Chapter 48 - To Accept
04-08-1003
For quite some time we flew silently over the forest in Luna’s chariot. Luna was sitting near the front, letting Twilight and I stay nestled in the seat. The chariot felt a bit precarious with the open sides and absences of railings. Twilight’s explanation about the design got quite technical; something about conditional and selective shield enchantments. I chose to just accept it as yet another magical solution I couldn't really understand. I was honestly grateful for it since there was no wind freezing us in the open chariot.
Twilight dropped off to sleep almost immediately after we took off but I wasn’t so lucky. Between Shining Armor, the Thestrals, my potential heritage, and the upcoming duel there was just too much on my mind. Even worse, for the first time since I first gained my magic, I couldn’t bring myself to use it to help me fall asleep. Spark expressed some concern about my decision but the idea just didn’t seem appealing. Instead, I just laid there with my head on Twilight’s soft feathery back with my eyes half closed while I tried not to think.
As we flew through the night sky, I just gazed at the stars until Luna’s odd behavior caught my attention. She was sitting in front of us and at first, I thought she was just watching the scenery. After watching her for a bit, I noticed she was having trouble sitting still. Her wings kept twitching which I had begun to realize was a nervous tick for winged ponies. Also, she kept looking over her shoulder at me. Several times she opened her mouth like she was going to say something but every time, she hesitated and turned away. I wasn’t sure what to say given the abrupt revelations that had been dumped on us so it took me a while to work up the courage to speak.
“Luna? Do you want to talk?” I asked quietly the next time she turned to look at me.
Luna’s wings twitched just a tiny bit, the only indication my question caught her off guard. Luna’s mouth opened and closed several times as she cast about to find words. After a moment of hesitation, she settled down on her stomach facing me. With her closer proximity, I noticed the fur around her deep blue eyes was damp and her starry mane seemed almost limp. She kept staring at me silently with a look of pain on her face as she examing my face as if she was seeing it for the first time.
“Tis perhaps the most difficult question you could ask me at this moment,” She finally sighed. “We have so much to discuss and we- I do not know where to start. I fear to ask, as thine reaction was rather . . . unhappy at the end. I will understand if you would prefer to forget any of this happened. If it is your wish, I will not bring it up again.”
I paused before replying, taking a moment to compose my answer. The question of the whole situation wasn’t whether or not I was related to Luna. The truth of that would be sorted out in time. There were far more important facts that lead me to the only real answer to her worry.
“Luna, you have done more for me than I would have dreamed of asking,” I finally whispered. “You saved my life, you’ve mentored me in using magic I never dreamed possible and amazingly, you are also my friend. I’ll admit, it would be an honor to call you part of my family. The problem is, I’m still having trouble believing it’s even possible.”
A small smile graced Luna’s face. “Tis a relief you feel that way. T’would be tragic to have our relationship damaged by these events. I am curious though; is the armor not sufficient evidence of thine heritage?”
It only took a moment of conversation for Spark to manifest one of the new armored boots on my front hoof. I lifted the intricately crafted armor and blade up, marveling at how the iridescent metal reflected the moonlight.
“It might be easier to accept if I had some idea about how this works,” I sighed. “How could an object prove we are related?”
“Tis fair,” Luna nodded sagely before answering. “I will attempt to clarify the peculiar nature of the armor you have bonded. Sadly, many of the secrets are as lost as my descendants. To understand, you must know who my foals were. My daughter, Star Sentinel was the first dreamwalker to appear after myself. The Astral Sentinels were named in her honor. Night Hammer was the name of my son. He grew up to become a master blacksmith. Both were also talented warriors as is common among the Thestral tribe. Working together they invented Lunar Iron and the technique known as soulbonding.”
I thought about her words for a moment. “Why do I get a feeling those two things are related?”
“Very astute of you to observe that,” Luna replied. “Lunar Iron somehow bridges the boundary between the physical realm and the astral realm. The technique for crafting Lunar Iron binds the metal to the soul of a chosen pony and thus to their descendants. I wish I could offer more but I never thought to learn the details of how it was created. I am only aware of a few quirks about the metal’s behavior in the two realms.”
“Perhaps later, when I’m not feeling so worn out,” I replied, pushing the boot back into the astral realm. “I nearly had a heart attack when Spark began interacting with the real armor. The astral realm is closer to reality than most ponies know, isn’t it?”
“Tis true,” Luna nodded. “It is one of the many reasons why we must fight nightmares when they appear. There is one truth about Lunar steel my Thestrals seem to have forgotten. While anypony with the right ancestry can use items crafted from the metal, only Astral Sentinels could access the full range of powers.”
That’s pretty clear-cut, Silver.
Yeah I guess.
Everything ok? You seem out of sorts.
No, I’ll work past it.
“It looks like I’m just going to have to work on accepting this,” I sighed. “It’s just overwhelming and almost too good to be true considering the pickle this just got me out of.”
“Thine world has that odd colloquialism as well?” ” Luna chuckled nervously. “Tis one I am still trying to understand. However, I do concur; it is odd that of all the creatures among two worlds, Princess Twilight would be enamored with my descendant.”
I looked over at the lavender pony curled up beside me. Her eyes were closed and she looked completely relaxed for the first time in two days. The gala preparations had been hard on her and I was certain this latest incident didn’t help. Every once in a while she snorted cutely and let out a quiet whinny. It was utterly adorable and put a smile on my face as I watched her rest.
“It really is amazing how chance brought us together,” I whispered. “If I hadn’t overheard her arguing with Sunset during her first visit . . . Anyhow, I have a feeling she would have gone to war with the Lunar Council to get me back. It’s flattering but I’m really glad it didn’t come to blows.”
“Lady Shimmer would have attended as well but the doctor insisted she had to stay in bed,” Luna said. “Tis probably for the best. Sunset is an excellent student but I fear she is a touch more impulsive than Twilight.”
“Yeah, just a bit,” I said with a wry chuckle. “Honestly, I’d be more worried about her temper if she even caught a glimpse of me in those chains and muzzle.”
We both laughed quietly at the thought. When it died down there was an awkward silence left sitting between us. After a few minutes, I broke the silence with another question that had been bothering me.
“Luna, you really didn’t tell anyone about your foals?”
She shook her head. “Thou art the first to know the truth aside from Steel Rain, Star Sentinel and Night Hammer. To my grandfoals and everypony who followed after, I was simply Luna the Alicorn Princess. T’was a painful necessity but my actions had already put the peace between tribes at risk. I loved every one of my descendants but the secret made a family relationship impossible. All I could do was proudly witness their successes and provide aid when they stumbled.”
Luna paused and averted her gaze. “It nearly destroyed me all over again when I returned from exile to discover my descendants were lost.”
