Pony of a Different Color

by Sparky Brony

First published 30th of December, 2013

Equestria gains a visitor from another universe, and it's up to the mane 6 to help him get home.

Ponyville has a new visitor. From not just another world, but a completely different universe. One problem though, by coming to Ponyville, he's lost his powers, and it's up to the Mane 6 to help him get home. Will they help him? Can they actually help?

On another note. If any of you are artistically inclined, I would love a cover pic. Of course full credit for the art goes to the artist.

Prologue

Author's Notes:

I know there is nothing pony in here, but I was told that it's kind of hard to accept the OC's power. So I wrote a prologue showing his recruitment into being an adept. I know the story starts slow. Just give it a chance, we will get to ponies in Chapter one. Of course, I have to re-work that chapter a bit, I want this to be an enjoyable read. Not tedious. Any ideas are appreciated.

I looked at the gun in my face. Is this how it is supposed to end? I'm barely twenty five years old. I've been a hard worker all of my life. Yet, here I am, with a gun to my forehead.

“You son of a bitch, you won't give me my money, now you are going to die.” Said the holder of the gun, a local punk who apparently thinks that I've taken his money. I just brushed up against him, then he just grabbed me and drug me into this alley. I have no clue what money he's talking about.

I close my eyes. I don't want to see the gun fire. I'm so desperate to live.

“You may not want to do that son.” A new voice says.

I open my eyes, the gun is facing down. I seize my only chance. I grab the gun and twist it down. The .38 special revolver goes off, discharging it's slug into the street. I pull the kid, he's no more than sixteen right now, down to my level. The newcomer just stands there.

“Want to help bud?”

He laughs. “No, I think you've got it pretty well there.”

I stand up, still holding the kid's hands with the pistol. I grab the pistol from his now limp hands as I kick him over.

“I don't have any money of yours, now get lost.” I open the revolver and dump out the rest of the cartridges. I don't like guns at all. Nasty things. The kid scrambles to get away. I saw the gleam in his eyes, he was on something. That explains his actions, I think. I turn to the newcomer.

“And, who the hell are you?”

“I'm your teacher.”

I lose consciousness, I don't think I fainted, he did something to me.

I wake up, I'm in a very nice bed. I turn my head, the same man is there, sitting. I really take a good look at him. He seems to be in his mid 30's, brown hair, brown eyes. Trimmed beard. “What is your name?”

“You can call me, Carter.”

“Okay Carter, what did you do to me?”

“It was a simple weave, really, brought on sleep so I could bring you home.”

Uhh, what? “And why in the holy bleeding hell would you bring me home? I don't know you.”

“No, you don't know me, but I know what you can do. And I made a promise to the one who trained me, and that is to train any who have our ability.”

“And what ability is that, Carter?”

“You are an adept, or at least you will be. You can channel Saidin. You can do magic.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I need to go.” I back up my words by getting out of the bed, I stumble down the stairs and to the front door. I open it, and snow blasts me back, I look around outside, it's the plains, it looks like this house is on a homestead in the middle of nowhere. There is at least three feet of snow on the ground. Where in the hell am I? I was just in Texas, it was sixty degrees and sunny. I turn back, hearing his footsteps coming down the stairs.

“Where the hell am I?”

“William, you are in North Dakota, miles from any other house. You want to leave, go ahead, but it will be a long cold walk.”

“How did you get me here? How long was I out?”

“About an hour. Much more than that would be unhealthy for you.”

“So, you are saying you've gotten me from Texas to North Dakota, a trip of over a thousand miles, in less than an hour?”
My mind was spinning from that that implied. That was impossible. He must be lying. He smiled, and a silvery flash rotated open next to him.
“This is a gateway, and you can be in Texas again as fast as simply walking through it. Go ahead, or you can stay, and I can show you how to make your own. And so much more.” I looked at the gateway, it looked like it opened into by living room in my apartment. I could see the window from where I was standing, a bright sunny day in Texas.

“You are offering to teach me this?”

A nod from him.

“Okay.”

Chapter 1

God, I hope this recorder is working correctly. It's a small implant, but it should be able to store around a thousand hours of me talking, and the transcriber should be working fine. Oh well, on with my story. First off, I'm guessing I should introduce myself, I haven't been wearing this recorder very long, and after nearly eighty years of jumping between dimensions, I should at least record some of the most unusual jumps that I've gone on. First off, there is no organization, there is me. I do this out of my own curiosity, and I make a living doing it. My name is William, and I'm a Adept. I can channel magic. I use it to explore the multiverse. I love doing it, because it's so interesting. I've been channeling for over a hundred years, and yet I look and feel like I did in my mid twenties when I learned I had this ability.

The one other Adept I have met, he found me, and taught me to touch the source, the origin on my power. He also taught me a lot of webs to spin, one of those was traveling. And after some years of simply walking through a simple gateway to get to my destination, whether across town or across an ocean, I wanted to do more. I remember reading about the concept of multiple universes, or the multiverse as some call it. I wanted to know if it was possible to use my gateways to travel not just across distance, but across time and space. And after altering the weave, to the point to where it's actually very different from the standard weave for traveling, I was able to find my first universe. It was exactly like mine, except for one minor difference, the letter J was missing from the alphabet, it sounds very insignificant, but to me, once I had figured I had succeeded, I was the happiest person in existence.

Since then, I've visited thousands of universes. I've been a Rebel watching the Death Star explode, I've been aboard the legendary Starship Enterprise. One thing I found though, with a literal infinite number of universes at my disposal to explore, everything that can be imagined is in existence in one form or another. I've been in the universe for popular books, movies, television shows, even universes where my home universe is a comic book. It's almost too much for even me to understand. I've written down some of my more unusual adventures, but I finally got a recorder and a transcriber that I had implanted.

Well, I decided to try one that has a huge number of fans, yes, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and after watching some of the show, I'll fully admit I've jumped headlong into the Brony community. So, after a few seasons of the show, and watching the huge amount of fanfare on youtube and in fact, all over the internet, I felt I needed to try to visit their world. Now, getting to a universe I've never visited is not easy. I had to examine every episode of the show, I had to get a mental feel of the locations there, where everything is. And very often, the weave falls apart without creating a gateway. So, this time, on my third attempt, a bright flash of light rotated into a large hole in existence. I could feel it, Equestria. Awesome!

I walked through the gateway, and immediately fell to all fours. I looked down, instead of human hands, my arms were legs, and at the end, hooves. Dark gray fur, not too bad. This was not the first time a universe didn't allow my kind of form to exist, some magic endemic to that universe would transform me into whatever the residents are, so I kind of expected it, considering you don't see any humans in this pony universe. So, I'm in Equestria, I look over my form, I notice something different, two wings. Wow, I'm a Pegasus pony, that's even better. I spread the wings and give them an experimental flap. Amazingly easy to get off the ground here, yet the gravity seems the same as what I'm used to. Perhaps some magic endemic to the Pegasi, I can't wait to land on a cloud. I take a few steps, it helps to not think precisely about what I'm doing. I'm not at all steady walking like this, I'm just glad the quadraped form is inherently a stable form.

I look back, I even have a cutie mark, awesome, a lightning bolt with stars around it. Pretty cool right there. Well, time to trot off and explore this world. I know we see a lot of this world, but no television show can even come close to showing everything. I use currents of air to lift my pack from the other side of the gateway, as they pass through they turn into saddle bags, that's even better. I settle them on my back, and there is where I made my mistake. I let go of the gateway. It snaps closed and the moment it winks out of existence, my power is gone. I'm talking completely gone, I can't even feel the source anymore. Now, for an Adept, losing the source in this way, having it cut off can cause them to be burned out, as in never able to channel again. And any time it happens, it's a shock, so with this shock to my system, it knocks me out. I fell to the ground, out cold.

I have no idea how long I'm out, but I wake up in a bed. I did not expect that, but then again, I didn't expect to be completely cut off from the source. Oh God, what am I going to do? I open my eyes slowly, there's an oil lantern on the table. I rotate my head to the side, I see a shape outlined there, a pony shape, and there's a stetson hat on the mare's head. Well, I know who this is. And it's pretty natural for her to have been the one to find me, I planned on my gateway to open up in Sweet Apple Acres. Well, time to bite the bullet. Feign ignorance? Yes, I think so.

“ugh, wha happened?” I mumble.

She shifts, if she was asleep, it was a light doze. She turns up the lantern from a bare glow to filling up the small bedroom with light. She comes closer to me.

“Yeh sure seemed to have a bit of a shock sugar cube. Big Mac nearly tripped over you, didn't even twitch when we got you into the bed. You have a name.”

Sure, I have a name, Willian, but I doubt you would understand any meaning behind it. I know, something simple. “Sparky” I was a sparky once, an electrician, that is.

“Sparky, an unusual name”

You have no idea Apple Jack. “And your name is?”

“Oh, where are my manners, I'm Apple Jack, and you are at Sweet Apple Acres. Most of the family is asleep, or I would introduce you to them, Mr. Sparky”

I chuckle “Just Sparky will do fine Apple Jack. What time is it?”

“It's just after 5 in the morning, the sun will be up in under an hour.”

I jump up, I just tried to touch the source. So more than a bit of panic enters my voice. “I've got to go.”

Very strong hooves hold me down, “It's alright sugar cube, your saddle bags are here, we didn't open them, but they sure were heavy.” She indicates to the corner.

Yes, my bags are there, I reach in and pull out a small handful of gold coins. Wait a second, I just used hooves to pick up small gold coins. The non sequitur stops me in my tracks. How can hooves pick things up? How in the hell did that happen?

“Well, Apple Jack, for your trouble.” I toss the coins on the table by the bed, I've watched the show, I know her type, I know what her reaction would be before I dug out the coins. But I can be stubborn that way.

“Hold it, I don't need your money, I'm simply being neighborly.”

“I know, and I insist, I pay my own way, you can keep the gold, or throw it out, but it's yours to do with as you please. If you think it's too much, leave it on the table, and if I have need of a bed to sleep in during my stay here, I will drop in. Sound good?”

She looks at the pile of coins glittering, from the look in her eyes, it's a fortune to her. “These aren't bits, these are full on gold crowns, I have no idea how many bits this would be. Tell you what, you could visit a nice hotel in Canterlot for a good year with this amount, I'll take one of these coins, and you keep the rest.”

I smile back at her, “Not a chance, I've got plenty of gold, and I know where to get more when I need it, as I said, I pay my own way, if you don't want them, bury them, throw them down a well, melt them down and make yourself a pretty necklace, but I will not be taking them back.” I start out the door, down the stairs, and by luck, find the front door. I'm finally out of her house. While I like all of the Mane six, I have to figure out what to do.

I'm stranded in a world that I'm not a part of, my magic is completely gone, and I'm absolutely terrified. As I'm heading down the path to the main gate, I hear another pony trotting behind me, it's Apple Jack. She's following me, I break into a trot, then a full canter, she's catching up, and she doesn't look at all winded. Panicking, I flee in a full on gallop, but that sturdy earthy pony catches right up to me. After a good mile I'm completely winded. I stop, sweat streaming down my sides, I lower my head and just try to breathe. She comes up “Nice race, I never expected a Pegasus without their wings bound to want to run any distance, and you are pretty fast for an airborne pony. Now do you want to tell my why you are in such a blasted hurry?”

After a moment I'm able to pant out. “It's a long and complicated story.”

“And you don't want to tell me right now?”

“Not particularly”

A low chuckle from the orange pony with apples on her flank. “Well then, you can simply tell me in your own good time. Where are you trying to go sugar cube?”

“You live in a farm, that means there's a town nearby, and this path seems well traveled, so I'm guessing this is the way to town?” Of course I know the general way to Ponyville, I’ve only watched every episode of the show you are one of the stars of...

“That would be correct, that way is Ponyville. I've got to head there myself this morning, want to go with me?”

Not particularly “Sure.”

We head off, after a few minutes, she looks at me. “So, are you from around these parts?”

“No”

“You here on business, or pleasure?”

“Both”

After a few more questions she gets the hint, she remains quiet during the rest of the trot to Ponyville. I'm trying to take everything in. One thing that is big is that the details are not at all shown in the cartoon show. The apples on the trees are beautiful, the leaves on those trees are incredibly detailed. I'm quite glad the world isn't as visually simple as is implied in the cartoon. The path is gravel, but in excellent repair. And the town itself, as we come to Ponyville, is actually breathtaking. It's like any other thriving small town, everything is clean, in the pre-dawn there are a few ponies up and about, but for the most part, it's quiet. We stop in front of a general store.

“This is where I've got to go this morning Sparky. Will you be back at the farm later?”

I think about it for a moment, “I think I will, thank you, Apple Jack, for your hospitality.”

Author's Notes:

Well, this is my first FIM fiction. This story has been scratching at my brain for the last few months, I've only recently decided to commit it to the computer.
I also do MLP FIM analysis videos, if you want to take a look, check out sparkybrony on youtube.

I've edited it per some suggestions, I hope it's easier to read.

Chapter 2.

She tips her hat to me as she heads into the store. Finally, I get to look around. What an amazing town. Well, I know where I need to go. I head to the big tree on the edge of town, and as I draw close, yes, it's the library. Near the tree is a little cafe, and they are just opening up just as the sun is rising over the horizon. I order some water while I wait. After a little bit, the door to the library opens up, and a small purple dragon walks out. Now is my chance. I throw a coin down and head over to the door to the huge tree.

In response to my knocking, the door opens and there she is. Princess Twilight Sparkle, in all of her Alicorn glory. Let's just say the animation style does not do her justice, she has the same colors, purple coat, but she's actually a very pretty pony. I'm mesmerized by the colors of her mane. I just stand there looking at her, apparently too long. She get's an expectant look on her face, I never knew ponies could have such expressive faces. “Can I help you?” Yes, she also sounds exactly like her cartoon voice.

“Actually yes, Princess. I have urgent need of your help.”

A glimmer shines in her eyes, she can help somepony. She leads me into her study off the main library. “And how can I help you?”

How do I tell her? She's easily the most intelligent of the ponies around here, and she's also done the most. She has a huge magical ability. I don't think any story I craft would be able hold up under scrutiny, so I'm going to have to go with the truth. At least some of it that is.

“First off, I need this to be entirely between you and me, I'm going to tell you some things that you are going to find amazing, and you are certainly going to have to believe me, I can present some evidence of what I'm telling you, but here goes.” And I launch into some of what I do, and some of the show. As evidence, I pull out my ipad that was in my bag when I crossed into their world. I show her an episode I had saved there, one from season 3. I watch her face as she watches her animated self. I can tell she was not believing me until the video file was being played. I even pull out the comic that shows me jumping from universe to universe, and some of my experiences there, she got to see with it, what I actually look like. After about an hour of talking to her, I finally wind down. She looks thoughtful.

“So, you are not a pony?”

“No, I'm a human, similar to what you were when you went through the mirror in the Crystal Empire. But it's not a mirror to your world, it's a complete world unto itself”

“I'm somewhat familiar with multiverse theory, but this is so far and beyond any theory I've ever read.”
No kidding Twilight, I'm living proof that the multiverse is real, and I've seen quite a few parts of it. “Yes” is all I say.

“And what exactly happened when you closed the rift between your world and mine?”

“Apparently, my magic, I call it the source, doesn't exist in your world, so in allowing the gateway to close, I closed off my connection to it. Without that connection, I can't get back, so I'm stuck in your world, and as delightful as this beautiful world is, I will eventually want to go home. You are an Alicorn, you have magic. Maybe we can figure out a way to create a new gateway and allow me to channel again.”

“I don't know if it works that way Sparky. Your magic works completely different than my magic does.”

“I know that, but I have to try. And there is one other potential problem.”

“And that is?”

A long pause from me, this is hard to say. “If somepony with my abilities is cut off the way I was, there is a possibility that my ability to channel is burned out of me. Can you use your magic to feel the texture of my mind, and maybe tell me if there feels like some kind of break, or cut?”

She looks at me thoughtfully, and after a few moments, her horn glows and her eyes close. I can feel her inside my head. I've never had much ability to heal someone with channeling, I can repair many injuries, but anything more than maybe a broken bone, I'm helpless at fixing, apparently, Twilight, with her abilities, is very powerful at many kinds of magic, it's a very unusual experience, though, having someone looking around inside your skull. I close my eyes, and I find I can mentally steer her around a bit, guide her where my abilities connect to my conscious mind. After what seems like forever, she withdraws, and we open our eyes at the same time. She smiles at me. “I don't feel any break or any tear, what I do feel is like a void that wants to draw my energy into it, I had to pull back rather hard, it threatened to pull me in, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to try again anytime soon. I don't know, if you had a horn, you would probably be able to use my magic, do you have any idea why you came here as a Pegasus instead of a unicorn?”

I chuckled. “I was thinking of one of your friends as I was walking through the gateway, and she's a pegasus, I guess there was some subconscious decision making going on there.”

“And who would that be Sparky?”

“Rainbow Dash, I was thinking if I were a Pegasus, I would do a Sonic Rainboom”

This elicited a giggle from her, how cute. “I think she would have something to say about that.”

No kidding Twilight.

She stops and looks levelly at me, “I know this is trying for you Sparky. But we will certainly try to get to the bottom of this, and try to find out how to send you home. But you may have to face an uncomfortable fact.”

“And what is that?”

“You might be stuck here a good long time, maybe permanently, your mind is so alien to me, I can't even conceive how your magic works, I have no clue how to construct a gateway, as you call it, to cross a room, much less between my universe and yours. But you have my word, I will try to help you to the best of my abilities. And for now, we are going to keep some of your nature between us, while my friends can accept you being completely different, the rest of Ponyville wouldn't be as understanding. Would you like to meet them?”

“I certainly would, I have known these ponies on my television and computer for a few years now, meeting them in the flesh would be a delight. As I've told you, I've met Apple Jack already, I would love to meet the rest. But there is one more concern about me staying here.”

“And what would that be?”

“When an adept is permanently severed from the source, we don't live long, we start to go slowly insane, I've known one who was burned out while channeling, and he lasted nearly a decade, but the last few years were horrible, his mind was gone for over a year before his body finally gave up. I have serious time pressure I have to face here.”

She looked thoughtful. Her horn glowed and several books floated off the shelves onto her desk. “Well, I had better get started then.” A sharp knock on the inside door to her study interrupted. I nearly jumped out of my, uh, fur, as the door opened, and a cyan pony with a rainbow colored mane stuck her head through the door.

“Morning Twilight, ready for a flying lesson?” Her magenta eyes focused on me, “Oh, I didn't know you had company Twilight.”

Twilight breathed in, I knew what she was doing, steeling herself to tell Rainbow Dash what I was. “Dash, we have a bit of a situation, I can't...” I broke in.

“Twilight, you can tell Rainbow what has happened, but I could probably use her help flying as well. I've had these wings for just a few hours, I would love to learn how to fly.”

Confusion reigned on Rainbow's face as she digested what I said. Twilight saved her confusion though, telling her my plight in a nutshell. As my sad story was recited, Rainbow's face went from confusion, to surprise, to joy.

“So, you are saying you are from a completely different world, where you are all humans? That is awesome.”

I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm, “Yes, and I'm stuck here, probably for some time. I would love to get to know you girls. But we need to keep this information close for now.” She nodded enthusiastically while we headed to the door.

We all walked outside with Rainbow peppering me with questions, I answered them to the best of my ability. Once we got outside she turned on Twilight, “Now, the summer sun celebration is happening in a few weeks, Twilight, we need to get you flying a lot better. Now, both of you, spread your wings.”

Both of us obediently spread our wings, and I got my first real look at my new wings, I was mesmerized by my them, they were beautiful, my charcoal gray fur transitioned to feathers, but down the length of the wings, the color deepened into a midnight black, and amazingly, at the very tips of the primary feathers, pure white edges. Rainbow looked at them, and I think she liked them, hell, I liked them. I snapped my attention to what I was doing.

“First, you need to get airborne.” She demonstrated, her wings slowly flapping as she lifted off the ground a few feet. Twilight flapped her wings, and apparently she had trouble getting them to work together. I wasn't anywhere near smooth, but I was able to flap them enough to get off the ground. After a few moments, Twilight was hovering next to me. A look of sheer determination on her face. I'm pretty sure my face mirrored hers as I was concentrating on getting my wings to move together, I could feel muscles I had never owned before working, I was in luck, they were quite strong and after figuring out my balance, it became easy to keep a slow, steady beat. I had to fight my knowledge, I know I'm a few hundred pounds as a pony, but even with these wings, which seemed really small for my size, I didn't need to do much to keep airborne. Again, it must be some kind of magic endemic to being a Pegasus. I experimented with the wings, hovering in place, moving slowly forwards and back, up and down, sideways. I saw Twilight doing the same, she looked at me, “You seem to have it down, you've had your wings less time than I have, and you already look better in the air than I do.”

“I don't know, just a natural I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders, it was really easy, it was as if this body already knew what I needed to do. I decided to try actual flight. I angled my wings and flapped hard, I shot forward, barely in control. I knew I needed altitude. I banked a bit to circle as I rose, after I was higher than all the buildings I hovered again. I had never had any problem with heights, I looked around. It was amazing. Just being so high was exhilarating. I looked around, Twilight was trying to copy my moves and she was circling to gain altitude. Her wing movements were not synchronous, Rainbow was next to her calling out instructions. Shortly, she was up high with me. A quick dirty look at me for being such a quick study and she started hovering again. I was itching to see how fast I could go, I just took off, flapping as hard as I could, I was above the trees, I zoomed off. I found the less that I thought about my wings, the coordination problem was much less, both wings beat in perfect unison as I accelerated. Oh my god, the feeling of flight was amazing. It filled me up, similar to how the source filled me when I had hold of it, I just kept accelerating. I looked behind me, I saw a rainbow colored streak hot on my tail and gaining rapidly. So, she wants to make a race of it. No problem, I kept going faster. Rising as I did. I felt the wind change. I was actually approaching the speed of sound, I could feel a cone of compressed air forming around me as I kept going faster and faster. I could feel the magic of the Pegasi helping me accelerate more and more, I knew I was well over the speed of sound. There is no feeling like this. Then a rainbow colored streak passed me like I was standing still. A few hundred feet in front of me, she broke well past the sound barrier, a rainbow streak turned into a ring of pure color, expanding out from her. She had just performed a sonic rainboom! Right in front of me! I only had a moment to wonder at it before the blast hit me. All coordination, all attempts at flying stopped as I was caught up in the shock wave. I was stunned, I found myself falling, I looked down from the dizzying height that I was falling from, I was thinking, no way this is a survivable fall. At least I was over pasture land, and I didn't have any trees to land on. Ah, a lake. I kept trying to adjust my fall to hit the water. My wings remained spread as I floated to the side as I fell, then, all of a sudden, there was a cloud beneath me. I landed on it, defying all knowledge of what clouds are, I landed and it was soft and fluffy, it didn't hurt a bit. I looked over, and there was Rainbow Dash, holding it and guiding it to the ground. She was apparently trying not to laugh too much at me, as the cloud came down, I was able to flutter off of it and land somewhat steadily on the ground. A moment later, Twilight landed next to me. She seemed to be in full on panic mode. I kept trying to fend her off as she pulled my wings and inspected them, she checked my legs, and to top it off, she lit off her horn. The feeling of her inside my head transitioned to her inside every part of me, she was checking every part of me. I kept trying to reassure her I was fine, but she was having none of it. I had no choice but to submit to her scrutiny. After several minutes of intense scrutiny, she declared me healthy as a horse. Then she turned on Rainbow Dash.

“That was completely irresponsible of you Rainbow Dash, you could have killed Sparky with him being so close to a Sonic Rainboom.”

Rainbow was stuck between laughter at the situation and remorse at what she could have done to me. I stood helpless as Twilight lectured Rainbow on how her actions could endanger other ponies, and she needed to be more careful. After a moment, I broke in.

“Twilight, I know I was in serious danger, but I am okay, and this taught me a lot about flying. Please, let's get back to flying. It's one of the most amazing experiences I have ever felt.” Twilight gave me a good hard look before subsiding. Rainbow quickly regained her composure, and we spent the next few hours working on our flying. I'm actually pretty good at flying. While Twilight and I are heading back to her library, I nudge her shoulder.

“I think I know why you are having the problems you are having Twilight.”

“What would that be?”

“You are thinking about what you are doing too much, your body knows what to do, but you are trying to force it to do things your way. I was watching you, you are thinking every motion through, you are now an Alicorn, your body knows what it needs to do, just let it.”

She looked thoughtful, “Perhaps you are right Sparky, I will try that next time.” We walked in silence for a while.

“Hey Twi, are you hungry? I'm starving, a lot of flying certainly primes the appetite.” That elicited a smile from Twilight.

Chapter 3.

“Sure”

“And we can discuss channeling while we eat, or is it impolite in Equestria to mix food and work?”

“No, in fact, stimulating conversation is always appreciated.”

We found places at a cafe near her tree and ordered food. After a life of an omnivore, the idea of a complete herbivore diet seems rather daunting to me, but for now, I'll have to deal with it. When our food arrived, I decided to get into my magic with her.

“Allright, my magic, it's divided into two halves, one controlled by women, the other controlled by men. Obviously I control Saidin, it's the male half of the true source. It is further divided into five powers, or elements. They are earth, air, water, fire, and spirit. Those names are deceiving though. Earth would be more accurately described as matter, because it involves anything that is matter, to an extent. Air would best be described as all gasses, not just specifically the air we breathe, I can use it to isolate the oxygen or some other specific element out of the air, and use it for some purposes. Water is obviously any liquid, or specifically any fluid. Fire would easily be just energy, because I can use it to power electronics, like that ipad I showed you earlier, the electronics I brought with me will eventually need a charge, I hope we can figure it out, those saddlebags of mine have a lot more in them than most ponies would guess. And lastly, there is spirit, which is pretty self evident, it's everything to do with the mind, and spiritual energies, it is the thread that I use to make gateways as well.”

Twilight just sat during my monologue and then took a while to digest the information. “That is nowhere near how magic works here in Equestria. I'm sorry Sparky, I don't see how it's possible.”

More than a little panic starts to enter my voice. “Twilight, I know the situation seems daunting, but there has to be a way for the source to be accessed. Perhaps if I explained how traveling works...”

“Well, hello again Sparky, hi Twi” Applejack says as she sits down at the table with us. Ugh, I wasn't looking forward to this meetup again.

“Hello Applejack, how are you today?” Twilight asks.

“Well, except for an unexpected visitor late last night, just peachy.”

I cleared my throat. “Well, Applejack, I'm sorry about last night and especially this morning.” Twilight urged us to head to the library as I stumbled out an apology. “I was disoriented from my loss of my magic and I really didn't need any probing questions as of yet, but I'm ready to come clean now.” Applejack was apparently able to take a lot in stride, she didn't even react. “Aww shoot sugar cube, I could tell that you weren't telling me everything, as I said, you'll tell me in your own time.” She stopped walking for a second. “Wait a minute, you lost your magic? What the hay are you talking about?”

“I'm not a pegasus, not even a pony really. I'm a human, a human with a special gift, look at my cutie mark. That's a representation of my magic. I've never in my life been a pony until late last night. I let the gateway that I used to come here close, and it closed off my connection to magic. I'm scared, no... that's not enough, I'm terrified. I'm under a death sentence without my magic, and I have to find a way to fill this void inside me. I've got to fix this.”

I feel tears leaking from my eyes. Dammit, no, I’m not this emotional. “I've loved this world, this My Little Pony show for a few years since it premiered at home, and I don't know what I'm going to do to get this fixed. Your world is so interesting, it's so beautiful” There are more than just a few tears in my eyes now, they are streaming down my face. “I'm just terrified.”

I completely break down, I'm unable to talk. I hear them shifting, and then I have three ponies enveloping me in a hug. I never noticed Rainbow Dash coming back in. They all hold me as I sob. I don't cry, especially not where anyone else is around. But here I am, bawling like a baby. After a few minutes, the emotions subside to a more manageable level and I break away. I really don't want to, their friendship is so welcoming, so warm. But I've got to continue on. I look at them, they all have tears in their eyes as well, but I can tell, they don't pity me, they don't look down on me, they are concerned about me.

After being alone in my life for as long as I have, remember, jumping between universes really is not conducive to long term relationships. I've been alone for a long time, and for the first time in decades, I've got real friends, even though I've known them for just a few hours. I hate to say it, but certainly in this world, friendship is magic.

A knock at the library door, and it opens to admit three more ponies. Oh no, the entire mane six are here. I take a moment to look at the new arrivals, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Once again I'm struck by how the animation style of the show is completely inadequate to show these ponies. They all sit down as Twilight once again goes through my sad sad story. I can see the skepticism of the new arrivals, until my ipad is floated in front of them, and another episode is played. One of my season three favorites, Too Many Pinkie Pie's. This time it was six mesmerized ponies while I watched their reaction. After twenty two minutes, they all just stared at me.

Rarity broke the silence. “Are you seriously telling me that we are a cartoon show? That is intended for young fillies?”

“Yes”

“And how many adventures of ours are in this Television show?” This came from Pinkie Pie. Didn't really expect to see her angry.

“About sixty five, not all of them are adventures, most of the episodes are what are called slice of life. Not big ones where you and your friends defeated Discord. I don't have all of the episodes on that device, most of them are at home, where I can't get to them.”
“Amazing” This from Rarity.

“I'm throwing it all on you girls, I can't get home without help, and while I may love staying here, it's not my world, and without my magic, I am going to die, a horrible death. I need your help.”

It was amazing, I watched all their faces, I knew that Rainbow Dash and Twilight were completely ready to help me, but watching the others work through their own feelings kept me feeling on pins and needles, I hoped they would agree, but I was anxious. I really didn't know what would happen.

“Of course we will help you Sparky, what else could we do?” this came from Applejack. All of them nodded their heads. I let out a huge sigh of relief.

“What do we need to do to start?” Fluttershy asked.

I looked at Twilight, “I think we will need to go through all the books on obscure magical theories, Spike probably knows where they are.”

“Ohhhh, small problem with that, Spike just left for Canterlot for Royal business at Celestia's request, he said he'll be back in a few days. So we will have to figure this out without him.” The newest Princess of Equestria said.

For the next several hours, all of us were going through the library and every old tome there. Twilight and I doing most of the actual reading, and the rest gathering books. I was able to understand some of the magical theory in these books. Similar to magical theory in some other universes I have visited. I was actually encouraged by the reading. I'm still trying to figure out how these hooves work. I can pick up things, but only if I'm not thinking about it. Turning pages is a snap, I can even manipulate the ipod quite well, and yet, hooves are certainly a different way to manipulate my environment.

Well after the sun had gone down, I slammed a book closed, startling everyone. “I am exhausted, I think sleep is a good idea.” The others nodded, some of them stifling yawns. Ponies started heading for the door. I pulled Twilight aside.

“Any decent hotels in Ponyville?”

I had to explain the word, when she understood, Twilight looked at me as though I'd grown a second head. “You aren't staying anywhere but here Sparky, I need to keep an eye on you.”

That wasn't going to happen. “They last time someone tried to put me under house arrest, I made them regret it, I may not have my magic Twilight, but I'm not your prisoner. I will show you all the courtesy you deserve, but do not try to keep me here against my will.”

I saw her temper start to really rise, then she understood. “You are feeling claustrophobic aren't you? You miss being outside?”

A quick nod from me, confinement really bothers me.

“Allright Sparky, you are free to stay here if you wish, we really don't have any real inns here in Ponyville, most who visit stay with family or friends. I think a couple of families have spare rooms they can rent out in case they are needed. But nothing on an organized basis. The nearest actual place that is like what you are talking about would be in Canterlot. It's a good hour to fly there, and with your limited flying time, I wouldn't suggest it at night. Of course, you are a Pegasus pony. You can simply gather up some clouds and make a place to rest.”

I thought about what she said. “If it's okay with you, I'll stay here tonight, and I'll make some more permanent living accommodations tomorrow, sound good?”

A nod from her.

