Gradually, I became aware of a bright light shining against my face. I opened my eyes slowly and winced as I found the sun to be shining directly into them. I groaned and tried to roll over, but the moment I moved a searing pain shot through my left side like white hot flames.
I gasped at the pain and cringed as I forced myself to be still. 'Ribs!' I realized as the pain slowly began to subside, 'My ribs are definitely not happy with me!' I recalled the demonstration and how I had injured my side, but I couldn't recall anything after my last match against Malican and Stalwart. The last thing I could recall was Stalwart going down, then I sat down to catch my breath and it all went dark...
Raising a hoof to block the light, I looked around me and frowned. I was in a rather white room, in a simple framed bed. The window nearby was open and the sun was shining in through it.
I recognized the room as a hospital room of sorts and sighed, wincing once more at the shift in my ribs. "Oww... Guess I lost..." I said, a little disappointed in myself. I caught a muffled groan from nearby and shot a started glance to the other side of my bed.
Sky Flare was sitting in a chair beside me. Her arms were crossed beneath her chin and she was dozing soundly against the edge of my bed.
I was a little surprised to see her here with me, and upon a second glance around the room I came to realize that she was the only one here. I wasn't sure if I should wake her or not, but I had a rather growing desire to know what happened after I had apparently passed out.
As I debated whether or not to wake Sky Flare, I found a smile creep over me as I admired her sleeping face. The sunlight that had blinded me when I first woke up was shining down over her like a soft spotlight. Her reddish orange fur almost seemed to glow in the light, and she had the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. She looked so content like that, almost like a child lost in some wondrous dream.
I couldn't bring myself to disturb her, so I laid my head back down carefully and settled in to rest until she woke on her own.
I must have fallen asleep again, as the next thing I knew, I awoke to the sounds of talking. I glanced to where Sky Flare had been sleeping, but she was no longer there.
"Hey, you're awake," I heard a voice say, "About time."
Looking toward the source of the voice, I found Sky Flare to now be sitting by the window on the other side of the room. Breezy was with her, and they both smiled at me as I looked over.
"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked, not entirely sure what to say at that moment.
"Not you that's for sure." Sky Flare smirked.
"About that..." I said, scratching the back of my head as I spoke, "What exactly happened? I mean, I know I lost, but after that."
"Ya gave it yer all boy," Breezy laughed, "And ya did a might better than most expected."
"Yeah, and you cracked two ribs in the process." Sky Flare scoffed.
"I kinda noticed." I said, wincing a little as I shifted to a more comfortable position.
"Well, like you always say Silver," Sky Flare said simply, "Next time, dodge. You don't wanna get hurt, don't get hit."
"Oh ha ha." I said sarcastically. I watched as she smiled at me in her typical, confident, self-pleased way and shook my head. It was true though. I said that to her often enough during our sparring matches, and the pain I was in now was my own fault. I should've been faster, read my opponent better, or hit harder. Unlike most people I knew, I actually liked to loose. You learned more that way. No matter how good you are, how much you train, or how strong or fast you become, losing a fight will teach you more in those precious few moments than years of training ever could. I'd have to thank my opponents when next I got the opportunity, though I was fairly certain Malican wouldn't approve of my appreciation.
"Dodgin' is good and all, but so's avoiding sticky situations," Breezy chimed in, "That little tumble you took with Skyros is what lost you the prize. You went for the quick win to split up your opponents. Which ain't a bad plan in itself, but you could'a gone about it differently than plummeting to the ground like ya did. You're lucky it wasn't one of yer wings ya broke."
"Don't worry," I laughed weakly, "I will not be trying that one again."
"Good," Breezy smiled, "My little Sky 'ere's been in a right state since ya dropped. I'd hate to see what would 'appen if anything serious actually happened to ya!"
"Dad!?" Sky Flare barked.
"Well is true," Breezy stated, "You've been here with 'em since he was brought in. Pinnin' over him and keepin' watch."
Sky Flare glared angrily and pointed a hoof at the door. "Home! Now!"
Breezy laughed and shook his head as he got to his feet. "There we go, much better," he teased, "You're not you without a little fire to ya."
Sky Flare remained silent as she watched Breezy leave, then finally sighed as the door closed behind him.
If I wasn't injured, I'd feel fine about being locked in a room with a now annoyed Sky Flare. But as it stood, I felt a bead of sweat forming on my brow.
"I'm gonna strangle that old coot one of these days..." Sky Flare groaned to herself.
"Least you know he cares about you?" I offered, testing her mood.
Sky Flare frowned at me as I spoke, then sighed. "Well, he could keep his mouth shut about it once in a while."
I smiled and gave a weak shrug. "He wouldn't be Breezy if he did that."
Sky Flare shook her head and smiled at me. "He was more worried about you than I was by the way," she said, "He had the nurse check you over three times before he'd finally let her leave."
"Oh?" I said rather surprised. I thought about that for a moment, then I recalled finding Sky Flare asleep on the side of my bed and chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Sky Flare asked.
"Oh nothing," I said smiling, "I just find it interesting that you say Breezy was the worried one, yet you were the one dozing on my bed a while ago."
I watched as her ear twitched irritably, then she glanced away from me and snorted. "It was a long day," she stated, "And I was tired. So I took a nap."
I smiled wider at her and decided it was best to try and change the subject, rather than continue pressing my luck with her mood. "So, how's Stalwart doing?" I asked, "I was pretty sure I had knocked him out, but I'm guessing he got back up before me."
"I haven't checked on him," Sky Flare admitted, "But he's fine from what I hear. Bumps and bruises like you and the other two guards you fought with, but aside from your ribs, nopony received any real injuries."
"That's good to hear," I said, rather relieved. I shuffled in my bed again and groaned as my side protested my movements yet again. I frowned at my side, then looked to Sky Flare thoughtfully. "So how long till I'm able to be up and about again you think?" I hadn't really injured myself here before, so I wasn't sure how fast my new body would heal. In the human world, it would have taken the better part of couple months, but here they had magic, so I had no idea what the case would be.
"The nurse said it wasn't a bad crack," Sky Flare explained, "Doctors orders are no flying for the next two weeks, then see how things go from there. You've got some bandages around your chest right now to help, but you can lose those in a few days so long as you stay in bed. You know your body better than anypony though. So if it hurts, rest till it's better."
