> Magically Saturated
>  by r4rBrok
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun glared down on my face harshly. It felt... off. It was as if it was trying to purposefully annoy me. Regardless I took the hint and stated to wake.

That was when I definitely knew something was off. First thing that I noticed was the blazing heat. Now, I am no stranger to hot days. Living in the prairies does that.  This heat however was excruciating to the point where I felt I was being boiled alive. And it was early spring, not mid summer. It was usually around 15-20 degrees this time of year (or 60-70 degrees for you 'mericans)

The next thing I noticed threw me for an even bigger loop. I saw that I was sitting in the middle of a forest. It wasn't even one of the smaller dried sort of forests. No it was a rainforest that you would find closer to the coast. This wouldn't have been as big of a problem except for I just came BACK from a camping trip last night.

Naturally between the insane heat and the unfamiliar location I started to move to see if I could find some water. After all, if I had to choose from either a stomach flu or death by overheating I would choose the stomach flu. But given this temperature I would think that the water would already be hot enough to purify the water. That is when I noticed the third and probably most important piece of information. As I collapsed back onto the ground I found quite painfully that I had a broken leg.

[What the hell?! What did I do last night?] I did a quick mental collection of what my current state was in. I was in so drastic heat that I needed to find water and shade or I would die of heat stroke within hours. I was stuck in a forest that I was completely unfamiliar with in a place I had no idea where it was. And last but not least my leg was broken, untreated and prevented me from walking at any speed more than a hobble.

Long story short I was completely and royally screwed.

The universe must have a real bitchy sense of humor as well because it decided that the best course of action at that point was put me in the middle of an earthquake. The ground seized and quivered beneath me swaying the trees back and forth. Luckily and to my immense glee none of the trees actually fell over. All that happened was the leaves fell in a shower of red and orange.

Wait, what? Looking round in even more confusion I completely forgot to even realize that the leaves were not the green of spring, but the red and orange of autumn. Now I realized that it was just not possible that all of this actually was occurring to me, not I the strictest sense at least.

I proceeded to run a series of possibilities in my head. One, this was a wicked ass fever dream. This was discounted because of the fact that I had felt actual pain from my broken leg. Two, I was in a coma. This was more reasonable seeing how few people actually know what being in a coma feels like, but if it was then why did I have a broken leg. Aren't comas supposed to just be like a more vivid dream? Any-who, the third option was I just woke up from a coma, unlikely seeing how I assume that hospitals frown upon tossing it's patients out into forests. Four was It being an elaborate prank, but I doubt that anyone could get me to the southern hemisphere in time before I woke up. Five I was tripping ba-

What? Well, okay I guess this isn't that necessary. Okay I'll move on, sheesh.

After that mental break I continued to feel the earthquake get stronger and stronger, but earthquakes don't get stronger like this is. That is when I realized that this wasn't an earthquake, it was a stampede! Instinctually leaping behind a tree, much to my pain, I looked around to see what was causing it.

I assumed that the only things that could cause a tremor like this would be a buffalo. I was very much mistaken. What I saw was what appeared to be a strange breed of donkey. Fairly short and stout with feet that came wide at the base not showing any hooves or toes. Their hair came out of the top of their forehead all the way down it's neck to below the shoulders similar to a mane, but styled.

And the most shocking thing about the animals was the fact that they were colored. Not in the typical sense in browns, blacks, whites, and tans, oh no. They were colored in everything across the rainbow and then some. They ranged from yellow to red, from green to purple, and every color between. And it wasn't enough that their colors were off, they manes had different colors then their bodies. And there were hundreds of them all traveling in a fairly straight path.

Though there were many thoughts that went throughout my mind on a rampage, there was one that silenced all the others.

"Yup, definitely tripping balls."

> II
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So there I was, leg broken, under a deadly heat lamp and completely out of my gourd. Now, crippling insanity besides, I knew I was still going to die if I didn't get out of this heat. Unfortunately it appeared like I was going to be stalled in my flee to salvation when I saw my statement, or possibly pain filled screams, had attracted some of the wild life.

