Diary Of The Banished

by DouglasTrotter

Sincerity

"Follow the path west from Gilden Village. When you reach a fork in the road, of the three paths you see, you will go right. Do not follow the left path."

The note was written on a slim piece of parchment paper, left as a bookmark in the tome Trotia had given me. The first day Otra and I departed from Gilden Village was the hardest. We caught each other looking down the path. Heiress endured an unfathomable trauma, the unicorn filly losing her family within the space of a single day. That first night wasn't the easiest either. My bond with Otra had grown when I pulled a blanket out of my bag instinct and placed it around her before she moved towards me.

Crickets played their soft melody throughout the night. The fire popped, hissed, and crackled from time to time. Its noise didn't overshadow our thoughts as we gazed at the starry night sky. My heavy eyes got the better of me, and I found a blanket over me in the morning.

Three days passed with our forced departure from Gilden village. My eyes remained glue on the horizon while Otra stood on my back. Though she rested, I could feel her soulful demeanor being clouded. It took a few nudges to get my companion to fly into the open air of Equestria, refreshing her spirit. She seemed to be at peace amongst the clouds. On our more serene days, my companion would sit on the clouds and look down on me. She would rest then catch a few moments later. Her spirits were brighter after her morning flight.

We traveled along the path, and the dot in the horizon grew. Another week and a half of travel lay ahead of us till we would reach the gates of Canterlot.

I opened the flap to my saddlebag and pulled out the map. A quick gust of wind brushed passed me. I turned. Otra had leapt off my back, emitting a powerful screech. I looked up. My companion pointed a wing and bolted down the pathway. I scratched my head, looked at my saddlebag, and then darted after Otra.

Down the trail, Otra latched onto a small sac while another creature fought her for it. I came upon a pegasus pony that relentlessly tugged on my sac of bits. The colt continued to tug on the sac, even when I levitated it towards me. I chuckled at the situation. My companion's demeanor wasn't so jovial as she continued to squawk at the tiny thief.

"Stop it, Volt." A voice said, calling down from the sky. Its owner descended toward me and Otra. The mare pointed her hoof at the small colt, leered at him, and then grabbed him with her hooves. "I apologize for my son's actions."

Otra stood by me and seemed to smirk when the mother scolded her son. A pegasus stallion floated to the ground. Volt's father sighed before rolling his eyes at his son. Events changed when a cloud descended behind the stallion. My eyes widened. I gazed on in disbelief. From all the books I read it was impossible for such a feat to happen.

A unicorn mare stood atop a cloud in front of us. The cloud supported her as if she were a pegasus.

"May I help you?" The mare said. She glared at me, "Look with your eyes, not with your hooves."

The hairs on my silvery mane were brushed aside by a calm wind. I kept my hooves on the ground per the unicorn's request.

No matter how I looked at it, the cloud appeared to be a normal cloud. What followed were several tense moments, soon succeeded by moments of intense intrigue. The unicorn introduced herself as Slipstream, an adopted pony of the pegasus parents. That not-too-playful squeeze came to my side. I turned to Otra who pointed a wing at Slipstream. With my flank on the dirt path, I listened to the mother's tale of how Slipstream came to be with her. Despite the saddening tale, the scarlet colored unicorn's demeanor remained unchanged. That playful squeeze came to my side whenever my eyes gravitated toward the cloud behind the ponies.

"Since you're interested," Slipstream said in a coy tone, "how about I show you my spell?"

Her horn glowed in a scarlet colored hue. An aura of the same color enveloped my hooves. Slipstream gave a gentle smile, and then backed away from her cloud.

Words could barely describe the fluffy entity's feeling when I pressed my hooves against its sides; the cloud was twenty times softer than anything I had ever touched, rivaling that of newborn chick's feathers when they were dry from hatching. I could see my reflection off Slipstream's eyes. She must have had a sixth sense about her as the unicorn mare said it wasn't possible to teach the spell to me. The spell was based on instinct vs. actual knowledge, and couldn't it wasn't possible teach it to any other unicorn.

I found myself puzzled when Slipstream made the strange request that I not attempt to memorize the spell from what I had seen. Otra thought about pinching my side. My companion's talon didn't near my side as I told the unicorn I wouldn't memorize it.