I grabbed my saddlebags, I pulled out a hoof full of gold, as I turned to hand it to her, her horn glowed and the gold floated quickly back into my bag. I shot her a dirty look, and reached in again, this time my hoof was grabbed and pulled out of the bag.

“I get a stipend from Canterlot to cover my expenses, since I don't really do much outside of the library, most of it sits and doesn't get spent. I have far more gold crowns than I could ever spend. I don't need, nor do I want, a single bit of your gold Sparky. When you visit here, you are my guest. Applejack told me earlier how much gold you gave her for just a few hours, and your silliness about paying your own way. As far as myself and my friends are concerned, your gold is worthless in Ponyville. If you want to waste it, go ahead, but my friends won't take any, do you understand?”

I opened my mouth to protest, and subsided when I saw the look on her face. Did I say how expressive pony faces are? I knew this mare was not going to brook any argument from me. I finally subsided, “Understood Twilight.” Have I said recently that a happy smile from her can outshine the sun?

“But”

The sun just went out as she glowered at me.

“I insist that I will pay for a big celebration some time soon. It is okay if I spend my gold on fun things that benefit everyone?”

Another big smile from Twilight, “That is certainly okay, Ponyville is not a poor town, so it will have to be a pretty big celebration.”

That sounds good to me. “Agreed.”

I ended up sleeping on a couch in her study. Pretty comfortable I guess.

Author's Notes:

I don't think I'm going to be able to keep up the pace of a chapter a day, but this story is itching around my skull, and the trouble is, as I type, I find more and more I want to add to this story. Oh well, Discord will be in the next chapter, I hope you like this one. Trust me, the story is picking up, I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 4.

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.

Author's Notes:

Well, a little Discord action. I mean, come on, if he's supposedly reformed in Keep Calm and Flutter On, you would think he would spend some time with Fluttershy. I'm trying to keep that continuity going. Well, Chapter five is going to EPIC!!! I hope you like this one, and I promise, 5 will be out within 48 hours. It's already written, I have some editing to do on it. But I think it will satisfy. Come on people, if you like what I'm doing, what direction I'm going, let me know in the comments, or at least a thumbs up.

Chapter 5.

“To find a house, to find a house...” I mumble to myself as I trot down the main street of Ponyville. It's not like there are any realtors in Ponyville. I've been reduced to simply asking around. And apparently there aren't any empty houses in Ponyville as well. All of a sudden, my nose catches an enticing smell, I look around for the source. Sugar cube corner. Well, I know this place pretty well. I push through the door and I see the Cakes behind the counter. To most of the residents of Ponyville I'm simply a newcomer who's come to live here. Although, I do know there is plenty of speculation as to my apparent wealth, and what I do for a living,

I've been living in Ponyville for nearly a month now. I usually stay at Twilight's tree, but I'm itching to find somewhere else to live, she's wonderful company and all, but she is actually pretty busy, and she is usually up reading late at night. And yet, there has been no real progress on finding a way to fix my problem. I need a home, and I really don't want to live in a cloud home like Rainbow Dash does, though I have spent a few nights there when I was in the area. Rainbow is a wonderful mare to spend time with, I would love to spend more time with her, but with my problems, I really need to keep busy with a solution rather than let myself get involved with anypony.

“Good morning, you looking for something to eat?” Mr Cakes says.

“Why yes, Mr Cakes, I couldn't help but notice some extra wonderful smells coming from this wonderful store of yours this morning.”

“Well, you can thank our wonderful apprentice baker this morning, Sparky.” he says as Pinkie Pie bounces through the door. She sees me and her demeanor changes immediately.

“Oh, hello Sparky.”

I force a smile, while she has been trying to help, I can tell there is more than a little friction between Pinkie and myself. I'm trying to figure out where it comes from. She heads towards the stairs up to her room.
“I'm going to take a break. I just put a batch of cupcakes in the oven, they need to be taken out in twenty minutes.”

Mr. Cakes murmurs acknowledgment as she slams her door.

Well, it's time to bite the bullet. I head up stairs after her.

“Pinkie, it's me, can I come in let's talk?”

Silence from her. “Pinkie, please, it seems as though we've gotten off on the wrong foot. Please, I would love to talk to you.”

After a few moments, the door silently opens, and she trots over to her bed and flops down on it. I swear, her mane and tail have started to straighten out, I really need to nip this in the bud.

“Pinkie, I know there is some strain here, perhaps you can tell me why you seem to be so upset every time you see me. It seems everypony else has understood that even though in my world you are a television show, you are as real as I am.”

“I don't care that in your world I'm a TV show character,” she snaps at me. “What I care about is that from what I've seen, you, and all those watching the show are not laughing with me like my friends are, but are laughing at me. I am not comedic relief.”

Ohhhh, everything snaps into place. This happy go lucky pony is very sensitive. And my choice of one of my favorite episodes has offended her.

I sigh and sit down. “Pinkie, while I will admit there are some in the Brony fandom who think negatively of you, I assure you. The Pinkie Pie that we see in the show is well loved.” I pulled out my ipad, with help from Rainbow Dash and harnessing power from clouds and lightning, we've figured out how to keep it powered up. I have a habit of actually downloading some of my favorite youtube videos onto my ipad. I do a quick search. I have her watch it, it's one of the innumerable remixes of her in the smile song. She sits there and watches herself on screen. At first she's angry. Then after a minute, she's smiling, and slowly the bounce flows back into her mane.

“So, what you are saying is that you think I'm funny, but you aren't laughing at me?”

“That is exactly what I'm saying Pinkie.” Many bronies absolutely love you.

I get bowled over in a huge hug from her. “Thank you Sparky, I feel much better.”

Whew, I don't think anypony really wants a visit from Pinkamena, she gets REALLY creepy, at least in the stories.

As I'm leaving the Cake's shop, still munching on a cupcake with a whole box of them for later, I hear Twilight.

“Sparky, I think we've made a breakthrough, come with me to the Library.” I rush to follow her, we both fly as fast as possible.

Inside the library, I find piles and piles of notes. “Now, you were telling me that the male half and the female half of your true source work together to make time move forward, how it is intertwined with the lives of everypony in your world.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I've been trying to figure out how time works in your universe, and I've gotten a sense of what that power is. And it looks as though I can't access it from our world.”

This I already know. “Yes.”

“Well, I may not be able to use it, but I think I can create a version of it, perhaps enough to actually open a gateway. You have explained how mares make gateways in your world, and how different it is from the colts.”

I'm reading some of her research, this is one smart cookie. I'm so glad I trusted in her and her friends.

“Wow Twilight, you just might be able to get this working, it's amazing.”

Another very pretty smile from Twilight.

“Well, you told me about a device that works for women, a well, you called it, where a bit of Saidar can be stored in case you are somewhere where the source can be blocked. And that it can be blocked by some different devices, correct?”

“Yes, I haven't found a well that is geared for men, but I have one here for women, you would simply clip it into your mane, and it will hold Saidar, enough for a small gateway or some other relatively strong weave.”

She started into the math of using her magic to manufacture a kind of saidar with me, and at first, it was interesting. Yet after a few minutes, I was starting to lose focus. Twilight is apparently very good at research and is able to come up with the solutions to some of the hardest problems. Then, all of a sudden, I felt my mouth go slack. Saidin was back, I could feel it. I immediately seized the source. Ice colder than the depths of space combined with heat like molten rock coursed through my mind. I was dancing on the edge of a blade amid that chaos. And it felt wonderful. After that moment of shock, I could feel a direction where it was coming from. I spread my wings and flew straight out one of the windows, Twilight watching me in shock as I kept accelerating. I could feel the direction, the everfree forest. I kept going faster and faster. I looked back, Twilight was behind me, her wings beating furiously to keep up with me, and a rainbow trail caught up with both of us quickly, then a few seconds later, she was angling back to town. As hard as Twilight tried, she couldn't keep up with me, but she was close. I could feel myself getting closer to where the source was emanating.

After a few minutes, I could see lights in the forest. It looked like heavy vehicles were moving around, and apparently staging. I noticed some ponies milling around the vehicles, and most of them looked none to steady on their feet as I landed a few hundred yards away from the vehicles. I focused with the source, and enhanced my eyes. Details leapt into view as I looked at the source of most of the light. I've tangled with these people before. They are an organization that is trying to catch adepts and use us to their ends. The one adept I've known, he told me about them, and that they were extremely dangerous. That gateway led to a large field with many more pieces of equipment. Oh no, they had read the residuals of my gateway, and they used their machine to make one. They were after me.

“Sparky, what is going on...” any further words from Twilight were stifled as I shoved a hoof in her mouth. I looked at her hard.

“These are very bad men. And they are after me. They want adepts. Somehow they broke into my home, and read the residual weave of my gateway here. Now they are here, and apparently, they are organizing to come find me. I have to take care of this Twilight. They will kill anyone who gets in their way.”

She shoved my hoof away. “No way, you are not taking them on alone. We are your friends, and we will take care of these invaders together.” A small smile from her, “I'm a Princess of Equestria, I won't let anyone invade, not on my watch.”

I pondered her words for a few seconds, “Fine, follow me. But remember, I'm the warrior here, you follow my lead.”

“Good.”

We slunk around their staging area for several minutes. I was mainly focused on the gateway. I could hear the the electric buzz of their gateway forming device. I couldn't feel the gateway itself, they must have no adepts under their control. That, at least, was good. I saw a man on the other side of the gateway, he was directing the men as they stepped through. As they stepped through, they turned into ponies themselves. I did a quick count, they had several hundred troops through the gateway. And finally the leader stepped through. He shook his new pony head, and trotted off to the rest of the soldiers. I knew the type, they were ex-members of the military of half a dozen nations. They were bankrolled quite well, and apparently were figuring out how to operate equipment with their new hooves. I noticed one or two cutting the trigger guards off of their weapons. So they could use hooves to fire them apparently. I turned back to Twilight, and I noticed Rainbow Dash standing next to the Alicorn Princess. I pointed to the soldiers.

“These guys are nasty, and they want me. Those right there are rifles. They can shoot projectiles faster than the speed of sound. And they will do a lot of damage if they hit you. Don't let them hit you. I am going to make myself a shield of air, Twilight, you make a shield yourself. Rainbow, keep out of sight, unless you see an opening, you are going to have to use your agility, just remember, these ponies are extremely dangerous.” Rainbow got a look I knew.

“We'll kick their flanks back to where they came from.” She said as she slapped her hooves together. I couldn't help but smile.

“I'm going to get their attention. If they had any mercy, I would just turn myself in, but they don't, so we will fight.”

“I told the others, they are on their way here.” Rainbow said.

“I hope to have this finished before they have a chance. Too many lives are at risk now.” I said. I stood up, and spread my wings. I took off and landed in the headlamps of the vehicles. I was immediately noticed. A couple of the soldiers looked at me. “Is that a local?” one of them asked.

“La Rouche.” I hollered.

After a few second of commotion, the leader stepped forward. His pony form was grizzled and gray. But I knew how hard he was. I was not looking forward to what was coming.

“Well, well, well, I know that voice, if it isn't the adept who slipped away from me, killing over a hundred of my men.” He looked me up and down. “What world are we in adept?”

I chuckled, “You wouldn't believe me if I told you La Rouche, I'm going to give you a chance to get your men and go back home. You got into my home, that was not a good idea.”

He smiled malevolently. “Not going to happen adept, you are coming with us.” He waved a hoof.

With a pop of compressed air, metal bands flew from beside him and clamped around me. I barely had enough time for a weave of air to cut the attached cables which would have allowed the bands to electrocute me, knocking me out. But I was on the ground, wrapped in those bands. I looked at Twilight meaningfully for a second and winked at her before flopping over to face La Rouche while he sauntered over to me. Twilight subsided for a moment, she knows I have something planned.

The grizzled pony leaned down to me. “As I said, mon ami, you are coming with me.”

This elicited a small bark of a laugh from me. “Not a chance” Using air I broke the bonds, sending the fragments at the headlights of the trucks and tanks in front of me. Not wasting a moment, I spread my wings and flew up in the air. I could feel Twilight using her magic, I shouldn't be able to do that. I watched gun barrels heat then twist into unusable shapes. Good girl Twily, nullify the weapons first. It was my turn. I folded my wings and from twenty feet I landed and slammed my forehooves into the ground. Rolling rings of Earth and Fire radiated towards the assembled small army. Several vehicles were overturned, and many of the soldiers were burned to ash.

I jumped to the side, using every web I knew to cause destruction. I'll admit the soldiers were well trained, even in a disoriented state from their bodies changing into ponies, they kept firing their weapons. Slugs bounced off my shield as I lay waste to them. I kicked forward, flying low to the ground, weave after weave shattering bodies, burning them to nothing, cleaving into them. They didn't break. They kept attacking me. Nearly twenty of these soldier ponies jumped on me from behind. I heard and then felt the crackle of a taser. Saidin fled as my world was consumed in a haze of pain, and I was down. More and more of the soldiers piled on me. I kept struggling, but it was to no avail. I was down.

The smiling soldier in front of me was pulling out cuffs. No, I can't be captured by these animals. They would bind me, and I would never be free again. I kept trying to get free, to seize the source, feeling more frantic by the second. It remained out of reach. A loud crack happened right behind that soldier, his smile became fixed, wooden. He fell forward as a pink pony kicked out at another soldier. Her sharp hooves shattering his jaw and knocking his head back. A rope descended onto three soldiers holding me on my other side and they were yanked away. I was free.

“Pinkie, I could kiss you.” I said as I steadied myself and seized Saidin.

She giggled as she pulled out her party cannon and fired it, knocking several soldiers back and shredding them in the process. When did she have time to put buckshot in the party cannon? I grabbed her and extended my shield around both of us as several rifles came up and started spitting death. I lashed out with the power. One of the most deadly weaves I knew of. Fire Blossoms popped up among the ranks of soldiers. Tearing them to pieces. I took a hurried glance at the gateway, more soldiers were pouring through. How many men did La Rouche have at his disposal? It was getting desperate. I saw Applejack kicking soldiers, these ponies were gentle, I didn't want them to have to feel the horror of war. But here they were, defending me. I looked up, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were grabbing soldiers and lifting them high up in the air, letting them drop from dizzying heights. When they landed, they didn't get up. And apparently, Rainbow had alerted the weather team, several dozen pegasi were harassing the soldiers, disrupting their fire. I used whips of air to grab Pinkie and Applejack and throw them towards the trees. I hoped fervently that they landed on something that was somewhat soft. Earth Ponies would be easy pickings without shields or some way to defend themselves from high powered rifles. Twilight kept methodically destroying weapons. I watched her grab the turret of a tank with her magic, metal shrieked as the turret was torn off the tanks and thrown at the soldiers. We might just win this one I thought.

Rainbow Dash grabbed another soldier. As she was lifting the struggling pony the unthinkable happened. Bullets slammed into the cyan pony and she became a falling object with her intended victim.

“No!” I screamed as I launched myself towards the falling body of Rainbow Dash. I caught her body with a flow of Air as I landed with her. And, as I landed, I focused on the soldier that had shot her. Without thinking I formed a box of air around him, then made it shrink to the size of a baseball, the soldier shrieked as he was crushed.

She shifted, she was alive! She turned her head a little bit, and her pain dazed gaze focused on me. “Sparky” she croaked out. I could tell that her lungs were punctured, if I didn't do something she was going to die. I threw a dome of air around us, solidified it to the point it could stop a nuclear blast, tied off the weave and then focused on Dash.

As I have said before, I can't heal anything severe. But I had one ace in the hole. A weave I read about some years ago. The book cautioned against it's use because the injuries would have to be absorbed by the adept wielding the weave, but, properly done, it could bring someone back from the absolute brink of death. One of the most complicated weaves I knew sprang into being between us. Comprising of all five powers, it linked our hearts together. I was inside her head, inside her body. Inside her very mind and soul. Her entire life was before me, as I know mine was before her. First things first, I blocked the pain that was rapidly consuming her. I felt her body relax. I could do nothing about the pain being transferred to me, so I wept with the pain as I expanded the weave to her entire body. I felt the slugs being expelled as muscle knitted and bones were made whole again. I continued, her organs healed, every part of her was healing, she had taken over a dozen bullets, and they had really made a mess of her. I have no idea how long I was linked to her. I felt her getting stronger as my strength waned. I pulled as much of the source as I could into myself, buffering me from the effects of the weave. I felt blood start to leak down my flank and down my side as I finally collapsed. She shook her head. She was okay!!!

I fell off to the side and untied the dome around us. As it dissipated, I heard something that shook me to the core.

“...dare you. You come to Equestria, you attack my subjects, and you are now going to suffer for that.” I saw Twilight floating at the edge of the clearing, her eyes glowing white, she was floating, not flying, her wings were spread, but around her was a white aura of her power. Her horn was glowing as brightly as I had ever seen it. And her voice. That is what scared me the most. It sounded as though every ounce of every bit of power in existence was pouring through her. I knew at this point the battle was over, the trouble was, the soldiers didn't know it, though I saw La Rouche out of the corner of my eye jump back through the gateway.

“You shall now suffer my wrath, and the vengeance of all of Equestria.” Her voice rose to a shriek as she unleashed. Bullets bounced harmlessly off her skin. There was no stopping her. Wave after wave of energy was hurled into the soldiers. No fighting force could stand against that, and this one was no exception. Tanks, armored personnel carriers, trucks, everything flashed to dust as the energy hit. The remaining soldiers were either incinerated or fled through the gateway. In moments there were bodies littering the ground, and pieces of the equipment. I struggled to my hooves.

I tottered over to her, Rainbow Dash supporting me as I moved. I didn't have nearly the damage that Rainbow had absorbed, but I was bleeding and every part of me hurt. I clung to Saidin, it's power was all that was keeping me moving. My wings seemed to be okay, but everything else... I don't want to think about it.

“Twilight... what did you do?”

She looked scared, “I don't know what happened, I saw Rainbow Dash get hit, I saw you catch her, I saw that if I didn't do something...” she trailed off.

I hugged her, “You did wonderful, if someone wants you dead, make them dead first. First rule of warfare.”

She sobbed, “all of those lives taken. Once I seized that power in me, it was like I was in the back seat as the power did this.”

I simply held her as she worked it out. The rest of the ponies emerged from everywhere. There were over a hundred ponies, of every type, milling around, poking the bodies of the soldiers. She broke from my embrace. “Is this war, Sparky?”

“Yes, Twilight. This is war. I've fought these people before. They covet the power of Saidin and Saidar, they will do anything to gain that power. I am so sorry, Princess, for my coming here to bring this,” I gestured to the carnage, “to your beautiful and peaceful world.”

A level stare from the purple Alicorn. “You did not bring them here, they followed you, and if you had left before they arrived, they would have done worse trying to find you. I can't blame you for this.”

Yeah, but I can, I thought to myself.

As we are surveying the wreckage, a body shifts, one of the soldiers is alive. In my injured state, I push twilight away and throw up a shield as once again the sound of machine gun fire splinters the evening. The bullets don't even make it to my shield as Twilight casually picks the soldier up with her magic, gun, bullets and all, and flings it. I hear a crash, I turn and look, Twilight's aim is perfect, although I don't think she meant it to be that perfect, the body hit the gateway machine, it tips back, and in an explosion of sparks, it goes silent.

“No!” I scream as I launch myself forward as fast as I can. I throw a weave of spirit and air at the gateway to keep it open. But since the gateway was not made with the power, my weaves pass through with no effect. Well, no choice now, I pour on as much speed as I can, I only have to make it about a hundred feet. It snaps closed right in front of me and I crash into a tree behind where the gateway was. Once again, I've lost Saidin the worst way possible. And I'm out cold.

Author's Notes:

Well, I hope you like this chapter. Might add some comments later.

Chapter 6.

I wake up slowly. Well, the good news is, I'm alive, I'm in a bed, no it's a cloud. But, I'm in a house. Oh, must be Rainbow Dash's home. I turn slowly over, my flank is covered in bandages. I'm pretty sure that I've defined a new level of pain for me. There's Rainbow there, she's asleep, I look around, it's dark outside. My moving apparently jostled her. She bolts upright.

“Oh Sparky, you are okay. Wonderful.” And louder “He's awake, you can come in.” The rest of the ponies push into Dash's small bedroom. I'm not ready for hugs from every one of them. And there are more than a little tears in their eyes. I'm confused.

“What is wrong?”

“You've been asleep for three days now Sparky. At the hospital, they stitched up your wounds, and said it would be touch and go for a few days. You not only had what looked like bullet wounds, but you have several broken ribs, and your left foreleg has a greenstick fracture. I watched you fight, how did you let so much through your defenses?” This came from Twilight.

I chuckled as I looked at Rainbow Dash. “I didn't get hit with a single bullet, Twilight. Rainbow here is the one who got hit. I had to heal her, and my normal healing abilities weren't enough, so I used a very rare and dangerous weave to heal her. In using that weave, some of her injuries were transferred to me, and I had to use the power to protect myself so I could survive the injuries.”

Twilight looked incredulous, “You are saying that you could have died saving Rainbow's life?”

I cupped Rainbow's cheek with a hoof, “I would have done the same for any of you. You dying would be worse to me than my own death.”

I stood up. “Well, I got to touch the source again. I just wish your aim wasn't so perfect with that last soldier Twilight.”

The mare looked abashed. “I'm sorry Sparky, I may have destroyed your only way to get home.”

“No worries Twilight, your idea sounds incredibly promising. And I won't be so short sighted if you succeed, I'll make a gateway that I can keep open. So I won't be cut off again by anything.” I shifted my weight, this hurts. I stumble off the bed. I'm glad the floor is made of cloud, it's still soft. We walk into Rainbow's living room. I'm starving.

Twilight has anticipated my needs. Apples, carrots, hay, plenty of food is there. Along with buckets of water. I immediately drink down half a bucket, but I try to not overdo it, but my stomach is empty. I munch down a few carrots and apples. These are fresh bucked from Sweet Apple Acres, the best apples I've ever eaten. I turn to them, the new cast on my foreleg is certainly hampering my movements. I have to take it easy, or I'll be sick, and I certainly don't want to sick up.

“I'm guessing you want to talk about what happened girls.” I really don't want to talk about it. I don't like fighting, I can not believe that I actually looked forward to combat when I was much younger.

“What was all that?” This from Twilight.

“I don't know the name of this group. All I know is they want adepts. They know how powerful an adept can be. They want to use us for their ends.”

“Well, my dear, we certainly have seen first hand what you can do with your power.” Rarity remarked.

“Though from what I've seen, I have a feeling, you would rather die than see us get hurt, am I right Sparky?” Interjected Apple Jack.

I looked at her, tears budding in my eyes. “To be honest, I would rather have died than to have you go through that fight. You are so innocent, so, pure, so...” I can't talk for quite a while, I'm sobbing too hard. I hear a chuckle, from Twilight.

“We aren't as innocent as you seem to think, Sparky. Equestrian history has been replete with war. Ponies have killed ponies quite a bit in our history. But that history is from a long time ago, before the Royal Sisters have been in charge. Before they took charge, the three tribes had constant tension, and more than once, outright warfare.

“And Celestia and Luna changed all that?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“My point is, Twilight, you girls, until a few nights ago, had never experienced the desolation of war. I have, I know what it can do to a pony's soul. I feel so welcome, I feel the magic that is inherent in this world in our friendship. I've never understood how the name of your show so truly applies to you. Friendship, here, is magic. And it is a very powerful magic. I have no doubt that you girls can do anything you set your mind to.”

“No kidding, we are the ones who defeated Discord, and then turned him into a friend.” From Rainbow Dash.

I do have a really big question, “Hey, Twilight, have you talked to Princess Celestia about what happened?”

The lavender pony apparently was waiting for this question, and did not want to answer. Her ears drooped, and she looked abashed. “I have apprised Celestia of the battle. Her response was that she wants to see you as soon as you are better. Should I inform her that it will be tomorrow?”

I nod my head, “What do you think she will do, Twilight?”

“I honestly don't know, Princess Celestia is nearly infinite in her mercy, but despite our best efforts, some ponies did die in that battle. She does not take the untimely death of her subjects lightly. In fact, shortly after the battle was over, a squadron of the Royal Guard did show up, when Rainbow Dash informed the weather ponies and our friends about the invaders, she told Spike to send a letter to the Princess. I saw the look on your face before you took off, I had never seen such fear on a pony's face.” She shifted on her hooves, “I told Dash it was bad news and we needed as much back up as we could get. I have to take responsibility for those deaths as well. I really don't know what her reaction will be when we talk to her.”

“We?”

“Yes, we. Her letter specifically mentioned both of us to report to her as soon as you were able.”

“Tomorrow will be fine. I still hurt, but I will certainly go to Canterlot with you. As I told you Twilight, this is my fault.”

She smiled, “Nonsense, Sparky. Ultimately, the responsibility that goes with being a Princess falls on my shoulders, especially with this kind of disaster. I will protect you as much as I can.”

I looked down. This is horrible. Oh well, it wouldn't be my first time in prison. I just hope I can escape banishment or worse. Does Celestia have a royal executioner? If she does, I will stand proud before that pony.

“We should go.” This from Apple Jack, who had been silent until now, “I know you are tired, your body is trying to heal, you need to spend as much time in bed as you can. We will be at the train station tomorrow.”

“It's early morning now Sparky,” Twilight said, “rest today and tonight, I'll be here early tomorrow morning to come get you.”

The ponies all got up and headed out to the landing. I looked out the window, wow, what an amazing Alicorn Twilight is. She has all the grace and poise of a Princess, in my travels, I had met a few royal persona's who actually have that bearing. She's so like her character in the show, but the show doesn't really get into how much pressure this young Alicorn is under. And probably the audience can't even see how well she is shouldering that burden. I watch her spread her wings, enfolding Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Apple Jack. With a flash of light, she teleports them to the ground. Fluttershy is flying off to her cottage. I turn back to Rainbow Dash.

“Well, I haven't found a house yet...” I get a mouthful of hoof for my trouble.

“Hold it Sparky, you are injured. You need help for everything right now. I've already appointed myself your nurse for your recovery. You are staying here. Your rugged individualism isn't going to apply here. You need me. If you try to go anywhere, I'm going to follow you, harassing you. You have gotten to know me pretty well in the last month you've been here in Ponyville. Do you think I will take your stubbornness without giving plenty back?”

I had to smile at this. “No Rainbow Dash, there are few that are as stubborn as you. I'm not going to butt heads with you. I'm not sleepy, but I could use some time lying down. I hurt.”

She helps me back into the bedroom. This is my second time ever in her bedroom, the only times I had stayed the night at her house I had slept on the couch. She helps me lay down on my front on the bed, she climbs in next to me.

“My Celestia, you are a mess. If you are going to visit Princess Celestia tomorrow, you are going to need a proper grooming.”

I turn my head to her. “Maybe I should visit the spa down in Ponyville.”

This got a big laugh from her. “You have been a Pegasus for a month, I've been one for nearly twenty years. Let mama Rainbow fix you up.”

She starts with her hooves on my back. Aches that I didn't eve begin to know I had under the constant layer of pain I have start to fade. In fact, it feels wonderful. I feel her work up and down my back, she pops both my hips and shoulders. I can't believe how much pain I was feeling. I had been through a major car wreck many years back, and the recovery was less painful than this is. One thing adepts can't do is heal themselves. If I had another adept here, one who is skilled at the healing weaves, I'd be right as rain right now. But a stallion like me can dream can't I. I feel her pull out one of my wings, I look over, and she's using her teeth to straighten feathers and preen me. I feel sharp jabs of pain as she pulls out damaged primaries.

“You really should learn how to do this yourself, this is Pegasus maintenance 101. You need to take care of your wings, so they can take care of you. After this, you are taking a shower. You stink.”

“I'm sorry Rainbow Dash.” I say solemnly.

This earns me a nip to the ear from her. “I was teasing you Sparky, no need to be so serious. It's just you and me.” She starts working on the other wing. “I will make sure you are one hundred percent presentable by tomorrow morning. I mean, I can't have you looking all shabby. Twilight and the doctor at the hospital made sure I had plenty of bandages and some salves for your wounds. They were all against me taking you here. The doctor said that you should stay in the hospital for monitoring, and Twilight wanted you back at her place so she can keep an eye on you. But I know different, I've gotten to know you quite well in your time here Sparky. You are too independent.”

She finished with my other wing and was back to working on my back, I had no idea a massage from one with hooves could feel so good. I was almost feeling drowsy, I kept listening to her talking to me, making sure to grunt or somehow indicate I was listening to her while she kept on with her monologue.

“I know that you would much prefer your own place while you live here in Ponyville, but we are your friends. You should let us help. We all really like you, you are an intelligent conversationalist, you are cool to be around, and you've almost got the sonic rainboom down. Yes, I've watched your attempts.”

The lights all of a sudden come on in my mind. She's keeping a stream of chatter going because there is something she wants to talk about, but not bring up. I turn my head to her. “Rainbow, do you remember when you got shot?” She was in the middle of working on my hind leg, she goes completely still. I don't even think she's breathing.

After several seconds of silence, “Yes, I do.” The smallest voice I had ever heard come from Rainbow Dash, one who does everything big.

“Tell me about it from your side.” I feel her start to tremble. I hope she doesn't cry. But I know the tears are on their way. I can feel them about to fall from my eyes as well.

“Well, what is there to tell, I was lifting one of those soldiers, I remember him struggling to get out my grasp. I knew what I had to do, he would have killed my friends if I gave him a chance.” The tears are already starting from her eyes. I painfully shift to face her. “So I was going to make sure it was impossible for him to kill my friends. As I was lifting, I felt him spasm in my hooves. I thought it odd in that quick tenth of a second before that first slug hit me. I felt each bullet hit. Each one was a horrible impact, I could feel how much damage they were doing as they went through me. Not pain precisely, not yet that is. But I knew as each bullet hit that I was going to die. I lost control of my hooves and I dropped the soldier, then I lost control of everything, and I couldn't fly. All I could do was fall. I was falling, it seemed to take forever.” She rubbed her face with her hoof in a vain attempt to stem the flow of tears.

“And then the air around me cradled me, I felt myself slowing. Yet I couldn't open my eyes. I felt myself land on the ground and you land next to me. I focused everything I had to open my eyes, I knew it was the last time, I wanted to see you, I wanted to see my friends one more time before I died.” She completely broke down at this point.

I did the only thing I could do at that point, I pulled her close and held her. She cried for a long time, she wasn't the only one though. My memories of that evening were sharp as needles. I remembered everything. I don't want to be the one responsible for her crying. But here she is, crying her eyes out in my embrace. After quite a while, she subsides. I have to prompt her.

“And then. The most unusual sensation. The pain was overwhelming, it took a few moments to hit, but, boy, when it hit, it was amazing how much pain it was. I knew I was dying. I was terrified. Then the weirdest thing happened. I felt warmth all over my body, I mean everywhere. Was that the weave that you were talking about? The really rare one?”

I nodded.

She continued, “well, all of a sudden, there was no pain at all. Then I could feel what was going on, my body was healing faster than I have ever healed before. But there was more. I felt you. It was like I was inside your head.” She started to blush, “I could see all of your memories, all of your thoughts, your desires, your dreams. I could feel that insatiable curiosity that you have that is driving you to jump from universe to universe. I remembered your time with the only adept you have ever known. I even remember every book he gave you devoted to channeling. He was not a very nice person was he?”

I chuckled a bit, “No, he was a hard man. He taught me a lot, but I have no love for him.”

“You haven't told anypony about your wife have you?”

I shook my head, “No.”

“She died. And you loved her more than anything else in the world.” She said, no question about it, she remembered everything about our link, just like I remembered everything that I gleaned from it.

“Yes.”

She looked into my eyes, “so this weave made our minds into one while it was happening?”

“Exactly, so I could take your pain away and heal you.”

“Thank you, Sparky, or should I call you William?”

“Sparky is fine, I decided this will be the name I will use while I'm in Equestria.”

“Okay. That was the most intimate experience in my life Sparky. But I don't have to ask why you did it for me, do I?”

I looked down, “No. As I said, I would have done it for any pony.”