A purple one of the donkey-things approached me. This one was obviously different from the others. The most striking difference was the addition of wings at its sides. They were the same color of its coat and looked vestigial at best. The animal itself was about five feet long and four high at the shoulders. The wings on the animal appeared to only be able to add four feet at most on each side in wingspan. After looking at its head I saw a small smoothed out horn in the middle of its forehead poking out between its darker hair right by a magenta streak.

It started drawing closer but for some reason it stayed around 30 feet away. It looked right at me with its eyes. By god it's eyes. They looked easily over half a foot wide. There is no possible way that those evolved naturally. As it was looking at me its eyes bore a strange intelligence to them. It was looking straight at me, not the slight tilt or wayward glance but straight at me.

"Hi there, are you okay little guy?"

What.

What?

What!

"What!"

"Hey you can talk? Well that makes things slot easier, doesn't it," the animal replied. The voice was soft and high pitched, giving plenty of indicators that it was in fact a female.

"I should be asking you that! This isn't possible a mule should not be talking. I have to be insane, that's the only explanation. If I were sane the entire world would be in turmoil. What are the doctors pumping into me, LSD? There is no way that they would-"

"Sir!" thank goodness for my mental constructs or I would have just kept on rambling in insanity. "Are you okay sir, maybe you should get home."

"No shit I should get home. Thank you for that." I responded snarkally.

"Hey no need to get nasty. What is wrong with you any-ways?"

"Well let's see, I am currently in about fifty degree weather, I appear to have broken my leg, I have no idea where I am, and for the topping on the cake I am talking to a figment of by mind brought about by my ever devastating insanity!"

She appeared to frown menacingly at me before replying, "Actually it is closer to seventy-five degrees curren-"

"Seventy-five?! Wait, what scale are you using?" I cut her off saying

She frowned even heavier, "It's not nice to interrupt you know." After waiting a bit I had to wave her on before she continued talking, "Well I'm using the fahrneigheit scale, aren't you?"

"No, no I'm not. Assuming the same scale then I guess that means it's closer to one-ten or one-twenty."

"WHAT?! Sweet Celestia, we need to get you to a hospital quick. Here let me help you up!"

"What, wait!" I tried to cry before she lifted me. Now I was expecting her to run into me in an attempt to get me on her back, but I was sadly mistaken. What she did do instead was cause her horn to emit some sort of glow, presumably bio-luminescence, and a purple field of light wrap around me.

And that was the single most painful moment in my life. As the field wrapped around me it started to burn. The burn was not one of the sun variety, but closer to that of being poked with a cattle brand. Images were immediately sent to my mind of being burned at the stake.

The girl-donkey-thing dropped me back onto my leg when she heard my scream of terror. "Oh my goodness, are you okay?"

I looked down at myself. I was covered in black scars. Whatever she did to me did serious damage. So there was another thing on my list of crap that was wrong with me. I had significant burns over my body. "No." My voice was barely above a whisper. There was no snark, sarcasm or anger. My voice was flat and dead. "Get me a stick."

"What?"

"I said get me a stick, I need something to lean on so I can move." she simply nodded and ran off, leaving me to myself for a moment.

I looked at my blackened self. A mockery of the man I used to be. It was there that my mind no longer accepted the possibility of this being my own creation. There was no way that any part of me, even my subconscious, would will this torment on myself. Yes being burned alive by a weird donkey-thing caused me to stop doubting myself.

Shortly after the purple one came back with a long stick with substantial width. It looked like a simple wooden staff. She through it on the ground in front of me, probably thinking what would happen if she tried to hand it to me. "Thank you," I coughed out while standing up using the staff as support. She stood there nervously as if unsure what to next. I waved one hand and spoke "You said I needed to get to a hospital, so lead the way." She nodded again and slowly started to walk away with me close behind.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I know," I responded. I knew from the way she was acting that she was truly sorry that she caused me harm. And while I knew what her intentions were it didn't stop the fact that she burned most of my skin black. I will probably forgive her after I get to the hospital and recover. That is if I recover.

