Spitfire followed her lord into a private room where the lord sealed the entrance behind them.

"This may be shocking." He said as he starts to undress.

"Um…my lord? This may not be appropriate given our current relationship…" Spitfire starts going wide-eyed.

"Oh hush you foal." The lord suddenly said with a higher pitched voice. "You always seem to complain even when you were a little foal."

"You can make yourself sound like a mare?" Spitfire asks making her face fault.

"Are you kidding?!" The lord shrieks in a mare's voice. "No wonder you got your father's strength. His brain wasn't smart enough to handle himself." He said shaking his head.

"There is no need to insult yourself, my lord." Spitfire says.

"You really still think I'm your father?" The lord asks actually pulling his mane off and shows it to be a longer mane than usual and the old one a wig. "You're as thick as him. I'm your mother or do you want me to show where you came from?" She asks facehoofing.

Spitfire goes wide-eyed. "Mom?"

She sighs as she shakes herself and let's more makeup and clothing come off. "Yes. Your father is a bit thick, but you can't be that thick. You have my brains."

"But everyone says you are a good stallion." Spitfire said.

"Oh, that. You see, when the last lord died suddenly, I was the only choice and back then, we were fighting on two fronts. The general leading the eastern front and the priests knew that having a mare as a lord so suddenly on top of the last one dying would cause our soldiers to hesitate and morale to fall when we couldn't afford it so they convinced me to play the part of a stallion so the soldiers wouldn't be thrown off as much. It also helped I was raised away from most of the court and nobles so they didn't know me either making it easier to be a stallion. The one who raised you as your mother figure is my best friend." She says.

Spitfire tries to speak, but could barely find words. "But…?"

"You turned out well and I like your taste in stallions." She says.

Spitfire immediately blushes. "Mom!"

"Oh, you called me mom. It feels so good." She says smiling.

Spitfire groans. "Mom. I don't want to talk about my sex life."

"You're already that far along?" She asks alarmed.

"Mother!" Spitfire seethed blushing harder.

"Keep a hold of him. He has skill and not driven by greed." She says.

"He's still driven by something else it seems." Spitfire said frowning and still blushing.

"Stallions and even mares are like that. We are all driven by their own sexual desire." She said chuckling. "Your father really loved a mare with big…"

"Mother." Spitfire said quickly as she covers her ears.

"Eyes." She finishes.

Spitfire groans as she glares at her.

She chuckles. "Your father loved you. He really didn't want to bring you down or put you in harm's way. Either by his hoof or your own." She said smiling gently.

Spitfire stops and looks to her. "How…how did he die?"

She smiles. "Disease dear. He couldn't take it for long so it eventually took his life. Believe me, he tried searching for a cure."

"I see. So you coming out?" Spitfire asks.

She shakes her head. "Can't. Not yet. Not until you are queen yourself." She said chuckling.

"Queen? You planning to conquer our three neighbors soon?" Spitfire asks.

She laughs. "No dear. It's that you might have a better naming title with queen Spitfire and not the lord. Lord seems just a simple noble name."

"Well, we only have one." Spitfire points out.

She leans over. "You going to take over the nearby fiefs?"

Spitfire frowns. "No. I don't want to hurt the alliance we have."

She smiles. "That's my girl. Now then…let's talk about your stallion." She said and Spitfire stops and stares at her.

Sky snores loudly as he slept on the ground before he hears hoof steps walk over to him. "Where is he?" He hears Spitfire asks and points upward and she looks to see the stallion wiggling from the binding rope as he was strung up.

"Is that some sort of rope bed?" The lord asks.

Sky yawns. "Yeah. Now where's my pay? I really need to get going." He said sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Going?" Spitfire asks.

Sky nods. "I have to get going. More to do out there. Besides, this was only a job in the beginning but it seems mostly everything is resolved here."

"Can I convince you to stay?" Spitfire asks.

Sky shakes his head. "Sorry. But I don't have a life here yet." He said getting up and stretching.

"Ah. He is one of those free spirits." The lord says.

Sky chuckles. "You could say that. Do you know which way to the academy? The other famous one?" He asks grinning.

"Why do you ask?" Spitfire asks.

Sky hums. "What the stallion was saying. Gave me an idea on something. Thanks by the way." He said to the stallion who screams behind the rope in his mouth. "Still, it would make my life more fun and maybe make my jobs easier. I do like to sleep."

"I will deal with him." The lord says.

Sky nods before yawning. "Better get going. Oh, here is your stupid sword." He said giving Spitfire the dueling sword. "Already have my things." He said picking up a bag and slings it over his back. "Well, got to hit the winds quickly before it shifts."

"Wait." Spitfire calls.

Sky looks back at her with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, sweetroll?"