"Wow, really?" I said rather surprised, "You mean they don't have some magic spell to help with this?"
Sky Flare looked at me quizzically and shook her head. "Not really, no," she said, "Healing magic does exist, but it's one of the most difficult types of magic there is. How do you not know that?"
"I'm not from around here, remember?" I said, trying to laugh her question off, "I figured if anywhere would have Unicorns with healing magic, it'd be here though. I mean, this is Canterlot after all.
Sky Flare eyed me a moment, clearly unconvinced.
'I need to save questions like that for the Princesses,' I thought, mentally cursing myself, 'If I don't already know about it, or haven't heard anything about it at all, don't ask. It'd save me from a lot of these looks in the future...'
Wanting to change the mood, my stubbornness kicked in and I started to sit up. My side protested angrily, but I groaned through it until I was upright.
"What are you doing!?" Sky Flare practically barked as she trotted to the side of my bed.
"If I have to be grounded and resting for the next while, I'd rather do it in my own room than here." I said simply.
"Silver, don't be stupid!" Sky Flare protested, "At least rest here the night!"
I smiled at her and shook my head. "Nah," I said, "I'm going to my room. So you can either help me, or you can pin me down in this bed and force me to stay." I paused for a moment as I realized what I had just said. Most would listen to that, as no one in their right mind would force someone with cracked ribs to lay down. But this was Sky Flare I had said that to, and she had already proven that she was the type who would knock you out if it made her life easier...
I tensed reflexively as I expected my words to come back to haunt me, but Sky Flare simply stared at me seriously for a few moments before placing her front hooves up on the side of my bed.
"I'll help you down..." she said softly, "But I still say you should stay here."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief and smiled at her. "I understand your concern, but I'll rest better in my room than I will here." I said.
"You're as stubborn as my father." Sky Flare sighed.
I laughed. "And you're not?"
"You wanna do this by yourself?" Sky Flare asked frowning, "Cause I will leave you here, you know."
I fell silent, and with an effort, slid off the bed using Sky Flare's offered arm for support. Despite the intense pain my shift in position caused me, I managed to stay on my feet. I hurt all over, and my knees were a lot weaker than I had expected them to be, but I was determined. I tried to tuck my wings up to my sides like I usually did when walking, but was met with an impressive amount of pain in my ribs. I hadn't noticed it during my matches due to the adrenaline rush of it all, but every shift and twitch of my wings sent a jolt of pain rippling through my ribs. Clearly, my injury was closer to my back than the front, so at least some of the muscles my wings were connected to were close enough to aggravate it immensely.
With a sigh, I let my wings fall limply to the ground on either side of me.
"Ready to get back into bed now?" Sky Flare asked with a knowing frown.
"Very much so," I admitted, "But I'll wait till I'm at my own bed."
She shook her head at me, then much to my surprise, wiggled her nose under my right wing. Before I could ask what she was doing, she stepped closer to me and slid my wing up and over her head until it came to rest across her shoulders.
"W-what are you doing Sky?" I asked as she finally settled beside me. I was fairly certain I knew the reason for her closeness, but I was in pain, and more a little caught off guard by having her pressed against my side like this.
"Helping," she said matter of factly, "Unless you want to drag your wing clear across the Palace? I can't carry both, but one's better than nothing. They're a lot more delicate than you seem to think."
"Right..." I said nodding, "Thank you for the help."
She snorted at me, then I felt her tail sweep over my back legs for a moment and tensed. I felt my heartbeat quicken and shook my head for a moment.
'Why am I so flustered right now?' I thought as my face flushed, 'I mean seriously, I've been closer to her than this during our sparring matches, so what gives!? I must be a hell of a lot more tired than I think I am...'
I shook my head a final time and started for the door before my mind could wander any further.
Sky Flare kept her pace beside me, and when we reached the door, she raised a hoof to open it for us.
As we stepped outside, I found myself face to face with Dawn and jumped in surprise. I immediately regretted my reaction and cringed as my ribs screamed at me.
"Oww..." I groaned, before forcing a smile onto my face and laughing weakly, "Hey Dawn, enjoy the demonstration?"
I heard Sky Flare snort in annoyance at Dawn's abrupt appearance and tensed the wing I had draped over her, urging her to calm down.
Dawn looked as startled as I was and took a breath to center herself. "I... Don't really know," she said, giving a small smile, "Stalwart has just a few bruises but..."
I chuckled at her and smiled as she trailed off. "I'm fine, really," I assured her, "I'll be right as rain in no time. Glad to hear Stalwart's alright though. That guy can really take a hit."
Dawn nodded. "I'm glad to hear you'll be all right too," she said, "Are you ready for the dinner then?"
I had completely forgotten about the weekly dinner. It was scheduled for after the demonstration, and that other Princess... Twilight, was probably going to be there too. Sore as I was, I felt fairly confident I'd be able to attend, but before I could speak, Sky Flare chimed in.
"He's not even ready to get out of bed yet." She snorted.
I sighed at her comment, then winced at the shift in my ribs. "Dinners not for a few hours yet," I groaned, "I'm sure I'll be good by then."
Sky Flare shook her head at my words, but thankfully, she didn't go on.
"Why?" I heard Dawn ask, "What's wrong?"
I groaned internally at her question. I was trying to avoid telling her about my ribs. It was bad enough having Sky Flare telling me to go back to bed, but if Dawn joined in too, I didn't think I'd have the willpower to deal with them both.
"Nothing-" I started, but Sky Flare cut me off.
"He's broken two of his ribs," she stated irritably, "But he's too much of a mule to stay in his bed."
I groaned and dropped my head. "They're just cracked..." I tried, though I knew it was no use. The cat was out of the bag now.
I heard Dawn let out a heavy sigh, then caught her shaking her head at me like a mother would to a child. "So he's not about to get back in bed huh?" She asked Sky Flare after a few moments of silence.
"Like I told Sky," I explained quickly, "If I have to be in bed for the next while, I'd rather be in my own bed. Not some hospital room."
