//------------------------------// // Starswirl // Story: Blackest Knight // by D34dly F1ng3r //------------------------------// Blackest Knight Chapter 21 Lyra was not happy. To say she was absolutely livid was an understatement. However, she was not mad about the prank. She was not mad that John had convinced her to act like a fool. She was not mad that he made her lick Twilight from flank to neck (She secretly thought that was the best part). What she was mad about was that everypony already knew about the human but her. “I swear, Bon Bon has some explaining to do,” she thought aloud. John overheard, and asked, “You mean the mare that owns the candy store? She seems like a nice person though.” Lyra was even angrier that her own marefriend had met the human and did not bother to send a letter to the one pony she knew would be excited about the appearance of a human. She stalked off the find Bon Bon. “She doesn’t seem happy that we pranked her,” John noted. “I thought she would be jumping for joy that she finally met a human,” Rainbow said. “She’s obsessed with them.” Twilight, who was livid about her part in the prank, decided to add her opinion, “She is probably angry at being humiliated.” Pinkie and Rainbow laughed. Rainbow answered, “I think that you are probably angrier about it than she is.” Twilight decided to turn and return to the library. John, Pinkie, Rainbow, and several of the bystanders laughed for a few moments before returning to their days. John asked what the next prank was. “We have a lot of pranks to do today!” Pinkie answered. “So many that the author probably is just going to skip tonight!” “What?” John and Rainbow asked. ‘What?’ The author … ‘Wait …’ “It’s okay Mr. Author, you can interject into the story.” ‘No Pinkie, I can’t. That’s not my writing style. Now stop breaking the fourth wall before they throw you into an institution.’ “Who are you talking to Pinkie?” John asked, confused. “Don’t worry, it’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow answered. “So,” John paused, “Does this mean that the … er … author … is being lazy?” ‘No it doesn’t you little … Never mind, he can’t hear me. I’m just going to transition to night.’ That night, John’s dreams were filled by a black void. Morning Dew faded into view, along with a grey, white bearded unicorn stallion with a purple robe and purple pointed hat. Both were inlaid with starry patterns. “Hello John,” Morning Dew greeted him. She turned to the grey unicorn, “This is Starswirl. He wanted to meet you.” “Greetings,” Starswirl greeted him. “Hello,” John replied. Starswirl approached the human and looked into his eyes. “I have heard much about you, and might have tried to meet you sooner, but meeting you in this void is … uncomfortable. I have grown used to the feeling of afterlife. This little filly has not.” Morning Dew offered a weary smile. “He has studied you for some time, but can only glean so much information without personally meeting you.” Her eyes turned to the unicorn, “Hurry with the questions though, Luna is trying to enter John’s dreams as well.” Starswirl turned back to John. “I was just wanting to ask you if you knew anything about magic in your world.” John replied, “There is no magic in my world. We had stories about it, but they were works of fiction.” “So the only knowledge of spells is what I have passed onto you?” “Yes.” “That is strange, because I did not pass onto you my skill for casting spells, yet you seem able to cast spells advanced for many unicorns, even knowledgeable unicorns like Twilight Sparkle. I theorize that your kind have an inborn natural gift for it, but must unlock the ability somehow.” John shook his head. “How can humans have an inborn skill they cannot use?” “I think that your world merely has no magical energy. I believe every living being is capable of magic, but the world they live on must possess a magical energy they can tap into.” Morning Dew interrupted the questionnaire, “You must wrap it up Starswirl, Luna is becoming angry.” Starswirl looked angry that he could not ask more questions. “I will leave you with a warning then, John. Magic may be able to do many things, but there are some that it cannot, and some that it should not be used for. I have deemed some spells as forbidden for a reason.” “And I will leave you with a warning as well,” Morning Dew added. “You are a being unbound by fate, but fate still binds those around you.” John was about to ask them for explanations when he suddenly found himself in an open field under a large tree. Stars dotted the moonless sky, and he remembered the field as the same one from his first dream Luna had interrupted. “John,” the human tuned around to see who had spoken, and saw the Princess of the Night herself, “Why did you block me from your dreams?” John paused for a moment. “I didn’t block you, I was just speaking to Morning Dew, though. I think she was the one blocking you.” Luna contemplated his answer. “Morning Dew is the filly from the resort town, right?” “Yes, Cadence told you about her?” “Yes. I have come, however, for your side of Twilight’s report. She claims that you have saved Fluttershy from a pack of timberwolves, am I correct?” “Yes.” “She also wrote that you had an incident with poison joke,” Luna began to smile, “I would like to know the details.” John shrugged, “Not much of a story.” Luna smirked, “I do have ways of controlling your dreams, you know this right?” John suddenly felt a shiver run through his body. He looked down to reveal the cyan skin from the poison joke. He glared at Luna. She looked as if she was trying not to laugh. “Alright,” John’s voice changed to the high pitched drawl again, “Ah guess it was a bit of a story.” His voice sent Luna over the edge, she collapsed onto the ground, laughing and rolling in the grass. John chuckled as well, and the sound sent Luna into hysteric laughter. “Ya know, if ya’ll think this is sexy, then ah can get some more poison joke for your next visit.” Luna’s laughter stopped abruptly at the tease, and she glared at John. While John woke up with a sore chest again in Ponyville, Luna withdrew from the dreamscape in Canterlot. She walked to her sister’s room to deliver John’s report while she lowered the moon. “So does John seem that he is fitting into Ponyville?” Celestia asked. Luna paused as Celestia rose the sun. “I actually didn’t get a chance to ask him.” Celestia looked at her sister. “And why not?” Luna touched her horn to Celestia’s and shared the memory. When they broke away, Celestia collapsed to the floor, rolling with laughter. “Very mature sister,” Luna looked away. “I was not only laughing about his teasing sister,” Celestia said between laughs. “It was the voice that cracked me up.”