Harry sighed as he sat out in the court yard of the Konoha Reform School. It was a school for troubled children. Located in the small town of Konoha. Usually this school was meant for older students. It focused largely on Secondary Schooling, but they did have a small wing for Primary School kids.
Harry knew all of them, and most of them were his friends... Except for Sasuke, none of the Primary Boys liked Sasuke... and it definitely wasn't because the girls kept stalking him. WHO WOULD WANT THAT!!! No, it was because he was an arrogant know it all. One that took great joy in upstaging everyone. That wouldn't have been so bad, at least to Harry, if the boy hadn't also been a sneak. He was ALWAYS telling the teachers every bit of mischief the other boys got into. It was like he was trying to prove he didn't belong here and was trying to buy favor to get out.
Harry was originally here for... legal reasons. His desk... caught fire. Obviously he got blamed despite doing no more then glaring at it. The boy was convinced it was Dudley who set him up. His bully of a cousin was always framing Harry for his own malicious behavior... not like anyone would believe him, and his relatives would beat him if he accused their "precious Dudders'" of any wrong doing.
As it was Harry's uncle had slammed the boy against a wall before locking him in the cupboard for... for "letting his freakishness get out".
Harry sighed, Child Services had gone to talk to Harry and immediately took notice of his skinny body and shabby clothes, that the boy was clearly drowning in... yet, like always, they seemed to forget the moment he was out of their sight.
At the school Harry was put in a room, an actual room. It was a small room but, to a boy that had never had such a thing, he was still marveled by it. He didn't even mind that he had to share it with three other boys... he had a room... his room... no more cupboard...
That is where he used to sleep, and still did, whenever he returned "Home"... if he could dare call it that without being reminded that he was a "Lazy good for nothing that should be grateful" his "hard working relatives give him their table scraps and a roof over his head".
The people working here may be stern, but they were much kinder then the Dursley's... maybe... maybe going to an orphanage wouldn't be as bad as the Dursley's made it out to be. Maybe they were just terrible people and the rest of the world wasn't like that.
Harry was learning of humanity's kindness at a school meant for troubled youth. Here, he was always fed. Here, people treated him like more then a freak. Here, he had friends.
Yes, here, the kids got spanked, pretty frequently actually. It was the go-to punishment of the officers and school staff, but he only ever got punished when he genuinely did something wrong... no belting for every odd or imagined thing to happen to him... and they didn't come close to the beatings his relatives gave him. Most of the kids weren't even that bad. They were constantly being watched so that left no room for bullying. The Nurse even tested Harry's eyes and got him glasses that actually worked. He could see much more clearly then the throwaways his aunt got from the dollar store.
Harry even had clothes that fit, thanks to the school uniform. Yeah... it was embarrassing to be in short trousers but he would gladly take that over the rags he used to wear.
Harry's roomates had convinced him to set fire to his old rags... which got them all a spanking, but the next day, after school, one of the officers took him into town to the local Asda. He let the boy pick out his own shirts, underpants, even socks! Then the man bought Harry more short trousers, as some kind of punishment for burning his old clothes, but Harry could not have cared less. As far as he could remember, these were his first real clothes, all his own and not hand me downs, and so that made them the best clothes ever by default.
Harry had been grinning like a loon... until he learned the Officer charged the clothes to the Dursley's, as part of Harry's bill to them for his care. Harry figured his relatives would NOT be pleased they had to spend extra money on him (though later during the summer he realized they completely forgot about it). Still when Harry tried to tell the officer that, the man simply said "then you shouldn't have burned your old clothes, you little pyro maniac". However, even that had been spoken with a strange humor in his voice... an odd form of teasing kindness.
Now... Harry had been at the School for criminals for 3 years and... he was loving it... although he was usually very well behaved... he always made sure to burn something whenever his evaluation came up. That made sure they didn't send him back to the Dursley's. The shrink here was beginning to think Harry had some kind of mental disorder. As in she thought Harry was an honest to goodness pyro. They had called a proper head Doctor to talk to Harry, sometime next week.
They kept assuring the boy that they wouldn't send him to an institution regardless of what they found... but Harry had learned long ago not to trust the words of adults. These adults might be better then the Dursley's but they were still adults and therefore, not to be trusted.
So here Harry sat. A 9 year old boy, well... he would be in 6 months. He was leaning against the horse statue in the court yard. He was deep in thought, wondering how to avoid going to an institution. His sentence was long up, so he didn't technically have to be here anymore, but the Dursley's had decided to enroll him here permanently. That suited him just find, but he made sure not to let the Dursley's know how happy he was in these people's care.
The child still had to see those wretched people during break... he was wondering if he should give the institution a chance if it meant an end to that. If that was the case the Dursley's might do it just to never have to see the boy again and frankly that suited Harry just fine... the school for troubled kids wasn't so bad so maybe a school for the criminally insane would be better then the Dursley's to... but there were a lot of horror movies about those places.
That was another thing, this place even had a movie night every Friday after school. Where the kids gathered in the auditorium and devoured snacks while watching movies from a projector. Harry's roommates even let him watch their tapes with them on their awesome TV with a built in VCR player...
Regardless, a more qualified Doctor was coming by later this week to talk to the boy... and all this might end, depending on what the Doc told the Dursley's.
Harry leaned back, giving a startled yelp, which quickly turned into a scream. There was suddenly nothing behind him. Next thing he knew he was tumbling through a tunnel of flashing lights and swirling energy... maybe he really was crazy.
Harry gasped as he suddenly flew out of the tunnel and collided with something... or should he say, someone...
"Flash?" Harry groaned, rubbing his head as he realized he was laying on top of a similarly groaning teenager.
Flash shook his head and looked down at the child. He just stared at the child, before giving one of his weird not curses, "buck..."
Flash was an attractive boy all the girls in schools swooned for. The fact he somehow convinced the school staff to let him keep his rebellious blue hair only added to that. Despite that, he was actually a very sweet boy. He frequently helped take care of the younger children at the school. It was a wonder that such a polite boy was in a school for trouble makers... most of Harry's friends made jokes about Flash being a pedo-bear, but they didn't actually believe that given they still accepted his help and liked to play with him.
Most of the kids at that school would, at least occasionally, say things that proved they had a rebellious streak, but Flash was just so nice and charming. And as far as the Pedo stuff... while there were never even rumors that Flash was actually like that, just jokes from foul mouthed little brats that wouldn't admit they didn't actually know what that meant.
Flash might look the part of a boy seeking attention, but he didn't act like it. He was literally friends with everyone, and while he occasionally played or helped the younger kids, he spent most of his time with his fellow 16 year olds.
While besides the teasing he gave whenever someone, Okay admittedly only Harry ever bothered to ask as most didn't seem to care, asked for his real name. The teen kept insisting his name really was "Flash Sentry" and somehow even getting the teachers to call him that.
Harry heard a ringing of bells and looked behind him to see... a mirror? He was in a library of somekind... maybe a children's library, based on the bright colors.... yet everything looked like it was made of expensive Crystal. The furniture, THE WALLS, even the floor.
While Harry was freaking out about his sudden change of scenery, a girl walked out of the mirror. Harry's eyes widened.
It took him a moment to register who the girl was. Sunset? Another kid that used a stage name, while insisting it was her real name and no one but Harry questioned it.
Both she and Flash had legitimately yellow skin and again, no one questioned it... not even Harry as he knew it was rude to ask about Skin Color.
"What's he doing here!?" Sunset's bacon colored hair was suddenly standing on end.
Flash glared at her, "Obviously that spell you cast to keep humans away DOESN'T WORK!!!"
Sunset glared, "My spells are FLAWLESS!!!"
Flash rolled his eyes.
"Besides," Sunset admitted, or perhaps used as a defense for her own abilities, "It's not my spell. The portal automatically creates a magical field around the statue, which should repel anything without magic. It even has notice-me-not charms to prevent non magicals from seeing anything coming in or out of the portal."
"PORTAL!!!" Harry awed.
The two older kids looked at him.
Sunset sighed, "I'll just erase the boy's memory and we can figure out what went wrong later."
"LIKE HELL!!!" Harry felt something building up inside him... something... dark, yet warm.
Sunsets eyes widened as she felt it. Unknown to Harry, the boy was giving off a threatening aura of magic. Used mostly by magical creatures to scare off predators or intimidate other Sapients. Flash's eyes widened, as he too felt it.
Sunset raised her hand, which immediately burst into light. Harry was suddenly encased in some kind of energy as he floated up.
"WHAT IS THIS STUFF!!!" Harry screamed, trying to put out the energy as if it was fire, despite the fact it didn't burn. Felt a little warm, and moved like fire, yes but it didn't actually hurt him. Just startled him was all.
Flash gulped, "He... he sees it... he can see magic..."
"MAGIC!!!" Harry gaped, "Magic's not real!" He repeated what his uncle had, quite literally, beaten into him.
