FPOV Perspective — Thomas Oliver
Celestia advised that I write this in a journal, to 'help me adjust’ in her words.
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I was startled to find a pair of boxers, slippers that reminded me of Kung Fu shoes and a fluffy white robe in a neat little pile in the small sitting room, if a 'small’ sitting room was a good ten by fifteen feet and eight feet tall. I sighed softly as I shook my head slightly, glad for the dry clothes, though admittedly I wondered where my costume was. I blinked as I noticed the belt buckle and picked it up, noticing the way the thick plastic glinted, unaware at that moment that it wasn't thick plastic as when I'd constructed it, but a thick piece of 'Crystal Empire Opal’ instead known to amplify magical force.
My thumb brushed over the narrow release switch, blinking in mild surprise as a small spark of flared and died in that brief second of contact.
“Somehow, I get the sense that this is… different. Though… Byakōshinken and Yorūshìkon… if one is actually sentient, it's likely that the other s as well. Not sure if Byakōshinken sounding like Hugh Jackman is some kind of secret joke, though,” I muttered as I pushed open the door to the bedroom before stiffening in surprise upon spotting what appeared to be an anthromorphic mare, at least I gathered from the fact that she obviously had breasts and what I was almost certain were hooves as feet.
What caught my attention, though, was what was in her hands… the street clothes I'd had on beneath my costume… which were in very poor condition. “Something tells me that you didn't do anything to my clothes… though it also makes me wonder what did occur to leave my clothes like that,” I sighed. She noticed me and yelped, looking frightened.
”Don't bother thinking I'll do anything to you, lass. My head's still pounding. Guess I hit my head on something,” I sighed as I stepped closer carefully. I noticed the soft aqua mane streaked with Caribbean blue that lay in messy curls. I cocked my head, not sure why that looked wrong to me.
”Come here,” I said,sighing at her squeak of fear. I gently sat her down before picking up the hairbrush. She was stiff, I noticed, before I began brushing her mane, feeling her go still as if she'd expected something else. She sighed softly as she relaxed before I smirked slightly.
”I don't know what you thought I would do, but I wouldn't harm you, nor anyone else if I can avoid it,” I sighed as her mane fell in gentle waves now.
”Wise of you, despite being something that appears to be a shaved pony,” a motherly voice, gentle and warm, spoke. I noticed that the mare, who had been relaxed, stiffened as she shot to her feet.
She was slightly over seven feet tall and quite curvaceous, I absently noticed. Her hair… er.. mane… was a soft pale aquamarine streaked with pale lavender, pale rose, and pale sea green.
”Somehow, I don't see you as a maid. You carry yourself too… nobly for that,” I said dryly. She smirked slowly as if amused.
”You would be correct. I am Princess Celestia, Diarch of the Sun… and for the Moon,” she said regally.
I noticed that slight pause as if she had said that for a long time, yet something bothered her. ”Something else is troubling you. I won't press what is bothering you as it's not my business,” I deadpanned. Her eyes widened slightly as if not expecting his observation nor his discretion.
I sat on the bed before picking up the belt buckle. “Wish I knew what happened,” I muttered dryly.
“That could be arranged, you know. You are a guest here. Admittedly, a few guards would have to keep an eye on you, if so,” Celestia said warmly. I didn't miss the unsaid “do not attack them for their duties” in her voice. I blinked as the case of the forged Dairanger crystals and Zyuranger DinoMedals floated to me, held within a golden aura.
“They do not seem dangerous,” Celestia observed as she dismissed the aura, which to me felt like warm, tingling air.
“Appearances can be deceiving, though… what's this onyx coin?” I said curiously. It had a dull purplish dot hovering over an upturned crescent moon. Something about the moon made me curious. “I got a gut feeling about this particular one, Celestia,” I said thoughtfully before lifting the buckle.
It was a segmented belt before,” she said curiously.
“I made it that way, and forged the coins, though… this one isn't one of them. Funny how sometimes the villains become heroes later, though if my guess about this particular Coin is right… it's my personal favorite villain, though in his case it wasn't irredeemable villainy and darkness, unlike others I know of,” I said thoughtfully.
I blinked at the sight of a dark navy blue Kung Fu vest over a black tee shirt and pants alongside the sneaker-boots which were the same deep navy-black as the shirt, all neatly folded.
“I will give you time to change into the clothes,” Celestia said warmly and kindly.
“I'm human, if you were curious, not a shaved pony,” I quipped as she slipped out quietly with the maid. I soon had the clothes on, finding they fit snugly, but didn't restrict my movements.
Thinking back, I might have embarrassed Celestia by correcting her with such a blunt statement, but I've never really bothered to be subtle. I flicked my leg in a fluid inside crescent kick before fluidly pushing off into a roundhouse kick that I turned into a aerial back kick, all in a flowing movement.
I exhaled softly, bouncing lightly on the balls of my feet before pressing the buckle into position, the segments of coppery amethyst metal forming the belt which sat snugly around my hips. “Now, let's roll,” I muttered as I snapped the Coin in place, lightly flicking the switch.
“Hōkō, Kurākami!! Henshin,” I declared as the belt spoke in an odd tone that reminded me of Ryōtarō Okiayu, the Japanese voice actor for Byakuya Kuchiki. In that instant, black energy erupted from the Coin, swirling around me before engulfing my body as my eyes snapped wide, the irises flaring a bright golden-amber as the armored form of Zen-Aku formed, though I noticed almost immediately that the helmet that formed was more like that of Lobomon from the Digimon Frontier season, though with a shorter snout and no snarling mouth, merely a blank armored mask over my mouth and throat, my glowing golden-amber irises staring into the mirror. I blinked as I saw the semi transparent form of Zen-Aku himself staring back before fading away.
“Kurākami Zen… that works,” I muttered, noticing my voice was a low growl identical to Zen-Aku's own. I cocked my head as the door opened forcefully. “I was right about that Coin… it holds the spirit of one of those Redeemed villains… the Wolf Of The Dark Moon… Zen-Aku,” I stated as I turned my head, seeing Celestia staring in mild surprise at me. I ejected the Coin, the transformation dissipating in a rush of black and golden flames that were dragged into the Coin as I caught it between my forefinger and middle fingers, my clothes rustling softly in the displaced air before I slid the Coin with the others.