The calm before the storm

Twilight pov

We began sailing a few hours after Nick had gotten the information he wanted. Like he promised they were freed unharmed and whatever happened to the woman ended when Nick snapped his fingers. I couldn’t figure out what happened to her, but no matter what I came up with would work. I sighed then fell back on the bed as I waited for Nick to bring dinner to the room.

“Knock” “Knock”

I looked at the door knowing Nick wouldn’t knock on his door. I stood up then walked over to the door to see who was at the door. I opened the door and saw Luna, on the other side of the door. I rubbed my arm as I looked at her. “Uh, come on in and have a seat Nick is getting us dinner.”

“Thank you Twilight.”

She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed. I closed the door and leaned on the wall as I looked at her. “I won’t tell you to stay away from Nick. Given what could have happened between you and Star I can understand why you kissed him.”

“Then what does that mean as we move forward?”

I sighed as I looked at her.”As much as I hate this and believe that is a lot. I’m going to tell Nick to have two wedding dresses made one for me and our wedding and one for you.” She looked at me wide-eyed as she stood from the bed.

“Wait! You're saying that…”

I held a hand up as she looked at me. “I’m only saying that we have about two days to get Nick on board with it. If you loved Star as much as I love Nick, then it would cruel to make you keep living like that but.” I walked over to get and grabbed her face and made her look right at me. “If I think even for a second you would hurt him you will retreat it l promise you that. I’m I clear Luna?*

“Yes, Twilight.”

I smiled as I walked over to the other side of the bed. I sat down as Luna looked at the wall as we waited for Nick.

"So, if you don't mind me asking Twilight. How has Nick treated you and the city you two oversee?"

I smiled as thinking of the city we had made. "He puts us before himself. Our people would gladly fight for him. So far we've beaten everyone who's tried to fight us. But in the savage, you can win one of two ways. The usual method is challenging and destroying the enemy army. Or you can kill the chief, lord or soon to be kings. So in a sense, they could very well dethrone Nick if the wished too. They don't because of the way he rules over them. Many have said to me that since Nick took over, they can eat more than one meal a day. They don't have to sleep with one eye open for fear of the Lord's rage." She nodded as she looked back at me.

"I see, so it's like the days before my banishment. To think there is still a place like that in this world. I could fit in there much easier in there than in Canterlot."

I laughed at hearing that. "Trust me it will be a blast from the past." She smiled as she laughed a little.

Nick pov

I walked down the hall with dinner for both Twilight and me. Death had told me what Luna and Twilight talked about. I have a problem with Luna thinking I was just like Star. Having more kids would always be nice, but I have not love for her.

'What will you do then?'

'What do you mean Death? All I have to do is tell them no and...'

'We both know that isn't going to work right? Luna has it her head that she's going to be with you. Now, theirs no easy way out. Oh, your being followed as well.'

I sighed as I walked around a corner then stopped. "Ok, I know your there, and I'm getting sick of you following me. So, you've got three seconds to come out, or I'm coming after you." No one came out, and I sighed. "Fine have it your way." I sat the soups and salads down then looked around all. I saw a shadow bearly pecking out from the corner. I dashed around the corner and pinned a woman to the wall. I saw it was Twilight's mom and let her go. "I'm sorry Miss Sparkle." She rubbed her arm as she looked at me.

"Your fine I was just wanted to know something, but I don't know how to approach you."

I sighed as I rubbed the back of my head. "You know you can just come to me if you need something." I held a hand out to her, and she smiled as she took my hand.

"Yes, I wanted to ask if, well if we can stay in your lands, Nick. All of us are sure war is coming, and Twilight friends are worried for their families."

I nodded then let her hand go then picked the food back up. "I'm sorry, but it may be too late for me to save them. If Celestia thinks that she has a bargaining chip, then she will use it. I have to look at it from her point of view as well. I have the elements of harmony coming with me as well as her sister. Now, say the elements decided to join me and take part in a war. With their families, she can make them come back to her."

