“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH-” my screaming is interrupted by a pressure around my heart and I cringe in pain. With a panicked look on my face, I try to focus my energy to my front right hoof, hoping for an aura to appear. After a minute of trying nothing happened. Now another realization dawned on me, not only did I go from being a human to a pony, but my chi was sealed and I couldn’t tap into it. I begin to pound one of my hoofs on the ground in anger, “Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!!!

“Chi is the energy of the spirit; it’s a hidden power that all living creatures possess. However, it’s a very difficult energy to control and takes years of training to be able to use it properly”. I answer

“That’s very interesting; do you have a book about the subject with you”? Cesestia asked.

“Well we did found a strange bag beside you that looked empty-” Celestia said before I interrupted.

“Of course, Silver Shield” Celsestia called and a white pegasus guard with a serious expression on his face walked into the room.

“Yes, your majesty” was all he said, then immediately bolted out of the room. After waiting a few minutes he returned with my bag which changed from one book bag to two smaller saddle bags.

I put a hoof to my face and give out a huge sigh, then walk up to my bags hoping everything is still there. I then open my bags which seem empty at first, but then I say in a whispering tone “sanas (open)” and two small black violet portals appear in the bags. I then stick my head into each portal to find that everything is still here and in check, my bag was just separated into two sections. I then take out a scroll the size of my new body with my teeth and throw it on the ground only to notice that celestia has an intrigued look on her face and Luna has a very surprised one.

“I’m guessing you two have never seen a bag of holding”? I say in an agitated tone, they both simply nod. I sigh in annoyance at how many things I have had to explain today and continued. “It’s a special container that expands the bag 20 fold while making it as if you’re carrying an empty bag”. “The language I spoke is called celestial by the way, the language of the heavens” I answer to avoid getting asked another question.

“Do you have a spare bag on you we could study”? Celestia asks as she approaches the bag to get a closer look.

“This is my only bag, so that’s a no” I answer closing the bag in Celestia’s face making it look empty again. “I can however, buy another bag to bring to you if you can bring me back to my realm.”

“Very well, we will discover a way to get you home and the new knowledge you gave us. In the mean time you shall live in Ponyville as a new resident until we can figure out a way to send you back. When you get back you will send us items from your realm for us to study. Is that a deal”? Celestia finished while extending her front right hoof for a shake.

“Deal” I agree as I extend out my front left hoof and I shake. “But let me warn you, chi is very dangerous to the body if not done properly and can even lead to death. So use it with caution and don’t strain your body” I state in a very serious tone.

Celestia nods and gives me a bright smile and calls in her guards again, this time to request a ride for me on her chariot. The guards nod and leave to get my transportation prepared.

Luna begins walking towards the door and tells her sister “I’m going back to bed”

Celestia goes to her sister, gives her a nod and tells her good night. Luna then leaves the room and heads back to her quarters.

Then a few moments later a guard enters the room and informs us that the chariot is ready and we leave the room with a quick teleportation spell. In a few seconds we were in at a large stone runway with a gold chariot with two armored pegasus in the front.

“They will take you to Ponyville, where you will meet my student Twilight Sparkle. She will show you around town and help you get acquainted” the white alicorn explained and I just nodded in agreement. “I would go with you; however I have a very busy day today being the ruler and all”.

I climb into the chariot which is surprisingly comfy with a nice and fluffy purple seat. The princess nods and my two escorts take off at a pretty fast pace. After around 20 minutes of waiting for the ride to end I hear a loud roar in the distance. I ask the guards “where did that come from”?

Getting the urge for some thrill and a way to relieve all the stress I got today I ask. “Would you mind taking me to said forest? Or at least take me to the entrance”.

“No, the princess ordered that we drop you at her student’s home. We won’t disobey our orders”

I then open my bag of holding and pull out another bag. This bag contains my traveler’s money pouch, which converts all of your money to the currency of the realm you reside in. I open my money bag and drop 200 glowing circles which turn into coins with a sun on one side and a moon on the other. “There are 100 of your currency for each of you if you drop me off at the forest. If your princess finds out I will take the blame for all of this, since my life can’t get any worse than it already is.”

They look at each other for a moment, then decide to change course for the Everfree forest. After a few more minutes we finally land in front of the forest. I get off the chariot, give them a nod, and begin to walk into the forest.

After walking for what seemed like hours I heard the roar again and my ears rang for a few moments. Once the ringing stopped I shook my head and opened my bag again and pulled out my mage hand rings. These rings give you two more magical hands that can go through or touch solid objects and can stretch up to 50ft. When I press my hoofs against the rings they glow blue and grow wide enough for the rings to slip on comfortably.

