//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 - To Test // Story: Finding a Place // by Battlecat //------------------------------// I came to awareness in my dream like I did every night since the Fall Formal. I woke up sitting in my usual recliner on the balcony overlooking my memory of the Crystal Empire. I never got tired of this simple unchanging memory. For me, it was a glorious reminder that the universe was bigger and more amazing than I could have imagined just one month earlier. I looked across the blanket covered crate that sat between me and Sparks chair. Spark was curled up on his recliner fast asleep. I reached over and put a hand on his neck. He jumped, let out a huge yawn and looked over at me with bleary eyes. “Is it night already Silver?” “Yes, it is. Are you sure you're ok? I've never seen you asleep in our dream before.” “I think I am getting better but that was exhausting. Using our magic seems to have wiped me out.” “That doesn't make any sense Spark. The effort and exhaustion should be impacting both of us.” “You'll get no arguments from me about that point Silver. Maybe I got stuck with the mental exhaustion since I have no physical form.” “Maybe but that still feels weird. Regardless, I couldn’t have helped the girls without you last night. We would never have made it in time.” “I'm glad I could contribute at all. I feel just a bit more . . . real after that experience. How did that vision of our parents know what to say though?” “In retrospect, the clues were there all along Spark. It was probably subconscious awareness.” “Maybe. It still feels like we’re missing a piece of this puzzle.” “I agree. Sunset was right that we might need professional help in Equestria.” “Or it might get us committed to an asylum. What can they do when we'll just be a pony over there? It would be best to keep my existence secret.” “Fair enough. It's still two years before we have to make any decisions. Hopefully, Sunset's knowledge can help us avoid any serious mistakes." “I hope so. We don't have any other options really. Can we just play chess while I recover?” "Sure, that's fine with me." With that simple thought, our parent's chessboard appeared on the blanket covered crate between us and we settled in for a quiet night. You'd think living inside the same mind would make this pointless but our memories only combined once we woke up. I started with a queens gambit and the game was on. Tuesday November 1, 2016 My alarm clock woke me up at 6:30 in the morning and as normal I was wide awake in an instant. I sat up in bed and checked the bandages on my injured shoulder. They were still intact and the pain had subsided. They would have to be changed this morning but fortunately, I had an extensive first aid kit on hand from my father’s old shop. I also had a fresh set of bruises on my chest and arms from where the clubs had hit my armor. I think we have to make some new armor. You think we’ll have to use it again Silver? Unfortunately I do, given our recent experiences. Gah. You're probably right. That's going to be a huge job. With that less than enthusiastic assessment of our future, I put a robe on and went downstairs. It was still quiet and dark which wasn’t surprising given Sunset had told me she wasn’t a morning person. I was pretty sure she’d appreciate a cup of coffee when she did wake up though. Since I hadn't set up the drip brewer the previous night, I pulled out a French press and got to work. About ten minutes later Sunset came trudging down the stairs wearing purple pajamas with her sun emblem embroidered on the front. Her eyes were half closed and her hair was a mess. Even in her disheveled state, I was briefly stunned by how lovely she still looked and I couldn't help smiling at the sight. A memory of Twilight walking up those same stairs in a towel briefly slid through my mind as well. I shook my head, pushing away the unwanted memory of a friend who was long gone. Sunset shuffled across the floor into the kitchen and I held out a big steaming cup of coffee to her. “Good morning Sunset,” I said quietly. “Here you go; there is cream and sugar on the counter.” A small smile appeared on her tired face but she didn't respond immediately as she took the cup from me. She walked over to the counter and put a bit of cream and sugar in before coming back to sit at the small kitchen table with me. Then she took a sip from the cup and gave me a small smile. “Mmmmm, thank you, Silver. This is very nice coffee,” she whispered. “I usually put in one teaspoon of sugar and a generous dose of cream in case you're wondering.” “No problem,” I replied quietly. “I used a press instead of the drip machine this morning. Honestly, I think it makes nicer coffee but the drip machine is more convenient.” “Ooh, fancy.” she giggled. Then she let out a sigh. “This is a nice way to start the day. Coffee and company are the only things that will coax me out of bed earlier than 7:30.” I nodded and took another sip of my own cup. “If I wasn't getting up to train I'd probably feel the same way. 5:30 is my usual start time but I decided to sleep in today since I got enough exercise last night.” Sunset wrinkled her nose with disgust. “Ick, you can have that; this is way too early as far as I'm concerned.” “I sometimes wonder about the wisdom of getting up that early but it's a comforting habit,” I replied. “It's one of the few constants from my life before I've managed to keep intact.” “I can understand that sentiment,” she said, her voice switching