A smile from her, “Yes, I can see you would have, but you would do it for me before any pony, even before Twilight. I think I understand why, but can you tell me?”

“It's hard to explain, Rainbow Dash, it really is. But I will try. From when I started watching your show, I always thought you were the most interesting pony. I saw a lot of me in you. But more than that, you really were the most fascinating of the ponies. I could easily imagine how you were. Especially since I've been jumping around universes for decades. I knew that there was a good possibility that you were actually real. And then I got here, and I got to know you, all of you, but mostly you specifically. I got to see what kind of pony you are. I found I wanted to know you even more.”

“You fell in love?”

I couldn't look in her eyes anymore. That earned me another nip to the ear. But this time it wasn't playful. It hurt.

“Look at me.” She demanded. I couldn't do anything but comply. I nodded slowly.

She continued. “I'm trying to sort everything out in my head William. But you listen to me, I've never really been in love before. I have friends, I have wonderful friends. I've never thought of having anything more than a wonderful set of friends. But from what you've shown me, unintentionally I think. I think I love you as well. And not just for what you've done for me, but for the kind of pony you are.”

I go to kiss her on her cheek, she grabs my face and presses her lips to mine. She's not practiced at kissing, and being a pony, I'm certainly no great kisser myself. But the action just makes me feel better. This kiss goes on and on. I'm thinking, I'm a human, I've never been attracted to anyone outside my species. But I think I can make an exception for this pony in my grasp. I wrap my hooves around her and feel her return my embrace. We finally come up for air.

“Wow.” We both say at the same time. Then we share a laugh. I get comfortable on her cloud bed, I pull her next to me. Nothing would be better than laying here. So I keep a strong hold on her, and eventually I can feel her relax into sleep, poor Dashie, she hasn't really slept since I healed her. She needs rest more than I do. I lay there as the sun rises, just watching her sleep. After a few hours of watching her slow breathing, I finally fall back asleep myself.

Author's Notes:

Well, I'm working on the aftermath of the battle. I hope you like it.

Chapter 7.

It's judgment day, as far as I'm concerned. I'm hobbling around Rainbow's house, the sun is about to rise, I know Twilight is going to be here soon. I wish I could actually pace, but I am in to much pain. Rainbow is laying on her couch, watching me stagger around.

I can hear her amusement in her voice. “Sparky, Celestia doesn't have a royal executioner. Both Twilight and I have told you that you are as much a victim of these evil people as we were. She has no reason to be really angry at you. There were too many circumstances beyond your control.”

That is a term that I truly hate, I am more of a control freak than most ponies would understand. I huff and turn around. I get my cast caught, I end up planting my face into the cloud floor. Ugh, I hate being injured.

“There's nothing wrong with your wings Sparky. Just fly.” She fell to peals of laughter from the absolutely shocked look on my face. I never even thought of the wings. In the last month I probably didn't fly nearly as much as any other Pegasus in Equestria. I shake my head and spread my wings. I get to a stable hover and there's a knock at the door.

It's Twilight, she's early, I think. I haven't been paying much attention, all my attention is directed inward. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her sit down next to Rainbow Dash. I let them talk to each other. I'm just worried. I'm pacing, I guess you can call it that when I'm simply flying back and forth.

“You ready to go Sparky?” Twilight says, breaking me from my funk.

“No, but I guess it's time.” I try a smile, I'm happy to get one back. I'm out the door before they are, I know my way to the train station. I left my saddle bags back at Dash's house, I really don't have much else to my possession here in Equestria. I land at the train station, the train is huffing and puffing as the locomotive takes on water. I used to think how quaint the technology in Equestria was until I found out that because they are ponies, they are better suited for most short range travel, they really don't have need of the variety of transportation that is available in my world. Especially when you can hire a Pegasus drawn carriage, and get where you want faster than any airline could back home. I settle into my seat, Twilight has my ticket, and all of the Mane 6 join me in the car. The entire trip is undertaken in silence on my part. I really don't want my first visit to the ruler of this land to be under these circumstances. Before the battle, I had tried to drop hints with Twilight, and Spike, that I would like a visit with her former teacher and mentor, but either Twilight wasn't catching my hints, or she didn't want to introduce me to her.

I don't know if it was my own anxiety, or what, but I feel the level of dread in my rising as each mile passes. I lay down on the padded bench and try to rest, but the movement of the train produces random jabs of pain as I try to get comfortable. It's impossible. Every scenario that I imagine is running through my mind. And of course, it gets worse by the moment.

Presently I'm sitting on a bench outside of Celestia's audience chamber. All of the mane 6 around me with the exception of Apple Jack. And shortly Pinkie Pie is called in, and the rest in turn until it's just Twilight and myself waiting. I really don't want to be here. If I had access to Saidin, I would be gone, no question, but all I can do is sit here and wait. Finally, Twilight is summoned. I'm all alone. I look around frantically. I see the windows all around. I've crashed through a few windows in my time in Ponyville. But I know there are Pegasus guards all over, I wouldn't get a mile before getting caught. I sit and try to pass the time by thinking of every pony I have met in my time here. I'm doing the mental equivalent of twiddling my thumbs, and with no thumbs to twiddle, I'm stuck.

“Sparky, it's your turn.” A gruff voice intones. I nod to the Unicorn guard and slowly hobble into the audience chamber. There she is, with her flowing mane, her wings are spread. As I get closer, I can see the very displeased look on her face as I approach. Already slow progress due to my injuries is slowed even further. I can barely move. After way too much time I finally am in front of the Princess of the Sun in Equestria. I am literally in awe. I had thought Rainbow Dash was a beautiful pony, but she is but the dawn compared to the bright light of day in Celestia. I have to think quite a bit before I'm able to compose myself.

“Sparky, as you are usually called here?” She asks.

A gulp, “Yes, Princess.”

“What is your real name?”

“William, Princess.”

“Your full name, please.”

“William Turnbull, maam.”

A small smile from the ruler of this land. “I want to know about those that invaded my realm.”

A deep sigh from me, I try to be quick and concise about the attackers. I wind down after a few minutes.

She continued to look solemn, “And you had a gateway to your world open at that point. Why did you not escape home?”

I looked down, “They were attacking my friends here. I'm not going to escape like a coward and leave my friends to fight without me.”

“Even if those soldiers had followed you as you ran? Couldn't you have ended the attack by leaving and having them chase you.”

I looked up, “I've been thinking on that myself your Highness. I know the reputation of those who have tried to catch adepts. They are ruthless, they are vicious. I don't believe for a second that my leaving would have ended the battle here in Equestria. We were standing against them, they would have wiped out any pony they could simply because we didn't submit to them.”

“And you surrendering to them would have done what William?”

“Absolutely nothing Princess. As I said, they are ruthless. I watched as they tortured a village elder who had no knowledge of me to get information. He was executed when they understood that he didn't know what an adept was. The reason I revealed myself and killed more than a hundred of them was because of that old man. I thought that he would be released after they realized he didn't know anything. He did not deserve to die. My goal was La Rouche, and I failed in that. But he was able to get away, they didn't have much more than a hundred soldiers at that village, and I wiped out every one of them, except for La Rouche, that man has the luck of ten men. In my experience, and the experience of the only other adept I've known, the only way to survive an encounter with these soldiers is to wipe them out with as much prejudice as you can. They are very dangerous people.”

Her tone became more commanding, “Tell me about what happened when Rainbow Dash here was shot.”
I gulp again, I look back at my friends. Every one of them look worried, Twilight and Rainbow both give me encouraging smiles as I turn back to the Princess.

“I couldn't let her die Princess. I just couldn't. I saw the effects of the bullets on her, and it was like those bullets were going through me. I used the only weave that I knew that might be able to save her.”

She rises from her throne, her wings extend. “Could that have killed you in the process?”

I nod, I can't talk.

She nods back, she comes down from her throne. She ends up standing right in front of me. As she came close, I crouched lower to the ground, I'm completely ignoring the pain in my body. I'm waiting for the worst as I am as low to the ground as possible.

She says two more words, I have to play it back in my mind to understand. Once her soft thank you penetrates my mind, I force myself to look at her face. Gone is the stern countenance from her throne. She's simply standing there. I really don't understand what she meant.

“Pardon me Princess?”

She shakes her head a little bit and then, louder, she says, “Thank you Sparky. You would willingly have sacrificed a potentially very long life for not only my subjects, but for a fellow Princess of Equestria.” She turns and heads slowly back to her throne. “You could have made your life easy by abandoning Equestria and left Twilight Sparkle here to fight. While she would likely have prevailed, I had a squadron each of Pegasi and Unicorns of the Royal Canterlot guards on their way. They, along with the Princess' abilities, would have most likely defeated the invaders. But the number of lives lost in Equestria would likely have been severe. You stayed and fought, at great personal danger to yourself. And then when a close friend of Twilight, myself and others was severely injured, you further risked your life to save her. To the point where you stand before me in severe pain while your body heals from those injuries that you took upon yourself. Is that correct?”

“Yes Princess.”

“So, again, Sparky. Thank you for your sacrifice. You had access to your power, and you saving my little ponies has made it impossible for you to have that power in the foreseeable future. You used your power to combat a threat to my subjects. And you very nearly lost your life in that struggle.” She lifted a hoof and indicated the rest of the mane six. Every single pony sitting there, and others I've talked to as part of my investigation, have said that you acted with the utmost in honor and integrity. They also said you were devastating in battle, that you used your power to protect the ponies. So, thank you Sparky. This will conclude my investigation.”

“Nay, sister.” Came a strident voice from above me. An indigo shape slammed down in front of me. Silver clad hooves slammed into me, knocking me down. I fall to the marble floor, stunned for a moment. I look up, Celestia is holding back Luna. And the Princess of the Moon looks ready to do murder. “While his actions in the battle were noble, we cannot forget the fact that his actions in coming to Equestria are the reason those monsters visited. His coming here is why six ponies are dead.” The last words come as a shout from her. Every word stabs into my heart. I was expecting those words from Celestia. But the passion of Luna's words hits me hard. I was already on the point of tears.

“I'm sorry Princess.” I sob. “I did not know that they would follow me. I had moved my home, I had covered my trail. I still don't know how they could have found the residue of Saidin from me coming here.” I don't like to cry, yet the emotions of the last few days just overwhelm me. “If I could simply turn myself in to them...”

“No!” a shout from both Twilight and Rainbow Dash. All six of my friends rush to me. Rainbow helps me back to my hooves. Twilight puts her muzzle right in my face. “Surrendering to evil will only allow it to grow. Who knows how many would die if you were to let yourself be captured by them.” She turns back to Luna. “With the power that I used to help Sparky defeat them, I have no doubt that I would be a target for them now. We need to prepare for them to come back. Sparky is the only pony who knows about them. We need to find a way to help him get his power back. We need to get ready to combat their greed for power.”

Celestia gives her sister a very sharp look, Luna subsides for a moment. Celestia looks at me. “Do you think it possible for them to come back Sparky?”

I search my memories. “From what I've been told, and what I've learned by fighting them. They probably have the ability to come back. And they are relentless. If they come back, it will be with a larger force. They will not quit until they are stopped, or they achieve their goal. They want adepts, and I agree with Twilight. They will likely want her, and probably any unicorn they can get their claws on. They must be defeated.”

Twilight turns to Luna, “While they did follow him, he had no knowledge that they would actually succeed and follow him to Equestria, he is as much a victim of their evil as myself, my friends, and the six ponies who died in the battle.”

Luna harrumphs, “Mark my words Sparky, I think you are a danger to Equestria, and in fact, any world you choose to visit in the future.”

Rainbow Dash jumps up into the air, her wings flapping slowly to keep hovering right in front of Luna. I am quite certain that the cyan mare is furious. “Sparky nearly died to save my life Princess Luna. In battle, he was nearly perfect. He fought as hard as he could, and he saved far more lives of your subjects than anyone else here.” She slams down. “I don't think he really wants to talk about the magic he used to save my life, but I am going to tell you.” She looks back at me, stomps a hoof, and completely ignores my pleading look as she turns back. “The magic was a link. Once the pain from me getting shot was removed by him, I was aware of every memory, every thought, every part of his soul. Not a single time has this stallion been wantonly cruel, nor has he ever hurt anypony on purpose for his own gain. In fact, he's been more than kind. With all the power he has available to him with his magic, he's only fought to free others when he was a soldier. He's only killed to save lives. He had a wife once. He met a woman and fell in love with her. He spent nearly thirty years with her. When she became sick with something he couldn't heal, he was frantic to try to save her, and her death has been a continual source of pain for him for decades now. This pony.” She points at me. Rising again to face the taller Luna.

“This pony, right here, has comforted the dying, he has saved lives through his healing, and has fought to protect life more than anypony here can imagine. And I love him.”

Gasps from those assembled. Even Rainbow Dash seems shocked by the words she just spoke. Her wings clamp to her sides and she falls a few feet.

“I love him, Princess. Please, don't banish him from our world. In fact, I would love for him to stay here permanently.”

I'm in shock. I never expected those words out of her mouth. And, looking around, nopony else did either. She turns and comes next to me. I'm very unsteady on my hooves, she helps me steady myself. I look in her cerise eyes. I can see her feelings there. I've only seen that look once before. I rest my head on her shoulder. This emotional roller coaster has really drained me.

Celestia steps forward. “Luna, this pony is welcome to stay. And Sparky, we will do our utmost to allow you to gain your powers back.” Luna, seemingly still unconvinced, finally nods acquiescence.

Author's Notes:

Well, another chapter. I've got a few more chapters planned out before I build up for the final climax of the story. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 8.

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.

Author's Notes:

Well, another chapter, hope you like.

Chapter 9.

I'm still shaken by Luna's words. “Maybe I should leave.”

Twilight whirls around to face me. “Don't you dare break Rainbow Dash's heart. These last few months she has been the happiest mare in Ponyville.”

Celestia and Cadence come to stand next to Twilight. Celestia speaks up, “Do you return Rainbow Dash's feelings Sparky?”

I think about the last few months. “Yes Princess. I never thought I would have a pony mare friend in my life, but here we are, and I am crazy about her.”

“Then why don't you tell her the good news.” Cadence says.

“I'm going to find my bed, for some reason, I’m exhausted.” Twilight tries to cover a yawn as she's heading up the stairs with Cadence and Celestia. I sit for a moment to think.

I have Saidin, since I've gained my power back, I haven't let go of it. Even holding Saidin is a battle, I must seize it, I must master it, and if I make a mistake I can lose it, or worse. I relish the battle with it now. After nearly six months, it comes back to me like it had never left. I'm about as happy as I can be. I glance at the clock. It's mid afternoon now, must have taken longer than I thought for them to fill the well. But it worked. And that's all that matters. I'm going to have to train Twilight in using this new power she has access to. And stallions are not the best for training mares in channeling. But now I have access to my world. I know where to get the reference materials that I learned from. They involve learning both sides. I open a gateway to my apartment.

I leave the gateway open as I stroll through my demolished apartment. Those bastards took everything they could get their mitts on. Virtually nothing is left. I smile, they don't know everything. I walk to the back wall, it's apparently poured concrete, and it's actually a very clever illusion spell. I open the spell and reach in to grab some books. I have to stop. I have hands again. I wiggle my hands in front of my eyes, yes. They are real. After six months of hooves, standing upright on feet with hands again is completely weird to me. The temptation to stay here is strong. But back in Ponyville is a much better reason to stay. So I grab a handful of books. I hear a step behind me. I whirl around, use flows of Air to slam her into the wall.
“Dad!!!” I immediately drop her.

“Leanne, what in the holy Hell are you doing in my apartment?”

“I've taken a sabbatical from college, I wanted to visit you.” She points to her bags on the floor by the front door.

“Sweetie, you have the absolute best timing I have ever known. I just stepped through a gateway a few minutes ago.”

“Oh, you are jumping around again? Figures.” I get goosebumps on my skin as she embraces the source. She picks up some trash with flows of air, and makes a clean place for her to sit.

“You remember my e-mail nearly a year ago that I told you that I finally watched the show you wanted me to see.”

“Yes, so... you watched My Little Pony. But you said it was a show for little girls.”

“And what did you say in response.”

She rolled her green eyes, and tossed her long blonde hair to the side. “It may be intended for little girls, but the show was made with a much broader audience in mind.”

“And you were right. Well, come with me.” I led her into the room with the gateway in it.

“Is that where I think it is?”

“Yes, that's Twilight Sparkles tree library basement.”

My daughter turned to me with a huge smile, she started bouncing up and down. “I want to go in. Can I Dad?”

“Well, there are a few things to tell you first.” I tell her about how I was trapped and unable to use Saidin, that earned a shiver from her. I told her everything. After I finally wound down, she looked at me.

“So, what kind of pony are you?”

“A Pegasus.”

“And you are now in a relationship with Rainbow Dash?”

“Uhhh, yeah.” I looked down.

She put her hand on my shoulder. “Mom would be happy. She's been dead a long time. She told me before she died to make sure you found someone to make your life complete again. Then again, I never thought it would be Rainbow Dash. But it doesn't matter. I see how you are when you talk about her, is she like her character on TV?”

“Well, yes and no. She's got all the same traits, but she's even more Rainbow Dash than on TV. It's kinda crazy. And she's super smart, smarter than I gave her character credit for. She's so sweet. I can't wait to step back through the gateway.”

“What will we do if La Rouche comes back, Dad?” she draws herself up to her full height of 5', my little girl has stayed little. But she's an adult now. The slowing came quickly when she started channeling. She looks like a teenager, yet she's nearly fifty years old. I've taught her some of the weaves for battle. But I can't teach her that much, because woman's magic works differently than mine. I have taught her how to make the inter-dimensional gateway though.

“We will deal with him. I am going to kill that son of a bitch some day.” I stand up with my daughter, I grab her hand to pull her into a hug. “I'm really glad you came sweetie.”

I can feel her response in my chest. “I'm glad to be here too. Now, let's go visit the ponies.”

We walk together to the gateway, then I squeeze her hand and then let go. I walk through, land on all fours. I turn to her, she walks through and she lands on her brand new hooves. Wow, how cute. She's all white, with nice long wings, her mane is two shades of yellow. Quite cute. She's quite a bit shorter than I am. Almost filly size, but I can tell she's mature. Hmmm, interesting.

“So, what do you think?”

She prances around. “I can't believe I'm going to meet Fluttershy.” She starts bouncing up and down. With flows of Air, I grab her things from their pile by the door, and drag everything through the gateway. As I let the gateway dissipate, I pick up her stuff again.

“Where are you going to live while you are here Leanne?”

Oh, you aren't going to call me by that name Dad? We are in Equestria. I need an appropriate name. What are you called here?”

I smile. “Sparky”

“That fits.” A laugh from my daughter. “And you should call me...... moonshine.”

“That doesn't sound very Equestrian sweetie.”

Another laugh from my daughter. “I don't care, it's the name I want.”

“Alright,.Moonshine it is.” I take another look at her. What was she thinking when she stepped through the gateway, except for the idea of visiting Fluttershy. I focus on her cutie mark. A crescent moon surrounded by stars. What a look for my daughter. I'm floating her things behind us as we head upstairs. We make it outside the library. I turn to head towards Rainbow Dash's home. But I don't make it very far.

Three sets of hooves wrap themselves around me as I'm bowled over. As I'm rolling I hear “HelloSparkyhaveyouseenRainbowDashtoday?” I shake my head to clear it. I focus my eyes on Scootaloo who has her face right in front of my face, from what I can feel, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are attached to each foreleg while I'm stuck on my back with Scootaloo's smiling face. I hear my daughter giggle as I smile at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Actually squirt, I'm heading to find her myself.” I'm barely finished with the sentence when all three of the CMC jump off of me and jump at my daughter. All three stop in mid air and hang. I know I'm not doing it.

“Well, hello there Crusaders.” My daughter says pleasantly. She keeping her inner fangirl tamped down I can see. The CMC floats down to the ground. “I just got here, and I really don't need a tumble right now girls. I am pleased to finally meet you.”

Triple expressions of confusion reign on their faces. I move next to my daughter. “Girls, this is my daughter. While she is here, she wants to be called Moonshine.”

“Your daughter? Cool. You are from the same world that Sparky is from?” from Apple Bloom suddenly smiles wide. All three of the Crusaders start jumping around my daughter.

Apple Bloom stops bouncing and looks thoughtful. “Are yah sayin you've got your power back Sparky?”

I chuckle, “Yes, Twilight was able to give me my power back.” What I did during the battle is general knowledge around Ponyville. Some of the residents have given me a wide berth, but the CMC is one of the exceptions. Especially Scootaloo since I'm always with Rainbow Dash, she has sort of adopted me as her big brother.

“Woohoo, another visitor. We've got a new friend to play with.”

I sheepishly look at my daughter. “I sometimes occupy my day with them. They are quite fun to spend time with. And a little scary. Some of their adventures while trying to get their cutie marks are quite hair raising.”

She laughs. “I can guess, Dad.” She looks at the fillies bouncing around her.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Fluttershy lands in front of us. I look over at my daughter. I know who her favorite in this world is. And having her land there in the flesh is going to be too much for her.

“Nothing at all Fluttershy, is there anything I can help you with?”

“Well, uhh....Eep” anything else she wants to say is interrupted by her ducking as my daughter jumps to tackle her. I seize Saidin and grab my daughter much as she grabbed the CMC moments earlier.

“Now Moonshine, you need to contain yourself. You know of Fluttershy, and now you can say hi to her.”

I set my daughter down and she says sheepishly, “Hello Fluttershy, you are the cutest pony in the whole world, I think your awesome.”

Fluttershy looks at me, I know this shy pony has no clue what is going on. I introduce her to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy looks at me. “So, you have your powers back Sparky?”

I smile, “yes, and my daughter wanted to visit, she's the one who got me hooked on your world.”

“Well...” she looks down, tracing patterns in the dirt. She slowly gathers her confidence. “Any friend of my friend here is my friend as well.” She ended it with a huge smile. Moonshine sqeeed and jumped at Fluttershy, I've never seen a pony give another such an enthusiastic hug.

I let it go on for quite a bit. “Allright sweetie, I wanted Rainbow to be the first to find out the good news.” I turn to walk towards Rainbow's home. “Come with me, I keep telling everypony else but the one I really want to.”

“And who do you want to tell what?” I hear from above. And none other than Rainbow Dash lands right in front of me. That earned a big smile from me.

“This is the second time today someone has had perfect timing Rainbow Dash.” I point back. “I would like you to meet my daughter.” My daughter comes up, sits down and puts out a hoof to be shaken. Rainbow is having none of that. She grabs my daughter up in a huge embrace and twirls her around in the air.

“Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh, I get to finally meet you.” She loops around with my daughter yelping and trying to stammer out a greeting. “Your dad has told me so much about you. I can't believe that you are here.” She lands and puts my daughter down surprisingly gently, then turns to me. “So, are you saying that Twilight wanting you here this morning means...”

I smile hugely. “Yes Dashie, she was able to, with the help of every Princess of Equestria, to open a gateway and I've got my power back.”

“That is so awesome.” I find myself, my daughter, and Rainbow all of a sudden in a huge embrace. Apparently she's really happy, I look down and in moments we are a good hundred feet up in the air. She lets us go, I grab Moonshine, she's flailing with her wings, she doesn't have a clue how to fly yet. We float down to the ground. As Rainbow is celebrating, I sit and watch her. What an amazing pony she is.

“Yes, she is.” Moonshine intones.

I look at her, startled. “Did I say that last out loud.”

A giggle, “You didn't have to say it, Dad. I could see the look on your face, it's the exact same look you had when you looked at Mom when you were thinking how amazing she was.”

A thump from in front of me. Rainbow grabs me again. “We need to find Pinkie Pie, this deserves a party.”

As if summoned, the pink pony shows up. “The party is about to start.”

“Wait.” I turn to Pinkie Pie. “How in the hell did you know that we needed a party.”
“Come on, silly. I always know when a party needs to be thrown.”

“Because you are Pinkie Pie.” I laugh.

She laughs back, “Of course I am. Who else would I be?”

Well, I can't dispute that logic.

I gather up my daughter, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy and we head to Sugarcube Corner.

Author's Notes:

I've been pretty busy writing. I'm going to post a couple of chapters today, I think.

Chapter 10.

Early the next morning, Moonshine and I are standing at the door to Twilight's library. I knock firmly on the door with my hoof. Twilight answers the door.

“Good morning Twilight, did you get enough sleep?”

She smiles. “Yes, I slept the rest of the day, and all night. I'm fully rested.”

A big grin from me, “Well, good, because I brought you reference materials for learning Saidar, and a teacher.”

“A teacher?” A quizzical frown from Twilight.

“Yes.” I move aside, revealing my daughter. “Twilight Sparkle, I want to introduce you to my daughter, Moonshine. She can channel, and she has agreed to teach you what she knows of Saidar.”

Moonshine comes forward and bows before Twilight. “Pleased to meet you Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

The shocked look on Twilight's face is priceless to me. I know that Twilight has been trying to keep her new status somewhat low key, but watching my daughter bow to her is very amusing. We discussed this before we showed up. My daughter has been watching the show while I was in their world, and she told me how little Twilight has been acting like a Princess. It looks like my daughter is going to try to fix that.

Twilight looks supremely embarrassed. “You don't need to do that, especially since you are Sparky's daughter.”

“No Princess. I do have to do that. You have gained the status of Princess. I will speak truth to you, even when it's uncomfortable for you. But I am, while I am here, your humble subject. Do you remember what Principle Celestia said to you when she handed you your crown in the human world you visited?”

“uhhhh”

“She said that a true princess inspires others to stand with you. And Princess, you have certainly inspired me. I am with you one hundred percent.”

Twilight looks completely embarrassed. “Well, Moonshine, come on in.”

We enter the library, Moonshine floats the reference books I had grabbed out of her saddlebags and sets them on the table. While she's arranging the books, Twilight lowers her voice as she sidles up next to me. “I thought you said your daughter was in college getting her doctorate in engineering, and she was nearly fifty years old, this is a filly standing there.”

I whisper back. “Twilight, what I said was true, and I told you about the slowing, where an adepts aging slows down, a lot when they start working with the power. Well, she was twelve when she started to channel, and she slowed at fourteen. She hasn't aged very much, if at all in that time, in fact, among women, I would guess that she will end up being one of the most powerful adepts in the history of channeling. She is the perfect one to teach you.”

“Do all adepts have children that are adept as well?”

“No, actually, according to my teacher, and according to some of the reference materials, it's slightly more common for a adept's child to be adept themselves, but still exceedingly rare. I was lucky with her. My daughter can channel very strongly, and I suspected that my wife had some low level abilities of her own. For example, whenever she got mad, anything electronic was at risk.”

A chuckle from Twilight. “Well, if she wants to teach me, I'm ready to learn.”

My daughter swung around, “Princess, would you come here. We are going to start with some early exercises. You already are able to use your magic as a unicorn, and you probably found it very hard to embrace Saidar, but I'm going to teach you to embrace it as fast as you can think you want it. Ready?”

A big smile from Twilight as she trotted over to my daughter. I bade them good day as I headed out. Now that I have my power back, I have some plans.

I step out of the library, I am assaulted again. Not just the CMC, but Rainbow Dash got me as well. I tumbled a good twenty feet with all four of them on me. Rainbow kisses me thoroughly before taking off with a quick. “I'll be free later, gotta take care of the weather.” and leaves me in the hooves of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I have to suppress a laugh at them, they know how to be absolutely cute and each has perfected the poor little puppy dog look.

“Sparky, can you show us what you can do with your magic?” Scootaloo says, slower than she usually talks to me. Usually she sounds like a record that's been sped up.

I don't know where this is going. “Sure squirt, what do you want to see?”

Three throats chorus different things off the tops of their heads. I answer as best as I can.

“No, I can't change a bird into a frog, Sweetie Belle, No Apple Bloom, I can't do that, it would be too dangerous. No, Scootaloo I can't teleport the way Twilight does.” This goes on until I finally hear something that I can do.

“Yes, Apple Bloom, I can make fire. But first...” I seize Saidin. I use flows of Earth to shift the ground around their hooves. I make the flows of the earth build three pedestals as I spread my wings and hover. I decide to start simple. I bring up three flames in front of each of the girls. All three are fascinated by flames out of nothing in front of them. Then I decide to start getting fancy. I form each flame into a glowing version of each of the CMC. I let the flame version of them scamper around them, keeping an eye for them to reach out a hoof to touch the flames, Sweetie Belle tries and I have her flame twin jump over her, keeping her clear of being hurt by the flames. I expand the flames, the glowing twins melt into a pool of fire around the three girls. I'm adding a lot of Air into the flames and some Earth as well, at that point, the flames look fearsome, but wouldn't singe the fur on anypony. After a few seconds of that I draw all the energy straight up. I pull more Saidin. I'm going to give these ponies a show they will never forget.

I'm feeling the wind currents up high as they affect the power I'm sending up there. In moments, I can tell where and how strong the high level winds are, I draw more and more Saidin. I'm floating in pure joy at that moment. I finally make my flows visible with an injection of Fire. And wham, a full showing of sky lights, more intense than anything you would see in a fireworks show. I have hues of every color cascading around the sky. I get bored with just the light show pretty quickly, so I really change it up. I start having balls of multicolored light dropping down towards the ground, only to extinguish before getting close to the thatched roofs of Ponyville. I look down at the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all three are sitting down on the ground. Eyes pasted to the sky, jaws on the ground.

After about ten minutes of this, changing up the display about once a minute I finally bring it to a close. I gather all the light in the sky and have it fall fast into a pool around us all. Then, in a moment of whimsy, I bring it all into one point, but it's not simply a point, it's the shape of a pegasus pony. Cyan body, and the mane and tail all the colors of the rainbow with big cerise eyes. I trot the glowing Rainbow Dash in front of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, then let it dissipate. Ten seconds slowly pass as they just look at me. Scootaloo finally breaks through the quiet.

“ThatwasthemostawesomethingI'veeverseenSparky” she howled at me as her and her friends launch themselves at me. I see them coming, I could stop them, but I don't. I'm once again bowled over by the CMC. If you don't mind a few bruises, they will be the best of friends. I'm laughing with them when I look up. Rainbow Dash is standing over me. I stand up.

“I saw that last bit there Sparky.” She says to me with a warm smile. A little louder she addresses the girls. “Allright, girls. I'm going to take Sparky here away from you. It's my turn with him.”

“Awwwwwww Rainbow Dash.” From three little fillies at once. Sweetie Belle continued “you said you had to do weather work for a couple of hours and we could have him.”

Rainbow looked at them. “Yes, I did say that, but I was able to get one of the other ponies on the weather team to finish today's work. Because I wanted Sparky to myself. I haven't been seeing much of him. It's my turn girls.”

While she's talking to the girls, she moves in front of me, she swishes her tail and hits me in the face with it, she looks over her shoulder and then spreads her wings. I know that look, I spread my wings and smirk.

“1, 2, 3, go.” I say as quickly as possible. She tried to get the jump on me, but I was just as quick. I outweigh her by at least fifty pounds, but I'm certainly more muscular than she is. We are about even on takeoff. But she has got something I don't. She is fast. I mean, absurdly fast. I'm struggling to keep up with her, but I notice a mistake she made, I'm a few hundred feet above her. She's flying a straight line to her, no... our house, I've got an advantage in altitude, and I use it. As we are getting close, I fold my wings back and accelerate down at the house.

“Dammit, you beat me again.” I say as I fold my wings. I know she's almost always got more speed ready to be called on, but I don't know how she knew I was divebombing and poured on that burst of speed. She always wins our races. I've gotten to be a pretty good flier in my time in Ponyville, but I think I could stay here centuries and still not even be half as good as she is when it comes to flying.

She's laughing now, “You will always lose to me, Sparky. Because I'm that awesome.” As she opens the door and leads me in. I follow and barely have time to close the door before she kisses the pure hell out of me. I have no clue how I ended up on my back, my wings spread, with Rainbow on my chest.