"…SWEETROLL!" Spitfire yells before chasing him out.

The lord laughs as Sky laughs along with Spitfire's yelling as they both fly off with Spitfire staying behind the wall.

Sky sighs as he flies along and spins in the air as he heads for the mountains and looks down to see a small trail leading up the side of it. "Should be right around here." He said to himself as he tries to look around as area starts to darken and light doesn't shine as much. "Oh. Creepy." He said as he touches a thundercloud and was rewarded with a lightning strike. "That is still so good." He said to himself before flying off again deeper into the dark cloud formation cluster before suddenly stopping and hitting something. "Ow."

"Now dear sister. You will learn what it means to be sor…somepony crashed into my window again." A mare said as she gets up and goes to the window and opens it. "Whoever you are, you need to learn to f…

"Oh…" Sky groans on the sill under the window before the mare goes wide-eyed and pulls him inside and sets him on the ground.

"Are thou okay?" She asks looking him over.

Sky chuckles a bit as he waves a hoof in the air. "Fine here. Am I at the umbrian lands?" He asks trying to look around the dark room with his blurry vision.

"You are. Why?" She asks.

Sky grins. "Great. I want to learn a skill set of magic and see the swimsuit contest mare section." He said chuckling as he tries to stand as he looks her over. "Wow. You have a horn and wings. Just like this cake eating one I met not a long time ago. Wonder if she ever figured out how to turn a rock into a piece of cake?"

The dark mare reels her head back. "She has not figured out the spell? I learned that fifty years ago."

Sky suddenly laughs as he falls onto his back. "Oh boy. I want to see her face when I tell her that the archmage at this school figured out a spell she has been wanting for a while."

The dark mare blinks confusedly. "Pray tell…what line of magic do you want to learn?" She asks leaning her head towards him.

Sky chuckles as he stops laughing and sits up. "What's the laziest magic but can still do everything possible?"

"None." She says.

"Then I will go with what uncle suggested. Shadow." Sky says dramatically.

The mare looks worried. "That is a very dark art. It is almost like a different entity is living inside you for that to happen. What brought this on? Or are you just trying to be lazy even when learning?" She asks now giving a blank expression.

Sky grins. "Really? I want to learn. Besides, everypony knows you allow the teachings of regular and dark arts here. Even those that make sex all the more exciting." He said smirking.

The mare blushes a bit. "You have to be at least a year to learn those and the top of your class." She said seriously as her waving tail covers up her flank.

"Did I mention you look beautiful?" Sky says.

The mare blanched and blushes heavily. "N…no…do be careful. My guards are not as stoic or as lazy as my sister's." She warns.

"You know, I broke into her school without even them noticing so that is a low bar comparing them to." Sky says.

The mare frowns. "Either way, do be careful. But…you must pass an entrance exam like all the rest. I just can't allow a pony who crashed into my office a free pass inside my school. After all…this place allows the dark arts." She said walking back to her desk where a rock with seals on it was glowing.

Sky smirks at her as she realized he got passed her barrier.

"You got past my sister's who has the best shield's master in her guards and my dark art shield. How…?" She asks looking back at him.

"A wizard never reveals his secrets." Sky says.

The mare stares at him before sighing. "Enough for me. Go see the quartermaster and get your robe and room. You are going to be here for a while…and please don't misuse the sex spells. I rather not have an orgy right in the middle of class." She said raising an eyebrow.

"Where is your room?" Sky asks wiggling his eyebrows.

The mare frowns a little. "You have your secrets. I have mine and no. You cannot live in my room. After all, it could not even be in this school." She said watching him.

Sky grins. "Oh. So you're in the nearby mountains. It is like a secret cave where I have to use a certain magic spell on the door?" He asks chuckling.

The mare just frowns. "Go to the quartermaster. Who knows? You might come to enjoy life here better than over in the most neutral fief in the country. And if you're worried about gold, we have some small jobs that you can take for the city below us. A short flight for you, but enough to live by. Maybe you can use them as your personal tests…just don't take it too far. Just because it's bad, doesn't mean it will be when you use it." She warns as she goes back the rock and chisels more seals on it.

"Who said I was from this land?" Sky asks.

The mare stops chiseling as Sky walks out her doorway and closes it behind him. "Salty musk." She chuckles. "We have a pirate in our midst."

"I'm from the island federation. We are not pirates so stop your fantasies there." Sky says peaking his head back in.

The mare grins. "Just don't go crazy with sex spells." She said chuckling.

"I'm not Celestia or her guards." Sky says before heading out.

The mare blinks before smirking. "You are a sexually starved mare sister." She said to herself.

Sky yawns as he leans on his hoof and reads the book he was able to balance on the table while idly eating in the mess hall. "You look like shit." A mare's voice said from across him.

