Libero

by Discombobulated Soul

Recovery Begins

Darkest Knight was sleeping peacefully. His trembling had ceased entirely, his breathing stable, and he had a smile on his face, the first one Fluttershy had seen him wear. It had taken around an hour and a half for him to collapse into her embrace, trusting it entirely.

Something was clearly wrong.

It shouldn't have been that easy. I've helped animals before who were easily this scared of me to begin with, and they took weeks to get this comfortable with me. She regarded the pinkish colt with a concerned look, her previous smile entirely gone. But now, all I had to do was lie there and he just sleeps? No, something's wrong. But what?

A few minutes passed with Fluttershy deep in thought, lost in her world of contemplation. She startled when the door creaked open, instinctively clutching the small foal tighter as she did. Her friends entered the room and gathered around the two of them, each with worried expressions.

"Well, Fluttershy, dear? Did you manage to calm the poor gentlecolt?" Asked Rarity, repeatedly glancing between the sleeping pink lump and the disconcerted pegasus holding it.

"Well, from the looks of things, I'd say she was pretty successful!" Answered Twilight, leaning in close to Darkest. Fluttershy frowned deeply at her and took off into the air, holding the colt tight and eyeing the unicorn's horn suspiciously.

"No, Twilight." She flapped over to the hospital bed, ignoring the others' surprised looks in favor of studying Twilight's uneasy one. "You're not coming any closer until you tell me just what magic you did to make him trust me so easily." Everypony's eyes flocked to the unicorn, whose ears lowered in shame.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Fluttershy!" She chuckled nervously before relenting at the pegasus' unimpressed expression. "Okay, okay, so I cast a few spells on him. I was only trying to help!" The unicorn cringed at the gasps of shock from around her.

"Twilight! How could you do such a thing?" Rarity demanded indignantly.

"It's not like I controlled his mind or anything! I'm not completely senseless!" Fluttershy narrowed her eyes further in a look that beckoned her to continue. Twilight grinned sheepishly and did just that. "It was just a simple coercion charm to make him trust us! I noticed his mind was unnaturally magic-resistant, so it was a gamble in the first place! Clearly, it didn't work, judging by how long it took him to fall asleep." Fluttershy's ears flattened and she lowered her head, her defensive posture fading away.

"Oh, I guess you just didn't trust me to get through to him, then," she stated quietly, deeply wounded by her unicorn friend's behavior. Their friends gave Twilight accusing glares, as if to say, 'now look what you've done, hurting Fluttershy's feelings like that!' Twilight's jaw dropped in horror and she waved a hoof in denial.

"No, No, that's not it at all! You have to understand, the princess trusted us with helping him out, and you know how seriously I take her requests! Besides," The unicorn's head lowered as she became more and more glum. "I was completely useless when it came to that shield. We could have helped him so much earlier if I'd just-"

She choked back a sob and Fluttershy was surprised to see a singular tear dripping from her face. "I just figured...since I couldn't dispel that shield...maybe I could make up for it by speeding up the process." The mare dropped to the floor defeatedly, wiping her eyes with a hoof as everypony's glares softened in sympathy, Fluttershy's included.

Said pegasus relocated the soundly sleeping colt to her back and flew over to Twilight, gently touching her friend's shoulder with a hoof.

"There, there, Twilight, It's okay, I understand. And really, the spell did help, so I'm not mad." She paused, glancing back at the lump of pink balanced between her wings. "I'm just worried about poor Darkest, and what will happen when the spell wears off. What if he thinks it was all a lie, and our progress was for nothing?" Twilight raised her head, a small, relieved smile on her face.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Fluttershy. It's not a spell, it's a charm, so it'll feed off his inner mana pool and thus won't fade away with time." Applejack spoke next, her country voice swimming in apprehension.

"Ah don't know, Twilight. Something about this doesn't feel right. Using magic in everyday life's fine 'n all, but messing around with a ponies' head?" The earth pony's green eyes looked steadily at Twilight's purple ones. "Ah know y'all have good intentions, but there're some lines ya just don't cross. If a pony doesn't have her brain, then what else does she have, y'know?" Twilight nodded at this, a sad smile adorning her face.

"I know, A.J. But, we also know that Darkest hasn't had his brain to himself for a long time, maybe ever." She said, effectively draining any lingering traces of levity from the room as everypony sorrowfully regarded the sleeping colt. Rarity recovered first and thus spoke next.

"Well, spell or not, he seems to trust Fluttershy now." Said pegasus answered the unicorn's questioning glance with a nod. "So, now the question is, what next?" A moment of silence passed before Twilight answered.