Sunset brought the boy over to her face. Her forehead began to glow as she gently touched it against Harry's forehead. Her eyes widened as she jerked away from the boy, yet still held him in her energy.
"... He has magic..."
"But... he's human..." Flash gulped.
"Completely human..." Sunset gulped back.
The way they said "human" caused Harry to scream, "Aliens!!! Please don't probe me!!!"
"We have to tell the Princesses," Flash insisted, ignoring the boy.
Sunset suddenly dropped Harry, "No!" She snapped.
Harry groaned, rubbing his now sore bum from hitting the Crystal floor.
"This is bigger then your childish need to run away!!!" Flash glared, "Humans are evolving into MAGIC!!! This changes everything!!! We might not even need to be in exile anymore!!! We can't keep this to ourselves!"
"It's probably just a fluke gene. The boy still has a primitive digestive system and he doesn't even have a focus built into his body, so he isn't capable of spell casting."
"MOST races can't cast spells!" Flash glared, "But they still have magic, it just comes out in different ways. Even if the kid has some fluke mutation it doesn't change the fact humans are becoming magical!"
Flash grabbed Harry's hand and started dragging him as he ran out of the room. At the boy's scream, Flash stopped.
The older teen bent down and put his hands on Harry's shoulders.
"You know me, Harry," Flash reminded, "Have I ever done anything to hurt you? Given you any reason to think I could?"
Harry bit his lip and didn't answer.
Flash stayed quiet a moment, giving Harry time to absorb his reassuring words, before continuing, "Yes, We aren't human, but that doesn't mean we are bad or out to get humans. It just means we are something a bit different, but we are still people."
"W-why were you at the school?" Harry dared to ask.
Flash rolled his eyes, and glared at Sunset, "I don't know. Why am I still illegally going back and forth between our worlds for a girl that abandoned me FOUR YEARS AGO!!!"
Sunset rolled her eyes, "Because you're a white knight. Besides I didn't abandon you!" she huffed that the over exaggeration, "You're the one insisting you keep a foothold in this hypocritical-"
"Anyway," Flash moved on, looking back at Harry, "I got complicated and personal reasons for going back and forth between this world and the surface."
"BUT WHY KONOHA!?" Harry snapped, "A school for troubled youths! Are you even a kid!?"
Flash blushed, "well... I really am 16, but I am technically an adult by my own people's laws. Most of our people graduate school at 15, and that's when we are acknowledged as Legally adults... Though our formal schooling starts at 3 years old. You can take an apprenticeship at any time during or after your formal schooling." Flash shook his head, realizing he was rambling. Though it seemed to be relaxing Harry, Flash continued.
"I was apprenticing as a guard, just so I could have access to the portal, that is, after my girlfriend disappeared through it." He sent another glare at Sunset, clearly her living on the other side of the Portal was causing issues in their relationship... Harry wondered, given the circumstances, why he should care about that right now.
"As for why Konoha... it's... it's just kinda what humans chose to build. It used to be an isolated forest, to my understanding. Humans just built the cities around it and dropped a school for delinquents around a 5000 year old portal. That was LOOOOONG before my time but that's what my mentors told me when they caught me researching the portal. I was trying to learn what happened to Sunset when she threw a tantrum and ran through it." Flash sent her yet another glare.
The young lady just sighed and said, "Are you ever going to let me live that down?"
"When I decide to stop enabling you is when you'll stop hearing about it!" Flash snapped. "YOU BELONG IN A TROUBLED YOUTH CENTER!!!" Flash suddenly blushed and looked back to Harry, "No offense Harry." He instinctively ruffled the boy's hair.
Harry gently smiled. The casual squabbling between Flash and Sunset, which they were known for at school, was actually making things easier to swallow... they were still their normal selves... they just happened to be a bit freakier then previously thought... which made Harry feel more comfortable around them.... after all, he was a freak to, if his uncle was to be believed... maybe aliens were a whole other ballpark of freak though.
Flash smiled at Harry again, "Please Harry, will you meet our rulers. You don't have to talk, fact is it might be better if you don't. I just need them to see how special you are."
Harry bit his lip, "But... I'm not special. I'm Harry, just Harry..." he was the freak that lived in a cupboard most of his life... the freak that never truly felt at home until he was sent to a school for troubled youths... the freak that couldn't even get his own family to treat him like a human being, let alone get them to love him back... he was a freak... not anything special...
Flash gently parted Harry's hair, accidently getting a glimpse of the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, "Harry Potter... you might very well be the most special and important child ever born. You're the bridge that could very well bring our two worlds together. The very fact you exist will throw tidal waves through our civilization. A human... with magic." Flash held his fingers in front of Harry's face and wiggled them. Sparks of electricity zapped between the digits.
Harry looked at his own fingers and wiggled them. He got a concentrated look on his face and tried to make the sparks come out. He groaned as he focused... but nothing happened.
Flash just smiled, "You will learn control... with time," he promised.
Then... Flash suddenly turned into a bright yellow horse, no bigger then a large dog (maybe a great dane). He bent down and stretched his wings to the sides, "Climb on."
Harry felt numb, but did as he was told... feeling the fur against his fingers and bare legs. It felt more like kitten fur then horse hair... not that Harry knew what horse hair was supposed to feel like but he assumed it was rough.
Sunset suddenly looked very uncomfortable as she said, "I better cast some mental magics on the school staff so they don't think to look for Harry."
Harry's eyes widened, remembering she also said she could erase memories and now alter how people think. While he should be horrified, he asked, "Can you also make the Headmaster cancel that shrink from the Asylum!!!"
Flash raised an eyebrow, "I don't know champ. I mean, if you legitimately have a compulsion that makes you want to burn things. The Doctor could help."
Sunset just smiled, "Sure kid, I'll cancel the shrink." Before stepping through the mirror portal.
Flash rolled his eyes, before stretching out his small wings. With just a few flaps he was off the ground and bloody well FLYING out the door, then through the hall.
There were a few yells from more horses, wearing silver armor, telling the "colt" to slow down.
In his years going back and forth between the portal, Flash had picked up a lot of human terminology. However he occasionally slipped back into his pony accent and slang, even while in the human world.
Not thinking long on that, or paying attention to his fellow guards, Flash flew faster and faster. He didn't stop until he burst into Princess Cadence's throne room... but the sight caused him to completely freeze up. His eyes went wide and his ears pinned... he had forgotten she was in session. It was the very reason he opened the portal to let Sunset through. Because they would have time for some privacy while everyone was busy with the summit.
"Cadet?" Shining glared from his seat by his wife. Dozens of races were seated with their own kind at large tables that now filled the throne room. The national leaders, of all Sapient species, were glaring at Flash as well, "What is the meaning of this?" Shining demanded.
Flash gulped. He slowly landed and began walking through the alley at an equally slow pace. He completely stopped whatever it had been they were discussing. While it might very well be a good thing all the nations' leaders where here for this revelation... he wished he didn't have to be the one to deliver the message.
Reaching the front of the room, Flash now stood before the 4 Alicorns. The sole Alicorns in their land. They were in their pony forms for this meeting, sitting on thrones. All the shifters were in there beast form. It was considered more formal and just polite for the races that couldn't transform, like the Centaurs.
Shining Armor, Captain of the Guard and husband of the Crystal Princess, sat on a pillow beside her throne.
The Crystal Empire was still not caught up with modern social norms. Stallions were seen as status symbols for females, little more then trophy husbands. To be seen, not heard. The fact Shining was effectively the commanding general of all Equestria's armies made little difference to the Crystal ponies... if anything they were offended at the concept.
Shining was a Stallion and so should be kept sheltered and safe and treated more like a pet then a spouse... the Crystal ponies were extremely traditional and while most Equine races viewed males as the weaker sex, they had long since earned completely equal rights...
The Royal guard was originally just a Harem for the Princesses, and the Crystal Empire still had that mindset. Cadence was trying to give them a more active role, much to the outrage of the nobles, but it was a slow process.
If it wasn't for the fact the Mirror was brought here, Flash never would have requested a transfer when they were looking for volunteers. This place might be beautiful but it was so traditional and stuffy it put the unicorn city of Canterlot to shame.
No, despite effectively being general and king, Shining still didn't get a proper chair, much less a throne of his own.
Shining was the face of equal rights in the Crystal Empire. So he had to show Stallions could be just as strong as Mares, while still respecting Crystal Pony traditions.
Flash gulped, as he realized one of Shining's guards barging into a summit for all the magical leaders... might not make him look very good.
"My apologies," Flash bowed, "But I knew the entire council would want to hear this immediately." Giving a little white lie, as he hadn't remember the summit was in session.
