"I'm sorry, did you say you wanted me to stay here?" I asked.
"Yes, we did," Sunset grinned a bit mischievously now.
"You are lucky I have honor in me. I will stay, but the moment the Sun begins to go down, I am disappearing," I informed them.
"We'll make the best of your time, don't worry," Twilight smiled.
"That means, we'll be getting you to go with the Winter dance tomorrow with us since school's now out for winter break!" Rarity chipped.
Shadow Aura, what have you gotten yourself into. I sighed out and pinched my nose, letting my head down before throwing it back up and exhaling a large breath.
"Okay, I can do that," I said.
"Good! Because you're getting fitted for a suit now!" Sunset grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me back to the Truck, putting my into it. My notes had flown into the air before and I used my rune's magic to gather them all up and bring them over to me.
"By Tartarus, what the buck have I done?" I spoke aloud and groaned at my stubbornness to always be a noble pony. The seven around me laughed including Spike.
They all piled into the truck, Rarity climbed in the front along with Applejack and I. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sunset, and Spike all got into the back of it. Applejack started up the truck and drove in a circle, heading back down the road and leaving their instruments in the shed.
I began to think while those in the back talked and Applejack focused on the road. If I were to become an alicorn, I would have many responsibilities. Ponies would look up to my for guidance and to stand tall in the face of certain doom. I could do the second one easily, but I don't think ponies would take kindly to my blunt words. I would have to participate in politics, some ponies would be trying to win my favor and some mares would attempt to court me. I would teleport them all away and pray they didn't find my home. Public appearances would be the end of me.
"Sooooo, Shadow Aura. Are you excited to become a prince?" Rarity asked and looked at me with a huge smile. Maybe she could read minds.
"No, not at all," I answered and went back to staring at the road.
"And why's that, dearie?" I don't think she knew she was pushing my buttons.
"The popularity, the attention, the politics. I don't want ponies coming to me seeking help unless they wanted training in magic. I don't want to make public appearances or give speeches. I don't want to participate in politics. I don't want all the attention from mares. I know how long it took for letters of affection to stop going to Celestia and Luna. Poor Twilight is still receiving them," I said flatly. I had started to become upset now.
My life was changing into a life I didn't want and there wasn't hope for escape this time. I don't have anywhere to run and live my life the way I wanted. I could try to live in some other nation than Equestria, but I could be found, somepony could interrupt my way of living, and my research sometimes required me to interact with ponies. That's how I got into this whole damn mess. I should have never messed with the lives of the Princesses as much as I did, now I was going to join them.
"I'm with Shadow Aura, I'd hate my life to go from relaxing to stressful like that," Applejack invoiced. I sighed out.
"Finally, somepony who gets it!" I shouted and the five friends in the back of the truck glanced up to the front.
"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Rarity commented, a bit offended from Applejack's input.
"No, it will be exactly as bad as I expect. I've seen enough royalties rising to know that," I ended the conversation and the short time to arrive at wherever we were going was in silence except for those in the back. Applejack parked in a road up to a house and everypony got out of the truck, letting her lock it up.
"Where are we?" I stared up at a white painted home that looked a little fancier than the ones around it. Purple shingles laid on the roof perfectly, the occasional plant hanging from an ornate hook at the front of it. A large black mechanical machine was further on in the driveway, an SUV was the name of it.
"My home, of course! Like I'd let someone else tailor a suit for you?! That's crazy," Rarity walked up to the front and unlocked her door, letting us all in before she grabbed me and took me upstairs, "you guys just make yourselves at home, but not too much, Pinkie!" She shouted down the staircase as I kept up with her, stumbling a bit.
"Awwwww, I was already blowing up balloons," Pinkie dismayed.
Rarity pulled me into what looked to be her bedroom and work room, "Shadow Aura, just remove your lab coat and we can get started."
I sighed and took off my coat, setting it on the coat hook she had on the back of her door. Rarity grabbed a notebook and her measuring tape. She began measuring the insides of my legs and the outside of my legs, recording lengths as she went. She then measured my waist, chest and arms, finishing at my neck. She then began to draw plans for my suit.
"You know we could just rent one," I spoke up.