"Now? We have Fluttershy take him home and find out what she can while strengthening their bond. Sound good, Flutters?" The light butter yellow pegasus in question gave a resolute nod, her features set in stone.

"Yes. We're going to help him, girls. Together!" The friends gave a resounding cheer before one-by-one shuffling out of the room. Rainbow Dash was the second-to-last one out and turned back to face Fluttershy, who had returned Darkest to her forelegs, lightly brushing his mane with her gentle hoof.

"You coming, 'shy?" Fluttershy gave her prismatic-maned friend a passing glance before returning her gaze to the limp pink form in her grip.

"No, Rainbow, I'd better not. I think it'd be best for him to wake up where he went to sleep." The cyan speedster gave a nod to this.

"Ah, right. Well, uh, you go on ahead, then. If you need anything, I'm here, okay?" Fluttershy merely smiled, not bothering to move her eyes.

"Of course, Rainbow. How could I forget?"

The door closed behind them, and Fluttershy was left in a mostly silent room, the only sound being that of the two occupants' synchronized breathing.

---

The sweet, distinctive smell of nature and various woodland creatures was the first thing to welcome him.

Safe.

The pleasant, caring, gentle brush of a hoof through his knotted and grimy mane was the next sensation to grace his tired, fuzzy mind.

Darkest opened his white eyes, and in doing so arose from the most peaceful rest he had ever experienced. The first thing that said eyes beheld was the gentle, caring, pleasant countenance of a familiar yellow pegasus. Darkest opened his mouth to utter the first words his foggy brain could come up with.

"Hi, Fluttershy."

His world bounced as a soft giggle emanated from her muzzle, causing her chest to shake slightly. He blinked stupidly, fatigue marring his thoughts so thoroughly that he could not come up with anything else to say. Usually, he was instantly awake and alert, but these were far from usual circumstances.

"Hello, Darkest. How are you feeling?" He blinked again, looking down at his dyed body with an expression of delayed confusion. He smacked his bone-dry mouth a few times before answering.

"Thirsty. And pink." He glanced back at the yellow face above him, blinking innocently. "Can we remedy this?" The world bounced as she let out another giggle.

"Yes, yes we can. How about we leave this room and go get some water?" She asked slowly, ensuring he understood each word. Darkest nodded, looking around at the boring room and agreeing wholeheartedly. Fluttershy swiftly let him go when he started moving his legs, and he somewhat reluctantly stepped away from her. Darkest opened the door and foolishly stepped out into the hall, though thankfully he skittered backward and behind Fluttershy when he observed the approaching pony.

Fluttershy regarded him with a sad smile and stepped out into the hallway, with him just behind and lightly pressing against her hind legs, avoiding her long pink tail. They passed the other pony, whom Darkest recognized as the pink-haired one who had waited outside his barrier earlier. His paranoia increased significantly from remembering the earth pony's eager grin, and he pressed more heavily into Fluttershy's legs, managing to push her slightly to the side before she compensated.

The uniformed mare regarded him with a sorrowful look and then gave a questioning glance at Fluttershy, who nodded briefly before walking on. Darkest continued leaning into Fluttershy up until they turned the corner and he was sure they were not being followed. Once these conditions were met, he relaxed noticeably, yet remained close enough that the two ponies' coats were touching.

A minute or so passed in silence, with no other ponies passing them. Soon they reached a space that Darkest recognized as a bathroom, if decidedly better stocked with supplies compared to his own. He gazed about the medium-sized room, ensuring that he retained contact with Fluttershy as she filled a nearby cup with water from the sink.

Finding nothing of note and unable to name a sizable amount of the objects he observed, Darkest eagerly took the filled cup in his hooves and drank greedily, abandoning any notion of noble mannerisms in his comfortable state. Knight even neglected to remind him to check the liquid for less desirable substances, likely reassured by nature of the fact that it was Fluttershy who had given it to him.

Darkest drank a second and third time from the sizeable cup before he was satisfied, smacking his now-wetted lips and giving the pegasus a thankful smile. Said being turned and took a few steps into the hall before making another proposition.

"Darkest, would you like to come to my cottage and help take care of my animal friends? I'm sure they would love to meet you." He beamed and nodded earnestly, still in the process of waking up and regaining all of his mental faculties, though the water had certainly helped in that regard. At the moment, Darkest would happily go along with whatever the mare wanted, intent on staying with her and fearful of what should happen if they were separated.