"I never got your name," she said breaking the silence.

"Oh, um James, James Taylor. Though isn't it rude to ask someone else's name before you give your own?" I snarked.

"Sorry, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. It is a pleasure to meet you James." She stopped for a moment and held out her... hoof? It appears like what I was assuming was flesh and a hock was instead fur covering up her hooves.

I looked at her hoof and started walking past it. "Please don't, I really don't trust what ever it is you did and I don't want another first hand experience."

"Understandable and it was magic by the way." she said in response. That is what made me snap. Strange bio-luminescence is one thing, freaking magic on the other hand is another entirely and simply not okay. I immediately turned around with a scowl of disgust on my face.

"You used magic. To. Light. Me. On!  FIRE!" She could tell from the look on my face that I wanted nothing more than to strangle her. Yes I know I said that I knew she was sorry. Still doesn't change the fact that she lit me on fire using magic!

She leapt back using her wings to stabilize herself allowing her to keep her hooves off the ground. I was shocked momentarily that her wings had actual use, but the majority of my mind was still on pure rage at the fact that she. LIT. ME. ON. FIRE! And no I cannot stress that enough. She continued to wave her hooves to get me to back off. "It was just a simple levitation spell, honest!"

"ON. FIRE! Listen Miss Sparkle, have you heard of the term mens-rea?"

"No, I do not believe I have"

"Well it is a term used in law that roughly translates to 'guilty mind'. It means that you intended to do the act that caused the harm regardless of the intended outcome. That my friend is what happened here; you intended to help but instead LIT ME ON FIRE!"

"Alright, alright I get it. I lit you on fire, how was I supposed to know that would happen." Twilight's voice began putting an edge on it that started to make me more careful where I tread.

"Let's just get to that hospital, I'm tired of arguing anyways."

After walking for awhile longer we came it a town. The general architecture looked like a cross between Hobbiton and candy land, even with a full on gingerbread house. The streets themselves were quite barren, though there were a few donkey things on the streets. I thought that the town would be a bit more alive it being about the middle of the afternoon which got me thinking.

"Excuse me Miss Sparkle."

"Hmm?" she dumbly replied breaking out of a daze. "Please call me Twilight."

Naturally I refused to call her that. "Miss Sparkle, would today be a day of worship per chance?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I don't see many people on the street so I was wondering if today was a religious day or something."

"Oh, no not a religious day, but it is the Running of the Leaves today."

"I beg your pardon? What, if I may ask, is the running of the leaves?"

"Well that is the day we usher in the start of winter by having a run trough Whitetail Woods to shake all the leaves off of the trees. This is the first time in a couple of years I have dome it myself."

"So that stampede earlier was a celebration of the seasons?"

"I guess you could say that yes." Twilight then stopped fairly suddenly and turned to me and said, "Here we are, Ponyville General Hospital."

"Wait, what?"

"I said Ponyville General Hospital, please tell me that wasn't lost in translation."

"Ponyville, as in named after the animal called a pony, correct."

"You might want to refrain from saying it like that; somepony might take offence to being called and animal."

"Pony, you guys are ponies."

"Yes...?" I proceeded to burst out into laughter at that thought. I'm sorry but the idea of them being ponies was just too funny. Though on reflection the idea of them being donkeys or pigs was kind of hilarious as well. "Excuse me?! What is your problem!"

"I-I'm sorry, it's just so funny." I said in between dying chuckles. "Here I was thinking for the longest time that you guys were some strange misbred donkey."

"Well I know a couple of donkeys if you want to meet them later."

"Maybe, doubtful, but maybe. Anyways let's get me checked in."