"Nonsense! This is a very important suit!" Rarity chirped and soon finished her designs rather quickly, moving onto cutting the fabric.
"Why did you guys decide to keep me here to repay my debt?" I asked and began walking around the room, observing all her tools.
"Well, did she tell you yet?" Rarity asked.
"Who?"
"Suuuunset," she sang, smiling a little.
"Tell me what?" I questioned.
"Nevermiiiind," Rarity sang again.
"I'll be downstairs," I dismissed her weird behavior.
"Alright, darling. I'll call for you when we're ready to make final adjustments."
"Understood," I walked out and down the stairs, entering the living room. I didn't leave without grabbing my lab coat and putting it back on again.
"Shadow Aura! Show us some magic!" Pinkie was right in my face with a huge smile. I gently pushed her away.
"Is it just you who wants to see it? That's not enough to show it," I smirked. I loved showing off, but I did sometimes enjoy teasing ponies when it came to showing off my magic.
"I'd like to see it, maybe I could learn some things," Twilight inputted.
That brought my mind back to being an alicorn. There is one aspect of being an alicorn I would like. Every alicorn seems to take on some student to teach them their ways, and I would love to have a private student to pass all my knowledge and advance their magic ability to levels that other unicorns couldn't fathom but would try to dream of anyway.
"I wanna see you do some pretty cool stuff," Rainbow Dash said, "but it's whatever."
"I think it'd be nice," Fluttershy whispered.
"You bragged about how good you are at magic, how about you prove?" Sunset smirked with a little red on her face while she walked over and pointed her finger to my nose.
"Is that right?" I said and grabbed my rune. All of them nodded, "prepare for a show, everypony."
I picked Sunset up with a very advanced levitation spell and threw her onto the couch softly. I focused more and lifted every object in the living room up, moving them around slowly before putting them back into their original positions.
"That was pretty rad," Rainbow commented. I looked at Sunset and she sat with big eyes and her jaw slightly agape.
"Speechless, Sunset Shimmer?" I asked with a smile on my face.
"H-how were you able to cast such an advanced spell?" Sunset asked with a red tinge on her face.
"You call that advanced? Teleporting the entire city of Canterlot away and then back in its perfect spot is advanced," I laughed. I tested my knowledge of teleportation magic one day by doing it at night when everypony there was asleep. All of them thought Luna was insane and it was just an earth tremor.
"W-w-what?!" Sunset stammered.
"Maybe I'll show you how to do it some time," I focused my magic again and turned on the sink in the kitchen after projecting my vision to it.
I began to lift the water that came out of it into a stream, sending it in circles around all of them before I had it land in a pot that held a small flower on the coffee table. I then began to grow the plant rapidly, letting the flower sprout many flowers instead of just one, letting it overtake the walls. I finished and turned the sink off.
"Shadow Aura! This is beautiful!" Fluttershy said aloud, "how did you do it?"
"I'll send you the notes when I get back to Equestria," I kept my smile on and used my magic to transmute the extra stems into vases and pots with soil and water. I forced the plants to grow roots and sit in their new containers. I set them all on the table and levitated all the extra plant material and dirt out and into the trashcan in the corner of the room.
"If you can do all this here, what can you do back in Equestria?" Twilight asked.
"So much more. I went head to head against Sombra with nothing but my magic and won. I could have taken down Tirek when he was about to conquer Equestria. I suppose Equestria is officially getting its last line of defense when I ascend," I smirked. I took great pride in my magic, anypony who was from my time took great pride in their expertise. I walked over and sat back on the couch next to Sunset, relaxing into it.
"You have to be boasting as big as Rainbow Dash does," Applejack said with a flat face.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Rainbow was quickly offended.
"I'm simply stating facts, Applejack, nothing more," I kept my knowing smirk on.
"Whatever you say," she rolled her eyes at me.
I laid my head back and closed my eyes, still feeling a little sore from the magic eruption earlier. My headache was gone, but my body was still in pain. A human wasn't as suitable as vessel for magic as a pony body is, but they could still contain some magical energy in them. I spaced out and projected my vision outwards, exploring the area around me, more rather the city. I started to try and make a mental map of landmarks in the town in case I was left alone or needed a place to teleport. That reminded me, I would need to teleport across Equestria soon again so I can remain ready for long distance teleporting.
