//------------------------------// // Chapter 8. // Story: Pony of a Different Color // by Sparky Brony //------------------------------// It's been nearly six months since I stepped through my gateway into Ponyville. It took me nearly a month to heal from Rainbow Dash's wounds in battle. I wake up. I give Dashie a kiss as I run to kick a cloud for a morning shower. After the invigorating shower, no such thing as hot water in a cloud house. I head down to the ground. There's nothing better than sleeping on a cloud. Pegasi have it best I tell you. Rainbow wasn't even aware of me getting up, she's such a night owl. But then again, so am I. I'm up this morning with a purpose. Twilight wants to see me this morning. She said she's made a breakthrough on my problem. I know exactly what she's talking about with that. Nearly six months without touching Saidin, and I'm feeling horrible. I know what the effect of losing the source is on somepony. I'm terrified of going crazy. I only have two things sustaining me throughout my time in Equestria. Those are Rainbow Dash, and flying. With Rainbow's coaching, I was able to finally do a sonic rainboom of my very own. I'm actually still coming down off of that high. I'm gliding slowly along, Twilight didn't want me first thing in the morning, so I have to slow down so I'm not at her tree at the crack of dawn. And yet, it does end up being the crack of dawn when I knock on the door to the library. Spike opens the door. “Hi Sparky, head down to the basement, they are waiting for you.” He says. “They?” “Yes, now hurry up.” I hurry down the stairs to the basement of the library. Twilight is pacing back and forth, from what I can see, she's the only pony down there. “Ahh, good, you are finally here.” I'm incredulous, I'm somehow late? “It's the crack of dawn Twilight. How am I late. You told me to come this morning.” She looks surprised. “The sun just came up? Oh, I wondered...” She gets that thoughtful look on her face, then shakes her head. “Never mind. Do you have the well with you like I asked?” I bring it out, “Yes, Twilight.” “Oh, goody, I have something to show you.” She leads me to a candle, it's burning, and it's almost out. “It's.....a candle.” She leaps up in the air. “Yes, it's a candle, and it's lit.” She has the biggest smile and she's clapping her front hooves together. “Uhhh, Twilight, when is the last time you've slept?” Confusion reigns on her face. “Ummm, what day is it?” Now I'm worried. “It's Thursday.” “Okay, I took a two hour nap on Sunday.” “That's it?” This pony must have been busy. “Yes, I can sleep after this experiment. It's not easy you know, Sparky. Not only am I trying to make a type of magic that is completely foreign to my world, I'm also trying to figure out how to actually use it. From what you told me after that big battle, you felt, as in through your magic, me using my magic. And so we know I would have the potential to be an adept mare. Well, yesterday, I was able to do the impossible.” Huh, I'm having trouble following what she is saying. “And that is?” is all I'm able to blurt out. “I didn't use my horn to light that candle.” I look at the candle again. After about ten seconds, what she is saying dawns on me. “You channeled it alight Twilight?” She's barely able to nod as I pick her up. I'm screaming around the room as fast as my wings can carry me and the struggling alicorn. I'm also screaming in delight. “We are ready, Twilight.” The new voice stops me in mid flap. I have the presence of mind to drop Twilight on the floor before I barrel headlong into a wall. I get up, brush myself off, then bow as best as I can. “Princesses, how nice to see you in Ponyville.” Celestia moves over, and it turns out every equestrian Princess is in Twilight's basement. Luna has remained very cool and reserved with me, Cadence comes right up to Twilight. Before anything more than hi is said by the assembled princesses, Twilight interrupts. “I know this is short notice, but I've made a breakthrough, and I need all of your help to do this.” After quick assent from those assembled, she starts talking about unicorn magic, with a good sprinkling of math as well. She starts laying out what she calls a spell. I'm listening to her, but it's so alien to me, I really don't retain much, I do catch the end though. “And I need you all to help combine your power with mine to fill this well, and we might be able to give Sparky his powers back.” “Of course we will help Twilight.” Cadence says. She's got a worried look on her face though. “Though I don't know if I can learn this spell that quickly, you sound like you want to do this today.” “Oh, I want to do the spell right now, but don't worry. You don't have to learn the spell. I just need to use your raw power, linking with me will be easy.” Celestia seems unconvinced. “Are you sure? This sounds like a dangerous spell.” A big smile from Twilight. “It can be dangerous, but I've already used it numerous times, but it's very energy consuming. I have to use almost every ounce of my unicorn magic to create enough of a flow of air to flutter a piece of paper, or light a candle. But, we aren't going to be directly channeling it.” She floats the well in front of them. “This, is a