Out of my Element

by TheLostwriter

Intermission

Out of my Element

Chapter 10: Intermission

According to the doctor, I was healing but extremely slowly, and odds were that I would never fully recover. In a world where breaking something as fragile as a hollow wing bone took only a few days to heal, both diagnosis where strange. At least that was the reaction that Rainbow had. Somehow I had screwed up the natural flow of magical energy in my body, most of the innate magic of earth ponies were lost to me for now, such as their quick healing and robustness.

According to the doctors instructions I was to come back to the hospital every week or so, for a checkup. I had no restrictions so I was free to do as I pleased after my release. I ended up telling the friends that had been there that day what the doctor had told me. Rainbow already knew as she had been there as I had been told.

Logia had returned to my room about a half hour after I had left her in the lobby and it was then that I had told her everything. From where I came from to the dreams and all the way up to the doctor’s news. She sat there listening and I had the three other mares to collaborate my story. She took it as well as you would have thought.

I leaned over to the wagon still stored in my makeshift home and rested my head on its cool metal body. It had been two days ago and I still had the goose egg that the hysterical unicorn had given me before denouncing us all as heartless monsters and stocking out. She had come by to apologize latter after Applejack suggested she check out our evidence before writing us off completely. It had been an odd conversation but she ended up seeing truth when I showed her the laptop. In the end this turned out to be a terrible thing on her part because she was still coming to terms with her loss and then her empathetic feelings over my loss compounded on her, pushing her deeper into depression. I had done my best to keep her spirits up but I had failed completely. She was now part of our little conspiracy and I was responsible for that along with some of her degrading mental state.

Another addition to our group was Firestorm; she was read in due to her overhearing Logia talking with me. Rainbow was initially infatuated with the mare and in her words Firestorm, 'was just so cool. She hid her awesomeness and that just made it more awesome when she acted.' The hot headed orange pegausus had been an interesting study, she showed the first signs of prejudice I had encountered in this land. Unfortunately for her and Spike it had been focused at the little zilla. This action brought forth the vote of 'totally un-cool' from RD, and almost resulted in a brawl between the two.

"Hey Steel, you mind if I come in?"

I glanced up from magically writing, it was an exercise Twilight had suggested. It supposedly would help me develop a fine control of magic. It wasn't working too well. "Yeah come in," I didn't look up but I knew it was Rainbow Dash. She had been stopping in every few days after I told her I was building the wing part of the harness. My mistake had been asking her for knowledge on flight before finishing its construction. She had been surprised, I guess is the best word for it when I showed her the devices wings, one wing was half again as large as her total wingspan. Rarity had acquired the cloth for the them, lightweight and enchanted with several spells to make it strong, and remove some of its elasticity.

"So you think you'll be able to fly soon?"

"Yeah, I have been working on it. Twilight and Rarity don't want to try the lab again until there magic back fully. So I've been practicing my magic and trying to get the wing harness figured out." I spoke absentmindedly, it was the same conversation we had been having since the day I was released

"Ah," replied the pegasus, eying her reflection on the back glass of the wagon. "Have you heard anything from Logia recently?"

This was a new direction for our conversations but I suppose there are only so many times you can ask the same thing. I closed the journal and said, "Nope, after apologizing for her behavior and the following conversation she disappeared."

"Oh, so you didn't know she went back to Canterlot?"

"Nope, I figured as much but I didn't know."

"That means you don't know she came back ether, along with Firestorm."

"That would be correct," I placed my book on a shelf as I wondered aloud, "why is she back though, it makes no sense."

"Well according to rumor she is staying for several weeks, and Econobodett is ecstatic that he has sold that big suite, the one with three rooms for the next two months."

"Three?"

"Yeah, I'll bet that Flash Bang is going to stay in the area as well."

"Interesting," I tried to stretch but the brace prevented it and soon the stretch turned into a yawn. I then walked over to the small work area and began to fiddle with the wings.
Rainbow drifted nearby and looked over my shoulder to watch my work, "so how long do you think it will be?"

I tried to glance back at her. She was hovering behind me, using her wings to get enough height to watch. "Not today, at least not with any time left to practice." I was almost done with the mounting device but it was going to take a few days for the power crystal to recharge enough for me to do anything with it. Looking back at the device I began to mutter to myself, "I have no idea how these wings are going to lift my fat as..." I cut myself short on the expletive when I noticed a shadow pass over the bench, looking up I saw Rainbow perched on a rafter watching me from above. "Flank," I continued my mutter then went back to work.