Dawn nodded at me, then eyed Sky Flare. "I'm guessing you're doing that to help Silver out with the ribs?" she asked, "I don't suppose you'd want help with the other wing would you?"
"No, I'm doing it to keep his flight feathers from getting ground off on the floor." Sky Flare stated.
I frowned at Sky Flare for a moment, a little annoyed with her tone. I tried to give her a bit of a flick with my tail, much like she frequently did to me, but I failed miserably.
I'd learned to wiggle my tail around well enough, but I still hadn't figured out how to whip something like she could.
Ignoring the smirk I saw growing on her face, I looked to Dawn and smiled. "I'm fine," I said, "Really." I had always hated getting help from others. Especially for something stupid like this. It was my own fault that I got hurt, so I'd deal with the repercussions and learn from my mistakes. That being said, I really couldn't do much at the moment if Dawn ignored my words. I was stuck between two women. One that could, and would, knock me out if she felt I deserved it. The other, a Unicorn that could probably knock me out with some spell before I even knew what happened.
I grunted and raised my left wing up as close to my side as I could manage. "See?" I said, forcing a smile onto my face. The strain was excruciatingly painful, but if it appeased Dawn and got her on her way, I'd be happier overall.
I caught Sky Flare frown at me, then an instant later I felt her tail whip me rather hard on my left flank. My wing dropped back to the ground limply as I jumped from the sting of her tail, and I seriously debated taking a swing at her. I wouldn't of course, but with the way she was acting, the thought was growing steadily more appealing to me.
As I glared at her, I felt an odd tingling sensation in my left wing and glanced over at it. I caught a faint sheen of green encircling it, then tensed as I watched it rise into the air on its own. I watched in confusion until I saw Dawn duck under it and assume a position that mirrored Sky Flare's.
"You don’t need to do that, Dawn," I said nervously, "Really. I'm fine."
I really just wanted to go to my room and crash. I hurt, and I wasn't in the mood for dealing with anyone right now...
"Wait," Sky Flare said in surprise, "'She's' Dawn!?"
I looked over at her and realized at that moment that I hadn't properly introduced them to one another yet. We always seemed to hang out at opposite times, and I had been too startled by Dawn's unexpected appearance at my door to think about proper manners any sooner.
"Yeah, I'm she," Dawn said before I could introduce them correctly, "Why?"
"Some friend you are," Sky Flare snorted, "I heard you and those other guards betting on Silver loosing before the event."
"What?" I said surprised, "Really?" I looked at Dawn seriously, a little stunned to hear that she'd bet against me so openly. I didn't really mind, everyone seemed to be placing bets on me or the guards, I was just a little surprised to hear that Dawn would place any bets at all. She didn't seem the gambling type to me.
Dawn glared rather angrily past me to Sky Flare, and I grew rather confused.
"Assume whatever the hell you like," She barked, "But I didn't make any bets on anyone because I didn't want to see either of them hurt!"
She looked down the hall irritably and I shrank back a little, though I couldn't exactly move far being stuck between them as I was. I looked from Dawn to Sky Flare and grew very confused as I found them both to be sharing similar looks of anger. I had no idea what their problem was, but I had to try to diffuse the situation before something else happened.
"Easy now," I said tentatively, "It wouldn't bother me either way. Win or lose, it was more for the Princesses entertainment than anything, right? I would have probably bet against me too, what with how the odds were stacked."
Sky Flare just shook her head and continued to frown down the hall.
"Let's just get you to your room," Dawn said, "You set the pace Silver."
"Okay..." I said. I felt bad enough as is, but now I was stuck in this awkward tension, caught literally between two angry women. Taking a slow step forward to try and get this walk over with sooner than later, I fell into a slow but steady pace. Each step hurt, but having my wings propped up on either friend like this did help a great deal.
As we walked, I glanced down at my legs and realized I wasn't wearing my armor anymore. The nurses probably took them off to check me over, but where did they put them?
"Hey Sky," I asked, "Where's my armor?"
"After you were brought here, Black Mane took them back," she explained, "He figured it'd be easier if he just took them now, so you wouldn't have to deliver them to him later, when you should be 'resting.'"
I caught her heavy emphasis on the 'resting' part and shook my head. "I'll have to thank him again when next I see him then," I said, "His armor worked a hell of a lot better than those crappy training ones."
"If you'd have won, the Princesses would probably have given you a set of your own," Sky Flare said simply, "But..." I caught her smirk at me before she added, "You lost. And there's no prize for second place this time, 'Silver.'"
I knew she was just playing around with her teasing, but her words did sting my pride a little.
"I wasn't aware there was any kind of prizes or the like for this," Dawn said, her tone still sounding a little irritable, "Stalwart certainly made no comment of that sort. If it's any consolation, no one expected you to get to where you'd win all three of the one on twos."
"She's just kidding around Dawn," I said, smiling in the hopes that she wouldn’t get more annoyed with Sky Flare, "It was just a simple combat demonstration, not a real competition. And while I appreciate your comment, I lost the last of the two on ones."
Dawn shook her head. "Actually it was a draw," She said, "And because you had the disadvantage, you were given the victory point."
"I was?" I said rather surprised, "Huh..." Sky Flare hadn't said anything to me about the last match now that I thought about it, not that I really asked her either. I had just assumed I'd lost since I passed out too. But I guess I did alright all things considered. Still, I didn't win it all, so it was still a loss in my books. However, it was also a win in one sense. I had learned a lot, and the next time I came up against someone in a fight, I'd be even more prepared to deal with the unique traits of each species of Pony. If there ever was a next time anyways.
"And he would have won the next match too," Sky Flare added, "If he hadn't of gone and injured himself in his fight with Skyros."
I sighed at that. In hindsight, it wasn't the best move on my part, but it worked at the time.
Dawn nodded at Sky's words. "I agree," She said, "But don't tell Stalwart that."
I smiled at that, then cleared my throat. "I'm glad you two think so highly of me," I chuckled, "But I'd probably have lost regardless. The two on ones only worked because I managed to split my opponents up. Come the last fight, they would have realized they needed work together. All they'd really have to do was group up and force me to come to them. I wouldn't have been able to keep my eye on all of them. Not when one can fly, and the other can attack at range."