“Aren't you sure you want to talk first Rainbow?” I ask. Her hoof silences me. No, she doesn't want talking. Yet, that is. She gets a wicked grin. I know what she wants. She leans in to kiss me again.

Author's Notes:

Well, here's 10. I'm done with 11, but I'm going to reread it after I've worked on 12 for a while. Should be posted later today, or tomorrow.

Chapter 11.

I'm stressed. I look all around me. I can't read the single face I'm really trying to. Twilight is directly across from me, her horn aglow. Rarity and Apple Jack on either side of Twilight. I've got Rainbow Dash on my right, Fluttershy then Pinkie on her right. I've got Moonshine on my left. I've got a decision to make. I look at Twilight, she's been the hardest to beat. She looks levelly at me, not giving away anything. I look at my hooves, back at her. I take a moment to look around at every assembled pony.

“I call.” I throw a large stack of chips on the table.

The dealer discards a card, then deals out the turn. I have to suppress my emotions. I've got a pocket pair of aces, and the turn just had a king join the nine and two kings on the board. I've got a full house. Everypony else has already folded, it's just me and Twilight. We both are pretty evenly matched. I check.

She slides her entire stack of chips forward with her magic. “All in.” I've never seen her smirk like that.

I look hard at her face. Her smirk remains, but I can't see a speck of nervousness or anything. I seize Saidin, using currents of Air, I push my equal sized stack of chips to the middle of the table. “Call.”

The dealer deals the river. It's the four of clubs. Nothing. We are both all in, so I simply put down my Aces.

“Full house.” I reach for the pile of chips as she shakes her head sadly.

“You should have folded.” She slaps down her cards, a deuce, and a...King. She beat me, with four of a kind.

I shoot Rainbow a glare as Twilight takes the winnings. Rainbow stifles the guffaw she was preparing to unleash. For a moment, until my daughter does a silly face at Rainbow, and pokes me in the ribs.

“Dad, you lost your flank right there.”
I grin back, “Well, at least I kept my cutie mark then.”

It's about three in the morning. We are all in the work room I built under the cloud house. It's actually pretty extensive, I've been using flows of Earth to bring up solid granite walls to frame the building.

I reach behind me and grab my pipe. With a flow of Saidin I puff it alight. I lean back in my chair. “I should never have taught you girls poker.” I grumble as I blow out smoke. Applejack was able to hook me up while I've been here, keeping me in tobacco. I know it's a bad habit, but I've been smoking for a long, long time. I'm not about to stop.

“Hey, Dad, you gonna buy yourself back in?” Moonshine asks.

“Hell yes I am.” I toss a few gold crowns at the dealer and collect some more chips. It was a wonderful idea to have a dealer from Los Pegasus come down for me to teach the girls poker. Although, Texas Hold em hadn't made it to Equestria. I can tell that it's going to be catching fire in Los Pegasus when this dealer heads back home.

“Alright... Deal.”

The next morning, I wake up, slowly. I glance over at the clock, it's eight in the morning. I've gotten less than three hours of sleep. Why am I awake now? A knock at the door. Oh. A first knock must have woken me up. Of course, Rainbow Dash is still out, I plant a kiss on her cheek as I stumble out of bed. I need to not hit Applejack's hard apple cider so hard. I don't get hangovers, but my mind is still a little cloudy. I shuffle slowly to the front door. The knocking is getting more insistent.

“I'm comin, I'm comin.” I finally get to the door, I wrench it open. A Pegasus is standing before me, golden armor glinting in the morning sun. My eyes bug out. What have I done now?

The Pegasus salutes. “Sir Sparky. I am Major Gullwing of the Royal Pegasus guards.”

That earned a surprised start from me. What are the Royal Pegasus guards doing here?

“And you are here.... why?” I ask.

“Sir, Princess Celestia ordered us to come here to train to combat the humans who invaded earlier in case they come back.”

Oh. “Alright then, where are you staging? How long are you planning on staying?”

“Sir, we are in the process of setting up camp, one hundred forty four elite fliers and the same number of Unicorn and Earthy pony guards are also setting up.”

“Son, my military service is far back, well before you were born. I'm a civilian now. Not only that, my service was in a completely different universe. I have no authority here, you don't have to call me sir.”

The Pegasus stiffened, if that were actually possible. “Actually sir, you have been commissioned into the Equestria Royal Guards, you have the field rank of Marshall of Magic. Sir, you are in command. This order...” he holds out a scroll with Celestia's royal seal on it, “confirms it.”

We'll see about that, I'm going to have to have some choice words with the Princess about this. I was talking about some training, I had no intention to join her military. Fine, if they want military, I'll show them military. I'm thinking to myself for a moment but something he said caught my ear. “What was that, Major?”

“The Wonderbolts, sir. They will be showing up at noon for some training.”

“The Wonderbolts... okay.” Rainbow will be thrilled to have them show up here.

I'm finished pondering. I cut the major off. “Alright Major, I'll find your command tent in an hour, and we can start. Have all of your senior officers there. I need to make myself presentable. Do you have any uniforms? No worries about armor.”

He takes it all in stride. A very well trained Pegasus. He salutes. “Your uniform will be brought up in ten minutes. Sir.”
I smile at him. You won't be very happy with me at the end of the day. I was trained how to make efficient fighting units. I'm going to work these ponies tails off. I watch him launch himself off the house and look down for a moment. They are well organized. They are setting up tents in straight rows. I see a large tent being set up, looks like a command tent. Both good and bad, I'll let them know when I get down there. I turn and go into the house. Rainbow is shuffling around.

“Coffee. I need coffee.” She says as she stumbles to the coffee maker. I had hit the button to start it by reflex as I passed. We both sit in silence for a few minutes, letting the dark liquid clear away the morning cobwebs.

I decide to break the silence. “It looks like your little valley here has been invaded.”

A quizzical look from her. “Celestia is up to something. There is a contingent of Royal Guards here. And I've been promoted by Celestia to be in charge.” Her eyes bulge, I'm glad I waited until she swallowed the last of her first cup of coffee, otherwise I would be soaked.

“What the hay?” She sputters. “Why, you?”

“Because I'm the only one with knowledge of the invaders.” A knock on the door. A sergeant is at the door with my uniform. I grab it with a flow of Air and nod acknowledgment to her as I close the door. “And Celestia is taking this seriously, as she should.”

I start dressing. The uniform is a dark Forest Green. On the shoulder is an epaulet with my apparent rank on it. An alicorn in gold with a circle around it. So, that is what Marshall of Magic is. Very nice. I flair my wings for a moment and fold them comfortably. I give her a kiss. It goes on and on. I break for air. “I had better be careful, you keep kissing me like that and I won't want to meet the Wonderbolts later today.” She breaks off kissing me.

“Ohmygosh Ohmygosh, Ohmygosh, Ohmygosh, Ohmygosh, the Wonderbolts are coming here? Too see you?” She's gone from sultry to bouncy instantly. She's flitting around. She's loving it.

“Yes, I have to train them on dealing with humans.”

“Oh my Celestia. I can't believe they are going to be at my house.”

“Yes, in a few hours. But I need to get started with them.”

She smiles, that devilish smile that just reinforces how much I love this pony. “You are aware, you aren't going down there without me.”

“I think the guards down there would have an issue with it.”

She sidles up next to me, nuzzles against me, and then bites my ear, hard. I swear, that mare is going to shred my ears someday with as much as she likes to bite them. “Sparky... William. I want to be down there with you.”

You know, that's all she needs to say to get my cooperation. We head down. I'm gliding along Dash's little valley with her. Every tent is set up with military precision. The halberds they use as primary weapons are stacked in cones to be grabbed at a moment's notice. We land in front of the largest tent, two earth pony guards are in front with those vicious looking halberds ready to go. They salute me as I walk in the tent. As I pass through I hear the halberds clang together and a “Hey.” from Dash. I whirl around.

“She is with me, you let her in.”

“Sorry, sir, orders. No civilians.” One of the ponies says.

Dash looks about ready to do murder. I silence her with a look. “Now see here, that right there is Rainbow Dash. She's one of Princess Twilight Sparkle's best friends, she's a former bearer of the Element of Loyalty. She's a personal friend of Princess Celestia and Luna, and most of all, she's with me. Let her by.”

The earth pony wilts a little bit under my diatribe, but he firms up. “I'm sorry sir, my orders had a royal seal. Only members of the Royal Guard are allowed into the command tent unless they have a specific duty.”
I'm glad he's following his orders, but this is getting frustrating.

“She's also a reserve member of the Wonderbolts, not the direct flying team, as of yet, we don't have any openings, but she is a reserve member. That makes her a member of the Royal Pegasus Corps.” A new voice interrupts.

I turn, Spitfire is there, not in her performance costume, but in her uniform. Sunglasses on her face. She looks at me, smiles, then looks back at the guard. “Let. Her. By.”

“Yes sir.” {authors note: in many Military organizations, it's common to use the masculine pronoun when addressing a superior officer, no matter that officers gender.}

Rainbow Dash sticks out her tongue at the guard as he moves aside for her. She goes up to Spitfire and salutes. “Sparky told me the Wonderbolts would be here in a few hours.”

Spitfire laughs, “The team will show up, I'm the Captain of the Wonderbolts, this is a senior staff meeting, you are here as Sparky's assistant, and you can practice with the rest of the team when they show up. We'll get you a uniform. I wasn't lying when I said we don't have any openings on the performance team, but the Royal Pegasus Corps isn't just the performance team. You earned that by completing the academy.” Spitfire turns to me. “You are twenty minutes early. Most of the officers have shown up, but we are waiting for a few.”

I brush past her, “If you aren't early, you are late.” I saw a smirk as I pass, she knows what I'm talking about. I direct Rainbow Dash to a seat near the front dais. There is a podium ready for me.

“Good Morning Mares and Gentlecolts. It's time for you to learn how to fight, and win, against the humans who will likely invade our world.”

Chapter 12.

I turn and look at the assembled guards. All three different races. All of them are a little older. One or two try to slip in right on time. They seem shocked to find themselves in a meeting already started. Once everyone is is settled in. I start again.

“The enemy you may end up fighting is from my world. They are all humans.” I grab a stand and a large sheaf of paper from the table, with a few pencils, I use Air to draw a basic human form. “But by coming here, they turn into ponies, the same way I did when I came here myself. Apparently none of them knew enough about the show to be thinking of other pony types as they came through, so they all became earth ponies by default. I have no reason to think that will continue if they invade again. The leader that I've met before, La Rouche, is very smart. So, any further attempts will probably have all three races of ponies involved. I just hope it's not possible to be an alicorn by stepping through a gateway.”

I start pacing back and forth. “These are members of military's from several countries in my world. But primarily former members of the United States military. Now, a little information about me. I was a member of a branch of that military. The Marine corps. I trained with them, and served for several years. I will go over specifics of their tactics with individual units. But I will give you the overview here.”

My pacing has led me stand behind the podium. “The US Military is relatively small, but is well funded, and most of all, very well trained. They have been trained to deal with insurgent forces, they have been trained to deal with forces like themselves. They have not, however, been trained to deal with Pegasi and the magic unicorns can command. We have horses and ponies in our world. But they are not sentient. They can be devastating when it comes to taking land. Small units, smart tactics, and they are trained to attack the enemies leaders.

“Their tactics are to use their weapons. Specifically pistols, rifles, and other weapons that use gunpowder to shoot lead bullets at their enemies. They may be small, but bullets move faster than the speed of sound, for the most part. And they are designed to expand upon impact. As Rainbow Dash here can tell you, they can do a lot of damage. She took nearly a dozen bullets, and required very dangerous magic to save her life. Best thing I can tell you, don't get shot. But some of you will have a natural advantage, unicorns can use your magic to make a shield to protect yourselves from the bullets. For Pegasi, you will have to use your dexterity and speed to avoid being shot. And Earth ponies, you will have to carry some sort of shield to keep from getting shot. Now for the good news, in the history of war with guns in my universe, many, many rounds were fired without hitting anything living. The fact is, most times the trigger is pulled, it's to make your enemy duck. It's called covering fire.”

I think I've got their attention. “Those weapons are devastating, and the fact is, the hand to hand tactics, as they are called, here it would be hoof to hoof.” I chuckle, “those tactics are designed to get enough space away from an enemy to use their gun. Our goal will be to make the use of their guns useless. For example, when Princess Twilight Sparkle joined me in attacking the invaders, I focused on the soldiers themselves. She, however, focused on rendering their technology unusable. She used heat and force to melt and alter the shape of the heavy weapons. Rendering them unusable as weapons. A bent gun barrel is a useless gun barrel. The Ponyville weather ponies did what they could. They grabbed the soldiers and removed them from the field of battle, simply by dropping them from a fatal height. That poses it's own risks, in that battle, every pony casualty was a Pegasus pony, because attacking that way left them open to counter attack. We will work on making the danger to the Pegasi less when it comes to that.”

“When they first came to this world, they were disoriented, they had to deal with never being ponies before. They had to deal with using hooves how they would typically use their hands. In the time between that attack, and when they come next, and believe me, they will come again. They will train, they will modify their weapons and equipment for use by ponies. Our best strategy will be to get them as they enter our world. We will have to devastate their equipment, and kill as many of them as possible.” I pause as a Unicorn clears his throat, I have to stop for a second, it's Shining Armor, wife to Princess Cadence, and brother of Princess Twilight Sparkle.

“Yes, Shining Armor, do you have something to say?”

The white stallion stands up. “Are you saying that the only option is to kill them?”

I sigh. I knew this question was coming. “That is a very good question, Shining. I would like to say no. I really would. But I don't think that these soldiers would follow the Geneva Conventions.”

A quizzical look. “The what now?”

“The Geneva Conventions, those are rules that were hammered over a century ago regarding rules of warfare. And among those rules are what to do in case of soldiers surrendering. Now, I think we should prepare contingency plans. If a soldier throws down his weapon, and raises his hooves, or waves a flag or banner that is white. That is to signify a lack of desire to fight, we should accept their surrender. But the problem I am thinking of, once they surrender, will they follow the rules of prisoners of war? I sincerely don't know. We should prepare a way to hold captured soldiers without killing them. And we can set up something. But I am not going to focus on that. We can have some of you come up with a viable way to secure, house, and feed those soldiers.” Shining sits back down.

“Now, about most soldiers, the military's that I'm talking about are all volunteer situations. Soldiers, in general, may be very well trained, and may fight very hard, but in the end, they want to go home at the end of the day. Now, that may not be one hundred percent correct. These soldiers that are searching for adepts are not regular members of those military's. They are not driven by patriotism, they are not driven by wanting to protect others. They are driven by greed. They are driven by a desire to claim the power that an adept has and pervert that power to their own ends. I am hopeful that most of the soldiers we would encounter are more like typical soldiers, attracted by the money involved, and not the idealism of La Rouche and the other leaders of their organization.”

I turn and start pacing in front of the assembled leaders of the Royal Guard. “I know Equestria does not have a full fledged military compared to many nations of this world. Your world is peaceful, your world is far more harmonious than the world I come from. The few hundred ponies here represent a good portion of your entire guard force. You don't need many guards in a peaceful world, and that is one thing I love about Equestria. But you guards are primarily there for what our world would call as a police force. You protect Celestia's subjects from outside forces, but more importantly, you investigate the small amount of crime that happens here, you assist those in need, you are not soldiers. And no amount of training I give you can change your mind set enough to make you a true military. The best I can do is to make you a rapid response force, one that can repel most of what these soldiers can throw at you, but I don't think you can defeat them in a real pitched battle.”

I don't like having to tell them the hard truth here, but it must be said. “I will work with individual units, and help you learn how to fight. Once Twilight really started devastating them en masse, the soldiers did break, and run, so, I can be hopeful that the forces can be defeated that way. But I'm not counting on it. Our mission will be to wipe out the enemies as they show up, and then worry about survivors. Are there any more questions?”

I look around expectantly, the assembled ponies look at each other, there are less than twenty ponies, not counting the various assistants on the periphery waiting for this to end.

I turn and move over to Rainbow Dash while the ponies are heading out. I'm chatting with her quietly when I hear a voice behind me.

“Excuse me sir.” I turn around.

“Yes, what is it?” I look at the three ponies before me, a Unicorn, a Pegasus, and an Earth Pony.

The Unicorn speaks up. “Sir, we are the commanders of each branch, the Unicorns, the Pegasi and the Earth Ponies. We will be working closely with you when it comes to the training. I am Colonel Swiftwind.”

“Good to meet you Colonel. I do have one question though.”

“Ask away, sir.”

“This invasion may affect more than just the ponies of Equestria. What about other races?”

Shining Armor apparently heard, he's trotting up. “Actually, myself and Cadance are just about to get on our way to the Griffon's, and I know emissaries are being sent to the Dragons, and a few other nations nearby.”

“And do their orders include how much of a danger that these invaders represent?”

Shining Armor stiffened. “Mister Sparky, Princess Luna and Celestia are quite aware of the danger. The orders they signed impressed upon our representatives that this is a very high national priority. I assure you.”

“I know you are the husband of Cadance, and you are a prince now. I will defer to you, Sir. But I know that danger that is represented here. And I'm not looking forward to combat. But I need your help to get this done.”

“Of course you have my help Sparky. Nopony wants to be at the mercy of these animals.” As he turned and trotted off.

“Alright, let's get started.” I lead the individual unit heads outside, it's really time to get down to business.

Author's Notes:

I've been doing some writing this weekend, I hope you enjoy the new chapters.

Chapter 13.

I flutter slowly up to the cloud house. The troops are bedding down for the night. I have put them through their paces. But I'm exhausted. We've been training for a week now. They are learning. And some of the Unicorn armorers from Canterlot have been coming down as well. Makes me glad that I've built a forge in my work room. Yes, I'm qualified as a blacksmith and armorer. When you have lived over a century, you pick up a few trades, especially when you have been jumping from universe to universe the way I have. I open the door and look around as I drop the cloth draped package I was holding. My daughter, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash are all sitting there. It's just after sundown. I say my greetings and head to the shower. Rainbow gets up for a second, and she sees the look on my face. The look I gave her is give me a few minutes. I get in the shower. I kick the cloud to rain down on me. I watch the water sluice down the drain. It's black, and I know my fur is horrible. About ten minutes in, I've had enough. I've got to figure out a way to get hot water up here. I wrap a large towel around me and head into the living room.

“Good evening Sparky.” Twilight speaks up.

“Good evening Princess.” She doesn't flinch now, good, my daughter has been working on her. “What can I do for you this fine evening?”

She looks at my daughter, who speaks up. “I wanted you to know how Twilight was doing when it comes to Saidar.”

That earned a big grin from me. “It's only been a few weeks since you got here Moonshine. Have you really helped her learn a lot?”

“Oh yes, with her magical background, she's an excellent student.”

Twilight gets up from the couch and stands in front of me. I feel a tingle down my spine as she embraces the source, and a white globe of light appears above an upraised hoof. She sends it off against a corner of the room. After a moment of concentration on her face, she disappears.

“She's mastered the light bending spell?” I look at my daughter, who nods.

A moment later, Twilight appears again. More concentration on her face. She opens three gateways at once.

“Now that takes a lot of power to open multiple gateways, But those are different destinations. How did you get the alignment correct for all three?”

Twilight claps her hooves together. A big smile on her face. "I just remembered three places that I like." She gestures to each one. “One is my room in Canterlot Castle, the library in the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters and my library. The alignment is actually pretty easy.”

“Well, I've never tried to make more than one gateway at a time, but that is amazing Twilight.”

I reach out to seize the source. My attempt comes up against an invisible wall. My eyes bulge. I reach out harder, and harder. No matter what I do, I can't break the shield. I look at my daughter. “Moonshine!”

Moonshine snickers, “Yes, Dad, I taught Twilight how to shield a stallion as well.”

I never even noticed the shield sliding into place. I turn to Twilight. “When did you shield me Twilight?”

A smile from the Alicorn. “From the moment I embraced the source Sparky.”

Amazing. “So, you can split your flows many different ways. Excellent, but I would appreciate a little warning.”

That smile remains. “Will La Rouche warn you before attacking you?”

She has a good point. Then I feel the air solidify around me. Maybe the point wasn't that good.

“Alright Twilight, you can release me.”

I'm unceremoniously lifted by the air and hung upside down. My mane, which I've been letting grow out, brushes against the floor as I squawk.

Not happy.

A giggle from all the mares in the room. I'm starting to get angry. I force my anger down and assume the oneness so I can seize the source. I push, I can feel the shield only by where my force stops. I feel the texture of the shield. I know what a shield looks like, I feel along it. After a few moments I feel where it's connected to Twilight. It's a soft point. I caress it for a moment, then I push hard against her connection to me. I feel the shield bulge, I push harder. I see sweat pouring down Twilight's face. After a few seconds, the shield shatters, and I slide a shield of my own on her, cutting her off, and for good measure I throw a shield at my daughter. Both mares gasp as her hold with Air on me evaporates and I face plant onto the floor.

Rainbow is on the floor, laughing so hard she can barely breathe. I shoot her a dirty look. My wings flair out. I'm going to teach Twilight a lesson here. I weave a variation of the light bending spell that she had just used. The room, well lit before, turns dark. I add the look of lightning behind me. Twilight and my daughter crouch down. I stalk slowly to them. To them I look extremely intimidating. Unfortunately the mood is spoiled by Rainbow looking at me and laughing even harder, as if that was possible.

“You, you, you, are sooo...” Rainbow tries to say before collapsing into more laughter. A moment later she gasps out “funny, Sparky when...” she's having trouble breathing, “you get mad.” More laughter.

I get an idea. I continue my stalk to Twilight. She looks afraid, but I really don't care. I'm almost nose to nose with her. After a moment of staring her down. I bring up my hoof. And boop her in the nose. I dispel all the weaves I just created and fall on Rainbow, starting to tickle her.

“Oh Celestia, stop.” She gasps as my hooves find every ticklish spot on her. I'm not stopping yet though. I feel a small body jump on my back. It's my daughter. She knows my ticklish spots all too well. She gets right under my wings, I'm helpless at that point, she's got me, now it's Rainbow and Moonshine on top of me, tickling me.

I can't win. After a moment, I'm gasping, trying to get them to stop. I can't even think of the source to get them off of me. I have to resort to pleading and begging.

Well, begging and pleading doesn't work. I'm laughing helplessly.

I know only one way to end a tickle war. I focus on my body, and ignore every input from them. It takes all of my concentration, but I'm able to ignore their tickling. Then Rainbow plays dirty. She grabs my rear hoof and tickles the bottom of it. All concentration just goes out of the window. I guess this war ends when they are good and ready for it to end.

Several agonizing minutes later, we are all in one big ball of laughter. I'm holding the two ponies that mean the most in my life. I give Rainbow a kiss and hug my daughter. I look over at Twilight.

“Were you scared?” I ask her.

“That was a very impressive threat display Sparky. I think I can adapt that, you used the light bending weave right?”

I nodded, “A variation of it. Sometimes it's better to intimidate an enemy than fight them. Though it looks as though you are coming along nicely when it comes to channeling.”

My daughter bounces in front of me. “Actually, Dad. Twilight has an amazing amount of magical abilities. I almost wish I had become a unicorn when I stepped through the gateway. I would love to learn Twilight's magic as well. Hers doesn't have the hard and fast rules that we have to deal with.”

“Amazing. And do all unicorns have the ability to channel the way Twilight can?”

My daughter's face fell. “No, Dad. I tested Rarity, Lyra, Vinyl, and a few other Unicorns. I do think Sweetie Belle might be able to once she gets older, but even that's in doubt. I felt a resonance from her when I tested Rarity. But nothing conclusive.”

So, Twilight is exceptional in more ways than one.

I turn to the cloth covered bundle by the door. Seizing the source, I lift it with flows of Air and bring it to me. The cloth falls away, revealing an ebony wood scabbarded sword. My heritage is Scottish, so I though of making a claidheamh mòr, but swinging around such a heavy broadsword wasn't my fighting style. I made this one in the Japanese style, a Tachi, much lighter than the Scottish sword, and single edged with a curved blade. I pull the blade out. I've actually gotten pretty nimble with my hooves. I stand on my rear hooves, my wings out to help stabilize me.

“What do you think?”

Rainbow comes up, “That is a wicked looking blade, did you make it?”

I nod.

“Awesome!”

Twilight looks at me quizzically. “You have command of extremely powerful magic, what use do you have for blades Sparky?”

I turn to her. I slide the blade slowly into it's scabbard. “Because of what happened during the battle. When I got tazered, if I had a blade, I might have been able to get out of it without the help of our friends. There are times where our magic can be useless. So, I don't want to be unprotected.”

Twilight subsides for a moment. “That is a beautiful piece of work Sparky. I just hope it never tastes blood.”

I sigh, and drop down on all fours. “I can't disagree with you there Twilight. I forged this using only the power. By infusing as much power into it as I did, this blade will never lose it's edge, can not be broken by any conventional means, and should last nearly forever.”

I impulsively kneel down in front of the princess. Using Air, I float the sword to her. “I think you should have it Twilight.”

She looks at the sword with a hint of fear “I don't want a sword, Sparky.”

I set it down at her hooves. “I can teach you how to use it. Twilight. I wouldn't want you to get overpowered in a battle and have nothing to defend yourself with.”

She looks at the sword, then at me. I'm looking directly in her eyes. Her horn glows softly, and the sword lifts up. She's inspecting the craftsmanship of the scabbard. She slides the blade out a few inches then back in. A soft sigh from her. “Fine, Sparky. When can you start teaching me?”

“I have another one that's nearly finished down in my workshop. And I made a few practice swords, we can train in the morning. That's if my daughter isn't running you ragged with learning the source. But remember, it will take a long time to become a sword master, first I'm going to have to teach you to handle it without stabbing yourself, or slicing off a wing. I made that blade sharp, I'm not kidding, the blade is only a molecule thick at the edge. It will cut almost anything.” I show her how to mount the blade on her back, between her wings, I tested a few variations of the cords to hold it, and any pony running with that sword won't get it caught between their legs or impede their movement, but they can reach it easily. I'll have mine finished tomorrow. I didn't use the ebony wood for myself, but instead I found an ivory colored wood that I liked, so the scabbard was white, with a black rawhide wrapping for the handle. I know that Twilight is going to be in the thick of any fighting, I want her to be protected.

“I'm going to bed. Have a good night girls.” I say as I shuffle into the bedroom, I collapse on the bed. It's been a long day.

Chapter 14.

In the practice yard of the camp around the cloud house. The clack of practice swords is quite evident. Rainbow is sitting on a low flying cloud watching the action, but I don't have time to pay attention to her. It's been two months since I gave Twilight her sword. And with all the practice my daughter has been putting her through, along with her normal studies, Twilight still found time to practice with me every day. And today is no exception. I bring my sword up to parry her attack. She's gotten very nimble on two hooves. She rarely uses her wings to steady herself. I push back, and kick her in the stomach. Or rather, I try to. Her horn glows as my foot lashes out and I only hit air as the kick pushes me off balance. Her teleportation is an excellent advantage. I have a feeling where she teleported to. I bring my practice sword around and meet her descending blade. This lavender colored alicorn has excellent instincts. She had teleported about ten feet above me, letting the power from her fall add to her muscles. I'm on the ground. My sword flies from my hooves. I'm on my back, my sword is out of reach. Her sword lands right next to my exposed neck.

“Do you yield?” She pants. She may be exhausted, but her sword is held steady at my neck, I can feel my vein pulsing underneath the wood.

“Would you?” I say as I notice the mistake she made. I sweep her legs out from underneath her with my rear leg. She didn't get the chance to see me move before she was on her back. I grab her practice sword as she's falling and I quickly right myself. I don't have the coordination right this instant to stand on my rear legs, but her sword is in a flow of Air right in front of her. And I'm safely out of striking distance.

“I'm not yielding either.” She grunts as I feel the cold tingle down my back as she embraces Saidar. I'm readying a shield when I'm hit from behind. I'm stunned. The smell of manure hard in my nose as she starts laughing. I can't help it. I'm laughing as well as I drop the sword and offer a hoof to help her up.

“Well played Twilight. Is there anything you can't do?” I shake all over, trying to get the manure off of me. I know I'm going to be taking a shower in a few minutes.

“There are plenty of things I can't do, Sparky.” She looks at me quizzically.

“Name one thing, Twilight.”

“Well, for one, I can't cook to save my life, I'd only be eating sandwiches if it weren't for Spike and his excellent cooking.”

That earns a snort from me. “Cooking, you can't do it because nopony has shown you how to.” I grumble a little bit. “I bet if someone shows you how to cook, you'll be a head chef in any restaurant you choose to work at.”

Twilight laughs so hard she snorts. “No deal, buster. Spike has tried to show me for years how to cook, but I burn nearly everything I try to cook. There's a reason we have two fire extinguishers in the kitchen. Makes me glad Spike is fireproof.”

I laugh as I offer her a hoof up. She waves me away as her horn flares and she disappears, only to reappear on her feet a moment later. She looks up at the cloud. “You ready for supper Rainbow Dash?” A rainbow colored mane appeared as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. A moment later Rainbow was on the ground with us.

“What are we having for supper?” She asked. I know she's almost as helpless in the kitchen as Twilight claims to be. I do most of the cooking at home.

Twilight speaks up. “Fluttershy has asked us over for dinner recently, perhaps we should take her up on the offer.”

And that's how I found myself at Fluttershy's cottage. Rainbow, myself, Twilight, Fluttershy, Moonshine and Discord, apparently he was visiting as well. He did make eating interesting.

“Well well well, looks like we have an adept with their powers back. Dear Fluttershy here already let me know about it.” The Draconequus intoned.

I gave him a toothy grin as I channeled the gravy boat over to me. It was squealing and bucking as I tried to pour the vegetable gravy over my potatoes. I got more gravy on myself than the food, much to Discord's delight.

“So, what do we owe this honor too?” He apparently has a lot of trouble keeping the menace out of his voice. I know he doesn't like me very much. He turns to Fluttershy, “I still think you should banish this creature. He's more trouble than he's worth.”

“Now Discord. Sparky here is a friend, and his daughter and I have become the best of friends as well.” Fluttershy's tone brooked no argument.

“But what about those nasty creatures that tried to invade?” Discord is kind of pathetic when he's whining.

“Sparky and Twilight took care of them, and Sparky is in the process of training some detachments of Royal Guards to defend against those humans.” She says with finality. The draconequus subsides. Fluttershy looks at me. “How much longer are they going to be on Rainbow's land?”

Rainbow speaks up. “I was talking to Soarin and the other Wonderbolts, they are rotating back to Canterlot at the end of the week. Sparky says their training has been improved, and they will be taking what they have learned and will be training up the rest of the guard.”

We are interrupted by a knock at the door. Fluttershy moves quickly to answer it. A lavender Pegasus with two tone blonde mane and a very light pink Pegasus with a green and cerise mane are ushered in. They quickly take up extra space at the table, I use Air to float flatware and apparently Discord is in a helpful mood as well, the large serving plates sprout legs and fill the empty plates. Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth both fall to the food quickly. After a few minutes, Cloud Kicker speaks up.

“Hey, Boss. Over at the weather bureau, we've been wondering when you are going to end your leave of absence. We could use you back.”

I knew that Rainbow took some time off from running Ponyville's weather ponies, I guess she's pretty important to her crew.

Rainbow munches on some salad. After a bit she swallows. “I'll be coming back to work soon. Sparky and I have been busy.”

Cloud Kicker gets a look I've gotten to know from hanging out with her and Blossom. Before she can get crude, I clear my throat. “Cloud, we are in polite company, kindly keep your... ahem... amorous nature to yourself.”

Cloud Kicker looks at me with a grin on her face, “It's not my fault that you and Rainbow are always together, what other explanation would there be if you two are...”

Rainbow cuts her off, her face red. “What Sparky and I do in our spare time is none of your business. Unless you want to join us Kicks.”

That throws the lavender Pegasus for a loop. Her mouth hangs open, working slowly. I look around the table. Every pony except for my daughter has a red face.