"Then why are you building it," she asked still peering down from her perch.

"I trust Jack and I understand the principal, the stones power a modified 'come to life' spell. I just don't know how it will lift me." I attempted air quotes on one phrase, but I don't think the gesture is as effective with hoofs or in a harness.

She flew down and landed beside the bench, "these wings are huge; I don't see how they won't."

"Rainbow I'm an earth pony that means I'm dense, and..."

"Not all earth ponies are dense, Applejack's fairly sharp," chide the cyan pegasus as she interrupted my explanation.

"I meant muscle mass, hollow bones," I snarled my insult back at her. "Anyway I have another few pounds of aluminum and steel." I lifted a brace clad hoof and gave it a little wave.

"Oh yeah, that might be a problem, but didn't you figure out how big they need to be?"

"According to Jacks scale chart, yes." According to the chart these wings should be able to lift me plus about a hundred and fifty pounds. I sighed and began to work on the control spine, it would connect the mounting device to the base of the circlet. Constructing this device through magic had been interesting, unlike soldering, it was more of a fusion as wires were attached to a circuit board.

I heard a long loud sigh and looked over to find her resting her head on the worktable.

"Look I'm sorry this is taking so long but," my sentence was cut off by the beep and spin of the crown switching to the only other crystal, "I can't go any faster."

"I know," she said looking as she started rolling a large bearing around on the table top with her hooves.

I closed my mouth and looked away with a slight grimace, mostly due to my annoyance. I didn't like the feeling of impatience that came with Rainbows visits but I had an idea. I attached the control spine to the mounting device with the wings still folded tight. I reached up and taped the release mechanism, the wings sprung out passing a few inches above the cyan pegasus's head. The hollow steel tube of the wing extended out like a clawed arm. The wings attached to the mounting device with a shoulder like ball joint and from there they extended to an elbow joint then to a hand like structure. Just like on a bat's wing, the index finger was longer than any of the other lengths.

Rainbow, her reaction speed faster than most attempted to dodge the wing's extension. She did so but ended up falling on her back. She landed at about the same time as the pop of the cloth being pulled tight echoed through the barn.

I stepped back and looked down at the pegasus turned turtle. Then asked, "you okay," while doing my best to hide a laugh.

She gave me a silent glare before rolling to her hoofs and walking out from under the outstretched wing. "You didn't have to do that, you know," she grumbled refusing to look at me.

"Well I needed to see if the connection was solid," I added to the weak excuses with a smile. "Anyway it's practically done. I just need to get a few specific spells placed on the joint for it to work, and then a final control test." I closed my eyes and focused on a telekinetic spell that Twilight had taught me, using it to fold the wings back up.

"Why don't you cast the spell yourself?"

I pursed my lips slightly as I thought, it was a valid question. "Well I can't, one I don't know how and two I don't think I can with the stones, it will take too much energy."
"Okay, I guess that makes sense since Twilight has trouble with that spell."

I made a face at her statement. I did not want to hear that. I needed Twilight to help me with that spell. We, as in the two unicorns and I had figured out my issues with magic to some degree. My mindset was such that mystical energy barriers and well any outright energy manipulation were almost beyond my comprehension. However due to my education in the human world I could picture modifying atoms and the like. A clear mental image made magic use less energy than when guessing and forcing the results. I had such a clear image on the atomic level that making a small fission explosion like what happened with the dragon, took significantly less energy than one would have imagined. In the end this was all well and good but I had no idea how a come to life spell worked. I had no clue how to even start the weave of magic around an object with the intent to control it.

We, the six mares and I, were in a rush but we couldn't be stupid with the time that we had left. I had done my part in support of earlier stupidity by forcing the confrontation with the dragon before we were ready. Unfortunately that meant my opinions while listened to where usually not accepted. If only Twilight had recovered from having her magic drained by Jack's security system, I could have everything on my end set for the next run. I needed a unicorn that could help me with this project, a unicorn that preferably had been told what was going on. "Aw man," I moaned as I beat my forehead on the table, it had dawned on me who I was going to have to ask. I stopped moving and looked at Rainbow, "You said she's at the hotel in town."

"Logia? Yeah, why?"

"I'm going to have to ask her for some help with this," I said with a sigh, as I gestured to the wing mount. "I just hope this doesn't upset Twilight, she had been looking forward to working on a Star Swirl design."

"Really you think she's going to be mad about you finishing without her?"

