//------------------------------// // Chapter 36 - Well that escalated quickly (with Q&A) // Story: Shackles and Friendship // by Zaibatsu //------------------------------// Shackles and Friendship Chapter 36 - Well that escalated quickly Edited by Hollyhock Luna sat on the throne in silence gazing at the large double doors at the end of the hall. She looked outside to the vast view of lands below, the bright midday sun hung in the sky, reminding Luna of how late it was and she had to suppress an urge to yawn. With Celestia overseeing Ponyville, it fell to Luna to take her place. News of the Professor and the gryphon's sudden appearance in the hangar were immediately relayed to the alicorn. Obviously they must have teleported back. Luna waited expectantly on the throne, hoping that the distinguished Professor could offer some explanation to the whole situation. So far, neither Luna nor Celestia had learned much about the attack. Despite Luna's insistence Celestia still chose to forfeit custody of the dragon to Equestria’s dragon community. Even in his current state of mind there might still be a chance they could glean some information out of him. Luna did not share Celestia's trust for the so called reformed drakes. Secretly she suspected this attack had been orchestrated in some way and part of a greater conspiracy. Then again, she had been absent from the world for a thousand years. To say that she had an outdated perspective of the world would have been the understatement of the century. The double doors swung open with a slight creaking noise revealing an old gray unicorn with a ghost white horn. It was clear that he must’ve teleported directly from the Everfree. His hooves were still covered with dirt while leaves stuck to his mane and fur. “Inquest, welcome back. It is good to see you return safe,” greeted Luna. “Where is your partner, Crea?” she asked noticing the gryphon’s absence. “She’s resting in the gardens. Always did prefer nature over a mattress.” Inquest gazed about the room. “Will Celestia be joining us?” he asked. A few of the guards flinched ever so slightly hearing the stallion address the princess so casually. “No she will not, Celestia is currently overseeing the recovery of Ponyville. You are aware of recent events?” “I am. In fact, that attack might have been my doing.” Almost immediately the temperature fell to near freezing levels as Luna’s eyes started to glow as white as the moon. “Everypony out,” ordered Luna. Every guard in the room started marching out in an orderly fashion, none of them wanted anything to do with Luna’s wrath. “Explain yourself.” =========[At Ponyville hospital.....]========= “There, all done.” Redheart's gaze lingered up and down scrutinizing her work a second time. “Now just stay in bed and rest.” “Yes ma’am,” I responded quickly, in a respectful tone. After the incident with the plant, I had seen a side of Redheart I never cared to see again. Having one of her patients - namely me - thrown out the second story window, ruining a perfectly good room, and seeing Bronze blatantly drinking booze drove the head nurse completely mad. Within seconds of the incident she took control of the situation like a dictator, ordering and delegating doctors and nurses back to their patients just like that. She even ordered the two royal guards escorting Celestia to lift me, along with the bed, to a different room, and they immediately obeyed without a question. It was frightening how similar she was to my mother at that moment. Heck she even told Celestia to wait in the hall until everything had been sorted out. So despite my insecurities and discomfort, I pretty much allowed her to treat me in anyway she saw fit. Naked and all. It was clear that the hospital was her domain, and she ruled it with an iron hoof. At least there was a bright side to that, thanks to her I might just get the rest I needed. I was immediately barred off from all forms of visits, along with Bronze, though in his case it was probably to keep a closer eye on him. Which was probably why she parred the both of us in the same room, which would fortunately offer some company should I get bored. “And you!” Redheart suddenly shouted glaring at Bronze. “If I find anymore contraband I’ll cut off the painkillers. Understood?” Bronze merely replied by rolling his eyes from across the room while he lay on his own bed. “Is. That. Understood?” Redheart asked again in a more threatening tone. “Yeah yeah,” grumbled Bronze irritably. With that Redheart turned and trotted towards a cart laden with a multitude of bottles, each a different brand of alcohol she found hidden in Bronze’s room. I’m not sure how he did it without flying, but somehow Bronze managed to sneak out and smuggle in not one, not two, nor three, but eight large bottles of booze. Without anyone noticing. I kept wondering how he even managed to physically carry that many bottles. Even if he'd had the use of both wings. “I’m sorry about the room,” I apologized again. “Like I said before; you didn’t know. Can’t rightly blame anypony for ignorance. But if you want to make up for it, just rest and get healed up.” “I will. No more shenanigans, I promise.” “Good, and make sure he does the same,” she replied, gesturing towards the pegasus with her eyes. With that Redheart pushed the cart towards the open door, pausing the moment she reached the hallway. “I can’t deny Your Majesty’s wish but please keep it brief. They