I stopped after a while, bored. The girls began to do their own things from what I saw. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were playing a board game while Pinkie was taking pictures of herself in odd poses on her phone. I looked to my right and caught Sunset's eyes. I stared at the rings of light blue for a little until she looked away, a blush on her face. She caught one more glance before turning her head completely. I shrugged, these girls were weird anyway.
I stood and walked outside of Rarity's home, I stood on the porch and pulled my rune out from my lab coat. I stared at the glowing object and began to recall that day I changed everything. When I disregarded Starswirl's words and casted the spell, I never knew what I was doing.
"I'm still so foolish to have done that. It's a crime, an ultimate sin against nature. No pony should ever be immortal. I'm just a friend that didn't listen to the one pony he should have," I sighed out and walked down Rarity's steps, standing in her large front lawn.
I held the rune to the sky and focused hard on it. I wondered if I could still cast the one spell that still never should have been casted. I looked around to find a target and selected it easily. Rarity had a small oak sapling growing in her front lawn. I began to concentrate the magic further in the rune, focusing on the small tree and going through the same mind process I did that one day. I released the magic and I felt the power in the rune leave by large quantities. The magic shot out at the tree, not harming it, but entering it forcefully. A great grey glow was placed over the house and the road. as well as the trees around it. I heard the door open, but I didn't look.
I breathed out heavily and slumped to my left knee. I held my rune up still and began to cast Starswirl's time spell, aging the area around the tree quickly. The grass grew high before dying and falling apart just to slowly grow back again. This cycle repeated many times at the oak grew higher and higher, far higher than any oak should and began to grow buttress roots. The oak's leaves eventually gave an entire canopy to Rarity's front yard.
"Hah, I can still cast that damned spell," I laughed a little before I stood, the rune now at a third of its power.
"Shadow Aura, that was...what did...how did...that's amazing," Sunset slowly approached me.
"So it was you who saw that. I casted my immortality spell just to see if I could still do it. I guess it wasn't a one hit wonder. That tree will never die of old age, but continue to grow and grow," I sighed, "it's impressive, yes, but nopony should ever have it casted on himself or herself."
"How old is that tree now?" Sunset asked.
"I used a modified version of Starswirl's time travel spell to age things very quickly. It's a spell I refuse to use it in combat out of honor if you wondered. That tree is forty millenia old now," I walked past her and began to head inside before her arm caught me. I looked at the house and saw all six of her friends and Spike in the window, staring intently. I turned around to her.
"Shadow Aura, I have something to ask you," she whispered out, suddenly losing her voice.
"Yes?"
"I, you, ummm...nevermind," her eyes glanced at the window, "I'll ask later," she headed inside with me in tow. I shrugged and dismissed the matter.
"Your suit is ready, follow me, Shadow Aura," Rarity said with a smirk, giggling. I followed her upstairs and back into the room where she handed me the complete piece and pointed my to a divider. I got the message clearly.
I walked behind it and disrobed, putting my clothes over the divider. I redressed in the suit, first placing on the pants and then the dress shirt. I finally put the tie on and used my rune to tie it. I put the jacket on and buttoned it, finding that it fit to my form very well. I raised my eyebrows in surprise at Rarity's skill. I walked out from behind the divider and Rarity smiled big.
"I swear you are just as good as the Rarity in our world," I complimented her and disappeared behind the divider.
"Thank you, dearie. I take it everything fits well?" She asked. I was already disrobing and putting on my normal clothes.
"Indeed. The thought just occurred to me, where is your sister?" I asked.
"Oh she's out with her friends doing heaven knows what. I just hope she doesn't cause trouble that I'll have to help her out of. Tomorrow night is a big night for a lot of us, especially Sunset," it seemed she was really stressing something about her.
"Why for Sunset?"
"Oh nothing," I came out from the divider in my normal attire that I was given by this world. Rarity was smirking.
"I swear to Equestria," I headed out of the room and back down stairs to the living room, Rarity behind me.
