A Balance of Fire and Light

by Stolenalicorn

1 A Dinner Abduction

Twilight Sparkle sat in her office checking the most recent tests her students had turned in, her golden eyes darting over the answers, checking for mistakes. As she glanced over the papers she caught a glimpse of an older picture.

It came from before everything had gotten so complicated. Just her and her friends having fun at a New Years celebration in New Guardia. She smiled briefly as she looked at the happy faces of her friends, that smile vanished, however, once she looked into the sparkling violet eyes she once had.

She hated seeing her eyes now. Not for the color, nor did she have any problems with her sight, what she hated is what they reminded her of. One of her adventures to save Equestria found her friends and herself trapped in Tarterus without any magic of their own.

Except not completely without magic of their own. One of her friends was from outside her world and carried magic from strange worlds with him. A small jewel he had embedded in his forehead long ago was the most potent magical artifact she had ever known. He called it a Demon's Blood Talisman, and for good reason.

But he had been drugged and was unconscious, unable to use any of that magic. In her desperation, Twilight had come up with an idea. It was straight forward and simple, she would tap into the magic of the talisman to borrow enough power to free them from the prison.

It didn't go anything like she imagined.

As she concentrated on trying to take some of the magic, instead of flowing into her she was pulled into the artifact itself. Not literally however, it had been her mind taken into the talisman and in there she had met someone. That person had called herself L-Sama and she offered to help Twilight.

Twilight didn't have the luxury of turning down the offer of help and so had accepted. When she opened her eyes, she found herself back in Tartarus, her eyes changed to their new golden color.

Later she had learned that the entity she had talked to was known as The Lord of Nightmares, the penultimate Demon Lord of another world. The gold that had overpowered the natural violet of her eyes was in truth a fragment of the Golden Demon Lord herself.

That wasn't bad at first, it bothered her a bit, but she had learned to live with it. But this in turn had led to other problems. In an attempt to learn about what her eyes meant to the demons of L's world (known as mazoku) one such mazoku brought back an old evil of Equestria specifically to put her under pressure.

It was because of her that Ponyville had been destroyed in the resulting battle. And only through Discord's help had the town recovered.

But even with his help they were still feeling the repercussions of the battle, many ponies of the EUP, crystal guard, and even several Wonderbolts were still dealing with severe injuries. There was a waiting list to receive magical healing that would allow some of the ponies to recover from their injuries. But then there were the injuries that no magic could heal. Psychological scars left by the trauma of the battle. She'd seen the pain such trauma can cause.

Pain that she was responsible for.

And then there was the confrontation with the mazoku who had instigated the attack. Xellos, who had watched from the sidelines for the most part, came to talk to them. Something about that talk, possibly the gathering of magic connected to her eyes, had allowed The Lord of Nightmares to take over her body. After the incident the fact that it was possible for L-Sama to take over Twilight's body quickly came to Princess Celestia's attention.

Before that day Twilight had been training to take over for both Celestia and Luna, but that was only in the past now. Out of fear that Twilight would once again be possessed by The Lord of Nightmares they had suspended her ascension to the throne. That was months ago, and each day it looked more and more like it would never happen.

Even with all of that, she couldn't bring herself to actually hate L-Sama. She had helped them when they needed her, and all she wanted in return was the chance to experience friendship. Twilight sighed as she reminded herself this was her own fault, nobody had made her try to take that magic, and she had even gotten the help she asked for. The only one she could hate for this was herself.

With a shake of her head she doubled down on grading the tests in front of her.

Her renewed work was short lived, however, as there was a knock at the door. Putting on a smile, she welcomed her guest in. The door opened to show a creature that stood an even two meters tall and walked upright on his hind legs. He bared slight similarities to other creatures, but as a whole he was unlike any creature in Equestria. But that made sense as he was not a creature from Equestria.