Fluttershy only sighed lightly at his compliance before continuing their journey to exit the building, her ears flicking with unease. He was relieved when there were no encounters with other ponies on said venture, even when they passed through what looked to be a waiting room and some type of foyer.

In stepping outside, however, his relaxed state abruptly ended, replaced with renewed pressure on Fluttershy's hind leg at the sight of the townsponies. This caused her to halt, either from the realization of his anxiety or the hindrance of her movement by the extra weight. She regarded him with a pondering expression before making yet another proposal.

"Darkest, it'd be much faster if we flew to my house, and we wouldn't pass nearly as many ponies. Would you like to do that?"

...fly?

Darkest gaped in shock at the proposition, his mouth slowly turning upwards in glee as he vigorously nodded his head and hopped straight onto the mare's back with nary a second thought. He was vaguely aware of Fluttershy tensing under him before regarding his ecstatic face with her own set in consternation, but he was too consumed in the purest form of excitement to care.

I am going to fly! He began bouncing his weight from the sheer elation the thought wrought upon both parts of his mind. The pegasus flared her wings and with a few gentle flaps began her ascent into the air.

She checked back on him numerous times during the short journey, but he was too entirely invested in the alien sensation of flight to pay any heed whatsoever. The ground is so distant from mine hooves! This is incredible! Darkest let out a whoop of glee, laughing and standing tall, allowing the breeze to whip his mane back.

The concern of his falling from her back never once entered his mind, for he trusted her entirely to keep him secure.

Regrettably, the cottage came into view all too soon, and they subsequently returned back to stodgy, stagnant terra firma. Darkest then dismounted the pegasus, the experience having completely woken him up.

"You seemed like you enjoyed that a lot, Darkest." Fluttershy paused and hesitantly grinned back at his beaming visage. "Are you ready to meet my animal friends now?" The unicorn confidently strode forth for but a few steps before freezing and promptly reattaching himself to his chosen spot halfway up her hind legs. Together, the ponies walked the final distance to Fluttershy's quaint cottage, each of her steps equal to roughly two of his.

---

"Truly exquisite, Fluttershy. Your friends are as charming as they are utterly astonishing!" Darkest waved a hoof in farewell at the last departing blue jay whose name he had already forgotten. The venture had been simply astounding, and he had met all manner of creatures which defied all he knew.

Many of them had been wonderfully polite, despite his current less-than-stellar appearance, and he had been fascinated all throughout their many conversations through Fluttershy's translating. Still, said mare had eventually caught on to his anxiety at so much social interaction, and thus they were now heading inside the cottage.

"Oh, I'm so glad you think so, Darkest. Now, would you like to have a seat while I make us some tea?" He nodded and hopped up onto the sofa accordingly, adopting a relaxed posture and loosening now that the interacting was done with.

Conversing with woodland creatures was not nearly as strenuous as with fellow ponies, but it still took much concentration to refrain from bungling the operation. Darkest laid there, on the couch, and was tranquil up until Fluttershy left his line of sight, at which point he sat up and began scanning the room attentively.

She's gone.

Darkest flicked an ear in unease, growing increasingly agitated as the seconds passed and his bringer of safety remained out of sight. This present situation is ill-advised and very much not quintessential. Another few seconds passed until he expeditiously launched himself from the furniture, galloping around the corner and into the kitchen, breathing heavily as he skidded to a halt just behind Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus then turned to him, eyebrows creased in heavy concern as he caught his breath and immediately relaxed before stuttering out an excuse.

"I-I was just wondering if you required any due assistance in your endeavor. I theorized I might offer such a desirable thing, and thus am...er...here?" Darkest grinned sheepishly at her hesitant smile and returned his pinkish side into contact with her leg, consequently relaxing entirely in relief.

Soon, the tea was finished and the pair found themselves seated back at the green couch, savoring the lovely flavor and calming aroma of the beverage. They sat in silence for a sizable length of time before Darkest's curiosity bested his cautious restraint and he blurted out a burning question that had plagued his mind ever since he arrived in Ponyville:

"Pardon mine spontaneity, Fluttershy, but what is the meaning of 'I'm'?" She looked up at him in mild surprise, seeming started out of her reverie. He continued his inquiry before she could reply, his pent-up confusion rushing forth now that it had an escape. "Or, for that matter, 'y'all', or ''couldn't', or 'don't'? I have been hearing these phrases since I arrived, and they make no sense to me." He gazed up at her with his face consumed in utter inquisitiveness. "Could you please enlighten me?" Fluttershy blinked unsurely and pursed her lips in consternation before responding.