Slipstream leapt onto her cloud. Our brief meeting seemed over, yet the mare moved her cloud in front of me. A gentle hoof was extended. It intrigued me to see a simple firm hoof could push through the cloud but it could support my weight, an almost contradictory notion. After a quick and quiet sorry to Slipstream, Otra hopped onto my back.

Our platform ascended into the sky with the pegasi surrounding us.

*** *** ***

The large village rivaled what I had read in my books, a vast city in the clouds drifting through the skies of Equestria. Pegasus ponies happily flew about their home. Some worked on clouds by compressing them into thick materials used for construction. Others went towards a building in the distance that spewed forth clouds from a stack protruding through the structure's roof. I wouldn't have known any of this existed if I were to look at this magnificent city from the ground; it would look just like a large cloud, drifting through the skies of Equestria via a gentle breeze.

My amazement was cut short with several ponies coming up to Slipstream. It unnerved me when their eyes locked onto me. I shied away from them, unable to tell if they were curious or viewed me as a hostile outsider. Their strange gaze turned toward Otra when she flew into the air. My companion helped divert their attention and gave me some room to breathe.

Otra entertained the ponies with her aerial acrobatics. A slight tug came to my tail. I turned then looked behind me, giving a firm nod to Otra. She spotted me, and I sensed her idea to fly into a cloud to lose her fans.

The path in front of me was treacherous. If it disappeared, I had no way to help myself from plummeting to the ground. Otra eased my concerns when I felt her come closer then land on my back.

Slipstream's brother motioned towards me. My companion and I followed him towards a smaller part of the city and into an alleyway.

In the small alleyway, made from condensed clouds, Volt spoke about his big sister. For the first time since I met him, he had a look of distress. The small pegasus colt asked me what my talent was in regards to my cutie mark.

Volt leapt towards me and knocked me down. His eyes lit up when I made the mistake of mentioning I could enhance spells. He pleaded with me to help his sister. One night, he awoke to his sister screaming. She fell off her bed and clutched onto its rim while her back hooves dangled through the cloud floor. I shook my head and reminded him of the promise that I had made to his big sister.

The pegasus colt glared at me then undid the strap to my Saddlebag. It was tossed to the side, almost falling through the cloud pathway. Otra latched onto Volt before he could flee with my sac of bits.

"Let me go. If you won't help my big sister, there's a unicorn that will." He said. Otra released the colt after I retrieved my sac of bits. "That's more than enough for him to do it."

Otra and I, after some persuasion, were guided toward the unicorn's house. We followed a similar path to that of when I was cornered in the alleyway. A dark grey house with a single window came into view.

Though no answer came, the door opened after the final knock. There were no indications of life inside the house. Several books were strewn about on a crewed, makeshift bed. Parchment papers littered the floor with one rolled up on a nearby table. Before we could leave, an object burst through a side of the wall.

As the wall reformed, a pony with a robe over his body dusted himself off. He coughed with a bit of cloud mist coming out of his mouth.

"Well now, if it isn't little Volt. Have you gotten the bits I need? I'll enchant those slippers for your sister." He said. The unicorn's eyes locked onto me. "How rude of me" he bowed," I am Draft, the most powerful unicorn of aerial magic in Equestria."

Otra nor I had time for the charlatan. That earth pony story teller would be a wise sage compared to this arrogant unicorn.

Draft demanded that I face him, that I bask in his prowess. When I refused, a slight breeze came from behind. Whatever spell the stallion used couldn't even blow the papers off the floor. I faced him as he tried again. He mustered enough magical strength to blow a piece of paper against my hoof; the parchment's writing caught my eye.

I told Volt about the unicorn stallion and his so-called "magical" talents. The pegasus colt targeted me with a swift stern hoof. He stated that I was a liar.

It took several moments of intense concentration to keep me from slamming my front hoof into the floor. I demanded that Draft tell the truth about his power. The unicorn stallion snorted at me then turned away.

Papers, books, and the stallion's bed swirled about in the room as my frustration took hold. I demonstrated my own spell for a gust of wind, almost blowing away the house all together. Otra stood in front of me and squawked in my face. I stopped.