He had long blond hair held loosely behind his back in a ponytail and had recently trimmed his beard back to the five o'clock shadow he favored. He wore large, wide legged pants and a shirt that was held closed by the pants with a long over-shirt. He had given her the name of each of these at one time, but she couldn't help but think that it was just complicating an otherwise simple description. Of occasional interest was what looked to be a light brown belt around his waist. In reality this was no belt, but his tail he kept wrapped around himself to keep it out of the way.

He had a few reasons he dressed the way he did, the first being political as these were considered formal clothes. His reason, though, was that he found them more comfortable than many of his other clothes, and that was his priority.

“Hi James,” Twilight said. “Isn't it a bit early for you?”

James shook his head and gave his usual half smile. “Nope,” he easily said in his calm baritone. “You're just working too long.”

Twilight checked the clock she kept on her wall, it was already late in the evening. But that just meant the day was still young for James. “I've just been busy with the school,” she said as she looked over the still sizable stack of papers.

“Rainbow Dash told me you're assigning more work than normal, and I can't help but think you're just trying to keep yourself busy after classes.” James walked over and took a seat across from the disheveled alicorn, leaning forward with his elbows on her desk. The mischievous look of his normal half smile was offset by the concern shown in his dark blue eyes. “When's the last time you took a break?”

“I'm not staying up all night working if that's what you're worried about,” she said defensively.

“I'm not talking about sleep, Twilight.” James answered, his smile fading fast from his face. “I mean a break, some time to relax and think: Process.”

“I'm okay,” she calmly said.

James let his head drop with a sigh. “Twilight, I'm married to three workaholics; “I'm okay,” is never okay.”

“Three?” Twilight asked. She knew Lucca and Tali couldn't be pried away from their individual projects once they were invested, but Tenyo couldn't be called a workaholic. She took whatever downtime she could get.

“ ... Did you forget about Liara again? Not too surprising though, considering she effectively lives in her office.” James casually said with a chuckle as he lifted his head.

Twilight had long ago gotten used to his relationships with the many women in his life, and while more complicated than it seemed it wasn't what it looked like to the casual observer. He had first married Lucca centuries ago, and she was the woman everyone recognized as his wife.

Tenyo came second, but she was a purely political marriage, giving legitimacy to some kind of complicated deal with the planet Jurai. They were by no means in love, but they eventually became friends. Tenyo even had another boyfriend that James had recently met.

He had married Liara and Tali at the same time, but by every account the entire event was a fiasco. It was organized as an arrangement to get Liara access to technology from Jurai while getting James and Jurai access to her not inconsiderable information network and skills. An arrangement they both casually agreed on.

Tali, however, had been a complicated situation. Complicated enough that Twilight had only gotten snippets here and there. From what she had gathered, they were friends and Tali eventually developed feelings for him. As for their home life, Tali spent most of her time working on projects but had also taken an interest in helping raise James' and Lucca's daughters as she could never have her own children with James.

And Twilight had found most of this out through James' confusing relationship with Rainbow Dash, which started as a prank to make everyone think they were a couple. But nothing changed once the prank was over, and the two often appeared to be a genuine couple. Confusing the matter even further.

Twilight shook her head, she did not have the energy to think about the ins and outs of James' love life right now.

“Right,” she conceded. “But I really am okay.”

“According to Starlight: Today you've only left your office to teach your class, then right back in. That's not okay.”

“You've been spying on me?” She asked, a little confused.

“Not spying,” James calmly said, looking directly into her golden eyes. “Just genuine concern for my friend.”

She paused as she thought about what he said, calling her a friend wasn't something that had come easily to him at first. But now he would take time just to show them that he cared. “Thanks.”

“Let's go get something to eat.” James said, his half smile returning and his eyes matching the expression.

“I really need to finish grading these tests,” she said, at least a little glad that someone cared about how she was feeling.

“Nope.” James said as he stood up. In one motion he bent forward, completely clearing the distance of her desk, and lifted her up in his large arms. Twilight let out a shriek with the sudden embrace and abduction.

