A Stirring Of Rebellion
Jonathan tried not to scream at the sight of the pink blur before him, eyes remaining useless at smaller details as that simple, happy, carefree sentence whistled around his head to join a mess of throbbing, pulsing, seething thoughts that refused to fall silent, stirred together as if they were in a cauldron.
I really like its beard!
Jonathan tried to suppress a shudder at those words, spoken with such warmth and yet delivered with such fear and horror. The whole room had fallen silent, those bright, blue eyes still staring almost feverishly into those saddened, darkening golden eyes as Jonathan swallowed his terror and his trepidation to speak up in a croaky, scratchy voice, throat raw from his once piercing screams that had rocketed through the air.
“W-what beard?”
This seemed to rouse the room, the air suddenly filled by a chorus of voices, a squawk of mixing, incoherent tones that only served to heighten Jonathan's fear and frustration, those high pitched, whining voices drilling into his mind with a message that was unheard, a message of vital importance to him halted by the speedy talking of colourful creatures.
One voice though, one beautiful, harmonic, magnificent voice rose above the rest, drowning them out with the hints of a single word as the clear, cutting voice of Princess Celestia tore through infirmary, silencing everything else.
“Now now my little ponies, Jonathan has just experienced something most...strange and we would do well to leave him to recover.”
Jonathan wanted to tell her, to yell at her that right now he needed her company, he needed any company. He didn't want to be alone, he didn't want to be confused, scared and panicking by himself, lest that evil, decaying voice attempt to corrupt him. He needed something, anything to keep him sane but, most of all, he needed an answer to his naked, unanswered question that kept revolving around his mind, spinning and shrieking like a klaxon alarm.
With a tremendous push of mental effort, he raised his hand upwards to reach out towards Celestia in a scared, pitiful look and yet the fleeting glance of terror that shone through her face made him drop the arm immediately. It was as if she were scared of him, of what he was becoming. It was as if she knew and this alone cracked Jonathan's will power, driving a whimper from his throat and a short, sharp nod from his head that knocked a stray, protected tear from his eye to fall onto the dried blood patch of the hospital floor with a soft plink.
A muttered sentence split the air, falling to deaf human ears as Jonathan fell victim to his own churning mind, blocking out all other sounds as his eyes roamed the ground around him, as his hands fidgeted and as the sweat trickled coldly down his back, making him shiver. Still, he could not fully ignore the sight, nor the sound of the solar princess trotting heavily over to him with concealed, dark eyes and neither could he ignore her serene voice that trembled with a hint of worry at the end, the tones seeping into him and helping to soothe his burning, aching mind.
“We will be right outside if you need us.”
Jonathan nodded blankly as Celestia backed away and signalled with a light flick of her tail for the girls to leave the room, the door creaking open as six hooves stepped outside, the seventh, golden hooves halting before they exited for the owner to throw a nervous but pitiful glance back at Jonathan before she too left the room, the door closing with a muffled creak behind her.
His mind screamed at him, at Celestia and at the six for abandoning him, for leaving and fleeing him when he needed them the most but his body moved on auto-pilot, pacing frantically around the room as Jonathan tried to visibly restrain his trembling. Sweat dampened his hair, his eyes rolled across the room sightlessly, his hands quivered, the taste and smell of blood and sweat filled both the air and his mouth but most importantly, the feeling of abandonment, fear and panic trickled through his mind, waiting to pour forth like a broken dam.
He had to know what that pink figure was talking about, he had to find out what new horror awaited him, he had to both prepare and brace himself for a discovery that he knew must not be put off for long, unless the fear and lust for answers consume him. He needed to know and with a task in his mind, with a plan on his thoughts instead of fear and repulsion, he set out to find a mirror in the vastness of the infirmary.
His footsteps rung around the room with low thuds as he trudged sluggishly up to the brown, wooden desk at the back of the room, eyes downcast, mind spinning as he carelessly reached his hands up to the desk and jumped over it, sending a tingle of pain through him where his bruises and cuts strained against the sudden movement. He had to find a mirror.