Draft's mouth dropped open. His eyes widened. Volt gawked at me.

"Answer his challenge," Volt said when he faced Draft.

The unicorn stallion regained his composure. He quickly stated my spell was a fake, a pale imitation of his wondrous creation. Otra stood in front of me. She pointed a wing at the door before I could cast another spell. I gave her a half-hearted smile and walked away.

Two pegasus stallion guards stood at the door's entrance. They entered. One of them eyed me, and then pulled me aside. The pegasus guard asked his partner to stand out front.

Volt pressed his hoof against Draft's side. In a determined voice he said, "You can do it."

The color drained from the unicorn stallion's face. His eyes seemed to scan the room before they looked at me.

"A challenge is issued. You will accept it or be escorted from the city." The guard said to me in a stern voice. "Good."

Despite my heart and mind being at peace, Otra's expression concerned me. She looked at me with saddened eyes as if I had done something wrong. Otra, Volt, and I left the house, and Slipstream greeted us a couple of blocks away.

*** *** ***

Otra and I were welcomed to Slipstream's house for dinner. Though Otra chuckled, I wasn't so jovial when I saw my hoof practically destroy the house's front door. The only thing that calmed my nerves, despite being told by the unicorn mare it was alright, was seeing the door reform into its original shape with no damage or harm done.

Over dinner, Slipstream spoke of Draft and how he came to reside in the city. She was the one to place the spell on his hooves. The stallion replicated the spell and attempted to sell it himself. Slipstream shied away, downplaying her magical abilities when others asked about the spell being her original creation.

"You did what?!" Slipstream said.

The conversation about Draft was cut short when I mentioned a challenge being issued. Slipstream glared at her brother. The mother and father did the same. Volt pointed a hoof at me and said I mocked the unicorn's abilities. I remained silent. Slipstream's unnerved demeanor changed when she looked at me. She tapped a gentle hoof against her chin. Her eyes lit up, and I found myself outside after dinner.

The scarlet unicorn's horn glowed. Three glowing balls, the size of marbles, appeared in front of her. Slipstream chucked them at me.

"Pop!" Slipstream said after she giggled. The three spheres exploded, Otra flying off. She squinted at Slipstream, "Sorry Otra. I wanted to demonstrate another one of my spells. This is one spell your friend can learn."

Otra flew down and nodded at Slipstream. My companion's happiness always allowed her to forgive minor incidents. She would never let me speak about it, but I caused her lunch to get away one day. Her forgiveness came a little slower for me with that one.

I'm not sure which part of me it was that decided to tell Slipstream about Draft's house, but it felt like the right thing. She shrugged at me. It was alright to learn her spell and use it in the match. The only stipulation was that I didn't misuse it.

My training began, and the night wore on. Instead of crickets, the gentle breath of the wind came to my ears. Stars appeared to glow more brightly. Even the moon looked fuller, more beautiful from this vantage point in the sky. The drops of sweat from my forehead glistened from the light of the night. Slipstream behaved almost like Miss Para the way she kept pushing me to go beyond my limitation. I didn't have to struggle in replicating the spell, seeing it once was enough; I had to form a shield around the air itself, compress the magical energy, and then release it in an instant. All of it happened in one fluid spell. Instead, I struggled to go beyond those three spheres.

Slipstream was a true master of her ability when I witnessed her form eighteen of them in a single instance. The night came to life with her best attempt being thirty-six at once.

I found happiness even if I couldn't go beyond those three orbs. Slipstream flicked my horn before I could try my own style with her spell, reminding me to not abuse it. Otra chuckled at me. I tossed a few of the balls her way, watching them explode. My companion leered at me, and then flew towards me with her talons extended. Slipstream joined in the chase by throwing some orbs my way.

"Time to head back. Remember, let the spheres form, compress, and then release in one fluid motion." Slipstream said to me in a calm tone.

I looked to see the moon had reached its highest point in the sky. Otra got in one last jab when my back was turned. Slipstream's hooves seemed to sink into the clouds even more than usual. She reapplied her spell, her hooves resuming their normal position on the cloud.

"Before you ask, the answer is still no." Slipstream said to me.

