"So, we are going back?"

"No. However, I bet he will look for us. Lucky, from where did your parents get this emerald spiral?"

"From an excavation site in a jungle south from Equestria..." the pegasus froze because of a realization. "Foxy, when did you fail your test?"

"Almost 2 years ago. Oh, crap!" she facehoofed.

"That's when my parents died."

Tail turned to him but before she could speak anything in her defense, he placed his clawed hoof in front of her mouth.

"The murderer of my parents..." he calmly said. "... must be another dragon."

They looked at each others' eyes. The ninja was a little confused, unlike the serious pegasus. His left side was shined by the little fire and the other was dark cold. The ninja didn't knew what to say because deep inside of her the memory of the first kill still haunted her. She didn't want to experience it again.

Tail silently nodded once.

Lucky then sat down and looked at the fire. His body still hurt but it was manageable. The warm beams of the fire helped him to overcome the last symptoms of his transformation. The claws began going back in his bloody hoofs and his teeth slowly changed to their normal shapes. However, it didn't help him at all with his mood. His thoughts were ricocheting in his head.

The ninja sat next to him and looked at the little flame.

"Foxy Tail, your name was in my first vision. It happened on the day, when I met you. Was it a destiny? No, I've never believed in higher force, that controls my life. However, it was a very carefully orchestrated plan, that led us to this place. All of my visions, nightmares and events, that happened from that morning to this night, are all connected."

She listened to his every word and tried to figure the things on her own. Everything seemed so clear but at same time so foggy. Were they destined to fight the dark Goddess? Then with what do you fight a being that whispered curses in the shadows and never showed herself in person? Was Blue Circle preparing them for the ultimate test of might and courage?

"Hey, don't trouble yourself with too many questions. You should rest more than me. I'll stay on guard throughout the night."

"How can I sleep, when you can turn into a dragon any moment. I'd rather be awake, when that happens!"

Lucky turned his head to her and saw through her emotionless mask. He was a threat to her and she feared, that the worst could happen. The pegasus also learned that the ninja was very tired, though Foxy tried her best not to show it. She hadn't slept for two days and like any other pony, her body needed a break from the real world.

"Tomorrow my training begins and I'll expect my mentor to be fully rested, so she can teach me properly. Don't think about me, I'll be fine and wont transform to anything, I promise." he friendly smiled.

"I shouldn't let you without supervision! What if..."

His hoof got in front of her mouth.

"I can't sleep anymore and it would be better, if somepony used the time to rest. Trust me, please." he was so peaceful, which was very unreal for him. The ninja was surprised to see him in this light and something, in the little word he used, made her very uneasy. She was not used to trust anypony, even for the smallest things.

"My responsibility..."

"I know, but I'm not a small filly." he sighed. "If I turn into a dragon and you are not fully prepared, how will you tame me?"  

Tail put the two medallions inside her outfit. Then she silently stood up and turn her back on him. Foxy disliked to be defeated but this time she was thankful that she'd finally have some rest.

"Good-Night!" she said and then went to the thick root, that was making high waves over the ground. The ninja lay down with her eyes still staring at him. Foxy closed them with little resistance from her brain, that was alarming her not to fall asleep but this time the body had the upper hand.

"Same!" a smile appeared on his face but it was short lived. He turned to the small fire, that was near the end of its short life. Lucky looked like he had been given a very complicated task, for which he had never prepared. His thoughtful eyes watched the last little fires burning the remains of the branch.

The animal howls and sounds echoed in the black jungle, which seemed to be spreading endlessly to every direction. His super hearing sensed every movement around them, though it didn't scare him at all. He could tell that those were the steps of small animals, that made the little noises in the darkest corners of the forest. The wild life continued its epopee even in this late hour.

Somewhere in a cave...

The white ninja was cautiously moving from stalagmite to stalagmite after the shadow, that tried to kill him earlier. He was completely concentrated on the task. Circle was sending invisible energy waves like a sonar and tried to sense its location. This was his only ability, which he could rely on to track the shade in this darkness.

The chamber, he was in, was quite voluminous. The walls made very interesting turns and curves, that gave this place an unique feel. It was filled with many stalagmites in many strange forms. Some of them had mushroom shape with pointed centers. Others looked like spears that aimed at heaven. The ceiling was not so different from the floor in sense of its numbers of stalactites, that aimed to the center of this planet. Unlike their wax cousins on the ground, they were all had one similar sharp shapes.