“Put me down!” She shouted, blushing as he did anything but.

“Once we get to the burger joint.” James chuckled as he walked out of her office.

Much to Twilight's embarrassment she heard actual cheers from her students as she was carried through the halls like a child.

“See,” James said with a laugh as he continued. “Everybody believes you've been working too hard.”

Twilight's horn lit up with a gold flecked violet luminescence as she moved James' hair to hide her face, not that it really did anything other than slightly hide her embarrassment.

Twilight quietly grumbled as James hauled her away from the school. “Don't think for a second I haven't done this to Lucca before,” he laughed. “And she hits me too.”

Resigned to her fate, Twilight decided to just get comfortable and enjoy the ride as best she could. This lasted right up to the point where she heard the unmistakable sound of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie laughing.

“I suppose that's one way to get Twilight out of her office.” Rarity said as she stifled a chuckle.

“Any excuse, huh James?” Applejack said with a grin as James nodded.

Fluttershy tittered and cooed softly.

“I wanna go next!” Pinkie Pie announced.

“About as direct as I was thinking.” Starlight added with a smile.

“Did you really bring everypony out here?” Twilight moaned, not removing her face from James' hair.

“Nope.” James laughed. “They brought me out here.”

“We get it Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said as James placed the alicorn on the ground. “Not taking over for Celestia is totally lame, but you don't need to rule all of Equestria to be awesome.”

“We're falling into a pattern here.” James said as he knelt beside Twilight and draped his arm across her back. “You've been getting into your head and it's up to us to drag you out. Not that I mind coming by for a visit, I'd just like to see your smile a little more often.” James gently brushed her chin and smiled at her as he finished his comment.

Twilight sighed and gave a weak smile. “Thanks,” she quietly offered to the group.

Soon the group found themselves sitting around a couple tables they had pushed together and talking among each other as James carried two large trays loaded with hayburgers and fries, placing them in the center of the table.

“You didn't have to pay.” Starlight said to James as she took a burger. “You can't even eat hayburgers.”

James flashed his half grin and cocked an eyebrow. “You can't stop me from paying. Besides, I like being nice to the cute girls in my life.”

Several of the ponies giggled and Rainbow Dash hid her blush behind her burger, smiling as she ate. “What about us?” Starlight asked coyly. “Aren't we allowed to treat the handsome man who's always so nice to us?”

Now it was James' turn to blush, ever since he had gotten back into shape (thanks in part to Rainbow Dash) Starlight had joined in on Lucca's endeavors to make him blush whenever possible. While Lucca often went with playful teasing, Starlight would opt for outright flirtation. James, of course, wouldn't complain about any of it.

“Are you alright Rainbow Dash? You're super red.” Pinkie Pie asked, far too loudly for Rainbow Dash's comfort.

She was now beet red as she listened to the exchange.

While preparing for the prank Lady Seto had advised her to find something about James she cared about. And she had, even though it was during extreme circumstances, she had seen things about James she genuinely cared for. And that had stirred up some severely confusing emotions in her.

Ever since then they had had a confusing relationship, one that bordered on romance and had even crossed the border at points. A relationship that had made her question herself and her own feelings about him.

Answers had already come, though she didn't want to admit it. Her own feelings, and desire to save him, brought her to kiss him when he had been poisoned by Cozy Glow and put into a magical sleep. Feelings that only intensified when he had kissed her shortly after The Battle of Ponyville.

She didn't know just what she wanted from their relationship, and half the time she still denied that there was one. But she had found herself considering the prospect more as of late.

James never seemed to push the issue, keeping to his assurance that the ball was in her court and she'd have to be the one to decide if things went further. Only Starlight really knew about her feelings, and had offered to help her understand and come to a decision, but even she didn't know just how far things had already gone.

“I just thought I'd put some hot sauce on my hay burger,” Rainbow Dash quickly lied. “I just wanted try something a bit different,” she added with a forced calm.