well. It can store the female version of Sparky's magic. In fact, it can store more than that, based on my experiments with it. But we will worry about that later. I need to try this right now.” I'm more than a little excited by the possibility. “Seriously? You might be able to get it to work?” She floats the well to her mane and clips it there, it's in the shape of a gold humming bird, and it looks good on her mane. “Yes, Sparky. You have described to me how to do the gateway, and I've been able to parse out what threads of spirit are like. I've studied for hours your drawings of how to do the inter-dimensional gateway you can make. And I think I formed it correctly. You've shown me the pictures of your apartment back at your home, I've been trying to get a good mental feeling of it. And everything is fresh in my mind, so we need to get started right now.” The other three princesses move around Twilight. One by one they light up their horns under Twilight's direction, and the magic seems to come from all of them at once. I can see the focus point of their magic, the well. They remain motionless, all eyes closed, as they pour their magic out. I can't see any progress, but the well doesn't light up, or give any indication that it is being filled or used. So I simply have to wait. Minutes turn into an hour, then a second hour slowly passes. Spike brings down a tray of food, I munch a bit while I'm watching them. There is nothing so boring as to watch this. I lay down on my side, and watch them. “Ha ha.” I'm woken out of a light doze by Luna's voice. All the princesses seem to be unsteady on their feet, but all of them have big smiles on their faces. I'm guessing success. Twilight turns to me. “Okay Sparky, I don't know how long I will be able to hold the gateway open, are you ready to use your magic to make your own gateway and keep it open. This was very draining. I don't think I would be able to do this again, for a few days at least.” I am more than ready this time. I hold myself open to touch the source. I'm so ready to seize it that I'm salivating. I can simply nod my head. “Alright, here goes.” Immediately I feel goosebumps all over my body, like a woman is channeling next to me. She's got it. I watch eagerly in anticipation. After several seconds, a silver flash forms by the wall. As it rotates into a gateway I'm already seizing the source, it floods into me. I'm ready this time, I form a gateway myself, just in time too, by the time her gateway is fully open, about large enough for a pony to step through, it winks closed. She sighs. “That was all that we put in the well, we can try again in a few days.” She looks dejected. Then she notices the smile on my face. I slowly lift up my hoof, I focus Saidin, and a flame grows right above my hoof. I use currents of Air to pick her up and twirl her around me. I'm dancing, I have the source back. “I made a gateway, it's small, about an inch to the side. I put it up on the wall so nopony can be bothered by it staying open. The side in my world isn't in my apartment, I opened it inside a mine I worked at many, many years ago when I was an electrician. Nopony can accidentally stumble into it, it's inside solid rock. I've tied it open and put a block of Air and Spirit to ensure it stays open, and isolated from your world, the only thing that passes through it is saidin. I have access to my power, and I have you to thank for this.” I turn to everypony assembled. “I have all of you to thank for this wonderful gift.” I bow to all the Princesses of Equestria. “Is there anything I can do to repay you all for your kindness.” “Yes, Sparky, you can leave, and never return.” All the Princesses look shocked at Luna. Celestia glowers at her sister, but Luna ignores her. “You may have not intentionally brought those invaders to our world. But the fact remains, they came. They killed ponies coming after you. You are able to go, so go.” I'm completely speechless. Luna continues. “I know you made friends here in Equestria, but I think a clean break with all of them would be best. Just make yourself a gateway big enough for you, dispel the tiny gateway you made, and go. Your friends here will miss you, but you do not belong in our world.” “Hold on a minute” Twilight moves in front of Luna, her wings spread. “We have welcomed Sparky into our homes. He has become a good friend. If you want to banish him from our world.” She looks down, then apparently gains more confidence, “Then you will have to banish me too. Those invaders will be wanting power, they will want me too. If Sparky leaves, so do I.” “It's not going to come to that Twilight.” Celestia comes forward. “Princess Luna, Sparky is an honored guest. As we have told you, he has fought bravely on behalf of us. We have had words about this. And it is final. He can stay, if he wants to.” Luna looks sharply at her sister. After several tense seconds she whirls around and heads up the stairs. “Fine, but I don't trust him, and if he comes to me, I will not at all be accommodating. I helped give him his power back so he can leave. But if you don't want him to, fine. But I will have nothing more to do with him.” With her final words she seizes the door with her magic and slams it behind her.