I nudge Moonshine. “Some of the fan inspired personalities have apparently been folded into the reality here. Yes, Cloud Kicker is exactly like she is in some of the stories.”

Cloud Kicker is really at a loss for words at this point. She looks at me, my daughter, then Rainbow. Rainbow, for her part, is really trying to keep a straight face.

“The stories?” Cloud Kicker says helplessly.

“Oh, right, you aren't in the loop completely about Sparky's nature and such.” Twilight jumps in. Her face is flushed a bit, I wonder if the wine that I brought with isn't affecting her a little much. She continues. “Well, in Sparky's world, where he's from. All of us are characters from a television show, and our lives are broadcast all over his world. And apparently we have a following of fans, a lot of them. There is even a, what was that called Sparky? The thing on the inter...”

“Internet, a website.”

“Yes, a website, that is dedicated to fan made stories about us ponies. For example, Sparky knows about your time at West Hoof, and even your actions during the Changeling invasion.” {Authors note: I read the Life and Times of a Winning Pony, and couldn't put it down, excellent story. I had to include Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth because of it. Kudos to Qordath Chengar for an incredible read}

I can tell that Cloud Kicker is at a loss for words. “We are stories?”

I put her out of her misery. “It's called world as myth Cloud Kicker. It's a theory put forth by an author of my world. He said that myths and fictional worlds exist on multiple parallel dimensions from mine. I simply found out that it is possible to jump between those worlds. That is how my daughter and I are here.”

Blossom, I think, is taking this news better than Cloud Kicker. “So we are fiction, and yet we are not.”

“Exactly, just like I am fiction, and yet, I'm here. The best way to understand it is that you are real, even if in another world, you may be the figment of some animators imagination, you are real, I can touch you, you can touch me. We are all real.”

Cloud Kicker puts her head on the table. “My brain hurts.”

I move over to Cloud Kicker and put my wing around her. She must be really reeling, she doesn't react. Rainbow moves over to her other side.

“What's amatter Kicker? Don't you like being the filling in a pony sandwich?” Rainbow coos into her ear.

Cloud's ears are twitching. After a few minutes she shakes us off. Rainbow and I back off, big smiles on both our faces.

She turns to look at us. “We aren't real?”

Blossom saves us. “No honey, we are real, so are they. Because a literal infinite number of universes exist, if it can be imagined, it is real.” She ruffles her fillyfriends mane. “So, we are real, and so are they. And with Sparky's powers, he can visit worlds that are mere myths to him, and find out exactly how real they are. He's an explorer.”

I smile at her. “Exactly.”

It takes Cloud a few minutes to make every piece fit in her head.

After that, she gets up and whispers in Rainbow's ear. I watch curiously as Rainbow's wings slowly extend fully. After Rainbow's face makes a new record for a blush, Cloud whispers in my ear. I won't repeat what she says, but all I'll say is Cloud Kicker has a naughty mind. And some very good ideas. I move forward to Rainbow and decide to do something to her that she usually does to me. I nip her ear, hard. She squawks and jumps, her wings helping her hit the ceiling. I end up on the receiving end of a very hard nip to my ear, I think she drew blood. She swishes her tail into my face and sits back down at the table. At that point, my wings are fully extended as well. I take a moment to calm down. I sit back at the table next to Rainbow Dash. I put my hoof on hers. She blushes and nuzzles my cheek.

“Can we get back to eating?” A tipsy Twilight says.

I seize Saidin and drag my saddlebags over. I open them. “Most of us are here.” I break off as a knock sounds at the door. Our visitors are Pinkie, Rarity and Applejack. Apparently that's what Angel Bunny was doing when Fluttershy whispered to him when we arrived. Angel Bunny is riding on Applejack's back. After a moment Big Macintosh pushes in as well.

“Well, Fluttershy's got a full house this evening. All we need are the Royal Sisters to show up.” I say.

Twilight looks abashed and chimes in. “Well, I sent them a letter, inviting them. Celestia politely refused for both of them. Something about an emissary from the Griffon Kingdom.”

I laugh. “Well, I did want you guys to check out some stuff I brought from my world. You are all of age, well. The most potent drink I've had here in Equestria is your hard Apple Cider Applejack. I took the liberty of visiting a store and nearly buying them out.

I reach in my saddle bags, I've mentioned before they have more capability than they appear too. A very clever weave makes them much bigger on the inside than they are on the outside. I start pulling out bottles. I toss a square sided bottle to Applejack. She catches it and reads the label as I finish pulling out the multitude of bottles.

“Who is this Jack Daniels?” The orange earth pony says.

I pull out a stack of shot glasses and some other mixing equipment. I seize Saidin and gently take the bottle from her. I pour a shot and hoof it over. I pour shots of genuine Tennessee Whiskey for every pony. Yes, even Fluttershy. After every pony has a shot glass full of amber liquid in their hooves I raise mine. It's time for a toast.

“It's been over two years since I've seriously altered my consciousness with alcohol. I don't do it often, but I'm in the mood tonight. I'm going to get seriously smashed, and I invite you all to join me.” I toss the drink back. I watch as all the ponies in the room do the same. With the exception of Cloud Kicker and Big Macintosh, every pony starts coughing. I smile at Cloud. I know a pony that can hold her liquor. Though I'm kind of surprised that Big Mac is licking his lips. To the uninitiated, Dr Jack is a little harsh. I pour another round for him, her and myself. We clink our shot glasses together and toss them back. Every pony else is still recovering from the strength of the amber liquid.

“Gah, how can you drink this stuff?” Rainbow croaks. I pound on her back a bit to help her breathe.

“It's good Rainbow. Though let me let you try something that might be a little more your speed. Just as much strength, but it's infinitely smoother. I reach over to a skinny blue bottle. I pour the clear liquid and let her take a sip. After a taste, she swallows it down.

“That's much better. What is that?”

“Vodka.”

“Never heard of it. But it's good.” I lift the bottle of vodka towards Twilight.

“Want a snort Twi?”

She's already had some wine that I had brought out first. She's not totally in her cups, yet. But she lifts another bottle and brings it to her with her magic. “Yes, but not the Vodka or Jack Daniels. What's this?”

“Oh, that is yummy, and very strong. It's called Tequila. It's from south of the border from where I come from.”

“Patron.” She says, reading the label. The lid flies off the bottle. “I'll give it a shot.”

I laugh. After a few minutes, all the ponies are dipping into the stock of liquor I bought.

Now this is going to be a night to remember.

Chapter 15.

What did I say about a night to remember? I think a night that I will forget is more accurate.

Celestia's sunrise hits me in the eyes. Ugh, time to wake up. I'm glad that my ability to channel prevents me from getting hangovers. But I think I might be a little drunk still. I look at the Rainbow mane I'm snuggled up with. I give her a hug as I extricate my hoof from under her. I move myself back and I find another body next to me. I look over, Cloud Kicker is asleep, holding me, funny, I didn't even notice her hooves around my barrel. I stop for a moment. Searching through my memory of last night. Uh, did I do anything I would regret? A little after midnight my memories get really hazy. I might have done something. Uhhh, not good. How am I going to get out of this?

I cautiously sit up. This is a pretty big bed, and it has to be in Fluttershy's cottage, I look around. Well, at least not every pony is here. In front of Rainbow Dash is Pinkie Pie, and behind Cloud Kicker is Blossomforth and Flutters herself. Though it looks like Fluttershy is almost falling off the bed. I use my wings to help pull my body from the assembled ponies. I'm lucky, I don't disturb any of them enough to wake anyone. I get to the foot of the bed. I'm looking back at the girls in the bed and immediately trip over Big Macintosh, who was sleeping on the floor. I end up half on him.

Apparently my yell as I tripped was enough. Six heads poke up. All the ponies look at each other, and there is some frantic rearranging.

“Gah, my head.” Groans Rainbow Dash. Several sets of hooves start holding onto heads.

“Never again” Blossom moans.

“You'll get over it.” a sober Cloud Kicker says to her fillyfriend. She flaps off the bed. Apparently that mare can really hold her liquor. She lands next to me as I extricate myself from Big Mac. I can tell his head is pounding though. I gesture to Cloud Kicker as we leave the room. She follows.

“Did I do anything that I don't remember last night?”

“What?” she says. “Are you asking if we banged?”

“Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes, I'm asking you that Cloud Kicker.” I say as I grab several glasses out of the cabinet and start filling them with water. I use Air to float my bag over. I bring out a big bottle of ibuprofen, and shake out quite a few pills.

She looks thoughtful for a minute. “Not that I don't think you would be a good bang, I'm certain you were a complete gentlestallion last night. Though I think you danced on the table with Pinkie Pie. Discord got tired of our drunk and disorderly behavior and poofed off wherever he went. What was that thing you used to make music?”

“An ipod, it's a device from my world. I've got a lot of songs on it.”

“Nice.” She says. She's on her third cup of water. She must be feeling the effects of the morning after herself, but she hides it better than most. I pick up all the glasses of water in Air and trot back into the bedroom.

I float the glasses to each pony. “Drink plenty of water, and those pills are a moderate pain reliever. You gals should be fine lickity split.” I stage whisper to the ponies.
In the living room, the remainder of the ponies from last night are passed out. Moonshine and Twilight apparently heard the water running, and their channeling means they aren't in any pain. Thank Celestia.

“Wha happened?” Twilight slurs. Yup, she's still drunk.

My daughter giggles at her. She's completely sober, I search back through what little memories I have of the previous night. I think Moonshine drank enough to get a pleasant buzz, but not much more than that. My daughter, the prude. I had to chuckle at that.

“Twilight, be glad you can't get that morning after feeling. Though you did drink a lot. How much wine did you drink before Dad brought out the hard stuff?”

The woozy alicorn swayed a bit as she stood up. “I don't know, but what kind of wine was that? It was very good.”

“It's a sweet red wine, from a little place in Texas. When I get wine, I only get it from there.”

“Well, we will have to make sure to keep that stuff around.” She thinks about it for a second. “Moonshine, you've shown me how to do that inter-dimensional gateway, so I could go there and visit your world and learn as much as possible about it?”

I smiled at Twilight. “Yes, you can visit my world as much as you want. But I would appreciate if you didn't until my daughter, or I, go with you. Some of the normal social conventions are completely different than Equestria. You'll have a big learning curve from minute one. Remember, your lives are broadcast in my world. You don't have any access to what is normal in my world.” I sigh, “and my world is quite depressing compared to yours.”

She smiles, “I'll never turn down an opportunity to learn.”

“I know that Twilight, and I'll even try to arrange for you to meet the voice actress that gives you your voice. I think you would like her.”

“I don't know, wouldn't that be kind of weird?”

I have to laugh. “Given what the bronies have been like, I think Tara will take you in stride.”

We grab some more cups of water, and start handing out the medicine. All the adepts in the cottage start working on the cleanup. Fluttershy stumbles out of her room and sits at the kitchen table. I can tell she feel horrible.

I move up to her and put my wing around her. “How do you feel sugar cube?” I keep my voice low.

The ibuprofen seems to be starting to work it's magic. “I'm feeling a bit better. What happened last night?”

“What do you remember?”

“I started drinking that Patron with Twilight, I think we finished off that bottle. I'm so sorry.”

I smile at the yellow Pegasus. “No worries Fluttershy, I bought that to be drunk. I'm glad you enjoyed it.”

She smiles blearily at me. “Last night was fun.” She then lowers her head slowly to the table. “But lets not have a repeat any time soon.”

I squeeze her with my wing before withdrawing, “Sweetie, a night like that is only for occasional consumption. Too much of that is bad for you.” I float over a cup of fresh brewed coffee. “Take a sip.” I know Flutters isn't much for coffee, but I know she does like plenty of sugar in it. As Fluttershy takes a sip of coffee, Pinkie Pie bounces out of the bedroom.

“Sparky, that was a fun night, not like my usual parties, but it was a good party all the same. I hope we can do it again.”

I smile at the pink Earth pony. “No problem Pinkie Pie, I'm glad you had fun. Wait a second.” I look at her completely lucid expression. “I know you drank more than me. How are you so chipper?”

“Oh, you silly. After some water, and those magic pills you gave us, I'm right as rain. And I have to get home. Bye.” She finishes with a peck on the cheek for me, and a hug for Fluttershy. My daughter get's bowled over with a hug, as does Applejack. Moments later, she's out the door, bouncing like her usual self.

“Ahh, that's Pinkie for you.” Twilight says, voicing the thoughts of almost everypony in the room.

The next to emerge is Rainbow Dash. She's not looking too hot. I notice some vomit had dried on her muzzle, one of my last memories of the night before was her and Cloud Kicker doing shots together, trying to drink each other under the table. And I'm pretty sure Rainbow lost that one. She is still stumbling around. I float a large glass of water and a large mug of coffee on to the table as she sits down in front of it.

“What a night. I don't remember much, except it was fun. What all happened.”

Cloud Kicker is there to save the day, apparently she had the best memories of the night. She starts explaining some of what happened while Big Mac and Blossomforth also come out of the bedroom. Their heads are hung low, it's certainly the morning after now. Blossom sits down, and then immediately has to run back to the bathroom. Her retching is quite audible in the kitchen.

“Poor girl, I should help her.” Fluttershy starts to get up, to be quelled by my daughter.

“I can help the poor mare.” Moonshine murmurs to Fluttershy as she moves by. My daughter has a very nurturing heart. I think it's one reason why she loves Fluttershy so much.

I move next to Rainbow Dash. “Dashie, do you want to head home, I know we both need a shower, I'm pretty sure I smell like a brewery right now, and you ain't too hot yourself.” She looks up at me with bloodshot eyes. Not comprehending.

“Here, I'll make it easy.” I open a gateway right outside my workshop. I lead poor Rainbow through the gatway and wave at the rest of the ponies as I let the gateway close behind me. I open the steel door and lead her in.This is the first time she's been in it since I've completed the main construction. She looks at me curiously as I turn on lights and lead her into my workshop. The corridor is granite and slate slabs, the floor is obsidian that has been shined to an absolute gleam. Off to the left is the small foundry and smith shop I've built. Farther down is the electronics workshop. I bring her to the end of the hallway, I built a large shower and sunken bath tub in the room that can't simply be called a restroom, it's more of a personal spa. I've put a sauna in, a large swimming pool, and a large area for taking care of bodily necessities, and a large washing area. I lead her to the tub, a flick of Air starts the tub filling. I set it for a very hot bath. I float a cup to a water fountain, filling it with water just a few degrees above freezing and float it over to her. She drinks greedily. She looks around.

“You have been busy. You built all this with your power?”

I smile at her, “yes, let me show you some of how I usually live.” I have adapted some things for the anatomy of a pony, but this is very much like one of my apartments back home. I lead her into the tub, I grab a sponge and a bar of soap. I lather her up and gently clean her face and body. I've put in a good filtration system into the tub, the soap and everything dirty floats to the filter and the water itself stays pretty clean. I wash her mane and tail, and rub the soap all over her body. The hot water allows her to relax. After she's all clean, I finish up cleaning myself. I float a couple of large towels off the rack over to her, and I help her get dry. After only a few minor complaints that she can do all this herself, which I ignore and keep on pampering her. I float her onto the massage table.

This massage table is nice, it's designed for Pegasi so their wings can get preened professionally in addition to a good massage. I start working my hooves over her back. Listening intently to her moans of pleasure as I work every kink out of her body. After a quick preen, she's been taking really good care of herself, even though her mane is usually in disarray, she is very good at keeping herself in good shape, I look over at her. She's fallen asleep. I brush her mane, I know she likes to keep it in it's usually messy bedhead look, but I just tease the hair a bit, make it look a bit better. Flows of Air have her floating behind me as I trot to the living quarters part of the shop. I settle her on the bed to continue sleeping as I head into my workshop. I head down stairs to the underground portion. I spend most of the rest of the morning hammering metal and completing my personal projects. After a few hours I hear Rainbow clear her throat. I've bought a few poniquins from Rarity in the last couple of months. I'm using them for my work. I'm in the process of setting a weave of Saidin on my work. I wave Rainbow over to a pillow while I'm completing the weave.

“What are you doing?”

I shush her, and hear her “hmmmpf” as I try to concentrate. Getting a weave to endure on something is infinitely harder than simply tying off a weave and leaving it be. I want this to work every time, so I'm actually working on a microscopic level, using the power to allow me to feel what I'm doing on that level. I've got nearly a meter of metal to infuse left. I divert enough concentration so I can speak.

“Rainbow, I must concentrate to do this right, it's delicate work. You can either wait an hour or so, or you can go for a flight and I'll catch up to you when I'm done with this.”

I don't hear her move, so I'm guessing she's going to wait. I've got leather protective gear on to protect my fur and feathers from the sometimes very hot metal. I'll tell you, finding a leather supplier here in Ponyville has been impossible, for the most part, I've purchased from Canterlot, where some specialty stores are, and some, I got from home. Nothing beats thick leather when you are making what I'm making. To someone who can wield Saidin, the piece in front of me is glowing as it looks like I'm sewing with threads of pure Saidin, it's what it takes to make what are called standing flows. I glance at my reference book from time to time, only pausing to shake sweat out of my eyes. The hour passes slowly. Then another half hour as I tie all the flows together so they end up self sustaining. After I'm done I sigh and lean back.

That much intricate channeling has given me a headache. Rainbow is sitting, watching me. In the final workshop I have downstairs, I've installed a lot of LED lighting I purchased at home, the room is very brightly lit. I've figured out how to adapt the lightning clouds the ponies use for electricity to give a consistent voltage and current, along with master electrician training and knowledge, my main workshop is a large, open space with metal cabinets and several work benches. I've got a pile of some of the salvaged equipment from the battle in there. I've got several hundred rounds of rifle ammunition, three working rifles, and some other various bits and baubles that I've been experimenting with. The guns have been restored to new working condition, and modified for pony use. I've been figuring out how to manufacture more ammunition, and trying my hoof at making some more rifles, but those are future projects. I'm working to protect my little ponies before I think about making offensive weapons.

I roll a large tool chest that would be at home in any mechanics shop towards me with flows of Air. I float off the top section and set it next to me. Out of it I pull a selection of lacquer paints. On the flank of each side, I've engraved Rainbow Dash's Cutie mark. I take the white, red, blue and yellow paints out, and start applying the paint. A few minutes with the brush and the paint is glistening wetly on my project. I've still got a hold of Saidin, so I apply heat with it to the now painted cutie marks. A few moments later the marks are dry and hard to the touch. I am finally done. I lean back and grin at Rainbow. She gets the cue and comes up next to me.

“What have you made Sparky?”

I smile at her and kiss her cheek. “Something for you, if the invaders come back.” I move back and let her see the entire ensemble. It's a set of armor. Much like what she wore when she was jousting with Fluttershy in the Crystal Empire.

“It's beautiful.” She spreads her wings and hovers around the ponequin. I've been working pretty hard on it, the armor weighs less than ten pounds. And with all of it, and the standing flows which are activated by clicking together the various buckles of the armor. I tell her as much.

“This armor should be bulletproof, not because of the structure, but because of the flows of Saidin I've weaved into it's structure. It's lighter than the armor the Royal Guard uses, and gives you better protection. Your wings are also protected as well.” I pull out the wing guards. “The ends fit over the outermost feather of the wing, and conform to the leading edge of the wing. You should be able to fly without a problem, and yet your wings are protected from attack without affecting the aerodynamics of flight for pegasi.”

She breathes in deeply. “This is your big project?”

I smile at her. “Yes Dashie. You want to try it on? I have to finish some of the embellishments. I'm going to paint it all black, with gold highlights. It will be even more beautiful once it's done.”

She smiles at me. “No, if you put it on me, you would have to be taking it off right away, I'd rather skip that step.”

My smile falters, what the heck does she mean by that? The answer to my unasked question comes from her giving me a hug with her forelegs and wings, a nip on the ear, and whispered promises. My wings quickly unfurl and stiffen up. My smile comes back. And I let her lead me back to the bedroom upstairs.

Chapter 16.

“Oh my Celestia, that was amazing.” I pant. I'm getting used to many of the uses of language here in Equestria.

“Yes, I'm awesome.” Rainbow says, she turns to me and gives me a kiss, “And you were pretty awesome yourself.” She coos.

I lay back. She hasn't let me get much sleep tonight. Not that that is a bad thing though. I grab her and hold her. I kiss her some more. Nothing better in this world than kissing my special somepony. I'm holding her. I think she's about to fall asleep. I snuggle closer to her. I'm just about to nod off myself when I feel her sigh heavily. Mentally, I'm yanked right awake with that. I wait for her to say something.

“Sparky?”

“Yes, my dear.”

“We need to talk.” About the four most loaded words in existence. It has the same meaning here as home, and anywhere else.

“Have I done something wrong Rainbow?”

She shakes her head violently. “No... nothing like that. We just need to...” another sigh from her, “talk.”

I squeeze my forehooves around her and bring her closer, I nuzzle her for a moment. “You can talk to me about anything, you know that Rainbow Dash.”

She pushes away from me a little bit, so she can look into my eyes, impossibly big, incredibly beautiful cerise eyes gaze into my steel gray eyes.

“Are you sure? Are you going to get mad at me?”

I have to think for a second, and I decide to give her the most honest answer I can. “I may end up getting mad, Dashie. But I love you, so you can consider yourself already forgiven even if I do get mad.”

“You promise?” Her voice is really small.

I kiss her, after a moment, I break away for breath. “Yes, Dashie, I promise.”

“I don't know what I'm doing here. This relationship thing. I don't know.”

I'm confused, I've been really happy having her in my life, I've been really happy with her as my special somepony.

“Whatever do you mean Dashie?”

“I'm serious, I'm always playing it by ear, I'm never sure what to do. When you put your wings around me, when you touch me, I feel... I feel love, I know that. But I'm scared.”

I smile at her. “My Dashie? Scared? You certainly don't act that way.”

She moves away from me. “But I'm terrified. I'm afraid that I'm going to say something wrong, or I'm going to do something wrong, and I'm going to make you upset, and you won't want to be with me anymore.”

“That's not going to happen, Dash, I am in love with you.”

“But what does that mean?” she asks plaintively.

“That is a hard question, what is love.” I have to think about this for a moment. “I can't give you a complete answer to that Rainbow, but I do know this. When I'm not around you, I think about you, I miss your touch, your smell, your voice. When I'm with you, everything is right with the world.”

She looks at me plaintively, “But I've never had any kind of serious relationship in my life. I've had friends, and I know what it's like to have friends. I know what makes them my friends. What makes me so special to you?”

“I've been in love before. You know that. In fact, because of our link, you know more about me than anypony in Equestria. Do you remember how I felt about my wife?”

Her voice couldn't possibly get any smaller, but it does. “Yes.”

Oh, I get it now. “And you know how all consuming my love was for her. And you wonder if I feel that way about you?”

She looks down. She's silent for a long time.

“Rainbow?”

She looks back up at me. Her eyes are full of tears.

“Is that what you are worried about?”

She nods slowly. Tears start to fall. I kiss her eyelids, I can taste the saltiness of her tears.

“Rainbow, I know how I felt about my wife, and my love for you. Well, it's different. But it's no less intense.”

She sniffles. And rubs her nose with her forehoof. “So, if I were to get sick the way she did, what would you do?”

I hug her tighter, and bring my wings into the hug. “I would be just as frantic to heal you. And if you were to die. Well, do you remember what happened to me when she died?”

“Yes, you stopped eating, your daughter had to force you to drink anything, you were a mess.” A small smile from her. “You very nearly died didn't you?”

“Yes, I went from two hundred fifty pounds of muscle to less than a hundred pounds. My daughter had to heal me and force me back into the real world.”

“How long did it take for you to stop hurting from losing her?”

I looked at her, now it's my turn for tears. “I never stopped hurting.”

“Do you think of her when you are with me?”

Now that's a prickly question. “Rainbow, when I'm with you, there is nopony else. When I'm not around you, I think about you, and about her. I miss her, and anticipate seeing you again. A big comfort in my life is knowing that I will see you again. There is nothing better for me to see you.”

She thinks about my words for a minute. That minute stretches longer and longer with her eyes closed. For a moment I think she's fallen asleep on me. Finally she speaks. “I feel the same way about you Sparky. I've never had a romantic relationship with anypony. In fact, you got my virginity. I'm twenty one years old, and I feel blessed by Celestia herself to have you in my life.”

She sighs, then continues. “You are the most important pony in my life. I'm afraid you will leave me, you can jump from universe to universe. You are, to my view, nearly immortal.” I'm taking in breath to dispute that, I can die, and I'll age, I will die of old age, eventually, she puts a hoof on my mouth. “I know you won't live forever, but you will live a long time after I'm nothing but dust. Are you going to decide it's time to go to a new universe, and forget about me?”

I once again wrap her with my hooves and wings. “Rainbow Dash, I plan on staying in Equestria for a good long time. I don't have any plans to go anywhere. And I'm going to stay with you, for as long as you'll have me.”

“So, you want to get married?”

That caught me off guard. I wasn't planning on any marriage when I entered Equestria. But I can't deny how I feel about this mare. “You want to get married?”

She looks down. “Yes.”

I shift out of the bed, I bow down in front of her. “Rainbow Dash, will you marry this old pony?”

She grabs me. And kisses the pure hell out of me. “Yes, Sparky, I will marry you.”

We both hug for a very long time. After a while, she pulls away and looks at me. Her eyes are sparkling. “You ready for another go?” She purrs at me.

“You know it.” She smothers me with her mouth. I think we are going to keep going until sunrise.

Chapter 17.

We didn't make it too sunrise, but it was certainly nearly dawn when we finally fell asleep. I don't have any windows in my little complex under the house, but I have clocks. I look at the clock projecting the time onto the ceiling. It's nearly noon. I would love nothing more than to fall back asleep, but I'm hungry. Rainbow made sure of that. I slide out of bed, leaving Rainbow drooling softly into the pillow. I've learned why Pegasi eat the most in Equestria. You need energy for all that flying. I've even found an establishment that usually caters to Griffons and eaten some really good grilled fish, but the stomach upsets that gave me let me know that it's not a good idea for this strictly herbivorous body to have any direct animal protein. I do miss a good cheeseburger though. I head to the fridge, grab a few apples then head out the main door.

And run right into Cloud Kicker. Shouldn't trot with my eyes closed. I collide into her, I hear a clank as she falls to the ground. She's in red armor similar to the Royal Guards armor.

“Oh Celestia Cloud, I'm so sorry.” I help her up. I get a good look, the lavender Pegasus is in her full battle armor, and I see the wing blades among the feathers on her wings. “Are you getting ready to spar with somepony?” I ask.

“Yes, remember at the party, you said you would love to cross blades with me. See if I was as good as I boasted. Well, I am, and I'm here to show you.”

“Uhhh Cloud, that was yesterday, I was thinking in a few days.”

She flourishes her wings, showing the wicked blades along the leading edge of her wings. “What better time than the present, right Sparky?”

“Are you sure Cloud? Not worried about getting shown up by a Pegasus that's not even from your world?”

She grants me an evil smile. “You worried about getting shown up by a mare Sparky?”

Them's fightin words in my book. I seize Saidin, and float my sword out from it's spot it stays by the front door to my complex. I draw the sword and drop the scabbard on the ground behind me. I rear up on two legs, I hold my sword at the ready.

I smile at her. “Rules?”

She smiles back. “No permanent damage.”

“That's good for me.” I flap my wings to jump over her and flip to land behind her. At the start of a fight, I don't want anything behind me until I'm able to assess the skills of my opponent. I fall into an Akido stance, sword held loosely in front of me. “Any time there Cloud.” I make sure my wings are spread for balance.

She comes at me amazingly quickly. I don't move, at first. She thinks she's going to meet blade to blade initially. She brings a wingblade forward and swipes it at me, but I'm not there anymore, my wings have me above her and I'm twisting in the air. I swing my blade forward, she's got good instincts, her second blade is there, catching mine and deflecting it. The blade she was going to slice me with before I flew out of the way whips quickly around, I jump to avoid it. I slide to my left to avoid two blades coming at me at the same time. I pivot my sword, blade down, and catch both her blades, then twist my sword to make an opening, I flash a kick that connects with her helm, I can see she's momentarily stunned as I slap a wingblade away. I dance back.

This mare is aggressive. She flips around in a blur and her rear hooves are coming at me. I catch her hooves with the flat of my blade, but the strength of her buck knocks me back. She's driving me back, with quick, short jabs with her wingblades, they apparently aren't slicing weapons, but more for stabbing. I keep my sword moving quickly to parry two blades at once. She's really good. After several seconds I feel a sting on my barrel. I jump back and look down. I've got blood seeping from a shallow gash right on my ribcage.

“Woo hoo Cloud Kicker.” I hear, I don't have time to look, but apparently Pinkie Pie was dropping by, oh great, we've got an audience now.

I kick out, and connect with her wing. I'm glad hooves are hard, I know that hurts. She folds that wing to protect it from further damage, then lashes out with her other wingblade. Now I've got a cut on my left foreleg, this one isn't so shallow. I'm dripping blood and she's mostly untouched. But that doesn't last long as I get a slice down her cheek and halfway down her neck for her blood to start dripping. I sweep her legs out from underneath her, so I can get some breathing space. I hear more voices, it looks like a crowd of Royal Guard are watching as well. I chance a look around, apparently quite a few ponies from town have joined the crowd watching Cloud and I practice. I hear cheering for both sides going on. Most sword battles are decided in less than a minute, many in under ten seconds, this has been going on for nearly five minutes. And it's showing. We keep parrying, blade meeting blade. We both are nearing the end of our endurance. It's time to end this. I think she's got the same idea. She rushes at me, I bring my sword up.

“Stop it you two right now.” I hear a shout. And we both recognize the voice. That voice causes both of us to stumble to a stop immediately. Fluttershy, my daughter in tow, trots up between us.

“The nerve of you ponies. Using bare blades, actually hurting each other?” The yellow Pegasus apparently is really upset. She gets right in Cloud Kicker's face. “I know Sparky is not of our world, he doesn't know all our customs, but actually fighting with him. Seriously?” She then whirls around to me. “And you, mister. How dare you draw the blood of a fellow pony. I know you aren't from here, but is actually hurting somepony a normal thing where you are from?”

I rub the back of my neck for a second. “Well.... no.”

She smirks in triumph. “I thought not. And here are you two, dripping blood, and Cloud Kicker, the way you are holding your wing. Is anything broken?”

The embarrassed lavender Pegasus is stretching out her injured wing, “No, Fluttershy, Sparky got me with a particularly lucky kick, and it's not injured, but it does hurt.”

“You two should be ashamed of yourselves.” Fluttershy continues. “We have to worry about invaders to our world, and we have two ponies doing something that could really hurt each other badly.”

I smile at Cloud Kicker. “We agreed no permanent damage.”

Fury grows on Fluttershy's face. “And if you make one little wrong move, look at Cloud Kicker's face, if you had been off with your sword by half an inch, she would have lost an eye.” She indicates the blood flowing freely from my barrel. “And Cloud Kicker, if you had cut any deeper on Sparky, his internal organs would be on the ground, and he would be dead.” Cloud Kicker looked abashed.

After several minutes of her tirade, we both were reduced to simply saying, “Yes, Fluttershy, I'm sorry Fluttershy.” My injuries hurt, and I'm still leaking blood. Then Fluttershy turns and looks at the crowd of assembled Guardsponies and the town ponies that had gathered to watch our fight. “And you all should be ashamed of yourselves. Watching ponies fight with deadly weapons and not only laughing about it, but betting on which pony is going to get hurt first and the worst.” Heads start hanging in remorse and ponies take the opportunity to find other places to be. In a few moments, the practice yard is clear, only a few Pegasus are visible as they fly away. Fluttershy turns to my daughter. “Moonshine, you told me you can heal, would you heal Sparky and Cloud Kicker, please?”

My daughter takes my head in her hooves as I hear a low whistle from Cloud Kicker. “Wow Eepy, I didn't know you could be so assertive.” This earns an eep from Fluttershy as her wings clamp to her sides and she falls to the ground.