"You would have been fine if you were serious," Sky Flare said, "I've seen you fight with intent before."
"I wouldn't fight like that unless I had no other choice Sky." I said frowning at her.
"Just saying," Sky Flare said confidently, "You could have won fighting like that."
'Yeah,' I thought shaking my head, 'and I would have be kicked out of Canterlot, imprisoned, or executed for it!' I had only done it a few times in our sparring matches, but I had shown Sky Flare what it was like to fight someone who came at you with the intent to kill. Or at the very least, the intent to break you to the point you could not fight back. Limb destruction techniques were common enough in a great many of my worlds martial arts, as were one shot kill strikes like throat jabs, nose strikes, or any number of other attacks. They were all designed to kill or permanently cripple another person, something that no one I knew of in Equestria would ever even consider using in a fight. Her saying I could have won like that would be like me saying I could win a basketball game by shooting the other players in the foot. It'd work, sure, but no one in their right mind would ever consider doing it! I probably never should have shown her the theory on those techniques, but it was too late now.
Thinking about our sparring brought another thought to my mind, and I nodded to myself as I realized something that actually would have helped. "Actually," I said, "Wanna know something that would have really helped? My fight mix CD. A good beat does wonders."
I hadn't really thought about it at the time, but I usually listened to music when I fought. It was sort of like a before match ritual in a way. Even when I was training on my own, I always had my IPod with me, but not anymore.
"Yeah, music definitely can help," Dawn agreed with a knowing smirk, "Though I always tuned such things out the few times I tried. Found it more distracting than anything."
"If you wanted music Silver, you should have said something," Sky Flare said, "My Dad has a ton of Records."
'Records?' I thought in surprise, 'They have records here? Wonder what sort of music they can even make...? Mostly vocal I'd think.'
"I doubt he'd have what I'm used to," I said, "But thank you for the offer."
"Try me." Sky Flare said.
"Alright," I said shrugging, "Seizure of Power, by Marilyn Manson." It was pretty much my go to song for getting pumped up. It had a good
beat, decent length, and no lyrics. So putting it on loop didn't get tiring.
Sky Flare stared at me oddly for a moment, before finally shaking her head. "Alright," She said, "Never heard of that one."
"No worries," I said, "I really didn't expect you to have. But that was one of my main go to songs back home."
Dawn chuckled. "Yeah, I have no idea what to recommend," She said, "Most of my music comes from my games."
"I miss my games," I said with a sigh, "But I'll get over it..." As nice as it was to talk to Dawn about our world, it also sucked sometimes. Ninety percent of anything we said always reminded me of something I'd probably never get to see again, but I tried not to dwell on it too much.
I caught Sky Flare eyeing me quizzically and smiled at her, a little embarrassed at getting lost in thought again.
Turning a final corner, the door to my room came into view at last, and I sighed with relief at its sight.
"Thanks for the help, Dawn," I said, suddenly feeling like I had just ran a marathon, "I thought we were a little closer to my room than that."
"That's why I said to stay in bed," Sky Flare reminded me, "But you wouldn't listen."
"Yeah yeah, I know, I know." I sighed.
"Silver, you really should rest..." I heard Dawn add in from the left with a sigh of her own, "Want me to help with the other wing more, or do you have it from here?"
I looked over at her, a little confused by her comment, then realized she was talking to Sky Flare. I instantly tensed the wing I had over Sky's back, hoping to encourage her to be polite.
"I got him, thanks." Sky Flare snorted back. Despite her words, her tone came off far more irritated than grateful.
I caught a subtle snort of reply from Dawn, then felt a tingling in my left wing again. I glanced over and found Dawn to be lifting my wing off her back with her magic, like she had done a little while ago.
"Take care Silver," she said as she lowered my wing gently to the ground, "I'll see you either at dinner, or when you're healed... I'm hoping the latter."
I winced as the pressure of my left wing settled onto the ground and smiled as best I could through the flaring pain. "You take care too," I said, "And thanks for the help."
"You're welcome." Dawn said smiling softly. She gave a wave, then headed down the hall back the way we had just come.
I waved after her weakly and, leaning more heavily on Sky Flare than I meant to, headed for my bed.
Sky Flare helped me to it, and with no small degree of difficulty, I climbed onto it and fell into its inviting and heavenly blankets. I whimpered at the pain falling into bed caused, but after I managed to roll over, the pain gradually faded.
"Bet that felt good," Sky Flare said with a frown, "You gotta be more careful Silver."
"Will do," I said slowly, "Just... Just glad to be off my feet."
"Why do you always call them that Silver?" She asked, "They're hooves, not feet."
"And hooves are technically feet, aren't they?" I replied. I really wasn't in the mood for trying to word my way out of another apparent human to pony wording issue, so my tone came off a little more irritated than I meant it to.
"Alright..." I heard Sky Flare say softly, "If you say so..."
I felt Sky Flare start to climb onto the bed beside me, but a loud knock on the door caught my attention. I groaned aloud and started to rise, but I felt Sky Flare lay a wing across my back to stop me.
"I'll get it, you rest." She said.
I didn't protest. I didn't even turn my head to see who was at the door. I just laid there and listened to the hollow clopping of Sky Flare's hooves as she trotted over to the door.
I heard the click of the door as it opened, then Sky Flare's charming greeting.
"Yeah?" she said, in a clearly annoyed tone.
"Good afternoon Ma'am," someone, who I could only assume was a guard by his tone, said, "Is Silver Wing present? I was sent to deliver a message to him from the Princesses. He was not in his room in the infirmary, so I am hoping he may have returned here."
"He's resting," I heard Sky Flare answer, "Give me the message, and I'll pass it along when he's up."
"Very well," the guard said, "The Princesses request Silver Wing's presence for dinner tonight at the royal dining hall, but only if he is feeling well enough to join."
"I'm gonna have to say no to that one," Sky Flare said, "He barely made it here."
I sighed internally at the thought of going to dinner feeling like this. I had zero desire to move from my current spot ever again. In fact, I had zero desire to even think right now, but I couldn't say no to the Princesses. An hour of talking wouldn't kill me. It might feel like it will, but it won't. And once it's done, I'll be free to rest till whenever I'm better.