"There is no way for this to end peacefully is there?"

"Not a one."

I walked her back to her room, and she thanked me. I walked back to our room and stopped outside my room. "Twilight open the door please my hands are full." A second later the Luna opened the door. I looked at her then sighed. "I guess this was coming."

"Nick we need to talk."

I turned to Twilight as she spoke to me. I walked into the room and handed both them the food. Luan wouldn't take it, but I told her I would get something after we talked. She begrudgingly took the food as I leaned on the wall as they ate. "So, what is it that you'd like Luna?" She stopped mid-chew as she looked at me. She swallowed the food than whipped her mouth then looked at me.

"Would you be willing to form a relationship with me like Twilight?"

I frowned as I looked at her. "I... I don't know how I fell about that Luna. I've spent all this time with Twilight. Both of us have worked to make a life with each other. Plus, were about to get married so it would be strange if you suddenly just joined in." Both of them looked at me as They sat their food down. Twilight stood up and walked over to me a smile on her face.

"I know this isn't the most comfortable thing for either of us but Luna as earned at least some of our trust. Besides look at what she's gone through. She lost Star the man she wanted to be with more than anything."

I looked down at her and then to Luna. I saw hope in her eyes as she looked at me hands claps together. I sighed then stood all the way up and walked over to her. I kneeled down and rested my arms on my knees as I looked at her. "I won't lie to you both, I am uncomfortable how what you two are asking me to do. I've always believed that a man should only be with one woman." Luna looked down at the ground as tears started to fall from her eyes.

"I... I understand Nick. I... just wanted to."

I grabbed her hand and made her stop talking. I looked into her eyes as I looked at her. "I never said I wasn't willing to form some kind of relationship with you. I just want to make this clear to both of you. It may take time, but our wedding comes first. I will not put that off no matter what. I've finally got the chance to live my life with someone I love. I've always wanted to settle down and live a quiet life." I laughed as I sat down on the ground and looked at my arms. I tracked the scars on my right arm as they watched me. "Um, I wonder where I would be if I hadn't wandered over to ponyville. Would I still be up in the wandering around in the frozen north or maybe I would have been killed by the ghoul kingdom."

"WHAT!?"

Both Luna and Twilight screamed as I blinked. "FUCK I LET SLIP!" I grabbed the sides of my head as Luna looked down at me.

"The ghouls have a kingdom!? How do you know about something like that!?"

I looked away and waved a hand in the air. "Haha, just a secret the doves covered up. We did everything we could to keep the most of them in the frozen lands." Luna grabbed my shirt and got into my face.

"Why didn't you tell us about this!?"

I sighed then looked her in the eyes. "We had a deal with them if that's what you want to call it. The ghouls who followed the followed the leaders of the kingdom. Even I don't know the leaders or their numbers. All I really know is that there are four that make the owl and the other S class ghouls look like small children." Luna and Twilight looked at me clearly terrified.

"You hide something like at from me and my sister knowing sooner or later we could have been attacked?"

I laughed as I shook my head. "You know that's something that all pissed me off about royalty. Every last one of you thinks you deserve to know what I've learned. The Ghouls of the kingdom are the ones that are the threat. It's the wild ones you have to worry about. They're the one that goes out to kill humans or capture humans to take as food. Much like the ones that were attacking ponyville all those months ago. Right now their more worried about their food stores. With Quinque being mass produced they may start to get desperate. You think I'm hiding it, but I was keeping it from everyone because even I can't do anything. If you all got your hopes up that I have the answers to all the ghoul problems your wrong." Luna looked down at me as she looked at me then sighed.

"For my moons sake, you are just like Star. You try to carry the weight of the world."

She let my head down as she sighed. Twilight walked over to me and looked down at me. I looked at her as she looked me in my eyes.

"What do you really know? "

I stood up and looked down at her. "Enough to keep any king or queen from attacking us. But, right now I guess I owe you two some answers but don't ask about my personal history." They both looked at each other then at me.