from content to melancholy instantly. “I abandoned everything when I left Equestria; even the body I was born with so there are very few things I can even do to hold on to that past now.” I put my hand over her free one on the table and squeezed it as a comfort. She smiled gratefully and turned her attention back to her drink. We sat quietly drinking our coffee under the single light in the kitchen. There wasn't anything to say at that moment while the caffeine began its work. Sunset was the first to break the morning silence. “Do you think you're recovered enough for me to do some measurements this morning?” How are you feeling Spark? Improving. Let's give this a shot. “I think I should be good to try Sunset. What are we going to do?” She gestured at the couch and I saw there was a tape measure, thermometer, blood pressure cuff and some other tools for measuring various vital signs. There was a small stool sitting in the middle of the living room. Sunset looked both worried and excited as she spoke. “I don't have any way to measure magic directly but there are some things I can observe as a starting point. I remembered seeing these when I helped you unpack so I hope you don't mind if I use them.” “No problem, that's what they're for after all. Mom used them to monitor Dad’s health from working in the forge all the time.” She smiled and continued her explanation. “Since you're injured I don't want to push you too hard so I just want to measure your rested vital signs as a human. I'll take the same ones after you transform to see how significant the physiological changes are. I'd also like to measure the size of your wings to see if they're large enough for non-magical flight.” I got up to my feet and walk out to sit on the stool while my brow furrowed at her last comment. “Non-magical flight? What do you mean by that?” “Normal birds and bats don't have magic so they have much bigger wings,” said clinically while she opened her notebook. “They have also evolved lower density bones and other adaptations to help. Even with those adaptations, the largest bat that I could find on the internet weighs only four pounds with a wingspan of nearly six feet. Pegasus ponies are larger and heavier but their wings are not much larger than the largest bat. They use magic to compensate up for the small wingspan. I'm pretty sure your wings are the same.” I pondered this new revelation about magic while Sunset wrote a few notes in preparation. She looked over at me with a sheepish expression on her face. “Would you be willing to take your shirt off for this Silver? I know the magic adapts your clothing somehow but it hides some details. This will let me see how your wings form and take your measurements.” I sighed. At this point, Sunset had seen me shirtless a few times so it wasn't like the scars were new to her but it still made me uncomfortable. I pulled off my bathrobe and slipped my shirt over my head. I tried to avoid looking down at my marred body and watched Sunset's expression instead. She was looking at the new purple marks on my chest and forearm. “Are these bruises from the fight last night? I thought your armor would have done more.” “They would be a lot worse if I hadn't been wearing the armor and I'd probably have some cracked bones. Plus I'd probably be in the hospital if the knife hadn't gotten jammed in the joint. A few bruises are nothing really.” She started to strap on the blood pressure cuff. “I can’t believe you dismiss your injuries like that. How is your back feeling this morning?” “Much better than last night but I'll have to change the dressing later to know for sure,” I replied before trying to change the subject. “Hey, I don't think you've ever told us about the magic you dealt with back in Equestria. Would you be willing to tell me a bit while we do these measurements?” Sunset paused while clipping a pulse and blood oxygen monitor to my finger. She looked me in the eye as if considering the weight of my question, then nodded before getting back to checking the measurements. “I've avoided telling you humans about Equestria but I guess there's no good reason to keep it secret from you or our friends," she said sadly. "It would be nice to talk about it actually. There are three different kinds of ponies I grew up with. Pegasus ponies use their magic to enhance their flight by controlling the air around them. They also manage the weather by moving and destroy clouds, triggering rainstorms, lightning, thunder and even the changing of the seasons.” I stopped her. "Wait, you mean the seasons don't change on their own?" "No. With the exception of places like the Everfree Forest that are contaminated with wild magic, weather moves entirely at the whim of the ponies. Even the day-night cycle is actively managed by the princesses." My mind was boggled at the scope of the effort. "Incredible. I can't even imagine living in a world like that." She laughed at my reaction. "Easy to say when you grew up in a world this chaotic. I just about flipped when I experienced my first freezing rain storm. Those only happen in Equestria if the Pegasi make a catastrophic mistake." She shivered at the memory while pressurizing the cuff. She wrote a couple notes down before continuing. “Earth ponies don't have a horn or wings so their magic is more subtle but no less powerful. They are hardier and stronger than other ponies. Their magic primarily connects them with the earth as farmers but there are as many crafts ponies among them.” "Even with the