"Tell the Princesses I'll be there." I called weakly, my voice half muffled by my bedding.
"Are you stupid!?" I heard Sky Flare bark back at my answer, "You barely made it here with help! How do you think you're gonna get there on your own, huh? Never mind get back afterwards."
"I'll be fine," I said tiredly, "I just need to catch my breath is all."
I caught a heavy feminine sigh, then caught the sounds of whispering. I turned my ears towards the door, but I couldn't make out whatever it was that Sky Flare and the guard were now talking about.
After a few moments of hushed conversation, I heard the door close, then the sound of hoof steps returning to my bed.
I was too tired to look back and see who it was, I could barely even keep my eyes open anymore. I assumed it was Sky Flare I had heard approaching, and now felt climbing onto my bed with me. It was a comfort to know that she was there, and though I wanted to say that to her, I was rapidly losing my ability to even think.
"Wake me... For dinner please..." I barely managed to say, before I slipped once again into the darkness of sleep.
It felt like I had just closed my eyes when there was another knock on my door. I tried to ignore it, but it came again, then again. Reluctantly, I rose to my feet in my bed and looked around groggily.
I found Sky Flare sound asleep a foot or so away from me. She had one of her wings pulled up and it was drawn over her face, shielding her eyes from a sliver of sunlight that streamed between a small gap in my curtains. I smiled for a moment at the oddly cute looking position she was in, before a fourth knock brought me back to what had first awoken me.
Carefully, I climbed off the bed and winched as my movements and sore muscles protested their use. I ignored them as best I could, and opened the door with as little noise as possible. For Sky Flare to have slept through the incessant knocking like she had, she must have been very tired. Apparently, my fights had been more stressful for her to watch than I first though. That, or she was tired for some other reason I didn't know about.
On the other side of the door, was a guard pony. He nodded his head and addressed me in the usual fashion.
"Good evening, Sir Silver Wing." He began, but I raised a hoof and gestured for him to be a little quieter. He frowned for a moment, the resumed at a softer tone of voice. "It is nearly time for dinner. I was asked to return at this time to alert you. Do you still plan to attend?"
I nodded and glanced back over my shoulder to where Sky Flare was still sleeping. Part of me wanted to wake her up, but that same part also didn’t want to get another lecture about resting when I should. I knew I should stay in bed. My every muscle practically wept with the effort of even standing up, but I had always been one to keep running until my legs gave out.
Closing the door behind me as quietly as I could, I stepped out into the hall and nodded to the guard. "I'm still planning to attend, yes," I said, "Thank you for the wakeup call. And sorry about that."
"It is my job," the guard said simply, "There is no need to apologize." He took a step back and glanced at my bandages a moment before adding, "Are you in need of assistance to make it to the dining hall?"
"Nah," I said, waving him off with a slightly pained smile, "I'll be fine. Thank you."
"Very well," he said, "Have a good night."
"You too." I said, watching him as he started down the hall away from me.
I took as a deep a breath as my cracked ribs would allow, then started for the dining hall. The walk there wouldn't be too bad, I hoped. But the flight of stairs that led up to it would be another story entirely.
It took me a fair bit longer than I would have liked to reach the dining hall. I had been forced to stop several times along the way to catch my breath, and the stairs were even worse than I had anticipated. With my ribs hurting as they were, I had taken to breathing shallowly to lessen the pain. And while that worked wonderfully, it had the negative effect of lessening my oxygen levels, which made everything else ten times harder.
Finally reaching my chair, I dropped into it and let out a heavy sigh of relief, before whimpering at the pain so deep a breath shot through me.
"Are you certain you are well enough to attend this dinner, Silver Wing?" I heard Luna ask from across the table.
I smiled and nodded as I glanced over at her. "I'm fine," I said slowly, "Just need to catch my breath. Stairs... Stairs suck." I was too tired to talk any more than I needed too, so I simply waved at Dawn, then paused as I noticed the purple Alicorn from this morning at the table beside Celestia. She was another Princess, Twilight something. I couldn’t quite recall her full name at the moment, but I bowed my head to her as politely as I could manage.
I caught a concerned frown cross Celestia's face and she turned to Luna for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. "Very well," she said, "First, let us eat. Then we can discuss the events of today freely."
I wasn't all that hungry, but I ate a small bowl of my usual honeyed carrots, with a side of mint tea in the hopes that its warmth would help the pain in my chest a little.
After the table was cleared and our servers had departed, Celestia cleared her throat, catching my attention.
She smiled at me and spoke with an almost excited hint to her voice. "Your performance this day was quite impressive, Silver Wing," she said, "I do not believe anypony expected you to reach as far as you did. Even my dear sister was brought to the edge of her seat during your final match."
Luna half frowned at Celestia's comment, then looked away. "Your prowess in combat was indeed worth witnessing," she said, "And you fought with a truly unique ferocity and cunning."
I glanced at her quizzically at her apparent indifference, but didn't say anything. 'She was the one rearing to see me fight a week ago,' I thought, 'So why is Celestia the one who sounds like she enjoyed it more?'
"I agree. It was very interesting to see," Twilight chimed in, "I bet Rainbow Dash would have loved to have seen it. She'll be so jealous when I tell her about it." She chuckled a moment, then turned her attention to Dawn. Celestia and Luna looked over to her as well, seemingly awaiting her thoughts on how the demonstration went.
Dawn glanced to her onlookers and replied quickly. "I'm just glad it stopped when it did," she said, "Too many heart attacks in one day for my taste."
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment, though it hurt a great deal to do so. "Try it from inside the ring," I said, "Whatever rush you got watching is nothing compared to the real thing."
Dawn shook her head at me instantly. "Sorry," she said, "I have no interest in trying anything like that, inside a ring or otherwise."
"Yet you aided Silver Wing with a sparring match a few days ago," Celestia mused, "So clearly, some part of you at least, holds interest in such things."
"I blame that on Starlight." Dawn replied.
Celestia chuckled softly then nodded. "Yes, he does seem the more headstrong of the two of you." she said thoughtfully. "Speaking of Starlight," she continued, "If you would be so kind as to introduce him to Twilight? She has been very eager to meet him since I first wrote to her of his nature."