I couldn't tell if she was hiding sarcasm or not, so I decided to feign ignorance. "Well yeah, I did make a promise that she would help." I studied her as I placed the wing mount on my back, "you're part of the female species how mad do you think she is going to be."

I received a soft glare from the her before she said, "I doubt she will be mad at all, she knows we have to hurry."

I shook my head and said, "I guess you're right. Well," I looked around to see if I had anything else I needed to bring. I picked up my jacket, a saddle bag and a hat before I continued, "If you want to come along, come on."

She pawed at the ground for a bit staring at her hoof as she spoke, "Steel I'm not going with you. I think it's best if Firestorm and I avoid each other."

I gave her a quizzical look. This was odd behavior for the headstrong pegasus at least from what I knew of her. I had begun to shrug my expression away when she began to speak again.

"I'm not scared of her, heck I know I'd win. It's just we could do a lot of damage to the town, and I don't think either of us is willing to back down from the other one."

I held open the door to the barn, smiled at her, and said, "It just proves you are the better pegasus." I remembered the argument between the two. It had happened when Spike had finally been allowed into the hospital to see Rarity, I hadn't heard what Firestorm had called the little dragon but no one could have missed the ruckus afterword. It had taken Applejack, her lasso and the other three to hold back Rainbow and Rarity. While Logia pinned Firestorm to the floor with her magic. Eventually all three were pacified and luckily it was before anyone was kicked out of the hospital.

"Well if you need me I'll be looking for a good cloud to nap on, you never know when I'll be called on," she gave me a nod and took off like a rocket into the sky.
I placed the crown in the bag and hid the wings as best as I could under the jacket before setting off. I then walked in silence, only my thoughts to keep me company, to Econobodett's hotel office. His business was in one of the biggest buildings in town, it also had several smaller buildings annexed in for additional room. From what I had been told the business had grown rapidly since Celestia had taken an interest in the town. Ponies from all over ventured here to discover what the quaint little village had to attract a princess. However that ultimately was of no interest to me, I was trying to discover where I could find Logia. When I arrived I asked the stallion behind the counter where I could find her.

"I can page her, but I can't just tell you where she is," said the older pony.

"Look I know she's in the large suite, just tell me where it is, I need her help," I said trying to convince the older stallion to render aid.

He grumbled a bit and then said, "alright but if she tells you to leave you leave you got that. I would hate to have to become forceful."

I quickly agreed after all I was much more frightened by a magic wielding angry unicorn than this elderly earth pony. He lead me out of the office and towards a two story annex. Once at the door knocked. After some time the door opened with Logia greeting us warmly, at least until she saw me.

"What do you want," she asked.

"I need your help, with this," I shifted the jacket to show her the wings hanging by my side.
Her eyes widened in surprise as she answered, "alright come on in," with a nod and a note of exasperation.

I smiled, thanked her and walked in. My movements in the harness were getting smoother but it was still necessary if I wanted to do anything more than stand stiff legged, or fumble around like I was suffering from St. Vitus' dance. I heard Logia thank the manager and then she came into the room.

"So what sort of help do you need," she asked.

"Well you know about our adventure into Star Swirl's lab. Neither Twilight or Rarity have enough of their magic back for the doctor to give them the go ahead on casting major spells yet, and I don't have a clue how to cast the spells needed."

A come to life spell as a delicate weave I knew that much. The right mix of sub spells balancing each other to prevent the spell from going haywire. It was too complex for me and my mind couldn't comprehend it in the slightest. My lack of understanding made the idea of trying to force the spell even more dangerous. When forced spells of this level backfired on the caster, which they usually did in some way it was bad. Combine that with a Potestatum Gem and you had a tendency for detonation.

"Well I can take a look at it," she stepped forward to look at the device as I placed it on one of the smaller tables. While she examined it she asked, "You said this was designed by Star Swirl."

"Yeah," I said as I pulled the reader out of my saddle bag. I then placed it on the table, and continued with, "here are his notes."

She lifted the reader with her magic and began eying it like it was a new found artifact.
"You can change the page by."

She cut me off by saying, "I get it, I get it." I heard the click of the page turn button, and saw her eye's shift as she scanned the page. The process speed up and after a few minutes she set the reader down with a sigh. "I'll do it, but."

I felt a grin split my face and I couldn't help thanking her.

"But," she said loudly, "I want in on the lab expedition."

I agreed, I couldn't think of any reason not to allow her to come along.

"And I want ten percent of the found items."

I froze, "Jack, I mean Star Swirl left the lab and everything in it to me, he told me to find it."