both need their rest.” “Of course,” replied a elegant and motherly voice. As Redheart disappeared around the corner with the cart, Celestia stepped into view and trotted in while her two royal guards stayed outside. As usual her rainbow mane swayed in the air despite any wind, creating an air of grace and elegance that would have made Rarity jealous. “How are you faring Rodney?” “I’ll live. Considering what happened I should count myself lucky that I even made it out alive.” I turned and pointed at Bronze and nodded. “Bronze and the guards protecting the town got it worse, I think.” “Yup, I did,” added Bronze casually. I merely chuckled at his bluntness, I guess it didn't really matter who he was talking to. “Don’t worry, no one from the squad lost their life and only a few will require extensive treatment. Oh, and of course I must thank Lieutenant Sky for his efforts as well.” Both my brows rose in surprise, “Lieutenant?” “Ah shucks, you remember me?” Bronze asked somewhat shyly. “You made quite an impression before you transferred. I missed your crassness, it was fresh.” “How’s that colt doing? Last I heard he was still under review.” “He’s settling in wonderfully. You were right about him; the position of Captain suits Shining Armor perfectly.” “Ha! Knew that kid had it in him,” shouted Bronze proudly. “Whoa hold on now,” I interrupted. “You’re a lieutenant?” “Was,” he corrected. “A long time ago. I’ll tell you about it later if I feel like it.” He turned to Celestia. “Now, I doubt Her Majesty came all the way here for my sake.” With a slight grunt, Bronze got off the bed and started trotting towards the door. “I’ll let you two have the room. It was good seeing you again Princess.” “Same to you Bronze Sky,” replied Celestia before the pegasus exited the room. “So.....what happened?” I asked once we were alone. Though the question was vague, Celestia seemed to understand what I meant. “Well, the moment Luna heard of the attack, she-” “Not that,” I interrupted. “I can pretty much guess what happened. I want to know what happened after it all. Like where’s Falnor now?” “You know him?” “He was polite enough to introduce himself before trying to kill me,” I explained sarcastically. “He is no longer in our custody.” “Dafuq does that mean?” “Be calm Rodney, I-” “Screw that! He tried to kill me!!” I shouted. “What, did you just let him go!?” “Rodney!!” This was the first time I had actually heard her yell like that, it reminded me exactly who it was I was talking to. “I’m...sorry Your Highness. I...” “I understand. Now, as I was saying. Falnor is no longer in our custody. We returned him to Equestria’s dragon clan for treatment. It appears that he has....lost part of his mind.” “There’s a dragon clan here!?” I asked frightened. “It refers to all the dragons that reside in Equestria,” she explained. “They are not an unruly sort. Did you believe I would allow such dangerous creatures to reside so close to my beloved ponies?” “I....I guess there’s a lot about Equestria that I don’t know.” I let out a sigh. “You said he was crazy?” “Not entirely no. But it was clear that we could not question him. Our understanding of dragons and their physiology is limited, for that I decided it would be best for his own kind to keep him.” I became silent for a moment letting it all sink in. A sense of relief washed over me after knowing that the dragon was far away from ponyville. It had been bugging me ever since I woke up, I kept imagining him suddenly showing up out of nowhere to finish the job. Now I could finally relax and unwind knowing that threat was far away. “I heard you played a pivotal role in saving Ponyville from him,” Celestia continued moving the conversation on. “I’m not sure about ‘pivotal’,” I replied with a chuckle. Looking back I realized how ridiculous it all was; me fighting against a dragon. “I actually don’t remember much. There was a lot of running around and I was mostly just reacting to the situation.” “Oh my, is this humility I hear?” she asked teasingly. Probably trying to lighten up the mood for my sake. “Eh,” I replied with a shrug, “it is what it is.” “But why did you risk yourself like that? It’s commendable for sure, but the reasonable and logical choice would have been to join with the evacuation.” “If Falnor had wanted to destroy the town then yeah; that would have been the logical choice. But there was no way of knowing that, had he chased there was no way we’d outrun it.” I took a deep breath as more memories filtered through my mind. “I’ve seen what he can do up close and considering it was an open field from Ponyville straight to Canterlot; we’d have been easy pickings. At least that’s how I saw it.” “So through all the turmoil and danger around, you were able to calculate all those factors and come up with that conclusion? To leap headfirst into the fray against a dragon?” she asked genuinely surprised. “Whether it was bravery, insanity or recklessness, it seems I have underestimated your character.” “Probably all three,” I replied with a laugh that quickly died down. Out of nowhere, the memory of that fateful decision came to me. I remembered Sweetie Belle stopping me just before I was about to abandon them all for my own sake. “And I doubt my character deserves any praise.” “Oh?” Celestia looked at me with a raised brow. “Did you not save lives by confronting the dragon? I believe the bravery of that act alone deserves praise.” “Because I wanted to