The Side Character is a Deer

by Deergenerate

Chapter 23: Starting To Lose It

Johan was in the bathroom of his train car, just looking at himself in the mirror. He looked frazzled, to say the least. The bags under his eyes had only grown worse, and his haggard hunch had only gotten worse. And for once, it wasn't Equestria's fault. Something was up with him. He inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

"You're ok Johan," he said as he exhaled. "Get it together..."

Just then his reflection straightened up, the bags disappeared, replaced by a disgusted glare. His eyes were suddenly glowing a deep silver, lightning dancing out of them in an elaborate shimmer.

"You are a disgrace." His reflection said in a light accent making him roll his Rs. "By Aramazd at least take better care of yourself, you look like a lost urchin."

Johan instantly jumped back, slamming his back into the wall. As soon as he did the reflection went away. Johan quivered for a second, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. That had to have been a trick of the mind right?

He found himself hyperventilating for a second before he shook his head yet again and straightened up.

"Don't worry Johan... It's just schizophrenia or something. They probably have some kinda magical cure for that here right? hehe..." He stammered as he looked himself over in the mirror. No weird glowy eyes or lightning all over the place... yay.

Johan let out a groan as he stepped outside of the train's bathroom. It was nighttime now, meaning the train was lit up only by the lights within. A couple of his pals, Spike especially, had fallen asleep during the ride, leaving him without anyone to talk to beyond magical babble with Twilight, which he just wasn't in the mood for.

Just then he heard a zap of energy behind him, then a series of swears. He quickly turned around. The Bathrooms, like in all trains, were right next to the entrance to another car, and a window in said door allowed him to see Derek, struggling and cursing as magic sparked up and down his horn. For some reason, he was wearing a ring around it?

Johan paused for a second. He turned back to the other ponies before he shook his head and walked forwards, pushing open the door and entering Derek's cabin after a short walk outside. He noticed it was starting to rain as he did... that couldn't bode well. They were still an hour away from home.

He was quick to duck out of the rain, staring at Derek as he struggled with the horn ring. Johan couldn't help but flinch when he saw Derek cry out in pain and grab his head as a flash of magic blasted across his forehead. He paused for a second, looking over to Starswirl the Bearded, who was observing the Alicorn with a growing look of disappointment.

"So uhhh... what are you guys doing in here?" Johan asked the wizard, cocking his head to the side.

Starswirl stared at him out of the corner of his eye for a second before he sighed. "If you must know, I am testing your friend here. I fit him with a ring that prevents him from using all magical powers. I am trying to see if he can overload it."

Johan cocked an eyebrow. "Well, first of all, I didn't know that was even possible."

"Myes, add that to the list," Starswirl said. "The younger generations, so unknowledgeable. What are they teaching in schools these days, how to make friends instead of maths?"

Johan bit his tongue for a second before he continued.

"Secondly, is overloading those rings even... possible?" He continued.

"Not for a Unicorn," Starswirl said sitting up and watching as Derek stomped a hoof and let out a rather loud f-bomb."Alicorns, however, can if faced with a large enough... emotional catalyst. Usually, anger. Which is why I am testing him like this?"

Johan grit his teeth as he watched his friend let out a rather pathetic whimper. "So wait, you are trying to test him on something you can't even do yourself?"

"Don't judge my teaching methods. This is how I taught Luna and Celestia to master their magical abilities, and they turned out well enough." Starswirl said narrowing his eyes at Johan. He paused for a second. "Granted one of them did almost destroy the planet because people have to sleep at night..."

"Excuse me, WHAT?!?" Johan cried, causing Derek to pause and stare at the two. Instantly Johan straightened up both his neck and back, towering over the unicorn. He glared down at the wizard with disgust.

Derek's eyes widened slightly as he saw electricity flash between the deer's antlers like a pair of tesla coils. Starswirl noticed too, his jaw clenching, and eyes narrowing.

'He isn't a pony. How can he do that?' Starswirl thought.

"We are done here," Johan said in a sudden authoritative tone. He quickly turned, marching up to Derek. With a single quick movement, the deer ripped the ring off his horn, rather aggressively tossing it on the ground. Starswirl suddenly slammed his hooves on the table he was sitting at as he stood up.

"What do you think you are doing?" Starswirl hissed, narrowing his eyes. "This is my lesson how dare-"

"Shut up." Johan hissed, turning back to the Unicorn. "You know what, I tend not to raise my voice and get authoritative like this, but you... Oh, you have to be the worst teacher I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of bad teachers."

"Johan-" Derek started but he was shut up with a glare.

"You are going to wait until Twilight's horn is fixed to learn more about this magic stuff," Johan said as he started to drag Derek out of the room. "And you had better stay on this train and get back to Canterlot, because you aren't doing anything with Derek as long as I am in Ponyvile too."