I caught Twilight smile wide at that, but I was more interested in the fact that Celestia apparently writes to this smaller Princess about stuff. I figured they could just use magic like some sort of a phone, but I guess not.
On Dawn's far side, I caught Starlight fade into view and take a seat, then heard Twilight gasp in surprise.
"Oh wow, so he really does materialize out of thin air!" She exclaimed. She clapped her front hooves together excitedly for a moment, then much to my surprise, disappeared in a flash of purple light. She reappeared beside Starlight and started looking him over like he was some sort of alien creature she had never seen before. She poked him here and there, in much the same manner that she had done to me when we first met and I felt genuinely sorry for the guy.
"Amazing," Twilight said in apparent awe, "That's incredible! You're visually transparent, yet physically tangible. Tell me, if you were to eat an apple, would it be absorbed into you, or would we be able to watch it get digested? Do you even need to eat for that matter? And where do you go when you're not here? You came when called, but Meadow Dawn didn't call you verbally, so does that mean you can see or sense what's going on around her through some magical means?"
I knew exactly what Starlight was going through right now. I had suffered through a similar first meeting this morning, and while I felt bad for him, I was glad it wasn’t me this time.
"I... What should I answer first?" Starlight tried, "I'm lost."
'You and me both,' I thought, 'Celestia said she was a Princess, so she must be one, but she certainly doesn’t act like it.'
"Right... Sorry." Twilight said. She disappeared within another flash of light, then reappeared back where she had first been. There was another flash beside her, and a quill and a pad of paper appeared and just floated there beside her. A moment later, it began scribbling down what sounded like an essay.
"So...?" Twilight started again, "How did you know to come here when Celestia asked?"
I had to admit, I had wondered about that myself. I knew magic was involved, but anything more intricate than that was more or less lost to my ignorance of the subject.
"Well," Starlight explained slowly, "I can hear and see what Dawn sees, more or less. Depends on how strong I feel at the time."
"Interesting," Twilight said nodding, "And what about your sense of feel and taste? Is that also shared?"
Starlight shook his head. "No, not yet anyway," he said, "Maybe with time..."
'That would be weird,' I thought, 'Feeling both my own and another’s senses?' I tried to think of what that would be like, but I was too tired to come up with much.
"Interesting," Twilight went on, "And where do you go when you're not here? What's it like?"
"Well," Starlight began, "At first it wasn't much like anything. Just hazy glimpses of my old life, back before Dawn knew who she was. It was cold, and time seemed to stand still. I have no idea how long I was stuck like that, but eventually, my teacher found me and pulled me free of that place. He helped me take on this new form and showed me how to reach out to Dawn."
"I see," Twilight said curiously. "And now?"
"Now it's just dark," Starlight answered, "Only my teacher and what Dawn sees or hears reaches me there."
"So it's just this 'Teacher' and you in there now?" Twilight asked.
I glanced over at that. Her tone had changed considerably with her latest question. She went from curious and excited to a slower, more investigative tone. It reminded me of work in the human world, when I'd question someone about something that just didn't quite add up.
I watched as Starlight shrugged, apparently oblivious to her change in tone. “I haven’t spotted anyone else in there in the last few years," he stated, "Why?”
I wasn't sure what had piqued Twilight's interest, but I did my best to listen to their every word closely.
"And what about places, or things just floating about?" Twilight asked.
Starlight shrugged again and glanced at Dawn before replying. “Just what Dawn sees and hears," he answered, "As well as where my teacher takes me.”
Twilight frowned thoughtfully and shook her head. "That doesn't seem right to me." she said.
"What is the matter Twilight?" Celestia asked. She had an oddly serious look about her as well and it irritated me greatly that I had no idea what about Starlight's answers could have seemed so odd.
"It's just, in all the books and scrolls I've read, the space between worlds is always described as being open," Twilight explained, "Pieces of everywhere, from every time and space just drift around. Lost fragments that have been cast off, or memories that refuse to fade. It's never been described so... Blankly." She glanced at Celestia and continued more like she was thinking aloud than actually talking to her, "Even their relationship doesn't quite fit now that I think about it. Starlight's a part of Meadow Dawn, a fragment she lost years ago. He should have become one with her the moment she passed through the Mirror of Worlds. The fact he managed to stay separate makes no sense to me..."
That was news to me. I had no idea how Starlight really worked to begin with, but if what Twilight was saying was the norm for wherever he was from, then his current setup was definitely odd.
"Well, I enjoy that he's out like this instead," Dawn stated, "I'm.... glad..." She trailed off for a moment and raised a hoof to her head.
I noticed Starlight seem to flicker out like a light during a storm, but it only lasted for a moment before he returned to his usual semi-transparent look.
Dawn shook her head slightly and glanced at Celestia. "Sorry," she said slowly, "What were we talking about again?"
I may not have been able to notice something being odd about Starlight’s story, but I definitely noticed how odd that was. Something about Twilight's explanation seemed to have struck a chord with her, but why?
"Are you alright?" Celestia asked.
Dawn nodded. “Yeah, I think so…" she said, "Just a bit of a headache.”
I eyed her seriously as she rubbed the side of her head again, then saw her look to Starlight. She stared at him for a while, then nodded to herself before looking back to Celestia.
It reminded me of how Celestia and Luna looked when it seemed like they were talking to each other with their minds, but I couldn't be certain and that irritated me greatly. Everyone here could use magic for so many different things, and here I was with no idea about any of it. I may not be able to use any of it myself, but I decided at that moment that I'd start reading up on how magic worked. Anything and everything I could find on the subject. At worst, it would help make me feel like less of an idiot when someone else was talking about magic.
"Perhaps we should save such questions for later, Twilight." Celestia said, though her tone seemed unusually thoughtful.
"But-" Twilight started to protest, but quickly fell silent as Celestia's expression hardened for only a moment. "Yes Princess." she ended.
"Why don't you take a look at Starswirl’s bracelet?" Celestia offered. Her expression returning to its usual, gentle manner as she continued. "Dawn has done a most remarkable job in repairing it."
I had forgotten about that bracelet. It had let me use magic, albeit in a very limited manner. It made me wonder just how many more things like that could exist out in the world, and how hard it might be to get one of my own.