Celestia, The ruling matriarch of Pony kind, smiled at him. A smile of an amused mother at her child's immature antics. Flash was far from related to her, but as far as ponies were concerned, Celestia was mother to all. "What is so urgent my little pony? Could it really not have waited a few seconds to let your little brother crawl off your back?" She teased.
Flash blushed, and imagined it would look like that to the world leaders, "This is Harry Potter, your majesty. He... he is from the other side of the portal."
There was a gasp from across the crowd.
Celestia frowned and stepped down from her throne. Flash could hear the child gulp as the giant winged unicorn walked over to them. Thankfully, the boy followed his advice and stayed quiet. She was easily a few feet taller then a real horse... and she had lost her teasing grin, looking far more serious.
"Is there a reason you foalnapped a human child from the surface world?"
"I DIDN'T FOALNAP HIM!!!" Flash yelped, standing back up, momentarily forgetting himself.
Flash gulped and informed, "He came through the portal on his own... he... he has magic your highness."
There was a sudden uproar, large declarations of "impossible" and even one of "Blasphemy!" from the Yaks.
Celestia raised her hoof. When the crowd settled, she gently nuzzled the child. Both to calm him and to use her horn to sense his magic...
A moment later she stood up. "He is indeed a human," she confirmed the crowd, "And he, in fact, has magic." There was a large uproar from the crowd again.
While the world leaders freaked out, Celestia looked at Flash, "You did the right thing bringing him to us. Now, I need you to take him to my Anthropologist and get him a complete medical check up... my medical scan revealed some... disturbing things I need answered."
Flash nodded his head, bowing once more, before turning and leaving the room.
###
Throughout all this, Harry was just sitting on the winged horse, trying to make himself appear so small he was invisible. While they were leaving... he actually did will himself invisible. While not exactly. It was more like you could see through him but there was a trace of himself, like a sketch in a cartoon. Some of the strange creatures screamed, with some more outraged roars throughout the hall.
Horse Flash looked back and realized the boy was gone. He jiggled his wings a little to feel the boy was actually still there.
"It's okay!" Flash called as he walked down the hall, acting very frantically as he wanted to get out of there. "I still got him. He just cast a minor chameleon spell on himself. I'm sure it's just a magical surge from his nerves, like any other child, nothing to worry about." He assured as he quickly walked out the room.
The moment Flash was out the doors, he started hyperventilating.
"Blimey that was scary!!!" Flash declared, as overdramatically as possible, for Harry's benefit... "Sorry to just drag you along like that, but this is BIG!!! Imagine, humans with magic! I wonder if there are more of you."
Harry looked down at his see through hands. They glitched out and turned visible again... the fire on his desk... that one time he turned his teacher's hair blue... disappearing and then reappearing on a roof top... magic... was real... more so, if magic was real, and based on his relatives reaction to whenever something strange happened around him... they knew... the Dursley's knew Harry was magic... it's what made him a freak... it's what Uncle Vernon was attempting to "Stomp out" of him... magic was the reason his relatives could never love him... because he really was a freak...
"Where are we?" Harry dared ask. "Your space ship?"
Horse Flash snorted, "We aren't aliens. We evolved on this planet. Hummmm, how to explain?" he asked himself before inspiration clicking in his eyes, "You know all those stories of an island nation with advanced technology and magics? It sunk to the bottom of the ocean a few thousand years ago."
Harry's eyes bugged out of his head, "Atlantis..." he whispered.
"The continent is Atlantis, but your currently in the country of Equestria, in the City State of the Crystal Empire" Flash explained, "I would like to welcome you-" Flash walked over to a window and set his front hooves on the window seal, so the child could get a better look.
Outside... was the ocean. No, it was miles and miles, maybe thousands of miles, of land. However, just over their heads, miles into the sky... were fish. There was some kind of dome with swarms of fish swimming just outside of it.
"To the magical world." Flash grinned, finishing his sentence... if Harry wasn't so stunned he would tell the horse he waited too long to say that, as Harry had forgotten how that sentence started and had to think about it a moment.
Clearly dramatic pauses weren't the horse's specialty.
###
Lyra Heartstrings stood tall as she worked on healing the boy's scars. Her Anthro form seemed of particular interest to the boy as he wouldn't stop staring. She liked this form best as she had access to both hands and her horn. So her magic was more powerful and she had use of her fingers for more complex task. Sure her spells weren't as effective as if she was in pony form, but she liked having hands.
The 8 and a half year old boy was a bright red from humiliation. What boy would be okay with being naked on a table in front of a girl... even if she was a weird cross between a human and a horse, or the fact he was laying on his belly... also he still wasn't totally convinced she wouldn't probe him. Lyra said she needed to see the scars in order to treat them. Her horn glowed, as did the boy, while the scars slowly vanished from his back and (embarrassingly) his bum.
Lyra had been a licenced Anthropologist for nearly a decade. So she knew quite a bit about human anatomy when compared to ponies. This wasn't even the first time she had treated an injured human, as she had come across a few on her trips to the surface. Although right now she didn't need to worry about erasing his memory afterwards.
She loved humans. Yes they were a tad on the violent side but every civilization makes mistakes when they start out. Before the ponies came to Atlantis, they were all warring against each other.
Humans though, their was something special about them. They were brilliant inventors, and that was strictly because of their ambitious nature and short lifespans. Even when they were being lazy they came up with ideas no pony had thought of before... they were amazing...
Lyra was... a tad obsessed with their varying cultures and romanticized history. They were just so passionate about everything! She particularly liked their toys and would collect things like Barbie dolls.
Doctor Whooves, her husband, actually came up with some brilliant magical inventions based on the things she brought home from the human world. Her other herdmates even got a good bit of use out of the devices.
Lyra had been studying humans since before her official apprenticeship. Where she was trained in how to safely navigate the human world... the runes helped but they were only so effective.
All Anthropologist had to use special runes to make it so non magicals didn't notice their oddities. Well it was more like they didn't register little things: like their hair, skin colors, and unusual names. Any bigger differences (like walking around as a talking pony or Anthro) would be too much for the human mind to overlook. All Anthropologist had to wear the rune on a ring and were the only ones authorized to make trips to the surface to study how humans were developing...
Lyra's eyes wandered to Flash, as the young Pegasus looked with concern at the little boy. What the colt was even doing in the royal library (where the mirror portal was stored) was a wonder. Not to mention the portal had to be manually activated, for security reasons. The cadet had some questions to answer. Though she couldn't imagine he would get any more then a flogging for playing with the portal, given his profession and age. Still, she would have to have words with him all the same. The surface world was dangerous for the untrained.
Lyra finished treating his scars on the boy's back and (embarrassingly) his bum. Flash had looked with wide eyes at the scars, as he clearly hadn't known about them.
After the boy got all his scars removed she allowed him to pull his undies back up. Once he was seated more comfortably on the exam table, Lyra got to work scanning and untangling the spells on the child.
"Tangle" was definitely the right word. The spells just were piled untop of each other. Her scans could decipher what they were supposed to do, and how they were crafted, but most of them weren't designed to cooperate with each other. It was like half the spells were created by a completely different individual!
It wouldn't be so bad if they were cast by a competent (if perhaps overly paranoid) parent, but these spells were so primitive and inaccurate they wouldn't actually work, even went so far as to lessen the well crafted magics.
There were several different types of monitoring spells on the boy, and while they worked with each other, the caster clearly had no idea how to get them to work with the magics that actually protected the child!
Lyra assumed they were there for a reason, but they were so uncooperative with the protection spells they didn't even work. After a few attempts of untangling the spells, so they would better cooperate with each, she just thought "Buck it" and dispelled the monitoring charms. Whoever placed them would likely come looking, and Lyra hoped they would! She had some choice words for them!
When she went to dispell them... she realized these were far more complex then any pony could cast. They were far more imaginative in design then they had any right to be for some creature so limited in their understanding of magic... yet the sheer power in them was quite impressive... it worried her...
However, after a bit of concentration she was able to break the spells. If it wasn't for the fact she knew more about magic then the caster she doubted she would have been able to.
It was that rune on the boy's head that appeared to really trip up the other caster's spells. The lightning bolt was no mere scar but some truly impressive magicks. From what Lyra could understand from her scan of it, the rune actually bent the cosmic law of luck. It was so powerful, near impossible things would happen to keep the boy safe in life and death situations.
The rune was one of the most powerful she had ever seen! The universe itself would bend around this boy to help him meet any goal and keep him safe. It made him bucking Domino from X-Force is what it did!!!
So HA! Take that Bon Bon! Reading human comic books actually did give her a better understanding of magic... or at least, showed her the creative nature of humans to understand how they would try to develop their magicks.
This Rune was never even fathomed by pony kind! Lyra always did say humans were more imaginative then most creatures, and their ambitious nature (which made most creatures mistrustful of them) actually helped them bring the things they imagined to life through their inventions... few ponies were so creative and inventive. Lyra only knew of one pony so brilliant at invention, and the humans entire race was like that.