hooves? I would have thought those would make delicate work quite challenging. Granted, I didn't get much of a chance to experiment when I was there." “Yes. A pony’s special talent inevitably allows them incredible finesse in their area of specialization. It’s almost instinctive and they can easily outdo a unicorn without that talent. It's far too easy for unicorns to act superior due to their magical versatility which is a sad reality even in modern Equestria.” “What can unicorns do Sunset?” “Unicorns are the most overt magic users and the able to use our magic in an active way. We channel magic through our horns to use spells and effects from telekinesis that all unicorns can use to teleportation and combat magic. Most unicorns only use a few spells centered on their talent. Some unicorns have a talent with magic itself and can learn a wide variety of spells. Twilight and I both have special talents related to magic.” Her voice had become quite bitter and sad when Twilight came up which worried me. “Sunset, what do actually think about Twilight Sparkle?” She stopped writing in her journal where she was drawing a sketch of a generic human body. Her face was a mix of warring emotions as she stared at the ground. “I really don't know Silver,” she replied flatly. “She was my enemy even before I left Equestria because I saw her as my rival when she became Celestia's personal student. When I discovered she became a princess I was livid and well you know how that turned out. Last month she saved me from myself and left me with a hope you and the girls would help me. I can’t help but feel annoyed about her leaving so quickly even though I understand she had to go back. Until I can talk to her face to face and find out who she really is it’s going to be hard to not feel angry.” “Fair enough, I apologize for asking,” I replied as she jotted a few more notes down in her book. “Are you ready for me to try to use my magic?” “Yes please.” I closed my eyes, reached out in my mind’s eye and took Spark’s hoof. The magic flowed through me and my body shifted into the half-pony form again. It felt easier to make the transition this time and my hearing was filled with the sound of Sunset's pen scratching on paper and birds beginning to sing outside. I opened my eyes, looked over at her and smiled. Sunset's eyes went wide with surprise when she saw my face. “I didn't realize your body changed this much Silver,” she said with growing enthusiasm. “Your face has different eyes, pony ears, a longer mane and even your canines have gotten longer. Your transformation appears to be much more extensive than the one the girls experience. What other differences are there?” “Last night I could see like it was nearly daylight in the park when I was transformed. I could just barely hear Gilda speaking from the tunnel as well. Also, I feel like I’m a bit stronger.” She whistled quietly as she started to take my blood pressure again. “That's impressive and those abilities probably aren't even magical since your eyes and ears are structured for hearing and night vision. I recall hearing Thestrals are slightly more omnivorous than most ponies which might explain the canines. Sadly those teeth are also the basis of the vampony stories which probably didn’t encourage them to engage with the rest of the ponies.” “Make sense to me. Are there other kinds of ponies are there in Equestria beyond the main three you mentioned? Thestrals obviously exist based on what you told me but are there others?” Sunset's face fell at that question. “There aren’t as many other pony types as there should be from what I read. Thestrals have lived in isolation for centuries and most ponies are barely aware they exist outside of those stupid stories. The Crystal Ponies vanished along with their empire shortly before Luna's fall but I guess they’re back now. The Sea Ponies stopped talking to land dwellers centuries ago as well. The Saddle Arabians are more like Earth horses than ponies and the Zebras only look like ponies on the surface.” I noticed a significant exception. “What about Alicorns?” Sunset sighed at the thought. “They aren't really a type of pony. The four Alicorns in Equestria ascended after being born as normal ponies. They can access all the abilities of Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies along with unique magical abilities linked to their talents. Celestia and Luna are nearly considered deities in Equestria.” “Wow, seriously?” I exclaimed not expecting that response. “Does it seem just a bit weird to you that our Principal and Vice Principal are their mirror alternates?” She nodded, making more notes in her book after looking at some of the instruments attached to me. “It was a bit hard to get used to. I actually bowed to Principal Celestia when I enrolled at our school. She was as baffled by my behavior as I was by Vice Principal Luna. Princess Luna hadn't returned from exile when I left so I was surprised she existed here.” I laughed at the thought of her bowing. “I don't think I really had time to experience the culture shock from turning into a pony. Congratulations on adapting to an alien culture so well.” She smiled without speaking and walked around behind me. I felt a hand tracing along the structure of my wings and I shivered at her touch. The room was quiet and I could hear a faint rhythmic thumping noise. It sounded muffled and it felt oddly familiar. “They look like bat wings on a glance but there some significant differences.” she murmured, tracing