We both walked in the front doors into what appeared to be a waiting room. The walls were a basic sterile white with some simple animal and butterfly pictures to liven up the place. There were a few ponies in some chairs around the room. The hospital probably doubled for a walk-in clinic.

At the front desk was a white pony with a light pink mane. On top of her head was the most stereotypical nurse hat I have ever seen. If not for an assumption of very different cultures, I would think today was Halloween.

Wait a second, they live in an old style village, yet they have a full on hospital? What sense does that make? And if they have magic wouldn't that cause a severe drop in technological advancement. I'll have to ask that later.

Twilight and I approached the nurse at the front desk together when she began to talk. "Well hello there Twilight, how can we help you today?"

"Nice to see you too Nurse Redheart, well we are here about my friend. He needs to be admitted quite quickly for treatment. He currently has a broken leg, severe burns over a large portion of his body, and appears to have an adverse reaction to magic."

"What?! So you mean to tell me that with a broken leg and burns like this that you let him walk here?!" Well the nurse seems to have a fury.

"Actually... when I found him he just had a broken leg and was complaining of a feeling of intense heat. Speaking of which why haven't you said anything about that for a while."

"Hey don't look at me," I responded defensively, "Intense general heat isn't very important after you have been LIT ON FIRE!"

"You WHAT! You lit him on fire. You know I don't care. Twilight get out now before something else happens! You," Redheart said pointing at me, "let's get you checked in."

"Works for me, thank you for getting me her Miss Sparkle." I said simply before following the nurse, "Well let's see where I will be staying for the foreseeable future."

> III
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3

"Alright so this is probably going to hurt quite a bit. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be,"

"Okay, on three. One, two, three!"

"Ahhh sonofabitch!" So a few hours have passed after being admitted, it started simply enough, blood tests and bandaging on some of the major burns. Both of those were fairly painful. The blood tests hurt like a bitch for two reasons. They didn't have fingers to put the needle in so it was more blunt force then anything else and they had to try several times to hit a vein for they didn't know my anatomy. The second task was also quite painful, mostly due to the fact that hooves are not known for their dexterity nor subtlety.

I was just getting an x-ray done on my leg by Nurse Redheart. After a unicorn, and yes there are unicorns with the ability to use magic nonetheless, tried to apply the bandages and his telekinesis spell merely caused more damage they transferred all medical care to earth ponies.

Before I get a head of my self context is probably needed. I am stuck currently in the country of Equestria. Living there are four types of ponies along with sentient minotaurs, cows, goats, griffins, zebras and donkeys to name a few. The four types of ponies are earth, pegasi, unicorn, and alicorn. Earth are strong and enduring with a knack for farming. Pegasi have wings, can fly, and can manipulate weather. Unicorns have horns that they can cast spells through. And alicorns are a select few that make up the ruling class in princesses and information about them are elusive at best and nonexistent at worst. No I do not know more information about it at this time, so please get off my back.

Now where was I? Oh yes the x-ray. After several mishaps with magic use Redheart was assigned to me to prevent any more. The x-ray, despite not being magical itself, was based off of magical concepts and powered be it so it still hurt like being smashed in the leg with a sledgehammer. You see while magic is available, technology had to evolve separately to work for over 3/4 of the population and prevent societal unbalance. Whatever caused the growth like this over the years, I have got to tip my hat to.

"Is that everything, nurse?" I questioned, after all being hit with painful spell after painful spell got quite grating on your nerves.

"Yes, it should. It will be about an hour before we get the results back, so just lie down and we will be back later." Redheart said before walking out of the room with a slam of the door behind her.

"Great... stuck in a hospital without even a gameboy to pass the time." That's what real men play! The boredom that fallowed was well, boring so I will skip ahead.

About an hour later a unicorn doctor by the name of Dr Stable walked in with the x-rays on clipboard. "Tell me the truth doc, will I live."

