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// Everyone's Favorite 
// Story: Angels and Demons 
// by lunabrony 
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Stay here? No, he couldn't. First of all, as much as his father was cold and his brother was distant they were still family. Secondly, he didn't want to infect this world inadvertently. He worried that just indirectly he'd have that effect. That those horrors would seep out of him, and then these ponies would know real horror. floating the unsolved puzzles into his saddle bag, and handing the solved ones back to the shop owner he left. He considered building puzzles, but he wasn't sure that this was his talent. He knew of puzzles, but was that really what his talent was?

Angel would be sad if he left, but she wouldn't protest it. She had done everything for him thus far, and hadn't asked a single thing in return. She'd shown him wonders not even his dreams could have come up with. His talent was likely something to do with unlocking something, or solving something, but as to what, he hadn't the faintest idea. In his thoughts, he'd become distracted, and as he turned a corner, he collided right into another pony.

He shook himself, hoping he hadn't poked something out with his horn. Thankfully it they collided chest against chest, sending him onto his flanks in the dust. Shaking himself off he told himself not to be so distracted the next time. And thankfully, this collision made him stop morbidly obsessing over his inheritance

.The grey mare he'd run into apologized profusely. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I was just on my way to the coffee shop for the new cranberry apple muffins they have and wasn't watching...and... I'm sorry!" She looked up at him and-GAH! What was WRONG with her eyes? "Are you okay?"

It was hard to tell whether this was cruel, or good, whether she was just eccentric or… "Hello." Seemed about as good a time as any to strike up a random conversation. He had been thinking about something awful and he didn't feel like resuming a bad inner conversation. "The name's Silver." Still didn't come off as smoothly. About all that he could say was that after a full day of hearing all sorts of names from Licorice to Gem and Hiccup, it didn't sound as uncommon. "We all bump into people sometimes."

The mare was... dare I say it... bubbly. "Nice to meet you Silver! I'm Der-" "NO!" There was a blur of pink from out of nowhere, who tackled the grey mare to the ground and stuffed a cupcake in her mouth. The pink mare sat up, panting heavily. "You can't say that! Then the author is gonna have to spend a whole lot of time editing out your dialogue and we don't have time for that!" Silver had no idea who this was or what she was going on about. This place was starting to get very strange.

He didn't know her name, but he'd seen her. "Hey, I know you.. or I know of you. Saw the papers today." Though it was a several days old newspaper. He'd only really noticed it because he was looking at the differences between the ponies. Five friends at the coronation of the princess. Its what he'd wanted to ask Angel about. However the outrageously (even for this world) curly hair and bright pink was fairly recognizable.

The pink pony beamed. "Oh! That's so nice! And I know you too, Silver Key!" Wait, how did- "You totally have to invite me to your birthday in 173 days! It'll be the best day EVER!" She squealed. His headache was coming back. "I don't normally like newspapers, they make me look fat." With that remark, she suddenly inflated like a balloon until she was almost perfectly round, then deflated with a loud hissing noise.

He tried to at least bite the head ache down. It was something he'd have to face. Though the excited attitude of the pony didn't help it. She knew his name? Where from? Official statement from the queen? Private memo to her friend, who'd told her. He'd been here a few days; Hotly contested topics between the few princesses? Hmm, unlikely; Not clear what Novaria inferred about him, but she seemed to react more to him being in proximity to her daughter and not being on Novaria's approval list than suspicion of being a visitor. "Congratulations on your friends… birthday?" He tried to count up the days, when was his birthday again. The headache was making it painful to think.

"Thanks! We're all real happy for her! Oh! I gotta go!" She dove into a nearby mailbox, and the lid slammed shut. When the cross-eyed pegasus went to open it, there was nothing but a few letters. "...That's Pinkie for you."

Another pang, it was a bad one, not one of two moments he'd had where everything seemed to disappear. He'd almost forgotten the reality of the pain. The non sequitors of the pink pony was lost on him, this world could do anything it seemed. Though he suspected, from the way the grey pony reacted that it was a rarity. Slow breaths. He had no idea what helped to calm the pains, other than Angel and the painkillers he couldn't bring. He tried not to whimper. Don't let it be another one of those attacks. Two hours without Angel… no, he refused it couldn't be like that. He wouldn't be a cripple he couldn't navigate without her help, that wasn't fair to her. "Uhm... De... whatever your name is, I need help to find back to my hotel. I'm a little sick." Despite his good memory he had a hard time remembering the library.

Angel would likely have  been glad to help him, but even if he HAD stayed here with her, what if she got called out on an emergency for a day or more? He couldn't rely on her every time the crippling pain returned. She had mentioned that every unicorn had a special magical talent. Hers was a specialty in healing. What if he couldn't heal himself, even with magic training? What if his specialty turned out to be navigation, or cosmetology? The mare nodded. "Oh no, that's not good! Come on, this way!" She rushed out into the street, almost getting run over by a carriage pulled by a pair of enormous stallions. "Out of the way!" One of the stallions scolded. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry!"

He tried to distract himself be watching the spectacle and observe all the details, trying to put the lives of these ponies together. Tried to understand their world through the little glimmers he was shown. Engaged himself in that, saw one pony tried to find out her story. It eased his pain a little, lifted him, healed him. Something good to do. Who was in the carriage? He'd learn as much as he could here in the days left. It was a good world. The pain in his ebbed and flowed. It felt like two icebergs grinding against each other. Follow the grey pony Silver, you can do that. She seemed to know the way.

The pegasus had taken him almost a quarter mile before she seemed to realize that she had no idea where she was going. She turned back to him, grinning. "Ummm... which hotel are you staying at again?"

He didn't know. He honestly didn't know. Where had she taken him? The pain made him annoyed, and he feared getting aggressive. He wouldn't do that, couldn't. Easy off Silver, she been helpful. He looked around trying to see where his surroundings were. The pain wasn't incapacitating. He hoped internally it wasn't another attack like that again. Fear started burning. He didn't want to suddenly call Angel, she could be occupied with saving a life. In his or her world. "L-listen, I'm sick. Its hurting so much, I need some... doctor... to..." Every word started hurting, every sound. No... no please. No... no. Tears streamed, as his legs started quivering. Not now, not again.

"Are you okay, mister? Mister? Mis-" Her voice was distant and distorted, and he wasn't sure what happened after that. His eyes snapped open, finding himself lying in his bed at the hotel room, a cold compress on his head. This room was empty, at least it appeared empty.