"Well, it has been months on non-stop studying." Sky says.

The mare leans over to the side and he looks to see the batmare smirking. "You really want to learn this, don't you? Even after…making a few changes in the student housing list." She said smirking. "What did you see in me when I first arrived?"

"You want the truth?" Sky asks.

She chuckles. "It's my flank, isn't it?"

"You were a stuck up brat so used to everyone praising you, you were shocked when I didn't join in." Sky says.

She sighs. "Yes. And you manipulated the quartermaster's books to have me as your bunkmate. You like staring at my flank in the morning?" She asks chuckling.

"No. You snore like a carpenter's saw." Sky says making her face fault.

She groans as she sits up again and rubs her head. "So why are you practicing your magic on me? You know I haven't really had much of courting for you."

"You flatter yourself too much." Sky says.

"Then explain why your magic is seeping into my skinsuit?" She asks showing off a dark skinsuit with yellow lightning bolts around her hooves and something wiggling under her suit around her flank.

"Because you are forcibly drawing it. Now why are wearing that and not the robe?" Sky asks.

She shakes her head. "Because I am about to go out for the flight class. I can't wear a robe for that."

"You can and show everybody up still. After all, you are a member of the shadow bolt clan." Sky says.

She smiles. "That I am. Should I really? I mean, this feels slimmer and simple…or maybe the robe is?" She asks herself.

"Robe." Sky said looking closely at the book. "Still think archmage Luna is sexy and a good lay?"

"You are such a bad stallion." She says smirking.

Sky grins to her. "Want me in your bed then? I can make that happen and maybe make a mess of that suit."

"Maybe I do." She says.

Sky sighs and leans back in his seat. "But I'm sure your father won't let that happen. He loves you too much like any father does."

"I am the next head of the family. He doesn't want just anypony to be my husband." She says.

Sky nods. "Well, then I guess he doesn't want a stallion who would have sex with his daughter right then and there as a husband."

She grins. "Damn straight. Now then, I better get going or rather get changed. Good luck on your test." She said licking her fangs as she gets up and walks off.

"I hope I succeed. It's my finals." Sky says.

"You're the best at messing with the darkness around here." She said smiling and throwing a hoof over her shoulder.

"Sometimes that isn't enough." Sky says.

"Nope. Just imagination." She said grinning.

"Well, either way, I'll see you around Shadow Streak. After this, pass or fail, I am hitting the road." Sky says.

Shadow stops for a bit at the door before walking out again without another word.

Sky watches where she was before packing up his book and heads out. "You are a strange one." He hears and looks up to see Luna standing in front of him. "Normally, what you study takes years. What did your uncle study under?"

"He didn't. He just spoke nonsense." Sky says.

"And yet he said to study the darkness." Luna said raising an eyebrow before humming. "Would you mind helping with something after your exam?"

"First, he said to study the dark bottle and second, depends on." Sky says.

Luna smirks as she leans down to him. "Remember what I was doing to that rock? Why do you think my dear sister could not figure out the spell for so long? That being said, I want to play another silly prank. Can you be serious for a portrait?"

"I can be as serious as my name is Garbanzo Derrello Sambatia the third." Sky says.

Luna raises an eyebrow at him.

"It's a joke archmage." Sky said chuckling.

Luna just ended up confused.

"Just stick to looking hot." Sky advises.

Now Luna just blushes a bit and glares slightly.

Sky sighs as he steps up in front of the large class and looks to the mage. "Alright. Let's see what you can do." He said looking through a book as he watches him.

Sky hums as he thinks to himself before smirking. "Alright." He said as his hooves light up. "Let's try this." He said before the shadows in the room start to move by themselves and collect up in front of him before rising up and making a blob in front of him and then it starts to form outward and make a shape of a pony before Sky shakes his head and places a hoof on it and it starts to make his shape before it blinks as wisps of shadow leaks off of it. "Now then." He said stepping back as a sword formed from its hoof and took a stance.

Sky laughs as he takes out his sword and takes another stance. "Okay, let's whoa!" He yells and ducks as his shadow copy swipes at him where his head was before Sky jumps away. "He's got my attitude…I'm the only one who can have that attitude." Sky argued uselessly to his copy who just takes another stance. Sky groans before his copy charges and he moves to the side and holds up his sword and his copy strikes at him and sparks actually flew off from their blades. "Now let's see if this works." Sky quickly said as he reels back his leg.

The copy struggled to keep pressure before Sky's hoof suddenly went between his leg and he stops and looks down before stepping away from him. Sky hums as he looks at his leg. "Maybe make the tools before doing that." He said to himself as his copy charges again and he holds a hoof up and the copy hits it and it went right through him and hits the wall behind him to make a splash covering on it. Now then, how's this?" Sky asks smirking as he puts his sword away and waits.