The pony touched with his left side a stalactone, that was two story high. Circle noticed the shadow's presence very close, so he had to hid himself. The ninja slowly change his outfits colors and merged with the wax column. Soon the shadow passed nearby and went to the other corners of the huge chamber.  It looked like it didn't spot him but the ninja didn't want to take the risks of not preparing an escape plan. It was too dark for his eyes, so he wouldn't be able to fight effectively in this slippery environment.        

Suddenly his energy sonar caught a movement headed towards him with a great speed. The white ninja materialized from the column and jumped away form the cover, barely escaping the powerful blow. Quite a big hole was left on the stalactone but the shade, without exhaustion, went after the pony.

The ninja used his primary technique and waving black tentacles appeared form his back. He sent two to the ceiling, attaching them between four sharp stalactites. With their help, he puled himself up form harms way, before touching the ground. The attacking shadow stroke the chamber's wall, leaving marks that would last for a very long time. It immediately went flying at the ninja like a spring.          

"He must have sensed the magic, I'm using!" Circle thought, when he noticed the incoming projectile.

He removed his connection with the ceiling and with the inertia the ninja build up, Circle flew upwards, centimeters from the the forest of pointed edges. Then the pony launched another tentacle to the ground behind him and swiftly changed his course. The shadow slammed into the stalactites, cutting their connection with the ceiling and sending them directly at the pony.    

The ninja used his shadows as a shield and successfully protected himself. The sharp waxes shattered into many pieces and scattered around. Circle was falling with his back facing the floor, so he spread his legs to the sides. When he was about to touch the ground, the ninja slammed it with his legs to soften his impact. Like a true master, he skillfully survived the fall without even feeling any pain.

The magical shade disliked the fact that the pony was still kicking and moving, so it rocketed downwards with even greater force. Circle sensed it approaching and he quickly rolled to the right. The hit was so powerful that it sent small rocks in the air and threw the ninja to a nearby stalagmite. The bang from the impact was extremely loud and it echoed from the ancient walls. The pony swiftly jumped on his feet but it was too late to dodge the next attack. The shade flew fast like a spear, aimed at his heart. The ninja put all of his tentacles in front of him, when the projectile hit him with more powerful force.

Circle flew backwards, destroying the stalagmite in the process and landed hard on the wet floor. Rubble fell everywhere. His back hurt so much, at least he was still alive. Fortunately for him, there was not another attack but the shade reshaped itself to look like him and slowly approached him. His walk echoed in the darkness and with each step the pony's time was running out to make a fast run out of there. Although he couldn't see him, Circle knew exactly where the demon was, when it stood next to him.

"I've never seen such a technique! This can't be Shadow Sun!" he said with clenched teeth.

"You are correct. That's something I call dragon ball. It hurts, doesn't it?" the clone sounded very friendly.

"Sure it does, but not as much as losing your own head!" Circle began laughing in an evil manner. It sounded in the entire cave but the minion was not amused.

"Your last laugh shall be remembered by this place, master ninja. Say hello to Shadow Sun for me!" then the shade fell on top of him and covered his body completely. There was no sound coming from them. No motion, until the shadow reshaped back to the pony form and looked pissed at the floor, where Circle used to be. Before he would even move, tentacles wrapped around him like snakes, holding him tight in a magical prison, from which there was no way out.

"Tricked the trickster!" a voice sounded behind him.

The clone couldn't move at all, even his eyes were frozen and were looking at the ground. The minion had no chance of escaping this magical grip.

"You wonder how I managed that? I used a clone to take my place, while you blindly charged me. Such a simple technique but very effective against opponents, who can't hold their feelings under the blanket."

Blue Circle appeared in front of him with a torch in his mouth. He lighted it with the steel lighter, which he was holding with one of his tentacles. The ninja put the torch between two stalagmites in such a way, that it illuminated them both. Then he closed the lighter with a click sound and handed it in his hoof. His eyes moved on its smooth surface, on which there was a symbol he couldn't recognize. Its shape was like of an arrow that pointed downwards and didn't have a tail.

"You know from where I got this artifact?" his wild blue eyes pierced the clone. "When I went in the holy cave for my final test. I really didn't know what to expect back then and I wasn't ready for the images I saw."

The shadow listened like a statue despite inside it, the feelings of anger and hate were boiling.

"I saw the future, the present and the past. Not only our planet's history but others as well. Some were already consumed by the Dark Princess, others like ours were Her next meals on the list. This thing emerged from the Fountain of Fates, when the visions finished. I did not know to whom this belonged to and what it was until its flame came out from inside it. Then I understood my destiny."