“You can be a total idiot, Dad.” Moonshine says as I feel the tingle down my back as she embraces Saidar. I feel as though my entire body is immersed in nearly frozen water as she heals me.

I gasp at her. “That's one of the most basic healing weaves, I've taught you better than that.” As my stomach grumbles. The weave she used uses almost no energy from the adept, and leaves the one being healed extremely hungry, and extremely tired. My daughter smirks at me.

“Well, Dad, wearing you out and making you hungry will teach you a better lesson than you simply being healed to the point where it's as though you were never injured. Remember, Dad. Pain is the ultimate teacher.”

I growl at her. “You shouldn't use the lesson's I've taught you against me.” She chuckles at me as she grabs Cloud Kicker in her hooves. The mare shivers and howls in my daughters grip. Moments later she's on her hooves, wiping blood off the wound on her face. Revealing unbroken skin and regrown fur. She extends her wing, and apparently it's pain free. “Thank you Moonshine.” She says.

My daughter turns to me. “Dad, Storm, you had better get some food in you, I'm not healing you again.” Her and Fluttershy amble off. Apparently they are simply passing through.

I look at Cloud Chaser. “Come on Cloud, I was hungry, now I'm starving.” I lead her into my workshop.

As I close the door, she's only the second friend I've let into my space. I head down the corridor into the kitchen/living area. Cloud Kicker is wide eyed as she follows me.

“You built all this yourself?” She asks in wonder.

I smile at her as I pull out a large bale of hay. Nothing like good ole hay to start a meal. She falls to as I start pulling out some vegetables and fruits to round out the meal.

“Yes, for the most part. The structure I used Earth to quarry and cut the blocks for building this. The steel was at first from the forge in Ponyville where most of you guys' horseshoes are made. Then once I got my own forge up and going, I'm fabricating that myself. It's taken a lot of effort, and days of hard channeling, but I'm getting it how I want it.”

She looks up, a mouth full of hay. After a quick swallow. “And all these appliances?” She points at the fridge, the chest freezer, and the various other counter top appliances I have scattered throughout the kitchen.

“Oh, I bought those.”

This earns a befuddled look from her. “I don't know these brands, and I grew up in Canterlot, I've lived in Manehattan, I don't think I've seen these before.”

I smile back as I'm cutting up a few apples and arranging them on a plate. “I bought them at home, they were delivered to one of my homes. And all I had to do was make a gateway, and bring them through. And install them. It would be kind of weird to have installers become ponies as soon as they stepped through the gateway. So I waited until they were gone before opening a gateway and bringing the appliances in. What can I say, I like my creature comforts.”

She looks at the stainless steel appliances. The fridge is big enough for a pony to stand in, and I didn't shirk when it comes to everything else. “Are you rich?” She asks.

“I guess you could say that Cloud. I've earned a lot of money in my world, in my travels I've gained not only knowledge, but the ability to earn some bits with some things I've developed. At home I'm known as an investor. I do try to stay out of the public eye there though. And nopony knows that my public persona has the abilities I have. Even those invaders haven't connected my public persona to me. Though when I got my powers back, I've been trying to get a bead on them, trying to figure out their funding, and how I can disrupt it. I'm still going to kill La Rouche for what he did here. But I'm no closer to finding their source than before I came to Equestria.”

“So, you are trying to take the fight to them?” She asks.

“Exactly, I don't want another pony to die because I'm here. I'll be quite happy to end the threat to Equestria without another drop of Equestrian blood being shed.”

She thinks about it for a minute. “What about your teacher? Does he know anything?”

Wow, I must have gotten talkative when I was drunk, I'll have to not get so drunk that often. “I went to his house in North Dakota, and apartments he keeps in Madrid and Cairo. Every one of them has the signs of being emptied in a hurry. I think he's on the run. And the trouble is, if an adept doesn't want to be found, it's almost impossible to find them, even for another adept.”

“I hope he's okay.” She murmurs as she munches on an apple.

“I do to Cloud. I really do.”

Chapter 18

It's now been more than a year since I first stepped through the gateway into Ponyville. More than a year since I started a new life in Ponyville. I've had my powers back for about eight months, I've completed my workshop, and even figured out a way to get a hot water heater into Rainbow Dash's house without causing too much commotion. I don't have a care in the world.

Then why am I so restless? I've completed Dashie's armor, along with armor for the rest of the Mane six, though the only ones to know about them are Dashie, Cloud Kicker, and myself. Cloud Kicker refused my offer to make a set for her, but she did let me put the same standing flows into her armor that I've got in all the others. I've built a set of armor for myself, at Dashie's insistence. Her argument was actually very good, every bit of power I use to protect myself is one bit less of power I can use to kill La Rouche. My investigation at home to find La Rouche is hitting several blank walls. I'm now not even sure of the man's name. I'm not even certain he's from my universe. Though the implications of that are more than I want to think about. That means that someone in another universe has figured out how to jump from universe to universe the way I have. That gives me a cold chill when I think about it.

I'm out flying. This is the best way to clear my head. Whenever I have a project that isn't going right, whenever I have something on my mind. I fly. When I was home, I would get into a car and drive, it always cleared my head. Well, flying does that ten times better than driving ever did. It's only a few days to Rainbow Dash's and my wedding. Trust me, I'm not having second thoughts about that. I'm one hundred percent ready for that. Rainbow Dash has insisted the wedding be in Ponyville. She wrote a very politely worded letter to the Princesses when they offered for the nuptials to be in Canterlot, she also invited them to attend. Which only Celestia accepted. I don't think I will ever end up on Princess Luna's good side. Twilight is abuzz getting everything ready. Rarity has made the most beautiful gown for Rainbow Dash, and after explaining what a tuxedo was in my world, she crinkled her nose and said she would make something wonderful for me to wear as well. And she tried to refuse payment, trying to fall back on what Twilight said after I got to Equestria.

I bank hard. I'm trying to see how high I can comfortably fly. Pegasi can fly pretty high I've found out. We can handle cold that would paralyze other ponies. There are times I'm really happy that I unconsciously chose to be a Pegasus when I first visited here. I'm well above most of the clouds around Ponyville. I can see for miles around. There is nothing better than flying as a Pegasus pony. Nothing at all. I flap my wings hard. I want another thousand feet. I have an altimeter strapped to my front hoof. It's zeroed out at the elevation of Ponyville. I glance at it. I'm at eighteen thousand feet. I can feel how thin the air is getting. My lungs are heaving as I take in the thinner air. A couple of other bits of Pegasus anatomy I've learned about. We have nictating membranes. The third eyelid that some animals have at home, but it's completely clear. Pretty handy when you don't want the occasional bug to put out your eye when you are flying extremely fast. And our lungs are super efficient. Oxygen depletion doesn't affect a Pegasus the way it would another pony, or a human. We actually store oxygen for use at high altitude. Makes holding your breath when you are swimming a long term proposal. While swimming with Dashie, I was able to hold my breath for nearly twenty minutes. And that is while actively swimming, not sitting there like a lump. I really like the form I've got here in Equestria.

Time to flap my wings harder. That extra thousand feet isn't easy to gain, but after several minutes, I'm at my nineteen thousand foot goal. I cheer silently as I plan to hit twenty thousand next time. It's time to head home now. I start a shallow dive. In minutes I've more than doubled my speed. I'm actually above the speed of sound at this point. I can feel the mach cone around my body. Pushing against me, making my wings want to fold back. I push harder. I'm not going for a sonic rainboom today, I just want to fly. After several minutes, I angle my wings to help me slow down. I'm getting close to my home. I loop around the cloud house and land perfectly on the front stoop.

I push through the front door. “Dash, I'm home!” I know what's coming. I get bowled over by an enthusiastic Dashie. I end up how I usually do, on my back, wings spread, with her kissing the pure hell out of me. I melt into the kiss. I kiss back just as aggressively until she breaks off for air.

“I don't think we should kiss like that at the wedding, Dashie.” I smile at her.

“And why not?” She playfully nips my ears as she helps me onto my hooves.

“Don't want to get all of Ponyville all hot and bothered.”

She laughs as she swings her flank into mine, nearly knocking me over. “Maybe we should, the prudes here in Ponyville could use getting all hot and bothered from watching how much we love each other.”

I smile at her again. I take back what I thought earlier, there is one thing better than flying, it's Rainbow Dash's smile. I kiss her, making promises with my mouth for later. By her response, I'm coming through loud and clear.

She breaks it off. “You better stop or we are going to be late.” She murmurs.

“The rehearsal isn't for five hours Dashie, it's only noon.”

“It's noon, oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh.” She starts running around, packing a quick saddle bag. She pauses for a second, “Pinkie is throwing a pre-wedding shower party, and it started...” she glances at the clock. “oh Celestia, two minutes ago.” She tosses me a brush, “Brush your mane really quick and let's get going.”

Moments later we dive off of the veranda. I leave my wings closed for a moment to allow gravity to do it's work. When i'm less than fifty feet from the ground I spread my wings, I level off slightly above the height of a standing pony and we streak towards Sugar Cube Corner. We make it in record time. One side effect if Rainbow's massive speed is sometimes she has trouble stopping. She barrels through the door while trying to stop as I flair my wings and gently land on the front stoop of the building. I trot in.

“Sorry girls, was running late.” She's apologizing as I get inside. All of our friends are here. In addition to most of the town of Ponyville. I glance at the present table that Pinkie always sets up for birthdays and showers. It's laden. I groan. On our invitations I have insisted no gifts, Rainbow and I aren't hurting for anything. Between her job, which she doesn't need, and the gold I've brought from home, we have zero material needs. I've been using my power to build buildings in Ponyville. This little town has a new hospital due to my work, and some other large projects. I provide my expertise at building and my time for free, because I enjoy building with the power. My daughter isn't the builder that I am, but she's helped a little bit. I've even donated a good amount of gold, and, unbeknownst to many in Ponyville, I've purchased some medical equipment from home as well. I was appalled at the state of medical art in Equestria, and I've mostly corrected that. Ponyville is the only town in Equestria with CT scanner and a MRI machine. I do plan on doing the same thing for Manehattan, Baltimare, and especially Canterlot. But, those are projects for the future.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Twilight. She waves a hoof in front of me. “Helloooooooooo Sparky.” I shake my head. I've been getting lost in thought more and more recently. I wish I knew why. I almost miss when Twilight starts speaking again. “Is this pre-wedding jitters Sparky?” Her look is one of concern.

I rub the back of my mane. “No Twilight. Nothing, not even the worst monsters from Tartarus can even begin to keep me away from this wedding. There is literally nothing more important than four days from now Twilight.”

“Then why are you so spaced out Sparky?”

I have to laugh. “I wish I knew Twilight. I'm almost unbearably happy when it comes to the wedding. But there is something bothering me. I wish I knew what it was.”

“Do you want the calming exercise that Cadence taught me?” She offers helpfully.

I smile and offer the lavender mare a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you Twilight. I have a sense of foreboding. It's not about my marriage, it's about something else. And I can't put a hoof on it.” I turn and look at how Pinkie has decorated the place. The party pony has gone all out. I see a DJ station set up, with a distinctive white unicorn with electric blue mane and magenta sunglasses on her face. Next to the DJ station is a stage with several instruments being set up and being tuned.Though with the amps being set up, I don't think we are in for classical music. I take my leave of the Lavender alicorn and move up to the drum set. It's been nearly ten years since I've held drum sticks in my hands.

I wonder if I can handle it with hooves. Only one way to find out. I whisper quickly to the drummer. In moments I've secured a set of sticks and sit on the stool. I glance over at Rainbow Dash. She's in animated conversation with Rarity and Applejack. I start a slow beat on the bass drum. A few taps on the closed hi hat to let myself fall into the rhythm of the song I'm thinking of. I'm speeding up and getting more energetic and bringing the toms and snare into the melody in my head. I think I'm ready and I signal to myself with a hard crash with two of the cymbals. I beat the drums into submission, my eyes are closed, I just have to feel the beat, feel the music. I haven't done this in years, but it feels natural to me. A friend of mine who taught me drums many years ago gave me the best advise. “Don't think, just do.” And I felt the beat. I settle into a steady tempo for a few moments. My ears pick up an electric guitar and bass. We are simply weaving the melody together. With the bass tempo of my right hoof keeping our time. A quick drum roll and I change everything up. These ponies that came to my party are gifted musicians.

They follow my lead, flowing into the melody that I suggest with the snare, toms and cymbals. I hear a violin join in, then a Cello. We are making music. I crack open an eye. A lyre has joined in as well. Played by Lyra, there's a Cellist, a grey earth pony with a pink bow tie, I think I know her name, and my daughter has picked up the guitar and amazingly, Blossomforth is playing the bass. I'm going to tax their abilities. I double the tempo, concentrating on the snare and hi hat with an occasional snap at the cymbals. The other musicians ebb off as I break through with a strong solo. Moments later, they jump right back in as I just keep the beat. Now, this, is a jam session. I look over. All the ponies are entranced by the music, but I'm looking for a special somepony. I finally find the cyan face I'm looking for. Her cerise eyes are filled with tears, I almost lose my concentration, but then I see the huge smile on her face. She's enjoying the music. Tears flow from my eyes as I close them. With a flourish, I bring back a new solo. This time focusing on the three toms, cymbals and I savagely beat the hi hat. Everything else stops in the room as I bring everything to a close. After about three seconds of complete and utter silence, the room erupts into absolute pandemonium. Ponies are stomping the floor for all they are worth. I see a couple of Pegasi, Dashie included, performing somersaults in the air. My face glows red. I'm not used to this kind of attention.

I surrender the drumsticks to the drummer, accept a hearty hoof bump from him as I amble to the front of the stage. The gray earth pony sidles up next to me. I can hear her accent, which is apparently a Trottingham accent here in Equestria. “That was beautiful, sir. If you want to play more, go ahead.” She smiles as the white unicorn tackles me. Her glasses flew off as she pins me down to the stage. “That was awesome. And I was able to record every beat there.” Her bright red eyes are glowing. “You have given me so many samples to mix. Thank you Thank you Thank you.” I finally am able to get back to my hooves. My daughter hoofs over the guitar to a brown earth pony, who has a huge smile on his face, and comes over to me.

“You haven't played like that since before Mom died.” My eyes go wide. She's right. I haven't. I really missed the feeling of playing any music. I just have to hug Moonshine as we get down off the stage. Once my hooves hit the floor I'm hit. Rainbow Dash has my daughter and I in a huge bear hug.

“That was absolutely amazing, Sparky. I never knew you could play any instrument.” She's glowing, she's so happy. In moments the rest of the mane six have mobbed us. All offering congratulations. I get hugged more than I'm used to.

Especially by Pinkie Pie. She whispers in my ear. “Sparky, you helped my party turn into an awesome party. Thank you.”

While we all mingle, the DJ, which I've learned her name is Vinyl Scratch is bringing in her craft. She is amazing. I hear the beats that I was just playing being remixed to be even better. I would pay a lot of gold coin for that on my mp3 player. I tell her as much and get a cold glare in return. And a promise to make a vinyl record. “The quality will amaze you Sparky.” I don't have the heart to tell her that I don't have the kind of sound system that would be able to really take advantage of the extra fidelity. I simply smile and turn back to the rest of the ponies. Food, and a Pinky party. This is fun.

A couple of hours later, I'm at the cathedral in Ponyville where my wedding will be performed in four days. I stretch the collar of the outfit Rarity brought. It's snug, but not too snug. And it actually fits beautifully. It's a masculine outfit, but she was going all out, every color of Rainbow Dash's mane is represented on my clothing, along with an amazing midnight black. It's cut is similar to a tuxedo, but it is her own creation. And it compliments Rainbow Dash perfectly. Her dress is beyond amazing. I'm only allowed to wear my outfit for the final fitting. The sempstress is floating multiple pins around her, her red eyeglasses perched on her nose.

“Now Darling, don't move, or I will stick you.” She says as she inserts a few pins, slightly modifying the cuffs. I really don't understand what she's doing. Rainbow is getting a massage by Aloe from the spa. And I'm standing here. It's less than an hour to the wedding rehearsal. Celestia has lowered the sun a few minutes ago. She should be arriving in Ponyville any time now. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are being fitted by a off white pony with two tone blue mane and tail, with a lavender floppy hat with a scarlet feather for a cutie mark. She was introduced to me as Coco Pommel. Rarity told me she was from Manehattan, and was in Ponyville to help her for the wedding. She's pinning the hem on Scootaloo's dress. The orange Pegasus is standing there, a look of infinite patience on her face. Two other foal sized ponykins have the other two completed dresses as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle compete with each other to make funny faces and break Scootaloo's concentration. Rainbow Dash finally gets her massage over with. She gets off the table and joins in with the CMC. In seconds Scootaloo is laughing uproariously. Poor Coco scolds the Pegasus filly for moving. And the pony yelps as a pin makes it into more than just fabric.

“See Scootaloo, you need to be still.” Coco says as Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders roll on the floor laughing. This earns a bereaved harrumph from Scoots.

“There, all done.” In an instant, the outfit is off of me, and floating to a sewing machine. After a few minutes. The outfit is declared complete. I move over to Rainbow. A quick nuzzle and we all get up to head into the main cathedral.

Twilight is out there. She's all dressed up, her crown on her head. And she looks tense. As the wedding party gets closer, Twilight seems to outdo herself in stressing out.

“This is bad. This is so bad. Princess Celestia isn't here. This rehearsal is very important. She should be here.” She's prancing about.

Rainbow Dash calms her down by sidling close to Twilight and wrapping the stressed alicorn with her wing. “Shush Twilight. I'm certain Celestia has a good reason for being late.” She's interrupted by the stained glass at the back of the cathedral explodes in. A white blur blasts though and lands heavily on the floor.

“Oh no, it's Celestia!” Twilight screams as she teleports right next to her teacher. We all rush to crowd around the injured Alicorn. Blood is leaking from multiple wounds on her body. I touch one of the wounds. Those are bullet wounds.

Celestia's eyes open for a moment. She looks at Twilight. Then she looks at me. “They have Luna.” She murmurs before she loses consciousness.

Chapter 19

Those three words. “They have Luna,” bring tears to my eyes. No, not now. They can't. Not again. Haven't enough lives been snuffed out by their greed. I turn back to the rest of the ponies.

“Where is my daughter? Where is Moonshine?” I howl with every ounce of power I have. I hear hooves in a full on gallop. The rest of the ponies move aside for her to rush next to me. She runs a practiced hoof over Celestia's prone form. She looks at me with tears in her eyes.

“I don't know if I can save her Dad.” She whispers.

“Prepare to open yourself to the source.” I say as I seize Saidin. She knows what i'm intending. She holds herself on the cusp of actually embracing the source. I reach through her and embrace Saidar. We are now linked. I pass the control of the ring to her. I feel her fear as she runs a delving weave through the fallen leader of Equestria. I know what she needs.

“Every pony, get back. My daughter is going to try to save Celestia.” All the ponies dutifully step back. And my daughter begins. She draws heavily from both sides of the source. I gasp as she draws even more from me. Even a non adept can see how much power she's using. Both of our eyes turn white and glow as she weaves. I feel a need from my daughter.

“Twilight, has my daughter taught you to make a ring?”

The alicorn blushes. “She only showed me once. We were planning on doing it again after the wedding.”

“We need you, right now.” My daughter says, her voice is affected by the sheer amount of power she's channeling. It echoes oddly, like multiple people are speaking through her. In moments Twilight is adding her power to the weave.

I watch for the normal effects of a healing weave. Celestia should be shuddering, her wounds should be closing. Nothing is happening though. “We need more. We are so close.” My daughter pleads. I cast my eyes about. I finally focus on a small unicorn filly, snow white with a poofy pink and purple mane.

“Sweetie Belle. Come closer.”

“No!” my daughter says, the weird echoing continuing. “She hasn't touched the source yet, she will be able to, but she's not ready.”

“We need more power. The only other potential adept here is Sweetie Belle. If we don't, Celestia will die.”

Resignation from Moonshine. “Fine, but it must be willing, we cannot drag her in against her will.”

The small unicorn filly steps forward. “Can I help save the Princess' life?” she squeaks.

I smile down at her, looking into her green eyes. “In fact, young one, you are the only one who can.”

“Then I'll do it.” she says as Rarity tries to intervene. She is stopped by Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

The indigo maned unicorn calls out, her voice dripping with menace. “If you harm my sister, I. Will. End. You.”

In the same ethereal voice, my daughter responds. “No harm will come to Sweetie Belle.”

I bend down and whisper in Sweetie Belle's ear, guiding her through feeling the source for the first time.

“Please Dad, I've got Celestia somewhat stable, but she will start slipping in moments if we don't get that last bit of power.”

The small filly closes her eyes tight as she tries to feel the source. In moments her horn sparks as I can feel the resonance with the power in her through my connection to Twilight and Moonshine.

“Now!” I shout and my daughter reaches into Sweetie Belle. She is going to be a powerful adept. Quite a bit of power is added to the ring. My daughter draws deeply, even more, more still. The sweet feeling starts to turn to pain. That's a danger sign, draw much more and you will be burned out. But the ring provides some buffer, we can't actually be burned out while in a ring, but we can be unable to channel for days after pulling this much power. We are all floating on currents of the power. Celestia is in the middle of the circle.

She's glowing and her limp body floats off the marble floor. I don't know why this is happening, this is the most complex healing I've ever been witness to. My daughter isn't wasting any energy for us to float or for Celestia to float, but it's happening anyway. I see ribbons of all five powers, in both Saidin and Saidar pouring into the fallen monarch's body. A small clink as a bullet falls out of one of the Alicorn's wounds. Moonshine isn't the only one bathed in sweat. We all are. After several more soft clinks and finally Celestia shudders as flesh closes and bones mend. Several seconds of this, and my daughter withdraws the power. It's a testament to how tired she is, she simply relinquishes the lead of the ring and drops out. I slowly let Twilight and Sweetie Belle out of the ring. They settle to the ground as I let loose of Saidin.

We all sigh as the power finally leaves us. Rarity finally breaks free of her friends and rushes to her sister. Sweetie Belle is on the verge of falling asleep, every bit of energy is drained out of her. She picks up the exhausted unicorn in her magic and shoots me an evil glare. “I hope for your sake that she's fine when she wakes up.” She says as she trots to the back of the building.

“Rarity, I Pinkie promise that Sweetie Belle is one hundred percent fine. The only side effect is she has to learn to control the power she just tapped.” My daughter says in an exhausted voice.

Rarity pauses, “A Pinkie Promise isn't something to do lightly Moonshine, are you sure?”

My daughter smiles, “I know Rarity, and I wouldn't break a Pinkie promise to you, or anypony.”

The ire of the fashionista unicorn subsides. She settles a sleeping Sweetie Belle on one of the chairs.

“Thank you, My little ponies.” I hear a beautiful voice from behind me. We all turn, and Celestia is on her hooves, aided by Cloud Kicker. When did she move forward? Twilight rushes to the ruler's side.

“What did you mean. They have Luna?” I ask.

“Those vile creatures have made it back. It was eight days ago. They poured through several gateways. They either killed or dispersed the Royal Guard. Their machines have destroyed homes. There are hundreds dead. I've been imprisoned, they found the charms we place on criminal unicorns to blunt their power. It was only removed so I can raise the sun and moon. I had no choice. The put chemicals in my blood, I had to do what that evil man said. Or they would kill my sister.” The goddess of an alicorn is sobbing on Twilight's shoulder.

She sniffles, a bit, she has to finish her story. “Tonight, when the guard removed the charm for me to lower the sun, I was able to move enough as he tried to inject their medicine in me to break the needle and prevent it from happening. I kicked him in the face and escaped. I couldn't teleport more than a few hundred yards. I was able to make it to the top of the tallest tower in the castle. I jumped and spread my wings. That is when they shot me. I barely made it here. Thank you, Sparky, Moonshine, all you ponies. You saved my life.”

I looked down. “I'm so sorry, Princess. I have failed. I tried to track them down.” I trail off as a cream colored hoof touches my cheek. This is the first time I've seen her without a crown, or anything relating to her status.

“Sparky, you have sent me reports of what you have been trying to do. I can not blame you. But it is time to end these people as a threat to Equestria.” She concentrates for a second. A loud pop sounds and a ponequin blinks into existence, covered in golden armor. The armor floats off the ponequin and straps itself to Celestia. Her multicolored mane forms a braid and fits through a hole in the golden helm as it settles over her horn and onto her head. In moments she goes from a scared, vulnerable alicorn to a warrior Princess.

“I have not had to wear armor in centuries. But I think tonight is a special occasion.” She chuckles a little bit, then turns and looks around. “Where is Spike?” The purple dragon scampers up. “Yes, your highness?” he says.

“Take a letter.” She intones and the dragon produces a quill and several pieces of parchment from where I can't tell. In moments she's dictated a few letters and had him send them off in a huff of dragon fire. She then turns to me.

“Sparky, I'm going to describe a location to you, I need to you open a gateway to that location and leave it open, we will need reinforcements.” In moments I have the location down and the gateway rotates open in a silvery flash. I tie it open so I don't have to sustain it.

I look at the girls. “I need you to all come with me.” I open a gateway to the field in front of my workshop.

As we all file downstairs into the lower level of my workshop, I use Air to open seven doors. Seven brand new sets of armor shine in the bright light. Each of the mares trot to each set of armor. All indicated by their cutie marks on the flanks of each set of armor.

“I made these for you all.” I say as I float out mine. Mine lacks a specific cutie mark. Instead, golden lightning bolts are emblazoned all over the armor. The armor is pitch black with those gold highlights. And the helm allows my mane to flow freely without it getting in my eyes. I buckle the last clasp and fit the wing guards onto the joints of my wings. As the armor is fully put together, I can feel the Saidin protection envelope my body. I'm ready. I turn, I have to help Pinkie into hers. And yes, I kept hers pink. It is as festive as it can be and yet still be it's own weapon. Every other pony is nearly ready. Even Rarity and Fluttershy, whom I expected to not want to fight. I turn to the shy Pegasus.

“Fluttershy, you don't have to join us.” I say.

“You made me the armor Sparky.”

“Yes, I did, so you would have the choice. No pony here would think one bit less of you if you don't fight. You can help in other ways. You can help heal, you can take care of those that are not going.”

She smiles slowly. “I will go with my friends. Their strength will help me. But I will add my efforts to the best of my ability.”

I give her a hug, it's awkward in full armor, but I think the point is across. She smiles as I move on.

“Hey, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.” I hear from my daughter. I had closed the gateway here in her face. She must have made her own. “Where is my cool new armor?”

“I didn't make you a set Moonshine.” She whirls to me, her wings spread in anger.

“I want to help, Dad. Those people are just as much a danger to me as they are to you.”

“No. You are too young.”

This earns a snort from her. “Horsefeathers! With the exception of Celestia and you, I'm the oldest pony here. Don't you dare say I'm too young.”

I snap back. “But you are my daughter. I've lost your mother, I. Am. Not. Losing. You.”

She's going to be stubborn, I see. “Dad, it's too late to argue this, I've learned a bit about smithing from you, if you don't make me a set after this, I'll see if I can do it myself.” I've got to hold in my anger at this. What can I do, I finally get an idea.

I look at Rainbow Dash. She smiles and allows a small nod.

“Fine. But for this, you will stay in the back, stay out of range of the guns. Please, heal those that you can. This kind of battle will leave a lot of devastation. But we will win.” I'm interrupted by Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth rushing down the stairs, Cloud in her Kicker clan armor. Blossom joins up with my daughter.

I look at the assembled ponies. “Are we ready?” I get a chorus of affirmative answers. I open a new gateway against the wall. It leads us back to the outside of the Cathedral. Celestia is standing there, her flowing mane bound but somehow still flowing. We all trot up in front of her.

Celestia looks over the assembled ponies. “Near the gates to Canterlot is a small forest. It is an emergency staging area for the Royal Guard in case Canterlot is ever overrun. We need to go there.”

“I've seen it.” I turn to open the gateway. And then I'm interrupted by a dozen bodies pouring through the enduring gateway I made before. They turn out to be griffons. One of them, apparently their leader, salutes to Celestia.

“Per our mutual defense agreement, our King has sent one thousand Griffons to assist Equestria in her time of need. The rest are on their way.” The griffons are in their own version of battle armor. And I'll say, they look quite fearsome. In moments, more griffons are pouring through the gateway, the small open space is soon overrun with griffons. Many take to the air.

Celestia turns to me. “I am appointing you battle leader, Marshall of Magic Sparky.” From somewhere she brings out the symbols of the rank she blessed me with, and affixes them to my armor. I bow before her.

“We will follow you.” She says as Rainbow Dash comes up next to me.

“Sparky...” She swallows. There are already tears in her eyes. “If you don't make it to our wedding, I'm going to personally kick your ass. You understand me?” She hits my helm with her hoof. And then frantically kisses me.

I return her kiss desperately. When we finally break for air. “I wouldn't let something like a little invasion have me miss the most important date in my life.” I say with a smile.

I turn to the assembled warriors. “This is not going to be an easy battle. You know what we are up against. WE MUST PREVAIL.” I shout. I turn and open the gateway to a clearing in the woods a couple of miles from the gates of Canterlot nearly a mile from the train tracks. We pour through that gateway. We come upon the aftermath of a war zone. Hundreds of guard ponies are there. About half of them in armor, a Pegasus, one I knew to be in charge, trots up. Celestia gets his report. My daughter opens a gateway to the new Ponyville hospital. In moments, nurses and doctors are trotting among the injured ponies. They are quickly picked up and are being brought into the hospital. I've got to admit, my daughter is excellent at organizing something like relief efforts. After the commotion dies down, the exhausted soldier starts talking to us all.

“The invaders have a lot of equipment, and it's modified for pony use. I've only seen earth ponies, with a smattering of Pegasi and unicorns. But those unicorns don't know how to use their magic, and the Pegasi can barely fly. But they have machines that do fly, and spit death. They attacked us not twenty minutes ago.” He went on to describe the flying machines, and the other machines the invaders have brought.

I sit back, it's like a punch to the gut. Oh shit, AH-64 Apache's, and M1A1 Abrams tanks, and apparently some M2 Bradley fighting vehicles as well. These people are really well equipped. And they've figured out how to use them in Equestria. This is going to be one hell of a fight. I say as much to Celestia.

“Will this stop you Sparky?”

I give her a level glare. “Your sister is in danger, your subjects are under the threat of death. Nothing will stop me.”

“Good to hear Marshall. You are in command.”

I find every battle ready pony I can. Nearly half of the guard is dead, or missing. Celestia, I hope simply missing is a good thing, but I don't think that is the case.

I turn to my sub unit commanders, “They will be most prepared for us to attack from inside the castle, so we are going to come at them from an unexpected direction. We will attack from the main gates of Canterlot. We are going to have to roll over them with overwhelming force. Magic users to the front, Pegasi and griffons, keep harassing them, keep them off balance. Earth Ponies, you focus on the individual soldiers, kill as many as you can as fast as possible. Magic users, your priority will be the heavy equipment, I've trained most of you, you know how to attack. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Cloud Kicker, you stay with me. I will do everything I can to draw their attention. Send runners if you need to communicate with me. We are going to try to avoid house to house fighting, don't let them draw you into any buildings. If you have to, collapse the entrances and windows of the buildings if they contain enemy soldiers, hell, collapse the whole building. A building is easier to rebuild than your lives. I repeat, do not enter buildings. The only building I want entered is the castle itself.” They all confirm my orders.

“Are we ready?”

“Let's roll.” I scream as I open a gateway to the gates of Canterlot.

Author's Notes:

I've finished writing the story. I'm going to publish the rest over the next few days. I'm still reading and rewriting where needed. So please be patient. I hope anypony reading enjoys.