"I do like how many plants you made, but did they all have to be the same species?" Rarity complained at my magic.
"You could always sell them. I am headed outside again," I announced and none of them turned to look except Sunset and Rarity.
I walked outside while they were still doing the activities they were earlier. I pulled my rune from my pocket and teleported up into the tree, standing on one of the branches that was practically a platform. I transmuted some of the leaves and began to document all the events that had just happened. I soon had it all caught up with the rest of the history I was recording before I realized I was missing out on Equestria's history. Twilight had planned for her festival to be in two days, which meant it started Saturday. It's not like I would have missed much except for observing.
"Shadow Aura!" I heard Sunset Shimmer call from below and I peeked down to look at her. I shot a small bolt of magic down to get her to look up and see me. Her eyebrows lifted in confusion.
"Nothing against any of you, but I'd like to be alone now!" I shouted down to her and she headed back inside without another word according to my ears. I had looked away once I saw her go under the porch overhang.
I sat and laid against the tree, I saw the sky was filled with grey clouds foretelling rain in the future.
"This is my life now," I sighed.
I was still astonished at how in just a few months I had gone from seclusion to partaking in the major events of Equestria. I was amazed that Starswirl came back just to send his regards and show me a truer path, reconcile with me. I was flabbergasted that I am in the human world now with magic. And now I am struck that I now know I can command the raw magic of friendship.
I sat in the tree and continued to reflect on my life. All my accomplishments; my spells, my mastery of magic, my magic acquirements, defeating Sombra for good, making a crystal heart, and more, especially more to come. I stood and walked out to the end of the branch, looking up at my creation.
"And somehow, I'm still here making my way through life. Haha," I laughed lightly to myself before I broke out into hysterics.
"I shouldn't be alive, I'll run out of things to gift to Equestria and then I'll just watch the world fade out or continue on endlessly. Hahaha," I calmed my laughter, "it's damn sad."
"I should have never muddled with friends, they won't leave me, but I'll leave them. They'll die and I'll live, except Discord. Discord wouldn't be good company for eternity," I sighed out, still speaking aloud to myself.
"Celestia will live a long time, but she and her sister are still mortal, so Twilight will follow it all the same. And while thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of moons is a very long time...it's nothing in the span of eternity," I sat down at the end of the branch and laid back, looking up.
"Maybe I have truly bucked up. Nopony can keep me company forever. All my friends will die. I swear, as I get older I just get sadder," I laughed a little to myself.
"I'm keeping myself company, terribly, but I am. What's that saying? One is the loneliest number of all," that got me thinking.
"I still have never been interested or had a special somepony. Perhaps I stay too busy or I'm just not interested in that stuff. I must sound so stupid right now," I laughed at myself now.
"Maybe I'll go back to seclusion and live alone forever," I started to feel sad again, "I'll miss all my friends, that's guaranteed, even these seven here," I sighed out and laid in silence longer.
"Buck my life, Starswirl was right to begin with, maybe I really did screw up," I cursed myself, "we really are just two blathering idiots that should be dust by now," I sat up and stood.
"I might as well see what they've been up to. The sun is setting now," I said to myself, "Shadow Aura, shut up and stop talking to yourself," I finished my private conversation and teleported back down to the grass.
Sunset Shimmer stood in front of me with tears welling up in her eyes.
"What's wrong with you? Did something happen inside?" I questioned, a little oblivious.
She hugged me tight and squeezed, she had yet to start crying.
"Sunset, what got into you?"
"Shadow Aura, you never have to give up on friends. It may hurt to see them go, but you'll always be friends, even when they part. I'll always be your friend, even if you outlast me," Sunset said.
"You heard all that?" I questioned, feeling tears well up in my own eyes.
"I never thought you cared to have friends, you never showed it. But now I know, and I'm here for you, it's what friends do," I chuckled a moment at her words before I returned her hug and let the tears silently roll down my cheeks.
"And Shadow Aura, you're a someone that needs friends, you just aren't happy alone, neither are you yourself. I think I can see that you weren't always such an introverted person," she continued and I squeezed her.
"There was a time when I was cheery and that was a very very long time ago," I answered.
