The First Steps of the Rest of Your Life

by Rhino

Chapter 45: Reflections and Revelations

***Monday, Day 30, dawn***
**Train bound for Ponyville**

I lounge in a window seat against the back wall of the car, a short distance away from the others. They are all chatting with each other or, in Volt’s case, use excessive facial expressions and hoof motions. Once again we seem to have the compartment to ourselves, which is fine by me. I absentmindedly glance out the window at the blur of the passing countryside before letting out a deep breath, leaning back, and just letting my mind wander for a bit.

Life… unpredictable doesn’t seem to do it justice sometimes. Here we are, not three days ago we were roped into looking after somepony in trouble with the law, and yet we return now from a midnight trip in Canterlot during which we flooded a warehouse, infiltrated a castle, freed prisoners, defeated a pony planning on undermining everything about the law in the city, and strangest of all… I went to a nightclub.

Friends…

They are certainly proven to make life more interesting… so many variables… and even now, we come away from this with a new friend. I wonder where Atom is going to stay… I suppose the guest room is still free, as long as he doesn’t give Fluttershy so much as a wrong look again.

I shake my head to clear the negative thoughts.

He’ll be fine. He was stressed when he did that. Still, it will be nice when things get back to normal… heh, whatever the loose definition of that is.

The sound of flapping wings causes me to swivel my head to see Iroh heading my way. He lands on the back of my seat and perches there, looking at me as I turn my gaze back to nothing in particular.

My attention turns back to him as he remarks, “Unfocused gazes such as yours usually show a mind in thought. Is there something troubling you?”

I lightly let out a few chuckles, “No, thank you for asking, but if anything, I would say this is the first time in the last few days that nothing’s been troubling me. It’s a welcome regression.”

Iroh nods, glancing at the others, “Interesting days for an interesting group. I know I promised to tell you about myself and others like me,” he gestures with a paw to the others, “but, would you mind if I asked about your friends?”

I mull this over in my head, “I’d be happy to share, though to be honest, I’m not certain precisely what information you’re looking for.”

He shrugs, “Whatever you feel you know about them, I might get a different side if I was to ask each of them, but for now, I simply wish to know your thoughts on them.”

I put a hoof to my chin as I mentally sift through the information I have about my friends, “I suppose… I’ll start in the reverse order of when we met.”

My gaze falls on our newest member, his green shades hiding his eyes, but his smile still bringing ease to those who are speaking to him.

“I don’t know much about Atom, relatively speaking at least. Atomic Vortex, former royal guard. His was definitely the oddest meeting out of all of them. A random pony assigned to our care that led to the crazy adventure where we met you. His guard days are behind him now, but I hope his new status as a Private Investigator shall still keep him content. He can be headstrong at times and seems to have a small temper, but he has proven he is willing to accept help from his friends. Due to his former occupation, I would hazard a guess that he has seen more combat than the rest of us. His swordsponyship is the best I have seen, and his blade itself is fascinating with its elemental enchantment. I look forward to learning more about both the sword and the pony.”

I turn towards the other pegasus of the group, laughing, with a smile on his face not bothered by what we had been through, “Blue Breeze, current holder of a weather pony job underneath his recently announced marefriend, Rainbow Dash. He is fascinated by the weather of the Everfree Forest and endeavors to learn more about it. He can be a smartflank at times and his love of puns is reflected only by his love of chimicherrychongas. He knows when it’s time to be serious, but he also seems to know when a little humor can help moral. He is a good friend, and like Atom, became part of our group by a trial by fire, though his was more weather than fire. He has the ability to focus his pegasus magic into the wind around his hooves, combined with his hoof-to-hoof combat training, allows him to hit with no small amount of force. Like Atom, I look forward to learning more about him in the days to come.”

The unicorn in our group besides me is up next, “Voltage Surge, resident electrical engineer, he insists on not being called an electrician, and the only one of the group we’ve met in a normal way since I came to Ponyville. He, Hydro, and I bonded because we were at a similar time in our lives: fresh out of college, in a new place, and looking to see what life had for us. He is a… mixture I would say. He will joke around, make puns until you are left begging him to stop, and yet I’ve had one or two conversations with him that has been quite productive as he does share a mind of quite logical thinking. After all, the work he’s doing with the town’s electrical system has only improved it from what I hear, though he is mostly diagnosing at the moment. His magic is an oddity, I don’t believe that I’ve seen him use anything that wasn’t electricity based, and even his levitation has that electrical essence to its magic if you sense for it. He can be trying to some of the others at time but he will stop if you ask him to. He appears to know fencing of some sort, though from the fight we had, it is obvious he is trying to actively use his magic in combat as well, even if his aim does need work. Overall, I think he’s great for cheering others up, whether at his own expense or not. He seems to always be in a good mood no matter what happens, and I for one, wish him happiness if only for all the stuff he seems to be a victim of.”