Chapter 20

It wasn't supposed to go like this. We were supposed to storm Canterlot and kill the invaders. The Mane six are with me, Celestia is with me. The soldiers haven't figured out how to get our armor off. Thank Celestia for that. But I've got a ring encircling my temples, blocking me from seizing Saidin. Every unicorn has charms on their horns, removing their power. Every Pegasus has their wings bound. We all have chains hobbling our legs as we are marched slowly towards the castle. I'm not even certain how we got overwhelmed. I do know that once we got into the city proper, several buildings exploded around us. Killing nearly a third of our Guards and griffons, and knocking the Mane 6, myself, and Celestia unconscious. I woke up with this damned ring on my head. I'm glad that the armor requires cooperation from the pony wearing it to be removed. I did plan for that at least. I'm trudging in misery. At least Rainbow Dash is next to me, hers and my chains are connected. I look at her. Tears are in her eyes.

“I'm sorry.” I mumble. “I have utterly failed us all.”

She looks at me. “It isn't your fault Sparky. They just beat us. But we are alive, right?”

I look down. “For now. Once we get to the castle, you will die, and I will be enslaved. I will have to use my power to do their bidding.” I sigh. “I've failed.” Two tracks of tears stain the ground as we shuffle through the city. Celestia is every bit the warrior princess though. She is acting as though the ponies around her are merely escorting her to the castle. She maintains her royal presence as though the humans turned ponies around her are nothing but dirt under her hooves. I wish I could do that. I look back at Twilight. She's trudging along as well, she keeps her sobs quiet. Her purple armor gleams as she shuffles along. Dust coats us all, giving us an ethereal look. The soldiers push us occasionally to keep us moving.

After a few minutes we enter a large square. Apparently they are using it for a staging area. Nearly thirty attack helicopters are being fueled from fuel bowsers shuttling through a gateway. Soldier ponies are lounging around the tanks. HMMWV's are moving around. One screeches to a halt in front of us, and a gray pony gets out. He looks like a mid level officer.

“And what do we have here?”

The sergeant in charge of us salutes. “Sir, the main gate trap was activated. When we arrived, most of their force was stunned. We attacked, and killed plenty of these ponies, and also a lot of... uhhh, I don't know what they are, but they looked like eagles combined with lions.”

“Griffons, sergeant.”

“Uh, yes, sir. Griffons. Well, we killed a lot of griffons as well. Many did recover from the explosion, and retreated. These were mixed among the rubble. Three of them were on our list of high priority targets. The Princess, the adept we've been searching for, and the purple unicorn with wings that decimated our force the last time we were here.” He indicates the morose prisoners. “We captured all of them, hobbled them, and all the unicorns have those devices to prevent their magic. And the adept has a dominion band.”

“Good job sergeant, you can expect a good bonus for capturing them. Call to the troops, these vermin might try to rescue their royalty.”

The sergeant salutes. “Yes sir.”

The officer comes up to me. “You have been almost more trouble than you are worth, adept. But you belong to us now. With that dominion band around your head, you belong to us. And you will help us hunt down the rest of the adepts.” The grey officer pony cuffs my head. Hard. I see stars for a moment. He growls, “And now that we have you, and that pesky purple unicorn” he smiles at the joke he just made, “we can leave this God damned hell hole. I have no clue why you decided to come to a world with pretty colored ponies in the first place, but I really don't care. We have you.”

I stand there, in mute rage. So that's what they have around my head. A dominion band. I've never seen one, I've only read of one being described. It's a device that can control adepts, even by non adepts. They are exceedingly rare. They aren't perfect, but for now, there is nothing I can do. I hear a gasp from Twilight. I glance back at her. She's looking at the officer, then at me. I feel tears well up in my eyes. They are going to do the same for her that they did to me. She's going to be a slave to them.

The officer pulls out a radio, he speaks into it, I can't hear everything he's saying, but do hear the words La Rouche, throne room, and immediately. He turns to me. “Alright you scum, come with me.” With soldiers all around us, carrying weapons, it's not as though we have any choice. We trudge ahead. As we get to the end of the square, a red form comes out from between two buildings. The form resolves into a dragon. I know that dragon, from one of the episodes. I have to think for a moment. Then Garble speaks.

“You let those ponies go.” He bares his teeth, and snorts flame.

The soldiers bring their weapons to bear. The dragon looks at them. Then he smiles, and emits a piercing whistle.

That is when all hell breaks loose. A half a dozen helicopters are hit with fireballs from above. Others are crushed as large dragons land on them. It's absolute pandemonium. The soldier ponies are shrieking, firing their weapons everywhere. For a moment, we are safe. Garble reaches down, and bites the officer pony, he throws the gray pony against a building. I wince, with the way that pony's head is hanging, his neck is broken. A purple streak hops off of Garble's back, bounding through us and attaching itself to Twilight. Another pony comes around from behind Garble. She's wearing red armor. It's Cloud Kicker.

“Oh thank Celestia you are okay Twilight.” I hear Spike's voice. He's hugging Twilight for all he's worth. She nuzzles him. He reaches up and removes the charm on her horn. Immediately it glows and our chains dissolve. We're free! Celestia and Twilight come up to me. Their magic flares as the band around my head shatters.
I go up to Cloud, “What happened?”

She smiles, “When we were ambushed, I played possum and then once you were led off, I flew my flanks off to get to the staging area. Spike was there with the Dragons. Garble here is the one who came up with the idea on how to save you guys.

The dragon looks down. “Princess Celestia, you raise the sun and moon. We may not like ponies very much, but having these creatures here capturing you is worse than us staying neutral in this. I was able to persuade some dragons to help.”

Celestia comes forward. “We are eternally in your debt young Garble. Thank you.”

The teen dragon smiles. “Now, we can cause some destruction. He flares his wings and takes off to join his friends wreaking havoc among the invaders.

Celestia turns to me, “Are you ready Sparky? We need to finish these creatures off.”

I seize Saidin. “Now let's show them how Equestria wages war.”

I feel the chill down my back as Twilight embraces Saidar. I move up next to her. “Let's start with lightning.” She nods.

Lightning strikes down from the clear night sky. Sizzling as soldiers are hit, a tank explodes, a second. The lightning is coming down faster than you can clap. I join in. The deafening explosions multiply as more tanks explode. The dragons swipe and kill many of the soldiers. Twilight and I are careful to keep from hitting any dragons, and in a few minutes, all that's left is burning vehicles, and a lot of dead bodies. We cease our attack. One of the other dragons comes up to us.

“These soldiers have places like this all over the city. We will take care of them, I know you need to save the moon Princess. Hurry.” The dragons take off. I can hear the muted roar of a flying Apache helicopter. I slap hit it's rotor with a hard fist of air. Suddenly devoid of lift, the helicopter plunges to the ground. We start heading towards the castle in a full on gallop. Apparently the griffons and guards ponies that had survived have regrouped, some of them join 0-us as we dash down the streets.

“To the left.” A voice calls out. An M1A1 Abrams tank rolls into the street in front of us. Before I do anything, Celestia's horn glows and the tank simply disappears. We continue on. I look up, three attack helicopters are lining up to hit us. Just as I'm about to hit their rotors, dozens of griffons swarm around the helicopters. They land on the faces of the attacking machines, using their claws to rip through the armored glass cockpits. In moments the Apache's are falling objects. They crash into buildings. The night is going to be alight with fire apparently. We continue.

The castle is getting really close. Another staging area, the dragons haven't gotten there yet. I hear the high pitched whine of the turbine engines of the tanks. They are ready to go. One of them levels it's main gun tube at us. With a crashing boom, it fires. The building behind me explodes. I let my armor take the brunt of the shrapnel. I spread my wings and dash to the tank. I feel a presence next to me. Rainbow Dash isn't letting me out of her sights. The two on each side are glowing as Celestia and Twilight take care of them. I fold my wings and flip on my back just as I'm get up to them, I let my momentum carry me underneath the tank. With a blast of fire and air, I cut through the armored floor of the tank. The loader is immolated as I slam the piece of cut armor into the tank. I climb in. Decapitating the driver with a flow of air. Rainbow clambered into the tank with me. She whips around and bucks the gunner in the head, three down, one to go. I see the tank commander trying to get out of the hatch. I smile grimly. I give him a push, hard. His body flies up and into a building with a sickening smack. I reach through the hatch and pull the .50 caliber machine gun off the powered mount. I jump off the tank. I was wondering where the rest of the soldiers were. They are marching towards us from the castle. I take my appropriated weapon and attack them.

As my hoof starts to squeeze the trigger, I feel an armor clad hoof on my shoulder. Rainbow Dash is there.

“Sparky, let the guards handle the soldiers, we have to get to the castle, for Luna.”

I nod, drop the weapon, and we take off. I look back, Twilight folds her wings over Pinkie and Applejack, they teleport past the bulk of the forces. Rarity teleports herself. I didn't know she knew that spell.

Fluttershy, Rainbow and I dive bomb on the few guards at the gates. I can hear Flutters crying as she attacks. But despite how sad she is, how many tears she sheds as she's attacking, she furiously attacks the soldiers. As I'm coming in, I snatch my sword off my back. I cleave into the soldiers. Thrashing back and forth with my blade. Cutting off limbs and heads, and whatever gets in range. With the mono molecule blade, it cleaves their armor, bone and flesh equally. In moments. We are in an open spot, I shake blood off the end of my blade and re sheathe it.

Twilight comes up next to me. “The gates are enchanted, Sparky...” she is cut off as I weave a massive amount of Air and Earth into the gates. They shatter and fly back. “Well, that's one way to do it Sparky,” she says as she smiles at me. Cloud Kicker bumps her shoulder into me.

“Let's get going Sparky. We have a Princess to save.” I take the lead into the castle grounds.

We only get a few steps into the grounds of the palace when we hit a wall. I see it as it forms in front of us. It's made of Saidin! I skid to a halt in front of the wall. This is a massively powerful wall. I could build one, but I've never met another adept that can make one that strong. I turn to the rest. “Stop, there's an wall here.” They skid to a stop as well.

A room off to the side of the grounds opens. A light green pony with a brown mane and seven stars on his rump comes out. A golden band encircling his temples.

“Hello my apprentice.” He says. My eyes shrink down to the size of pinpricks as I recognize that voice.

“Carter.” I whisper.

Chapter 21

The light green pony that was my mentor in learning to be an adept steps forward. The wall he made dispels as he stalks to me.

“Carter, you don't have to do this.”

I see out of the corner of my eye, the rest of my friends making their way towards the palace. Rainbow Dash is wrapped in the magenta glow of Twilight's magic, she reaches her hooves to me and she is crying as she's carried away.

He gets in my face and screams at me. “Do you see this fucking thing on my head. Honestly, do you think I have a choice William?”

“Let me help you break it, the inhabitants of this world are kind and gentle. They won't hurt you. Their leader, Celestia is almost infinite in her forgiveness and understanding. We can stop these people. We can make it so adepts like us can live in peace.”

The rage on his face is replaced with smugness. He always had a cruel streak. “Oh, it's far too late for that, my apprentice.” He reaches up and pulls the dominion band off. “You see, my choice was made years ago. I'm using these people, they think I'm their dog. But in reality, once we have captured a few more adepts, and I bend them to my will, a new era will start. With adepts ruling the masses.” He smiles ruefully at me. “I must confess, after they captured me, I found out their goals. They want power, not just power over us, but ultimate power. The power to rule the lives and mind of men... or little horses, as the case may be. I joined them. And once I have enough power, I will overthrow their leader, and put myself in the seat of power.”

He sets the dominion band on the ground. “I'm going to give you a choice, William. Join me. Rule at my side. You are powerful. You can be my apprentice again, we can rule our world, and this one if you want. All we have to do is kill their Celestia and Luna. We can capture that purple bitch Twilight Sparkle. You can place the band around her head yourself. We can rule. We can control all that God has created. Hell, we can be Gods.”

“What about La Rouche?”

“You can kill him yourself. He's high up, but he's not the top.”

I look down. My mind is befuddled. Sheer exhaustion is foremost on my mind. Being tired and channeling as hard as I have takes a lot out of you. I consider his words. He had a very powerful influence on me when he was teaching me. In moments, there is only one conclusion in my mind.

“We have this gift, this power, for a specific reason.” I look up at him, injecting every bit of venom into my glare as I can. “And it is not to rule, but to serve. Something I've learned in this world. Magic is everywhere here. Our powers are superfluous here. I contribute where I can, but any common unicorn here can match most of what I can do, in fact, many can outstrip me in abilities. Sure, their abilities work completely different than ours, but that doesn't matter. They have taught me something as well. That it's not all about me, and what I can do. It's about us all. We work together, willingly, to make every pony's life better. Friendship truly is magic here, love is a special magic here. I don't want power, I want my friends, I want the ones I love.”

I slam my hoof on the dominion band, with an added element of Earth into it, it shatters.

“And that is the only answer you will ever get from me.”

My former mentor looks sadly at me. “You should have joined me my apprentice”

I brace myself for his attack. I'm not disappointed. A wall of Air slams into me. Knocking me against the Palace wall.

He's never been this strong. Once you mature in the power, you don't just get stronger. What the hell?

I send a thread of fire and air, intending to call down lightning. He slices through my weave with a weave of spirit. I jerk back at the recoil from the lost weave. I try again, three at once. He laughs as though he's taunting a child that tries to attack him as he severs all three. I stagger back once again. Alright, it's time to really get serious. I slam a shield between him and the source, or, more accurately, I try to. He immolated my weave with ease. He is not this strong. What the hell?

He laughs at me. “I've made up my deficit in power so far haven't I?”

He starts an all out, furious attack. Flows of every kind come from him. I slice at many as I can. But in moments, I'm on my back. I'm stunned, I'm holding on to Saidin with everything I have. My mentor pushes his face into mine.

“Want to know how I got this power?” He asks as he succeeds in pushing a shield between me and the source.

I look at him with tears in my eyes. I can't speak.

He smiles savagely, “I found an enhancement charm. It more than doubles what I can pull unaided.” He moves his head, and for the first time I see a pouch strapped to him, a small fat man sitting cross legged with a sword on his knees, apparently made of jade is sitting in the pouch. “You should have joined me William, but now I have to kill you.”

***Twilight Sparkle***

I have never seen Sparky so scared. When he said “Carter” I knew what he was talking about. His former mentor. I had my hoof on the wall that Sparky warned us about when it dissolved. I nodded my head to the doors to the castle and had every pony follow me. Rainbow Dash decided to be stubborn. I grabbed her with my magic to pull her with us. The fight those two were going to have would not be good for any pony but an adept. She had to come with us.

“Damn you Twilight, I need to help him.” She bawls as we close the door.

I hit her, hard. I know she wouldn't be injured on account of the armor that Sparky made for us. But it snaps her out of her panic.

“I'm sorry to do that Rainbow, but we need you more than Sparky needs you right now.”

“I don't care, he's my fiancee, and I have to help him.” She keeps struggling.

“Rainbow Dash, please, stay with us.” Celestia says softly.

She finally subsides. Tears flow freely from her eyes. “I love him, if he gets hurt. I don't know what I would do.”

Celestia puts her face down close to Rainbow Dash. “Sparky would want you to help save Luna. How selfless is that pony?”

Rainbow looks down. “He would tell us to get going.”

Rainbow Dash stands up, we trot down the hallway. We don't make it a hundred hooves before soldiers attack. I embrace Saidar. It's a very good power for destroying things. A blast of fire pins the fake ponies to the floor. I spread my wings and fly forward, drawing the sword that Sparky gave me. I lop off a head to start, I kick another pony in the jaw and slice through a Pegasus' wings. I'm laying about with my sword. I feel an impact on my back. My wings are smothered as I end up on the ground. The sword is stripped from me. I can't move, so many ponies are on me. I hear shouting. I can't focus. One pony got a particularly good kick to my head. Thank Celestia for the armor, but I'm stunned for a moment. I release Saidiar and focus with my normal magic. I shoot a beam out, several fake ponies are blown back. I finally roll onto my back. I strike out with my hooves. Where are my friends? Where is Celestia? What the buck is going on? All of a sudden the entire corridor shakes. I push an unconscious pony off of my face. Celestia is standing there, ponies are flying back from her. Apparently they decided to not use their useless weapons and simply tried to overwhelm us with their weight. Another pony jumps on my head. My head is pinned, I can't direct my magic to blow them off of me.

I'm just about to panic when a blue glow envelops the ponies on me. They fly in every direction, and I'm free. Rarity offers me a hoof up. “Don't get too far ahead of us, darling. We need to stick together.”

I smile at her. We turn and pull the soldiers off of Applejack. Every few seconds we hear Pinkie's party cannon explode. She's certainly changed her ammunition for it. Mangled ponies litter the hall. She disappears her cannon and canters over to Celestia. We all join together. Cloud Kicker leads the way. Slicing into soldiers as she trots down the hall. I float my sword to me and sheathe it. I stay near Celestia. Despite us healing her, she still seems weak. Her head shakes every so often. I'm getting worried.

“Princess, are you okay?” I ask.

She shakes her head again. “Yes... I think I am okay. What happened earlier really took a lot out of me. And with all the ponies dying...” She looks back at the carnage behind us. “I don't know how Equestria will survive after this kind of war. I thought war was behind us.”

I smile and nuzzle her cheek. “We will do just fine. We just have to stop these invaders from ever attacking us again. I will go into their world if I have to, but I will make it impossible for them to hit us again.”

Celestia sighs. “I hope so, Twilight, I really do.”

I find a set of stairs. “We need to go up four levels. Then is not much further to the throne room.” I go first, I embrace Saidar, ready for any traps. One level. Nothing.

Two levels. Again nothing.

I reach the landing for the third level. I stick my head out of the stairwell. It's empty. Feeling brave, I trot up the last level. I stick my head out the door. I feel the impact of a bullet against the helm of my armor. I look over. Over a hundred soldiers are there. Several are firing their weapons. The noise is incredible. I rush out and use Earth to grab everything metal and yank hard. Weapons come flying at me. I use more Earth and crush the weapons to unusable scrap. I holler a war cry as my friends join me and we barrel into the soldiers. I draw my sword once again. I thank Celestia under my breath as I slice through another pony. This sword Sparky made for me will slice through almost anything. One soldier comes up, he has a blade on the end of his useless rifle. He jabs it at me. I smile grimly as I cleave him down the middle. He goes down screaming.

Sparky never told me how loud war was. All these ponies screaming as they fight, screaming as they die. And the screams of the injured. I think that's the worse of all. This wave of soldiers seems to be petering out. A few stumble to a stop as they look at their fallen comrades. They look at us. Then turn and run away. Well, that's good news. Less ponies that we have to kill to get to the throne room. I turn to my friends.

“We are almost there girls. The doors to the throne room are right ahead.” We all increase our speed. Even Celestia seems to be excited to get there. Either she is just as sick of killing as I am, or she can't wait to save her sister. Cloud Kicker takes the lead. We are almost there. Then the world just falls on us. Or, more accurately. The ceiling. Several explosions happen right next to us, throwing our bodies about. I see Celestia go down, Cloud Kicker hits the wall, and bounces into me. The last thing before darkness claims me is her face flying at mine. I can't believe the little things that I notice. Sparky's armor isn't perfect. Cloud is out cold as her body collides with mine, her nose is bloody.

Chapter 22

***Sparky***

I'm waiting for oblivion, for my next life, for whatever happens when someone dies. I slowly open my eyes. Carter is still above me, but he's not looking at me. He's looking up. Something is distracting him. All the noise that I've subjected myself to in the last few hours has left my ears ringing. I take my chances. I reach out with both forehooves and grab the charm in his pouch. I feel the shield immediately lose most of it's strength. I push hard on the shield as I roll away from him. I end up with the charm.

“No!” he screams as he jumps after me. I break through the shield and seize Saidin as his hooves latch onto the charm in my hooves. I reach through the charm as he does. We both are nearly on equal footing now. We roll back and forth on the ruined courtyard. Each trying to steal the charm away from the other. I batter at his connection with Saidin, trying to shield him, he tries the same with me. We are too close together, I can't kick him hard enough to do anything. I end up on top of him, I start beating him with my wings. Anything to distract him from holding Saidin. He seems resolute, he is not going to let go. I rear back my head and slam my forehead into his nose. He gasps, and blood starts leaking from his nose. He sneezes blood in my face. But he won't let go.

Sudden he is enveloped in a light blue aura. He is yanked away from me, I keep the charm in my hooves as he screams as he is lifted away. I see the pony holding him in her magic. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is landing next to me. She tosses him at the courtyard wall. His scream is truncated with a sickening thump as she slams him again and again against the wall. She lets her magic go, and he falls twenty feet to the ground. Either he's gained extra joints, or he's got a lot of broken bones. I sincerely think it's the latter. I close my eyes for a moment. I'm just so tired.

A hoof touches my face. “Rain..?” I murmur.

“No, it's not your Fiancee.” That voice isn't who I was thinking of. I reluctantly open my eyes. Cadence's smiling face is right in front of me. Ugh, she's pretty, but not pretty like Rainbow Dash. I roll over and get to my hooves.

“Thank you Princess.” I say as hundreds of Crystal Guards gallop through the wrecked doors to the courtyard.

“Never let it be said that the Crystal Empire will ever let down our allies.” Cadence says as she gives me a hug. “Now, let's go find my aunt and sister in law.” She gallops towards the doors into the Palace proper that Twilight and everypony else went through.

“Cadence, stop!” she skids to a stop, looking back at me quizzically.

“Let's fly up the outside. It's probably a blood bath in there. Let's just get to the throne room.”

Cadence takes a moment to call out directions to the Crystal Guards. They rush off, setting up a perimeter. Cadence and I take to the air. In moments we are a hundred feet in the air. I hear an ominous roar.

“Cadence, look out.” She dives as the missile rushes past her and impacts into the palace. She turns and fires a blast of magic at the attacking Apache helicopter. It dutifully explodes as another one takes it's place, firing it's chin mounted cannon. Cadence isn't wearing my armor. I dive and take the brunt of the shells on my armor as I slam a fist of air into it's tail rotor. As it whirls down to the ground, I see another half dozen of the machines. I'm merciless, parts of the machines fly everywhere as I throw everything I have at them. I get all but one. Cadence comes out of nowhere on the last one. She lands on the longbow radar dome above the rotor. With a look of contempt on her face, she sticks her crystal armored hoof down into the whirling rotor. Her horn glows brightly as the blades hit the armor and shatters all the blades, she spreads her wings as the final helicopter gunship joins the rest as wreckage on the ground. I look up. A cloud of dust is starting to clear from where the throne room is. I shout out to her as I start heading towards the throne room. I'm interrupted by a Bradley fighting vehicle rolling through the shattered gates into the courtyard of the palace. It's Bushmaster cannon firing at the Crystal Guard. Pinning them down. Instead of up, I fold my wings and dive bomb the infantry fighting vehicle. I land on it with Cadence. Augmenting my strength with spirit, fire and water, I grab the barrel and bend it into a U shape. With that weapon out of commission, I jump off the rear of the vehicle and wait for the rear door to drop. I'm not disappointed. Several soldiers come out.

I move forward to attack the dismounted soldiers, and then stumble to a stop. They take one look at my blood covered armor, and shout out that they surrender. One produces a white handkerchief and starts waving it around.

“Please sir, spare us. We surrender.” The highest ranking soldier pony from the Bradley screams. His cries are echoed by the other soldiers. Crystal Guards rush up and gather up the soldiers.

Cadence looks at me and smiles. “I think we are going to win this one.”

I smile exhaustedly back at her. “By Celestia, I hope so.”

She looks up, her smile turns into a worried frown. “I think we had better get up to the throne room.”

We take off and head up to the throne room.

Once we get to the stained glass windows encircling the throne room, I look through. I hear Cadence gasp. Our friends are there. They have been stripped of their armor. And they are all lying on the floor. From what I can see, they are all dazed.

“I have to get in there.” I call to Cadence as I fly back a bit. I accelerate to the windows, folding in my wings as I crash through. I land and quickly look around. My attention is riveted on a small object skittering on the floor towards my friend. Oh no. I holler out... “Grenade!” As I gather it up with my wing. I look around frantically. I can't throw it with my wing. I'm barely holding onto Saidin as it is. I need a few minutes to rest before I can really do anything with it. If that grenade goes off, without armor, my friends will be killed. I do the only thing I can do. I hold it in my right wing and fold it onto my barrel plate. I turn my head away from the upcoming blast. The last thing I do before it goes off is close my eyes tight.

BOOM!!

I find myself several feet left of where I was. I groggily get to my hooves. Saidin is gone. I shake my head. Trying to rid it of ringing. My ribs hurt. My right wing is a mass of pain. I sit up, and look back. My barrel plate is dented in. I certainly have at least two broken ribs. I take another look. My right wing. My beautiful wing. It's been mangled. Just a mass of blood and broken bones. I turn away from it. Bile rises to my throat as more pain hits me. I fall to the ground. Twilight stumbles to her hooves, she comes over to me.

“Oh, Sparky.” She says as she nuzzles me. “I'm so sorry.” Tears fall from her eyes. She looks back at our friends. Every pony is unconscious. She's barely staying alert herself.

“What happened?” I'm able to gasp.

She looks down, “There was an explosion, knocking us out. When I came to. They were stripping our armor off of us. I don't know how they got through the charm you used to keep it on us without our permission. But they did. One of the soldiers threw that grenade at us. They cleared out of the room just before you burst through the window.” She looks at my ruined wing. “I can't heal that. But I can stop the bleeding, and restore some of your strength. She places her hooves on me like my daughter does when healing me. I feel the chills as she embraces Saidar, in moments, it feels like I'm being dunked in cold water as healing is performed. I look back at my wing. Damaged flesh and bone dropped off, leaving a small stump.

Twilight sobs. “I'm sorry, I couldn't do more than that. That was almost more than I can do, I have very little talent at healing”

I hug her. “It's okay Twilight. I'll manage.” I get to my hooves. We walk among our friends. Healing them as best as we can, shortly, all of us are on our hooves. Cadence comes up to Celestia.

“I'm so glad you're okay.” She says at she hugs her aunt. We are interrupted by the sound of the door to Celestia's study opening.

I turn as I hear something I've never heard in Equestria. The sound of boots hitting the marble floor.

La Rouche is there. And he's human. He's wearing some device on his head. In his hand is a gun. That gun is pressed hard into a midnight blue head.

“I should have known that grenade wouldn't finish you damned ponies off.” He growls. Luna has a charm on her horn. She can't use any magic. I can see her wings are bound as well. He has his arm around her with that damned gun to her head.

“Don't even think of any funny business adept.” He saw me tensing to leap at him. He adjusts the gun against Luna's head, eliciting a small yelp from Luna.

He looks at all the assembled ponies in front of him. “If I see any horns glow, if I even feel a twinge that might be you using your magic, I pull the trigger, and you can say goodbye to your Princess of the Night.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Celestia straining to get to her sister. Twilight is holding her back, whispering in her ear. Both have tears in their eyes. I see Rainbow Dash. I give her a hard look. She subsides. I step forward.

“I surrender, La Rouche.” I unstrap my armor, pieces fall to the floor. I reach up and pull the helm off. I set it off to the side and walk forward. “You win.” I hang my head. “Just don't harm any more of my friends.”

I hear a low chuckle from him. “Oh, I accept your surrender. But I am going to punish these creatures for the deaths of my soldiers. I really can't believe it. After you handed me my ass several months ago, I did some research. I had to laugh. You went to the world of My Little Pony. A powerful adept like you. I can't believe you went to a world of magical unicorns and flying ponies. I wanted to puke. I watched some of the episodes of that show. Shame on you adept. This is a show for little girls, and you came here. What is wrong with you?”

After several seconds of silence from me. He growls out. “Answer me.”

I swallow for a moment. “I first came here out of curiosity. I wanted to know more than what the television showed. I wanted to know what made them tick. I got here. I lost my powers. And without any thought for themselves, they took me in. They are the characters you see on the screen, but they are so much more. They really do embody the elements of harmony. Not just these ones here, but all of them. I have never felt so welcomed, never felt so loved, as when I have been here. I really don't want to leave.” I look up at him.

He smiles, “Well, you don't have a choice now. We will put a dominion band on you. You will belong to us. You never know, I might bring you back and take over this world. With their rulers dead, they will be easy pickings.” He sees me flinch. “Oh, so I've hit a nerve. Tell me, adept. Which of these ponies have you fallen in love with?”

I'm not telling him. He cuffs Luna with his gun. Then points it at me, he shifts it to Twilight, points it at Applejack, then Rainbow Dash. I must have reacted somehow, for he smiles and puts the gun back at Luna's temple. His laughter fills the room.

“I can't believe it, you fell in love with the tomboy? Rainbow Dash, the element of Loyalty. You actually fell in love with her?” He laughs hard. After a few moments he cuts his laughter off. “I know which pony I will kill first. After Luna here, and then Celestia, then I will take a long time killing your precious Rainbow Dash. She will scream that she hates you before she dies adept.”

Rage overtakes me. The healing Twilight did has given me some strength back. I seize Saidin.

He holds up a finger. “Ah ah ah, no funny business, or you are going to see how much blood is in a Princess.” I relax for a second. I look back at my friends. A mixture of infinite sadness on Celestia, to horrible rage on Rainbow Dash's face. I have to do something before he kills Luna. I relax my body, so he doesn't think I'm up to something. He starts talking again. I don't listen, I'm focusing inward. I need to get to him, I concentrate, harder than I ever have before. I feel a surge of Saidin in my head. Everything blinks dark for an instant, and then I have the gun in my hooves, I've somehow teleported to him. I push the gun as it goes off. Discharging it's round into the wall. I punch him in the face with my hoof and he drops the gun. I didn't see his other hand, but I find out where it was as his ka-bar combat knife plunges into my chest. I scream as I feel the damage the blade is doing. He twists the blade savagely and withdraws it. I stumble back. My hoof going to my chest, I'm bleeding. He takes the blade and plunges it into my stomach, ripping downward. I fall down on my back. Saidin disappears as the world goes blurry. I hear a loud scream. I feel a blast of magic pass over me, La Rouche is blasted against the wall. He slumps to the floor, unconscious. I can't move. Everything hurts. I look up. Rainbow Dash's face is there. I touch her cheek.

“I'm sorry Dashie,” I'm able to gasp. As blackness envelopes me, I feel her lips on mine, her tears on my face.

Chapter 23.

***Moonshine***

I'm at Ponyville General Hospital. I've been healing ponies all evening. Even the soldiers. I directed groups of orderlies to get wounded through the gateways. The pony under my hooves shudders in my healing weaves. The soldier pony wakes up suddenly.

“Hush, hush, you are okay. I just healed you. You need to go with the orderly there.” I gesture with my hoof. “And he will take you to the protected wing. You will not be harmed, and we will return you to your world.” The dazed soldier gets off the table. I indicate to the triage nurse for another pony. While I'm waiting, I close my eyes and place my head on the table. I'm so tired. I've been weaving for hours. Just five minutes I think as I start to nod off.

“Where is Moonshine?” I hear a howl. It starts me from being nearly asleep. That tone of voice chills me to the bone, I recognize the voice. It's Rainbow Dash. And she sounds like her life is ending. I stick my head past the privacy curtain.

“I'm here” I shout. In moments I see her, and Twilight. They are flapping their wings together as they carry a limp body. For a moment I'm confused. That body looks familiar. Oh no. Dad. I flap my wings and gesture for them to come to me. They gently place my father on the table in front of me. He has a huge wound to his chest, and his stomach, he's nearly been eviscerated. One of his wings is gone. I embrace Saidar and run a delving over him. I spare some attention for them.

“What happened?”

Rainbow Dash is beyond talking, she's sobbing so hard she can't speak. Twilight pipes up. “He saved us, he saved Luna. But that animal La Rouche stabbed him with a huge knife.” More tears roll down her cheeks, “I couldn't do anything, the damage is too much. I'm not a healer. You are a healer Moonshine. Please save him.”

I look back at my dad. He's barely breathing. My delve has shown me what I need to know. I withdraw my power. I step back, I trip over an IV stand and fall heavily on my back. “I can't save him.” I whisper.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You have to save him, you saved Celestia.” Twilight bawls.

I get to my hooves. “I'm sorry Twilight, he's injured far worse than Celestia was. I'm very good with healing, but this is far beyond my abilities. I don't know any healer in the history of adepts that could have ever fixed this much.”