run!” I clamped my mouth shut immediately after but it was too late. It was clear to anyone that I hadn't intended to blurt that out; but it was too late now. I looked away and before continuing. “You have no idea how close I was to just leaving everyone. And that’s not even the worst part.” “Meaning?” I let out a long sigh and looked down at my hands. “I’ve never been so afraid in my life,” I continued, “I wasn’t just going to run, I was ready to sacrifice them all. Soon as everyone made a run for Canterlot I was going to use them as a decoy and save myself.” There was an uncomfortable silence after that felt like it lasted several minutes. “But you didn’t,” she suddenly spoke in a firm yet reassuring tone. “Rodney I don’t blame you for wanting to protect your life, any living creature has that innate instinct for self preservation. Do not be ashamed of those thoughts, they do not define who you are. Because in the end, despite your fears you chose differently.” I suddenly saw a white hoof reach for me, tilting my chin up and forcing me to gaze at the alicorn. “You showed bravery and strength that few posses. Guilt should be the last thing that troubles you. Enjoy in the moment of life that you fought for and be proud of what you have done. Of the lives and future you’ve preserved including your own.” “I....thanks,” I replied with a blank face, not knowing what to properly say. I didn’t expect to hear such a compliment from her. Me? Strength and bravery? 'Just take the compliment.' “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to survive the encounter?” she asked hesitantly. Probably thought the whole thing left me with a trauma or something. It did. “Dumb luck,” I answered with a huff. “The whole plan was simply to distract him and buy as much time as I could. Hit and run tactic, be as annoying as possible. But in the end I was just frantically running around with no idea as to what I should do.” I tried to recount all that happened and I noticed there were gaps in my memory where events didn’t connect properly. Now I understood why major accident victims always claimed not remembering anything, that it all happened too fast and what-not. “The only reason I survived was because I had help. Falnor managed to catch me and I was trapped in his grip. That, by all accounts, should have been the end had help not arrived.” I looked and nodded towards the empty bed in the opposite wall. “Bronze came flying in out of nowhere and saved my hide.” I suddenly started to chuckle as a thought began to form. “Why would he risk himself like that? I mean yeah, he may have owed me but so far we’re just acquaintances. And it’ not just him either; Twilight and Shine tagged along and risked their lives as well.” “Are such notions unusual to your kind?” “No, that’s not what I meant. We have our heroes, and there are plenty of individuals that have put their life in danger for someone else. Even for a complete stranger.” “But not for you,” Celestia spoke in an understanding tone. “This is a first for you.” “Yeah....it is.” I scratched my eyes as my emotions suddenly went haywire. “Uhm, look, this is getting too personal for my taste,” I spoke with a heavy sigh, “let’s talk about something else alright.” “Very well, let’s move on. There is another matter I wish to discuss.” I watched as Celestia levitated a massive pillow which was more like a sofa, from the corner of the room to her side. She laid atop it sideways with the same regal air and elegance of royalty that she always showed. “I’ll be blunt,” she began after clearing her throat, “your existence will soon be public knowledge.” The room fell silent for a moment as I tried to comprehend what she just said. “I’m sorry.....what?” I guess my expression must’ve showed how confused I was seeing as Celestia suddenly started laughing. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. I suppose that was too blunt. Let me explain; other than the residents of this town and the castle staff, nopony is aware of your existence. Though I have not restricted the media in any way, neither have I offered them or any other party knowledge regarding you. Is it not strange that you being in Ponyville never roused any interest?” “I did but...I always thought you told them of me before I arrived.” “True. But is it not strange that a creature from another world never made it to any article or news media?” “Well, now that you mention it....” As I recalled the early days when I first arrived in Ponyville, there was certainly no uproar of any kind. I might not have read the newspaper daily, or even frequently, but if I was mentioned in someway, then someone would have told me about it. especially Twilight and Rarity. “Other than myself, Luna and a selected few; nopony knows you came from another world. Even the mayor was given a very basic knowledge about you, everything except your origin and unique ability.” “I suppose there’s a reason for all this secrecy?” “Of course, and you’ll soon discover them.” I raised a brow and waited for her to continue. “Due to the attack many reporters have flocked into town and logically a majority of the ponies in town will be interviewed.” “And eventually they’ll mention me.” 