Shaking her head, Lyra got her mind back on track.
Unfortunately all the other spells on the child had actually lessened the power of the rune. Now that the monitoring spells were gone, it was back to full power.
Whoever made this rune, and the other competent spells, was clearly a fan of dark magic. There was the Luck Rune, some kind of brilliantly crafted blood protection spell (Which kept the whole family safe so long as they spent a moon together out of the year), and traces of a couple full magical transfers.
That last one gave the boy large magic reserves, he might as well have a cutie mark in magic! Who was used to transfered their magic too the child was a mystery, but that was definitely some dark stuff. However, seeing what fueled the spell, it was likely they made the sacrifice willingly.
Why would anypony go so far to protect a child unless there really was something actively hunting him? Or where magical humans just so paranoid about non magicals they used these spells as common place?... worse yet... were they actually in danger from the non magicals? It would explain why Lyra never found any other magical humans on her trips to the surface. From Lyra's understanding humans were very violent to all things magical. Particularly Dark Magic.
Dark Magic wasn't necessarily evil, in fact in many cases it was benevolent like what was on the child. Dark Magic just meant it was based on powerful emotions. Where Light Magic was fueled by a disconnect from emotions, by pure unfeeling logic. Both could be used for evil purposes but magic, in itself, was never evil.
This Rune, for example, was purely fuelled by the most benevolent dark magic, love.
This is also why those Monitoring Spells had to go. The dark magic of the protections contradict the light magic in the monitoring spells and gave false readings of happiness and safety. Whoever set up these spells didn't know the first thing about how to get the two types of magic to cooperate.
At least it meant whoever set them up was merely incompetent and not malicious... although there appeared to be one more light based spell... one that was most certainly malicious. It made it so no creature could remove the boy from his current guardians care, not even the Guardians themselves.
That is when the scars and sickly nature of the boy suddenly made sense. If the guardians didn't want him, if he was forced on them due to only a vague understanding of how blood protection worked... Celestia... the boy's own relatives likely inflicted all those wounds... maybe even his parents themselves... they would be magically compelled to since they couldn't just give the boy to a more loving home. Even if they didn't want the boy on a subconscious level, the improperly mixed spells would cause them to fully reject the child while not being able to send him away.
That spell, in particular, had been hard to break. The sheer power put into it. Lyra might not be as powerful as a unicorn with a Cutie Mark in magic, but she had the training to give her impressive skills and knowledge.
Lyra had graduated in the top 10% from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. When you are already considered "gifted" with magical talent and you graduate in the top ten percent... well needless to say the sheer power in the spell near frightened her when compared to her own skills.
That kind of power, in the hands of a creature that didn't even have a basic magical education... it had some worrying implications.
Still Lyra was able to sever the spell. Though it left her rather drained and she had to have a unicorn come in to help her finish the Examination.
Vinyl, one of Lyra's herdmates, smiled at the human and used some hoof gestures at him.
Seeing the weird face on the colt, Lyra translated, "She asked what music you like."
Harry scrunched up his nose.
"She's mute," Lyra explained. "She can only communicate through gestures and expressions."
Understanding clicked in the boy's eyes and he started telling her about all his favorite music. He appeared to like Techno and Euro Dance the best, not uncommon for children growing up in England right now. Although Lyra got the impression, from the way he talked about it, that the boy liked it because he was supposed to like it. Oh well, he was sure to begin developing his own opinions soon enough. He was at the right age for that.
Vinyl's horn lit up as she continued to make hoof gestures while Lyra translated. It suddenly became obvious she was merely trying to keep the boy calm and chatty, that way he didn't notice what she was doing.
Vinyl had discovered some kind of magical leech spirit curled up in the boy's magical pathways. It appeared to be a new species but they weren't too concerned about that right now. Removing it had been easy enough, a tad on the tricky side when compared to other magical parasites but not too hard. Then they stored the spirit into a magical incubator.
They didn't want to hurt the thing, after all. Magical leeches were creatures to. Once it was strong enough to survive without a host she could have it move to Tartarus where it couldn't hurt anypony while living it's life in a peaceful habitat with other leech spirits.
All in all, the colt had a hard life. The very fact he was so undercared for that a leech spirit could attach itself to the boy, for what was obviously years, was extremely disturbing.
Vinyl was complaining to her that a magical parasite could have been discovered by any basic physical.
Lyra actually had to remind her, in hoof language as to not scare or offend the child, that humans don't have as advanced scans as ponies... Then telling her about all the conflicting spells she found on the boy so it was likely magical humans were just barely starting to understand magic. So they likely didn't know these spells either.
If Humans were evolving into magic, to the point they had functional tribes, it was likely the ponies own fault if they were so deep in hiding the magicals couldn't find them.
Ponies had only really even allowed Anthropologist to go to the surface within the last few decades (due to humans polluting their oceans and Ponies needing to study the issue to detect if they were at risk and how to counteract it). They learned the witch hunts continued even without magical creatures. Most Anthropologists believed humans were just naturally paranoid and that they were looking to blame their issues on supernatural forces instead of bad luck. Lyra had a different theory.
Lyra had long since speculated about the possibility of magical humans on the surface. She had been studying humans since she could crawl and it was plainly written in their history that their ancestors still had interactions with magical creatures after Atlantis hid away at the bottom of the ocean.
Lyra had even gone to countries where Witch hunts were still happening, though she had yet to have come across one and see if the human really was magical... and she stopped doing that because her herd mates were worrying about her too much.
The humans of Japan supposedly live in harmony with magical creatures, but Lyra couldn't get funding for an expedition that far from the portal.
No, Lyra was a laughing stock for her "outlandish" theories about the existence of magical humans... but this child proved she was right. The spells on him even proved their were multiple family lines of them, given the nature of the spells... this poor abused creature was her proof... and she wished he wasn't if it meant he didn't have to go through his hard life.
The various spells on the foal proved there had to be other magical humans to cast the spells. They were far to complex in nature to be created by accidental magic... so the boy wasn't a fluke... there were more of them... hiding somewhere on the surface.
Did all magicals treat their children so? Surely they approve of it for them to even CREATE spells like the ones she found on the boy.
At least he was doing much better in recent years. Although he appeared to still get the occasional beating.
Flash got their attention, after the mares went back and forth between themselves for a while. Flash did a few hoof signs, which didn't particularly surprised Lyra.
Hoof Signing was taught in most schools as a popular elective. Ponies don't typically have to learn foreign languages, at least to speak it. Ponies inert magic let them instinctively understand everything spoken to them (even as babies before they could actually talk themselves).
Although they still had to learn how to read and write the traditional way, and ponies education in Primary School included learning how to write every word in every known language. Hoof Signing and Sheet Music were particularly popular electives because they weren't just learning how to write the same word a thousand different ways. They were complex and so different, ponies loved learning them.
So it wasn't that surprising that a barely grown colt, still fresh out of school, would remember a popular elective.
Flash revealed, in hoof sign, that the boy had been a student at the reform school because apparently he was a pyro. Flash speculated that could just be flare ups of magic and wanted the experts to test to see if the boy had a fire affinity. That would result in the boys flare ups coming out as fire every so often. Apparently, Flash thought humans might be natural elementals of a sort. It wasn't the most outlandish theory about magical humans.
Lyra and her herdmate tested the boy's affinity and found he was more inclined to fire magic, but it wasn't enough to really come out in his flare ups. what's this... two affinities? He had a strong Wind affinity as well but it was unheard of for magical creatures to possess more then one affinity.
The boy didn't even have a magical focus to cast spells at all. Then Flash told them, in hoof, that the boy did cast a chameleon spell on himself. That implied he had a natural focus... but testing the boy for one revealed he clearly didn't... at least... not a traditional one.
On closer inspection the unicorns realized what the boy had in place of a focus. He had an extra magical core. All magical creatures had three major organs that produced magic. The Brain, which generated light magic, the heart which channeled emotion based magic, and the Stomach, which channelled their Elemental Affinity... but this boy... had an extra core which generated pure unrestrained magic.
The organ wasn't physically there, but rather a cluster of his magical pathways... it was made of pure energy... untamed and wild.
The boy would need a focus to better train his magic, or else it would continue to be wild and dangerous. Unfortunately, focus Crystals were rather expensive. While it was common to find Crystals that could be used to generate power, even Crystals to enchant armor... finding one that could withstand magic being actively powered into it, on a regular basis, was difficult.
Of course, given the circumstances, Lyra believed she could convince Celestia to acquire one for the boy. She was a rather understanding and compassionate leader.
After fixing the boy up, and giving him a basic physical on top of it. Flash took him for a tour of the Castle.
Lyra was bouncing up and down the moment she was in private with her herdmate.