a finger along the complex structure. “The skin is thicker and they're covered in a soft velvety fur instead of bare skin like bats. The bones are structured like a hand but with a slightly different shape than a bat. This hooked claw here on the top of your wing would be the thumb. I don’t think these are just magical constructs. I can feel tendons, bones and even new muscle groups down here where they connect with your body. I wonder if the pegasi wings Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy grow are similar. Can you flex your wings for me?” As she spoke her finger were tracing along the structure of the wings causing me to shiver. Still, I obliged her by folding them up on my back and then unfurling them slowly. With some focus and Spark’s guidance, I discovered I could adjust the shape of my wings with surprising finesse. That oddly muffled beat was getting more frequent and I was straining to hear it better. Of course, Sunset was still gently poking at my wings which were starting to generate some unexpectedly nice and distracting sensations. Oh my, that feels divine. Spark, can you cool it a bit? It’s Sunset’s fault. Can’t you feel how nice that is? Unfortunately yes I can. Spark and I were enjoying her gentle touch on our wings but they were incredibly sensitive. She was being very thorough with her examination and it was becoming distracting. I finally stuttered as she brushed her fingers over a particularly ticklish spot. “C-c-careful, the wings are quite s-s-seeensitive.” “Oh sorry!” she gasped, pulling her hand away quickly. Her cheeks and ears were flushed when she walked around in front of me avoiding my eyes while she quickly made some notes. That strange faint thumping noise had faltered and then moved to a different location. My ears twisted on the top of my head following the sound and I stared at her as I realized what I was hearing. "Is that your heart I'm hearing Sunset? It sounded like it just skipped a beat." She froze and stared at me like a deer caught in the headlights. "You can hear my heart beating from there?" "I think that has to be what I'm hearing. It's very faint and I can only hear it when the room is completely quiet. It sounded like it was racing a bit but it's slowing down now, like this." I began tapping my finger on my knee each time I heard the beat. Sunset put two fingers on her neck and tracked her pulse. Her eyes widened and she nodded. "That's exactly what you're hearing Silver," she said. "It would be impossible to hide from you in a silent room between your vision and hearing." "That's a bit frightening," I said softly. "Could we keep that little detail to ourselves? I don't want to scare our friends." "I suppose we can Silver," she said. "I just hope they don't find out by accident." "Thanks. So what's the verdict?" “Well as far as I can tell your body is more efficiently when transformed,” she replied. “You seem to have better blood flow and oxygen capacity, most likely to support your flight and two new appendages. It could also be a measure of the magic you're tapping but I can't say that definitively. I'll need to take more samples in the future to confirm that hypothesis. Also, based on the size of your wings, you're definitely using magic to fly.” “Interesting. So what do we do next?” She tapped her chin thoughtfully while looking at me. “For now I think you should stay in your pony form as long as possible while we prepare for the day. I’m timing it to see how quickly your magic burns when you’re at rest. We already know it lasts around five minutes when you're under stress.” I crossed my arms and stared at her blankly while spreading out my wings. “You realize I can't put my shirt back on over these wings right? You're sure this isn't just an excuse for me to walk around topless all morning.” “No, no of course not,” she said nervously avoiding my look. “I-I didn't consider that problem when I planned this.” I continued to start at Sunset, listening as her heartbeat accelerated. She knew I could hear it and she turned her eyes to the floor. She lifted her hand putting her finger and thumb close together without looking at me.” “. . . Ok, maybe it was a tiny bit of an excuse,” she admitted. I sighed, stood up and folded my wings up on my back without any struggle. “Fine, I suppose I can live with as long as you can. If you still have an appetite I'll put something together for breakfast. Does oatmeal sound good?” Sunset looked slightly ashamed of herself. “I'm sorry. I didn't think it would bother you this much.” “I know Sunset but unfortunately it does” I replied while I started digging through the kitchen for dishes. “My body is a mess from my mistakes and even worse, by my own hands. It's still a struggle for me to have the confidence to inflict this sight on you and our friends. Why are you all bound and determined to get my shirt off? There's nothing but a mess of ragged scars left.” Sunset didn't respond while I pulled a pot and oatmeal out of the cupboard. I got the water and oats heating on the stove. I focused on cooking without much thought but I was jolted back to the real world by Sunset's voice. “It makes me sad you still feel that way Silver about yourself,” she said, her voice sounding sympathetic. “Nobody saw or commented on your scars before we became friends. I certainly didn't know and I knew more secrets that anyone else in our school. Other than the complete surprise when we saw them the first time, I’d hope nopony in our group said anything