She gave me a half smile, "Well then you have two choices, I don't cast the spell and you don't lose anything but time or I do and I get ten percent." She paused and her smile grew full, "or I get to document and report on everything in the lab."

So that's what she really wanted access to Star Swirls knowledge. I had a hunch that Twilight would want similar access and the princess's would want to know as well. "Alright but you don't get to disclose the labs location until I say so."

She shifted her weight several times before agreeing. "Okay that will work. However I want this in writing, I learned that much in school."

I sighed, I couldn't see a better option, and I couldn't see how I could be hurt by this agreement. It's not like I could back out now even if I wanted to.

Her smile returned and she said, "I'll be right back let me get my writing box." She took off down the hall that attached to the back of the room.

I followed significantly slower than her, up until I walked past the first door. It was open slightly and the room was dark except for an odd green glow. I could hear the murmur of conversation, but what made me look was the familiar high pitched whine of electronics.

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An alarm woke Firestorm from her slumber. Rolling out of the bed she grumbled as she searched through her belongings for the source. Eventually she found the metal disk, placed it on the table, pressing the center button.

A voice came out of the device along with a high pitched wine, "are you alone," it asked.
"Let me check," she walked to the door of her room and checked the hallway, it was clear. It wouldn't matter if Flash Bang woke up and found her using the communicator, and Logia was still in the living room part of the suite. "It's clear," she murmured.

"Turn on the visual array."

She sighed, this technology garbage was weak, griffon toys that they used to compete with magic, but were powered by basic magical energy. How Dressage got there hoofs on it was beyond her but that was above her pay grade. She pressed a second button and a series of green beams of light shot out sweeping at odd angles over her face and forward body. The light scanned across her occasional causing her to wince when it struck her eyes. Opposite the scanning beams another set of interlaced projection beams drew the image of a gruff unicorn with unnatural glowing eyes. She knew this was Dressage's leader, a stallion only known as The Silent Watcher. When he spoke his voice was warped by the communicator, another reason she hated technology. Magic was better and more reliable but there were enough magic users in the area that they might pick up on something. The advantage that technology had was that it couldn't be intercepted and understood by ponies.

"Firestorm, it is my understanding that your squad leader, let's see," he shuffled some papers, "Percetio was killed in the attack."

"Yes."

"Too bad he was just approved for ocular implants, anyway I am promoting you to squad leader. I'm also placing your squad under my sole command."

This caught the pegasus off guard but she quickly recovered, "will the squad get reinforced?"

"I'm afraid not, from what my network has informed me, your watch has been returned to help the Elements discover something that Star Swirl left behind. You are to stay, observe, help with what you can and report what you discover to me. This Steel is also of some interest to me, your report mentions that he is an earth pony that built a device that lets him channel magical energy."

"Yes sir," she snapped.

"Now now, calm down Firestorm you are to be a low profile agent for us. It would be no good if you make people distrust you."

She swallowed, the fight in the hospital weighed heavily on her mind. "Alright," she said in an almost casual tone.

"Hmm, better, we'll be on guard," he stopped when the clatter of hooves running past the door echoed across the communication channel."I'd see what that was about, good luck, For the future of Equestria."

"For the future of Equestria," she replied the verbal salute of her organization and turned the communication disc off. Turning around she saw Steel walking past the door, I hope he didn't see that, she thought.

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I saw the figure, I assumed it was Firestorm, mess with something on a table, the glow and wine disappeared. I started forward as soon as I saw the figure start to turn around. I hope she didn't see me watching, I thought, quickly followed by, I wonder what that was.

Logia met me on her way back as I was halfway down the hall. She was carrying with magic a large ornate box, the carved wood was polished to a dull shine. When she saw me she said, "come on we can put everything in writing out front."

I sighed as she walked past and began to turn around. I felt like a sad stiff legged old dog as I hobbled around in the turn. Halfway through I heard a snicker and glared at its source. It had been Firestorm in the room, "you know I'm not here for your entertainment," I snapped at her.
Her snicker turned into a full laugh as I walked past. She then took flight, flying in a loop over my head while saying, "Whatever man, I doubt you have much." She stopped mid insult when she saw the wings on the table and landed beside them, asking "is that what I think it is?"

"I'm not a mind reader, so if you think it's a set of mechanical wings you're right," I grumbled with a half smirk as I walked into the room.

"And who are you going to get to teach you to fly?"

"Rainbow has already volunteered."