His feet struck the floor behind the desk loudly as his hands whistled through the air to slam down on the wooden surface with a resounding crack, a small hiss of pain escaping Jonathan before he began to search feverishly for a mirror, or a pane of glass or anything reflective. He had to find a mirror.
His hands, still shaking, reached forward to uncover piles of paper, rooting hopelessly for a mirror, his mind blank but behind a thin barrier a roaring tide of emotions braced itself to be free, his mind barely occupied with his search that managed to desperately fight off the fear and the anger that swelled within. Paper, ink and quills were sent flying to the floor under the humans convulsing hand as his vicious search for a mirror began to climb to a terrified pinnacle, the fear and the anger punching small holes through his shield. He had to find a mirror.
Abandoning the search of the now scattered, desecrated desk, Jonathan turned his attention to the three drawers that settled snugly into the woodwork, hands reaching out to clasp the first, cold metal handle as he yanked it open to reveal layers upon layers of thick paperwork, each one scribbled over with ink and a series of red stamps, ranging from Failed to Passed. He had to find a mirror.
The second drawer heralded a small squeak of protest as he opened it before Jonathan gazed inside at what the wooden shelter harboured within its murky depths. A series of brightly wrapped, spherical sweets sprung out at him, orange, yellow, blue and green wrappers winking at him from the dark brown corners of the drawers, swirling patterns etched onto the half opened sweets. It wasn't what he needed though. He had to find a mirror.
His hands were shaking so ferociously, the roaring lion that was his emotions battering away at his mind so viciously that his grip on the third and final handle was so weak, so pathetic that it took him a little over a minute to actually pull the draw open, his eyes beginning to water again, vomit rising up in his throat before bright light shone down upon the open draw, revealing a single, hand sized mirror.
With shivering hands, Jonathan reached down and plucked up the small, golden edged mirror, turning his gaze away to draw in a deep breath before he plunged his head backwards to face whatever would return his gaze head on, tossing aside his crippling emotions for a second with a great burst of courage.
The first thing he noticed was his new bone-white, bushy, canopy-esque eyebrows that seemed to shine the colour of the moon, glaring back at his face almost angrily as if they had not wished to be discovered, as if they were something his pathetic eyes should never have seen. His once immaculate, perfect hair above his eyes had been ruffled and spiked, great jagged edges of hair twisting and stabbing through the air like spears.
The second thing he noticed was the beard.
It hung from his chin like a great, twisted piece of crumbling, bleached white, unkempt clump of earth, knotted and such a startlingly white colour that it dazzled Jonathan's eyes. It too was jagged and pointed, chaotic and impure, a disastrous creation of years, of lifetimes without combing or cutting. It looked dirty, rotten even. It felt sickening, sitting upon his face like a parasite ready to drain him. It felt like him, the voice that whispered in his head, the voice that laughed at his fears and terrors. He wished he never found the mirror.
His grasp on the mirror slipped and faltered, his whole body turning numb with the realization that, once again, he had been altered, changed, manipulated into the start of a demon. The mirror fell from his grasp with a light slip of sweat guiding its way.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, the mirror plummeting, spinning, dancing through the air, throwing up twinkles of flashing light around the room as beams of orange caught its surface. Jonathan's mind raced and spat with a cold feeling of dread the poisoned his limbs, that turned his body to a mindless husk, a shrivelled shell that seemed calm and serene despite the turmoil that boiled within him. That cold, harsh laughter tore from deep within his mind, louder and louder until it penetrated all senses, until he could practically smell the monster, until he could practically see him. Still his body remained still and silent as cawing, bashing, battling emotions clawed into his mind.
The mirror hit the orange tiles with a loud shatter of glass just as a strong wind blitzed through the hospital, the laughter increasing to an even greater height.
Somewhere behind him, Jonathan heard a door, the door open with a crash but he couldn't pay it any attention. His body was frozen but his mind was running faster then ever with horrible thoughts and sick feelings.
[.]
Moments earlier
Celestia closed the wooden door leading to the hospital with a small creak and a slight click, letting out a deep, pent-up breath whilst doing so, not realizing that all throughout that new experience she had been keeping her air locked tightly inside of her chest.