"Ok, I'll go first. Nick, how did you know about the Crystal Empire?"

I sighed as I looked at Luna. "Fine, The doves had artifacts from the city. We even knew about the crystal heart. I know a little about Sombra's past but nowhere need what I would when we have to cross blades." Luna's breath caught, and I looked at her. "Um, yea I know about that too Luna. Theirs a chance that it won't come to pass but I highly doubt that we'll be that lucky. She looked at me with sad eyes.

"Do you know of that as well?"

'She's talking about how she became Nightmare Moon. The reason everyone knows is a lie here's the real reason. As for Twilight just tell her she's a pon which she really was.'

"You're talking the four days of the feasible summer right?"

Her eyes widened as she looked at me.

"You do know."

I nodded as I looked at her. "Ya, I know what really that Night. I know what he tried to do to you." She looked down tot he deck as she started to cry.

"You know and yet you still..."

I put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me with confusion in her eyes. "Don't worry about it no else alive knows about it. The man that stopped him was a fifth generation dove." I turned to Twilight as Luan looked up at me. "Do you want to know anything Twilight?" She looked at me then looked at Luna. She looked me in the eyes as she spoke.

"Was Celestia planning to use me for something?"

I looked at her for a moment then looked away from her. "She was going to make you like her. She was going to help you ascend to her level as a great and powerful mage. She played your mind from when you were younger until I stopped her plan. To her, you were a pon she was going to break as she has done with so many others." She looked at me with a slightly angry look in her eyes.

"She was playing me my whole life. But, how did you learn all this? How did someone get so close enough to learn of her personal plans?"

I laughed as I looked at her. "Luna's not the only one who knew how to get into someone's head. The oldest mage doves could use dream walking magic." Luna grabbed me then pulled me back to the bed. She looked panicked as she pinned me to the bed.

"You know about my dream walking magic!? HOW?"

I pulled my right arm free and pushed her off me. "I read about it in a book about you. Celestia tried to erase you about a hundred years after your banishment. The only reason your name was still in history was that of Nightmare Moon's name." She let my other hand and go I sat up on the bed. "However, I heard a rumor going around Celestia was planning something. Even we couldn't find out that." Twilight sat on the other side of me as Luna sat on my left.

"What are we going to do?"

I looked at Twilight as she leaned into my side. I wrapped an arm around her then looked at Luna. "Can you dream walk with more than one person?"

"Yes, but I have to be physically touching them."

I nodded then grabbed her hand softly so if she wanted to pull her hand free she could. She didn't so I tightened the hold I had on her hand.

"What would you two say to have a chat with Celestia later tonight?" They both smiled as they leaned into me. I let Luna's hand go then wrapped my other arm around her shoulder then let my weight take all three of us to the bed. Luan yelped surprised but Twilight as used to this from me having the habit of holding her when I laid down. Twilight just wrapped her arms around my neck as usual, but Luna pulled the side of my head into her chest. Twilight pulled on my neck more as Luna held me in place. 'Ok, I like this more and more every second!'

Celestia pov

I sat in my throne my anger making smoke come from my hair. All my plans ruined by one man and his bloodline. The first woman I found in nearly three thousand years that could learn to be my new wizard. Starsweral the beard may have been older than me, but I used my magic to take his mind.

"Princess I have an urgent report!"

I looked at the throne room door and stopped the smoke. I looked at the throne room door and stopped the smoke. I put on my motherly smiled as I looked at the door. “You may enter.”

A guard rushed in and took a knee on the floor. “The forces sent to capture Nick and the sparkle family have been annihilated. Captain Heavy Pride and the lieutenant from the allied minous army as the soul survives. Her Highness Princess Luna left with them as well and stated that if you chose to start a war with Nick, she would stand against us in battle. That is all your highness.”