"Hardy har har," he responded with mocking sarcasm, "Would I be able to ask you a question?"

"You just did." he just glowered at me for that comment, "Sure, go ahead."

"How long has your leg been broken?"

"Well it's evening now, and I get here in the afternoon, so I would probably say earlier this morning, why?"

"Well it appears to be your lucky day. The fracture was an incomplete oblique fracture, partial break at an angle, and it appears to be almost completely healed up. Better be thankful for your good genes."

That left me in utter shock; there was no natural way that a broken leg can heal after just one day. "No. That can't be. I don't think you know much about my species, but there is no way that a break can be healed in one day."

"Don't believe me, take a look for yourself." he put up the X-rays on a light board to make me able to see the diagram clearly. And there it was, my leg had scarred tissue already directly between where my fracture was. "More good news, I have a theory on your, um, extreme reaction to magic. But first, another question, how's the temperature?"

"Um I guess it's fine, about thirty degrees, hot but bearable."

"So what you are saying is in the past about six hours, the temperature has dropped twenty points?"

"Okay, what the hell doc, I know I've seen some weird shit today, but that can't make any kind of sense."

"Indeed, now how about I tell you that it actually has only dropped about five points?"

"I'd call you a lying bastard, but that would be in bad taste."

"I appreciate that," he reached down into his lab coat with his mouth and pulled out a small red vial. "Dish ish your ood dat ve drew doday." he aced the vial gently down on the table beside me, "Now I want you to grab it."

I raised my eyebrow at his request but follows anyway. My blood was cold, like five degrees cold, just before freezing. "What the balls? Did you put it in a fridge or something?"

"No surprisingly, we left this one out in the open and it went like this on its own. I believe it, and you are going through an endothermic reaction. Essentially getting infused with energy."

"What type of energy, solar? Am I going to be become bloody superman?"

"No not solar, magical." he must have loved my blank face because he gave a good hearty laugh before continuing. "While this is just a theory, I believe that where you were from had an extremely low level of ambient magical energies. Your species then probably evolved working with that low level. When you came here where the air was fully magically saturated, your body began to reject it. At this point your body is more than likely acclimatizing to the new environment."

"And how does that explain my sudden burns when hit with a magic spell, regardless of the type?"

"It is actually quite simple, you were overloaded. The spell hit you and because your body couldn't absorb all that energy at a time and it backlashes."

"So what now?" that was really all I could ask. After all, my leg was mostly fixed, I knew about the insane heat, wait a second, "Wait a second. If my blood is so cold, then why do I still feel so hot?"

"Because there is a difference between feeling hot and actually being it. You are simply absorbing heat, you still have it. Your body will more than likely be fine despite the fact that you feel like you have been living in a fridge. On to the next step, I would advise you stay here overnight and probably tomorrow too. In the intervening time I will send a letter to Miss Sparkle to let her know what is going on. Until then is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Um, I hate to ask this, but is there anything in can do for fun here." he started laughing quite loudly. "I'll take that as a no then."

"No, no, sorry just thought that was a strange question. I'll get Nurse Redheart to bring a book cart by. I'll see you tomorrow, 'right James."

"See ya doc." he walked out the door and there I was, still not to sure of my mental status, but more accepting then earlier. Ready to go to sleep in a hospital ran my talking ponies.

Yup, this is going to be interesting.

> IV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, the morning. Something you should know is that I am a stubborn sleeper. No not a heavy sleeper, I am actually quite a light sleeper. I can get woken up by most sounds or movement while sleeping, but staying awake is the thing I have a problem with.

This morning at what felt like about 7, the door to my hospital room slid open. It was done quietly as if to avoid waking me, but any noise is too much noise. I was awake. Naturally I rolled over and completely ignored whoever was in the room. Well at least attempted to.

I felt a hoof along my shoulder rustle me, "Wake up sleepyhead, we need to change your bandages before your burns get infected." oh yeah, heavy burns along my entire body. I forgot about that.

