(Alleyway)
(A week later)

It was quite the scene in the alleyway, anything walking by would’ve stopped to stare or run altogether but our quad

“How does he have so many?! Yellow Haze!”

“Yellow Haze: Rift!” The Specter said as he opened a rift and pulled Gleaning Coin towards him as Blue Dart and Deep Shadow fended off a legion of bug like Specters.

“These things just keep coming! Where’s their user?! Infest: Last Resort.” The dark Specter used a nearby puddle as ammunition for its attack and sliced through a dozen of the offenders but even more sprang forward from seemingly nowhere.

Dart smashed his back against a wall to crush his attackers but more tried to climb onto his legs. “So this is what all that effort made itself to?”

(Flashback: Earlier that day)

“Well be glad it’s Wednesday already, how’s the density training been going?” Dart questioned to the uniform clad Colt

“I didn’t know I could change how tough Yellow Haze was so fast. You aren’t a unicorn so you might not understand.” Dart smirked at the statement.

“Try me, I know more about magic than the average unicorn.”

“So a horn works as a focus for magic and lets unicorns control what comes out, and these Specters are related to our talents which is why we can use different abilities. So by controlling the amount of magic I dispense instead of just pouring it all out lets Yellow Haze appear on a different spectrum so...” He looked at Blue Dart who just looked as if he was told everything in his life was a lie, his face was completely bland and had little to no emotion. “The point is I can control how much magic I put into Yellow Haze so he can be noticed by others with a Specter.”

“Alright I got that, then if Shadow learned this then how do we know that the boss can’t? Somepony has to show Shadow cause I don’t think he’s bright enough to figure that out on his own.” Coin stopped suddenly on the sidewalk and clutched his ribs. “You ok kid?”

“I-I don’t know! Chest just started to hurt!.” Dart lifted the colt’s uniform to the shock of the ponies around.

“I’m checking for a wound, get your minds out of the gutter!” They turned and went about their business while Dart saw a dribble of blood coming from Coin’s rib. “What is that?” A small munching sound was heard right before Dart pushed a pin into the hole and pulled out a bright blue maggot. “What in Tartarus is this thing?” Dart closed his hand and crushed the maggot but Coin exclaimed in shock.

“Wasps! Loads of wasps!” Coin pointed down the street at a massive horde of wasps and other insects that nopony noticed. “The Specter user is nearby... but how- Huh?!” Blue Dart took Coin’s hand and stood up.

“In a time like this I have to utilize an old trick I learned when I was even younger. My friend taught me this when we had to run from his sister.”

“What was the trick then? If it can help then let’s do it before they get here!”

“Hm, heh heh.” A hoof slammed against the ground. “RUN AWAY!” Dart sprinted with Coin in tow, dangling in the air like a ribbon in a bird’s talon.

While the two departed the nearby citizens noticed the odd behavior but only two were able to see the horde. “Looks like this’ll be fun.”

==============================

“This is really good! I gotta bring Gleaning Coin next time!” Deep Shadow was sitting outside of a cafe under a parasol enjoying a plate of pasta. “So they should be at- What the?” Past the retail buildings just up the street Shadow could make out two figures running towards him. “Is that? Hey guys!” He waved them down but noticed the dark cloud that none of the pedestrians seemed to notice directly behind them and he saw that their clothes were being torn by the cloud.

“Shadow run!” Coin Yelled as he sprinted just ahead of Dart. The two got closer and closer while Shadow stood still. “What’s he doing?! He’s gonna get himself torn apart!”

“This better go like he’s planning!” Dart grabbed Coin again and burst towards Shadow a flash of blue and dull yellow courtesy of Gleaning Coin.

“Infest: Last Resort!” The dark Specter emerged and used Shadow’s drink to coat its nails. At that time Dart and a now nauseous Gleaning Coin appeared just behind the table.

“Now’d be a good time!”