Luna’s voice became sad when she spoke about her family and it occurred to me this was more difficult for her than I could ever understand. Someone once said no parent should ever have to bury their child. Luna had done that for generations; watching her descendants pass on one after another. And she had returned from exile only to discover her family was lost. It hurt my heart just thinking about it and in spite of my continuing uncertainty, I knew what had to be said.
“I think I’d be a fool to deny the evidence we’ve already encountered,” I said quietly. “I really want to be as sure as possible that this is true though. For now, there are just two things I need to know.”
Luna tilted her head at me curiously, her star-filled mane glinting in the moonlight. “Anything if I have knowledge of the answer.”
“First of all, how secret is this going to stay? I asked. “I mean, I’d rather not make this public knowledge. It’s going to be hard enough now that my relationship with Twilight is public.”
“Tis mostly a question of thine comfort but t’was my concern as well,” Luna replied. “Until relations improve between Equestria and the Thestral Havens, thine status would be problematic. However, with thy permission, I believe it is far past time for me to come clean to my Sister. Princess Cadance will most certainly know something happened the instant she sees us. We would also expect Twilight will want to inform the other Elements.”
“That sounds fair,” I nodded. “I’ll probably wind up telling their counterparts as well. We just need to be clear with everypony we tell that we’re seeking more evidence.”
“I concur and I agree absolute certainty is a must,” Luna agreed. “What was your other question?”
“Is there a term for this relationship if this is real?” I asked out of genuine curiosity. “Calling you my ancestor seems a bit impersonal and calling you my great great great so on and so forth grandmother is just messy. Any thoughts?”
Luna paused for a moment and then began to laugh. It was warm and filled with more joy than I’d ever seen in her. I couldn’t help chuckling along with her. When she calmed down, she smiled at me and shook her head.
“To my surprise, you have actually divined a question I am unable to answer. For the time being, I feel mentor or friend will suffice if it pleases you until we can consult a linguist. Perhaps-”
She stopped abruptly and looked off towards the horizon. I followed her gaze towards the lights of Canterlot were glowing. It wasn’t nearly as bright as human cities but it still glowed. My eyes were drawn to the top of the palace where something was blazing with a powerful golden glow.
“What’s that?” I asked curiously.
“A moment,” she murmured, as her horn began to glow. “Tis morning so I must attend to my duty.”
The moon was still high in the sky and the horizon wasn’t even brightening yet. “Morning?” I chuckled. “It’s still pretty dark, I’d put us closer to mid . . . night . . . oh . . . oh. My. God.”
I trailed off when the moon followed the path traced by Luna’s glowing horn. It wandered serenely towards the horizon which was brightening with unnatural speed. All the fur on my body was standing on end as the sheer power of the spell she was casually harnessing washed over me. It was almost enough to make my wings and jaw ache, like standing too close to an oversized subwoofer turned up full blast.
All the time in this world and I hadn’t paid attention to the transition from day to night. I had chalked it up to inattention on my part but this transition was so quick I wouldn’t have noticed unless somepony pointed it out. Since this was normality in Equestria, nobody made a big fuss about it. I had assumed Luna controlling the moon had been a metaphor or something. The realization that I had been wrong about that and that my potential distant ancestor bordered on being an actual diety was a bit too much at that moment.
“Oh, Twilight meant all that stuff literally,” I muttered before fainting dead away.
Normally, a fainting spell like that would be a worry but I just wound up on the Astral Plane like normal. There was no doubt Luna would know I was fine so I didn’t make any effort to wake up. Instead, Spark and I spent a while in my new favorite spot. The two of us leaned on an imaginary tree by our memory of the river near Sweet Apple Acres outside Ponyville. We didn’t really converse, we just took that time to gather our wits. Unfortunately, the time wasn’t nearly long enough for my mind to find equilibrium. The revelation about Luna’s power was just the latest in a long line of discoveries that was beginning to wear on me.
I was woken up by Twilight just as we landed in the main plaza of the palace in Canterlot. Luna had filled her in so of course, I was the target of quite a bit of friendly teasing from Twilight and Luna. They seemed to find the idea that I hadn’t noticed the way the Sun and Moon moved quite amusing. It took them most of the walk down to the infirmary to get over it. As we walked into the palace I noted that the royal guard’s reactions were unchanged. Their eyes locked on to me but my presence with two Princesses seemed to be enough to placate them for the moment. It still made me self-conscious though.
The palace infirmary was as beautiful as the rest of the city but it was also a bit odd. Marble and gold walls reminded me where we were but the presence of medical charts, equipment and rolling beds in the halls created an odd disconnect. It was like someone had taken over a section of the castle and converted it at some point rather than being purpose built. Fluttershy and Applejack were waiting outside the door to what I assumed was Sunset’s room. Fluttershy was the first to spot us and a pleased smile appeared on her face.
“Twilight and Luna are back,” she said in a tiny voice. “And they’ve got Silver. Yay!”
“Well ah’ll be,” Applejack said, looking quite pleased. “Sunset’s still inside but the doctor should be here soon. Crisis sorted out now Silver?”
“I’m not imprisoned anymore so I suppose that’s something,” I answered rolling my eyes. “Not sure I can really call it resolved though.”
Luna chuckled and shook her head. “I have no doubt there will be an interesting conversation once Silver completes his duel. For now, I expect somepony would like to see you two. ”
The duel was one thing I didn’t really want to be reminded of. If I had a choice, I’d postpone this idiocy for at least two days. I had a feeling that wasn’t going to be an option. Twilight pushed the door open and the two of us walked in to see Sunset. She was asleep on the hospital bed, laying on her stomach with her head near the foot of the bed for some reason. Twilight looked at me with a playful grin on her face and winked at me. It only took a second for me to guess and to quietly move into position. Then the two of us then kissed our sleeping marefriend on opposite sides of her muzzle.
“Mmmmm, that’s a nice way to wake up,” she murmured quietly. “Do it again.”
I managed to keep myself from laughing and kissed her again. For a moment she just laid there with a sleepy smile on her face. That didn’t last for long. A moment later her brow furrowed and her eyes shot open. She scrambled up to a sitting position and threw her hooves around me.
“Silver!” she gasped throwing her hooves around me. “Twilight, you did it! What happened out there?”
“Thestrals aren’t very friendly,” Twilight sighed sadly. “And I think they might be justified in feeling that way.
Twilight sounded depressed. It occurred to me that as the Princess of Friendship, she’d consider the Thestral’s views of Equestria a personal failure of sorts. Or a mission maybe. I walked over a put a comforting wing on her back.
“Huh,” Sunset blinked at her flat assessment and then looked over at me. Her eyes narrowed. “Silver? You have something more to add? Like where that bandage on your shoulder came from or the bruises on your legs?”
I glanced down at my shoulder and legs, noticing the discolored marks for the first time. “Oh yeah, that was one of the parts of this evening I could have done without. Shackles and a blood-based ritual. I’ll be honest and admit I panicked a bit when they brought out the knife. It wasn’t a pleasant experience but it resulted in . . . well, something of a life-changing discovery.”