'No doubt more than a few must’ve seen the fight. And even if they didn’t, they would have seen and heard that massive explosion. Not to mention the fires were blue.' ’Yeah alright I get it.' “Has’, Celestia corrected. “Be prepared Rodney, somepony from the media will approach you before the end of today.” “I guess this will stir things up a little,” I jokingly add to ease the air. “More than a little.” “And here I thought I was finally getting some peace and quiet. So now what?” I asked throwing both arms to the side, albeit carefully as to not cause pain to my damaged body. “Are you going to fly me back to the castle?” “What makes you say that?” “It’s what I would do. Makes it easier to control the situation.” “That’s true, it would. But I’ll leave the choice to you.” “You’re letting me stay? What’s the deal?” I asked warily. “No deals, no strings. You may stay if you wish, though the castle could be your home should you choose.” “No thanks,” I immediately replied. “I’m staying. That place is way too strict for my taste, I’ll likely be more of a freeloader there sitting with my thumb up my ass. It’s a human saying,” I quickly added before Celestia could ask. “Whatever these reporters are gonna bring, I doubt it'll be worth leaving town.” 'Not to mention we’ll have to deal with Blueblood.' The thought of Blueblood reminded me of something else. Or to be more accurate, a particular pony. “So....uh, what’s the deal with Shine Bright? I was told that you sent her to keep an eye on me but isn’t Twilight doing that already? Considering it’s her and how much she admires you; I’d wager you get a detailed report on me almost everyday.” “Something like that. Does this bother you?” “The reports? A bit, at the beginning. But I got over it. I knew you - and especially not Luna - would be willing to let me live freely like this without someone to monitor me. Don’t worry, I don’t blame you. Alien from a different world and all that. But Shine? No offense but I don’t see how she is supposed to be better than Twilight.” “She isn't supposed to replace Twilight,” replied Celestia with a smile. “I merely sent her as insurance should my student find herself too occupied.” That smile. That was the same trolling smile she gave me on the landing pad just before I departed from the castle. 'Oh, she is definitely planning something.' “What are you planning?” I asked suspiciously. I knew she wouldn’t let that exploding letter pass by, this had to be some kind of payback. “I have no idea what you’re implying,” she answered innocently. “But I assure you, my intentions are noble.” Celestia’s eyes bore into mine. Her smile lingered, making my spine shiver. ‘Bullshit.’ =========[Meanwhile, elsewhere...]========= “Is it really a monkey!? There are no known species capable of-umf!” shouted one stallion from the back before a mare forcefully pushed herself in front of him. “Is it safe!?” she screamed over the clamour. “Have you suffered any infection or sickness!?” “Where is it now!?” bellowed another pony from somewhere far back. “There are ponies claiming to witness a massive blue explosion during the attack!” “Where is it now!?” Rarity could only lay on her victorian couch in silence inside her home as the shouts and questions came endlessly. She tried her best to block out all the noise while massaging both sides of her head, hoping to ward off the growing headache. It all happened too fast. After returning from the hospital and finding their home untouched by the attack, the only real danger was trying to convince Opal to come out from a closet. Both sisters had a quick bite to eat and then began cleaning the house. It consisted of about an hour or two of uneventful work, other than Sweetie Belle’s occasional mishaps. Eventually, things were relatively back where they should. After leaving Sweetie Belle in charge of watching the house and Opal (which might not have been the wisest of decisions,) Rarity left the boutique in order to check on the others. Twilight of course was safe, so was Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, seeing as their homes were relatively far from Ponyville. But as for Pinkie Pie, the spa sisters, the Cakes and everypony else she was closely acquainted with; they were all in town when the dragon attacked. To check on them all would mean a trip over the entire town. It was only after she met the twins and left the spa that the first newspony appeared. Like everypony else in town, Rarity was aware of the media’s presence in Ponyville. But despite the temptation to be in the spotlight, she never approached them. Not only was it unladylike but neither was it the kind of attention she desired. Still, she could at the least show how resilient the residents of Ponyville were. That’s when it all went downhill. Another newspony appeared behind the first, followed by a third and a fourth from a different corner. Rarity knew something was wrong the moment their eyes froze on her. It logically meant they were looking for her. Living up to their competitive reputations, all four newsponies suddenly galloped towards her without warning. Confused and taken by surprise, Rarity bolted away from the stampeding newsponies that were shouting questions at her. “Excuse me Miss Rarity! Straight Ink from Tall Tale Times! Could you please answer a few questions!?” “Highlink from Equestria Daily! Could you spare moment?!” "We heard your pet saved the town from the dragon!!" 