I watched as Dawn took the golden bracelet off her arm, then send it floating through the air with her magic like it was a feather on a soft breeze. From there, Twilight took in in much the same manner and began looking it over intently.
"Incredible," she gasped, "This is one of Starswirl’s works alright, but it's not one of his typical pieces. This one is very rare."
"How so?" Dawn asked.
"Well, you've noticed how this symbol is different than one would typically expect?" Twilight explained, "How it has this extra star within a star right here? Nopony's really sure why, but there was a time in Starswirl the Bearded's life where he went a little... Odd. Even for him. He started making trinket after trinket for the ponies of Equestria, and every one of them had this slightly modified engraving on them. He made dozens of helpful items over the course of about a year, then something happened to him. He returned to using his original mark and began taking back all the trinkets he had given away. This is the first one I've actually ever seen with my own eyes."
While what she was saying was interesting to me, I was starting to have trouble keeping my eyes open. I was a lot more tired than I realized and I was beginning to have trouble staying awake. Twilight's voice just kind of melded into my head as she went on and on, and I found myself more than once surprised by the darkness of my own closed eyes.
"Until today, I've only ever seen drawings of them," Twilight ended, "As far as I'm aware, the rest have all been destroyed."
“So what would cause him to go out and make the artifacts, only to take them back?” I heard Dawn ask as I found myself on the verge of nodding off once again.
"Nopony really knows," Twilight said, "But he clearly missed this one. Or chose not to destroy it for some reason. Either way, I'm still amazed you managed to fix it in the first place. I know I said this earlier, but it really is incredible that you repaired it. It takes a very powerful and focused unicorn to repair someone else’s work. The magic used to repair something like this needs to resonate with the magic that was first used to create it. Maybe it's because you came through the Mirror of Worlds, or maybe it has something to do with the odd way you and Starlight have managed to remain separate, I don't really know, but it's an impressive feat."
As I listened to Twilight's voice drone on about Starswirl and his crazy days, I caught the soft sound of another voice join in. It was softer, and more soothing. It seemed almost to be calling my name, but I couldn't quite make it out.
"Silver Wing," the voice called, louder this time, "Awaken Silver Wing."
I jerked my head up in surprise as I realized it was Celestia that was calling me, then winced as my sudden movement reminded me none too nicely of my cracked ribs.
"I-I'm awake!" I said quickly. I could feel a heated wave of embarrassment washing over my face and ears and fought not to check if I had drooled. I had obviously fallen asleep, and though I knew I wouldn't literally die of my colossal embarrassment, part of me wished I would.
I caught Celestia smile at me in her parental manner for a moment before she addressed me directly.
"With that concluded," she said softly, "I believe rest would be your best interest now Silver Wing. If you would like, I could have a guard escort you to your room?"
I was a little surprised at the fact I was apparently being dismissed, but I didn't really mind. I was still unbelievably tired, and sore, and if stayed any longer I'd probably just doze off again anyway. All my willpower to stay and participate had faded, and now all I wanted to do was crawl out of this room and curl up in my bed for the rest of my life.
I took a breath to attempt to focus myself and smiled as best I could. "Thank you," I started, "But I'm fine, I can make it on my own."
"I am certain you can," Celestia said, "But you are still injured, and there is no harm in accepting aid when it is needed."
"I'm fine, really." I protested politely. I was already embarrassed enough after having fallen asleep in front of everyone, the last thing I wanted was to wait around for an escort back to my bed.
"Be that as it may," Luna chimed in, "We feel an escort is in order."
"Yeah, but I'm sure your guards have better things to do that walk me back to my room," I laughed lightly, "So no worries."
"If you do not wish a guard to escort you," Luna said sternly, "Than I shall see to your return myself."
"W-what!?" I stammered, "No no, it's fine."
"You would not be attempting to refuse an offer from a Princess, would you Silver Wing?" Luna asked me seriously.
I couldn't tell if she was joking, or genuinely adamant about this. She had one hell of a poker face, so I had no choice but to play it safe.
"Not at all..." I said softly, "I'd just rather not trouble you with something so... Menial"
"Helping somepony else is never menial," Luna stated, "So if that is all, let us be on our way. I expect Princess Twilight has withheld her questions for young Meadow Dawn and Starlight for about as long as she can. My Sister can see to the rest."
I glanced over to Celestia and saw her nod.
"Alright then," I said, trying not to sigh, "Good night then everyone." I gave a polite bow of my head to Celestia, then Twilight, and finally Dawn and Starlight.
I found Luna to already be beside me by the time I had finished saying my goodnights. She could move oddly silently when she wanted too, and with surprising grace it seemed.
Getting to my feet, I smiled at Luna and followed her lead out of the dining room.
We walked in silence for most of the way, before Luna eventually spoke. "Silver Wing," she started, "I have a request of you."
I glanced over at her, rather surprised. "Sure thing Princess," I said, "Fire away."
"Before I share my request, I want you to know that you needn't accept," she stressed, looking at me seriously, "Your acceptance or refusal will hold no sway on any future interactions between yourself and I, or my sister. Is that clear?"
"Uhh, alright?" I said, now getting a bit of a nervous sweat on my brow. I had no idea what she could want. The last thing she requested of me, was a demonstration of my fighting style. But she was far more open about that one, whatever she was about to ask seemed like it was a lot more serious than that.
"Good," Luna said, "Then I shall get right to the point. Despite your loss, your performance this day was quite the spectacle."
"Well, I tried." I laughed, still not sure what she was getting at.
"Yes, you did," Luna said looking at me, "And after witnessing such heated bouts, and seeing your unique methods of combat, I find myself desiring to experience them first hoof."
"What do you mean?" I asked, a little confused by her statement.
"I apologize," she said, "I will speak in simpler terms. Once you have recovered, I wish to fight you."
"Wait, what!?" I gasped, then winced, "Oww... I-I couldn't possibly do that! You're a Princess! Besides, I barely managed to beat Malican, and he’s just a normal Unicorn. With your magic, you'd beat me hands down."
"I am well aware of my magical prowess," Luna said, "That is why I would limit myself to physical combat only. To give you a fair chance."