“Really?” Sunset asked flatly. “What kind of discovery comes with bruises like that?”
“Fifteen centuries ago Luna had twin foals in secret with Steel Rain’s counterpart,” I explained quietly. “She thought they were all gone; executed after she was banished. Turns out at least one of her descendants may have survived.”
Sunset blinked. Then blinked again before her eyes opened wide. Her jaw dropped and she stared at me like I had grown another head.
“You?!” She gasped. “How is that possible? How did they even figure that out?”
“There’s a ritualized version of the bloodline spell in the Everfree Castle ruins,” Twilight nodded. “It overwhelmingly identified Luna as his relative. I’m going to verify the truth after Silver’s duel but the evidence is already quite compelling.”
“Like the spell created by Arcane Vision?” Sunset asked. “Wow!”
Twilight and I exchanged a glance at the mention of that name as Sunset continued speaking.
“It all makes sense,” Sunset said enthusiastically. “Affinity for similar magic, dreamwalking and even your comfort with the human Steel Rain. According to Clover the Clever’s research, our souls recognize family long before our minds discover the truth.”
“Well, I’m glad someone’s sure,” I sighed. “I still need time to process this and I don’t have any. Right now I need to get my head in the game for this fight.”
“Good point!” Sunset gasped, jumping out of bed and started scrambling around looking for her stuff. “I’ve got to get out of here!”
“You’ve still got time,” Twilight giggled. “You should probably wait for the doctor though. They’ll be here in a minute.”
Sunset huffed in annoyance. “Fine, but the only answer I’m accepting is from the doctor is getting discharged. I’m not missing this.”
The rest of the morning passed in a whirlwind of activity as we got Sunset approved for release. We only spent a few brief moments discussing my potential heritage because honestly, it didn’t really make a difference to what was coming. Informing everyone else was going to have to wait until after the fight as well. For a few moments, until the doctor arrived, I just enjoyed the company of my two wonderful mares.
Once the doctor cleared Sunset, we rushed off to the Canterlot Arena. Luna had suggested that the Princesses couldn’t show favoritism in this circumstance but Twilight refused to leave my side. Her friends weren’t letting us out of their sight either so I entered the arena with some of the most well-known ponies in Equestria. I didn’t like the looks I was getting from ponies as we rushed past.
Upon arriving, Rarity lead us to a room where a particularly posh pair of white unicorns were waiting. The mare was taller than the average mare with a pink mane and had an elegance that reminded me a bit of Rarity. The stallion was dressed in an immaculate suit with a monocle in one eye. After my previous encounters with nobility, I was feeling apprehensive upon seeing them and I hesitated at the door.
“Silver Spark, I would like you to meet Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis,” Rarity said, gesturing at the two. “They have been good friends since I first began exploring business options in Canterlot. With your absence, I knew you would need assistance. Fancy Pants graciously agreed to act as your second.”
Fancy Pants smiled warmly at me and extended his hoof. “It is a pleasure to finally meet the catalyst of Blueblood’s latest game.”
“Pleased to meet you as well, Sir,” I said politely while tapping his hoof with my own. “Thank you for stepping up while I was indisposed. I hope it’s no bother.”
“Oh, it’s far from a problem,” Fancy replied magnanimously. “This sort of Tribalist nonsense is something I am happy to stand against. It helped nopony during the time of the founders and it is even more appalling it still lurks in our modern world. Fleur dearest, it isn’t polite to stare.”
Fleur had been watching me with wide, surprised eyes ever since I walked into the room. “Mon Dieu,” she finally exclaimed in a lightly accented voice. “He really is a Bat Pony, just like Princess Luna’s guards. C’est tres exotique!”
I was surprised I recognized her words. It was clearly French, which I had heard often enough from the French Canadian clans visiting the renaissance fairs when I lived in New York. She was even named after the symbol on the Quebec flag. Once again, I made a bet that the two worlds had strong parallels.
“Je suis enchanté, mademoiselle,” I said bowing to her briefly.
“Quoi?!” Fleur asked as her eyes widened. “Vous parlez prançais? C’est fantastique!”
“I fear, I only speak a few words, I picked up here and there,” I sighed. “Languages are simply not my strength.”
“C’est bien,” Fleur said, smiling warmly. “I do appreciate it none the less. How could Bluey be offended by such a charming stallion? I do hope your strengths lie in the field of combat.”
“I have a bit of experience on that line,” I replied nervously, before turning to Fancy Pants. “Can you tell me anything about what you’ve arranged on my behalf and what to expect, sir?”
Fancy Pants nodded and levitated a small bundle of documents over to me. “As your second, I made an attempt to resolve this without the need for conflict. Sadly, Blueblood’s second, Jet Set was adamant their absurd demands be met. Unsurprisingly, Blueblood has also declared he will appoint a champion for this matter. It is your right to do the same.”
“No, I’m going to have to handle this fight myself,” I sighed.
Applejack sighed. “Ah’ knew you’d be stubborn about it. Ya’ll sure ya don’t want to find somepony to stand for ya?”
“Leaving aside the limited number of candidates who would be willing to stand for me, this is an attack on my identity,” I replied. “He made an issue of me being a Thestral first and foremost. There is no other Thestral that will stand for me so I’m going to have to do this myself.”
“You’re not a soldier, Silver,” Fluttershy whispered. “They’re saying Blueblood’s champion is a unicorn from the Royal Guard.”
I felt a shiver go down my spine but I did my best to hide my worry as I looked over at my friends. “Rainbow, Sunset, you two know my skills better than anypony else here. How do I compare to the guard?”
“You have a decent shot,” Sunset answered after a moment hesitation. “The focus of the Royal Guard is split between ceremony and combat. Only a portion of that time is spent on single combat and they also don’t generally enlist until their late teens. On the other hoof, you’ve been training in combat since you could walk. If you can reign in your conflicting instincts, you stand a chance.”
“Sunset is right!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “They don’t know squat about Thestrals and you fly way differently from a pegasus! The guard won’t see it coming. Remember what I taught you and go kick his ass!”
I nodded and flipped through the pages of the document with my two marefriends looking over my shoulders. I could hear Twilight’s teeth grinding as she read it. Banishment from major cities and a restraining order preventing me from approaching Princess Twilight were just two of the clauses in a long list. Looking over the relatively empty page of my counter demands an idea popped into my head.
“Fancy Pants, can we make an addition to my demands if I win?” I asked.
My second chuckled. “You can add whatever you want. Blueblood said and I quote: ‘That thing can put anything it wants in if it even bothers to show up; It won’t beat Iron Lancer.’ Blueblood will probably sign almost anything I put in front of him right now.”
Blueblood handed us a blank cheque?
Heh, more or less from the sounds of it. You thinking what I’m thinking.