"Well, let that time be now. Have friends even if you're going to live past all of them, it'll be memories you can cherish," I had never heard something so...wise in such a long time.
It slowly began to rain as we stayed outside.
"Thank you, Sunset. I'll be sure to visit you every now and then after I leave," I squeezed her, hugging a little longer before we both pulled away.
I felt better, happier, and more like myself. Myself. It clicked, the last time I was myself was when I still hung around Starswirl. Now I'm back and I'm not going back to whoever I was. I smiled a genuine smile and walked back inside, wiping my eyes and Sunset's eyes on my labcoat before we went inside.
"Everypony, why are we here and not seizing the day? We could be doing things tonight!" I shouted and all of them looked at me awkwardly.
"Sunset, hon, what did you do to him?" Applejack questioned.
"You remember how she said she didn't know there was another way on the day you bested her?" I was still smiling and they all nodded, "she reminded me of that personally. So why are we sitting inside and not doing something?" I asked again.
"I'm not quite sure what happened, but I'm with him!" Pinkie bounced and hugged me tight, "I like this Shadow Aura a lot more!" Pinkie Pie bounced outside.
"We'll take my car, it's raining outside so grab umbrellas on your way out," Rarity passed by Sunset and me, winking at us as she put up an umbrella on her way outside.
"I'm so confused," Twilight said and headed after Rarity with her umbrella.
"You're not the only one," Applejack commented and got an umbrella, sharing it with Fluttershy.
I hugged Sunset again, "really, you have my thanks. I owe you a ton," I walked out with her in tow and we all piled into Rarity's SUV. She started it up and waited for us all to get settled in. Twilight sat in the front with her. Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash sat in the middle. Pinkie Pie joined Sunset and I in the back. Sunset leaned on me oddly, yet it didn't bother me, I welcomed it, but I wouldn't admit that aloud.
"Wait, Shadow Aura, where are we going?" Rarity asked as she began to head out of the pathway for her mode of transportation.
"That is up to you all, did we leave Spike inside?" I asked.
"He's asleep, he'll be fine if we leave for a while," Twilight assured all of us, "how about bowling?"
A chorus of agreements followed her suggestions and Rarity took off down the roads. I couldn't see where she was going from the back of the car, I kept my vision inside of the moving machine and looked at Sunset, who caught my eye and looked away the moment she realized I was looking at her, she tensed. I patted her leg and she relaxed again, leaning against me once more.
I closed my eyes and relaxed back while Rarity guided us to wherever we went. The group was silent, most likely trying to figure out what Sunset did or said to me that brought the old Shadow Aura out.
Equestria, I owed her so much. Maybe I'll repay her back in Equestria, I think she'd enjoy learning all my tricks. It's a bit foreboding if you're the only pony to know them anyway.
I cleared my head and kept my mind free of thought until we came to stop and everypony got out, putting up umbrellas. I walked out in the rain again with Sunset. The rain never bothered me, it was nice to have it patter on my shoulders, reminds me of the days we'd still meet and huddle closer under the tree to discuss. Dingy, Starswirl, and me of course.
We entered and I saw there were quite many more alleys than compared to Equestria, humans must have enjoyed it more. Some alleys were taken, but many were free. The students of Canterlot High must be elsewhere. I did see someone Twilight described that looked familiar, Flash Sentry I think his name was.
I quickly walked up to him while my friends headed to the front desk to get an alley began speaking with the employee there.
"Flash," I said and approached. He turned around after setting his bowling ball back down on the return rack.
"Yes? Are you that researcher?" He questioned.
"Haha, it's safe to tell you. I know Twilight, your Twilight. The one from Equestria. I guess you could call me a friend of hers," I smiled at him.
"No way! How's she been?" He asked and stuck out his hand. I took it and shook it.
"She's been great, but stretched thin. Being her seems stressful. A princess' duties do not look fun. She was planning a friendship festival last I heard and we got done dealing with my royal buck up a few days ago. We almost lost Equestria to an old tyrant," I explained and laughed a little.
"That sounds...horrifying, but cool to see. Do you think I could ever visit Equestria?" He asked as the seven were walking over and waved to him, he waved back.