'Pet?' It hardly took a second for an image of a human to pop in her mind. "Rodney," she grumbled. Rarity mentally berated herself for not realizing this, of course he would attract attention. Between leaving the spa and reaching the boutique, the number of reporters had nearly tripled. Her only solace was being inside her home, only a very rare few would dare to publicly break in. Unicorns tried levitating their cameras while pegasi carried theirs to the air, all hoping to get a shot of Rodney no doubt. Fortunately that meant they weren’t aware of his whereabouts; unfortunately that also meant they were not going to leave anytime soon. She was now trapped inside her own home, tired and covered in sweat, with no other option but to wait out the storm. Obviously she could just tell them where Rodney was and send them away, but that would be inconsiderate and heartless. Especially to somepony - or someone as he prefers to say - who risked his life for the town. The least she could do was distract these ponies for as long as possible, giving Rodney his much needed rest. “Are they all looking for Rodney?” asked Sweetie Belle as she peered through a closed curtain. Almost instantly her eyes were assaulted by several bright flashes leaving her temporarily blind as she wobbled with eyes disoriented. “I’m afraid so darling,” replied Rarity with a heavy, tired sigh. “I suppose he would attract something like this. But why now and not before?” she wondered. “Does this mean I can’t go see Scootaloo and Applebloom?” the filly asked slightly louder then the muffled shouts from outside. “I’m afraid not Sweetie Belle. We’ll just have to wait until everypony leaves.” Rarity looked disapprovingly towards the loudest group outside the front door. “This is not how anypony should treat a lady!” she screamed irritably which only made the reporters shout louder and in greater frequency. Rarity sank deeper into her red mattress and continued massaging her head, which unfortunately was failing to alleviate her headache. “Rarity!!” somepony shouted, followed by loud heavy knocking. It took several more yells before Rarity finally noticed the familiar voice over the clamour, longer to realize that the knocking was coming from somewhere above rather than the front door. “Isn’t that Rainbow Dash?” asked Sweetie Belle gazing up at the ceiling. “Hey back off buddy or I’ll buck that camera to your face!!” shouted the voice angrily. “I believe it is,” Rarity answered with a smile. “Stay here Sweetie Belle.” Following the commotion up the stairs, Rarity quickly spotted the cyan pegasus hovering in front of a window in her bedroom. Behind her hovered several other pegasi, each with cameras aimed at her and the window. The moment they spotted Rarity approach all the cameras started flashing over and over again. “Hey watch where you point that thing!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she tried to shield her eyes with a hoof. With her eyes closed Rarity reached out with her magic and pulled the window open just enough for one pegasi to slip through. “Quickly now!” Rarity bode. Soon as Rainbow Dash squeezed through Rarity immediately slammed the window shut, locked it, and closed the curtains on every window. “So,” sighed Rainbow exhaustively as she slumped to the floor with her wings spread to the side. "Everything alright?" "Fairly well. Though I could do without the constant yelling outside. And you? Why the visit? Not that I don't appreciate it of course." "Just going around town checking up on everypony," Rainbow answered as she pushed herself back up on all four. Hearing this, Rarity's expression lit up. "You are!? How is everypony? I meant to meet the others but..." Rarity gazed towards the window. "Yeah that would be a problem. Well, Pinkie's fine and back to her usual self. I heard she carried the twins by herself to the edge of town. The Cakes left the day before, something about a getting hired for a festival somewhere." Rainbow chuckled. "I bet she’s like a manticore guarding her cubs. Could've taken that dragon out by herself." "No doubt," agreed Rarity jokingly. "And the others?" "Fluttershy's locked herself up at home,” Rainbow answered in a worried tone. “Tried calling her out but she's not listening." "Oh dear, she must've been terrified of the whole thing. Especially with her fear of dragons." "Yeah, but we sure could've used her Stare. Would have made things soooo much easier. Anyways I thought it best to give her some time to calm down." "That's probably best. I'll be sure to keep her company. A nice long day of pampering at the spa should do the trick." Rainbow scoffed that notion with a flap of her wing. "That's your answer for everything." "That's because it works," Rarity replied a matter of factly. "What about Applejack?" "She's fine but busy. The Apples opened up the farm for anypony who lost their homes. You should she it, tents everywhere. A lot of ponies got their homes wrecked. More than you'd expect." "Oh my." "Ah don't worry about it. Princess Celestia's got this covered. I heard she'll fix up the town out of her own pocket." "You mean the government's budget." "No. I’m pretty sure I heard it’s her own savings or something." Rarity looked unsure whether to believe her or not. "Hey it kinda makes sense; imagine how many bits you can save up over thousands of years." "I wasn't aware she was taking payment." "Neither did I. But hey, everypony have something they want to buy from time to time. Even Celestia." "That's understandable. Heaven knows I can't live through the eons without a new dress or two." "Or a thousand," jibbed Rainbow. "You probably need a whole castle as your personal closet." "The