//------------------------------// // Part 3 - Got some desperation? Then fill the damn application! (bad rhymes for the win) // Story: A Twist of Fate // by ZachTheBrony //------------------------------// "Hnnngh! Just let me go!" Cole demanded in anger, his whole body struggling against the translucent barrier, to no avail. "No. You have caused a panic, human." the large, white, horned-and-winged pony known to every 'pony' here as 'Princess Celestia' scolded the Conduit. Cole gulped as he met Celestia's intense, challenging gaze with his own. 'Never thought I'd be afraid of... horses. But this one... Jesus Christ, something about her stare... just... just says that she means business.' The Conduit thought fearfully, the intensifying glare from Princess Celestia making him more and more worried by the second. Celestia's lips suddenly curled into a warm smile. 'What? I thought...' "AH- UMPH!" Cole was abruptly released from his encasement, sending him to the ground below the roof he was perched on. The Princess flew down gracefully beside the Conduit who laid on the ground whilst a crowd gathered around them both, while Cole was still looking up at Celestia- a pained expression plastered across his face. The Conduit staggered to his feet, and was met almost eye-to-eye by the Princess. "I... I'm sorry, miss, for causing a-" Cole attempted apologizing, but was cut short by Celestia. "It is quite alright. I certainly do not want to insult you, but I was worried you may have put some of my subject's lives in jeopardy." Celestia smiled at him warmly, then donned a look of seriousness, borderline staring Cole down. "Would you have-" Cole was shocked in revulsion at the supposed question. 'I wouldn't...' "I wouldn't lay a hand on anyone. I gave up-..." not being able to explain himself any further, Cole looked down at his hands, and clenched his fists. "Zeke..." he thought aloud in an incoherent mutter. Celestia rudely cut Cole's memories short. "Then please, explain why you were... well, I do not have the proper words for what you were doing, but I suppose I can suffice with 'doing what you were doing'?" she questioned with a concerned tone. Seeing no other choice but to explain, Cole answered. "I use electrokinetic energy, or as you and I might call it- electricity, 'cause I have powers that need it. The street lamps in the street were a power source, and I needed energy... so I did what I had to do. Feed. I didn't know it would cause a panic." The last bit was a half-lie. "Why would you need energy for your... powers?" Celestia asked curiously. By her tone, Cole thought to himself with a sigh, 'She doesn't believe me. Big surprise there.' "I heard that." 'What the fu-...' "Look, somebody! A-anybody! C-could you back me up in this a bit?! Wait... Rainbow, you here?" Cole asked frantically, hoping that that Rainbow pony could back him up in this situation. 'Liiittle bit freaked the hell out right now too!' Luckily for Cole, Rainbow Dash made her way through the crowd. "Yeah! He has powers, Princess!" she excitedly said to Celestia, smiling. "Hmm. Pray tell, what may these powers be?" Cole pointed to the ice pillar that he was projected off of, which Celestia wasn't acknowledging for some odd reason. "... Oh my. Elemental control?" "Thats... eh, one way of looking at it, I guess." Cole said. "Lemme show you right quick..." the Conduit sighed, before walking over to one of the now energy-drained street lamps. He aimed his hand carefully, lining up a shot. His arm began to irradiate with the familiar blue sparks, and his hands grew a ball of electrokinetic energy, and he fired a basic bolt directly at the street lamp which flickered to life, making the ponies 'Ooh' and 'Aah' in both amazement and understandable fear. Celestia walked to Cole's side gingerly. "Is this all you can do?" she asked with a curious yet very 'withholding' tone. Again, seeing no other choice to explain, Cole answered, "Nah. I have a range of powers. One of 'em being healing the wounded with my energy, or taking the energy produced by them as my own, but unfortunately that kinda results in the death of the perso-I mean pony. Whatever, you get what I mean. I think." "Interesting. Very interesting. May I have your name?" Celestia asked kindly. "Cole." the Conduit responded. 