She was stubborn like her brother. It wasn't impossible. I swore that it was possible for me to memorize the spell. When I told her about my abilities, she made me promise to not use them on the spell I had been taught. Otra stood by Slipstream. Their gazes pierced my core. I raised my hoof and promised to not abuse her spell.

I should have been nervous, perhaps frightened, but my mind was at peace. While I slept in the guest bed, those thoughts about battling Draft in the match tomorrow didn't bother me.

*** *** ***

Tomorrow came with sunlight piercing through the guest bedroom's window. I ate a light breakfast with Slipstream and her parents, Volt being strangely absent. Our journey to the coliseum confounded the problem when Slipstream said her brother loved to see the mock duels. His dream was to be a great dueler like the pegasi he read in his history books. Slipstream nodded to me as I departed toward the preparation room, guided by the guard from yesterday.

Draft was already in the room when the guard opened the door.

"Please lose to me." Draft said when the door closed behind me and Otra. I faced the stallion. He snapped his horn off. The cloak removed from his body, there was nothing at his sides. "Before you ask, I'm not an earth pony either. I'm... I'm a wingless pegasus."

His cutie mark revealed it all: a potion with a wing inside. It astounded me that he could make such alchemical creations with rather crude ingredients. My amazement turned to pure anger when Draft mentioned a village not too far from here where he obtained some prime ingredients to finish a special potion.

I flung the nearby bench against the stallion and held him in place. Before I could blink, Otra slammed her talon into my face. Draft collapsed to the ground. With Otra squawking in my ear, I felt my hooves shake for the first time since I had come to the city in the clouds. The fear in Draft's eyes compounded what I had done.

"No fighting before the match!" The guard said, pounding a hoof against the sturdy door.

I apologized to Otra for my actions and turned away from Draft. The stallion continued to plead with me. He got on his knees and begged me to let him win the match. His potion was ready. All it needed was a final ingredient that would be rewarded by another pony if he won the match. With the potion, he could grow out his wings and never worry about being shunned by the other pegasi. The guard outside stopped me and Otra before we could leave.

Chroma introduced himself and entered the room. The guard chuckled at the wingless pegasus stallion's misfortune before looking at me. He made it crystal clear the bits that he had wagered for the match wouldn't be lost. Another piece to the puzzle was added when Chroma said a small pegasus colt had been taken away for questioning, placing emphasis on the questioning part.

"Any pony caught interfering with traditional matches, though they may not be between pegasi, will be imprisoned. Their families will be exiled as well." Chroma said, ending with a devilish smirk.

The gravity of the situation became apparent. If Draft lost, he wouldn't gain his potion to grow his wings. Also, he be ratted out by the guard for being a wingless pegasus pony. If I lost, Volt would be locked away with his family being banished from their home.

Chroma eyed me, said "make it good," and left the preparation room. Otra and I turned toward each other before looking at Draft. The wingless pegasus stallion hung his head. We were left with ten minutes to prepare ourselves. Those minutes felt like seconds when the guard knocked on the door and soon escorted us into the coliseum.

I shielded my eyes from the bright light until they adjusted. Slipstream came towards me and reinforced her spell on my hooves. She nodded then walked toward the empty seat near her parents. I proceeded toward the center of the arena with a cloaked Draft not too far behind.

On the large cloud in the coliseum's center, the pathway behind us was removed. The announcer for the event dictated the rules. We were not pegasi, but the rules would be amended for our battle. Draft and I were only allowed to use air based magic. If a single fireball was used, the offending pony would be disqualified. Draft's façade remained stoic, yet I could see the nervousness in his eyes. The judge lowered his hoof, and the match began.

Draft jumped backward. I remained in place. The stallion pointed a swift hoof and unleashed a gust of wind; it blew past me with a cloud being flung toward a pony. Against my better judgment I augmented his potions, wanting the fight to appear real. I condensed my magic and unleashed a torrent of wind towards him. Draft gave a wide eyed expression toward me. I looked behind him to see a giant hole where he once stood.

Our match continued with spells going back and forth. The final event came. Draft unleashed his most powerful "spell" with a bolt of lightning hurled at me. Part of me was relieved, yet, at the same time, I found myself disappointed it did so little damage to the cloud. My heart sank. I looked toward Slipstream before facing my opponent. The three spheres I formed were gigantic, almost the size of a small house. They shrunk down to the size of an apple.