"No, but you can hope, right?" He sighed, "I know you wanna see Twilight, but I could convince her to visit at some point perhaps. When she's not busy."
"You mean it, man?" He chirped up.
"I do. I'm stuck here until Saturday night. Don't make a deal with them," I whispered and pointed to my new friends.
"I feel ya there," he laughed and continued to bowl.
"Shadow Aura, we got the lane next to Flash. We're also making you go first," Twilight smiled while the rest of them grinned with malice. Flash got back to bowling, taking on a serious composure.
"Buck, can I use my magic?" I asked.
"Nope! You gotta use your hands," Applejack said.
"But we had magic blockers at the alleys in Equestria, it would short out our magic once the ball went past the throwing area!" I complained.
"Darling, that's really too bad," Rarity smirked.
"I didn't agree with it, but they did a majority vote...sorry," Fluttershy meekly commented, at least she had my back.
"Fine!" I snapped back at them all and chose a thirteen yellow pound ball, feeling it in my hand before I began to wonder how it was sent down.
"First, put on the proper shoes!" Rainbow Dash handed me a pair and I quickly unlaced my current ones and laced the new ones on my feet with my magic. I still didn't have the hang of these stupid fingers yet. They felt a little loose, but they probably eyeballed my shoe size.
I held the ball in my right hand, all my fingers flat against it. I began a small startup and swung my arm before I swung it forward and let my ball roll down like it was a large skeeball. I watched on, eager to know how many pins I got. the ball slowly went to the left and I hit three down.
"Not bad for an Equestrian," Sunset commented.
"You get better eventually, Shadow Aura," Flash said as his score on his monitor showed he made mostly eight or nine pins on his squares, sometime a strike or spare.
"You bowl weird," Rainbow observed.
"Hush," I picked my ball back up from the return rack and sent it down the alley, knocking four on the right down, "decently done, Shadow Aura," I said to myself and sat down.
"Not bad, darling," Rarity commented.
I took my seat next to Sunset and she scooted a bit closer to me. Normally, I didn't like anypony this close to me, but she was a presence I did welcome. She leaned against me eventually and smiled.
"I'll get a strike right here for the rest of the game, just you guys watch!" Rainbow Dash said and picked up a blue bowling ball from her feet. She quickly got into position and stepped forward, throwing her right leg out to the left behind her as she released the ball.
Her ball went down the lane fast, but slowly curved to hit a single pin on the left. We all exploded in laughter.
"Some skill, Rainbow!" Applejack jeered at her.
"Shut up!" She flushed and picked her ball back up before quickly taking a shot again, knocking all the other pins down, "see, spare!" She bragged.
"Whatever," Applejack stood and took her same ball, waiting for the pins to reset before taking her first shot and knocking down five. Everypony was quiet until she knocked down four more.
"Well done, AJ," Twilight said and took her turn with a seven pound ball, the lightest kept here. She predictably made a gutter ball on her first try.
"Have you ever bowled before, Twilight?" Pinkie asked.
"No, I haven't," she answered.
"Just try your best, don't worry about impressing us then!" She chirped and Twilight made her second shot and knocked down four pins.
"Whoopee!" Pinkie jumped up and head to the lane. She grabbed a pink fifteen pound ball from her seat and carelessly sent it down the lane, bouncing away after she saw she got a strike, "hehehe!" She giggled.
"Damn, how do you bowl like that Pinkie?" I asked.
"I just do it, nothing to it!" She answered.
Sunset stood up quietly and grabbed the yellow thirteen ball I used. I watched her form and noticed she placed her fingers into the holes of the ball before she took a shot. She ended her first square with a seven.
"Darlings, let me show you how it's done!" Rarity took her turn with a look of determination, hitting down eight pins on her first throw while her fingers slipped on the second, "oh darn!"
"Rarity, where did you learn to get so good?" Fluttershy asked and stayed in her seat while Sunset bowled. I noticed she wasn't on the board since she didn't like bowling that much.
"I used to be on the bowling team, I wasn't the best, but I was good enough that they kept me," she smiled.