'Time to apologize to the locals...' he thought, looking to the crowd of ponies. "Look everyone, I uh... apologize for making a scene here, I'm not... I'm not dreaming... So all of this is real, and I'm kinda not taking it so well. Outta my element right now. Excuse me. Heh." Cole apologized half-sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Do you have anywhere to stay?" Celestia asked him. "No, no. No I don't." Cole replied to the Princess. "You're welcome to stay in the castle with me, if you please." Celestia offered. "Oh, heheh, no, no thank you, I couldn't... you're royalty. I'd only be nothing more than an annoyance." Cole attempted to shrug off the offer, but Celestia was persistent. Yeah, she doesn't give up easily. "No no, I insist that you stay with me, Cole." Celestia said to Cole, who wasn't ready to give up either. Cole sighed, "I don't want to cause any more trouble than I already have. If I stay with royalty... I'm not sure what would happen, but I doubt it'll be good." Celestia looked into Cole's eyes, narrowing her own- before looking to her subjects and placing a hoof upon Cole's shoulder as she spoke, "Well then, would anypony here like to take Cole into their hooves?" Celestia asked the crowd of ponies, who murmured several 'noes'. 'They're afraid of me... ugh, great.' Cole's disappointment was cut short by a unicorn. This unicorn looked excited as hell... She had a mint-green coat, with matching mane and tail colors, along with yellow eyes. In her mane and tail there were white streaks. Her horn matched her coat color, a minty green. The mark on her flank seemed to be a lyre, a stringed musical instrument. "Ooh! Ooh ooh! If you don't have any place to stay, I'll let you stay with me!" the mint-green pony exclaimed. "... Hm. Yeah, I guess I'd be alright with that. I need some rest, anyway." Cole stretched his arms out with a yawn, then dropped his shoulders. "Thanks for the offer, Princess, but I'm gonna stay with..." Cole's hand pointed over to the mare, and he turned to give her a hint. "Lyra. Lyra HeartStrings." the mint-green unicorn filled in the verbal blank with bubbly cheer. "Well alright then Cole. I will come and visit you from time-to-time. I love you all, my little ponies. And Cole, please, stay out of trouble." Celestia chuckled a tad at the end of her speech, before disappearing in a bright light. "Alright everypony, I suppose you all can go back to your business." Lyra said, gesturing Cole to follow her, which he did. "... So uh, Lyra." "Yeah Cole?" "I was just thinking. Why exactly did you want to take me under your wing?" Cole asked the minty-green unicorn. "Well I have this theory that there are other races other than just ponies, dragons, minotaurs and the like right? Like way, way more. One of my ideas were bipedal, much like a minotaur." Lyra smiled. "You happen to fit the description, so it's pretty exciting that I was right with my theories!" She squeed. "What the hell was that noise." "Huh? What noise?" "... Nevermind." - - - - Eventually, Lyra escorted Cole to her home. It was a cozy-looking, decent-sized building made of wood and bricks, complete with a shingled roof. "Nice place." Cole commented, stretching his arms out and yawning. "Thank you!" Lyra unlocked the door with her magic, the key encased in both the lock and the field of magic. Cole stared at her, dumbfounded. "What the he- how are you doing that?" he asked in disbelief, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, sorry Cole, it's my magic." Lyra smiled at the Conduit, before opening the door with said magic. Cole muttered something incoherently under his breath, before heading inside the door which he had to duck under. He was of course followed by Lyra, who trotted in happily. Lyra shut the door behind her softly, and stretched her hooves out with a yawn. "Heh, decent setup you have going." Cole commented, the two dull-red couches, the fireplace, the paintings and portraits, and especially the coffee table placed in-between the two couches, and the bookshelves, all accented the comfortable and cozy aura of the home. It was rather luxurious. "Thank you." Lyra blushed a tad, before sighing. "If you'd like some rest, there is a guest room upstairs. Make a left, then it's the third door down the corridor." she directed Cole. "Thanks, Lyra." Cole was obviously uneasy, but Lyra hid her concern with a warm and welcoming smile. 'I'm gonna have to get used to these ponies' names if I'm gonna be here a while...' Cole thought as he found the room. It had a carpet floor, a bed, a dresser, a standing mirror, and a bookshelf. Cole, wanting to relax, picked off a book from the shelf. "Thank God, 'least I won't be bored to death..." Cole thought aloud in relief, opening the book. The book Cole chose was about the Equestrian Monarchy, detailing the first three hundred years of Celestia's rulership, hence it being the first in a five-volume series. 'Whew. Thought it'd be in a different language and crap... good thing it's in English.' Cole thought with even more relief, obviously at ease that the books were printed in English. - - - - Cole continued to read for nearly an hour and a half, absorbing information as to how the Equestrian Monarchy came to be. That was, until he slowly drifted into a calm sleep, the book flopping onto the bed once his grip slipped from it.