Yeah. Appropriately vindictive in oh so many ways.
Everypony recoiled at the vicious smile that spread across my face while I hammered out the details in my mind with Spark. I knew it was more predatory than most of them were used too but I couldn’t help it. The idea was just too deliciously ironic after the bullshit I’d been through over the past two days. If there was even a chance Blueblood would sign, the opportunity was just too perfect to pass up.
Fancy Pants took me aside to make sure the wording was exactly what I wanted. Once we were done, all that was left was waiting near the warrior’s entrance to the arena with Sunset and Twilight. Everypony else had gone off to the stands to watch. I could hear the roar of the audience being entertained by some sort of show. The whole situation was a bit frightening, reminding me far too much of the stories about gladiator battles. Still, I took comfort from the two mares watching me stretch and get warmed up for the approaching battle.
“Blueblood has turned this into a ridiculous spectacle,” Twilight seethed. “I should have put a stop to it before it got out of control.”
“It’s not your fault Twilight,” I replied. “I’m glad you were at the castle with me. Even if I’d never set foot in Canterlot, I’m willing to bet something like this would have happened eventually.”
“Ugh, you’re probably right,” she grumbled. “This ridiculous challenge tradition needs to be obliterated.”
Sunset looked at the ground and sighed sadly. “I’m sorry our visit to Canterlot went so poorly.”
“It wasn’t all bad,” I replied, thinking about Luna for a moment. “Once we get past this hurdle, everything will be ok.”
“If you get past this,” Sunset muttered despondently. “Even if the princesses overrule Blueblood’s demands, he’ll be able to make your life here miserable. The traditions that come with this chauvinistic lunacy are horrible.”
“Yeah, I know,” I sighed. “Let’s try to be optimistic. Say, do either of you have advice for fighting a unicorn?”
Twilight and Sunset exchanged a glance as if deciding who should answer first.
“Be prepared for ranged attacks and don’t ever stop moving,” Twilight answered after a moment. “A unicorn guard who specializes in combat will be able to conjure beams of energy from their horn and most likely shields as well. The downside to the beams is he’ll have to aim them. ”
“Yes, most spells require line of sight,” Sunset agreed. “Leading the target is something the guard would practice so be unpredictable. What you really need to do is figure out what the buck you did to Shining Armor.”
I blinked, surprised at her “Wait, wasn’t that just a weird fluke? I thought Shining Armor just miscast while he was raging at me.”
“I’ll admit I thought so until we met the Nightguard,” Sunset shook her head. “You were only half-conscious so you might have missed it. Those Thestrals did something that shattered my shield like it was glass, exactly like you did at Twilight’s place. The magical backlash was brutal; it was like control of the spell got ripped away from me, leaving nothing but free-floating mana. Free mana is inherently unstable.”
Twilight winced. “Ouch, no wonder the incident burned a hole in my parent’s lawn. Nopony makes shields like my brother.”
Before I could get more details, Fancy Pants walked in and nodded at us. “He accepted the alterations without even reading them. It’s time.”
I could hear the announcer speaking again, describing the main event. I didn’t pay attention and just turned to face my marefriends. They were both looking at me with worried expressions and I felt a fresh wave of anxiety at the price we would all pay if I failed. Twilight suddenly lunged forward and planted her lips right on mine. There was a surprising amount of passion in that kiss and I actually felt my knees buckle. As soon as Twilight let me go, Sunset followed it up with an equally incredible kiss. If they’d gone on any longer I wouldn’t have been in any state to fight.
“Win or lose, nothing is taking you two away from me,” Twilight said firmly. “Not the Lunar Council, not a Princess, not even the boundary between worlds. There is absolutely no way a noble twit like Prince Blueblood and his cronies are going to take this from us.”
“Agreed,” Sunset added. “Show them your best Silver.”
I turned and walked towards the arena entrance, keeping my head held high in spite of my fear. The place was what you would get if somebody combined the design of the Roman Coliseum with a modern sports arena. The floor was sand but everything was beautifully decorated in marble and gold. As I stepped out into the sun, the muffled words of the announcer became clear.
“. . . presenting the challenger!” the announcer boomed in an amplified voice.
I fought against a wave of panic as the stadium filled with boos and jeers. Rows and rows of seats were filled with shouting ponies. I had no idea what the announcer had told them but it was obvious I had been cast as a villain in this small piece of theatre Blueblood had set up. I had fought in tournaments before but I had never been the target of hostility like this.
Oh god, they’ll kill me if I win.
Breathe Silver. Just breathe. Let me help you with this.
What can we do against such vile hatred?
Breath. Just breath.
I did my best to blot out the crowd, though the audible anger made my heart race with fear. I took a risk and let my eyes scan the crowd, looking for familiar faces. I spotted Twilight’s friends up near the royal box and noted Spike had joined them. As my eyes scanned the arena, I did spot some other ponies who were at least not booing. It wasn’t a huge number but still, more than I expected. I did my best to get my focus under control but it wasn’t going terribly well. The back of my mind was itching with confusion and worry that I simply didn’t have time to deal with. I pushed it aside.
I’ll try Spark. It’s not easy.
Relax, you’ll do fine. Hey, look at the tower above the royal seats.
My eyes turned up to the very top, skimming past Cadance, Celestia, and Luna who all had neutral expressions on their faces. I continued looking to try and find what Spark had spotted. There was a tower overlooking the arena and I could see the silhouette of several ponies hiding in the shadows. With the bright sunlight, I couldn’t see into the shadows but I was reasonably sure they were Thestrals from the Nightguard.
With their presence confirmed, I returned my focus to the arena and began the difficult task of clearing my mind. Ironically, I had to be perfectly calm in the face of the violence that was approaching. I couldn’t afford to forget what I was right now. Today I was a Thestral Pony, I walked on four hooves and I had wings. Hammering that into my mind reminded me of a conversation I had with Pony Dash just after one of our training sessions. She had been frustrated by the way I kept forgetting I had wings during our sparring sessions.
“You just don’t understand, Silver! If I didn’t know you were from another world, I’d be hunting down the pony who abused you. It’s like your wings were tied your entire foalhood.”
The doors on the other side opened to allow my opponent to enter. As I walked slowly out into the arena, I recalled what had happened during that conversation. Initially, the expression on Dash’s face had made me laugh. When the scowl didn’t dissolve into one of her normal smiles, I realized I had misinterpreted her reaction. She had crossed her forearms while hovering in the air and glowered at me.
“Come on, I’m being serious for once. Pegasi live in a realm that has no ceiling and no floor. It’s a part us from the moment we are born.”
I did my best to push the memory aside and took a closer look at my opponent coming across the sandy field towards me. Iron Lancer was a muscular unicorn with blue fur and a blonde mane. I couldn’t see his cutie mark but it wasn’t something I was terribly interested in. I tried to review my sparring sessions with Dash in my mind but that one lecture kept popping back up.