“Ok, don’t need to rush me.” Infest threw the liquid at the cloud where it expanded and formed a large bag shape, capturing the insects. “Problem solved. So now we need to figure out where-“ Shadow dropped to the ground, there was a grey centipede on his back and two bite marks on his neck

“Of course!” Dart kicked the creature away as Infest disappeared along with its improvised net. “Alright fine! Time for the flash...” Dart crouched down and before Coin could ask, the cloud of insects was being blitzed by a streaks of blue that were so fast that sparks of electricity were created and shocked the bugs, getting rid of most of them. “That’s how it’s done, let’s find who did this before any more show up.”

He slung Shadow over his shoulder and walked in the direction they came from leaving more confused ponies, including Coin, behind . A few moments later Coin broke his state of shock and followed the Stallion. “Hang on, how’d you do that? That was storm magic and only the best unicorns know it... you’re an earth pony!”

“It wasn’t magic that made the lightning. I was moving so fast that the friction made static against my fur, now we need to-“

“What happened... why does my neck hurt?” Shadow said as he struggled to stand on his own.

“Specter with insects.” Dart crushed a wasp as it flew for his eyes but was pulled away by Yellow Haze.

“I can’t deny that you three are the strangest group.” A feminine voice rang when the ground suddenly split and revealed a large cocoon. “I’d never thought somepony would find any way to best my Queen Bee and all her single ladies.” The cocoon split open and revealed an attractive mare with a small box like object in her hands, she opened it and revealed a nest made of grey material.

“But it looks like my Hard Knock is going to need to help here.” A stallion stood from a bench and pulled out a mirror. Five ponies stood in anticipation and in the time it took for a pin to fall from the mare’s hair and hit the ground a few things happened...

“Infest: Last Resort!”

“Yellow Haze: Rift!”

“Queen Bee: The Single Ladies!”

“Hard Knock: Life come forward!”

Blades of blood surged forward to slice through the stallion and mare but a cloud of hard shelled beetles managed to deflect the attack right before it reached its targets. At the same time the trio of good stallions were pulled into an alley by Yellow Haze right as a cloud of white dust headed towards them. The dust surrounded the beetles and turned their shells into mush, killing them. “Looks like luck wasn’t on their side but it can still change.”

The mare was visibly agitated at the loss of her armored beetles and threw a pebble at the stallion to show it. “Those are the hardest ones for Queen Bee to make!” She brought out a massive swarm of wasps, beetles, and centipedes.

“Sorry June Bug but I can’t control what type of luck Hard Knock gives, I can just give more of what somepony has.” The swarm followed the three into the alleyway while the pair stood back.

(Present time)

“That’s it, Infest is done!” Shadow resorted to smashing wasps with his own hands and stomping on centipedes but was getting overwhelmed.

“Master, I don’t run out of energy but we’ll be overwhelmed by these things soon. That one with the dust is familiar but I don’t know how...” Yellow Haze said as he used his rifts to move the clouds away from them.

“Mister Dart If you have a plan, it would really help!” Coin said as he held a biting centipede inches from his face. Dart was being stung and bit but didn’t show any pain from the violent assaults on his body, and instead was staring at a cloud of the oncoming attacker.

“So her Specter is one thing and it makes more...” He crouched down to the surprise of June Bug who saw him through her soldiers.

“There’s no way he can...”

“Azure Flash!” Dart turned into a streak and charged into the cloud, dispersing the insects with his personal electricity. June Bug on the other hand recognized the danger and brought up a wall of beetles but Dart made it to her before the Wall was up. “I’m the fastest stallion alive-“ He punched her in the cheek and sent her to the ground. “Don’t forget that while you’re in jail.”

“Hard Knock: Life For us!” The mirror created another white cloud but this time it stayed near its origin. “Now my good luck is even better. You can’t even hit me now.” Dart tried to land strikes on the cocky stallion but every time something would stop him be it a pigeon hitting his face, a steel bar falling from a roof or another pigeon.