negative.” Thinking back on the reactions, I had to admit she was right. “No, I suppose they didn’t say anything bad but that doesn't mean they weren't thinking it.” “Maybe, but I doubt it,” she replied. “I promise that isn't even remotely the first thing that comes to mind when I see you like this.” I turned around and looked over at her. “And what is it you see Sunset?” The sadness and worry were clear on her face when she stood up and walked over to me. “I see a person who I'm grateful to have as a friend; an accepting person who barely hesitated to reach out to somepony who hurt him badly. Someone who has risked his life and health to protect his friends from harm. I see wounds on your soul that are far more brutal than the few inconsequential marks on your skin.” I looked at Sunset's face trying to find a lie in her eyes, but she met my gaze calmly with a small frown. My brain still couldn't reconcile her statement against what I felt in my heart but I was moved by the kindness in her words. I took her hand and gently kissed the back of it. She gasped with surprise at the unexpected gesture. Her face was filled with surprise when I lifted my face back up and her cheeks were rosy. “I don't understand entirely and I don’t see it when I look in the mirror but thank you,” I whispered. “What you describe sounds like a far nicer world than the one I live in.” Sunset was blushing again but she was still clearly sad as she spoke. “Just try to see what I do Silver and what I have no doubt our friends saw as well. That's all I ask Silver.” I nodded and turned back to stir the cooking oatmeal before it burned. The rest of the morning was relatively uneventful considering I spent part of it walking around with wings on my back. We lasted eight minutes before Spark concluded we would have to return to normal. Sunset seemed quite satisfied with that time as a starting point. She said indicated my various magical abilities were linked to a single source. After we both showered and got dressed we hopped in the van to go pick up Applejack, Applebloom, and Fluttershy on our way down to the police station. The five of us were nervous as we walked into the Canterlot Police Department but fortunately, our other friends were waiting for us. Surprisingly, Maude Pie, Rainbow Blaze and an unfamiliar lady with pink skin and blue hair were also waiting with them. I nodded in greeting to the girls before turning to Dash’s father. “Good morning Sir,” I said, holding out my hand to Rainbow Blaze. “I wish I was seeing you again under better circumstances.” I was caught completely off guard when the lady with the blue hair grabbed my hand instead and pulled me into a huge hug. She was surprisingly strong as she pulled me close and I felt a twinge in my shoulder as she squeezed me tight and I winced involuntarily. “Thank you for taking care of my little girl,” she said in a loud voice. “I hate to think what those awful boys would have done to her this time.” Air. We need air I'm more worried about the bruises she's squeezing. “Moooom!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a mortified expression on her face. “You're embarrassing me! Plus I think you're hurting him.” “Oh dear!” she said, letting me go. “I hope a little squeeze like that isn’t too much for you young man.” I stepped back and smiled. “No, not at all ma'am. It’s just that my bruises and the cut on my back are still sore.” She whirled around to glare at her daughter. “Rainbow Dash! You didn't tell me he was hurt!” Dash put her hands up defensively. “There was a lot that happened last night Mom. I forgot to mention it and I didn’t realize he was bruised. Silver, this is my mother Firefly, mom, this is Silver Spark.” “It’s good to finally meet you, young man,” Firefly said cheerfully. “I’ve heard a number of things about you over the past few months. That means you must be Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset looked down in response to the stern look on Firefly’s face. “Yes, that’s right,” she said quietly. “My daughter tells me you’re her friend now.” Rainbow Dash interrupted and stepped between them. “Yes we are friends now; things have changed. Be nice.” She crossed her arms while she faced her daughter. “Very well, I’ll leave it for now.” Fortunately, Shining Armor came out to the front before things got more uncomfortable. He surveyed the group with a worried look on his face. “Ok, I’m seeing a distinct shortage of parents and guardians here. I can’t talk to you without a guardian present unless you’re over eighteen. Where are your parents?” “Sunset and I are both old enough,” I said, glancing over at her to confirm. She nodded back. “I’m eighteen too,” Fluttershy whispered. “My parents really don't need to know.” Rarity had a look of irritation on her face. “I am old enough to speak for myself as well, and I can supervise my sister. My parents are overseas right now.” “Ah didn’t realize that was an issue, sir,” said Applejack. “Mah sister and I can come back with my Granny after school if that’s ok. Ah’ll head to school for now.” “Scootaloo will sit in with me and my parents,” said Rainbow Dash proudly. Shining Armor nodded in satisfaction before pointing and Sunset and me. “Well since that is sorted out I would like to speak to you two. Two of my colleagues will take depositions from the rest of you.” Sunset and I exchanged a glance before following him into a private room. Both of us were worried about why he would speak with us specifically. We sat down across the table from