“Unicorns have their spells and Earth ponies have their strength but we own the sky. You might have different wings but you still don’t understand what it means.”
We stopped ten paces apart and I took the moment to study his attitude. He was watching me the way someone would examine a fly they were thinking about swatting. He walked with a swaggering confidence but his brown eyes betrayed a sharp and careful mind. I just hoped Dash was right. If the other Thestrals were truly isolationists there was a chance he might not know what I was capable of. Granted I wasn’t sure what exactly I was capable of either but I could always improvise.
“I don’t know how else to teach you. Even though you grew up without wings, I’ll bet you still have the same instincts buried inside. Even Fluttershy can find them when it really matters.”
On a whim, I looked into the eyes of my opponent and twisted my mouth into a vicious smile, revealing my fangs. I was honestly impressed that his only reaction was a nervous twitch in his ear and a slight widening of his eyes. I wondered if the forced calm was part of their training like the palace guards in England.
I listened carefully while the announcer was going over the rules but there were no surprises. The fight would go until either somepony surrendered or was knocked unconscious. We were to use no tools but our hooves, the air, and the sand of the arena floor. As a flyer, I was limited to the interior of the arena only. Flying higher than the highest walls of the arena would be considered a forfeit. Dash’s final words echoed through my mind.
“You need to let go of whatever is holding you down, Silver. It’s the only way you’ll really fly.”
I really wished at that moment I understood what Dash had been trying to tell me. I had wings and I had flown a number of times now. It was just one more things intruding on my thoughts as I tried and failed to focus on the battle ahead. The arena went silent as the unseen announcer called for calm so the fighters could speak to one another. He declared this was our last opportunity for a peaceful resolution to this conflict. My opponent was watching me with an arrogant sneer that rubbed me the wrong way.
“Why don’t you just give up?” Iron Lancer finally asked calmly, his voice echoing through the arena. “We both know you’re just looking for an excuse not to fight. You know you and your kind don’t belong here.”
“Not a chance,” I snorted, shaking my head. “Nopony dictates where I go or who I spend time with.”
Iron Lancer straightened up, striking an almost heroic pose. I personally thought he looked ridiculous but it sounded like he was meeting the crowd’s approval.
“Then I will make sure you never darken the doors of another pony in this fair nation, you leather winged beast,” he countered boldly.
As the crowd cheered his denouncement of my appearance and my perceived crimes I came to a realization. This battle of words could be more important than the actual fight. If I played my cards right, I might be able to win even if I lost. I had to be fast though so I scraped through my mind for a counter.
“You seem certain you’re in the right here,” I said quickly. “Care to explain why?”
“I’m Prince Blueblood’s champion,” He said, waving his hoof dismissively. “Sending a criminal monster away from this fair city on his behalf is always the right thing to do.”
Gotcha you self-righteous asshole.
His choice of words reminded me of how Blueblood had managed to make me lose my temper. This time I was firmly in control of emotions. He’d just handed me a perfect line.
“You heard it here right everypony,” I announced, raising my voice to make sure the entire arena could hear. “Attending the gala with my marefriend was a criminal act worthy of banishment from Equestria.”
I was pleased to hear confusion rumble through the crowd. It sounded like I had managed to foster uncertainty about the black and white conflict that had apparently been advertised. I was satisfied I’d managed to turn this battle a bit more grey.
“But you’re a bat pony!” Iron Lancer exclaimed, his composure breaking. “Your kind has never attended any event.”
“So? No Thestral ever attending makes my invitation invalid somehow?” I asked, making sure to emphasize the proper name for my pony race. “That really is fascinating considering the first Draconequs and Smooze also attended without being bothered. What other ponies do the nobility and royal guard intend to start turning into second-class citizens?”
“Stop playing with words!” he snapped, showing his temper for the first time. “You’re nothing but a lying, treacherous bat just like the useless, so-called Nightguard. I will prove you craven before this crowd of gentleponies.”
“Believe what you must if it helps you sleep at night,” I snarled, snapping my wings open with a crack and bracing myself for action. “It doesn’t change the truth. I intend to fight for my freedom to live my life with those I care about. Bring it on oppressor.”
Lancer’s horn immediately began to glow and a bolt of energy shot across the field at me but it missed by a mile. I was already on the move, using my wings to propel myself sideways. I channeled a bit of weather magic and stirred up several dust devils that spun across the field towards him. They weren’t very powerful but I was curious how he’d react. Lancer responded by disrupting them with small magic shields.
He’s worried about those. Good. Come on, let’s fly.
No Spark, gotta stay low, reinforce his bias towards the ground.
I dodged past several more beams of energy, never slowing down my movement and trying to stay unpredictable. When the next bolt sizzled toward me I dodged towards him and galloped towards him. I was planning to turn this into a fist fight but he just smiled. Instead of moving to block, he created a glowing shield wall out in front of him. To keep myself from crashing into it, I jumped and ran along the length of it before returning to the soil.
Whose bias are we reinforcing again? His or yours?
Come on, I’m in the middle of a fight here.
Then act like it! Stop hugging the ground and use everything we have!
I CAN’T!
I pushed Spark aside and tried to get myself into fighting form. Iron Lancer dismissed the shield as quickly as it had appeared and he began firing bolts of magic at me again. Once again, I was forced to dodge and weave around the battlefield, trying to find an opening. Twice more I attempted to charge him but he was quick with the shield and blocked my moves every time. My mind was blank as to my options.
Silver, this isn’t like you. What’s going on?
. . . I’m scared.
Why?! Why now?
It’s just-
“AHHHHHHH!” I howled as a sizzling bolt of energy tore across my wings and back. It felt like someone had spilled molten metal on me and it was enough to make my muscles begin to lock up. I dimly realized I had finally messed up a dodge and unless I could push on, the fight was over. Then by some miracle, the pain faded into a dull roar. Not questioning the unexpected reprieve, I kept galloping across the field while doing my best to avoid another hit. A tired voice echoed through my mind.
Keep moving Silver, I can hold the pain off for a bit.
You can do that!? How-
Not the time Silver. Talk quickly.
Right, later. I’m scared of what I might lose.
The Thestral and Luna thing rattled you more than you’re admitting. You’re afraid to accept yourself, aren’t you?
. . . yeah.
I know it’s right, I can feel your confusion. I occasionally turn into a human in the dreamscape but how often have you turned full Thestral?
Almost never. I feel like I’m losing my self lately. If my family is from Equestria, what am I?
Be serious Silver, has it really changed anything?
What do you mean?
Our heritage doesn’t matter. Whether it’s a matter of blood or pure chance is unimportant; we are both Thestral and Human.
I guess that’s true but what do I do about it?
Accept it, Silver. Embrace the entirety of what we are and who we can be. Stop running from yourself.
I’ll try but where do I start?