I then close my bags and begin to walk more cautiously, deeper into the woods. After a few more minutes of walking I notice an opening and see a clearing of dead trees. In the middle of the clearing I notice a black and blue hydra with three heads. I carefully open my bag, so the hydra doesn’t notice me and pull out my monster encyclopedia.

With a quick look at the table of contents I turn to hydra and look for the species that have matching markings. I find a match “Black Sea hydra, carriers of the black death, the disease that almost caused the extinction of Europe. This hydra lives in large bodies of salt water. What’s an aquatic monster doing in a forest”?

I then notice its staring at something with hungry eyes and open mouths. I turn to look and notice a pegasus with a yellow coat and pink mane holding a white ball of fluff. The pegasus was frozen and shaking in terror as the hydra was getting closer and closer to its morsel.

With quick thinking I see two nearby trees, one on my left and the other on my right and figure that without my chi flowing the rings would probably last only one minute at most. Then I say in a whispering tone “Maina(activate)” and the rings then begin to glow blue and two hands appear from the gems. I sigh in relief that my items still work and extend the magic hands to the two trees. I then walk backwards stretching the blue arms, making myself a living slingshot. I then jump and extend my back right leg ready for one hell of a kick and I start flying towards the hydra at a super fast velocity.

With my speed I miss the first hydra head but hit the second one, which was a just a few inches away from its snack. The impact sent ripples down the face and a few teeth fell out of its mouth. I then got my magic hands to grab the back of the face and shove it the ground, using it as a break to prevent myself from crashing into anything.

Once I came to a complete stop I noticed that the head was stuck, giving me the perfect moment to get the pony to safety. I pick her up with my mage hands and gallop as fast as I could to the entrance of the opening. The hydra retaliated with a stream of black smoke that came from the mouth of the other two heads. I put her in front of me and shielded her with my back which then started to feel numb. I continued to book it to the entrance of the opening and put her down after reaching it. “Stay here” I said to her and she just nodded still shaking from what just happened.

I then remember a technique my teacher taught me if my chi was being blocked and I was in a dire situation. Even though it was suppose to be a last resort I decided to use it anyway. I sit cross legged and begin to meditate, immediately my chest felt like it was being inflated like a balloon. Then it felt like my chest got ripped open and I felt a burning rush of power flow in my body and decided to focus it on the easiest part of the body, the eyes. Slowly, the power slithered to my face then being condensed to my eyes making black flames emit from each of them.

With the chi in my eyes I could now see the beast’s pressure points and all of its vital spots. Realizing I couldn’t use any lethal blows without chi flowing to my hoofs I decide I could at least knock him out for a few days. The hydra, finally managing to pull its head out of the ground began charging me with a roar of anger. I run towards him ready to end this. The hydra opened each of its mouths and had one head go to my left, one to the right, and the last one in front of me. I jumped about 10ft into the air avoiding each head and grabbed the hydra by the base of the neck with my hands and began hitting pressure points through out his body. I hit around his kidney, the middle of his spine, and the side of the stomach. “Dim Mak: Sleeping Blossom” I yelled and the hydra collapsed on the ground. The violet blue hands then sunk back into the rings and the gems stopped glowing.

I then walked up to the pegasus who now had a look of concern and gasped “are you okay”?

I then realize my eyes were bleeding and I found it more and more difficult to keep my eyes open. I close them and responded “I am”. I then reopen them after remembering that the hydra carries the Black Death and checked the pony in front of me to see if she was infected. I circled around her and found that she had no black spots anywhere. I close my eyes again to avoid pushing them anymore so I won’t go blind in both eyes.

Then, remembering my numb back I take off my bags and whisper “sanas (open)” and the portals appear again. Realizing I can’t apply the medicine I have for this due to the fact that I can’t grab anything and I can’t open my eyes right now I ask the pegasus next to me. “Ok, I need you to stick your head through these portals and find a glass bottle that is glowing yellow and orange”.

She went to the small portals and hesitated, fearing what may lurk inside. Then, remembering what I did for her, she stuck her head in one of the portals and was struck with awe as she saw a void that looked like the night sky. In the nightly void were hundreds of different scrolls, books, bottles, clothing, and trinkets. After looking for a few moments she remembered what she needed to do and thought of the bottle she needed. In that instant everything vanished from the void except for a bottle that was glowing orange and yellow. She picked it up with her teeth and stuck her head out of the portal, still amazed by it all.