him while he pulled out a file folder and a notepad. He looked across at us and put a tape recorder down on the desk but he didn’t turn it on. “I won’t mince words. This is by far the most bizarre case I’ve had to deal with during my short time on this force. The interrogations with your attackers last night elicited answers that are quite baffling. They have described the two of you as and I quote ‘demonic entities that are pure evil’.” Sunset and I laughed nervously while we watched Shining Armor’s expression. He was keeping his face neutral but I didn’t like the tone this interview had suddenly taken on. “Now, I find hyperbole like that more than a bit suspicious from gang members who were intent on assault and rape,” he continued while watching us carefully. “I would have dismissed their words completely but there are some factors that need to be considered. They have gone so far as to blame Miss Shimmer for the incident that destroyed the front of Canterlot High.” Sunset shifted in her seat nervously and looked towards her feet. I glared at the police officer in spite of my nervousness. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t throw veiled accusations at my friend sir,” I said with mild anger. “Last night was the cap on a difficult month for both of us.” His face took on a slightly irritated expression. “Very well then. If it wasn’t for your school administrators swearing it was an accidental gas explosion due to a botched prank, Miss Shimmer would be under investigation for the construction of illegal explosive devices. As for you, their statements would have you listed as an accomplice Mister Spark.” Sunset was beginning to shake and wasn’t looking at either of us so I decided to press on. I crossed my arms and looked him in the eye. “Since it actually was an accident I would like to know why you felt it necessary to turn this into an interrogation.” “I apologize but you know two need to know the challenges that have come up,” he replied holding his hands up defensively. “Unfortunately, accident or not, the incident at Canterlot High will complicate the hearing if it goes to a full trial. Given the circumstances, I don’t see good odds on any substantial convictions. Some of them are under eighteen as well which reduces the impact of the charges. We will do our best of course and the recordings will help a great deal.” He put his fingers together and sighed before continuing. “Since you successfully defended yourselves, the most I can get them on is uttering threats and possibly fourth-degree assault due to your injuries Mister Spark. Those are only a misdemeanor charges and they will be released today pending their court date. If they attempt to attack you again that release can be revoked but there isn’t much else I can do.” Sunset had managed to compose herself and looked at Shining Armor. “So what do we need to do?” “When I activate this recorder I would like you each to describe the incident and your involvement as best you can. With this and a signed affidavit, it is likely you will not have to be present for any court proceedings that follow.” I looked over at Sunset and noted the tears in her eyes. Still, she nodded at me so I looked him in the eye again. “Very well then, start the recording,” I said. It took a long hour for Sunset and I to make our full deposition and sign the related paperwork. We managed to avoid details about my entrance and my unusually loud voice but I knew it wasn’t exactly a complete statement. The only saving grace was the complete lack of magic in this world. There was no context to dispute my statement and nobody in their right mind would believe I actually flew in. Sunset bolted for the door without another word as soon as she finished up. I looked over at Shining Armor with irritation on my face. “I wish you hadn’t brought up the accident at the formal sir,” I said as I walked to the door. “It was a wake-up call for her and Sunset is desperately trying to make amends for her past mistakes in the face of near universal hate from our classmates.” “I know that's the case and I am truly sorry I had to do that,” he replied. “It was something you both needed to know could come up in the future. I’ll keep you posted on any developments in the case. Go take care of your friend.” I nodded and hurried down the hall to the front door of the police station. None of our friends were in sight but I saw Sunset leaning on my car with her head down. She was shaking like a leaf as I walked towards her, doing my best to make some noise. She glanced up to see who it was and then looked away. “I can’t ever escape my past Silver,” she sobbed. “Nopony is ever going let me forget what I did until they get their revenge. I just keep making your life worse and worse just by being near you and the girls. Now the police might be investigating me and I've dragged you into it again. You should never have befriended me. I’d better just leave.” She turned to walk away from me, but I grabbed shoulder gently before she could get away. Turning her around, I quickly wrapped my arms around her in a big hug. She leaned her head on my chest and kept crying while I rubbed her back. It’s funny that she uses pony words when she’s upset or excited. Yeah, it’s quite cute. It’s hard to see her so sad Spark. It is. Put your cheek on her head while you hug her. Why? It’s an analog to how ponies comfort each other. It might help. I leaned my head on top of hers like Spark suggested and she let out a surprised gasp. After a