The three spheres shattered. It almost deafened me to hear such a loud explosion. Air rushed out from the center point, stronger than the most powerful tornado I read about in my books. Our cloud platform was destroyed. Otra ascended into the air and dove after me. Slipstream dove off as well with her parents darting towards her. The scarlet unicorn's horn glowed in a powerful light. Beautiful wings, almost like that of a butterfly, sprouted from her sides. Slipstream saved Draft while Otra saved me.

We were brought back to the coliseum. My stamina and magic drained, I collapsed onto the cloud floor. Draft fell to the floor as well. The announcer looked at both of us. Her hooves ascended into the air. She declared our match a tie.

Mares, stallions, fillies, and colts cheered at us. Volt ran up to Slipstream. He let out a gasp while marveling at her wings.

"Get away from me," Slipstream said after I got to my hooves and approached her. She didn't share in her brother's amusement. My apologetic words fell on deaf ears as Slipstream refused to look at me.

Otra and I made our way towards the exit. We were stopped outside the coliseum by Chroma. The pegasus stallion slammed his hooves together, proclaiming we had given a wonderful performance. No pony had bet on a tie except one. I was reassured that Draft would get the ingredient for his final potion with Volt, as I had already seen, released from questioning. If I were to say anything about what transpired, all ponies would suffer repercussions.

"You want some friendly advice, pursue that power of yours. It will aid you well." Chroma said before departing.

Off to my side sat a sac of bits with a note. The note thanked me for letting the stallion borrow the coin for his anonymous bid. Inside the sac were two hundred extra bits. I placed the sac inside my saddlebag and walked along the darkened cloud pathway. Slipstream's mother came from behind and asked me to stay for dinner, that being the least she could do to reward me for finding Volt. It seemed Chroma had another lie to tell.

I found the night not to smooth with Slipstream eerily quiet throughout dinner. Otra nudged her from time-to-time, but the scarlet hued unicorn kept her distance. It didn't take a mind reader to understand Slipstream's emotions. I thanked the parent's for the meal and went outside.

"Why?" a voice said a few moments after I left the house. Several tears ran down Slipstream's face, glinting in the light of the starry night sky. "Couldn't you have done something different instead of corrupting the spell I taught you?"

I hung my head. The air remained silent. No gentle wind came to brush against my mane or tail. Explanations would be excuses.
Two loud pops came from behind me. Slipstream's saddened demeanor changed with her and Otra chasing me. I ran around in my futile attempts to avoid the attack. The mare conjured up more of her magical spheres then hurled them at me. Out of energy, I collapsed near the door to her house.

"The next time you abuse my spell, not even Princess Celestia will be able to save you." Slipstream said before she flicked my horn with a strong hoof.

*** *** ***

Dawn came and I ate breakfast with Slipstream and her family. The moment felt brief as I soon found myself stepping outside. I bid farewell to the pegasus mare and stallion, and Volt.

Back on solid ground, I dug my hooves into the dirt before letting out a sigh. A loud pop rang in my ears. I turned and saw Slipstream chuckling at me with Otra nodding to her. Otra flew into the air, gave a gentle squawk towards the unicorn mare, and then landed on my back. We continued down the road a bit with Slipstream floating on top of her cloud. I thanked the mare for her hospitality, and Slipstream bid a final farewell before she ascended back towards her home.

My right hoof shook when I reached for the map in my saddlebag. I thought about the incident in the preparation room. Those thoughts were quelled by the snow-white colored wing of my companion. Our journey seemed shortened while residing in the cloud city. In my heart, in my core I could feel that little flicker of light. The mountain where Canterlot resided was closer than ever.

I thanked Slipstream and the time I spent in the city. It helped remind me how powerful magic can be, used as a tool to help ponies while having the power to gravely hurt them as well.

Author's Note:

A new chapter in the Diary of the Banished story that I am releasing for season 5. For a bit of behind the scenes information, this and subsequent chapters haven't been touched in over three years. It was an initial concept and went through heavy re-writing to get to the final form.