Lyra awed, "I knew it... I KNEW IT!!!" She cheered, "Through studying magical humans we can finally unlock the Mysteries of the Origins of magic!!! It's possible this is how all our ancestors developed when magic first started to manifest! Possibly how all creatures began until their bodies adapted to their magics and it started coming out in specific ways in the species. If we can find a large enough pack of magical humans, we could learn so much by studying them! EVERYTHING I HYPOTHESIZED WAS RIGHT!!!"
Vinyl clapped her hooves, smiling at her herdmate. Octavia was going to be particularly thrilled about Lyra's studies being proven right... especially since Octavia was rather obsessed with high society and was rather embarrassed by the nobles comments about their herdmate's theories.
Lyra eagerly went to Celestia to tell her all about her discoveries.
###
Albus straightened as he felt it, all of his monitoring charms on young Harry severing at once. The old wizard immediately feared the worst. Could the boy really be dead? He jumped out of his chair and nearly Apparated, but he managed to remember the anti apparation charms around Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That could have been... messy.
The old man was in near a panic as he rushed to his fireplace and threw the floo powder inside. He yelled the first location he could think of "The Burrow".
Molly Weasley gaped as Albus suddenly came barging through her floo. Before she could question the rudeness of his entrance he Apparated away.
Vanishing on the spot, Albus almost immediately appeared in the Dursley's living room... he heard... crying...
A walrus of a man was trying to calm a far too skinny woman and far too plump child.
Albus frantically looked around as he asked, "Where's Harry?"
The family suddenly took notice of him, "YOU!!!" Vernon Dursley left his family's side and stormed towards the old man, "What have you done to my family you FREAK!?"
Albus merely raised an eyebrow, not at all intimidated. "What happened?"
Vernon was starting to turn purple with anger, "I'm bloody well tell you what happened! One moment we were watching telly and the next, THIS HAPPENED! They just started crying for no reason! Then, not a moment later, YOU SHOW UP!!! THAT'S A HELL OF A COINCIDENCE, FREAK!!!"
Albus raised his wand, and Vernon immediately stopped talking. His purple face almost instantly turned to white. It took Albus a moment to figure out why. The man was scared he was going to attack him. Really now? Out of all the ridiculous ideas. As if Albus never dealed with an angry / confused parent before.
"It's just a diagnostic spell." Albus informed as he waved his wand... and the old wizard became sick.
Petunia's and her child's minds were resynchronizing themselves after being corrupted by magic for so long. It took Albus a few more wand waves to find the source... it was his own fault... Albus' spell to keep her on as the boy's guardian conflicted with her own desires to not have to deal with him... that could mean...
"Look, at me Petunia." Albus didn't really ask. The moment their eyes locked he looked into her mind... and became so horribly repulsed.
His spells... had backfired in an incomprehendible way.
She and her husband had brutalized the child because they couldn't be rid of him. Why hadn't his spells alerted him this was going on?
Looking at Vernon, the man's face was turning purple again. The Spell shouldn't have affected him. The guardianship spell was centered solely on Petunia.
Why didn't he stop it?
Looking into his mind... Albus threw the muggle into the wall.
"Petunia didn't have a choice," Albus observed, holding up his wand and gripping the handle tightly, "You did..." the very notion sickened him.
"Daddy!" the cry reminded Dumbledore there was a child present.
Albus dropped the man.
"Get out!" Petunia got up from the couch.
At first Albus thought she was talking to him, but no, she was glaring daggers at Vernon.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU BLOODY WALRUS!!!"
Vernon's eyes widened, before glaring at Dumbledore, "What have you done to my wife, you miserable freak!?"
Petunia took charge, "What he made me do was bewitch me to stay by a repulsive man like you!"
Albus blinked... he supposed his spell could have kept the Dursley's together. After all the spell was supposed to keep Harry under the same guardianship. As the spell being centered around Petunia, she couldn't leave Harry or Vernon.
Vernon was turning purple again, so Albus raised his wand, "I suggest you leave. Wizards aren't as forgiving to child abusers as muggles. The only punishment we have for it is death."
Vernon's eyes widened, "You bloody freaks! You dare threaten me in my own home! After you forced that disgusting little monster on us!"
"Where. Is. Harry?" Albus growled out.
###
Madame Bones, head of the Aurors (the wizarding police) appeared at the school for troubled muggles. She decided to come personally given the circumstances. She was always present at a missing child case but this... just who the child was might very well start a war between the muggle and magical worlds.
Sunset felt a surge of magic enter the school. At first she thought Harry was back, but the magic wasn't coming from the portal.
She traced the source and found 7 humans walking around in Halloween robes. They were waving around some sticks in their hands and casting spells through them. They had advanced "Notice-Me-Not" charms on them, that of course didn't work on a being as powerful as herself.
Sunset made sure to turn invisible so they wouldn't see her, as she followed them through the school. This could gravely interfere with her plans. The fact Harry had stumbled through the portal already complicated things but MORE magical humans? They were undoubtedly looking for the child Flash took. Did this mean Harry knew more about magic then he was letting on?
Regardless the last thing she needed was for a pack of magicals to be blundering about before she was ready... and they were getting closer to the portal. She couldn't allow this. If the magical humans made contact with the creatures of Atlantis it would surely prevent her plans from flourishing.
Sunset's forehead glowed a blueish green as she focused on the humans. They suddenly stopped, their eyes glazing over. Tartarus these mages had an impressive will. They were even fighting against her with their magic
Most ponies were rather weak when it came to magic. They could do a few simple spells but lacked the power or knowledge to put up much of a fight against her.
Ponies nearly always excelled at one thing and one thing only (typically directly related to their cutie mark.) However, these creatures were just as powerful as unicorns with a cutie mark in magic. She could feel the versatility and power. Yet, they were nothing when compared to herself. Sunset might not be as powerful as an Alicorn, but she was easily the greatest mage since Starswirl.
It took her only a moment to break through their defenses.
Once she was in, she began rewiring their minds with a simple lie they now believe was true... Harry Potter... was dead.
###
Gaara... didn't know what to do... they hadn't seen Harry since classes ended. It was just past curfew and soon it would be lights out, but there was still no sign of Harry.
He and his other roommates were laying in their beds, reading text books and writing out essays. They should be doing their homework at their desk but it was more comfortable on beds.
Kiba paused in his work to send a glare at the door, "That brat better get here soon! If the staff see he isn't here, and we didn't tell them, they are going to slaughter all our hides!"
"You don't think Harry ran away do you?" Gaara asked, in his usual monotone, yet there was a hint of worry to it.
Naruto poked his head down at him from his place on the top bunk. Harry was supposed to have the top bunk above Kiba... but that was currently empty... Gaara didn't like heights. They reminded him of... things...
"Of course not!" Naruto insisted, "That weirdo Harry actually likes it here! Why would he run away?" ignoring the fact that with the fences, and officers patrolling the grounds, it be near impossible to sneak off the premises.
Now Kiba was biting his lip, "He... he was pretty scared about that shrink coming to talk to him."
Gaara raised an eyebrow. He spoke, in that same uninterested tone with just an edge of emotion, "When one of those guys diagnosed me with Conduct Disorder, nothing bad happened. They just started sending people to talk to me regularly and I had to start attending those group therapy sessions."
Kiba snorted, "Even if Harry really is a pyro, it's not like he goes around stabbing anyone who slightly irritates him, like you do."
Gaara had a very calm, dispassionate personality... yet somehow he had a very explosive temper. It was hard for him to care about things yet he was very quick to acts of violence... anger was one of the few emotions he could feel with passion, and as such it was very intoxicating.
He could still feel... it was just lesser then what other people felt. His emotions were very dull, almost numb, just a small twinge when compared to how he understood other people felt. Empathy, in particular, was something he really struggled with.
Gaara did care about his friends but he tended to think of them as "his"... he was kinda possessive and had difficulty understanding they had their own emotions and opinions. He understood it, intellectually, but it was hard to care about that... he tried his best to make himself care about their feelings but he forgot to sometimes.
Conduct Disorder was what children went through before they become full blown sociopaths, and the school was putting a lot of effort into helping Gaara so he didn't develop into a serial killer or something.
They kept telling him how lucky he was that this disorder was discovered while he was young, when it could still be treated, maybe even have some of the damage done to his psyche reversed. His brain was still developing and adapting so the best case scenario is that they could help him feel again and come to understand social norms more easily.
He would always have trouble relating to others but a lot of the damage his Uncle did to him could be healed. Even though he would always be damaged goods, that didn't mean he couldn't have meaningful relationships or learn to function in society. Yes, he would have a much harder time of it, but he could still have a full and meaningful life... that's what he was getting from these sessions anyway.
There was a difference between a rebellious kid (like Kiba) and a legitimate mental disorder like "Conduct Disorder"... where Kiba could be cured with a spanking. Okays it was more like "Regular discipline combined with a nurturing environment". Gaara actually need that, plus talks with highly trained doctors... and medication to help dull his poor impulse control.