He carefully put it inside his outfit and made a few steps to the caged minion. His big blue eyes didn't even blink once and there was the feel of madness coming out of them.

"I'm going to be the wild fire that consumes your existence." his voice was so dark, that even the shadow felt a little fear. "Tell me, spirit of The Jester of Flame, what is your little game?"

The ninja released a little his grip to let his copy talk.

"My plan is simple: rule over every living being on this world." the shade began laughing maniacally but was quickly silenced by the ninja.  

"Wrong answer." Circle tightened his grip and in the process hurt the shade not physically but with magical energy, that impaled it from all sides. He knew that even the minion would scream out of pain but the ninja loved the silence of the suffering.

After a minute of quietness he ceased the torture and let the shadow speak again.

"Ha-ha, you are more evil than I thought. However, you are forgetting that I'm the true master of pain. I'll not brake by your pathetic method of acquiring information."

"Again." Circle used more power. Electrical arcs appeared on the surface of every tentacle, that was in contact with clone. "Do you like it? You do? Oh, then let's increase the factor by hundred!"

The white arcs turned into blue and many sparks flew away from the immobilized shade. The ninja was burning it with magical energy and not for a moment did he feel sorry for the extreme pain, he was causing. On the contrary, Circle was having a blast. The pony smiled and his eyes were full of insanity. The chamber was lighted by the little show and when the torture was stopped, it return to its pitch black look.

"Correction. You are not evil, you are insane!" the shade noticed that his tormentor was having a hard time to breath. "Oh, tired so soon? I know you can do a lot better than this!"    

Circle used too much energy on the last attempt, which weakened him significantly. He was not ready for another dosage of magical injection. The last one could kill an young dragon but somehow the minion still managed to talk:

"Come on! What are you waiting for! I'm here! Hit me!" the shadow yelled like a mad pony. "Do it!"

His blue eyes stared at the clone, when Circle felt a great disturbance in his grip.

"That's impossible!" he whispered. "You can't have that much energy left!"

A black smile appeared on the clone's white mouth mask.

"Thank you for wasting your powers on me, while I was preparing."

The tentacles around him began shaking violently and they completely lost their grip. Circle pulled them away form the shadow, grabbed the torch and put it in in the empty sheath. The flame was very close to his head but without the light, he wouldn't be able to properly fight.    

He jumped backwards and stood in a defensive stance. Evil laughter sounded from the darkness and the source's location was unknown. The ninja had only an half an hour of light, so he had to be quick. Two paths of getting out of this situation emerged in his mind. He could either fight or flee. Circle was no coward, so he decided to stand his ground and face this demon again.

"Are you scared master ninja? You thought I was so easy to be captured, how foolish of your part. I promise you, your death will be quick!" the voice came from many places.

This confused Circle but he stayed cool and prepared. He closed his eyes and tried to sense his opponent. Suddenly, ten tentacles flew to his position, all aimed at his heart. The ninja quickly jumped in the air and with his own shadows cut the attacking ones. Then Circle threw a few of his into the blackness, where he believed was the minion. Unfortunately for him, there were only stalagmites. When the pony landed on his hoofs, he immediately hopped forwards and began galloping in a wide circle. His light shined only a small portion of the chamber but it was enough for him to see on what he was stepping.

From various angles and dark corners tentacles were launched at him but the only things, they hit, were the wet walls and some random stalagmites. Circle saw his attacker, who was moving on the walls like a shadow and followed his every move. He sent two tentacles at it but they were blocked by a thick black shield. The minion jumped on the floor, waving its tentacles in an attack pose.

"Huh, it's always that darn shield of his. I should attack him from multiple points!" Circle thought.

Suddenly, he disappeared in a white cloud but it wasn't enough to fool the shade. It noticed three clones of the same pony who were charging it from three different directions. The Jester of Flame knew, who the real pony was, so he waited for them to come closer. They were just a hoof away from the shade, when a tentacle, shaped like a sword, pierced the left white ninja in the chest.

The three attacking ponies disappeared into the thin air, as if they never existed. The shade looked around with its white eyes and lifted up his blade-like tentacle.

"Clever. Making another clone just before the edge touched you. Only cowards attack from the back!" he swung his sword in the air. The black blade was stained with red blood. The shadow slowly turned around and was delighted from the sight. On the ninja's chest there was a deep cut, from which warm red began spreading to all sides. His outfit turned from white to red in matter of seconds.  