Sunset breathed in and then breathed out. She took many moments to concentrate, she took this more seriously than Rainbow Dash did; it was like this determined some major aspect in her life. She stepped and took her shot, getting a strike. She threw her hands up in the air and walked back, sitting down next to me.
"I suppose it's my turn now. Can't you guys let me us my magic just this one square?" I pleaded.
"I think we'll still kick his butt if we let him use it just this once," Sunset said with a smirk.
"Yea, go on Shadow Aura!" Applejack said.
I heard Flash Sentry stop bowling for a moment and noticed he only had one shot in his very last square left.
"Why is everypony looking at me?" I asked and grabbed the rune out of my pocket, holding it gently.
"I wanna see magic," Flash said and scratched behind his head, "Twilight said it wasn't all bad or super dramatic."
"We're all eager to see you do it, I guess. But don't guide the ball once it passes the foul line, we'll disqualify you for it," Rainbow said as-matter-of-factly to me.
"I won't, but Flash. Magic is a tool and it all depends on how you use it and how well you can control it," I said and shot a beam out of the rune at a glass of some dark colored beverage on the table at his lane, duplicating it into three glasses, "I can do that, a very advanced spell, or I can bowl with a simple levitation spell," I said and picked my ball up with my magic, moving it to hang in the air where I would normally stand.
"That's...that's pretty amazing. What else can you do?" he asked.
"Sorry, but this isn't Equestria so my magic in my rune is limited," I walked over to the side of our lane, staring at my ball. I behind to make it spin rather fast before I sent it through a loop to gain momentum and let it slide down the lane on the far right.
"Well, that's a waste!" Rainbow said at first.
"Check again!" I said as my ball curved more near the end and sidewiped the first pin while knocking the others down to give me a strike, "works everytime. Curving a ball helps keep speed up so your pins move around more and knock other ones down," I took my seat and slid the run back into the pocket of my coat.
"Impressive, Shadow Aura," Sunset said and leaned on me.
Flash finished his game and gathered his things while he downed the drinks I duplicated for him.
"Hey, Shadow Aura. Hit me up sometimes when I'm at school, I'd like to hang more," he said with a smile while he walked out of the alley.
The rest of the game went predictably. We had some laughs at mistakes I made and cheered for each other whenever we did well. Pinkie scored highest followed by Rarity, Sunset, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, me and then Twilight. We left abruptly after eating some pizza. The sun had set and the moon was high now. A beautiful night.
"You know, it's nights like these that remind me of the time I spent in my youth," I said.
"I can't believe Pinkie got a perfect score!" Rainbow Dash shouted in front of us while we walked towards Rarity's vehicle. She was chatting with Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity. Twilight was on my left while Sunset stood on my right.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
"Well, when I was in my twenties and thirties I spent my time awake this late reading through every manual of spellcraft or mastering magic book I could. Sometimes I would debate with Starswirl or learn some things with Dingy Coat. I spent my time broadening my horizons first before I filled them and to think they aren't empty but I have no idea of knowing how full they are really gives you a perspective on how much knowledge there is to gain," I said.
"Beautifully said, Shadow Aura," Twilight commented.
"Is that really what Immortality is like? It sounds great. Maybe I'll join you in it," Sunset smiled and jabbed me in the side with her elbow.
"Hahaha! Good one! I doubt you'd reach my level of magic as fast as I did when I was that young or even eb able to figure out the spell," I laughed and Sunset kept her smile.
"You never know. Maybe she'll sneak into Equestria and take it from you!" Twilight punched me in my arm now.
"She's welcome to try!"
Rarity unlocked her car and we all piled into the seating arrangements we had earlier. The ride was silent while Rarity dropped Pinkie Pie off at her home first and then Rainbow Dash. She drove back to her house and around Applejack's truck, parking.
"Come On, Fluttershy. You know the drill and I gotta tend to the farm come early morning. Was nice hanging out, girls," Applejack said while she got in her truck.
We all waved them off while Fluttershy joined Applejack and left left Rarity's driveway.
"Well, Shadow Aura. It's horrible of me, but I don't really have room to accommodate all of you and I can't drive Twilight all the way out to her home and back," Rarity said while she walked in her house and waited for us to come in after, closing the door once we did.