The Elements of Harmony had backed themselves further down the corridor, each one whispering to each other, telling tales, reciting stories and discussing the creature in the infirmary. All members bar a single, purple unicorn were in a heated discussion, Twilight merely standing off to the side, glancing at Celestia every now and again with a clearly worried, frightened expression on her face that almost immediately forced Celestia back into her carefully crafted mentality of kind ruler, dispersing her fears with practised control as she beheld one of her subjects glancing at her with the same scared look that she had once possessed.
She had to be strong, not for herself but for her subjects. She had to be the powerful, brave, courageous, calm leader that her ponies wanted her to be, needed her to be. She could no longer wallow in her own fear, the expression of timid worry and fear on Twilight's face drawing Celestia out of her shell like a hermit crab. She had citizens to protect, to care for. She did not have the time to follow ghost tales or her own fears.
With those thoughts in mind, Celestia calmed herself, regaining her regal look and her quiet dignity, dispelling fears and worries to the wind with a refined skill that would leave even the most famous rulers jealous. That look on Twilight's face had cinched the deal for her, that look that she had once worn now portrayed on the face of her apprentice, just the right push to throw away her petty, foolish terrors.
Still, Celestia couldn't quite completely ignore that nagging voice of doubt in the back of her mind and, soon enough, she decided that though her fears may be foolish, playing safe was no task that would cause her to lose sleep and, with that in mind, she began to form a plan of sorts to route out the source of her worry, to dig and discover whether or not this human could be trusted.
Slowly and with dainty, quiet steps that muzzled and disguised the sound of her rather heavy, rather obnoxious hooves, Celestia made her way around the chattering group who remained oblivious to her movements, inching herself closer to her protégée who kept stealing purple eyed glances at the roaming solar princess.
Swiftly and silently, Celestia made her way over to Twilight who smiled rather shakily at the princess, teeth to vivid, mouth to wide to be anything but a nervous grin. Still, Celestia returned the smile with a light flick of her lips, drawing a small sigh of relief from the young mare. With a gentle movement, Celestia lowered her swan-like neck to meet Twilight's head in a motherly gesture, hearing the young unicorn hum with content, the sound bringing a fresh smile onto Celestia's face.
The pair pulled back, the soft talking of five mares continuing on without them as Twilight opened her mouth to speak before she was silenced by a single, outstretched, golden armoured hoof that popped into her jaw, leaking coldness and tasting of metal.
Twilight raised an eyebrow at the rather peculiar antic before her eyes widened slightly as Celestia signalled further down the corridor, indicating that she wished to speak to Twilight in private, without the commotion of the five other mares.
Nearly silently, the duo trotted down the corridor, sunlight glinting off of white marble walls as they vanished around a corner, thinking they had escaped without notice, neither one of them taking note of the butter yellow pegasus that had been throwing looks their way for little over a minute, teal eyes filling with questions as the sun God and the lavender mare disappeared around the corner before she too turned back to the conversation at hoof.
“No, no my dears. It was quite obviously a hairless ape.”
The refined, sophisticated voice of the fashionista Rarity combed through the air, regal tones coursing across the corridor as Fluttershy spoke up in a whisper of a voice.
“Umm...does anypon-”
“C'mon Rares, y'all don't really think it t'was a hairless ape do ya?”
The southern drawl of Applejack split the air, silencing the hushed tones of Fluttershy with ease but also drawing out the bubbly, overjoyed voice of Pinkie Pie.
“Oh, I dunno Jackie. I mean, did you see it? It was huuuuuuuge. It could be an ape, or maybe a whale. I've never seen a whale, have you ever seen a whale? I wou-”
That over the top voice was also silenced by the cracking, abrasive tones of Rainbow Dash who replied in a boisterous voice.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah Pinks. Look, I dunno about you guys but I reckon it's...an alien!”
This was met by a chorus of protest from three girls, the fourth huddled up behind the tight circle, quaking somewhat at the loud noises but still desperately trying to speak up despite the cacophony of disagreements.
“Uh, did anypony see whe-”
“Oh please Rainbow darling, you don't honestly expect us to believe that!”
“Umm...can I jus-”
“Rares has a point Dash, do ya honestly think we'd believe that load-a hooey?”