Rainbow put it best: we own the sky. Start acting like it. Fly Silver.
Ok. Just hang on to that pain for a bit longer.
Consider it done but hurry. That’s all I can really do for you/
I launched into the air at that moment, accelerating into a wide arc around the arena. As soon as I was in the air, dodging the incoming bolts became much easier. I could dodge up and down, spin and twist, and careen off in unexpected directions. I heard a growl of frustration from Iron Lancer as I made his job a hundred times more difficult. With Spark’s help, the pain in my back was a non-issue so I took a moment to focus on the feeling of the wind flowing over my wings and body. I could hear the hissing of the bolts slamming into the shield protecting the spectators from stray shots but it was almost a side thought as the truth dawned on me.
Ever since I had stepped into Equestria that very first day, there had been this nagging feeling that I wasn’t worthy of the privilege. In the back of my mind, there was a constant fear that I was just a human pretending to be a Thestral thanks to a magical mirror. Just an interloper in a beautiful world of magic. The truth struck me like a bolt of lightning. It didn’t matter if I was just a random human poured into an alien shape by magic. This body, this world could be a part of who I was right down to my very soul. I felt a tear flow across my cheek and my heart felt like it was bursting. Something just clicked into place in my mind right there.
“SCREEEEE!!” I howled joyfully, doing a barrel roll.
It was just like the scream I’d thrown at Diamond Tiara but this time it was no accident with an uncontrol Canterlot voice. I think it was the most Thestral thing I had ever done and it left me in a strange state of calm as I planned my next move. My ear twitched as I tracked the next bolt by sound rather than sight. I flipped over it but instead of continuing my circuit of the field, I turned towards Iron Lancer and shot across the field. Another bolt sizzled towards me but I used another barrel roll to let it pass harmlessly underneath me. He conjured a shield yet again but I had flipped around so I could hit the barrier with a solid kick from my hind legs. The grunt of discomfort from the unicorn behind the shield made me grin as I used the force of my impact to kick off into the sky again. Still, it wasn’t going to solve the problem quickly enough for my tastes.
Now that’s more like it! Still not enough. There has to be a solution. We’ve destroyed a shield before.
What were we doing when Shining Armor’s shield came apart?
Other than panicking?
Yes Spark, other than that.
We were channeling magic without a goal.
That’s right. Now I have one.
Did you figure it out?
Maybe?
A trick Rainbow Dash had taught me came to mind; a technique said was key to fast flight and absolutely critical to achieving a Sonic Rainboom. By focusing weather magic into a cone ahead of her she could cut through air resistance like a knife. I couldn’t come close to achieving those speeds but I didn’t need to go that fast for my plan. I soared around the arena, gaining as much speed to the point where the air in front of me began to ripple as I sped up. I poured every bit of my limited weather magic into a cone-shaped filed in front of me. My wings were aching as I pushed every ounce of power I could into the shockwave forming in front of me.
When I felt close to my breaking point, I twisted and dove towards Iron Lancer again, holding the cone of weather magic as steady as I could in front of me. Once again, the shield came up and I could see him bracing himself for the impact. I stretched my forehooves out in front of me, just about touching the ripple of magic and braced for the impact. If this didn’t work I was screwed so there was only one thing left to say.
“KIYAHHHHH!” I screamed as my front hooves and magic impacted the shield almost simultaneously.
There was a thundering boom from the impact and the sound of shattering glass filled the arena. Shards of the shield flew in every direction before dissipating. I felt brief bursts of pain as several shards nicked my body as I went through. The impact slowed me down a bit but I was still going an appreciable speed when my front hooves collided with Iron Lancer’s chest. We both went tumbling across the sand floor of the arena, the punches and kicks already flying as we struggled to get untangled. A hoof collided with my face near my right eye, making my head spin but I knew I got a couple good hits in as well.
I rolled out and used my wings to flip onto my hooves while my opponent struggled to get up. Iron Lancer’s eyes were darting around, and he was clearly disoriented from the magical feedback. Still, his horn began to glow and he grinned viciously as if he had a trump card. I prepared to dodge, not certain what he was casting this time or how he would aim it.
“BUCK YOU VAMPIRE!” He shouted as he struggled to get up to his hooves.
A pulse of magic exploded out of his horn sending a wave of energy radiating out in every direction. I jumped to one side but it was just a reflex. The attack was impossible to dodge and as the magic washed over me, I suddenly felt sleepy. My head spun and my eyes were suddenly so heavy it was impossible to keep them open. Everything began to grey around the edges of my vision.
Yeah no, that ain’t happening until we’ve got our mares to snuggle.
Even as Spark spoke, the sudden urge to fall asleep vanished as quickly as it arrived. I barely had time to note the ponies in the front rows of the arena slumping over. Iron Lancer was charging towards me, intent on finishing me off. He obviously expected me to be disoriented so he wasn’t on guard. Instead, I used my wings to spin out of his way and I caught a glimpse of his eyes widening. The spin brought my back hoof around to collide squarely with the back of his head, sending him sprawling face first into the sand.
I pounced on him before he could recover from that nasty hit. In seconds I had him pinned, with one knee jammed hard against his neck and my hoof raised above his horn, ready to strike. He twitched a few times and began to move so I pressed down harder.
“Stand down!” I roared. “I’d rather not cripple you but if I see a flicker of light, I’m going to stomp on your horn.”
“I yield,” Iron Lancer groaned, though his voice was harsh and angry. “You win, you damn leatherwing.”
“Again with the unnecessary slurs,” I grumbled. “Would it kill you ponies to call my tribe Thestrals?”
He didn’t respond as he laid his head down on the sand. I backed away from him slowly my wings spread to fly. I didn’t take my eyes off him in case he felt inclined to attack me from behind. I could tell the crowd had mixed feelings about my victory but there was a clear mixture of cheering and booing rather than the overwhelming hate I encountered at the beginning. I could hear arguements breaking out over the validity of my victory and I just sighed. I saw ponies struggling to get back to their hooves throughout the front rows and I wondered what kind of spell that last-ditch effort hat been.
“For a nation that was founded on friendship and acceptance, this is ridiculous,” I muttered.
I flattened my ears against my head, trying to block out the yelling. I was actually worried this was developing into a riot. Fortunately, before things got out of control, the three Princesses soared down to the middle of the stadium. Twilight was galloping out from the door where she had been watching. I also spotted Sunset peeking around the corner but keeping partly out of sight to hide from Celestia. I stood my ground, head held high as they landed, ignoring the stinging pain everywhere on my body. I knew I was bleeding from small cuts from hitting the shield, my back was probably badly burned and my right eye was swelling shut but I stayed standing in spite of it.
I glanced at Twilight who looked like she was ready to hug me or drag me out of the arena. I shook my head slowly and gestured for her to wait. I wasn’t going to show weakness after what I’d been through. I stood my ground even though I could feel Spark beginning to struggle in my mind. Cadance was looking at me with a furrowed brow. Her eyes shot over to Luna and then back to me several times before a confused smile appeared on her face. As Luna had predicted, she could see something.