Circle froze and slowly looked down. The shade began giggling and then burst into laughs. His evil sound echoed through the cave like a dark wind before the storm. He touched his sword to Circle's chin and lifted up his head, so that he could look him in his desperate eyes.

"So young and so unprepared for the future. I've planed this thing for over hundred years and you think that you'll be able to stop me?"

"You are not with Shadow Sun, aren't you?" the ninja's voice was shaking because of the great pain in his chest.

"Wasn't it obvious from the start? By the way, don't even think of escaping because you were struck by the the claw sword. You know what it does to wounds, don't you?" the shadow darkly said.

Circle's eyes grew big.

"No, you are lying!"

"Am I?"

Then the blackness withdrew from the the blade and uncovered a very fine steel sword, that had bones of a dragon in shapes of miniaturized claws, arranged along the edge. The handle was made entirely from serpent's bones in a very elegant way. The entire weapon was a beautiful tool of destruction, which was hungry for more blood and flesh.  

"I had to consume a lot of Royal Guards to learn the location of this extraordinary artifact. Luckily for me, one grey pegasus knew exactly where they kept it." his soulless eyes looked at the work of art and then at Circle. "While you electrocuted me to death, I summoned the blade and look where this simple sword brought us to."

"Yeah... you just admired on your bones!" Circle coughed some bloody saliva. "You must feel honored to be a part of a weapon like this!"

"Trying to be funny to the last moment. I wonder, should I quickly consume you or let you die from the curse? Hm, which do you prefer?"

"The one, where I steal the sword!" Circle's voice sounded from behind, when tentacles warped around the blade and took it from the minion. The shade turned around and looked very pissed at the ninja, who stylishly spun it on its axis and put the sword in the scabbard. "Thank you for delivering it for me!"

"How?!" the shade angrily asked.

"While I was doing circles around this chamber, I searched not only for you but scanned the nearby tunnels for a dead pony. I know a lot about your kind, especially about your need of constant stream of energy. You consume living beings to survive in our world but you weren't with a body, when you faced me at the alter. So, I did the two plus three thing and fooled you very convincingly. I only used image changer to the dead body and with some help of my tentacles, I managed to make him live again, though briefly."

There was a sound of a pony hitting the floor. The unicorn was dead, before Circle found him, so there was nothing he could do to save him.

"I underestimated you, master ninja. It won't happen again! My attempt to kill you may have been a futile one but you can not stop the plan in motion!"

"Do tell me about your little plan. Why are you betraying you new master?" Circle pierced the black pony figure.    

"It ain't your business!"

"Hey, do you know what the blade's second secret feature is? It can hurt shadows like you, so you'd better start talking or face eternity!" one oh his tentacles grabbed the handle and prepared to pull it out.

"If you've seen the future you must know how this will end, right?" the black figure made a step backwards, while staring the ninja with its white eyes.

"I saw what I had to see, but not the current events, that will lead to it. However, I assure you that the future is brighter than you think!"

"We will see about that!" its pony figure turned into a shadow on the ground and swiftly went inside a hole in the wall, barely escaping the mighty blow. The ninja stood still for a few moments before putting the sword in its place and went to the dead body to retrieve the torch.

When he exited the cave, Circle looked around in the dark forest.

"I'll find what your are up to, Jester! I'll stop you, even if it costs my life!" he silently said and then began galloping to south.

In a pony's dream...

It was pitch black. There were no sounds. Nothing existed in that place, except a meditating pony in a dark outfit. She had closed her eyes because there wasn't anything to see in this dream world. It was just like the others before it: empty and cold. Foxy never experience anything else in her sleeping time. Maybe this was just another curse.

Did it represent who she was? An empty glass of pure darkness or was there a light of hope, waiting to shine and show her the way out of this boredom?

A little star appeared in front of her. It grew in size and power until it took a considerable portion of her world. Tail didn't notice it and continued to meditate in a total silence.

Suddenly a sound of somepony hooves echoed, which surprised her. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the bright light. This was new for her and she was curious to learn what it was. The steps sounded closer and closer but there was no sight of the approaching pony.

Foxy stood up and waited. She felt more fear from each tread and that made her angry. The ninja had to be intrepid and calm, when facing the unknown but in this case she barely stopped herself from shaking from fright.

Then Lucky appeared in front of her with a warm smile on his face and friendly looking brown eyes. Tail was confused by his sudden entry in her dream and didn't know what to say. The pegasus looked very lively and full with energy to do what ever he'd please. There was no wind but his green mane slightly moved in a charming way.