"Doesn't matter!" Naruto insisted, bringing Gaara back to the matter at hand. "Harry would NEVER leave without telling us!"
Gaara tilted his head to the side.
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Your supposed to at least say BYE to your friends when you run away. Is just polite."
Gaara nodded, another social nicety he didn't understand, but he would trust Naruto on this.
"If Harry REALLY ran away." Naruto speculated, "He would have told us. Then we would have done this big song and dance about not letting him leave without us. Then we ALL would have run away with him! Is basic friend code!" Naruto educated the sociopath in training.
Kiba snorted, "Then we would all come crawling back here as soon as our tummies rumbled and recieve the worst spanking of our lives."
Naruto scoffed, "I'll have you know, I made it a whole month on my own when I ran away from the orphanage... before the constables caught me." he reluctantly added.
Kiba rolled his eyes, clearly not believing him.
"Is true!" Naruto loudly proclaimed.
"Hum... Harry?" Gaara tried to get his friends to focus.
Naruto scoffed, "I'm sure he's fine. If he actually had any plans to run away, he would have told us. He's probably just serving a detention or something."
"That's a long ass Detention." Kiba commented.
Naruto scuffed, "Well where do YOU think he is."
"I think he ran away and didn't tell us because he has more trust issues then cats around Gaara." Kiba insisted.
Gaara scrunched up his nose, "I would never hurt a kitty."
"Oh yeah!" Naruto laughed, "Stabbing teachers with pencils is fair game. But harming something so cute and fluffy. Even Gaara understands that's a no-no."
Gaara nodded adamantly.
Kiba rolled his eyes , "It was just a lame 'your going to grow up to be a serial killer' joke." he told Gaara, "But if you want, you can go ahead and skip the 'animal mutilation' and go straight to people."
Gaara pretended to look thoughtful, just to mess with his friends. Thankfully, Naruto got the joke.
"Damnit Kiba!" Naruto laughed, sitting up on his bed and holding his sore sides from the laughter, "You shouldn't tell Gaara things like 'being a serial killer is a viable career path'! He might think your serious!"
Kiba sighed, looking at Gaara, "Killing people is bad, don't do that."
Gaara rolled his eyes, "I know that much." he just had a temper on him but it's not like he would actually go around killing people, and definitely not cats!... he liked cats... "But back to Harry?"
"We should probably cover for him." Kiba shrugged, as he got up and grabbed a pillow from each of their beds (they still had a couple more each). Before folding them under Harry's blanket's in a way that made it look like a boy was sleeping there. "This way he can at least get a full night's distance from here."
"He didn't run away," Naruto rolled his eyes as Kiba ruined his chuckles with his outlandish theory.
Gaara really wasn't sure who was right, but they both appeared to believe Harry wasn't in any actual danger at least.
###
● 3 Moons Earlier
Flash felt like crying. He had been caught messing with the portal, and gotten a very harsh caning as a result, but that was days ago so it wasn't what was bothering him now-- no-- they were moving the mirror portal. He wouldn't have access to the surface anymore... he wouldn't see Sunset...
He tried to act casual as he handed in his transfer request to Shining... The Captain's reaction was to bring him before Celestia. He knew they must be wondering why he was so obsessed with the portal... but he couldn't tell them. That he was sneaking off to see his special somepony was hardly a good reason for risking their world's exposure. There was a reason all magical life went into hiding...
Celestia looked at him a moment. Then turned her eyes to Shining. A strange seriousness to her. The usual playful mare had never looked so serious to the young cadet's eyes.
"Before you are transferred you must be made aware of the laws in the Crystal Empire." Celestia informed, looking back to him.
Flash blinked, was that all they wanted? To make sure he fully understood the implications.
Celestia continued, "The Crystal Empire has been missing for a thousand years. That means they are a thousand years out of touch with modern laws. Stallions are still very much treated, no that's not the word, they ARE second class citizens... that means there are many things you currently enjoy, and even take for granted, that could earn you a flogging for attempting to do over there. You will be constantly talked down to and not only treated but thought of as property. As far as the Crystal ponies are concerned you serve at the pleasure of their Princess, in ALL things."
Flash blushed, he was aware that the guard was still used as a Heram by the Crystal ponies... but honestly he doubted Cadence would ever make him do anything. Celestia was probably just trying to scare him.
"Don't get any notion that you would even have the option to refuse Princess Cadence, or believe that she wouldn't order such of you. By transferring to the Crystal Empire you are volunteering for her harem. She would be considered neglectful by the mares of her City State if she didn't 'tend to your needs'. To do so would result in the Crystal ponies losing respect for her as the caring Princess she presents herself as."
Flash blushed, part of him wondering, and worrying, how she knew what he was thinking. It was probably just a coincidence... still it was embarrassing to think about... he and Sunset hadn't even done more then kiss yet! Flash hadn't even let her get to second base yet! But he was supposed to let a stranger deflower him?
Shining was standing tall and looking stern, not arguing about his wife sleeping with ponies outside of the herd... well guess a Harem was kinda like a herd... it just involved a bunch of Stallions instead of a bunch of mares...
When Shining turned his eye at him, without moving his head, Flash snapped back at attention.
Once the colt was looking at her again, Celestia continued. "You will not be allowed to leave the castle without an escort. To the Crystal ponies you are a fragile creature that needs to be sheltered 'for your own good', and any notion that you are anything less then grateful will result in a foalish beating."
Flash's ears pinned.
"You are not an equal to the Crystal ponies, so you should not expect to be allowed to vote, nor even voice your opinion on any matters."
Flash hung his head.
"Whatever you are hoping to find in the Crystal Empire... would it be worth it?"
Flash looked up, and answered, without hesitation, "Yes," that indeed sounded like Tartarus but there was no question in his mind... it be worth it...
After he agreed, Celestia sent him to pack.
Once the colt was gone from sight, Shining looked at Celestia, "I thought you were trying to scare him. Why did you accept his transfer?"
Celestia sighed, "I was trying to stress the full implications of what he was asking for."
Shining stared at her in disbelief, "The whole point of moving the mirror to the Crystal Empire was so that THAT colt couldn't play with it anymore."
"He's not playing. I looked into his mind to see why he was so determined... Sunset is waiting for him on the other side... and he is trying to convince her to come back..."
Shining tilted his head, "Sunset?"
"Yes, that was a good few years before you were made Captain," Celestia remembered. "Sunset was my former apprentice before Twilight... I saw such raw power in her... and such ambition... I tried to sway her, even focusing her lessons more on ethics then magic, but that just resulted in her becoming resentful of me... originally... I had wanted her to achieve what Twilight later had. I wanted her to be my heir...
"I realize this may be selfish of me... but I failed that filly in so many ways, discouraging the darkness when I should have been focusing on nurturing the light. She decided to live down to my expectations, stole books on every dangerous magic I forbade her... then ran away to the surface... but it seems she is still reaching out to her colt friend... and he has been trying to convince her to come back... Like I said, selfish, but I want to see if he can do it."
Shining sighed, "I can understand you care for this fillie, but why not just force her back? Surely-"
"That's just it... I doubt we could. She has managed to stay hidden from my Anthropologist for near half a decade, despite apparently never going too far from the portal and even going back and forth between our worlds... besides, even if we did find her... she has grown too powerful...
"I know I don't look it Shining... but I'm old... Alicorns may get taller and more beautiful as we age... but we are still mortal. I have lived for over 2000 years... and I sense my time is coming. Is the exact reason I needed an heir... and why I acted so hastily with Sunset... I am old... and weak... The changeling Invasion proved that... I wouldn't be a match for Sunset anymore, not if her power progressed as I thought it would...
"I will not risk Twilight now that she has ascended into an Alicorn herself. She is still growing into her power, the same can be said of Cadence. Luna may be able to take her back by force. After all, she was in stasis all those centuries, so she is still at the peek of her power... but honestly the LAST thing I want is for my little sister to become aware of yet another of my failures... My ego is fragile enough."
Shining sighed, "Your highness... is it really the best option to let an untrained colt run around the human world?"
"No... which is why you are going to give him that training. Move him to the Anthropologist division of the Guard. Tell him if he is really so fascinated by humans he can learn how to properly interact with their world... then pretend not to notice when he sneaks through the portal. Keep your eyes on him but give him room... if he can succeed and convince Sunset to rejoin our world willingly..." she trailed off, as if she couldn't see how that would have any effect on their world other then making herself happy.
Shining sighed, before asking, "If the point was to have an Alicorn to one day take your throne... why not just train Cadence? Why take on Twilight? or even this Sunset before her."
Celestia eyed him a moment, wondering how much to tell him, "This does not leave the room. You will not even tell your wife... Do you still want to know?"
Shining bit his lip, then spoke up, "I am the Captain of the Guard. I need to know."