I threw the blanket off of me, not that big of a deal seeing how it completely neglected to cover my feet. Still not looking at who was in the room I mumbled, "Go ahead, I want to sleep."

"Okay, if you can feel you can sleep go for it, but if you move while I work you're staying awake." I mumbled back at her before attempting to fall back asleep.

Attempting being the imperative word there. Having someone poke and prod with big hooves while you are tying to sleep is a lost cause to begin with, but that didn't stop me from trying. That is until the nurse spoke again.

"What the BUCK!" That was all I needed in order to be thrown awake again.

"Get the friggin unicorn!" I yelled out in surprise.

"What?" I looked at who was treating me again and of course it was Redheart. I began to suspect that only one nurse worked here or something.

"Oops sorry reflex, don't ask. Now what were you yelling about?" I replied to Redheart. Now seriously don't ask. It's a long story.

"You have no burns left, you don't even have scars!"

"Wait what." Wow I forgot how much I said that over the years. I looked down at my legs to see what she was working on. She was right, my burns were completely gone with no trace of me ever having something happening being my legs were slightly pinker and hairless. "Holy shit, yeah I see the reason why you yelled."

"Why didn't you tell me that your species had a healing factor like this, this could have saved a lot of effort."

I looked flatly into her eyes and said, "We don't."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Were I come from my species would have had difficulty surviving a series of burns like this. Even if I did survive it I doubt that anyone would be completely healed like this after months, let alone a day!"

"Then how would you describe it if not a baling factor?"

"Well do you remember yesterday when the Doc talked about my magical sensitivity?" she nodded slowly, "Well maybe this is just an extension of that."

"So your theory is based off of another theory made by a guy who doesn't even have a bachemeres degree in magical studies?" I nodded swiftly in reply, "Well I guess it then makes perfect sense!" Wow sarcasm as subtle as a brick wall in the middle of Main Street, just my type of girl... er, I mean what a wonderful girl, yeah that's it.

Don't give me that look, if your were thrust into a new world, burned to a crisp, then found out you had superpowers, even weak ones, you would be acting a little loopy too.

And if you start singing I swear to God you aren't hearing another word of this, am I clear?

Good now let's continue.

I rubbed the back of my head and asked Redheart, "Um, so what happens now? Do I walk out of here like nothing happened, or do I wait a while like standard procedure?" And another question is what would I do if I was let go?

"Well, I think I should get Stable to take another look at you," she replied, "then we can see what to do next."

"Just gonna play it by ear? Well sounds good to me."

"Alright I'll be back. And don't go back to sleep on me. The last thing that we need is trying to wake you up just to kick you out."

"Yeah yeah, I'll stay awake. Speaking of, did you get any of the books of off the trolley like you said?"

She chuckled a bit before saying, "Didn't even bother to look beside you." I looked down at the bedside table and sitting there was a nice big hardcover book. It read Daring Do as the cover name and appeared to be an Indiana Jones type affair. "Welcome and see you later."

"Thanks Redheart." I commented as she closed the door behind her. So there I was with time to spare and a new book series from a completely unknown culture before me. Kind of ironic seeing how it was an Indy style book. Regardless I leaped right into the book with little hesitation. About a chapter into the book I noticed something I found quite odd. Two completely separate cultures, from more than likely different universes, and somehow we speak and read the same language. And I'm not even overstating that, they are the exact same language in almost every way. Grammar, the same. Alphabet, identical. Words, mimicking to perfection minus a few changes. Most noticeable changes are in words like someone or everyone is instead somepony or everypony, respectively. That will need some looking into.

At the tail end of my internal monologue was when Doctor Stable trotted into the room. He had a suspiciously wide smile on his face. "Um... Doc? You okay?"

"Oh absolutely fine, and so are you for that matter. Yesterday you came in with a broken leg and severe full body burns, but today you seem as if nothing has ever been wrong with you. So it is with great pleasure that I say you are free to go."

