training, I’d like to ask… Just what did you think your military experience would be like? Is there anything at all… goals, challenges, hardships… that you’ve come to expect in your experience here in Equestria’s Forces so far?”
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Post by apporta on Oct 24, 2011 12:03:27 GMT -5
Apporta thought about Crystal's question before speaking. "I expect that this experience to be one that helps me to improve, not just physically, but mentally and magically. I hope to learn how to strenghten and control my teleportation powers, learn new powers, and learn to use them effectively to help others both in and out of a combat setting. I do expect it to be challenging as I never particpated in any combat setting, but I'm sure I can pull through with that training as it will help me ultimately improve."
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Post by starshade on Oct 25, 2011 2:10:56 GMT -5
StarShade straightened his posture as Crystal Lance approached him, the black unicorn's mind already working to conjure an answer to the green mare's inqueries, though he waited to allow Apporta to give her answer first.
"I too do not have millitary experience, milady," he finally replied when it was his turn to answer, "but I have read much about it before in history books and biographies. I've learned that the goal of each battle is to bring us a step closer towards winning, and thus ending, a war. There're many challenges, but that is to be expected. One must have the ability to adapt to surroundings, analize every situation, and react to any event possible. One has to train his or her body, mind, soul and spirit if one expects to win a battle, let alone survive one. There're many hardships, as well. One must learn to come to terms with the deaths of many and any other losses once he or she steps into the battlefield, including his or her one life. As of such reasons, I would truly be grateful if I could learn how to acquire new, greater powers and prove myself useful to everypony in any given situation."
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Post by crystallance on Oct 25, 2011 16:18:52 GMT -5
“Well… Very interesting answers from both of you,” Crystal responded to her two unicorn pupils. For that short moment, she glanced over her two students in silence, remaining ambiguous as to whether or not their answers were exactly the sort she wanted to hear.
“I’d assume you’d both like to hear what I thought the military would be like at your age?” Crystal questioned Apporta and StarShade. Before they could even begin to answer, she continued to give her speech. “I expected it would be tough… And yet still, I thought I was somehow above that! I thought that just because I was the top student as Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, the trials would somehow go smoother for me… Well, I was certainly in for a rude awakening! I barely made it through basic training… Barely made it out alive in my first battle… Oh, and best of all… I managed to lose every single one of my friends by the end of my first deployment! I literally saw EACH and EVERY one of my friends DIE by my side in combat! Some experiences in the military are tough, but others… others will simply break you mentally…”
“So to say that the experience was 'tough' would have simply been an understatement…” Crystal began to conclude, her voice starting to grow softer and more solemn. “Honestly, I would have called it horrifying at the time… The experience was about a lot more than just ‘being challenged’ or ‘growing stronger’. In reality, it was a lot more dangerous than I had ever expected… And I think that brings us to an important lesson…”
With the cast of her magic spell, the mountainous terrain in front of Crystal Lance began to glow with a teal-blue aura. From the hard earth grew a beautiful radiant crystal that shined brightly as she lifted it telekinetically off of ground. She continued to cast the spells upon the crystal, cleaning and perfecting the sample’s impurities as her magic lasted on.
“Expect… the unexpected,” was all that the mare whispered.
In that second, she shattered the crystal into several shards, scattering them like projectile weapons in the directions of both her students. With a countless number of crystal shards hurling towards them, will the two students succeed in devising a quick and clever plan to defend themselves? Or will this be the end of Apporta and StarShade’s military journey?
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Post by apporta on Oct 25, 2011 16:56:19 GMT -5
Apporta listened to the words of Crystal Lance, realizing what a difficult experience that she, a pony who seemed very strong, had to still endure. Suddenly Apporta saw several shards of crystal aimed right at her. She quickly did the best thing she knew how to do. Using her telekinesis she repelled the shards she could and then teleported.
Things didn't go perfectly as planned as some shards hit Apporta before she teleported. When she appeared again, there was blood streaming from several small gash on her back leg and side. Apporta wanted to scream from the pain as it felt like several needles had stabbed her, yet she bit her lip and tried to remain calm. The cuts were not as deep and they would heal.