idea is certainly enthralling." The two shared a few seconds of laughter, momentarily forgetting the disturbance outside. Momentarily. "Don’t worry, they’ll tire out sooner or later. Hopefully lose their voices too," consoled Rainbow Dash. “Are they really all here for Rodney? Bet he’d enjoy the attention.” “Doubtful. Trust me, nothing good comes from this sort of fame. He’ll be treated as an animal. They even asked if he was my pet.” “Wait. He’s not?” Rarity looked at the pegasus disapprovingly. “I’m kidding,” Rainbow quickly added. “Where is he anyway? Downstairs?” “You didn’t know? He was taken to the hospital for treatment and is currently staying there for the foreseeable future,” informed Rarity. “Is that where Twilight’s at? Haven’t been able to find her so far.” “Last time I saw I her, yes. She was keeping him company.” “Well then it’s simple.” Rainbow trotted towards the window in a casual manner. “Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked suspiciously. “What are you-” Without warning Rainbow undid the lock and pushed the window wide open. “Hey everypony!! He’s at the hospital!!” Everything suddenly fell silent for several seconds as Rarity and the newsponies froze. “Well?” continued Rainbow. “Get out of here!!” That triggered a sudden tremor that shook the boutique as every newspony started galloping and shoving each other racing towards Ponyville Hospital. “There, problem gone.” Rainbow casually reached and closed the window with a wing before turning around. Only to notice Rarity glaring at her angrily. “What?” Rarity could only facehoof and hope for the best. =========[Sometime later...]========= “Well that escalated quickly,” I commented while gazing out the window. With only a dust cloud in the distance as a warning, I saw a large group of ponies stampeding their way towards the hospital. I had expected them to arrive one at a time, nothing like that. While the earth ponies and unicorns tried to catch up, the pegasi reached the hospital first with their clear advantage. They swarmed the windows like flies holding what looked like cameras tied around their necks. I noticed small gems socketed above each camera before they all started flashing and blinding me. Worse; seeing Celestia present with me sent them into a sort of fervor. They started screaming altogether making it difficult to discern what any of them are saying. Though it sounded like questions if I had to guess. Rather offensive ones from the small bits and pieces I could make out. “What now!?” I yelled just as the two guards waiting outside the room suddenly barged in. Instead of answering Celestia simply raised a wing to halt the guards in place while her horn began to glow. I could ‘feel’ the buildup of magic from it and tried as I might it was impossible to ignore the ‘heat’ radiating from her. She was like a box containing the sun and her gathering magic was like poking a needle into that box. I only ‘felt’ an extremely tiny fraction of what she held inside but it was enough to overwhelm my ‘Sense’. Without any warning the ‘heat’ suddenly disappeared along with the constant yelling and screaming from outside. I noticed a white shimmer covering the walls, floor and ceiling like a sort of gel. “That should suffice,” spoke Celestia as she regarded her work. The curtains too were now closed cutting of the flashes and dimming the room considerably. With a look from Celestia the two guards turned around and returned to their position outside where they simply passed through the shimmer without any resistance. “This is impressive.” “I would hardly call their actions as ‘impressive’,” replied Celestia thinking I was talking about the ponies outside. “No not them,” I corrected. “I meant this,” I gestured with an arcing wave at Celestia’s spell. “Why thank you, though it’s nothing worth bragging. It’s far more simple than it looks. At least once you’ve figured out the trick.” “Care to share that trick with me?” I asked with a smile. I was already thinking of wrapping it around myself during one of Twilight’s lengthy lectures. “I doubt my student would appreciate it if I did,” she replied with a knowing look. “Oh wow, was it that obvious?” “Very. But back to our earlier discussion. Are you certain it’s more than before?” “What about them?” I gazed towards the window, though I could no longer hear the ponies outside I could still make out their shadows dancing madly about. “I assume they can’t hear us?” “Yes, the spell works both ways so just ignore them. Now answer the question.” “Positive. It’s definitely more. Roughly twice as much as I can normally hold.” I closed my eyes and concentrated on my ‘Sense’, only this time I focused it inwards to myself. Sure enough I could feel the magic inside my gut burning like a furnace. It was much larger than I’d ever been able to hold without having to suffer the headaches. My mind was clear and pain free at the moment. “And you noticed this when?” “After that devil plant tried to kill me,” I answered irritably. The cuts I got from the thorns and branches still itch from time to time and the bandages prevented me from scratching them properly. “Back during the attack, after Princess Squash-A-Nut showed up I-” “Please stop referring to my sister in those manners,” begged Celestia. “I thought we were past this.” “Far from it,” I replied with a smile. “Anyways as I was saying; when she showed up I drained this gem that was filled up entirely with