-=-=- Graphite -=-=-
Worst feeling ever. Never, I repeat, NEVER use all your magic in one spell. Imagine the hangover you'd have if you were able to drink an entire liquor store in one night. I'm not entirely sure if I'm even still alive at this point, I haven't moved all day. Cara, my little guardian angel, has been keeping me company and watching over me since I appeared in our room last night. She was terrified at first because I wouldn't wake up and had my boss check to see if I was still alive. According to Mrs. Binding I'm very lucky to be alive. After I finally woke up this morning she told me that I had nearly destroyed my horn with the amount of magic I forced through it, hence the gargantuan migraine.
So far nopony knows about what happened with me and the changelings and I'd prefer to keep quiet about it. No sense in worrying them with past events, I'm back and apparently safe from the changelings for now. I will have to tell them some details about why I nearly died but that can wait for a few days. I'm too damn tired to think of an excuse right now and I don't think I should take a chance at pissing Discord off by telling ponies that he's no longer trapped in stone.
If I wasn't dealing with the worst headache in the world right now I'd be enjoying this lazy day. Cara is asleep curled up next to me, she'd had a rough night keeping watch over me after Mrs. Binding told her what was wrong with me. Thinking back on my actions I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea drawing in Discord's magic like I did. For the moment I don't feel any different from before aside from the headache, but until my magic returns I won't know for sure. For now though I'm just going to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet.
*Knock* *Knock* "Graphite, are you awake?"
'God damn it.' Never a moments peace these days. "Yeah, what's up?" I called towards the door.
The door opened just enough for my boss to stick her head in with a look of nervousness on her face. "Princess Luna is here to see you if you're feeling up to it." She glanced back Into the hallway before speaking more quietly. "She seems rather upset about something, and she says it's urgent that she speaks with you. It took all the confidence I had to ask her to wait so I could see if you were awake." She fidgeted nervously while waiting for a response.
It's rather unlike her to act this way even around the princesses. She's starting to make me a little nervous.. "I guess I shouldn't keep her waiting. Just ask her to try not to make too much noise, Cara's finally asleep."
With a nod Page Binding silently backed out and closed the door.
-=-=- -=-=-
Unbeknownst to the general public and nobles of Canterlot, the castle was on high alert. Guards were posted at every doorway and every hallway intersection. Celestia had remained at the castle while Luna left to investigate the suspiciously familiar magic ambient that they both felt lingering through the city. Neither felt the initial shockwave but they both felt the residual effects. Luna however sensed something else. She could sense Graphite Quill's distinct magic interlaced with the chaotic magic lingering in the air.
She had made her way to Graphite's residence to clear the air and see what happened. She told Celestia very little about her findings, only that she was going to check the city for any trouble. She sat waiting at the front desk as the librarian checked on Graphite. She was more worried than ever upon hearing of him being bedridden especially since his disappearance the previous day. She was considering checking on him herself when the librarian returned.
"He's awake but Cara is asleep. She had a rough night so please try not to wake her."
Luna nodded and followed the old mare up the stairs to Graphite's room. She silently entered through the door to see Sir Quill laying next to his sleeping adopted daughter. He looked exhausted and in pain but he still smiled when he saw her. His smile helped to alleviate her worries by a small amount but she still had allot of questions for him.
"So," he said quietly. "what's up with you? You look stressed Lulu." His smile never wavered.
Luna fought the blush she felt arising at his use of her nickname. "I am happy to see that you are still well enough to flirt Sir Quill." She said as she cast a scanning spell on Graphite. Her eyes shot wide as she felt how damaged his magical reserves were. She felt tears forming as she realized how close he had come to dying from mana depletion. "Graphite what happened to you!?" She asked in a surprised whisper. "Are you okay?"
He shrugged. "I've been better, but It's nothing I can't handle."
Just as she was starting to berate him for his flippant attitude toward his condition she remembered the lingering magic of the night before. "I hope you are correct Sir Quill. I hope you will forgive me for asking this, but it is my duty to investigate possible dangers to my subjects." She paused to take a deep breath before questioning her friend. "Are you responsible for the chaos magic that my sister and I have detected throughout the city?"
'shit! They knew about that? Damnit Discord I told you they'd sense your magic eventually. Then again Luna is asking me if I'm responsible so she must've sensed my magic as well.' Graphite thought. A few moments of silence later he replied. "Yes, that was me."