“Girls, if I could jus-”
“Silly filly, an alien would have awesome tentacles and big, bug eyes and green skin!”
“Please, let me a-”
“Heh, I suppose you guys are right, I mean, what was I thinkin'?”
“Oh for Celestia's sake, let me speak!”
The loud, animalistic roar of anger that erupted from the throat of the usually timid, shy yellow pegasus was enough to knock silence into the four other mares, who turned to face the now partially quivering Fluttershy with astonished eyes and open mouths, as shocked by the display as the butter yellow pegasus was herself. Still, she had asked for the chance to speak and by Luna's night she was going to speak!
“Umm, does anypony know where Twilight and Cel-”
The meek sound of her usual quiet voice was destroyed by the epic, ringing sound of shattering glass that punctured the air and scattered the shards of her sentence to each corner of the corridor. Five pairs of heads whipped around to face the doorway from which the noise had erupted before they turned one hundred and eighty degrees as the banging, clattering sound of Celestia's hooves bounced along the corridor, the mare in question passing by them like a blur, followed by a panting lavender unicorn who was desperately trying to keep up with the princess.
Five small multicoloured ponies and one rather large, rather speedy princess tore through the doorway with a loud thump, causing Fluttershy to sigh in exasperation as she followed them through the doorway, both afraid but also strangely eager to find out what had caused the noise.
[.]
Jonathan shivered, eyes looking down at the fragments of the shattered glass, distorted, sliced reflection gazing back up at him with worn, broken, dead eyes that made the human swallow a deep, freezing ball of icy fear that rose from his gullet. His eyes were monstrous, no wonder Celestia feared him.
He heard the rattle of armoured hooves and dainty steps on orange tiles but he didn't pay it any attention, not yet anyway. He was becoming a monster, a trickster, a demon and there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop it, to change it. He couldn't speak freely, he couldn't move freely. He couldn't even sleep without waking with a feared sweat and a tormented mind.
He should have been deathly afraid, aghast, horrified and on the point of a complete breakdown at this knowledge of his stolen freedom, his taken free will but instead, for the very first time, Jonathan became truly angry. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. No creature deserved to have their freedom taken away, no creature deserved to have its mind tortured, no creature deserved to have its body changed without its own consent.
He had done nothing wrong, nothing bad in his life and now, now he was being punished by a vengeful God from a distant world. And, quite frankly, Jonathan was pissed.
Gone was the sadness, gone was the depression, the fear, the horror. Gone was the anxiety, the pain, the tears. Anger settled over his heart, tingeing his vision with traces of red, not from pain but from a deep rage that even seemed to drive away, if only for a few seconds, the poking, prodding, laughing voice in his mind. He would not be pushed around, he would not fear this demon any more. He no longer cared what this Discord did to him, death would be a pleasant escape from the endless pain he had experienced. He wanted his body back, he wanted his mind returned and it was about time he took a stand for himself, lest he lose his mind and his body entirely.
For a split second, Jonathan could have sworn he heard a deep, resounding, almost respectful clapping from deep inside his mind before he once again thrust the sound away from him with concentration, dousing his mind in a blanket of anger at his predicament and the unfairness he had been shown.
Jonathan turned quite sharply at the ringing sound of Celestia's hooves which resonated from somewhere directly behind him, spinning around to face the Goddess who was standing, wide eyed before the wooden desk. With a light cough and a swift glance back at the awaiting six ponies, she spoke up in a calm voice that betrayed no true emotion.
“Jonathan, are you alright?”
His mind yearned to scream no, to shriek and battle and fight for its free will but, much to Jonathan's horror and burning anger, that hand clasped around his mind once more and yet, this time it felt weaker, less powerful and shaky as if it too was battling valiantly. Just as his mouth opened to utter deceitful, corrupted, decaying words, Jonathan pushed forward, anger and determination to not be silenced lending him strength to interrupt his own voice, causing his mouth to jitter and stutter.
“Ye-N-Ye-No!-Yes!”
Celestia looked at the stuttering, confused but triumphant Jonathan rather quizzically, muffling her trickles of fear as she thought back to her students former look of terror which drowned her own petty fright as she spoke up once again in a peaceful, comforting voice.