Princess Celestia’s horn was glowing and her gentle but firm voice filled the stadium. “Citizens of Canterlot take witness: Silver Spark stands victorious in this duel. Prince Blueblood, as the challenger in this duel you are obligated to step forward and acknowledge accept this.”
Prince Blueblood looked unhappy as he walked out onto the sand of the arena. It was almost comical how over the top his frown looked. His expression became one of disgust when he saw the state I was in. It wasn’t exactly my fault I was covered in sweat, grime, and blood.
“I accept the victor of this duel and will abide by the terms thereof,” he announced in a reluctant tone. “I further acknowledge the right of Silver Spark to continue his- ugh – association with Princess Twilight and to remain in Equestria.”
“And?” I asked, fighting to keep a straight face.
Blueblood blinked, obviously confused. “What are you talking about peasant?”
“You signed the revised agreement,” I pointed out. “Did you not read the amendments?”
Blueblood snorted and levitated out a sheath of papers, “No, I didn’t. What could a peasant like you possibly demand? My estates? My money? Exile?”
Arrogant to the end, isn’t he?
Yup, time to ruin his day.
“Why would I want any of those things?” I asked. “You wanted to throw me out of Equestria simply because I look different. I want you to work to make this country safe for me and other ponies like me. For that to happen, somepony needs to find and change the laws that are aimed at those who simply look different. You’ve agreed to take on that role by signing that document.”
Blueblood was speechless as he read through the amendments. I noticed Celestia, Luna, and Cadance staring at me with shocked expressions on their faces.
“It appears I have no choice,” he grimaced with almost comical disdain. “While I believe one or two of your demands will require some negotiation, I will accept this as written.”
“Good,” I said, trying to hide the exhaustion I was feeling. “Is there anything else I need do?”
“No Silver Spark,” Luna replied. “You may depart and recover.”
I bowed to the princesses in response. Before I turned to leave, I glanced up at the tower. I could see the silhouettes of the Thestral who were watching. There was no sign of a reaction on their part so I turned and walked towards the exit. The arena was utterly silent as I made my way across the sand. Twilight was close by but she didn’t make any move to hold me up.
The moment I was in the shelter of the arena building, Spark stopped holding back the pain. The agony came roaring back a hundred times worse than I expected. Every muscle in my body froze up from the sheer agony and I felt my jaw clench tightly shut. I barely managed to force an agonized whimper out as I slumped to the floor. Before I hit the ground I was gently wrapped in cyan and pink magical fields. I floated over onto a waiting stretcher and was carefully placed down on it. I closed my eyes and fought to keep from hyperventilating as the pain threatened to take all awareness from me.
A relieved gasp escaped my clenched teeth as a cool wave of magic wash over me. As it coursed over my body, the pain quickly subsided to a dull ache. I cracked my eyes open and found we were in a room very similar to the nurse’s office at school. Twilight and Sunset standing near me with worried expressions. I felt something being rubbed into the burn on my back but the sensation was muted. I smiled reassuringly at my two marefriends.
“We spend way too much time in places like this, don’t we?” I joked.
“Yes we do,” Twilight snorted. “I don’t think I’ve met a stallion as prone to injuries as you are.”
I rolled my eyes. “I swear I’m not doing this on purpose.”
“How did you hold it together Silver?” Sunset asked quietly. “My heart stopped when you were hit with that beam.”
“Spark was suppressing the pain for me,” I groaned. “Not a clue how but apparently that had an unexpected price. I think it all hit me at once. How bad is it?”
“You have a number of nicks and scratches that will have to be monitored,” One of the nurses said from behind me. “Your periorbital hematoma is extensive but there are no fractures in your orbital bones. You also have signs of additional trauma to your head, so I suggest your friends monitor you for symptoms of a concussion. As for your back and wings, you have second-degree burns. You’ll need to apply this salve a few times a day until the skin has healed. Don’t bandage the area unless the blisters break open.”
“Oh good, so pretty minor injuries,” I said, cheering up quite a bit as a bottle was levitated down in front of me.
There was dead silence from the two nurses but Twilight and Sunset didn’t say anything to contradict me. It wasn’t ideal that this was minor in my eyes but considering what I’d already recovered from this seemed pretty trivial.
“Stallions,” One nurse muttered as the other one just let out a long-suffering sigh. “If you say so. Please do your best keep him from injuring himself further Princess Twilight.”
I heard the sound of hooves echoing on the stone floor as the nurses left. Once they were gone, I gingerly got up to my hooves and stretched. Whatever the nurses did seem to have the pain mostly under control but my legs and wings were still aching. I just hoped the whole whiplash effect from Spark suppressing my pain was over. I turned to my marefriends who were both watching me with concern.
I’m doing ok,” I said in an attempt to reassure them. “Like I said, it could be worse, like if I’d been taken down by that last ditch spell he used. What was it by the way?”
“Crowd control spell,” Sunset replied with just an edge to her voice. “Basically a mass sleep spell. Short duration but it doesn’t have to be aimed.
Only a handful of unicorns have the ability to cast it.”
“And he used that in a duel?” I asked, shaking my head. “It looked like he took out the entire front row of the arena.”
Twilight sighed. “He did. While it’s not strictly forbidden, using spells that affect non-combatants during a duel is considered dishonorable.”
“Right,” I said quietly. “So, I’m assuming you both have questions.”
“Yes but they can wait,” Twilight said to my surprise.
“Who are you and what have you done with my marefriend?!” Sunset gasped in mock horror. “The real Twilight would have a list ready!”
“It’s in my bag,” Twilight said, looking over your shoulder. “It’s two scrolls long and I’ve been working on it for . . . oh.”
She trailed off and giggled nervously when she realized what she was doing. Sunset nuzzled her cheek and smiled.
“I was just teasing,” Sunset said playfully. “I swear I wasn’t expecting you to prove me right. Why do you want to wait? I kind of want to know what happened in the middle of the fight.”
“Silver isn’t the one most of these questions are for,” Twilight state firmly, starting towards the door. “Celestia and Luna have promised some storytelling now that this mess is resolved. Everypony is going to meet us at the palace so we can talk privately.”
Sunset froze in place and whimpered. “So to get answers, I need to face Celestia?” Sunset said in a frightened voice.
I gingerly put my wing over her back. “No, you don’t. If you want, I can share the memory with you when we sleep tonight. You’ll see and hear everything we hear.”
Sunset didn’t relax, instead, she began breathing more quickly. She hurried out from under my wing, stopping a few paces away. She was actually shivering as she stared at the floor. She lifted her head and turned to look at us, her expression obviously distraught.