“What if we can combine the magic of Equestria, with your source?” An ethereal voice says. Celestia enters the room, along with Luna. Cadence joins in as well. We push the privacy curtains back so we have enough room for every pony.

“I don't know if it will make any difference, but for my Dad, we can certainly try. Twilight, will you link with me?”

The sobbing alicorn nods her head. In moments we are adrift in the infinite currents of the source. I focus my power. The strongest healing weave I know springs into existence. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence light up their horns. I see Celestia focus her magic into Sparky.

I murmur quietly. “Just focus on keeping him alive, I'll start by repairing his lungs and heart.”

She nods as he glows around his chest and head. I feel the damage with my magic. His heart is pumping so weakly. In several moments, it's healed, and then I focus on his lungs, one is okay, the other... well. I slowly weave the lung together.

I look up at one of the doctors who was attracted by the commotion. “I need ten units of blood right now. I can't focus on growing new blood while I'm trying to heal him. Push it, fast. We need to replace blood.” The unicorn nods and gallops off. A nurse comes pushes up to us. She pushes the needle into a vein on his forehoof. I focus on his ruined gut. I clean out the blood. I gently start rearranging his organs. His body squirms, this is a huge amount of pain, he's reacting even though he's unconscious. I yell at one of the unicorn doctors.

“Hold him down. He can't move while I'm doing this.” A new glow surrounds his body as he is immobilized. The nurse comes back with blood and hangs it on the stand. She squeezes the bag for the blood to rush into his body. I order some morphine, thank Celestia they have that powerful drug here in Equestria. In moments his body relaxes and I can continue to heal him. I glance at the clock, I've been working on him for over half an hour. And I'm not even close to done. I work down his body, healing each organ as I reattach the connective tissue setting each organ in its proper place. After another hour, I'm almost done, I'm healing up the skin wounds. I look at the Princesses, they all have tears down their faces.

“How are you holding up?”

Luna answers. “We can feel the pain he does. But whatever it takes to heal Sparky. We will do. He nearly died to save me, to save us all.”

In moments I'm done. I let Twilight out of the ring. I'm done. I can't do any more. Saidar slips from me as I fall over. Rainbow Dash catches me.

“We need to get you into bed Moonshine.” She says as she draws me away from the bed. I push her away.

“In a minute. I need to give instructions.” I turn to the head nurse. “Nurse Redheart. My dad is mostly healed. I can't do any more. The rest his body will have to do on its own. Keep the IV drip to keep him hydrated. It will be touch and go for the rest of the night. He needs to be in intensive care. Twenty four hour watch, understood?” I continue relaying instructions.

Nurse Redheart puts her hoof on my shoulder, “Moonshine, we will handle it.” Rainbow Dash helps me to a waiting room with a couch. I collapse into it.

***Rainbow Dash***

I trot from the waiting room I left Moonshine in. She's asleep on the couch before I even got to the door. As I get back to Sparky, he's being wheeled to a room. I simply follow him. I wait in the corner of the room while the orderlies move him into the bed and get him set in his room. I don't even think they notice me as they go about their work. Normally that is not something I like, not being noticed. But there is somepony far more important in this room. They eventually leave and I'm all alone with him. I move over to the bed. I hear all the monitoring equipment beeping and humming, making sure his vital statistics stay where they are supposed to be. I lean my head against the bed.

“Sparky. You had better pull through.” I sigh. “My whole life, it's all been about me being the best, it's all been about living my life on the edge. I'm the fastest flyer in Equestria. I carried the flag for Cloudsdale in the Equestria games. I won the best young fliers competition. I completed training at the Wonderbolt Academy. I've done things no pony has ever done. But most of all.” I stop for a moment. Tears run down my face. I can't control them. I rub my nose. “I found a pony that makes my life complete. I need you Sparky. I need you in my life. Please don't go.” Sparky doesn't move. I squeeze my hoof on his. I move up and kiss his eyelids. “Please. I need you.” I put my head down once again on the bed. If he dies, my heart will die with him.

I don't know how long I'm lying there when a hoof touches my shoulder. I turn to face the pony. It's nurse Redheart. “You really shouldn't be here Rainbow Dash. When a pony is in ICU, his visitors are limited to family.

I look at her, I plead with every bit of strength. “He's my fiancée, we should have been married in just a few days. Please. Let me stay.”

Her face softens. “I do remember something about you guys getting married. I think I can make an exception for you. But I think your friends are worried about you. Moonshine is still asleep. Maybe you'll want to let them know what's going on. They have had no news so far.”

I nod and get up. We navigate the maze of corridors that Sparky has built with his power. In moments we are in the waiting room. I'm mobbed the moment I get in there. All of my friends are here, except for Twilight.

A chorus of “How is he?” resounds from multiple throats. I indicate for them to get comfortable.

“Moonshine said he was stable before she finally passed out. She is so tired. But it's very touchy, he could die tonight. She was able to heal him, but the nerve damage was extensive, and the lack of blood could have damaged his brain. We won't know for certain until he wakes up. That is. If, he wakes up.”

The rest of the night, and all morning is taken up by us talking, Pinkie Pie tries to keep the subject light. But every time she starts with “Do you remember the time Sparky...” she would always trail off, and there would new tears. Sometime after sunrise Moonshine pushes into the waiting room. She comes up to us.

“I just checked on Dad. There is no change.” I feel tears starting to well up in my eyes, she quickly adds, “and that is a good thing. He hasn't slid backwards. I placed a weave on him when I was just in there. After I woke up, I did some reading. To help with neural damage, this weave allows a dreamless and pain free sleep. The best for the body to recover. I think I'm going to keep it on him for the next twenty four hours. You girls can get some sleep at home, and come back tomorrow.”

Moonshine gets hugs from all my friends. One by one, they take their leave, leaving Moonshine and I in the waiting room. She looks at me. “That means you too, Rainbow Dash. You have slept less than anypony here. You need your rest. Please go home. There is nothing you can do right now.”

I look at her. “I am not going anywhere Moonshine, you should know me by know. My home isn't that cloud house, my home is in that room. Wherever he is, that is home. If you insist, I'll sleep out here, on a cushion. But I would rather be in the room with him. Please?”

Moonshine chuckles. “Even without the element, you are still the embodiment of loyalty Rainbow Dash. Nurse Redheart already talked to me. You are cleared to go back to the room. He cannot wake up right now. I know he needs you as much as you need him, but if you want, I'll have a second bed brought in for you to sleep in. But I want you to get some sleep yourself. If I check on you and you are awake, I'll put the same weave on you, and you both will be in an enforced sleep. You understand?”

I smile. “Thank you, Moonshine.” I give her a huge hug, and a kiss on the cheek. “Remember, I'm going to be your step mom soon.”

She smiles at me. “Don't remind me. I'm going to have a step mom nearly thirty years my junior.” She laughs as she heads back to the main emergency admitting area. Some place where her skills as a healer will be useful. I, on the other hoof, head back into the ICU unit of the hospital. In moments, I've curled up, with my hooves around Sparky's prone body, careful not to get entangled with his IV's or the leads for the electronic equipment connected to him. I fall asleep in moments. This is going to be a long recovery.

Chatper 24.

***Sparky***

Pain. New levels of pain. Every part of me hurts. That's good. Right? Pain tells you that you are alive. I guess. I feel a hot body next to me. I'm enveloped by wings. I flare my nostrils. I know that scent. I move my hooves around Rainbow Dash. She's sleeping, and in her sleep she shifts against me, squeezing me tighter with her hooves. She murmurs “I love you Sparky.” I turn my head and whisper in her ear.

“I love you too Rainbow Dash.” She runs a hoof up and down my chest. Then she freezes. Her eyes pop open.

She looks at me in shock. “You're awake?”

“I think so, if I'm not awake, don't wake me up, because I don't want this to end.” My throat is in a huge amount of pain, all I can manage is a whisper. But for all that, I end up on the receiving end of a very enthusiastic kiss. After several seconds, she breaks this kiss off. She grabs a cup of water. I drink greedily. My throat is soothed by the cold wetness. I gulp as much as I can.

“You are in trouble mister. You missed your wedding.” I think the look on my face must be upsetting to her, for she quickly added. “But it's been rescheduled due to you being unconscious after saving Equestria.” She sighs and lays her head on my chest. “To be fair, the bride has been in the hospital as much as the groom. But she's not a patient.”

I chuckle, it comes out as a wheeze. “How long was I out Dashie?”

“You have been in an induced coma for nineteen days. After your healing, your brain swelled. The coma was to protect you. You know you should be dead Sparky. With what La Rouche did to you with his knife. He very nearly gutted you.”

I look down at my belly, soft fur and unblemished skin meets my exploratory hoof. I feel where the knife went into my chest. No scar. “Did my daughter do the healing? I was injured far too badly for even the weave I used on you. I really should be dead. How did this happen?”

Rainbow Dash smiles. “All the Princesses of Equestria helped. Twilight linked with your daughter, and the rest linked unicorn magic to keep you alive during the healing. I watched it all happen. You made it!” She hugged me. Then released me quickly when I yelp in pain. “Heh heh, sorry.”

I kiss her. “That doesn't hurt Dashie.”

Our kiss is interrupted by a pony clearing her throat.

I look up, it's all our friends, they crowd in the room. My daughter follows them. Moments later, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence join us.

I put my hoof around Rainbow. “Thank you, Princesses. For everything. You, and my wonderful daughter, saved my life. Thank you all.

Luna comes up to me. “I see now that I was wrong about you Sparky. You risked your life to save mine. We are forever in your debt. And we have talked. You are welcome to stay in Equestria for as long as you wish. And all of Equestria thanks you.”

I'm at a loss for words. In moments an idea comes to me. I hug Rainbow tighter. “Princess Luna. Would you perform my wedding ceremony. I've always wanted to get married by moonlight.” I looked over at Rainbow. She's nodding enthusiastically.

The Princess of the Night looks at her sister, then back at me. “I would be honored to.”

I look at Celestia. “I know it's not you performing the ceremony, Princess. But would you be my best mare? Twilight is already Dashie's Mare of Honor.”

A big smile from the Crown Princess of Equestria. “Certainly, Sparky. Be aware, I'm going to throw you the best bachelor party you have ever attended.” She ends that with a smirk.

Rainbow pipes up. “When are we doing this?”

I look at my daughter. “Leanne.” She jerks as I use her birth name. “Moonshine. When can I get out of this hospital?”

She comes up to me, puts her hoof on me, I feel the chill of her delving me. In moments she weaves into me, and my pain level drops considerably. I release a pent up sigh that I didn't know I was holding. She smiles. “I think we can release you tomorrow Dad. But I want you to rest at home for a few days. Preferably on a cloud bed. That will support your body the best and be the most comfortable. After that, you can do your wedding. But I don't think you should be channeling in the near future.”

After a while, our friends take their leave. I lay back with Rainbow Dash. I'm not at all tired. I turn onto my side, with her next to me.

“Rainbow, what happened while I was asleep?”

She buried her head in my chest. “It was awful. The wreckage is still being sorted through. The soldiers gathered up the ponies in Canterlot when they invaded. They kept them in barracks. They were ethical. I think. They did not go out of their way to kill civilians. But any resistance was ruthlessly squashed. The highest casualties were among the Royal Guard. Nearly a thousand are dead, and about that number are injured. The unicorn forces took the highest casualties. They gave as good as they got, but they were simply overwhelmed.”

She shudders. “Their leaders took the palace. They had captured Celestia and Luna. They were tortured. It's amazing that Celestia was able to raise the sun and moon. Every time she tried to resist, Luna was brought out and beaten in front of her. She stopped resisting very quickly. I can't blame her for that. I don't know what I would have done in her hooves. She had resigned herself to death. That was until she got that opening, and was able to get to Ponyville to warn us.”

“What of La Rouche?”

“He's in the hospital. When he was knocked into the wall, that device was broken. He's a pony now. Twilight got him really good with her magic.” She smiles at me. “They recovered Carter's body. Cadence did a real number on him didn't she?”

“Yes, she saved my life.” I give Rainbow Dash a hug and throw the covers off of me. “I need to walk around.”
She supports me as I walk around the hospital. I need my strength back.

The next few days are a blur as I'm released, and I get back into my home. I have to make a gateway to get up to the cloud portion of the house. Though with Rainbow's help, we did get a cloud bed installed in my workshop apartment.

In fact, nearly a week after I'm released, I finally get all my friends and the Princesses into my basement workshop, it's big enough to be essentially a conference room.

“Princess Celestia, I need to interrogate La Rouche.” I say to her as she makes herself comfortable.

She jerks back. “Why ever would you feel the need to do that?”

“We are from the same world, I was his target. I need to find out who his bosses are. I must make it so this can never happen again. I see now that our preparations were not even close to being sufficient to repel these invaders. We need to make it impossible for them to attack us again. If I have to go to the US President and secure a treaty, I will. But I need to get information, some that I was unable to get previously through my sources.”

“The US President?”

“A good portion of those soldiers were actual military members. Someone with a lot of pull was able to get all of that equipment and personnel. Especially to come to Equestria, where they became ponies on coming through the gateways. I need to find their leader. I need to end this.”

Celestia considers this for a long time. She looks at Luna, Cadence, Twilight in turn. Their faces are unreadable. She finally turns to me.

“Do you really think this is not over Sparky?”

“No, Your Highness, I don't. I will keep in contact with you and let you know what's going on. But I need to find out who is in charge, and end that threat.”

She smiles at me. “You are thorough Sparky, remind me never to get on your bad side.”

I smile right back. “I don't think you are capable of getting on my bad side Princess. You are too noble for that.”

“Fine, Sparky. You can interrogate the prisoner.”

“Good, now that the most unpleasant business is taken care of. I want to know from everypony here, we just had a horrible battle here. Does anypony have anything on their chest they want to talk about?”

Silence from the room, I know they are waiting for somepony else to talk first. So I decide to force the issue. There are a few here I want to know more about what happened.

“Princess Luna. I hear some of what happened to you. Can you tell me from your perspective?”

Princess Luna sighs. “It was a horrible fight in the throne room for them to capture us. I had just gotten into my sisters study when they burst in. They had some kind of armor piercing ammunition for their guns. The enchantments on our Guard's armor wasn't nearly up to the task. They were mowed down. We were taken by sheer volume of bodies. They were smart, somepony with them deduced that we would have a way to nullify the magic of rogue unicorns. And the palace armory was seized first. The charms were stolen. And while we were held down by the soldiers, La Rouche came in himself with that device on his head. It somehow protected him from turning into a pony. He laughed as he placed the charm over our horns. From then on, we were slaves to his will.”

I turn to Fluttershy. “You were amazing Fluttershy. I know you hate violence. How did you get past that?”

The pink maned Pegasus smiled shyly. “I saw what they were doing, Sparky. I had to decide between my friends and my aversion to fight. And my friends won. Anypony I stopped, was one less pony that could threaten my friends.”

I smiled hugely at her. “Flutters, you have just put to words exactly why I fight. I hate it. We all do, I believe.” A chorus of nods from around the room. “But we all understood that we had to fight them. And then deal with the consequences of fighting them later. And that later is why we are here.” I stop for a moment. I'm choking up, this is hard. “War is a horrible thing. I don't want another pony, or human to die because of this organization. That is why I need to end this.”

Twilight turned to me. “Sparky. You told me that your Source didn't have a weave for true teleportation, merely the ability to weave gateways. What happened?”

Her question caught the attention of both Princesses and Rarity as well. Apparently they all were wondering.

I looked down. “I really don't know how it happened. I was looking at La Rouche, I was thinking I can't get across that distance faster than he can pull a trigger. I felt a surge of Saidin, and somehow I teleported.”

“Can you do it again?”

I think on her question. “I don't know, I don't know what the weave was, I couldn't see it as it was all internal. Let me see.”

I think about the space near the wall, behind the girls. I focus hard. In moments I feel the surge of Saidin. Everything goes dark for an instant, then I'm where I wanted to be. I turn to them with a huge smile. “I guess I can.” I say, they whirl around.

Twilight beams at me. “You've discovered a new weave for your magic. That's wonderful.”

I trot back to where I was originally sitting. “Yes, I will have to remember that.”

I turn to Celestia. “On another note, all the pony deaths, especially the Royal Guards who died defending you. How are the families being taken care of?”

She smiles sadly. “There are already laws in effect that take care of reparations to Guards who fall in the line of duty. Their families will be generously compensated. I know it's not enough to truly replace the pony lost. But it's what we can do.”

“Is there any way I can add to that? As you know, I'm not hurting for bits.”

“That is very generous of you, but I don't think you can compete with the royal treasury when it comes to reparations.”

I sigh, well, at least I tried.

I turn to Luna, “When is the wedding rescheduled for, Princess?”

She smiles impishly. “You have twenty one days of bachelorhood left Sparky. I've already talked to Rainbow. And my sister is planning on your bachelor party the day before the wedding. Good?”

I smile hugely, then I think about it. “Wait a second, nightmare night is happening in three weeks. Are we seriously going to have nightmare night as our anniversary?” Rainbow giggles.

We continue talking until very early the next morning. I know there will be long lasting effects from what happened. But talking about it is the best medicine.

Mid morning I'm back at the hospital. It's time to interrogate La Rouche. Rainbow Dash is next to me. I flair my one wing for a moment and then nudge Rainbow Dash with my hip. “You ready?”

“No, but we do need to do this.” We make our way through the hospital, into the rapidly prepared secure wing that's holding all the soldier ponies. We don't have enough of a jail for all the prisoners. So this is where they are staying for the foreseeable future. I finally am standing in front of the door to La Rouche's room. I seize Saidin and open the door.

He's bandaged up, he apparently wasn't injured enough to get my daughter to heal him, though I don't think she would have healed him if he were moments from death. To be truthful, I would have a hard time healing him in that case.

He turns his head as I enter the room. “Ahh, my target, the adept. I should call you stumpy now, in honor of your missing wing” he says in mock concern.

“I have a name.” I say crossly.

“Oh, I know your name. I really don't care. You are nothing to me, a target, an adept.”

“Well, what you are to me is a spigot. A spigot holding back a large amount of information. And I'm going to twist that spigot until one of two things happens, one, I get the information I want, or two, it breaks. Which will it be La Rouche.”

His eyes widen as I stalk towards him. I seize Saidin and place my hooves on him. He thrashes in the throes of healing. I may not be a good healer, but his injuries were relatively minor. I use currents of Fire and Air to strip his bandages off. In moments he is exposed to me. I weave a ward quickly around the room, no sound will make it in or out.

“We are private now La Rouche, you can scream all you want. But until you scream the answers I want, you will keep screaming.” With that I pick him up and throw him against the wall. I don't let him fall, I pull on one of his forehooves.

“You would be surprised how much pain a body can take. In fact, being a pony, your nervous system can take more pain that it could as a human. I've found that out personally.” I hold onto his body, then extend his forehoof. It is quickly past full extension. I pull a little more, and I hear the pop as his shoulder dislocates. “And I'm going to show you how much pain you can feel.” I pull more, his knee is dislocated now. I pull more, and his ankle is useless. I let all my weaves go. He collapses to the floor. He gets up on three legs.

“How can I answer your questions if you don't ask me any?” He pants in pain, he's trying not to scream as he favors the injured leg.

“Oh, I'm not to the point of asking questions La Rouche. I'm at the point of letting you know exactly how much pain you have caused.” I pick him up again, I slam him against the wall. “To my friends.” I slam him against another wall. “to the people I love.” I slam him against the ceiling and then let my weaves go, he drops heavily to the floor, crying out in pain. “And to me as well.” I snarl at him as I push my face right in front of his. I seize him with Air again and lift him up.

“Stop Sparky, please stop.” I hear a wail as Rainbow tackles me. Her eyes are full of tears. “I know what this pony is here, he is evil. But please.” She sobs, tears start running down her cheeks. “Please, don't become like him.” I look into her eyes.

“He doesn't deserve mercy Rainbow Dash. Did you hear what he said he would do to you?” I snarl over her shoulder at him, my blood is still boiling.

She hugs me with her forehooves and her wings. I put my one wing around her. I hug her back. I place him back on the bed. He smirks at me.

“You weak, pathetic fool. I had doubts you would actually be able to torture me. And it turns out your little bitch here is the source of your weakness.”

She whirls on him, wings spread in fury. Fortunately, I was able to gain control of my emotions holding Rainbow. I put a hoof on her shoulder.

“Actually, La Rouche, she is the source of my strength. Without her, I was seriously considering simply killing you regardless of the information you might possess. But since I can't extract the information with pain. I'm going to do something far worse to you than torture, and immensely worse than merely death. I'm going to give you something. Something precious, and you have no choice in the matter.”

I smile at my wife to be. “You remember how I saved you, love?”

Her eyes widen. “Yes.... are you seriously suggesting that you do THAT to him?”

“He can't deceive me that way.”

She looks sad. “I know, but are you sure?”

“No, but I think it has the best chance of success. I came here for information. And I'm going to get it.”

I come close to La Rouche. His eyes are pinpricks, he obviously has no clue what we were just talking about. He is terrified.

“Now, this won't hurt a bit.” I say, actually meaning it this time as a complex weave of all five powers springs into existence between our hearts.

Minutes later, I stumble out of the room. I can't get any farther, I empty my stomach contents on the floor.

Rainbow closes the door behind me. One of the guards for the room comes up to me.

“You weren't connected to him very long, did you find out what you needed?” She asks.

I heave again. “I have never...” again, I heave, I thought I didn't have anything left in my stomach, I was wrong. “never, never, even come close to knowing any creature so vile.” Once again my stomach clenches, and more comes up. “Even the feel of his mind connected to mine was greasy and slimy. He only thinks about himself, and what he can do to increase his power.” I heave one more time. This time, thank Celestia, nothing. The guard is trying to be helpful, he snatches a towel from a nearby rack and hands it to me. I grab it and wipe my face.

“Thank you, and I need to see Celestia as soon as possible. Send a runner that I am on my way.”

I turn to Rainbow Dash. “I know what needs to be done.”

She tosses her head back at the room as we walk towards the exit, “What will be done with La Rouche?”

We are walking slowly to a safe point for me to open a gateway for Canterlot. I can see a Pegasus winging his way towards the city on the mountainside as we exit the hospital. In moments I open the gateway to the repaired main entrance to the Palace proper. Two guards salute as we walk past. Rainbow and I are deep in conversation throughout our walk. Shortly we arrive at the throne room.

Celestia comes from her study. “What was so important Sparky?”

I bow before her. “Princess. I will have to go back to my world to end the threat. I have found out who the leader of this organization is. He is immensely powerful. He controls not only this organization, but he controls several of my world's leaders. And the most disturbing thing is, I've met the man. In my financial dealings, I've met him. I would never have guessed it was him until I got the information from La Rouche. But again, Princess. I need to go.

Princess Celestia thinks about what I said for a minute. Then she speaks, “And of the man, La Rouche?”

“My advice would be for him to be executed. He has deserved that penalty a hundred times over, in my world, and here.”

She considers. “I have not executed any pony in over eight hundred years. I don't want to do so ever again. So, I do know of a secure place that he will never be found, and he will be in solitary confinement for the rest of his natural life. Good enough?”

I sigh, well, it's the best I could hope for, considering... “It will have to do, Princess. I would be happy to...” she cuts me off.

“I sincerely hope you aren't suggesting going against what I just said, Sparky.”

I smile sheepishly and subside.

“Well, with that out of the way, you, of course, have my leave to depart this world any time you wish. But I would like to ask you to delay at least a month.”

I'm confused. “And why is that Princess?”

“Because, Sparky. I want you to marry that mare next to you.”

I look at Rainbow Dash. “Yeah, I can't think of anything more important that that date.”

She hugs me. “Neither can I.”

Epilogue

Nightmare Night. Well the festivities don't start until the evening. I roll in my bed, thinking seriously of sleep. Celestia didn't lie when she said that my bachelor party would be one to remember. Also, note to self, don't try to get the ruler of this nation drunk, she was tipsy when I was ready to pass out. I still can't believe she got DJ-PON3 to DJ at the party, with pretty much every stallion in Ponyville and Canterlot in attendance, I took up the opportunity to chat up Fancy Pants, Filthy Rich, and a few other moneyed individuals. I think I can turn my time here in Equestria very profitable. No. Wait, I'm celebrating my marriage, I have a psychopath to track down, and I'm thinking about money? I groan and pull my pillow over my face.

I'm almost ready to nod back off to sleep. Rainbow isn't here. She's in Canterlot, spending some time with Luna. I have been informed of Pegasi customs, with the exception of very few things, like the rehearsal, it is forbidden for the bride and groom to even see each other in the final week before the marriage. To violate that is to cast bad luck on the impending marriage. But not having Rainbow in bed when I wake up is agony for me. I miss her warmth, I miss her smell. I stir a little as I grab the pillow she usually sleeps on and inhale deeply. A hint of her smell helps me calm down. Just as my eyes close as I'm falling asleep when I hear an odd sound. A sound like something burning, crackling. And I feel an impact on the bed. I reach down. It's a scroll.

Sparky,

I need you to get your flank to the Golden Oaks Library immediately.

Twilight

Well, that's a quick missive. I sit on my hindquarters, I spread my wing and my forelegs in a massive yawn. I decide to be cheeky about it. I open a gateway in my bedroom, and I place the other side of the gateway at the outside of the hollow tree. A quick trot, and I'm there, knocking on the door.

“You know, it's a public library Sparky.”

Damnit, I should have simply teleported. I've gotten much better with it over the last few weeks. I trot in. She smiles at me and says “Head downstairs.” And she teleports away. I decide to follow her lead. And in moments I'm in front of her. I find myself immediately in her telepathic grip. I'm floated in front of a machine. Leads float around me and attach to me. I'm looking around, getting concerned by her abrupt behavior.

“Twilight... what is...”

She shushes me. I watch her trot from one machine to another. She looks at me. Back at her readouts. She levitates a quill into ink and writes some notes.

“Uhh, Twilight....” I stop at a quick glare from her. She continues writing. I sit there, stewing in my own juices as she continues her work. Just as my temper is about to boil over. She slams a book closed.

“Okay, I've got your baselines ready.”

“Uhhh, what are you talking about, Twilight.” I look at her, she's exhausted. Bags under her eyes, but she has that manic look in her eyes.

“Ohhh, you've been researching.” She clops her forehooves together as she smiles at me. “How many days Twilight?”

“Oh, since the Bridal party.”

“Uhhh, Twilight, that was four days ago.”

“Really? I didn't notice. I've just been drawn in by my research, and I've come to a conclusion.”

“And?” I know the best thing to do when Twilight is like this is to simply go along with what she's saying.

“It would kill any normal pony, even any normal Pegasus. An Alicorn like myself or the Princesses would survive, but it wouldn't be easy. But you...” she trails off.

“But I... what?” I prompt her.

She shakes her head and continues. Trotting back and forth in front of me. “Well, we have bones, and tendons, and muscles. Skin, nerves, vascular system, I mean this involves every major bodily system.” She comes up to me, and puts her forehooves on my cheeks. “But I'm certain you can survive.”

Now I'm really confused. “What exactly are we talking about, Twilight?”

She clops her hooves together again, the manic smile on her face widens. “Oh, I didn't tell you when you came in? I'm going to give you your lost wing back.”

Everything else fades away in my mind. I haven't flown since the battle. Every day it hurts to remember what I lost. Every day I've wanted to fly, in my mind, it's almost as bad for me as losing Saidin was for six months. And on my low points, it's worse. I've learned in my time as a Pegasus that we use our wings all the time. Nearly every movement I make reminds me of that wing being missing. Rainbow has been incredibly supportive, but I've seen her rub her right wing and wince. It's affected both of us.

“Sparky, helloooooooooo?” I snap out of it, seeing Twilight wave her hoof in front of my eyes. “Come back to me. Oh, good, you're back. Now, as I was saying, Rainbow was telling me how horrible a time you were having missing your wing. She felt so bad. And she was so drunk, I seriously doubt that she remembers crying on my shoulder about how horrible it is for you missing your wing. She really is worried about you.”

“Are you sure you can do that? You showed me some of your magic books, and those on regeneration. Normally something like that would take months.”

“I know, and you would get, at best, fifty percent performance, due to the extended time between treatments, the neurological work would never be able to be one hundred percent right. But doing it all at once, on the other hand, eliminates that problem. The trouble is, that kind of spell is a total shock to every system involved. But you have something other Pegasi don't. You have Saidin. You can not only survive, but you will have a fully functional wing.”

“Does Rainbow Dash know you are going to do this?” I ask, starting to get excited.

“No, I'm intending this to be my wedding present to you both. And it will allow you to perform the traditional Pegasus wingbinding. Which I know Rainbow really wants in her heart.”

“When can you start.”

“As soon as you seize Saidin. I've been researching the spell. I'm not going to lie, you are going to define new levels of pain with this. But you will be pain free as soon as it's over. And I'm going to want you to fly before you leave here. Understood?”

I eagerly seize Saidin, “I'm ready,” I murmur as I close my eyes. I'm ready for the pain.

Pain? She should have said agony. I hold onto Saidin with every scrap of strength in my mind. It literally feels as though my body is being fed slowly through a grinder. I howl in pain. Even with pain all through my body, I can feel a bright spot of pain on my back, I feel the bones grow out, the flesh covering them, I imagine I can feel each feather grow, all with agonizing slowness. As the process finishes, I can feel her withdraw her magic from my body, I slump to the floor, unconscious.

“Sparky?” An ethereal voice says.

“Rainbow?” I mumble.

“You have that mare on the brain, no, silly. It's me.” I finally recognize the voice.

“Twilight. Did it work?”

I stand up slowly. I feel my wings. I slowly extend both of them. For the first time in nearly a month, flaring my wings didn't make me feel off balance. I look at my new wing. I flex it back and forth. It feels amazing. I flap experimentally. In seconds I'm off the ground. I look over at the tired Alicorn. I have to swoop forward as her energy gives out. I scoop her up and fly her to her room. I know how tired she is. And I want her ready for the wedding, a few hours of sleep will do her well. I leave her in her bed, with strict instructions for Spike for her not to be disturbed until sundown. Our wedding will be right before midnight, she'll have plenty of time to get ready from then. I also swear the dragon to secrecy when it comes to my wing. Don't need him blabbing it around town. I teleport home. I need to get some things ready before my wedding.

Just after 11 PM I'm standing in the Cathedral, Celestia next to me, Luna ready to officiate. I hear the start of some music, light, airy, and obviously a march, yes. Rainbow wanted a traditional wedding, including both cultures. She chose the music. I turn as the doors open. Three fillies in rainbow hued dresses bounce through the doors, spreading rose petals, huge smiles on all three of the Cutie Mark Crusader's faces as they bounce down the aisle. Moment's later, Twilight, resplendent in her mare of honor's dress. That nap really did her well. She comes down the aisle herself. And then the music shifts to Mendelssohn's march. There is Rainbow Dash, her gown is beautiful, Rarity did a far better job than she did for Rainbow to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. The wreathe around her head, holding her veil, was gold, with lightning bolts around the perimeter. Needless to say, I was stunned. Shortly she is next to me. She spreads her wings. I spread mine as well, I move so our wings are enfolding each others. She looks sharply, then gasps. Apparently Twilight was waiting to tell her until I showed her. The smile on her face doubled, then redoubled. She looks at Twilight, who grins sheepishly, then back at me. Silence until the vows is traditional, she mouths words to me. I just smile at her, I know what she's trying to say. We turn to Luna.

“Mare's and Gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to celebrate one thing. Love.”

Author's Notes:

Well, this story was both a blast to write, and a chore. I loved writing it. But having such a big story bouncing through my skull was tedious. I don't think is the last you'll see of Sparky. I had a week of peace. And now I'm starting on another story, it won't be as long as this one, but I'm hoping it turns out well. If anyone is interested in pre-reading or editing, just send me a message. Any help is appreciated. I might revisit this one and edit it again. But I'm no editor. So again, any help is appreciated.