Special Illumination

by ponichaeism

CHAPTER XXXIII: Scum and Villainy

The brawny green stallion sauntered across the tavern, his three companions spreading out behind him and falling into step. Their hooves were loud against the floorboards. The few patrons besides Starswirl quickly finished off their cider, then ducked behind the advancing line of ponies and slipped out the door.

"Clover," Brandy whispered as she lifted the filly off the countertop, "you go on and hide now, a'right?"

The filly nodded and ducked under the bar.

"Is there something I can help you with, Ettin?" the wizard asked calmly. "Come, friend, let me buy you a drink."

"You used me," Ettin said.

"How is this?"

"You made me look like a fool!" Ettin shouted, his cheeks going red.

"Because you helped prove me right? How does that make you look foolish?"

"Ettin, have you been making your own moonshine again?" Brandy asked as she stepped around the counter. "You're drunk. You git yourself home, you hear?"

"I need to make my own. I sure ain't coming back here, Apple, if'n this is how you're going to stab this town in the back."

"I ain't stabbed nopony in the back," she said coldly. "Just a'cause a pony don't go along with your little posse don't mean they're betraying you, Ettin Arcadia."

"Wrong," he spat. "Orrin Tin is this town, and if'n you ain't gonna support him, you ain't supporting the town."

He loomed over the tawny mare with a fierce snarl on his face, but she stood her ground admirably. Instead of hitting her, he kicked out with his back leg and kicked straight through one of the timbers holding the ceiling up. It cracked and bent precariously; the rafters overhead groaned. He pulled his hoof back to do it again.

But as he lashed out, his hoof suddenly stopped an inch away and glowed with a cerulean aura. Ettin struggled to pull it loose, but the only thing it did was lift up into the air until he was dangling by one leg.

The three others stallions gasped and stepped back.

Ettin flew through the air upside down until he reached the bar next to Starswirl, where he was righted and dropped down. The wizard glanced over his shoulder and, with a spark from his horn, repaired the wooden timber.

"There must be a better way to solve this than wanton destruction of property," he said. "Can I buy you a mug of cider?"

Ettin lashed out with a hoof aimed at Starswirl's face, but again the wizard caught it in mid-air with his magic and forced it back down to the brawny stallion's side.

"Perhaps you are right to fear me," the wizard said lightly, "but I would much rather you respected me."

The hooves of Ettin's posse thundered as they strode up behind him. Starswirl casually glanced over his shoulder. With a slight nod, his horn lit with cerulean magic. He narrowed his eyes at them. Their eyes widened and, wisely, they eased themselves back to a safe distance.

Starswirl struggled to control the revulsion rising inside him. If only he were still connected to the Harmony, he was sure he could figure another way out of this, a cleverer way that didn't alienate the pony sitting next to him. But the past day, with the trial and the apparitions and the fear and the self-doubt, and now the cider in him, he found it very hard to think of anything but how tired he was.

Remember, Starswirl: Honesty, Fidelity, Generosity, and, uh....Loyalty?

No, that's just another name for Fidelity.

Starswirl sighed and just said what was on his tired, addled mind: "I'm getting very tired of this, Ettin. I can accept it, but now you've started dragging innocent townfolk into the crossfire. Your own townfolk. I never want anypony to fear my powers, but if you persist, then at least respect the restraint I've shown so far. I could have done many things to you right now. Many unspeakable things. But I did not, because I have no wish to harm you. But I will not allow you to hurt other ponies because of my presence. Please don't force me to defend myself, Ettin. Do you understand me?"

Ettin simmered in his anger and said nothing.

"Think about that," Starswirl said. "You can go now."

The brawny stallion slowly laid his forearms across the counter like he might use them. They trembled and shook as if he were holding the countertop down with great force.

"Are you sure I can't buy you a drink?" Starswirl asked.

Through gritted teeth, Ettin spat, "Keep your drink."

With that, he tore his forelegs off the counter and stomped towards the exit, where he joined his three compatriots. One by one, they gave the swinging half-doors a rough shove and stalked out into the deepening twilight.

Clover popped her head up from behind the counter, a grin bursting across her lips.

"Starswirl," she said, "that....was....amazing! The way you told him off like that, all quiet--"

The wizard avoided her awestruck eyes and mumbled, "I'm sorry you had to see me like that, Clover."

She cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"I've lost my connection, Clover. To the Harmony."

Starswirl glanced over his shoulder at the tawny bartender, who was now closely inspecting her mended pillar. Then he turned back to the little red-headed filly.

"It was the stallion, Clover. He got inside my mind and cast illusions to-to disconcert me. I can't feel the Harmony anymore, and I certainly haven't been able to act in accord with it all day."

"Then....you went that whole trial without using it?"

"Yes. But I lost control, Clover. Lost control of myself. I only acted the way I did just now because I can no longer feel the Harmony's flow."

"How do you mean? Aren't ponies supposed to be able to feel it even if they ain't able to....unite with it or whatever."

"Normally, yes. Which hints at an even deeper problem."

"What?" she whispered, her eyes widening.

"Something in my deeper mind is resisting it. Something that cries out for a thing the Harmony cannot provide. If I cannot conquer whatever it is, I may never feel the Harmony's flow again--"

He heard hoofsteps; Brandy wandered back behind the counter. "Well, that is a miracle you done worked, Starswirl." She chuckled. "I can't convince you to stay on as a carpenter, can I?"

Starswirl smiled in return and slid his mug over into her line of sight. "If you keep making such delicious cider, Brandy Apple, I shall do whatever it is you want of me. Although I fear the town of Hollowed Ground may not be so accommodating."

"Ain't the first time something like this has happened."

Taking a wild guess about what she meant, Starswirl asked, "Dew Harvest?"

"Yup. I don't think I seen the town get this riled up since then."

Clover turned to her and asked, "What happened?"

"You know old Triple Harvest?"

"You mean the crazy pony in that house that ain't been painted it years?"

Excellent, Clover, Starswirl thought with admiration.

"That's right," Brandy said. "Folks got all riled up over her, too, although the great split hadn't happened then, and the mining folks and the farming folks got along just fine."

"In other words," the wizard said, "Beryl and Lockhorn were still interested in each other."

"You got a keen way about you, mister. No, this was before that, even. Sure, they went and made eyes at each other, but Lockhorn was courting somepony else back then."

"Who?"

"Don't know. Me and Jack had just moved here, and we didn't rightly know many ponies."

"Maybe he was seeing Dew Harvest?"

"Nah, I don't think so. He was one a'the first to chase her out a'town."

Which makes sense if he has something to hide, and her having a unicorn foal would reveal it. Tomorrow is Monday; perhaps I should pay another visit to Cornish Fields.

Just then, Clover let loose with a yawn so powerful it made her head roll back on her shoulders.

Capitalizing on the filly's tiredness, Starswirl said, "Well, thank you very much, Brandy, but I think it's time we were going."

"Sure I can't tempt you with one more?"

Starswirl smiled thinly. "Oh no, I can assure you, I've had quite enough excitement for one day."