Lastly I turn to my earth pony friend, “Hydro and I have been friends for years. Ever since we met, we have always had each other’s back, even if our support was given over distance. He now works in the town dam, making sure all stays right. You would think from his name that he is fascinated with water, but this is not the entire case, his fascination is also what he can do with water. He is an inventor, though he may not look it. I have no doubt that in the free time he must have, among the supplies at the dam, that he has been working on some project or another. I’ve heard him working on things in his room, but he usually does small things there and big things elsewhere. He knows his machines like I know my magic. He is straightforward when you get to know him, but this does not mean he is simple. He can be irritable sometimes though. He and Volt seem slightly antagonistic to each other, but I feel that it mostly stems from the fact that Volt likes to talk, and Hydro sometimes doesn’t feel like listening. Water and electricity never did produce subtle mixes. He is currently dating Applejack, resident owner of Sweet Apple Acres, their relationship seemed to come out of nowhere but they seem alike in how straightforward they are, so maybe what we don’t hear is just how normal it is. Overall, what more can I say? He’s the one of the few ponies I trust to have my back from all we’ve been through.”

I turn to the curious nimbat, “That’s just a general overview, but I feel it does them justice for a spur of the moment talk.”

The nimbat keeps his eyes on me, eyes which I notice don’t actually have a white sclera, the pupil and iris are just one solid color that fades into the black that makes up the rest of his eye. The strange eyes continue to look at me as he asks, “What about you then?”

“You want me to describe myself?” I ask.

His webbed wings shuffle a bit on his back as he responds, “You seem to be both an observer and a thinker, I’m curious to see what you have observed about yourself.”

I try not to think too deeply about the question and simply answer in a manner similar to my descriptions of the others, “Umm, alright. My name is Rhino and I am a veterinarian at the clinic in Ponyville. My talent lies not in animals though, but in magical precision and innovation, usually through runes. They are like a second language to me, a sentence of runes forms a spell, and the way they are used fascinates me. I use my talent as a hobby, usually trying to replicate the results of spells, but in my own way, seeing as contemporary magic doesn’t work well for me. I have invented a few spells, though only one is completely original and the others are more adaptations of existing ones. I am currently in a relationship with Fluttershy, the most beautiful and kind mare I have ever met, whose talent with animals easily outstrips my own, which comes simply from being quiet and gentle with them. She can communicate with them on a level I have never seen, where as I simply enjoy them and use my knowledge of them to heal them. I… don’t like fighting or confrontation in general. I feel, that maybe I can do more to help in situations like what happened with Torchlight, it’s something I plan on looking into soon. I worry though, about losing control of myself, it has only happened a few times… but it was not pleasant, for me or anypony else. However, I will protect those I care about, no matter my reservations. I feel, I would do better as an evasive fighter than a defensive one… but like I said, it’s something I’m going to devote some thought to.”

Iroh looks at me as I finish speaking, causing me to avert my gaze and shift slightly downward in my seat. I hear him chuckle though as he begins, “A very interesting group indeed. I wouldn’t worry too much about fighting, you will discover your own style, at your own pace, and it seems to me, it will be for the all right reasons.”

I smile, “Thank you. *sigh* Thankfully, this whole thing blew over in the end without us getting into too much trouble.”

***

We’re in trouble.

A group of mares waiting for you as you get off the train might seem like a source of comfort, but the eyes of the six familiar mares seem to be more accusatory than anything else as their eyes find our singed and tired forms. Volt decides to take one for the team by being the first one off the train. As a particularly miffed Twilight approaches him, the other mares go to their respective stallions, while Rarity and Pinkie observe Atom who is looking all around with the new perspective of not being a suspected criminal in town this time.

Volt raises a hoof to greet the angry purple pony with his damaged voice, “Hey Twi-“

The librarian cuts him off, her voice loudly cutting off any attempts at speech by the other ponies present, “What is wrong with you?!”