"Really, is that all? Seriously?"

"Oh absolutely, I will just need-" Doc got cut off there by some banging outside and some more heated arguments. I hoped everything was alright, but it was a bit unsettling. My fears were pushed aside in place of shock when the room's door flew open and someone walked in. It was a full size horse of a being, a white alabaster coat and multicoloured hair of green blue and pink. It had a massive horn on its head easily a foot and a half long and sharpened to a deadly tip. Along its sides were huge wings that made the room seem dwarfed in comparison. And the thing that caught my attention was the fact that it wore a golden crown, breastplate and shoes.

She stared directly into my eyes with a fierce penetrating glare and spoke with an extremely authoritative yet soothing tone. "James Taylor, my name is Princess Celestia, and I need to have a word with you."

> V
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now as many of you must be wondering, what was the princess of the land doing in my hospital room. I am afraid to disappoint but I have no clue. What did she say you ask? Again no idea.

You see once the princess stepped into my room all I remember was an incredible jolt of pain followed by me passing out. When I re-awoke the doctor was right there ready to explain what happened. It turned out good old Princess Celestia of Canterlot not only is the chief ruler over the land despite the name of princess, but also the major deity that controls the movement over the sun. I know about divine right to rule but come on this is ridiculous.

Now what comes with the ability to move the sun?

Unlimited Power!!!

Sorry, but while that might seem like a tangent it really isn't. it turns out that when the divine monarch stepped into my room the overall power that she gave off was so intense that it was enough to push me into unconsciousness. Good old Doc though was able to get her out of the room before any lasting damage could have been done.

That being said I doubt that a doctor could keep out an almighty queen with godlike power if she really wanted to get into my room, but it's the thought that counts.

Most of that day was quite boring up until the evening where I got visited by my earlier run across, Miss Sparkle.

She walked into the room about an hour before sunset with mass hesitation. She almost refused to look at me at all. It was almost like she felt sorry for lighting a guy on fire with magic. On her hips she was carrying a set of bags that seemed to be loaded down with something quite heavy. It was at about ten feet away that she finally stopped approaching. After several moments of silence I opened up the conversation with "Can I help you Miss Sparkle?"

She didn't reply for a quick moment, probably could hear the tinge of distain on my voice. Good. When she did finally respond it was with a cryptic, "Not strictly speaking."

Now I may be ignorant in thinking this but when my only other meeting with Miss Sparkle resulted in me getting burns all over my body and the only other royalty I met caused me to pass out in pain just by being in the room with her, speaking so cryptically is not a good sign.

"Miss Sparkle, with all due respect if you don't have anything for me please get the hell out of my room." 

"Excuse me?"

"Miss Sparkle please,"

She continued to glare at me for a minute before sputtering out a quick "fine". She dug around in her saddlebags for a minute before pulling out a plain wooden box. "As per Doctor Stable's report I believe I have found a possible fix for your, predicament." she opened the box and placed it on my bedside table. When I turned too look at it I saw two plain chain bracelets with a metal plate attached to each with my initials carved into it. "Mr Taylor, as an official apology I present you with two brackets crafted of cold steel, a material known for reducing the magical impact of spells to those who possess it."

"Cold steel? For me, it's what I've always wanted!" and the sarcasm fairy strikes again.

"Mister Taylor if our theory is correct these chains will help mitigate the problems with your unique... condition."

"And if your are wrong you just gave me two hunks of tacky, expensive and uncomfortable jewelry. Now Miss Sparkle is there anything else you would like to talk to me about?"

"Just that Princess Celestia will be sending along an envoy later to help situate your living quarters and to help you adjust to life here in Ponyville before we find your original place of residence."

"Someone that isn't you? Am I in heaven?" Yeah that was uncalled for.

"That's it, I'm out."

"thank you Miss Sparkle, and have a good night."