Lucky elegantly turned away and looked back at the ninja, as if he invited her to follow him into the bright light. The pegasus began running and quickly disappeared into the whiteness. Foxy blindly went after him, without even giving it a thought. The urge of discovering something new was too great for her to resist it. The ninja galloped until every black spot was consumed by the white background and then she suddenly found herself in a gorgeous field, full with many flowers. The sky was blue and the sun was high.

She looked around but didn't see Lucky. This was so strange for her but she enjoyed the colorful picture. For the first time in years, she was dreaming something different than blackness. This new world felt so fresh and real, full with beautiful flora. Tail was beginning to like this place, when she felt somepony's presence behind her.

The ninja swiftly turned to the newcomer and froze in one place.

"Lucky?"

The pegasus closed his eyes and continued smiling. He swiftly jumped in the air and began flying around. He looked so happy and so far from the daily problems, that the ninja almost couldn't recognize him. He was having a real good time and nothing could stop him. Foxy kept her eyes on him the whole time and wondered, what she was seeing. He did some very breathtaking acrobatics in the air, which the ninja admired.

Suddenly, she found herself on his back, burning through the sky. Then he aimed his nose at the grassy ground and flew really close to it. The airflow, the pegasus created, threw the flowers in the air. It was a beautiful mash of colors and Foxy smiled.    

Lucky then flew upwards. The ninja was not able to hold on to him and she fell from his back. Foxy waved her legs to try to grab onto something but there were no trees around. She looked back and saw the approaching earth. It would hurt a lot but fortunately for her, she was saved just in the last moment by the fast pegasus. She was on his back again, breathing very fast. Her heart was going nuts but there was no stopping the star in the sky.

Lucky aimed at the white clouds in front of them and impaled them like a sharp sword. The two emerged on top of them and the pegasus flew very close, so that the ninja could reach them with her hooves. It was a magnificent sight of curves and figures. Tail never felt so much happiness in her life and gave herself completely to the moment. It was like floating in ecstasy. Nothing compared to what she was sensing right now and Foxy never imagined, that such feelings existed.  

Suddenly the pegasus slowed down and landed on the beautiful field. Tail got off his back and stood in front of him. She looked at the wonderful flowers that made much of the flora here. She felt so many warm feeling in her cold heart and left her almost breathless.

"I-I have never said this to anypony, so I guess you are the first. Thank you! The ride was spectacular to say the least."  

The pegasus deeply looked in her with his brown eyes and she felt how her heart began pumping even harder. It was hard for her to look away from him. He stepped closer but she didn't move. As if they were chained together and she couldn't escape the feeling that was raising and spreading in her body like wild fire.

Their lips touched and immediately explosion of feelings took over her entire being. It was like the first time she kissed him but more powerful. Her lonely tormented soul finally showed her what it mostly wanted. It needed care in this dark times. Tail accidentally opened the doors deep inside her and she discovered a lot of pain and urges to find somepony to love.

Foxy opened her orange eyes and noticed that she was laying on the ground, surrounded by tall tropical trees. The birds announced the day's victory over the night. The dream was gone but it was replaced by two flowers, laying in front of her face. Tail slowly stood up and sat, while confusingly looking at them.

"Good-Morning!" Lucky said, when he approached her. "I understand that our organisms will reject any food, except apples but this is may way of saying thank you for saving my life from certain death."    

The flowers reminded her of the ones in her dream but she felt nothing at all. Foxy was in full control of herself now and she'd not let such feelings overtake her calm mind.

"Don't mention it." she huskily said. "Although, I appreciate the gesture."

Lucky smiled.

"Well, then how are we going to proceed with my training?"

"On the move. We need to find apples, that will be our primary objective." her cold eye was still pined on the two flowers.

"I think we should fly over the jungle. If this forest is the one my parents went in, then we should head north, through the Bad Lands."

"No flying. You are too unstable and I'd rather stay on the ground. However, we will go north." Foxy looked at him and immediately felt a warm feeling, which escaped her tight grip.

"Are you okay?" Lucky asked and stepped closer.

She looked away and calmly said:

"I'm alright. Let's get moving! The road is long and filled with many dangers. We must not prolong our stay here or we might not make it out in our current forms."

Lucky nodded. Foxy stood up and gave him sign to follow her. The two went behind the trees. The sounds of their movement became quieter and soon completely ceased. Only the two little yellow flowers remained like small signs of the future. Next Chapter: Chapter 15: Wild Changelings Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 15 Minutes