“You can’t be serious!” Blue Dart drooped, exhausted from his overexertion

“And it looks like you’re tuckered out. Now I’m going to have to go now and since I’m at my luckiest you can’t follow-“

*Bzzm*

“Yellow Haze: Recovery”

“Hm?” The mirror in the stallion’s hand was pulled to Yellow Haze. “What?!”

“Looks like Gleaning Coin saves the day on this one, so tell us what you know.” Shadow cracked his knuckles at the proclamation.

“Like I’d- Wait... did you say Gleaning Coin?”

“Yes he did, now you might know him but you’re not going anywhere until-“ Dart was interrupted by the stallion walking towards Coin.

“Don’t you remember me? It’s me Lucky Break! I’m your uncle!” Jaws dropped at the statement and even the unconscious June Bug was groaning, whether it was out of surprise or pain was up for debate.

“Y-You’re what?! But how? I thought that...”

“I started working with this group just to try and pay off your father’s debt, how’s my sister been? She always was the one that would have a family, I’ve been a loner since I was... how old are you again?” He asked but at that point Coin wasn’t able to speak, and Shadow was panting from overusing Last Resort. Blue Dart stood up to question the stallion.

“So you’re the kid’s uncle? Then what do you know about the leader of this little mob?”

“All I know is that nopony who ever went against him came back alive but nopony knows who he really is.” Lucky uttered as Blue Dart picked Shadow up and supported him.

“He hasn’t met me yet, so what’s your plan? These two have been protected by me and my friend so-“

“As of today they’re with us again!” June was up and her Queen Bee wasn’t happy since it emerged from the nest and revealed its massive bee like form, save for the scorpion stinger and centipede pincers. “Queen Bee, kill him!”

“I can’t do anything without my- Mirror?” Lucky Break caught the mirror that Coin threw at him

“Do something to help him!” He yelled

“Hard Knock: Life For us!” A grey cloud came from the mirror and surrounded Blue Dart. “Kid now’s your best time!”

Dart threw a handful of concrete pieces at the insectoid monster. “Spiral dance.” Dart burst forward and struck Queen Bee in the face, side, and tail at the same time. Streaks of electricity appeared around the Specter, forming a sort of cage.

“Wait... he’s using the rocks to jump off of. But I need to help, he can’t beat that on his own.” Coin said

“Master. I suggest you attack the mare.” Coin nodded and charged at June, blindsiding her.

“What? Augh!” A hoof to the stomach made Queen Bee vanish, and sent the mare to the ground again.

“Wow, Coin you’re getting better at that stuff. Here I thought you were a goody goody two hooves.” Shadow recovered and made his point on his friend’s maturation. Dart nodded and pulled out a small blue crystal, tapped it and sent it to the air towards his home.

“Let’s get Hunter here so she can be taken care of, and Coin you should try catching up with your uncle. Might be good for later. Shadow I need you to carry me, using the flash puts me out for a while.” The teenager complained but after a promise of two course dinner decided to accept.

As they left pedestrians came to investigate the noises and saw that the alleyway was damaged and Coin was littered with scratches and his uniform was torn in some places. “My mom’s going to freak out when she sees this isn’t she?”

“What are you all looking at?! If you’re not calling the police then go away!” They all continued walking since the urban mentality was to let another deal with a problem. “I’m sure Sapphire Flare won’t mind... especially if I can vouch for you kid.” He gave a playful hit to Coin’s shoulder and the two started to walk back to Coin’s house

“How long has it been since you saw my mom?”

“How old are you? Because its been a while.”

“I’m sixteen now.”

“I was there when you were two... makes sense why you don’t remember. I barely remembered and I’m breaking fifty.”

“What?! How old is my mom then?”

Lucky Break looked up as if he were reminiscing and shuddered. “Take it from me you don’t want to ask.”

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Author's Notes:

Sorry it was later in the day, I passed out before I could upload it last night and lost it.

See you next time