"Cadence ascended into an Alicorn on her own. Yet unlike the previous Alicorn Dynasty, she remained kind and pure. The power did not corrupt her... Seeing that I gained a new sense of hope. While I originally planned to just train her for my throne it became more and more clear she didn't want nor had the drive to make the big decisions. To hold lives of millions in her hooves with her every choice. She is too pure and wouldn't be able to handle that... at least... not alone...
"So I started looking for other exceptional foals that I could train to cooperate with each other. Believing if I trained them all myself, from a young age, they would grow up to have a greater moral compass then the Alicorns of old. While still being greatly respected by ponies for their power. I have not found many but I have found some. They are not yet ready to be made public, nor have most even ascended yet, but I am training them all to learn the art of politics with compassion."
"Your trying to set up a new Alicorn Dynasty?" Shining shuddered.
Celestia smiled, "Not quite, My sister and I helped fight against their tyranny, so we understand the need for safe guards. The current Government will still stand and act as a buffer to keep the Alicorns in check. The Alicorns will have some political power in the city states they protect but that will be their major purpose, protection.
"They will not have absolute power, as the nobles in their city state will be able to veto them as they can the city's Mayor. Then an Alicorn will not be permitted to serve on the Senate, where the Mayor of each city state meet once a moon to vote on national laws and set the budgets. The Senate will continue to keep Twilight in check, just as they do for me, voting on any law she attempts to pass through their opinion of what is in the best interests of Equestria. Well she to, will have the right to veto their bills. Then the Mayors will act as advisors to their own Princess well handling the daily operations of their city state. It will be a system with checks and balances to insure a safer Equestria."
"The Alicorns will mostly be spiritual leaders and champions to better protect the ponies... Once they are ascended and settled into their positions, I will retire and leave Equestria in their hooves. If all goes according to plan that should be within 10 years... Cadence actually knows all the Ponies I'm currently training. She was their foalsitter after all, to teach her responsibility and help guide them to unlock their destinies without realizing it."
Shining tilted his head, "But Cadence was Twilight's foalsitter for years before she became your apprentice."
Celestia smiled, "Alicorns have visions of the future. Vague though they may be, they are accurate enough for me to determine who had the power needed to become Alicorns. While I debated who would be who, I had Cadence watch them. Both to teach her patience and influence them with her strong moral compass. Not all the foals she looked after could actually be able to reach their potential, but I tried nurturing them all when the time was right. Cadence was vital in that. I'm glad she proved she is finally ready to take over her own City State."
Shining squirmed and Celestia picked right up on that. "You are not?" She asked, probing like a nosy mother.
"I am... just wish we could have settled in someplace not so... Traditional. Cadence has to work hard to keep both the Mayor and Governesses happy." The head of each noble family is called a "Governess" or "Governor". However they are usually a mare throughout most of Equestria, and exclusively mares in the Crystal Empire.
Shining sighed, "Honestly, that system you set up to 'keep Alicorns in check' makes it hard to pass any laws to give Stallions more rights, as the nobles keep vetoing her bills."
Celestia shrugged helplessly, "Democracy in action. This system may be harder to get anything done but it will result in fewer riots and gender wars then when I first attempted to force the issue, several centuries ago... hopefully Cadence doesn't try to use her power of emergency to pass a bill the Crystal Ponies aren't ready for. Social change is a dangerous process and the last thing any of us want is Stallions and Mares killing each other in the streets... Thankfully Cadence has more patience then myself at her age and seems to be keeping the peace well encouraging change. I heard she even got a bill passed against Stallions being married off against their will."
Shining shrugged, "It still doesn't prevent 'family duty' being used to pressure the Stallion. It's more of a baby step, but she was able to slip in that the Stallion could choose their own wife, even if the family doesn't approve."
Celestia smiled proudly, "More then I ever did, my first year on the throne."
"It helped that Cadence gave her guards permission to find lovers outside the harem. That made quite a few mares happy, although not exactly considered proper behavior, even the nobles are grateful their are some many potential baby factories now for any pony's use... the castle is more like a brothel with the frequency of the guards mare friends stopping by to visit." Shining blushed.
Celestia chuckled, "Cadence never was one to deny love."
Shining sighed, "You should have seen how the nobles acted when she performed her first Stallion to Stallion marriage. That nearly did cause riots... then she made that 'Stallion District' for them to interact with each other unsupervised by mares. Seeing how many gay Stallions moved in their permanently, and Cadence let them set up their own shops and recreation areas in there... well with how much Crystal ponies look down on working Stallions and consider gay Stallions as 'selfish deviants'...
"Well the nobles are treating the whole place as if it was a red light district, despite the Stallions mostly using it to just casually hang out and make friends. A few of the store owners set up areas for the sole purpose of discussing hoofball, comic books, O&O, and other Stallion focused entertainment. They really like the idea that they now have things specificlly catered to Stallions taste... It's easy to take that stuff for granted, with how common place it is now, but the Crystal Stallions definitely appreciate all of it.
"Things like O&O and enchanted comic books were originally made for Stallions and colts to have the fun of adventuring in a safe, mare approved, environment. So the Crystal Mares are letting them play, while shaking their heads in amusement... however they aren't too big of fans of the sports their Stallions are beginning to play.
"Many of the Stallions rather like the new sports, made just for them, that have popped up in the last few centuries. Still, the mares don't think Stallions are fit enough to compete in sports. They don't trust all the protection enchantments on the uniforms, as apparently those weren't nearly as reliable in their day.
"Cadence is trying to get the Stallion centered schools to get their own sports teams but that has been hard work. The mares are worried the colts might hurt themselves. I'm sure once we convince them of the safety of how magic has evolved, they will agree to letting Stallions form their own sports teams... ideally they will even let them join in the Stallion nationals. Right now they just play in secret in the Stallion district and their wives punish them if they learn of it... mostly they get punished if they are SUSPECTED of playing those 'dangerous games'."
Shining sighed again, "Cadence set up free taxis for Stallions, specifically meant to get them from their homes to the District... of course the nobles passed laws that say the taxi mare is to make sure the Stallion has finished their chores, beat them like errant foals if they haven't, and that all the shops and clubs in the Stallion district must be closed 1 hour before school gets out for the foals... that way the Stallions are still tending the children and taking care of the house...
"Cadence was going to Veto it, but with how tense things had gotten since the District has opened (especially since all the shops inside are run by the Stallions, with even more Stallions getting part time jobs there) Cadence thought she might be forcing them to move forward too quickly. To avoid a riot she let the Crystal ponies take a step backwards, to let them catch their breath. Thankfully she was able to talk the Nobles out of the Stallions needing permission slips from their wives, or mother, to even let them enter the district. That would have defeated the entire purpose.
"... we... we actually staged an incident where I talked back to Cadence in court, about the restrictions for the Taxi mares... Even if it was planned, her spanking me in front of all the Governesses was embarrassing as all Tartarus, let's not even talk about how much it hurt, but it gave the nobles a new found respect for Cadence, and strangely towards me to...
"A few days later, well we were in private, again Cadence asked if she could start punishing me more often, for real things... you know, cuz it worked so well to get the nobles on her side... I guess I'm lucky I was at least asked as Cadence still considers me her equal but most of the Stallions I have come to know never got that choice... so I kinda felt obligated to agree for their sake..." Shining blushed and squirmed a bit, "I know the Stallions really warmed up to me when they learned I got punished to... they were beginning to think me a bit spoiled and unrelatable. I actually got a lot of friends after that... they all think I'm brave now each time I question Cadence or give her my advice... which she allows so long as it isn't well we are in session... I've gotten it for real for 'speaking out of turn' during her meetings now.
"Anyway, it seems not even the Crystal Stallions approve of how lax Mares outside their empire are. Apparently they are so bucking brainwashed they actually believe all that hay about a Stallion's natural place being 'under the protective guidance of their mares'."
Celestia gave a serious nod, "It will take time to get them more accustom to modern thinking... and they may never fully adapt to our ways, but your helping make things better for their Stallions."
Shining gave a hesitant nod back. Looking back at the door, "I just hope that colt really thought this through."
###
● Present Day
Harry... had a fun day.
He felt tired after exploring the castle with Flash... despite the fact he had been on Flash's back the whole time. Still it felt amazing and awesome and so sad that it was over.
Flash was once again in his human form, as they stepped out into the smoggy night sky of the surface world. Harry couldn't help but notice how the air smelled different up here. Flash ruffled the boy's hair as they began their journey to the dorms.
"Remember, the princess wants you to meet Lyra at the portal, tomorrow." Flash smiled, as they took a few steps away from the statue portal. "You need to report immediately after school. Lyra wants to try to use some spells to trace your family line. We might be able to locate some magical family members. Don't get your hopes up, as we might not find any, but I promise. You will never be going back to the Dursleys." Flash had always known Harry didn't like his relatives, that was practically a given based on all the kids attitude at the school, but he had no idea the boy's homelife was so bad. Flash was always a tad overprotective of the little ones at this school... but now...