Volt’s smile fades into confusion, “Wha-“

“You can barely speak-“

“Bu-“

“Your eye and throat are swollen and bruised-“

“Well-“

“Your coat is burnt in patches-“

“That-“

“And to top it all off, I receive a random letter from Princess Celestia this morning, telling me to gather my friends and meet you at the train station, because in less than a day at Canterlot, all of you managed to get into a fight with a crime boss!”

Twilights stops her ranting a moment to catch her breath before continuing, “What in Equestria would make you go and do something like this?!”

Volt gives Twilight a wary eye, “Why do you care so much?”

The purple unicorn sputters a moment as her face takes on a frustrated expression even as her cheeks become redder than tomatoes, “I-I... this isn’t... y-you... I don’t- Ugh!” She lets out a frustrated groan before turning tail and running off towards her library, her saddlebags jostling as she runs.

The rest of us stare in stunned silence as Volt runs after her shouting her name.

**3rd person, Volt and Twilight**

Volt’s weak shouts echo as he calls to the unicorn mare he’s pursuing, “Twilight, wait!”

The magic student continues running, her head down and eyes hidden.

“Twilight… slow down!”

Still the mare runs.

As they near her home Volt’s final raspy shout comes, “Twilight, please talk to me!”

Finally, the mare slows down in sight of her door, but still about 20 hooves from it. Her back remains to the stallion as he gasps for air through his damaged throat, worse now after his shouting. The stallion goes to speak again when he hears something, a sniff. Looking at the ground in front of the purple unicorn, Volt is shocked to see a few tear stains in the dirt.

Volt’s face shifts into one of concern as he gently asks, “Twilight… what’s wrong?”

Twilight turns to him but says nothing, her eyes remaining hidden due to her downward tilting head.

“Twi… is this about me running out on you before this?” Volt reaches back to his saddlebags and pulls out a book with his mouth. Twilight pulls it out of his mouth with her magic and looks at it as he continues, “I bought that for you while we were in Canterlot before everything happened. I thought it might help make up for me rudely leaving the library. I’m sorry for whatever I did that made you cry.”

The librarian silently looks at the book before slipping it into her bag and turning to the electric stallion, finding her voice and revealing a slight undertone of shame in it, “You get back from a dangerous mission… and the first thing I do is berate you before running off without giving you a chance to speak… Yet, when you do talk, the first thing you do is apologize and give me a gift? Why?”

Volt takes a chance to smile, “Well, that’s what friends do right?” His smile fades as uncertainty enters his voice, “That is… if you still want to be friends…”

A small drizzle of rain start to fall on the two as Twilight goes silent again, her eyes still hidden. After a moment, she mutters something under her breath.

Volt perks his ears up, “What was that?”

The rain increases to soft patter as she mumbles again, but this time the words “friends” can be distinguished at the end.

Volt looks at her, a slightly sad look on his face, “I’m sorry Twilight, I don’t understand.”

Suddenly, Twilight steps forward and thrusts her lips onto his. His eyes widen before slowly becoming half-lidded as they kiss. A moment later she steps back, a small blush evident on both their faces as the light rain continues to wet their coats and manes.

Her voice rings out clear as she repeats herself, “I said, what if I want to be more than friends?”

Her face becomes worried for a moment as Volt stares ahead, his mind racing, but her smile returns as does his. He steps forward and gently kisses her back, causing her to have the same reaction as he did when she pulled it on him. The two part lips, but their heads remain leaning against one another.

They both have small smiles on their faces as Volt comments quietly, “I guess it doesn’t take more than one volt to make sparks fly.”

The unicorn mare giggles as the two begin to laugh, letting all the built up tension run off like the rain that continues coming down upon them.

As their laughing subsides, Volt looks up for a moment before returning his gaze to the mare in front of him, “I do have a question though, why does it only seem to be raining on us?”

The two unicorns look up again at the raincloud above them, just in time to see a pair of bluish-grey heads poke themselves over the edge of the cloud, one of the heads has a light blue mane with a bow, while the other’s is a messy mane of the same blue, but with white mixed in as well. Both the pegasi mares see the couple below looking up at them and wink before flying off the cloud and beginning to push it away.