my magic. Long story short; if I didn’t it would have blown right there in my face. And Bronze’s.” “I...see.” “So? What happened? Wasn’t the plan to expose myself as I learn and slowly adapt my body to magic over time?” Though Celestia was looking at me, I could tell her mind was elsewhere. “If I had to guess,” she answered after a moment of silence. “I’d say you were forced to adapt with the sudden influx of magic.” “Sooooo....what? Are you saying that I could just shock my body to hold more magic? Well hell then! Zap me right now. I can take it.” “Unfortunately I don’t think that’ll work. Nor wise. Remember that you were under great duress at the time. Whether it was due to adrenaline or some other chemical your body was releasing, the condition at which you were at may have been just right for this to happen. And even if it was possible to, ‘force adapt’ if you will, I strongly advise against it. There might be repercussions to your body that we’re not aware of.” “Damn,” I sighed disappointingly. “And here I thought I found a shortcut or something.” “There are no such things as shortcuts with magic Rodney.” “We’ll see,” I retorted which made her smile. “Never underestimate a human’s desire to not work hard.” “In any case, I suggest you rest and recover during your time in the hospital. As I said there might be repercussions so it’s best you keep constant counsel with Twilight. And don’t fret about the media, I’ll give a statement regarding who and what you are soon. That should quell them. For now just-” “Keep a low profile,” I finished. “Got it. Not really much else I could do stuck in a hospital bed.” “The Haflax?” Celestia reminded. “Hmm, point taken.” “-cuse me.” We both turned towards the broken voice to see Redheart passing through the shimmering membrane. “I’m sorry Your Highness but I’ll have to ask you to leave now. Due to the situation all non patient or staff must leave the premises until we can get the situation under control.” “I understand.” Celestia got up and trotted towards the door. “I’ll leave the spell as is. Leave it alone and it should last till just before daybreak tomorrow.” “Thanks. It’ll help. Anything else?” “I’ve given you much already. Simply keep what we discussed in mind. It was good talking with you again Rodney.” “Alright, see ya Celes. Thanks for checking up on me.” “Think nothing of it.” And with that, Celestia exited the room leaving me and Redheart alone. “Wait,” spoke Redheart as she gazed around the room. “Where’s Bronze Sky?” “He left.” “Fantastic,” Redheart sighed in a tired tone. “Now on top of everything else that happened today I have to hunt him down and make sure he didn’t smuggle anything else in.” I was about to apologize for the whole situation, after all both the Haflax and the media outside were sorta my fault. But before I could say anything I felt a spontaneous headache which made me swoon. I quickly held my head with a hand while the other grasped the side of the bed for support. “Are you alright?” asked Redheart worryingly. I could hear her trot over and felt something wet and cold press against my temple. “Here, hold this.” I grabbed the wet towel from her and held it against the side of my head. “It’s a headache.” “Are you feeling nauseous?” “No just a headache. It’s....oh.” “What?” “It’s gone.” I waited a few seconds to make sure but true enough the headache disappeared just as sudden as it came. “Hmm, just try to rest. It has been a long day and you’ve been through quite enough already. I’ll bring something up to eat later.” Despite her strict personality I could feel the worry and care in her voice. I guess her strictness was simply her way of caring for her patients. “Thanks, I’d like that. Oh but no-” “Flowers or any kind of grass. Yes I know. Miss Sparkle have already informed me of your diet.” “Did she mention meat as well?” I asked with hope. “She did but unfortunately we don’t keep stock of that. This is mainly a pony hospital.” “Dammit.” =========[A minute earlier...]========= As soon as Celestia exited the room and turned the corner, she paused and stood in place as a thought came to her. There was one last issue she needed to check. Ignoring her entourage she turned and peeked back into the human’s room to see him converse with the nurse. With a thought her horn glowed ever so slightly while she cast a very weak but specific spell. Barely two seconds passed when she saw the human suddenly lurch a bit before steadying himself. She held the spell for several second more to be sure of it’s effect before finally releasing it. Assured that the band was in place and functioning, Celestia turned and trotted away. It pained her greatly to employ such measures, especially since she was rather fond of Rodney. Worse still, it forced Twilight to the tell the same lies over and over again. Celestia could tell from the way Twilight wrote her reports that she was becoming attached to him. One part of Celestia wanted nothing more than to trust him after all he’d done. Yet another side, as the monarch and guardian of a nation and race, prevented her from doing so. It was simply too much of a risk. Even if he choose not to abuse his abilities and limitless potential of magic. It did not mean others wouldn't. Equestria it was not without its share of enemies. Deceived by changelings. Manipulated by Discord. Even her own cherished ponies might take advantage of him. Such were only a few of the possible scenarios that could occur and the repercussions of them all were horrifying. Preparations needed to be placed to guard against all of them. Unfortunately the band was the only means Luna and her could come up with that assured their prevention. Celestia hopped that one day, perhaps some years, she could tear down all the lies and ask forgiveness for pain she caused. =========[Canterlot...]