//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: CONFUSION // Story: The Son of infinity // by Krystl_Fae //------------------------------// NLQGQHVV <<>> Celestia I opened the door slowly with magic, hoping not to startle the colt whom was holding onto my side as if I might disappear at any moment. In the last few hours, I had managed to get him to open up to me, enough that he felt comfortable with my presence. So far, he had stayed in the bedroom the whole time, so I had decided to take him out and into the main living space of my chambers. He was quite nervous, though I guess that I would be too, if I was in his position. I had made sure the guards outside my chambers knew not to disturb us while we were here, and to not let their presence be known, as it would almost certainly frighten the foal by my side. I draped a wing over him to hold him close as we entered the main room. It was nothing much; a seating area cantered around a fireplace took up most of the center of the room, with one of the sides constituting my “study”, comprised of a desk covered in papers, while the other side was made into a lounge area for the summer months, with large glass doors that could be opened to let the cool summer breeze through. The colt was looking around at the unfamiliar space, when the fireplace managed to catch his attention. I had kept both this one and the one in my room lit throughout the day to keep the rooms warm, as it was still the middle of winter, but the one in my room had died out last night, and I had not thought to light it again this morning. Seeing that the fireplace was his source of interest, I walked the colt over and we stood in front of the flames. The fire itself seemed to mesmerize him, like someone who had just seen the stars for the first time. There was a look of wonder on his face, as if… I wonder… “Have you not seen a fireplace before?” The colt snapped out of his trance and jumped a little at the unexpected sound of my voice, but managed to calm down soon enough. He looked thoughtful for a moment, staring at the ground, before he raised his head and moved it side to side. I was intrigued. How could anypony not have seen fire before? Unless, perhaps… I decided to ask another question. “I… do not mean to be rude, or to push you, and you do not have to answer if you don’t want to, but… just how long have you been on the streets of Canterlot?” He continued looking up at me for a few seconds, before looking down and doing something with his hoof. At first I thought he didn’t want to answer, and I was about to repeat that he didn’t have to; but then he moved back a little, revealing what he had written in some of the stray ashes that littered the immediate area around the fireplace. 13YRS? I looked back at him. “13?” He took the hint, and gestured to his head with a hoof while shaking his head side to side. He doesn’t remember… 13 years… that’s almost how old I would guess him to be. Was he aba- …was he lost when he was very young, and had to grow up on the streets when his parents never found him? I don’t remember any such incident coming to my attention… And I was still unwilling to accept the possibility that he was abandoned. The next day, I left him in my chambers so that I could speak with the captain of the guard. I ordered her to round up every missing pony case file over the past twenty years, and look for anyone under the age of ten. She quickly got to work; and while she searched through the mountains of documents, I reorganised my schedule for the next few weeks, until when I would start preparing study material to send to Twilight for the “semester”. Twilight… I would need to look into introducing the two of them… Cadance too. They would likely be concerned about my recent behaviour as well, but that would all be resolved in due time. Perhaps I should take on the colt as a student as well. He certainly has magical potential within him, the preliminary reports I received from Green Remedy proved that, though the numbers would need to be double checked next time he had a check-up. They didn’t seem to accurately line up with any normal unicorn’s magical abilities. Despite the numerous complaints I knew the council members would give, I told Silver Quill to announce my temporary leave of absence. I would remain with the colt for as long as possible during the next week, though I asked to be notified of anything immediately worthy of my attention. I would also make a point of spending only one or two days a week working through petitions in day court rather than the usual five. While the council could wait, my ponies could not. It might also be good for the colt as well, learning to adapt to being on his own in an unfamiliar place. I soon returned once more to my chambers, and found the colt (I really need to find out his name…) reading one of the many books I had collected and stored on one of the bookshelves around the room. When he noticed me, he almost went ballistic; attempting to hide that he had been reading something while I was gone. I smiled and giggled a little bit at his failing antics. It was rather cute to watch him struggle around, but I got a hold of myself and walked over to him, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s alright, you don’t have to hide it from me. You can read anything you want; and if you need any help, just let me know.” He looked a little relieved that I wasn’t mad with him, and stopped trying to hide the book from me. It was a book I had not read for a long time: Magical Theory 3rd Edition – Beings of Magic (Advanced) by Starswirl the Bearded. I was interested in why he chose this book instead of one of the many others lining the bookshelves around the room, but I chose to shrug it off. “It is getting rather late; would you like me to get something from the kitchen for you while I am there?” He nodded his head in response. As I left the room, I could make out the faintest sound of his sigh of relief. I turned my head a little to look back through the doorway, and saw that he had resumed reading. While his behaviour was undoubtedly adorable; after what he has gone through, his odd behaviour only troubles me even more. <<>> Celestia Green Remedy finished packing her equipment into her medical bag. “As far as I am aware, Princess, the young colt is in good health; though I would recommend giving his mane and tail a trim sometime soon.” “Thank you, Green Remedy.” “It’s fine, your highness, I’m happy to be of help. Is there anything else you wanted from me while I was here?” Green Remedy had arrived that morning at Celestia’s request to check up on the foal and ensure he was alright. He was very nervous at first, but when I explained to him that Green Remedy had been the one to heal him, leaving out the part where he was on death’s doorstep and how she saved his life, he started to calm down to the point where he was merely shy. “Actually, yes. I would like to speak with you for a moment if that is fine.” “Of course, Princess.” I turned to the colt. “We will be back shortly.” He nodded his head and after Green Remedy left the room, I saw him moving to read a book from one of the shelves. He had taken an interest to several books, so I had moved a copy of each to the bedside table for him to read whenever he wanted; which might seem odd, but he would only enter another room if I was there with him. It was almost as if he didn’t want to do anything wrong, and so he followed my instructions carefully and to the letter; but a far more extreme variation. I walked into the short hallway outside my chambers and closed the door behind me. “Remedy, I want to ask you… is he truly alright?” “What do you mean princess?” “I mean…” *sigh* “Is there anything off about him; something that just seems… odd.” “Not particularly… he’s a normal unicorn colt, as far as- wait… actually, I can think of something.” I nodded for her to continue. “I was looking into his magic again, as per your request, and it is a little unusual. It’s nothing too substantial, and is certainly nothing outside the norm for unicorns; but his magic levels seem to be quite elevated when compared to other unicorns his age. They almost resemble the levels of a post mana-crisis unicorn, even though he is still yet to go through his mana-crisis phase.” This was odd, but it only confirmed the preliminary numbers from before. He was indeed more powerful than an average unicorn. Perhaps I was wrong… Most unicorns would go through mana-crises in their teen years (an event more commonly referred to nowadays as “magic puberty”). It was an event that would increase the magic potential of a unicorn to its maximum natural state for the adult stage of their life. “And, if what you’ve told me about him is correct, I don’t quite understand how he is so intelligent after living on the streets of Canterlot for 13 years...” “Hm…” That was also true. He was capable of reading without a problem, and was certainly capable of reading advanced magical theory if his interest in Starswirl's books are any indication; yet since he arrived here, he hasn’t spoken a single word or used magic of any kind… and all of this after who knows how long of… well, that. I also remember asking him about his magic before as well, but he refused to show me any, despite his apparently extensive knowledge of magic theory. “Thank you, Remedy. You’re dismissed.” Green Remedy bowed and left down the stairs at the other end of the short hallway, while I returned to my chambers. It was certainly possible he could have taught himself, using books from Canterlot Library… The longer I stay with this colt, and the more I learn about him, the more intriguing his story becomes.