“Oh, that sounds good.” Starlight said with a wide smile. “Where's the sauce?”

“Sorry, I used the last of it.”

Starlight let out a disappointed sound before her horn lit up. “Ah, here's a bottle.” She said as a red squeeze bottle was enveloped in emerald green light and drifted over from the next table.

James shook his head as he watched the bottle turn over and squeeze out far more than he would consider enough. He casually tossed a fry into the air towards his mouth as he turned back to the group in general.

Rainbow Dash grinned as the fry left James' hand. The moment there was room she lunged towards him, coming between him and the fry and eating it herself. She smiled at him playfully as she went back into her seat while Fluttershy and Pinkie giggled.

James couldn't fully repress his own smile as he glared at her, blindly picking up another fry and pointing it at her. “Now, Rainbow Dash …” He managed to say before she bit off half of the fry.

“Thank you.” She said with a laugh as James stared at the remaining portion.

The rest of the table joined in the laugh and James finished the partially eaten fry. “Aren't there enough fries to let me have a couple?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I wanted those fries.” Rainbow Dash answered before sticking her tongue out at him briefly.

“So how are Sara and Amber?” Twilight asked as the laughter died down.

“Concerned about you too.” James casually said. “Otherwise, they're doing as well as last week. Sara's toying with starting classes at the Sorcerers Guild. Math and programming are more her strong suit, but with her keen mind I'm sure she could do amazing things with magic.”

“Amber came by the school just the other day for my friendship needle point class.” Rarity said. “She has such a talent for the arts.”

James chuckled. “Just don't ask her to sculpt anything. She hates how her sculptures turn out,” he paused before chuckling again. “Unfortunately she seems to have gotten my temper and spent the time in her class that she was supposed to be making a sculpture just beating the clay into oblivion.”

Applejack laughed out loud as she heard the comment. “Yeah, she can be a hoofful when she's upset.”

James winced, remembering clearly the incident as Applejack had told it. “Sorry about that, she get's really testy when she's interrupted.”

“It's alright, just caught me by surprise is all.” Applejack said dismissively.

***

Pinkie Pie giggled as James carried her through Ponyville towards Sugar Cube Corner. Only her, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash remained with him as dusk began to fall.

“Thanks for dinner.” Twilight said, playfully bumping into James as they walked. “I guess I was a bit stressed out.”

“Please, any longer and you'd be full blown Twilighting.” Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

James chuckled. “Next time you start feeling “a bit stressed out,” come by for a visit. We'll do something fun, and when you're feeling better you can go back or we can talk about it. Whatever you want. The door's always open.”

Twilight cooed slightly and gave James a smile. “You two doing anything fun?” She asked after a moment, turning to Rainbow Dash.

“Not really, I've got to leave for Wonderbolts training tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash casually said.

Pinkie gasped. “You're having a sleep-over!” James winced as she shouted in his ear.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I fly better after sleeping in my bed there, I don't know why.”

“Let's see, it could be the eight to ten hours you sleep in a very nice bed. Or maybe, just maybe, it could have something to do with the wing rubs you …” James said before Rainbow Dash cut him off.

“Okay! It could be that.”

Pinkie giggled again as Twilight rolled her eyes. Everyone had known for years that James would massage Rainbow Dash whenever she wanted. She had even talked her friends into getting massages from him. But when it came to him blatantly pampering her, she tried to keep it quiet.

“Here you go Pinkie,” James said as he set Pinkie Pie down in front of Sugar Cube Corner.

Pinkie gave them a predictably exaggerated goodbye before the now trio turned and made their way towards Twilight's castle.

“You two go on ahead,” Twilight said with a grin as they approached where the road split between her castle and the school. “I really do have to finish grading those tests.”

Shortly after the two walked into the castle and Rainbow Dash turned to James. “You are going to be rubbing my wings until I say you're done,” she said with a wicked grin.

"You're turning into Lucca," James chuckled as he opened the doorway that connected his and Twilight's castles.