I frowned as I looked down at him. “Thank you for your report guard. Return to your station and await further orders.” He stood then quickly left the throne room. When the doors closed, I covered the room with my magic and screamed to the heavens. I hair turned to flames as I cried into the empty throne room. I stopped, my hair still burned as my anger continued to rise. “First he humiliates me but cutting me with those tails, takes my future wizard and now he takes my sister! No more! I will personally cut off your head, Nick. Then I will destroy your city and burn it to the ground." I released my magic then walked out of the throne room.

"Your Highness are you alright?"

I ignored my guards as I walked to my room. 'Even if it's on his turf I can still win.' I threw my doors open as I headed for my balcony door. I started to use my magic, and the balcony door glowed a bright white. The doors changed to a pair of steel. I pushed them open and saw my armory. A smile formed on my face as I looked at all the magic tools and weapons I had stockpiled over the last three thousand years. 'Nick you will pay.'

Nick pov

We sat in my room with everyone we brought with us. Twilight and I had explained what she and Luna had talked about. Cadence and Twilight's mom was in favor of us going on along with the plan. Nightlight and Shining were on the fence about it until Twilight told them that she suggested it. When they heard that they were ok with it.

"As long as you don't favor one of the other I'm fine with you marrying some else besides my daughter."

I laughed as Nightlight and Shining both laughed. I rolled my eyes as I stood up from the bed.

'Nick a crew of a hundred of ghouls is coming straight for you!'

The alarm sounded scaring everyone. I grabbed Silver skull and Nightfury. "Lock and barracked this door that's the battle alarm. Nightlight, Shining armor you two on me!"

"Right!"

They ran out with me as Twilight slammed the door behind us. We ran up the stairs to the deck and saw the commanders already ready for battle. An old ship with torn and ripped sails. The ship was all smashed and torn up as if it came from a fight.

"Commander Storm!"

I looked back as a group of ten of animes greatest sword fighter ran to me. Jin, Mugen and Kagetoki Kariya from Samurai Champloo. Mifune and Black star from soul eater. Bradley and Olivier Mira Armstrong Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Erza Scarlet from fairy tail. Afro Samurai from Afro Samurai, Afro Samurai Resurrection. Sojiro from Rurouni Kenshin. I smiled as I spoke to death. 'You made me a death squad?! You are incredible you know all my favorite swordsman and swordswoman.'

'Haha, Thank you, I'm here for all time.'

I looked at the enemy ship as it moved closer the side of the moby dick. I strapped the swords to my sides as they reached us. "Jin, Afro, and Bradley you all come with me the rest of form a line they do not get on board."

"SIR!"

When the ship was near us, we jumped on to the boat. I saw the red of the ghoul's eyes as we jumped on board. "Free for all men!" We drew our sword and started to slash and stab the ghouls as others jumped onto the ship deck. I saw that the swordsman of my squad had quinque weapons. Two jumped at me and tried to stab me with their tails. I slashed them across the stomachs making their guts fall out. Afro killed ten of them in a few seconds like they were nothing. Bradley danced around them as he slashed their throats or took the whole head off. Jin swung his sword wildly as he jumped around the ghouls cutting anything he could. He slashed sides, arms, legs even back. The main crew joined in the fighting as Shining and Nightlight fire magic at the ghouls.

I smiled as I ran straight into a group of Kokaku ghouls. A storm or red crystals and I had a bit of a hard time dodging them all. I had gotten scratched and nicked by the edges of the crystals. I made it the group and stabbed through Two of them then drew nightfury. "Everyone back on the Moby dick!" They all climbed back ropes the others dropped down as I swung nightfury down to the ship's deck. "Windscar!" I destroyed the ship and made a massive wave forcing the moby dick away as I was thrown into the air from the force. I fell through the air until someone grabbed me mid-air.

I turned my head and saw a real dragon version of Toothless!?

'Death how many different parts of my world are you going to use!?'

'Only two or three more, now just fly around on your dragon. Impress your girls just remember to entertain me again.'