“What happened here?”
Once more that cold claw went to grasp his mind and once more Jonathan rose up to the challenge, determined and feeling victorious with his previous, not triumph exactly, but not loss either. The stuttering swiftly returned, the sound lending Jonathan strength as his signs of rebellion began to become apparent.
“Noth-I-Not-Dropped-Nothin-The-Nothing!-Mirror!”
Celestia raised a quizzical eyebrow at this before she carefully and slowly repeated what the jittering human had said, noting the fire of victory dancing in his golden eyes.
“You...dropped the mirror?”
Jonathan opened his mouth again before he shut it with a loud click of teeth, making seven ponies shudder and cringe at the noise before he nodded brutally, head swinging back and forth, hair whipping around his head. Celestia smiled shakily and forcefully at the humans confusing antics, shooting a glance back at her little ponies to see each one of them, apart from Pinkie, was looking on with similar confusion. She turned back, cleared her throat and spoke up again in a demanding yet soothing tone, asking the question that had been dying to escape her lips.
“And...of your appearance? Is it normal for a human to suddenly sprout a beard?”
Jonathan rushed forward in his mind, eager to betray and defile the dark God that had invaded his thoughts before he felt a heavy, rattling roar tear through his mind, halting his own conscious and allowing the monster to speak in Jonathan's moment of doubt, toppling the humans resolve and will power with a simple, animalistic sound.
“Yes, it happens later on in our lives.”
Jonathan tried to speak up, to denounce what he had previously said before a great stabbing pain tore through his skull behind his eyes, blitzing his brain with flashing, strobing colours and magnificent bruising bangs that reverberated around his thoughts. He showed no visible signs of discomfort bar a slight twitch of the golden eyes and yet, instead his mind, Jonathan heard a voice screaming relentlessly and it took him merely a moment before he realized that it was him.
Celestia seemed to relax at the answer that was filled with no hints of doubt and no half hidden replies, an expansion one the humans once one word replies that had left her curious and afraid. She noted the slight tick of his golden eyes but dispelled it to the after-effects of the pain he had recently experienced. Speaking of that...
“Does each human go through that much pain when the facial hair appears?”
Jonathan tried to reply in his own voice, his own truth but that rocketing pain returned, confined to his mind, making Jonathan lose his determination and drive once more as he mentally shrieked in pain. Allowing Discord to regain control relatively quickly to answer the question for him in a calm tone that depicted no signs of the inner struggle.
“Yes, spontaneous hair growth for humans is a very painful procedure.”
Celestia nodded, her fears alleviated as she turned around to face the little purple unicorn, her student and protégée, who in turn nodded towards Celestia lightly, careful not to draw attention to herself, knowledge and acceptance shining in those tranquil, purple eyes. Celestia turned back and allowed a pitiful, caring voice to replace her ruling, calm one as she spoke up once more to the human.
“You're sure you are ok?”
She received a short, sharp nod in response from the human who had returned to gazing lifelessly at the six ponies, as if he were measuring them up. Celestia began to speak up once more in a serene, patient voice that soothed the ears and made fear and worry abandon their posts.
“Jonathan, we need to talk about your...living arrangements. I would have preferred to speak to you in the throne room to make the whole event seem more justified and reasonable but seeing the pain you have recently experienced, it seems it would be better for me to just speak up here instead...
...the talk around Canterlot at the moment revolves soulfully around the alien in the Canterlot Castle and what it is doing here. Rumours are starting to spread that both me and my sister have been brainwashed into giving “it” safe passage and an area to sleep. Ridiculous, mind you...
...however, with the sudden feelings of fear and worry sparking around Canterlot, the power struggle for political and social strength has been ranked up, many have used your arrival to start a campaign against myself and my sister, saying that we have become lazy and foolish in our age...
...not many ponies pay it heed though but the damage is still waiting to be done and I cannot have a power surge going through Canterlot now, not after the recent attack by the spirit of chaos himself. It would devastate the economy and the political government. Therefore, with a heavy heart I have no choice but to send you away from Canterlot...
...it is not entirely bad new however for my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has agreed to welcome you into her humble abode in the quaint town of Ponyville, not far from Canterlot. There you would experience the ways of pony life without having to be stuck in a castle for your days...