Luna's blood ran cold as she thought about what this could mean for her friend. Could he be working to free Discord? Or is he just dabbling in magic he doesn't understand? "Sir Quill chaos magic is highly prohibited! Ponies lost the ability to control chaos magic eons ago, long before my banishment. How are you even able to harness such power?"
The human turned unicorn simply shrugged before looking down in mock shame. "Since I started learning magic I've found it to be very easy. No matter the spell I've always been able to cast it easily, and I was content with that at first." He then looked over to his adopted griffon daughter and smiled a sad smile. "Then she came into my life. I love Cara more than anything and I'll do anything to keep her safe. I'm a powerful spell caster but there will always someone stronger." He then turned a determined look to Luna. "I've been researching different forms of magic that most ponies wouldn't be able to counter. Something strange is going on in Canterlot, Celestia told me of the changelings. They're nearly impossible to detect with normal magic so I thought to try something else."
"And the chaos magic? How did you cast it? It shouldn't be possible." Luna questioned.
"I'll admit I had some help." Graphite said. He then noticed Luna's look of trepidation and realized that he should explain more. "You've heard of poison joke right?"
Luna cast a look of pained suspicion. "I have indeed heard of that vile plant."
He continued. "I found out that the plant generates a small amount of chaotic energy which fuels its effects. After some tests I was able to absorb the magic from them. It was more powerful than any magic I've ever felt."
"Sir Quill. You say you absorbed the magic from the plant?" No longer was Graphite talking to his friend, he was talking to the princess of the night trying to protect her subjects.
Slight panic arose In Graphite Quill's mind before he spoke. "Yes, I was away from Canterlot for most of yesterday searching for it in the forest."
"Then why exactly is there lingering chaos in the city if you were in the forest?"
Graphite thought for a moment trying to think of a believable excuse. Most of his story was just that, a story. "At first everything was fine, so I tested a few small spells. They were far more powerful than anything I had ever cast in the past but otherwise I saw no ill effects from the absorbed magic. It was starting to get late so I decided to really test the magic by teleporting back to Canterlot. I thought it was working just fine until the spell started to overwhelm me. Everything after that is a blur. I woke up here this morning feeling like shit and unable to cast."
-=-=- Graphite -=-=-
I hate myself. I lied to the mare I love just to save my own ass from Discord's wrath. I just said the L word didn't I.. I guess I kinda knew from the start that I'd fall for her but I never thought we'd be this close so quickly. I mean for fucks sake she believed every word I said and even promised to smooth things out with Celestia about the whole ordeal. She thinks I just overloaded the spell and it caused me to black out from mana burn.
I'm trash. She deserves better than me and my bull shit. After my meeting with the princesses as the 'other' me at the Gala, I'm leaving Canterlot.
I'm honestly not sure where we should go but I have to think about Cara. Now that I've calmed down after my run in with Discord I'm still going to try my best to preserve the storyline. However some things are starting to sound a little off, some information isn't quite lining up with my knowledge of the show. Hopefully I'm just overthinking things or remembering wrong. I've got enough of my own crap to worry about already, I don't need a surprise attack from some unknown enemy that wasn't on the show.
Maybe we could go to Baltimare? It would make sense, Mrs. Binding and the princesses think that's where I used to live before Canterlot. I'll have to check the train schedule and see if it runs that far. Man telling Luna is going to suck, I'm gonna miss her...
"Dad? You okay?" Cara's sudden question brought me back from my thoughts. How long have I been thinking about this? I thought she was still asleep...
"I'm fine hun just lost in thought. Did you need something?" I asked.
She shook her head and smirked. "No, I only asked because you had that funny look on your face again."
"Funny look?" I questioned. Is she messing with me or do I really make faces when I'm thinking?
"Yeah! That's the one!" She said excitedly. "So what were you thinking about that was causing that grumpy face?"
Damn it, I've got an internal monologue face. "Well I've just been thinking about taking a little trip to Baltimare and staying for a while after the Gala. It'd be a nice break from the nobility around here."
"Isn't that the city next to the ocean that we flew over on our way back from the Griffon Kingdom? Oh and that's also where you lived before Canterlot right?" She asked.
"Yes and yes." I raised an eyebrow. "Did Mrs. Binding tell you that?"
"Yep, she told me when she was helping me memorize the map of Equestria."
"Wait, you memorized the entire map of Equestria?" I was astonished. I knew she was a smart kid but damn.
"Yep. She said I should always know how to get home if I'm lost. Plus it will help me later in life when I become a mail carrier!" She said excitedly.