The orange pegasus snorted and her laughter continued, "You know why a sonic rainboom is so rare? It's because only a few pegasi are ever born with the rainbow mane of Hurricane." She lifted her hoof and examined it as she continued to speak, "I can do an equivalent move, most advanced flyers can. I will admit that the little dragon lover is younger than most that discover they are capable of that feat."

"Firestorm, what did I tell you at the hospital," asked the unicorn.

"Come on Logia, he already knows how I feel. The only things worse than a dragon are the diamond dogs, and the griffons are only slightly better than either of the other two." The pegasus wore a disgusted face as she spoke, one nostril raised slightly, like she was trying to avoid a bad smell.

I ignored both comments and asked, "Who do you think should teach me, you?"

"I don't know if you could keep up with me," she snapped back.

"Whatever, first I need to see if the fool things are going to work." I looked up at Logia, she had opened the wooden box it held several sheets of paper and a large feather pen. She was using a sheet of paper and the pen scratching our agreement on the sheet. I pulled the crown out of my saddle bag and said, "Twilight has suggested I practice my writing," when I noticed the unicorn staring. I placed the crown on my head, the whir of it activating and the subtle warmth of magic flowing lightly through the implants felt, good. It disturbed me slightly that I had started enjoying this feeling. Once Logia had place the quill on the table I picked it up read what had been written and fixed my signature to the paper.

She smiled, placed the paper and pen back in the box and closed the lid before saying, "alright let’s get started." It took her several hours of slow spell crafting before she was finished. She took small breaks in between each spell, and for the most part would not stop talking about how intricate the weaves were. Once she was done though she helped me strap the wings on. I had modified the body brace to distribute my weight more evenly while in flight and it turned out to be more difficult to get strapped in. After I was set, and while getting harassed by Firestorm, we went outside.

"So you want to give it a try," chide the pegasus.

I grinned and moved the gem with the most charge from the crown into the first power slot for the wings. Once the spell was released the crown signaled that the stone still in place was now empty. "Why not," thought aloud. I concentrated like the instructions had told me to, and felt both wings extend rapidly. I closed my eyes and went through wing movements. I felt the harness shift slightly just behind my shoulders and had Logia tighten it for me until all unwanted movements ceased.

"How long are we going to have to wait?" The question made Logia glare at the pegasus, who replied with "What, I'm just asking."

I had watched several pegasi take off, and they were able to leap into the air with little effort I didn't think I would be able to do the same but I sure couldn't get a running start in the body brace. I took a few steps and concentrated on flapping the wings, and backed down quickly. Too many things were running through my mind, the largest of which was both stones had been used today, one was empty the other at around half charge. I wanted them both charged just in case. I would rather not fall, and put myself back in the hospital.

"Aw, you chickened out," said Firestorm with a laugh, having landed in a nearby tree to watch.

I glared at her and then looked back at the wings, as long as I don't close them I should be able to glide easy enough but the idea of landing still bothered me. I was almost positive that I would be moving faster than my legs would be able to catch.

I glanced back up at Firestorm in her perch and then looked out at the land in front of me. What the hell you only live once, I thought moments before taking one strong flap with the wings that launched me about five feet into the air. I floated for a second and began to fall. I quickly gave a second flap that lifted lifted me higher, a third, and forth even higher than that. Soon I was above the treetops and I fixed the wings to allow me to glide.

This was fantastic, I thought, the fear and all the trepidation was gone replaced by the exhilaration of flight. I tilted to the right and glided in a circle. I tried to turn tighter but quickly discovered that was a bad Idea as I started to fall, I had lost my lift. I tried to use the crown to get myself back stable but there was no energy to be used. I struggled to right myself but the wings were too big to be quickly pulled down. I felt a jerk and then I was being rolled flat. Logia had leveled my flight.

"Thanks", I shouted as I gave the wings another flap to regain some altitude. This felt natural but I also knew there was no way I would ever be as maneuverable as a true pegasus. I swung wide to the right and came close to the ground. Looking at the terrain below as it passed I thought I'm going way too fast to land. I kicked the wings up trying to use them like flaps on an airplane. As I closed the distance between the ground I swallowed trying to clear the cotton from my mouth and said a little prayer.

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

until there magics back fully.

"That means you don't know she came back either

Unfortunately that meant my opinions while listened to were usually not accepted.

I received a soft glare from the her before she said, "I doubt she will be mad at all, she knows we have to hurry."

Logia, she had opened the wooden box it held several sheets of paper and a large feather pen.

Once the spell was released the crown signaled that the stone still in place was now empty.
(New paragraph)
"Why not," I thought aloud.