...many would dare to pick a fight against me to gain power but no pony would dishonour an Element of Harmony, the respect that they wield could level mountains. I ask of you Jonathan, will you agree to go to Ponyville with my protégée, to learn of our culture, how we live and what we do?”
The question waited heavily upon the air, Jonathan the human having remained silent and detached all throughout the carefully crafted speech, pondering the words with slightly creased eyes and a partially furrowed brow. Celestia leaned forward slightly as five hushed whispers behind her signalled that Twilight's friends had begun to question her about the ordeal but Celestia paid them no heed. What the human said right here, right now would shift her opinion of him into either a good light or a poor one.
Jonathan heard the speech and the question from far, far off in his mind, his rebellion, his refusal to be silent landing him imprisoned within his own mind, able to peer through his eyes yet unable to speak or to move. That pain, that torturous, hated pain had torn through his anger and his rage as if it were paper, shattering the rebellion swiftly but viciously and yet Jonathan still clung to hope. He had battled with the demon and, for a short period of time, they had wrestled fitfully for control.
His mouth opened startlingly fast, spooking Jonathan and making Celestia lean ever closer, ignoring the now louder talking of the six mares behind her as she waited, eagerly and fearfully for his answer.
“It would be a privilege to be in the company of Twilight Sparkle.”
The humans voice was a purr now, mirth tingling its depths and tone brimming with a seductive glee, causing Celestia to smile broadly at his answer, causing the mares to fall silent and causing Jonathan to begin to ponder, within the confines of his mind, what exactly this chaotic spirit was up to.
Celestia spoke up in a relieved voice, brimming with excitement and happiness as she turned to address the six silent mares behind her, rather loudly as the joy found its way into her throat and mind.
“Twilight Sparkle and the five other Elements of Harmony shall escort you to the balcony outside my royal chambers where a pegasi chariot awaits to take you to Ponyville.”
Jonathan nodded blankly as Celestia shot a look at the six ponies to get moving, each one stumbling over each other as they barrelled their way to the door, eager to return to Ponyville and talk to their new guest. Jonathan followed blindly behind, mind blank and yet racing, body frozen and yet moving.
No pony or human noticed the subtle wink that Celestia threw at Twilight, knowledge glinting brightly in magenta and purple eyes.
[.]
Earlier
Twilight Sparkle turned the corner of the chilly corridor, Celestia following closely behind her as the pair heard the chatter of the five other ponies falling quieter and quieter until it became silent, the pair stopping to face each other, Twilight with a confused look and Celestia with a partial smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Twilight knew that twinkle, it was the twinkle of a plan or a scheme worthy of a princess.
Twilight spoke, shakily but with great rolling waves of curiosity, eyes wide with questions and barely restrained interest.
“You wanted to speak to me in private Princess?”
Celestia smiled warmly down at her student, eyes twinkling with a motherly glow.
“Just Celestia to you Twilight. And yes, I do need to speak to you...”
There was an uncomfortable silence that permeated the corridor like a dank smog, swirling and wrapping around Twilight, making her fidget as he mentor remained annoyingly silent, staring into space with a look of concentration that quickly snapped as Twilight spoke up in a pestering tone.
“Speak to me about what?”
Celestia smiled again but this time it was a much more weary smile, tiredness leaking into her ancient features.
“Speak to you about our 'guest'”
Twilight struggled to remain silent as Celestia lapsed, once more, into a daydream-esque appearance before the solar ruler shook her head, glanced down at Twilight and continued to speak.
“He can no longer stay in Canterlot, his appearance has brought a few...problems forth for both myself, my sister and the parliament of ponies...
...if he was to stay here, in Canterlot, then I fear a revolt, a rebellion, a cull would take place and many ponies would clasp onto the idea that he has brainwashed me and Luna and that we are no longer suitable to rule Equestria...
...it is for that reason that I must ask of you a very important question Twilight. Would you, and I do not wish to force you into anything, house the alien known as Jonathan in your house until I can figure out a better plan for his housing?”
Twilight blinked once, then twice and finally a third time before she opened her mouth to speak up in a confused and partially annoyed voice.