"That is fine, I can sleep on the couch," I answered and moved to the living room, feeling a wave of exhaustion.
"That leaves Sunset the guest room and Twilight, you can join me in my bed, it's big enough for us both," Rarity said and winked to Sunset before she headed upstairs with Twilight in a light giggle. Sunset headed the opposite way and around the stairs while I entered the living room. I already saw a blanket folded there. Spike was still asleep in Rarity's recliner.
"Poor little dr-dog. Cursed to sleep eternally," I chuckled softly before I stepped past the living room and into the kitchen, feeling tired but not enough to warrant sleep.
This was a life I could live happily, unfortunately, I'd have to return to Equestria at some point. I would definitely visit though, these seven I enjoyed.
I opened the fridge and took out a water bottle, sipping at it slowly while I stood in the kitchen with my thoughts.
All of them were nice, especially Sunset, I'd repay her somehow, I owe her a lot for helping me think differently than the two thousand year old secluded sack of crap did. She metaphorically slapped me quite well. I would definitely need to begin some research when I get back to Equestria I'd have my hooves full trying to understand how I harnessed the magic of friendship. I might decide to do research on the mirror I used to arrive here as well.
I finished my water and disposed of it in the recycling bin Rarity had. I walked back into the living room and took off my labcoat, draping it over the couch. I laid down on it and used the cushions as pillows. I kicked my shoes off before I pulled the blanket over me. I closed my eyes and felt two wooden planks in the couch in my back and my legs. They dug in painfully.
"Shadow Aura, would you like to share my bed?" I heard Sunset's voice and I snapped my eyes back open. She wasn't in her jacket or orange shirt, she was in some kind of white undershirt and white pajama pants. I flushed a little when I found myself staring.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked. I sat up, raising an eyebrow in intrigue and confusion.
"Would you like to share my bed?" She asked again with a red tinge.
I began to think for a short and quick moment. Sunset had to have an alternate motive than just being nice and with all the cues I've gotten and the feelings that I've found in me...
"I would, it'd be much more comfortable than this couch," I feigned innocence still and followed her as she went around the house and entered the guest bedroom after passing through a small, but high class dining room.
The room was simple, white walls with dark oaken furnishings. It was the same theme of Rarity's entire house. The closet was shut with white shutter-like doors. two nightstands next to the white quilted bed that had a tall headboard. The quilt was already pulled back. I laid down on the bed, putting my feet under the covers, waiting on Sunset to do the same before I pulled the quilt over us.
Sunset quickly cuddled up to me and laid a hand on my chest while her head seeked out the comfort of the crook in my shoulder. She wrapped a leg around one of my own and I flushed again, my face must have been on fire by now. I understand her motives clearly now.
"Sunset?"
"Hmm?"
"D-do you like me?" I asked the question that was burgeoning my head the most. I still knew the answer.
Silence.
She stayed quiet for a little while before she giggled and looked up to me with her sparkling cyan eyes.
"What do you think, idiot?" She smiled.
Idiot. Usually I would strike down anypony who dared call me such a word, send them across Equestria and to the canyon in Griffonstone. This was different, she meant it in a different way. It was endearing. I tried to analyze my feelings more, but I had no clue where to begin.
"Damn, how does Cadence do this stuff?" I asked aloud, smirking down to her.
"So, what do you think the answer is?" Sunset restated her question after a little laugh.
"Yes," I said with conviction.
"You're correct!" She giggled and nuzzled her nose into my chest.
Well, I will definitely be having a conversation with Cadence at some point.
I'll have to leave this world soon, but Sunset should already know that, right? I'll have to visit for her then. She's important now, right? That's how special someponies work.
"Does this mean you're my special somepony?" I asked aloud.
"Am I?"
"Sunset," I said and kept silence for a while before wrapping my arms around her, "yes. Yes you are."
And with that she snuggled in further, I could see the smile stretch across her face even if it was buried in my shirt. Her grin only left gradually when she fell asleep, which I joined shortly after. My life had been now only flip upside down, but I was stuck in an axillary roll while in a barrel roll. that was to say, I didn't know which way was up.