“”Oh……ok” she answered and opened the top of the bottle her teeth and picked it up with her hoofs. She then poured the liquid on my back and steam started to form on my back and I no longer felt numb.

“Ok, we need to leave and get back to civilization. I only managed to knock out the hydra for a few days so he will get back up eventually and he will not be happy about it. I need you to put my bags on my back then lead me to….. Ponyville I think it was called”.

“Oh, well I can carry your bags for you… if that’s all right” she stated still a little nervous.

“But, your back is still healing from that injury. I insist on carrying them for you. Oh, I’m so sorry I interrupted you.” She interjected

I gave a huge sigh, “whatever, if you don’t mind, then I don’t care. I still need you to guide me since I can’t see at the moment”.

“Oh, of course I’m sorry. Oh, I’m sorry I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Fluttershy, and this is my bunny, Angel”. I then felt a nudge indicating that he was indeed there. “Um, could I ask for your name? If that’s ok”.

I honestly didn’t want to bother with such an annoying question twice in one day, but something told me that I should. “I’m Bartho Balchi” I answer, not feeling agitated anymore for some reason. “Well we should head out now”

She then put one of her wings on my back to make sure I wouldn’t walk off in a random direction and started walking. The wing on my back felt heavenly; never in my life did I feel something so soft. It felt like I had a blanket made from the comfiest cloud in the world on my back. “Your wings feel so soothing” I say, the words slipping my mind and forming into words. “GOD DAMMIT, what’s wrong with you, your complimenting a damn pony. Sigh, I need to pull myself together” I say in my mind. The wing on my back then starts felling warmer and it now felt like I was next to a fireplace. My face started to burn up and I felt like I had a fever. “Great now I’m blushing” I thought and there was nothing but awkward silence the rest of the way back.

After around ten minutes I hear galloping from in front of us. It gets louder and louder until it comes to a stop. “Fluttershy, are you okay?” one of them ask.

“Oh, yes, I am its all thanks to this colt here. He saved me from a hydra that attacked me when I went in the forest to go look for Angel”.

“I thank ya kindly for saving our friend like that, we appreciate it. So, mind if we ask what yer name is stranger”? Another one of them asked in what seemed to be a southern accent.

“I have no obligation to give out such information” I respond in ticked off manner.

“I know what it is; your name is Bartho Balchi from a world that has the same as our princess Celestia.” another one said in a very hyper tone.

“I read chapter one silly” the energetic voice answered. There is a moment of silence; everyone is probably just as dumbfounded as I am.

“Hey Fluttershy, why do you have one of your wings on his back?” one of them asks, ending the moment of silence.

“Oh, well he said that he couldn’t see and his eyes where bleeding when he trotted over to me, so I’m helping him until his sight gets better.”

“Ok, before we do anymore talking can someone please take me out of this forest and into any kind of shelter?” I demanded

“I’m going to have to agree with our new friend here. This place is getting rather dark and windy and I don’t want dirt and debris ruining my hair” one of them says in an elegant voice.

I then begin to hear them trotting away from me until I hear. “Well are you coming or not?” the tomboyish voice asks.

I then feel a rope go around my neck “there ya go partner” one of the voices said. Although I felt like a cow, at least I would finally be able to soon relax after this long and grueling day.

After a few more minutes of being pulled by a rope and walking we arrive at a house in which I hear the door open. We all enter and one of the voices asks “ok are you ready? This won’t take long and won’t hurt either”

I simply nod and seconds later I feel a burning sensation in my eyes that stung a little, like a little alcohol just got dropped in my eyes. After a few moments I open my eyes and am greeted with six ponies. A cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane, a purple unicorn with a purple mane with a few stripes of pink, a pink pony with a puffy mane that had a darker pink to it, an orange pony with a straw yellow mane and a cowboy hat, a white unicorn with a purple mane, and Fluttershy.

“Ok, now let’s see if it worked. I just need you to close one eye and raise you hoof when you see mine raised and then do the same with the other” the purple unicorn said.

“Sure” was the only thing I say in response. I then close my left eye and raise my hoof when she dose. I then close my right eye and only see pitch black still.

“I guess it didn’t work for you left eye. You mind if I try something else”?

I just nodded, then she closed her eyes and her horn started to glow purple, then my left eye started to glow purple as well. Then it started to glow black and shortly after the unicorn’s horn was giving off the same black color.