Starswirl growled slightly, sitting up. "The Princesses and the Equestrian Nobility will be hearing about this if you don't stop right now!"

Johan chuckled. "You know, I was in Canterlot all day today and I didn't see a single one of them while I was there. I'm starting to think they don't even exist. As for your former students, I wonder which one is going to come down to Ponyvile to your will. Maybe the one who 'almost destroyed the planet because people have to sleep at night' hmm?"

Derek and Johan stepped into the rain and then slammed the door behind him. There was a pause as the two stood on the gangway connection of the moving train.

Derek suddenly spoke up. "Why did you do that?" He said, a deep frown coming to his face.

"It was for your own good. Trust me, people like him are just going to turn you into a dick." Johan exclaimed as he started to walk back to his old car.

"You just cost me my chance at learning magic!" Derek suddenly shouted.

Johan stopped. "No. I didn't. Twilight can teach you."

"B-but he trained Celestia and Luna!" Derek cried sitting down. "That means he knows what he's doing when it comes to people like me!"

Johan let out a dry chuckle. "That guy doesn't know a thing about teaching. Sure he's got all the knowledge in his brain, but I know how you work. That guy would have been terrible for you. Now, are you going to come inside, or are we going to stay out here getting soaked?"

There was another pause as the two stared at each other. Finally, Derek sighed and nodded. "I could use a break..."

Slowly the two turned and opened the other door, stepping inside.

---

"Nice of the weather ponies to warn us beforehand!" Trixie suddenly cried as she stepped out onto the train station, bringing a hoof to her wizard hat to stop it from blowing away in the wind.

"I'm in the weather team." Rainbow Dash replied, flinching because of the crack of distant thunder. "And this wasn't planned."

Johan grimaced as he looked out along the train station, the rain was coming down in buckets. He sighed... he was about to get really wet, wasn't he?

"Come on guys," Twilight cried as she covered her head with a hoof. "My castle is a lot closer than any of your places, so you guys can stay the night there until the storm passes."

And just like that, everyone started rushing after Twilight as she marched ahead. Everyone except for Johan and Starswirl the Bearded.

Starswirl sat at the train station, leveling a glare at Johan. "As I said, the princesses and nobility will be hearing about this."

"Yeah. Sure." Johan said as he moved to start to follow after Twilight. "Lemme know if anything comes of that."

"Hmmph, I may not know much about this whole friendship thing, but you seem like a poor acquaintance for Derek." Starswirl hissed. Instantly Johan froze in place.

"Excuse me?" He replied with a hiss.

"You are obviously holding him back." That was all the unicorn replied with before he stomped back onto the train.

Johan was silent for a second before he stomped his hoof and turned to leave. Just before he did, however, his eyes locked on a distant lightning bolt. He stared at it, a newfound feeling of contempt grabbing his heart. He snarled before stepping out into the rain following everyone else.

Author's Note:

I unironically made a meme about this story, here you go;

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it took so long to get out, been kinda bogged down by all the new games that came out this month lmao

Oh, I also didn't realize that the last chapter was actually the 1 year anniversary of the release of this story, thanks for all the support so far you guys!

Comments

[AvidSeason]

Appreciate the Author's Note meme my dude!

[PhycoKrusk]

I am Jack's thinning patience.

[J-90]

Hmmm... now kinda hoping that something unfortunate would happen to starswirl, if only to teach him a lesson in humility.

[Mitril]

It could have been cool if Johan would say "Remember accidents happen" or something similar
Something normal and at the same time a threat.
Ponies aren't humans so they don't know that something like that exists, or aren't exposed to it in media, movies, books,etc
So most with some exceptions wouldn't get that, but if you are a good diplomat,etc, or lives for a lot of time.It's obvious that Starswirl isn't a good diplomat ,doesn't have related skills to that, so he could only understand with how long he lives

[KKSlider]

"I may not know much about ponies, but you seem like an infant, crying because his toys were taken away."

There's no need for threats of physical violence. Simply put the old man down verbally.

[The Hermit]

"Don't worry Johan... It's just schizophrenia or something. They probably have some kinda magical cure for that here right? hehe..." He stammered as he looked himself over in the mirror. No weird glowy eyes or lightning all over the place... yay.

lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLXfmXwQAk4_kET5NFdsptyxT0gZRoEyJfa7ef1XEGfJUrVVDbl9zVPt15g7sknARYj3H-CKGXjaZwsOcvh7neAflmY6cXv_9hWK628ypnzDfhrFvIRlfm-eedJxAYwOCU_OjNXGardxMgob1huhHQMB=w340-h403-no?authuser=0

[KvAT]

11169921
Goddamnit