The soaking unicorn couple laughs again at their situation as Twilight adopts a large smile, before grabbing one a Volt’s ears with her magic and dragging him into her house while remarking, "Now I get to be the responsible marefriend who berates you for injuring yourself without thinking what I would think."

Twilight drags Volt into the library and sets him on the couch before retrieving a book, browsing it while humming happily to herself, shutting it, and approaching Volt. She sits right next to Volt as she lays her horn flat on his throat.

Volt blushes fiercely and whispers, “Twilight, what are you doing?!”

“Just hold still.” She says softly as her horn starts to glow. After a moment she backs away, “Go ahead and say something.”

“Something –hey, my voice is better!” He says with a slightly less raspy voice.

Her ears fall slightly, “Aww, it didn’t make you recover fully… I guess I still need to work on my restoration magic. But I did notice something else. Hold still again.” Volt’s body remains completely still as Twilight approaches him again, this time touching her horn to his as it glows. When she steps away her expression is one of worry as she speaks, “Volt… I don’t sense you have any magic at all right now.”

Volt scratches the back of his head with a hoof, “Yeah… I think I used too much of it in the fight… Rhino called it ‘magical exhaustion’… all I know is that I used too much at once and that tends to knock you out.”

Twilight’s eyes widen in alarm, “What?! Volt, you didn’t use too much, you used ALL OF IT! Don’t you know what could happen? You’ll only be without magic for a few days now, but if you do this too much it can weaken your overall magical storage, cause severe migraines, and in some rare cases, regular draining of all your magic can cause you to go into a coma… or worse!”

“I… didn’t know that.”

“How do you not know this? This is basic level unicorn safety information.”

Volt scuffs a hoof on the couch, “To be honest Twilight, I’m not a very good unicorn. My magic... really it’s just glorified electricity. I don’t have much control over it since the accident and even before that it would sometimes get away from me. Both my parents were earth ponies… so I never really had a unicorn’s education.”

Twilights ears fold back again, “Oh…” she slowly begins to smile again, “Well, luckily for you, you have me to teach you. Who better to teach you about magic than the Element of Magic herself? It can be some fun… alone time.”

Volt nods, his small smile coming back, “That *yawn* sounds good Twilight.” His eyes start to close for a moment before he shakes himself awake.

“Oh, you must still be tired. It’s important for your magic to come back that you get enough sleep, so why don’t you get some rest, alright?” She opens the door with her magic as she finishes speaking.

“Sure,” Volt gets off the couch and lands a quick kiss on twilight’s cheek as he passes her, “I’ll see you later, Twilight.”

The unicorn mare rubs the spot on her cheek that was kissed as she closes the door. Mentally thanking herself for having the idea to put that magical mark around Volt when she touched his horn. The mark would give all mares who saw him the feeling that he was taken, and all unicorns would instantly be able to tell, “Property of Twilight Sparkle.”

All art made by me.

Comments

[(I*R) Surge]

Did you just make a Meet the OC chapter that not only uses original artwork, but is also seamlessly integrated into the story so viewers don't miss any story progression? But anyways, WOOT, my ship is finally complete.

[RLYoshi]

Hydro's picture doesn't load for me...

Other than that, though, this was pretty interesting, and I like the way you managed to fit a "Meet the OCs" into the actual story rather than being an extra!

EDIT: Never mind, picture's fixed.

[Atomic Vortex]

Frickin awesome pics! That red mane Rhino one was creepy as hell too. *shudders*

[darkironpony]

Rhino talking about his pack! Hehe. I like it! And awesome for drawing those pics!

[Fragment12]

Bad pun is bad even tho I enjoyed the chapter a lot hey rhino when you bring my oc in can it be by me violently kicking volt for making a bad pun it would be appreciated if you did

[Lucky Alchemist]

Heh, good way to do a recap on the bro army, but not having it be moment breaking, good job!

[Crach Vonoff]

Great artwork

[Atomic Vortex]

Ah crap. Re-reading from boredom has revealed all pictures (minus the Arcane Assassin) have broken.

[Rhino]

1881277 work fine for me

[Snowstreak]

Ah, poor Volt. Your life is over. Enslaved by the strange race we call the Female. She has claimed you as her own, and you will not be able to resist. We mourn your loss of freedom, blissfully accepting your servitude in a haze of love. You are hers now.
Forever.

[Shadow Runner]

CUPCAKES!!!