"Even so, I still couldn't!" I said quickly, "I don't like fighting women, no offence intended, but I feel bad hitting one. I still apologize to Sky Flare every time I hit her and we've been sparring together for over a month! And I couldn't possibly try and hit 'you'. Unlikely as it may be, what if I hurt you? Your sister would kill me!"
"You can leave my sister to me," Luna stated, "And as for the risk of injury, I would expect nothing less. I am not requesting a sparring match Silver Wing, I am requesting a battle. I wish for you to combat me with the same ferocity and cunning that you displayed today during the demonstration."
"But... You're a Princess," I protested, "I can't try and hit you."
Luna frowned. "I am not some fragile creature to be viewed from afar," she stated, a hint of anger lingering in her words, "I am Princess Luna. I have fought against beast, pony, and all manner of magical creature alike to reign Equestria under control and bring peace. A private battle with you will bring no lasting consequences, whether you succeed in striking me or not."
I fell a half step behind at that and found myself at a loss for words. Clearly I had struck a nerve, though I wasn’t sure how exactly. I had heard she'd fought in battles in the past, but with how old she was, and the fact that she was this country's Princess, I just didn't feel right taking a swing at her, even if that was what she wanted.
Luna sighed after a moment and looked at me seriously. "Please Silver Wing," she said softly, "It has been some time since I have last felt the urge to battle another so strongly. Will you not aid me in quelling this desire? Surely you of all can understand the desire to combat a worthy opponent? Have you never seen another and felt a rush at the idea of battling them with your all?"
I sighed and nodded. I knew what that felt like. To want a good fight, but have no one around to actually feel a challenge against. It was almost cruel. Especially if you managed to catch sight of someone who might be able to give you even a little bit of a rush. Sure, Luna could beat me effortlessly with her magic, but if she stuck to physical fighting only, my completely alien style would be like a long lost wonder for her. I still didn't like the idea, but if it was something she wanted that much, how could I say no?
I shrugged after a moment and nodded slowly. "Alright..." I said, "Just... If Celestia finds out, tell her this was all your idea, alright?"
A slight smile crept onto Luna's face and she nodded in agreement. "Of course." she said.
We fell silent once more and before I knew it, we were back at my room.
I let out a soft sigh and turned to thank Luna for the escort, when I noticed and odd smile on her lips.
"What is it?" I asked curiously, "Did I do something to amuse you?"
Luna looked almost like she was lost in thought, but my question brought her back to the moment. "She must care for you a great deal." She said to me softly.
"Hmm?" I said confused, "Who?"
Luna smiled in that same odd manner and nodded to my door. "Sky Flare," she said, "She dreams of you as we speak."
I smirked at the thought, then chuckled despite the pain it cause in my ribs. "And what makes you think that?" I said, "We're just friends."
"The night is my domain," Luna explained, "As such, I can witness the dreams of all who slumber within Equestria, and you cross her dreams often Silver Wing."
I stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was joking about watching others dreams or not. Seeing no real change in her expression, I felt my heart drop a little as I became aware of this latest power that apparently existed in this world. It was already bad enough that she could read minds, but she can watch dreams too? How is that legal!? Well, she is one of the two leaders of this country, but still. How is that not a massive invasion of privacy?
"C-can you even see my dreams...?" I asked nervously. Not all of my dreams were rainbows and sunshine. They could vary wildly and have just about anything happen from violence, to romance, to just wandering around. The thought of having someone else watching them was just unnerving and made me feel incredibly self-conscious. I started mentally replaying all the dreams I could recall having since I had arrived, but I couldn't remember very many. My dreams had always seemed to fade from my memory a few minutes after I'd wake up, and I couldn't help but worry that I may have dreamt about something that might be considered taboo here.
"Oh yes," Luna admitted, "And I have learned much about you and your world from them. Though I only viewed yours the first few weeks after your arrival here in Equestria. I was still uncertain of your intentions, so I had to keep a closer watch on you for the safety of all."
That made sense, but it was still unsettling. "Why do it at all though?" I asked, "I mean, with me fine, that makes sense I guess, but why spy on others?"
"I do not 'spy' on the dreams of others, Silver Wing," Luna stated, "I observe them. And I typically only observe the dreams of those that succumb to the darkness of nightmares. I use my power to ease their minds and help them to understand the cause of their turmoil, thereby allowing them the rest a good nights sleep affords. However, when I sense somepony having a dream that brings them great joy, I find there to be no harm in glancing upon such light on occasion."
That made it seem a bit less invasive to me. She did it to help her people, not to spy on them. Still though, it made me seriously question my desire to go to bed when I entered my room, or wait till the morning and start sleeping during the day when Luna slept.
"So, Sky Flare's having a good dream about me then?" I asked. I wasn't entirely sure what to say, but I had to say something.
Luna simply smiled at me, but remained silent.
"You only check out really good, or really bad dreams then, right?" I checked.
"Unless something else draws my attention, yes," Luna said, "I do not simply peer into every dreamers escape. Dreams are a personal experience, and should remain with the dreamer alone."
She looked at me oddly for a moment, then I caught her horn glow and the door to my room opened with a soft click.
"Rest well, Silver Wing," she said, "I eagerly await your recovery."
I smirked nervously at that and nodded. "I'll do my best." I said, before bowing my head politely and creeping into my room.
I closed the door behind me as quietly as I could, then made my way back to my bed in darkness. There was still faint sliver of light streaking in between a gap in my curtains, but my room was rather dark. Fighting not to whimper in pain, I stumbled across my room and climbed into my bed, before flopping down beside Sky Flare.
She hadn't moved an inch from when I had left her earlier and I couldn't help but smile as what Luna had just told me crossed my mind. 'So she was dreaming about me, huh?' I thought, 'I wonder in what way?' I had no idea what sort of dream she was having, but so long as it was a good dream, I'd be happy about it.
I was still a little apprehensive about going to sleep during the night, when Luna was awake, but I was growing increasingly tired with every passing moment. The fact she could still watch my dreams if she wanted too, and I had no idea of knowing, was still concerning. But as I stared at Sky Flare's sleeping face, my exhaustion eventually overtook my concerns and I drifted off into a deep and much needed sleep.