========= “You went back?” asked Luna in a grim voice. “Yes Your Majesty,” answered Inquest. “But whatever this thing is it appears to have simply vanished. It left neither magical nor physical evidence behind. It’s possible that-” “You knew this dragon, Falnor, would attack Ponyville; a town not far from where you were.” she asked again. Inquest knew his decision to return to the dragon’s lair would be an issue. He disliked the idea of repeating the same argument he had with Crea. “I suspected-” “You knew,” Luna interrupted again. Inquest couldn’t help but sigh. “Yes! I knew!” he replied matching Luna’s tone. The exhaustion from the trip, the skirmish with Falnor, added with the dual long distance teleportation had affected Inquest’s thinking. Despite how calculative and disconnected he could be at most times, Inquest still retained some of his youthful bluster and recklessness. “Weren’t you listening!?” shouted Inquest frustratingly. He saw Luna’s face scowl but he didn’t care. What bothered him was how nopony saw the real danger like he did. “This ‘thing’ somehow brought a full grown dragon under its control! I saw one of the most powerful creatures in the world tuned into a serf!!” “We will not be spoken to in such manner!!” shouted Luna momentarily lapsing back to her royal voice. The sheer force of her voice blew Inquest’s mane like a gale yet he did not falter in any way. In fact he matched the dark alicorn’s glare with his own refusing to back down. Realizing they weren’t making any progress, Inquest took a deep breath to calm himself and swallowed his pride. If his instinct on the creature’s capabilities were true, research and countermeasures had to be prepared as soon as possible. Especially by the Royal Princesses. “It was a calculative decision You Majesty.” Inquest paused to let his words sink in. Seeing Luna remained silent, he took it as a cue to continue. “Yes, based on the situation I deduced that the dragon was flying towards Ponyville. And yes, had Crea and I immediately made our way to Ponyville we would have definitely been able to deal with the situation. Or at the very least, drive him away from town.” “But thou hast deemed this creature of greater importance than the many lives of ponies?” “Yes,” he answered without any hesitation. Luna couldn’t help but feel impressed by how much confidence that single word carried. “Considering the potential danger this creature poses I deemed it a higher priority that the residents of Ponyville.” “Even the Elements?” Again there was a moment of silence. “Had we lost just one of them in the attack; we would have lost the most powerful weapon in our arsenal. One we could have used on this creature, especially considering how dangerous you believe it to be.” “I....,” Inquest’s voice drifted away. Inquest rapped his mind for a reason but in truth this fact had eluded him at the time. Historically the Elements were only available for use so long as their chosen wielders lived. It was imperative then that they survived for as long as possible should circumstances require their assistance. Had any of them died in the attack; it would have set Equestria back until the next Elements were born. Who knew what could happen till then? Inquest mentally slapped himself for failing to take such a critical variable into account. “Enough,” Luna continued. “What’s done is done.” Inquest’s body visibly relaxed at hearing that. “You said Crea saw a black dragonchild?” “It’s how she described the creature yes, but I have my doubts on that. No dragon and certainly no child can vanish like that. And our records also showed that he lived alone in the Everfree. Whatever this thing is, it is most certainly not a dragon.” “A shape shifter then? It almost sounds like a changeling does it not?” “Highly unlikely. Changelings would never choose a dragon as a target. Even if they could propagate a new class with similar physical characteristics as dragonkind, there would be no reason to. I had never heard of any dragon or drake that could have enough love to make it worthwhile. Falnor’s behavior also suggests some mind meddling was involved. The queen’s mind influence is certainly powerful but I seriously doubt it’s effective on a dragon.” “So it truly is another ‘visitor’,” sighed Luna. “I believe so,” Inquest concurred. “And unlike our human this one is most certainly hostile. From now on all our efforts regarding this matter should be to eliminate it.” “Is that not too hasty? This is after all our first encounter. Perhaps it was simply-” “It is hostile,” Inquest repeated. “There was no confusion of any kind. It ordered the dragon to attack us without any provocation. It could have ordered the attack on Ponyville as well.” “And how do you plan on tracking it without any clue to its whereabouts? The Everfree is far too dangerous a place for an effective search effort.” “I have a few ideas that can help, but nothing at the moment. It pains me to say this, but we’ll simply have to wait and prepare,” Inquest answered slightly ashamed. “It could be anywhere right now.”