"I think they're called, um, contractions?" She shook her head lightly, frowning at herself. "Oh, look, there I go, using one right now." She nodded to herself before re-engaging eye contact with the curious colt. "So, they are called contractions. It's--er...it is when you combine two words to make them easier to say. So, 'they are' becomes 'they're,' and so on."

She observed his countenance light up in realization and a thankful smile appear on it before a thoughtful frown appeared on hers. "But...you talk so fancy all the time, so you must read a whole lot. How did you do that without encountering any contractions?" Darkest merely waved a hoof dismissively, balancing the teacup on his other as he sighed lightly.

"Ah, nay, Fluttershy. Truly I am flattered that you could think me worthy of literacy, but, alas, I am no such thing. Nay, I am indeed utterly undeserving of such things, and was consequently never taught how to read literature." The mare's teal eyes bulged in utter shock and she very nearly spilled her tea in surprise. A few seconds passed before she was able to recompose herself and address him once more.

"You mean you can't read?" At his nod, she raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Then how to you know all those words? How do you know what they mean? Nopony here knows what they mean, except maybe Twilight, but she reads a lot." Darkest finished the tea in his cup and allowed her to refill it before replying nonchalantly.

"Oh, well, in Canterlot, everypony talks like this. Really, it is you who are the anomaly, though mayhap that is not, in fact, the case, as I have been led to believe." Fluttershy nodded solemnly and returned her gaze to the teacup clasped in her hooves. "Well, I was taught to always conduct mineself as a mature adult should, with correct enunciation and proper, advanced grammar." The yellow mare glanced back up at him sorrowfully before speaking once more.

"But, Darkest, ponies don't become mature adults until we're at least thirty years old. Why, my friends and I aren't even 'mature adults' yet; we're in our late twenties!" He nodded sagely at her exclamation--if it could be called that: Her voice remained as demure and wonderful as always--and politely sipped from his tea before responding.

"Yes, indeed, however, in Canterlot, all ponies are expected to conduct themselves with elegant poise and proper manners, indeed whether or not their stations warrant such things." Fluttershy sighed heavily and seemed to collect herself, straightening before donning a gentle, inviting smile and addressing him once more.

"So, um, why don't you tell me about Canterlot? What was it like to live there?" Darkest immediately shifted uncomfortably, flicking his ears with unease and lowering his teacup. He would much rather sit in the amiable silence and safety than remember the dangerous, painful past of his life, but it was not as if he could simply refuse her request.

No, any compulsion for that kind of rebellion had been beaten out of him long ago.

"Well, Fluttershy, Canterlot is many things, though I struggle to uncover any positive remarks about the place." He began fidgeting, for once lost as to what words to use to voice his thoughts. "It was unbearable, its citizens cut from only the most pompous, conceited cloth imaginable. Nobles swarm the place like petty, pretentious flies, coating everything in their filth and giving nothing to others in need."

Darkest began shrinking in on himself, curling his dyed tail around him in defense of some unseen sneer of disdain. "It was a rare occasion that I was allowed on the streets, but when I was, the marble architecture became suffocating, and the ostentatious noses around me never left the air." Fluttershy nodded sorrowfully, appearing appeased for now.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Darkest. But I want you to know that Ponyville is nothing like that. I would know, I've lived here for a while now." They sat in silence for a time, the colt steadily relaxing as quiet reigned over the house, before Fluttershy spoke again.

"So, um, can you tell me about yourself, then? I'm curious to get to know you better." Darkest brightened. Ah, yes, this I can accomplish. I am very knowledgeable in mine self, after all! "What do you usually like to do? I love taking care of my animal friends, as you saw. But that's my special talent, and I noticed you don't have your cutie mark yet." Darkest turned to her, smirking and winking conspiratorially.

"Not so, neither, Fluttershy. I do indeed have my cutie mark. Here, see for yourself!" And with that he gestured to his flank, specifically a light grey image that was much more visible now that said body part was pink instead of its usual pure white. Darkest grew increasingly uncomfortable the longer she stared at it, until he finally could no longer tolerate the awful feeling and so returned to his earlier posture, smiling uneasily. Fluttershy seemed not to notice, likely entirely occupied with deciphering just what the rather abstract image was.

"It looks like some kind of bubblegum bubble? Are you good at chewing gum?" She asked, rather obliviously. Darkest chuckled lightly, denying her a second glance by wrapping his tail around his flank.