I smiled then climbed onto toothless's back. "Come on buddy let's go." He grinned as we flew back down to the sea. I saw his tail was whole as he turned sharply as he started to head to the moby dick. He flew up the side then landed on the deck as Shining and Nightlight looked at me. I jumped out Toothless back and rubbed the top of her head as he pushed his head into my chest. "I know bud, it's been a long time since I've last been around." He jumped up on my shoulders and took me to the deck. He licked the back of my hair over my face. "GET OFF DAMN IT!" He laughed as he ruffled his wings as he rested on my back.

"Um, Nick is that real DRAGON!?"

I tried to look at Nightlight, Toothless rested his head on mine though.

"Nick?"

I heard Twilight's voice and Toothless's head shot up as he looked at Twilight was my best guess. I heard them all gasp. A boy screamed as Toothless jumped off my back and I think he may have cracked my back. I laid on the deck as toothless growled above me as he looked at my group. I scratched him under his chin, he purred from the feeling of my fingers on his chin, "Their good bud. Two of them are my girls." He fell to the side as I scratched his chin and I got to sit up. I saw the girls looking at me and Spike looked at Toothless like he was a ghost. I smiled as I looked at Spike. "You can come I promise he's harmless everyone." Spike was the first to start walking over to me as the other slowly followed. Spike touched Toothless’s head and Toothless opened an eye. He looked straight at Spike who stopped the second Toothless opened his eye. For a second they looked at each other then Toothless tackled Spike and licked his face. Spike screamed and laughed as Toothless acted like a dog. I laughed as Toothless stood up on his hind legs and looked around at everyone. But when he looked at Luna he started to growl as his claws from his paws and razor-sharp teeth from his gums. He lends as I jumped after him and just missed grabbing his tail. But what surprised me was that he jumped over Luan and bite it to the air.

“AAAAAHHHHHH!”

I watched as Toothless struggled with something then saw blood coming from his mouth. Toothless yanked his head to the side and blood purred from the air. Then in Toothless's mouth, an arm suddenly appeared and I its grip was some kind of stone dagger. Toothless dropped the air then lunged again grabbing whoever this was with his teeth again. Then a sicking crack and was heard then something else dropped as Toothless swallowed something. A few seconds later and a body with golden armor appeared with blood pooling on the deck. I snorted as I looked at the dead body of a guard. "Magic, invisible or transparent one of the two." I walked over and kneeled down to look at the corpses. At the top of the right part of the chest was a silver moon and a brighter sun. "If I had to guess I'd say a special force guard but with a stone dagger?" I looked at the dagger as Blackstar grabbed it. "Any runes or gems for spells on it?" He looked it over then nodded.

"No, nothing but straight stone with a red leather grip doesn't even look sharp..."

"STOP!"

Luna screamed as she looked at Blackstar was about to run his finger over the dagger. I looked at Luna then at Blackstar.

"That is a demon ore knife. it's used to kill people like my sister and me."

"Hand it over Blackstar I think I may have an idea oh what that is." He threw, and I moved to the side as it stabbed into the deck where I just was. He grinned as I sighed and looked at him.

"What finally see I'm better than you? I was close to finally killing you, soon I'll be the big star."

I frowned then looked at Mifune then he nodded. He grabbed his sword and Blackstar flinched as he looked at me. "Don't forget Blackstar, I beat Mifune in an all-out duel that lasted five hours. You fought me and got beaten in fifteen seconds flat. I don't care what you do you and I both know you can't kill me." He clenched his fist as he looked at me.

"One day Nick, One day I'll take Silver skull and Senbonzakura."

I grabbed the knife then walked over to Black star and patted his shoulder as I walked past him. "I'll tell you what Blackstar, If you come with me once a month I'll give you a try to beat me." I walked away and I could hear him grinding his teeth. 'Death?'

'Ok, I may have given you your favorite zanpakuto from bleach.'

'What is your endgame death?' He was silent as I waited for an answer.

'Celestia, I want her dead, you're my best bet. Luan, I can't say the same for her. She didn't do any remotely as bad as her sister. Celestia has committed every evil deed in order to make herself stronger.'