Flash suddenly stopped as he heard the sound of a branch break under a hoof.
His guard instincts kicking in, he subtly reached for something in his pocket. Spinning around Flash pulled out a large cross bow from his small pocket and aimed it towards the noice.
There was a scream of "Don't Shoot!!!" and thankfully Flash didn't.
Flash jerked his crossbow at a bush near the fence line, "Come out of there!"
Harry's eyes widened as a small gathering of ponies, that came up to about his waist, slowly came out of the bush.
One was a grey Pegasus colt with a dark grey mane and purple eyes. Another was a pale purple Unicorn filly with a yellow mane and matching eyes. Then an orange Pegasus filly, with wings so small, and a pinkish purple mane. Next was a small and pudgy white Earth Pony colt with patches of brown in his fur, and one over his eye. Finally was another Earth Pony colt, a dark brown with an orange coat.
Flash groaned as he put his crossbow back in his pocket. "What are you lot doing here? Your parents must be worried sick!"
The foals looked down and some of them scuffed their hooves, "We just wanted to see the humans..." Answered the unicorn.
The brown colt tried to explain, "Mama Lyra is always talking about how cool they are and-"
The grey Pegasus kicked him and the brown colt immediately started crying. "Way to go Button!" Snapped the Pegasus colt, "Now he knows who our parents are and he's totally going to tell on us!"
Flash groaned, "I'm not going to tell on you," it be pretty hypocritical if he did, "But you better get back through the portal before-"
The Portal suddenly sprung to life. The foals immediately ducked back into the bush.
Flash sighed at their antics. Then smiled at just who he saw come through.
"I must have just missed you." He smiled and started walking over to Sunset... then stopped when he saw what she was holding. He gulped, "Sunset... what did you do?"
Sunset scoffed, "I seized an opportunity. Thanks for sending the entire Summit into a panic, by the way. After talking all day about what to do with the little miracle child, they crashed into their beds soon after they called the meeting. Made it easy to sneak around and grab this."
She raised the crown, the element of magic itself, the most powerful artifact ever created.
Flash groaned, "Come on Sunny, that's a real nasty prank."
Prank? Sunset blinked, but decided to go along with that. She hadn't wanted Flash involved with her plans, after all. "Oh Relax, I'll return it in a few days. I just want to mess with that foal Twilight." She lied, "She'll think she misplaced her element, and get in huge trouble with Celestia!" Sunset laughed. She was a great actress, if she did say so herself.
Flash shook his head.
Sunset rolled her eyes, "Just let me enjoy this. I know it's petty but that bucking brat was given everything that was supposed to be mine! At least let me enjoy this tiny payback."
Flash sighed. Then he whispered into Harry's ear, in a not at all quiet voice, "Definitely belongs in a troubled youth center."
Sunset huffed while Harry laughed. Though secretly she was glad Flash bought it.
"Don't worry Sunset," Harry assured, "I think it's an awesome prank."
"Thank you Harry," Sunset smiled.
Flash turned his eyes back at the bush, "Go home! and feel free to tell on Sunset."
"We aren't tattletales!!!" screamed the bush.
Sunset blinked at the bushes.
An Orange Pegasus filly galloped out of the bushes and smiled brightly at her, "I can't believe your pranking the Princesses!!! That is so bucking awesome! Just wait until I tell Rainbow Dash! I bet she would get a kick out of this to!"
"Language!" Flash snapped.
Harry tilted his head, having not realized that was an actual curse in Atlantis.
"But you say 'buck' all the time Flash?" Harry gave his best look of pure innocence, while knowing full well he was making Flash squirm.
Which indeed Flash did, he was blushing and squirming at being called out.
Sunset looked over at the bushes as she saw something move behind them, "The rest of you lot better come out. If I have to go in there, I'm tanning all your flanks."
Just as she suspected, a group of children hesitantly stepped out of the bush. They appeared to be about Harry's age. The only thing that really shocked her was too see so many colts in one gathering. Colts were pretty rare in Equestria and by the feel of these foals magic they were all siblings, or at least had the same father. Their Dad must have some pretty impressive genes.
"We'll just be going now." The unicorn blushed as she tried to steer her brothers over to the portal. Worried they might catch it. The colts, being good colts, listened to their sister, and started making their way too the portal.
Sunset couldn't allow this. She was so close but now there was a large group of children who knew she took the crown. One of them was bound to tell Celestia and then all her plans would be for not. The orange filly even said she knew Rainbow Dash, even planned to tell her!!! From what Flash had told Sunset about the current state of politics in Equestria, Rainbow Dash was one of the new Elements of Harmony.
The Purple filly tried to walk through the portal and ended up connecting with the stone of the pedestal the statue was on.
Flash chuckled, "Here," he smiled as he walked over and touched the statue as the filly rubbed her sore muzzle. "There is a trick to it." he suddenly frowned as he tried to pour his magic into the portal to activate it... but nothing happened.
He looked back at Sunset, to ask for her help, when he noticed her forehead was glowing. He rolled his eyes, "That's enough pranking for one day, don't ya think?"
Sunset's eyes began to tear up. She had promised herself she would never do this to her Flasher... but she couldn't let the foals go.
"I'm sorry, Flash..." Sunset trailed off, "But you never really understood me... you always saw the best in me and I wanted to believe it was possible... but I'm not that good filly... If Celestia taught me anything, it was that..."
Flash frowned, even now, not understanding.
Her eyes began to glow, "It's time I embrace the truth." she wormed her way into all their minds... even Flash's. She had come too far to leave anything to chance.
Unlike with the magical humans, she felt little resistance, at least nothing that could give somepony of her power any trouble. She needed to get this done, so she erased the memory of them seeing her with the crown. She even altered their memories to make them think she walked over to them from the school, as she stuffed the crown in her pocket.
###
● The Next Morning, in The Crystal Empire.
"How could you have misplaced the element of magic!" Celestia scolded as her hoof collided with the Alicorn filly's purple rump, turning it a deep red.
"I'M SORRY!!!" Twilight shrieked. It had been over a year since she found herself in this situation. Then when she had ascended into an Alicorn, she assumed it was no longer an option.
Twilight cried, and kicked all 4 of her pony legs as her flank was repeatedly struck by Celestia's hoof. The young mare's wings and tail were pinned to her back by the other regal hoof. All Twilight could do was cry as she was punished like a filly.
Ponies might be legally adults at 15, but all that meant was they were able to have sex, drink softer liquors (like Cider, beer, and most fruity drinks), move out of their parents, and work at a real job instead of just an apprenticeship. They couldn't actually vote or lick salt, and wouldn't be able to for several more years.
However these were all considered more legal "privileges" then "rights". It was up to Parents / guardians, and legally appointed mentors, to dictate if their charge was mature enough to handle these privileges. With the right to still punish them should their charge act against their wishes. Even most crimes were still punishable by spankings for anypony under 30.
Ponies slowly got more and more privileges that eventually became rights when they turned 30. This way they weren't thrusted into adulthood all at once.
Many parents trust the foal's mentor to look out for the interest of their child after they come of age, at 15. Other foals have mentors appointed for them long before that. With private tutors teaching them their desired trade and magic abilities in addition to school. Usually the mentor is a family member, or a close family friend.
Twilight might be legally an adult, of 16, but because of how adulthood works in Equestria most still saw and treated her as a child... at least until her wings grew in a few moons ago. Now many creatures ignored her age in favor of her title... it might have gone to her head...
Twilight yelped as she got a particularly hard smack.
"Don't start crawling into that head of your's," Celestia scolded, "I want you here, feeling every smack."
"Y-yes Princess!" Twilight cried.
That wasn't fair at all! Celestia usually didn't mind when Twilight started thinking about statistics, scientific theories, or laws. They helped her distract herself from the pain, though she still felt it. It just helped her cope with them better.
"Your highness?"
Twilight's face exploded as she heard a new voice, while Celestia didn't even pause in the beating.
A stuffy looking mare, with glasses and a clip board, just walked into Celestia's private room in the Crystal Castle. The unicorn didn't even bat an eye, seeing Twilight over her mentor's lap, getting a spanking. It's not like she hadn't walked in on this a thousand times before... regardless... it was embarrassing as all Tartarus.
Twilight was a Princess now. She definitely shouldn't still get spanked and under no circumstances should anypony be allowed to know she does.
"Yes Raven?" Celestia still wasn't letting up, but was willing to hear what her unicorn assistant had to say.
Raven never interrupted one of Twilight's punishments unless it was important.
"Lady Rainbow wishes to speak to you. She says it's urgent." Raven announced, "She is with a filly who claims to have seen the element of magic."