She then opened her eyes and was in a pitch black void with no else there. She got up and starting walking around, trying to find a way out. “Hello, anypony there?” she asked, her voice echoing for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly the room lit up with a white orb floating above and left twilight in surprise. She looked back for a second then back and in front of her was a huge black wall that had what seemed like faces, which all looked like they were in pain. Pouring out of the mouths and eyes of the wall was a red and black liquid. There were also silver chains covering the wall and being held in place by a huge silver lock in the center.

“Twili-“ she suddenly heard a voice which she found to be coming from behind the wall. She walked to the wall cautiously, with spec sized pupils. “Twiligh-“ said the voice as she got closer. As she approached she noticed a small brown door with a golden doorknob and keyhole. “Twilight” the voice called again. She sat there shaking and pondering if she should see what was behind the door. She thought about running away but her curiosity got the better of her and she slowly approached the door and looked through the keyhole with one of her eyes.

She looked through the keyhole and saw nothing but pitch black. “Twilight” the voice called again and four eyes suddenly stared back at her. The two eyes on the monster’s left where a glowing yellow while, the ones on the monster’s right where a bright red. “TWILIGHT” the voiced shouted as he slowly started to get closer to her. The purple unicorn wanted to run but those terrifying eyes paralyzed every muscle in her body. The four eyes kept getting closer and closer while constantly yelling “TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT!!!! TWILIGHT!!!!!.”

“TWILIGHT” said a familiar voice. She was now sitting in fear in Fluttershy’s house, surrounded by a group of concerned friends. “Are you alright darling? You look like you just saw a ghost” the white unicorn asked with worry.

She shook her head back and forth a few times and got back into reality. “I’m sorry I couldn’t fix your left eye. I’ll try and find a solution for you” she said with a smile she put on to try to pull out what she just saw out of her mind.

After a few moments the purple unicorn began introducing me to everyone. The pink pony was a party thrower named Pinkie Pie. The orange pony was a farmer named Apple Jack. The white unicorn was a fashion designer named Rarity. The blue Pegasus named Rainbow Dash was supposedly the fastest flyer in Equestria.

Just as the purple unicorn was about to introduce herself Fluttershy’s front door swung open and a purple and green dragon waltzed right in. “Spike, couldn’t you knock first”?

“Twilight, there you are, I’ve been running all over the place looking for you. Celestia sent you a letter about some new resident to Ponyville” Spike held out the scroll panting and sweating from running around town. Twilight lifted the scroll with her magic and started to read it.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I have sent out this letter to inform you that a resident will be moving to Ponyville. I humbly request that he stay with you or one of your friends in order to keep a close watch on him. I have sent him on my chariot and he will be arriving at your library in twenty minutes by the time you receive this letter. Please be careful around him and treat him with kindness.
Sincerely, Celestia

She finished and then went wide eyed. “Wait, why did we find you in the Everfree forest and not in town”?

Twilight’s face started to go red with rage “what did you do that for? Why couldn’t you follow Celestia’s orders? What in Equestria made you want to do something so stupid”?

The purple mare then started to grind her teeth in fury. “YOU, BRIBED THE GUARDS CAUSE YOU WHERE BORED? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU”?

“What’s wrong with me? Have you looked in a mirror? You all have problems”. “You’re a royal kiss ass” I say to twilight, I then look at Rainbow Dash “you’re an arrogant narcissist”. “You’re a prima donna” I say to Rarity, I shift to Pinkie Pie “you’re an insane psycho”. “Your a southern belle” I state towards Apple Jack, “a tool” I say to spike, I point to Fluttershy “and finally we have a little pansy”.

They all just stand there with a mix of anger and sadness. I then started to trot towards the door until Fluttershy landed in front of me. “How dare you”

“How dare you insult my friends, nopony insults my friends. Now I want you to apologize to them right now”.

“Yeah, can you get out of my way? Cause there is no way I’m doing something so stupid”

Fluttershy then started to stare at me with anger. I’ve looked at dragons right in the eye, but that doesn’t even come close to this stare. It was giving me a feel of dread and terror to my very core and it felt like I was about to piss my pants, if I had any on right now. After a few more seconds I gave in to that dreaded gaze. “I’m sorry” I said in a quiet and sour tone.

She intensified the glare and in doing so caused me to feel more fear. “Ok, I’m sorry ok, I’m sorry Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I’m sorry” I said in a more loud and sincere tone. The stare stopped and she then started to smile at me. “Oh god, I hope I never have to deal with her again” I think in my mind.