I listened and wondered what Celestia could have done. I opened my door and walked in with Twilight, Luna and Toothless running down the hall the largest door. Luna closed the door as I sat on the bed with the stone dagger in my hand. I patted my leg then turned the dagger in my hand and threw it into the floor. "Luna, if what you said is true then there is only one reason he had this. We know what this was. An assassination attempt was the goal here Luna and we all know who gave the order. I just don’t know which of us he was going for.”

“Wait wouldn’t Luna be the one they were after?”

I nodded as I looked at Twilight. “Not necessarily Twilight. I’m going to take a wild guess that it doesn’t attack the physical body but the spiritual. If the dagger can kill an immortal the I’d say it would say it destroys an immortals soul and not the body as it would just reform. Am I right Luna?”

“Yes, a demon stone dagger destroys a soul and not the body. The primary use is to kill a immortal but can kill mortals by destroying the soul. I guess I can understand why you think it wasn’t just me he was after.”

I looked down at the knife then at the two of them. “Well looks like we may have just got our ace in the hole. If this knife can kill an immortals soul. I finally have a way to put Celestia down when the time comes.” Neither of them spoke as there was no way to get around that point. Sooner or later a death match between Celestia and me was going to happen.

“Do you have to kill her?”

I looked at Luna as she played with her hands. I walked up to her and looked down at her. “I’m sorry to say this but you have to understand something.” I lowered my face to look her square in the face. “Either she dies or I do it's that simple.” simple Luna.” She blinked as grabbed the knife at my feet and stood back up. “I know you care for your sister but I have Twilight and my city to think of Luna. I will kill anyone who tries to take them from me. I will not be the last man standing again Luna.” I walked over to the dresser and grabbed my door key. I put it in a side key hole then turned it. A hidden draw popped open at the bottom of the dresser. In it was a photo of my mother and me as a child. A few papers with names on them with photos and a busted long sword handle. I set the dagger into the draw and grabbed the photo. It was of me when I was still a very young child be cradled me in her arms. I ran a hand down the photo as I remembered my mothers sweet smile.

“Is that your mother?”

I looked back at Luna and Twilight standing behind me. “This was the only picture of my mother she took with me. She turned her face because it so messed up from a beating my old man gave her. The only time she was when she smashed a bottle across the back of his head when he tried to kill me when I was a baby. It knocked him out drunk even. She took me to a friend’s house and took this photo before he could came looking. I found it the last time I want to that house before my final test to become a dove. I found it in a fire safe in the basement, took me five hours to get the damn thing open. I finally opened it and found this photo, and a note.” I opened the photo frame and pulled out and exact copy of my mother’s note to me when I was sixteen. They took it and they started to read the wards I read so many times written in blue ink.

Twilight pov

“Nick? Your mother wrote this to you?” He nodded not looking at us then he started to laugh. It was slow and low at first then it got laughed. “Nick? Are you ok Nick?” I touched his shoulder and he turned his head and I saw tears running down his checks. I let his shoulder go and hugged him. In all the mouths I was with him not once had he shed a single tear. I hugged him tighter and he grabbed my hand. “You know you can talk to me, to us.”

“I know, I just don’t like to think of my mother. It’s just whenever I do I cry and I don’t like to cry.”

I rested my head on his left shoulder then I felt someone pressing into my back. Luna rested her head on his right and she hesitantly reached for his other hand. I smiled as she tried to comfort him even though I know he don’t trust her fully yet. But, he clearly he’s trying to give her a chance. “Hey Nick.”

“Yes?”

“Can my friends live with us in the savage and their families. I know you're trying to think of a way to save them.” He laughed as he patted my hand.

“You're not wrong Twilight. I think I’ve figure out how she thinks in some ways. So, I think I know the next play she’s going to use.”

I pulled my head back and looked at his face. “And that is?” he looked down at me with a frown.

“She's going to use their families like sacrificial pawns to trick the girls. More than likely she’s going to give the girls a chose to kill me to save their families.”