“Um, Princess, not that I'm angry or anything but why give me the creature? Why not send it with a platoon of guards to live in Manehatten or Appleoosa?”
Celestia snickered at the somewhat strained expression on her students face before she spoke up again with a voice that commanded respect and bristled with power, the voice of a ruler who would not be denied.
“What I say here does not leave your mouth Twilight. Understand?”
Twilight was rather taken back by the forceful voice of her caring, comforting ruler but she nodded jerkily, eyes wary but still sparkling with curiosity and interest. Celestia spoke up with her same tones, comforting and caring.
“The first reason my dear is because around you and your five friends, most ponies will accept Jonathan. I don't think you realize that you command respect all throughout Equestria with your deeds.”
Twilight blushed red, a hot flush spreading across her cheeks as Celestia continued.
“The second is because I wish for you and the others to teach our friend the meaning of compassion and the magic of friendship. Oh, and if you could slip a few lessons about Equestrian history and our culture I'm sure both he and I would be very grateful.”
Twilight was being pulled into the idea slowly, the compliments and the sparking of possible praise igniting her inner teachers pet.
“Now Twilight, now I talk about what must never, ever be repeated. Not to your friends, not to Luna, not to Jonathan.”
Twilight nodded shakily as Celestia carried on.
“I...I do not fully trust our guest. He has been most concealing about himself and his arrival and the pains he experiences, they are not mere growth spurts or aching joints. There is something about him that makes me shiver, those eyes Twilight, I'm sure you recognized them? Alas, my main reason was because I wished for you to report back to me daily what he has been up too, what he has done, how he has acted and any information you have gathered from him.”
Twilight nodded at each comment, Celestia voicing her own fears perfectly and yet she couldn't quite contain the tremor of excitement that coursed through her when Celestia suggested she studied the human. To study an alien, every bookworm, scientists and general nerds dream.
“Finally, and I say this with a heavy heart and a sluggish mind, if the worst comes to bear, if he is dangerous, violent or a threat then he is in the company of the only six mares that could permanently put him down for good. It is for the sake of Equestria that I put him in the protection and the care of the Elements of Harmony...
...So, I ask of you Twilight, will you accept him into your home?”
Twilight frowned in contemplation at the rather sudden request. She had arrived today to find out what bothered her ruler and to investigate the new sentient being. She had not arrived to be stuck with a hairless ape who, as asked by Celestia herself, may end up living in her home. Still, she could not help but see the truth and the wisdom behind the solar rulers words. The Sun Goddess had clearly thought this through and through and who was she to deny the plans of an immortal ruler?
“I'll do it.”
Celestia smiled with content and relief at those words, letting out a pent up sigh of barely concealed worry at a hint of refusal. Perhaps she could no longer allow this fear of the alien to rule her life and sink into her mind but that didn't mean she couldn't keep a watchful eye on him.
“Thank you Twilight. Now I believe it is time to retur-”
The sound of Celestia's voice was smashed to silence by the tinkling shatter of glass hitting tiles, twin heads spinning around to stare back down the corridor where the noise had erupted from before they broke out into a fast paced sprint, hooves tingling against the marble floor.
Celestia couldn't help but smile as she bolted down the corridor. Her plan was coming together and, soon enough, she would know where Jonathan's loyalties lied.
A/N: I managed to get a chapter in before I go to Berlin! Hoo-rah!
Anyway, I tried to revert Celestia back into looking like a ruler and princess rather then a nervous, scared filly.
I also added hints of a rebellion that was squashed but still leading to hope so that will build up towards something in the near future.
I think I kept a good pace, not boring and not fast either. I hope you all agree with me on that one.
Ah yes, since I am going to Berlin for a week I better leave you with a small spoiler towards the next chapter, shouldn't I?
The next chapter will be named “Falling Alongside Generosity” and, as you may gather, it will feature more Rarity, more Discord trying to gain higher control, more rebellion and then a truth behind how Jonathan can make a stand against his tormentor.
Anyway, enjoy and tell me what you think. Oh, and there are probably a few mistakes but I'm too tired to check everything at the moment so I'll do a double take tomorrow.