“No, I’m going,” she declared in a small voice. “Before we get our answers, I’ll face Princess Celestia and tell her what I need to say. If she decides to punish me I don’t want either of you to interfere.”
Twilight’s face fell, “No Sunset, I won’t let-”
Sunset put her hoof gently on her lips. “Please Twilight. The fact that you care so much warms my heart but this can’t continue. Silver’s injuries from this fight are my fault.”
“Sunset, that’s a bit of an exaggeration isn’t it?” I asked nervously. “It’s not like you-“
“Oh really?” she snapped, her face suddenly twisting with anger. “Do you think you would have been stuck with this duel if I hadn’t been hiding in the gardens? Cowering away when I should have been standing at your side.”
We both froze at her sudden shift in mood. Sunset’s eyes had narrowed and she looked like she was ready to go on a rant. But instead, her shoulders slumped and she looked down at the floor.
“Sorry,” she said sadly. “It’s just . . . maybe I could have prevented some of this mess if I had been there.”
I wrapped my wing around her shoulder. “We can’t go back in time and change things, Sunset.”
“Yeah, Starswirl’s spell creates stable time loops,” Twilight chuckled sadly. “I think I understand your reasoning now Sunset. We’ll be right there with you but we won’t interfere. Pinkie Promise.”
Twilight and I both went through the appropriate motions, putting a slight smile back on Sunset’s face.
“Thank you Twilight,” Sunset said, hugging her. “Let’s go then.”
We walked slowly out the door of the medical room. As soon as we exited, I could hear the sounds of crowds of ponies echoing in the distance but the hallways Twilight lead us through were completely empty. As we approached the exit my ears perked up as the dull roar of distance conversation suddenly came into focus.
“Stop!” I hissed before we could walk around the corner. “I can hear a whole bunch of ponies nearby.”
“Nope, not dealing with this right now!” Twilight said after peeking around the corner. “There must be thirty reporters out there and there’s a bigger mob out in the street.”
I shivered involuntarily. “So how do we get out of here?”
Sunset winked at Twilight. “Know any shortcuts?”
“Something like that,” Twilight smiled. “Stand close, this will just take a second.”
Sunset and I got closer to her. Her horn glowed and in a blinding flash of light, the hallway vanished. I felt a brief moment of disorientation as we appeared at the foot of the stairs that lead to the Canterlot Palace. Other than a few guards, the whole palace square was quiet. We started slowly up the stairs, hoping to finally get some overdue answers.
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Wow! Nicely done!
Awesome chapter looking forward to more of it soon. Keep up the good work and may Celestia bless your writing.
That build up to the duel! I was shaking the whole time. A great chapter in every sense.
Honestly i know that silver isn't really one to blow up and he's more focused solving the problems but i think i have watched too much rick and monty to not be satisfied with him not really using really verbal ways of calling everyone out
hes had all these problems and sure he does tell them that they are wrong but doesn't say much on what is it they are wrong about or at least not vocal of it enough.
This is just me and you don't have to do this I just feel that getting someones A kicked is just more effective in visual ways and when its written it should be dialogue.
Really if silver doesn't speak out that much on this then i think he's just generally emotionally stronger, cause if it were me i would have at least ripped them ONE new one .
for the next few paragraphs pretend silver is talking in the ""
Thestrals- "Your belief that a chosen one will come and solve all of you problems is stupid but i can kinda see how we can make this work, I am the chosen one that will solve all of their problems, by basically making you DEAL with your problems, for YOU to solve it and will call you out on where your wrong. i am not not a chosen one thats going to magically vanquish your problems and be your glorious king. If you just remove all my fighting abilities, magic and other stuff, i am just a teenager, my life is already complicated enough with that last fact one alone, I'm still trying to figure out and solve my problems , of course I'm willing to help but you have to understand that if solving my own problems is hard enough then imagine having to solve all of yours. but you know what I'm starting to see how you can view me as some great leader that can really help you, by teaching you how to figure out your problems instead of just avoiding them entirely by spending your whole existence here, you want to just go extinct faster because of your beliefs fine thats your problem one that i hope you can solve by realizing where your wrong" sorry its OOC i kinda turned it into me but i hope you can make something similar but with a much kinder ending and use of words while still getting the pint across sorry about this rant
8905492 – Thank you very much!
8905762 – Very glad to hear you liked the chapter! I appreciate the support!
8905903 – It took way too many re-writes to get the whole sequence the way I envisioned it but I'm very pleased with the result. Glad you like it!
8906104 – Rick and Morty has some pretty impressive rants so you're setting the bar pretty high.
At this point, fear is probably making him hold his tongue since a smartass remark did trap him into this duel. I doubt his self-control will last forever. Tis a good suggestion and one I have in mind for an appropriate moment. Thank you!
8907487
You are very welcome and you deserve to be proud of your story
I just realized this but this story has influenced my story “Red Moon of Equestria” in more ways than I realized. I mean I got a master blacksmith pony, a thestral who can kick all kinda of @ss, and a human/flying pony who internally struggles with his identity in Equestria. So thanks for somewhat shaping my story dude! Just another reason why this is my favorite fanfic I guess!
8907748 - Thanks! I'm glad you're finding the story entertaining and inspiring!
Honestly this story is amazing and it's a damn shame it doesn't have more views and likes.
8907487
I think I just realized why I'm more bothered by the the Thestrals than the nobles
I love one piece and black panther
One piece the whole nobles are racist and a holes thing is completely normal and the fans are satisfied with them just being punched in the face, and I'm a fan
So I was more bothered that blue blood wasnt punched at least once
Black Panther, also touching on race, shows how wrong being isolationist and overly traditional can be, and we have North Korea IRL so yeah...
PS if The EQG world has marvel or something close to it I would love for silver to see the movie that is either a slightly renamed version of BP or just straight out BP itself
8914301 - Thank you very much! I appreciate the sentiment. just don't release often enough to really gain a huge amount of attention. On the bright side, every time I publish a new chapter, a few more people drift by and start reading.
8914366 - Ahh yes, that does explain your frustration. All I'll say in response to that for now is, while we're close, the Canterlot arc isn't over yet.
On the topic of Black Panther, I've already established the MCU exists exactly as written in my universe. After all, they watched Doctor Strange a few chapters ago. When I get to that point in the timeline, that movie will come up and they'll be watching the same one we saw.
8916067
Which chapter was it again, the one with doctor strange
8916075 - Chapter 35. It wasn't the primary focus (The chapter is titled "With Distractions" after all) but it's there.
Just occurred to me that as of Chapter 48 this story is taking place in December of 2016/January 2017 while, at the time of this comment, it is June of 2018. This is not a comment of update speed rather just a little something-something that makes me laugh at the time gap.
8983833 It's all good.
It makes me laugh as well, especially since the first chapter was published in September of 2016. I'm not surprised the gap is continuing to widen. So much to write, so little spare time but it's coming along. 