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Post by starshade on Oct 26, 2011 0:58:42 GMT -5
The black unicorn listened, teary-eyed, to Crystal Lance's life story before he noticed a huge crystal materializing from the rocky ground, courtesy of the green unicorn's magic. StarShade was watching with glittery-eyed awe at the beautiful large crystal being created by his teacher - until it suddenly shattered into several pieces of sharp deadly, pointed, miniature versions of its former self and began flying straight at him and Apporta!
His eyes widened and his teeth clenched in horror at the incoming projectiles of doom, StarShade instinctively ducked and covered his head under his forelegs whilst unleashing his unicorn magic. The magical aura which came from his horn, which was dark grey in colour, moved in an eerily fluid motion (like that of a giant squid's tentacle) and, almost like a huge hand, grabbed the nearest rock, practically wrenching the boulder off the ground, and using it as a shield of some sort to block and deflect the incoming crystal 'daggers'! Some of the crystal shards bounced off the rock while others jammed themselves into its solid exterior.
Unfortunately, StarShade wasn't quick enough to block all the shards. A few made through and, to his dismay and horror, one managed to sink its sharp point into his right foreleg, just above his hoof. As tears began to stream from his eyes from the pain he was enduring, the colt looked in terrified agony at his bleeding limb, all the while still levitating his shield made from rock in front of him.
"Ouch~," was all he could mutter at that moment.
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Post by crystallance on Oct 27, 2011 23:44:49 GMT -5
“Now THAT was a taste of the military my little ponies,” Crystal Lance spoke sternly. In the face of her two wounded students, her attitude remained ever lacking of compassion. If Crystal’s students would so happen to fall to the ground, she would simply tell them to rise back up in any given situation. She absolutely refused to play the role of the ponysitter.
“In the future, you two will find yourselves being deployed all across Equestria. And let me warn you… there are some real monsters out there,” Crystal Lance began to lecture again. “Now these beasts have neither the mental capacity nor the moral contempt to fight like a pony. They will hunt and kill you without a second of thought. So, on the battlefield… you’d better be prepared to face ambush like that.”
“…And I see you two are wounded,” Crystal Lance continued. “So then, what will it be StarShade and Apporta? Quit now and run back home to your mares…? Or continue to train under me and become somepony great?”
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Post by apporta on Oct 28, 2011 7:08:18 GMT -5
Apporta studied about the creatures of Equestria, so it came as no surprise when Crystal Lance mentioned the fact that there were monsters that could kill a pony. "Getting hurt is just temporary," Apporta said. She was right, the wounds had already stopped bleeding and in time they would heal. "I'm not going to quit due to simple cuts and bruises. I still wish to train with you."
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Post by starshade on Oct 29, 2011 3:29:23 GMT -5
StarShade's weeping face slowly turned into that of a frown upon listening to what Crystal Lance had just said. He dropped aside the rock he was levitating and steadily used his unicorn magic to grip the shard stuck to his bleeding foreleg, the dark grey aura shrinking greatly before coiling itself around the shard like a tentacle and wrenching it out. StarShade let out a short but painful cry as the crystal came out, along with plenty of blood, causing the black colt to pant. But amidst this, the student unicorn managed to look up and stare at the Battle Magic Master with teary eyes set in a frowning face.
"I have chosen my path," he declared to her, "There's no turning back for me."
He raised the blood-stained shard before himself, before tossing it straight into the rock he had wielded a while ago, the crystal hitting the rock with a 'thang' as it sank deep into its centre.
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Post by crystallance on Oct 29, 2011 9:57:46 GMT -5
“Well then, good…” Crystal responded to her two unicorn apprentices, her voice as cold and devoid of compassion as ever. “Because you two have a whole lot left to work on! Apporta, your teleporting is far too sluggish! You’ll never be able to use those spells in combat if you can’t pick up the pace! StarShade, you couldn’t multitask to save your life! If you could have a had better control over that boulder, you wouldn’t be bleeding your heart out right about now!”
It was as if the mare’s stern and strict attitude had just doubled. There were ponies in HQ that believed Crystal was tough, but it was only really the unicorns she trained who would ever be able to fully understand just how military hardened the mare truly was. She would certainly train these two ponies… But only if Apporta and StarShade would be strong enough to cooperate.
“Now I want you both to practice your magic technique for the rest of this day! Apporta, speed up that teleportation! StarShade, work on your multitasking! Is that understood?”
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