"Nay, Fluttershy. It represents my control over that very base layer of reality." He moved his tail slightly and glanced down at it, his smile becoming more perturbed by the moment. The image was of a half-sphere, viewed from the side, and gradually fading out into smaller circles as it trailed out to the right. Rather reminiscent of a comet whose tail was separated into so many spheres. "Essentially, it denotes my proficiency with creating nigh unbreakable barriers."

He adopted a ponderous expression, lips pursed in thought. "Though, really 'creates' is a rather incorrect term for what it is I do. Truly, it is difficult to put into words." Darkest glanced back at Fluttershy, relieved to see her eyes focused on his and not his cutie marks, consequently relaxing from the revelation. "Mayhap a demonstration would be more prudent?"

At her hesitant nod, he lit his horn in mild concentration and observed her gaze follow the gradually-lengthening mana as it followed the spiral on his horn from the base to the tip. It softly illuminated the darkening room with its light grey glow. Darkest connected to the base layer of the universe with relative ease, his progress displayed by that of the spiral's until they both finished at the same time, with him connecting to his desired layer just as the glow reached the tip of his horn.

Darkest could feel the presence of the very deepest, most primal threads of reality in his mind, and began channeling his mana through all the other layers and to it. In doing so, a darker grey overglow surrounded his horn, and the base layer started following his proffered magic back to its source like a lost foal after its guardian, propelled and shaped by his mana's expert contours.

Suddenly, a light grey orb materialized between the two ponies, perfect and exact in its shape and precisely the size of an average apple. Darkest looked through it to see Fluttershy recoil in moderate surprise, dropping her empty teacup before leaning forward and poking the transparent ball with a hoof. She looked at him, eyes open and eyebrows raised in wonder as she asked her questions.

"So you can make them any size, then? How long did it take you to learn to do this?" Darkest smiled sagely and re-lit the overglow around his horn, using his mana to guide the sphere into a zooming path all throughout the room. He re-shaped it into various abstract images as it went and never broke eye contact with it.

"Quite a while, Fluttershy. And the skill has made itself rather helpful in a few situations." The last traces of levity left his face as he recalled just what uses for the shields there were and how many times they had let him down.

Just then, a deep, conspicuous rumble emitted from somewhere below him, causing Darkest to jump in surprise and scan the area in mild alarm. His cheeks reddened with shame and realization as he heard a quiet giggle from Fluttershy's direction.

"Sounds like somepony's hungry!" She smiled back at his sheepish grin, setting down her teacup and dismounting the couch. "Would you like to eat some food, Darkest?" He nodded in agreeance, following her off the couch and back into the kitchen. Fluttershy flitted about, opening and closing various cabinets and growing increasingly distressed as each one presented only empty space. Finally, the pegasus landed in front of him with a remorseful expression, eyes downcast.

"Oh, dear. It looks like I forgot to head into the market this week, so I'm all out of food. We'll have to head into town and restock, and it would be best to do it now." Darkest nodded in acceptance at this. The market should be acceptable. I can indeed endure a trip to any given location, so long as I do not leave Fluttershy's vicinity.

The two ponies stepped outside the cottage and into the fading light of the setting sun. And never mind that, for I shall indeed have the opportunity to fly once more! And so, the colt absently dispelled the orb and excitedly vaulted onto the mare's back, hardly able to contain his utter glee.

The two ponies set off into the air, one vibrating in excitement and the other consumed in moderate anxiety, neither one noticing a curious pink cloud hovering nearby, or the abnormal brown rain it produced. They failed entirely to observe the land below gradually grow to resemble a checkers board.

And they both were oblivious to the distant, indeed nearly silent dark and chaotic chuckle emanating from Canterlot's direction.

Comments

[DingoAte]

Let’s violate the Geneva conventions:D

[SayuriCeleste]

I think st he will find out so Twilight is waiting SHIT-STORM XD

[Ziper Ace]

Ooh Twilight you b*cking mess up....

[Lexiebommel10]

How the fuck is a permanent mind altering spell not illegal as fuck that's straight up darkmagic it will corrupt and every noble unicorn will shaft any peasant in their way in a slippery slope of ethics. Casting any charm on someone without their knowledge should be a crime since it's parasitical.

[Aiwhisper]

11640567
It’s twilight

[DarkPhoenixx]

Oh no! I can't imagine this is going to help DK at all. This is one time Discord may have picked the perfect moment for chaos *laughs maniacally*

[DarkPhoenixx]

11640567 11696052
And according to Purple Smart the "charm" isn't mind altering... Hey Bookhorse since when is a charm like that that's supposed to be semipermanent NOT mind altering magic??!! I mean really.

[Mister-H]

Is he gonna bathe soon?