couple moments, my cheek on her head seemed to calm her down. I idly wondered how Spark and I knew about pony interactions but it seemed to be working. She started to calm down as I kept her close. “You're not walking away from me that easily Sunset,” I said to her. “I don’t regret a single moment we’ve spent together or having you as a friend. We’ll get through this together.” Her sobbed began to subside as she leaned on me. “Why Silver?” she whispered. “Why are you worrying much about what happens to me?” “Just like I've told you in the past Sunset, I've been where you are and I don't want to see you hurt.” “That's not really an answer Silver,” she said quietly. “You stand up for me even though I don’t deserve your protection. You took a knife because of my choices and now you just stood up to a police officer for me. Why?” I considered her question for a moment before responding. Thinking back over the past month, I realized my anger at Sunset’s actions had evaporated with amazing speed. As I thought about why I realized why that was the case. “When we first reached out to you after the Fall Formal, I told you that you deserved a chance to earn my trust and friendship,” I murmured. “You have done that and more Sunset. You supported me through the anniversary of the worst day of my life. You kept the secrets about the scars and my parents. Best of all, I’m really enjoying the time we’ve spent together. I honestly care about what happens to you so of course, I'm going to stand up for you when I can.” She sighed sadly and didn't answer before letting go of me and stepping back. Her voice was filled with doubt. “You really feel that way?” I was having an odd sense of deja vu about this conversation. Her reaction was similar to mine that morning when talking about my scars. It seemed we were both a bit broken from our experiences. “I'll make you a deal Sunset,” I said. “Try to accept that you deserve my friendship and I’ll work on accepting my appearance like we discussed this morning.” She finally smiled again. “That sounds fair to me Silver,” she said in a more normal tone of voice. “Thank you.” "Anytime Sunset." “So, I guess we should probably head to school now, right?.” “SERIOUSLY? THAT’S ALL?” We both whirled around to see most of our friends and their parents standing a short distance away. Rarity’s exclamation of annoyance was matched by the expression on her face. Most of the others had varying expressions of amusement while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had looked of mild disgust on their faces. Sunset looked embarrassed and I crossed my arms while looking at them blankly. “Were you all eavesdropping on us?” They had the decency to look a bit ashamed of themselves. Rarity was beginning to blush realizing she had spoken out loud. “Well technically it’s not eavesdropping darling,” Rarity replied while avoiding my gaze. “You’re having a conversation in a public parking lot after all.” “If you weren’t our friends I’d be irritated about this Rarity,” I said. “Do you have any issues with what we were talking about?” “No, no, not at all,” she replied. “We are your friends as well Sunset. Promise.” I had my doubts, but I didn’t have any inclination to press the issue very hard. We hadn’t been friends very long and I didn’t want to cause any trouble. I was certain there was something else going on here but there was no way I was going to ask. I looked at Sunset and once I saw her smile politely at Rarity I relaxed. The decision to change the subject was easy at that point. “Do you and Sweetie Belle need a ride to school Rarity?” “That would be lovely darling,” she said with a smile. Sunday November 6, 2016 “Ok, that’s a wrap I think. Thank you for the help!” “You offer generous pay but we are happy to help too,” replied Rover. I had offered ten dollars an hour plus a bit of custom metalwork to the three members of the diamond dog crew for their help unloading the heavy metalworking equipment from the shipping container and setting it up in my barn. It was a medium sized steel structure that was perfect since it was fire proof. Sunset and Fluttershy had also come over and were unpacking the smaller tools for me. It had taken most of the morning to move all the equipment but we were finally finished. The rest of the week had been surprisingly uneventful. Sunset and I were getting a wide berth from the other students. Even Flash and Trixie had finally backed off with their overt insults and personal attacks. It was hard to say if they were planning something nasty or if the rumors about the Halloween incident was making everyone even more wary about me. Spot looked quite excited. “You fire up the forge and melt stuff now?” “That’s right,” I replied. “You each brought something you want me to create copies of?” They nodded eagerly and handed over one item each including a sea shell, one of their gemstone shaped pieces of jewelry and a simple metal candle holder. Fido looked nervous when he handed over the candlestick. “I broke the other from the pair when I was little. Want to give to mom for Christmas if possible.” I smiled at the sentiment. “Easily done with the method I will be using. I have a bit of stuff still to set up before I can make the cast but once I’m up and running it won’t take long at all. I’ll do a demo for now.” I walked over to the smallest foundry which was a small portable rig about the size of a banker box. I put the small crucible inside and turned on the heat and blower. While it heated up to the