I then started to make my way for the door again until I was interrupted by Twilight. “Wait, where are you going?” she asked

“Well, yes, the princess ordered that you stay with one of us during your stay here so we can keep an eye on you.” Twilight responded

I thought about making a run for it but I did not want to deal with that frightening stare again so I just sat on my rump in defeat. “Ok, so who is willing to take a jerk like me into your abode” I ask.

“He can’t live with me, I live in a cloud home and thank Celestia for that” said Rainbow Dash.

She pushes me to the ground and opens the front door. “I’m going home to get some sleep, I’ll see all of you later” she states in a slightly ticked vibe. She trots out the door and then starts to fly to her home.

“Are you sure Fluttershy? There’s room at the library for him” Twilight offered.

“Well if you’re okay with it then I guess we leave it to you” Twilight said.

GASP “oh my gosh if you’re going to be living with Fluttershy then I’m going to need to prepare a welcome to Ponyville party. I’ll see all of you next chapter” Pinkie Pie said with her hyper voice and she ran back home in a blinding speed.

“Y’all better not make Fluttershy cry ya hear? If I find out ya made her cry ill kick yer face in to next Tuesday” Applejack warned as she made her way out the door.

“Well I wish you luck, I know I couldn’t handle such a ruffian in my boutique” Rarity stated as she trotted out the door.

Twilight looked at Fluttershy, giving her an (are you sure about this) kind of face, Fluttershy just smiled and nodded. Twilight nodded back and walked towards the door with spike close behind. Once they were out the door Twilight closed the door with her magic and went home.

“Oh great, I’m stuck with the pony that’s got me by the neck, o joy” I say to myself. I then grab my bags and go towards the door.

“Sure, whatever” I answer and I open the door and head outside while Fluttershy follows close behind me. I walk to the middle of a grassy meadow, open my bags and find the jar my brother gave me and open it. Out of the jar appear two illuminating butterflies that each glow a pure white.

Fluttershy is looking at them in awe with a big grin on her face. “What are they called” she asks

“They are called moonlight butterflies or lunar flies for short. They are native only to my realm”.

“Oh, well they are beautiful, but why are they only native in your world, if you don’t mind me asking”?

“Well you see in my realm its always night, and they thrive off the night and can’t handle sunlight, thus the name”

We both continued talking to each other, talking about what we did for a living, wonders about the other's world, the interesting wild life and plants each of our worlds offered, and I even explained chi and how it worked. I talked to her mostly to avoid that gaze; afraid if I didn’t she would use it again. However, a small part of me was enjoying the chit chat we were having and I felt a little happy inside.

In the midst of our talking one butterfly landed on my face and the other on Fluttershy’s. The butterfly on my face changed from a pure white glow to a black and white glow while the one on Fluttershy got a pink, blue, and yellow glow. Fluttershy looked in amazement at the now much more colorful butterflies.

“They change color based on the colors your chi resonates. They do this in order to help attract a lover”.

I just nod. We continue to talking, loosing track of time until I start to feel sleepy. I give a big yawn and get the jar, I open it and the two butterflies go back into the jar. “Well, I’m going to bed, what about you?” I ask with no response. I see Fluttershy already asleep and I decide to pick her up and put her on my back. I then go into her house looking around for the master bedroom and put her in her bed. I then look around, going upstairs to find a guest bed, I put my bags next to the bed and I fall into the bed and immediately hit the hay.

Right outside of Fluttershy’s cottage on top of a big gray cloud sits a gray pegasus with a gray mane with two hammers crossed to form a X as his cutie mark. He sits idly until a black smoke forms behind him. The gray stallion turns around and bows his head as the black smoke dissipates. Out of the smoke steps a six foot dragon that has a mix of black, white, red, green, and blue scales all over her body.

“No your majesty, Bartho was able to knock the hydra out. It won’t be able to wake up again for at least 3 days” the gray pony answered.

“Very well, then I suppose we must resort to a more quite approach”. She breathes a puff of smoke and it forms into a dark orb and a bag. “I need you to put this orb at the base of the river and pour the contents of the bag on that horse Bartho is living with”.

“At once your highness” he grabbed the bag and orb and put it in his saddle bags and got ready to take off.

“Oh and Gray Hammer” the dragon said. Gray Hammer paused and looked back at the dragon. “Continue you’re spying in celestia, the information you have given us so far has been most helpful”. He nodded and jumped off the cloud and flew towards the forest to begin his just order.

The multi colored dragon began laughing like a lunatic for a few moments before getting back her composure. She then breathed another cloud of smoke and vanished into thin air.

Of Light And Darkness

by BarthoBalchi

A New Life Begins