The mage raises an eyebrow at nothing happening before hearing yelping and looks to see all the mares in the class jumping in their seats. "The archmage has specifically ordered no sex spells." He warns.

Sky grins. "That's wasn't a sex spell." He said as he lifts a hoof and a tendril of shadow appears below his hoof as it swirls around. "Just simple manipulation with very precise movements." He said as the shadow seems to move around carefully.

The examiners look to each other before starting to whisper their deliberation.

Sky sighs as he takes off his robes and rolls them up before hearing a throat clearing and looks to the examiners. "Well? Did I pass?"

The examiners all look to him before one floats over a parchment of paper and Sky reads it. "Grade level…four?" He asks a bit shocked as he looks back to the examiners.

"Being able to make your own copy such as that…it's tough to do." One said.

"The magic is simple creatures if made such as what you did. Only following simple orders and would rather go straight to it then finding a better path." Another said.

"If you had ordered your copy like any other mage, then you would have received a lower grade. But you made that specifically as you went along in making it, even in your own image before you thought better and decided to fight it and still didn't give it orders. Just fought." The last one said.

"And for that, you are near the high-level mages. That kind of dedication and studying with going beyond what books and scrolls give. You made your own. Hardly anypony these days can make their own matrixes for the spells without reusing old ones. Even so, doing it without them. I doubt even the archmage Celestia would doubt you." The first one said.

"And so, you have passed." The second said before the mage pushes him away for the next student. "You may take your leave or stay and watch."

Sky shakes his head. "Nope. I have an appointment." He said walking past them as he puts his robes on their desk. "Find another lucky student to give that too." He said as he heads outside into the hall.

"Hey." He hears and looks to see Shadow a bit away from the door out of her robes and wearing her traveling clothes with a bag over her shoulder. "I heard. Mage level four huh?"

"Yeah. What are you up to?" Sky asks.

Shadow looks to herself. "Leaving. I'm already packed. Figure we leave together."

"You graduated as well?" Sky asks.

Shadow smiles. "I passed. I can't believe I actually passed. Now I'm a full-fledged mage flyer…are you a shadow mage now?" She asks leaning over.

"Officially recognized as one. What are your plans?" Sky asks.

Shadow chuckles. "Head back, show my father what I become, and then work my job as I should be." She said proudly.

"I see. I will keep my wandering." Sky says.

Shadow smiles to him. "Maybe soon we will meet on a job and I can't wait to see what you can do with your magic."

"I might use that spell on you as a parting gift." Sky jokes making her freeze.

Shadow glares at him slightly as she blushes. "Sky. That is not right. Especially to one that has a powerful father."

"Does it look like I care?" Sky asks.

"You little…" Shadow stops as he takes out a book. "Is that the archmage's personnel sex spell book?"

"No, this is her sister's. I helped her steal it." Sky says.

"No wonder." Shadow said looking at the color. "So…what does the archmage need from you?"

"Our secret." Sky informs.

Shadow sighs. "Well enjoy yourself. Most don't get that close to her."

"Well, I am off. See you Shadow." Sky says walking off.

Shadow smiles and waves at him as he leaves. "Bye." She said before opening a nearby window and flies off.

Sky stretches as he passes the guards and steps inside the office. "Okay, I'm here and…" He stops as he sees a bed in her office with a painter nearby drawing Luna as she lays naked on the bed. "Ready to…what's going on?"

Luna smirks. "Prank. I like to fool my sister that I have a stallion now. So please sit in front of me."

Sky stares at her before smiling and walks over and sits down in front of her and she lays her head on his lap. "At least I passed."

Luna chuckled. "Yes. I heard. You are a level four. Not bad I should say. Most of my sister's students don't make it that far."

Sky looks to her. "So…how many shadow users do you normally get?"

Luna smirks up at him. "Ten. And that's almost every five years."

Sky shakes his head before the painter clears his throat and turns the finished portrait to them. "Not bad."

Luna nods. "Just needs a few more finishing touches." She said smirking as she starts to paint herself and Sky smirks at that.

Celestia sighs as she walks into her office and looks to see a wrapped package on her desk. "Hmm." She hums as she walks over and looks at who sent it. "Oh, my dear sister." She said smiling and opens it. "Oh. A sultry portrait. That's going into the private…" She stops as she sees a stallion with her and him having a hoof on Luna's bulging stomach.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Luna laughs to herself as she hears the yell as some of the birds fly away from the room window. "Priceless." She said as a letter appeared in front of her with red messy letters. "Explain? Well, I will sister. This is what you get for that cake stealing so long ago." She said starting to write back.