temperature I walked over to one of the crates and looked at the small collection of small wood boxes inside. I grinned and pulled out one kit I knew they would like. There were three small wrapped items in the box along with a moisture absorbing packet. I unwrapped the first of the three which was a small plaster blank mold that was already prepared for pouring. Once the foundry was up to temperature I put in some small pewter scraps to melt down. My five guests were watching with interest as I then tucked the mold into a sand bucket. “So for your items I’ll have to make a custom cast, probably using sand,” I explained. “This thing is a miniature foundry which is what I’ll need to melt the metal for your items. One of the pieces of equipment you helped me move is a more industrial foundry that Dad used to make bigger projects.” As I spoke I pulled on some heavy gloves and a face mask. I hadn't done this in over a year so I figured I'd better be safe. I lifted the lid of the foundry, revealing the crucible inside filled with molten metal. I gestured them back a bit before lifting it carefully with some tongs and pouring it into the plaster. There was a slight gurgling noise as it filled up with the viscous liquid but mercifully no hissing that would indicate moisture in the mold. I quickly moved over to a set of small coin sized molds and poured the remaining material into them. “Plaster is one of many materials I could use to create the form. It takes a while to cool and it will explode if there is any amount of moisture left in the plaster,” I said, turning off the foundry and going over to the box where I unwrapped the second mold. “I'll probably use sand for your projects but Dad had me put these kits together for use at school demonstrations.” I gestured for them to come closer while I carefully tapped the plaster with a hammer until it shattered. Inside there was the small figure of a dolphin in a curved pose as if it was middle of jumping out of the water. It was coated in blackened plaster, imperfections and two strings of pewter from where the pouring and vent holes used to be. I was pleased the figure had poured so nicely but I wasn't surprised that the reaction was somewhat underwhelmed. “Yeah, they're not much to look at when they come out are they?” I said with a laugh before reaching. “It takes a bit of time to finish them up depending on the complexity of the mold. Here's what the other two dolphins will look like after I clean them up.” The third bundle was a wrapped in a small piece of cloth. I unwrapped it revealing the finished pewter figure. The vent scrap was cut off and it had been polished carefully to bring out the shine. I was pretty proud of how it had turned out and I was glad to see the reactions were far more enthusiastic. “This is lovely,” said Fluttershy quietly as she admired the simple figure. I grinned at her reaction. “I thought you'd like it Fluttershy, that's why I pulled it this particular kit. This one is for you.” “Oh, I couldn't possibly take this Silver.” “It's languished in a box for far too long,” I replied. “It deserves to be on the shelf someone who likes it. I have two more in progress anyhow.” “Thank you.” I looked over at Spot, Rover, and Fido who were looking at the figure with great interest. “I should point out that this was designed as an uncomplicated figure. I've done metal casts of shells and other more detailed objects in the past. I won't have any trouble casting the items you brought along. It's going to take a few days to get everything set up and I might have to do a couple attempts if things go wrong. I'll bring them to school as soon as they are ready. Thank you again for all your help today.” The three of them smiled as I handed each of them forty dollars to cover the promised wages for the long morning we'd spent. Then they walked out to their pickup truck that was parked out front. Sunset looked at me quizzically after they left. “I didn't realize you'd actually made friends with them Silver,” she said. “They aren't nearly as bad as they look on the surface,” said Fluttershy. "They try to help out at the shelter once in a while." “It was a surprise to me as well Sunset," I said, rubbing my head. "I really wasn't sure I could trust anyone besides the six of you at school. That changed when those three guys actually went out of their way to point me at the deal on that work truck and trailer. I'm not sure I'd call us friends at this point but they're reliable and seem trustworthy so far.” “You can probably trust them,” said Sunset sadly. “What I used to control them was only embarrassing.” “You know, it actually seems like they're willing to let your past history go," I said thoughtfully. "Unlike most of our classmates. They were nice to you even when I wasn't here right?” Sunset's brow furrowed comically as she considered the morning in a new light. Her face took on a slightly hopeful expression as she realized how the three of them had behaved." “I think you might be right Silver. They even spoke to me politely once or twice.” Fluttershy walked over to hug Sunset. “See. We told you things would improve.” Sunset's face broke out into a broad smile and I met it with a grin of my own. Hopefully, life would get better for both of us. I looked around my new workshop, filled with familiar tools and machinery for working metal; all ready and waiting to be used once again. I had finally begun to reclaim another piece of my past and it felt like another wound was beginning to heal.