I woke up early the next morning. The tree was silent and I was certain everyone was asleep. I reached for the source, nothing, just a void. This is not fun at all. I was hoping to remain in Equestria and not really let anyone know I am here, and here I am confessing everything to Twilight, how stupid of me. I need their help, but I don't normally let the worlds know that I'm there, I'm an observer, for the most part. Not to say I haven't participated in my share of happenings when I've been unable to avoid them. Oh well. I rolled out of the couch. I finally decided to look in a mirror. I found one in the study where I had been sleeping.
Okay, I'm obviously a colt, the charcoal gray coat is a really nice touch in my view. I shook my head, wow, what a mane, it's two colors, a burnt orange and yellow, wow. I'm a pretty good looking pony here. I laughed. It's amazing though, I can move each ear individually. And yes, my face is just as expressive as the rest of the ponies. I'm guessing I'm going to enjoy my time here. Except for that little problem. Oh God, missing the source is worse than I ever even thought it would be. I shook my head, and then my entire body shivered. I've got to keep going. Twilight will figure out the problem.
Stepping out of the library, I spread my wings. What beautiful creations these are. I flapped them a little to get off the ground. Alright, lets see how well I’ve absorbed the lessons Rainbow imparted. Speed. I've always liked going fast, and I had piloted a jet aircraft, and even in some other universes, spacecraft capable of exceeding the speed of light. But nothing in my experience compares to this feeling of flight. My new body is really designed for this. I put my forelegs forward. I gain altitude and speed. Nothing is better than this. As I accelerate, I still feel the void inside me from not having my power, but it's importance is fading a bit. I think I can prolong my time here without power, I just have to fly all the time. I chuckle as I pour on the speed. I can feel the magic of the pegasi coursing through me. Just faster. I. Need. to. go. faster.
I start climbing even more. I look around, I see Ponyville, I get a good view from this height, in the distance, of the royal city of Canterlot. I'm going to have to visit there some time soon. I topped out, I must be over ten thousand feet high. Alright, I'm going to try it. My acceleration now causes the world to blur around me, in moments I notice my wings have stopped flapping, they are holding pretty close to my body, providing lift, and yet I'm still speeding up. Again, the magic of the Pegasi has to be the answer.
I know I'm over the sound barrier, I can feel the compressed air in front of me in a mach cone. Come on, I can go faster. I'm angling down, using gravity to help me. All of a sudden the air nearly solidified in front of me, I felt myself stop, and yet the energy in the air was still there. Oh no. Just like Rainbow Dash before the young fliers competition, the pent up energy released it's energy into me. I'll admit I screamed as I was flung by the compressed air. I only had moments before I hit the ground. I landed. HARD!
After I stopped I took a self assessment. Nothing broken, nothing really hurt. I guess Pegasi are more sturdy than I thought. I wasn't actually injured. I'm guessing that I would have survived that fall after Rainbow did her rainboom in front of me. I stood up and brushed myself off. Alright, back into the air. If you don't succeed, try, try again. After a few more tries with the same result, I noticed the sun was well and truly up. I looked down, I must be near the Everfree Forest. I know that cottage there. I land near the door and knock. A few moments pass and the door opens to Fluttershy.
“Um...Oh, good morning Sparky.” The shy yellow mare with a pink mane says. I love how quietly this mare speaks.
“Morning Fluttershy” I say brightly, “may I come in? I have a few questions.”
In answer, she moves aside and allows me in. Her impeccably clean home is quite a sight to behold. She's apparently having tea this morning. I am talking to her as we move into the dining room.
“Fluttershy, how dare you bring that creature into your home.” I hear a voice filled with menace. I turn, and there is the apparently reformed Draconequus, Discord.
“Pardon me good sir?” I say, I didn't know that Discord would have any knowledge of me, or my abilities.
With a snap of his fingers he disappears and then I find myself lifted up and he appears holding me. He is now face to face with me. “You are an adept. I have some knowledge of your kind. You are truly nasty creatures.” He drops me and flashes next to Fluttershy. “You should keep as far away from that as you can."
“Now hold on a minute Discord.” I say. He chuckles and snaps next to me,
“So, you know who I am.”
“Yes, to an extent, you are Discord, to my knowledge you are introduced in the second season opener of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. You are a villain who nearly defeats these ponies here, before you are reformed by the friendship that Fluttershy here shows you how much you actually desire friendship.”
“I know of the silly show that we are shown in some worlds, I've even watched some myself. It's silly, it's for little girls.”
“It may be intended for little girls, but where I come from, it has a huge following of all ages and both genders.”
“Oh, I do know about the bronies, and you would count yourself among them?”
“I most certainly do, the reason I came to Equestria is because I wanted to know if the multiverse included this world. I'm happy to say it does.” I'm starting to get really irritated with him.
“Well, you see that this world does exist, and the multiverse is truly infinite. Now why don't you make a gateway back to your home and leave this world alone?”
I stamp a hoof, this draconequus is hitting pretty close to home. “I just got here a couple of nights ago, I want to learn more about this world before I leave.”
Once again, he picks me up, he dangles me by a leg, and throws me around. I never land, he keeps flashing around to catch me. “I really should be wary of your abilities. Speaking of, why aren't you blowing fire in my face? Or defending yourself?” He breaks off as a yellow streak flashes in front of his face.
“Now Discord, you put him down. He's lost his power by coming here, and he's completely helpless.” I'm unceremoniously dropped on my head as Fluttershy continues to scold Discord for his actions. After several attempts to defend himself he finally acquiesces to her.
“So, the mighty have fallen,” a chuckle, again full of menace, “You can't access your precious Saidin. And, wait a moment, you are stuck here?” I look down. He again chuckles “That might be interesting.”
Fluttershy once again comes to my defense. “He's stranded, he's scared, and he's alone. And most of all, he is a friend with all of us. And if you mishandle him again Discord, that will be a big mistake for you.” Discord gets smaller with every word out of Fluttershy's mouth.
“Fine, but mark my words, this creature is dangerous. If it ever gets it's powers back, it could lay waste to Ponyville.”
She lands on the floor, and starts pouring me a cup of tea. I get comfortable in front of the low table, Fluttershy is very good at making tea.
“Is it true?” She looks at me.
I have to think about it for a moment. “To a non adept, my power can be very impressive. I can summon lightning, even out of a clear sky. I can shoot fire, I can harden air to the strength of steel and cut down a tree.” I sigh, “In fact, as warriors go, I could be counted as extraordinarily deadly.” I look at Discord, he's leaning back, looking quite smug.
“Some of the weaves I know could kill hundreds, if not thousands at a stroke. And among adepts, I've only met one other, he professed to be quite powerful, and yet, I could feel his strength, and I would have no problem defeating him if I found the need to. I am quite sorry to say, I've been involved in many battles. I have fought in many wars in my time jumping from one universe to another. Sometimes willingly, sometimes under threat of people I know or care for being harmed.”
I looked soberly at the yellow pony with the flowing pink mane. “I was a warrior. And in the future, I can be again. But for quite a few years now, I've done nothing but explore. I hate killing, I hate killing with a passion, Fluttershy. But I would not hesitate to kill to defend those I love and care about. But if that can be avoided, I will do so.”
She looked thoughtful. “I will admit, knowing what you are capable of frightens me, but I said I would help you, and I will keep my word.”
I had no idea how much fear had crept up inside me as I told her my abilities. It all flooded away with those words, and I sighed. “Thank you Fluttershy, you have no idea what those words mean to me.”
The rest of my morning is devoted to Fluttershy, she first tells me, then shows me her animals, and the area around her cottage. Even Discord behaves while we visit.