"You too." She began to trot out the room but even before the door finished closing I could swear I heard her mutter about me. Hey don't look at me like that I always called her miss. 

I looked at the chain bracelets sitting beside me, as I touched them I found that they were cold to the touch, in the same way that my blood was the day before. At least like that then it makes sense why they would think that these would help mitigate my problems. With much hesitation I put the chains on. They were not the most comfortable but I could get used to them. With nobody in my room I decided to continue some reading of good old indie er I mean Daring Do. And no I am not going to start saying nopony, don't be ridiculous.

After a couple more chapters of Daring Do the good doctor came into my room with another clipboard. "Give me the truth Doctor, am I going to live?"

He glowered at me, "Seriously?"

"What you were dismissing me yesterday but here I am."

"You were knocked out by Princess Celestia's passive magical aura. It was in put best interest to keep you overnight for observation. Plus I wanted to capture your smart flank comments for use in a superweapon."

"Oh no the world could never take it, please have mercy!"

"Never! All of Equestria shall feel the wrath of Doctor Stable! Mwa ha ha!" And for the record he said it exactly like that too. "Now then, I heard that our newest princess came to see you a little earlier." I agreed, "And she left something that should help mitigate your magical sensitivity as well, cold steel bracers if I remember correctly."
"Bracelets."
"Ah right, sorry. Well if I may now that you have had an hour or so to adjust to your new jewelry I figure we should test them out."
His horn began to light up and pushed myself to the head of my bed to get away, "Wait wait wait! What are you doing!"
"Sorry, used to other patients. I am just activating a minor diagnostic spell that will slowly increase in potency to allow for us to gauge what your resistance is at."

"Really is that all, okay then Doc blast away just tell me what to do."

"Just tell me when this gets too uncomfortable." 
Doc's horn began to light up again as the spell started to activate. For the first few moments it was fairly basic for a medical practice. There was a bit of poking and prodding here and there. It began to be a bit more uncomfortable after a while with my new bracelets becoming colder and colder as the magical input became more severe. Luckily for me though there was none of the intense heat that was present for many of the other instances of being subjected to spells.

That changed quickly though.

The pain that followed was not like any of the other pain felt before. While the other pain was akin to being lit of fire, this was closer to being squeezed through a roll of toothpaste. Pressure built in my veins as though it would burst out of me. I thrashed and rolled off of the bed in an attempt to escape the pressure. My head felt like a there was an explosive in it attempting to go off. 

Then the pressure released.

The pressure burst from my being in all directions. It came forth as an indigo flame with force I had not thought possible. The floor beneath me cracked. The bed beside me flew onto it's side and away from me a few meters. The electronic equipment rocketed away crashing into the walls and out the window. And the Doc thankfully was far enough away to avoid most of the blast and only hit the wall behind him with enough force to jostle him.

I sat there with the dark flames touching everything but burning nothing. The devastation in the room unlike anything I had seen before, which in reflection I said a lot over that time. The flames faded away as the Doc got his footing and himself viewed over the wreckage I had caused. His eyes then pointed towards me as his mouth flopped open to speak. Out of his mouth came three words of which I would not think he would actually say. The words came out as, "What. The. Fuck."
> VI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why that snobbish arrogant little... ugh!" Twilight Sparkle just finished delivering the royal apology to one James Taylor, a human whom recently was found by herself in the Whitetail Woods. And she was chastised by him for it! Thank Celestia that she is sending an envoy to deal with him instead of having to deal with him herself. Sweet Celestia he was almost as bad as Prince Blueblood himself.

Now though all she has to do is go back to her home and relax. Probably stick her nose into a nice good book, like a dictionary or an encyclopedia volume. The less she has to deal with Mister Taylor the better.

She approached her home which doubled as the town library right before sunset. Her home was a large tree shaped to house many rooms and amenities. With her incredible love for books her house truly was a home for Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"SPIKE! I'm home!" Twilight called out to her assistant. The pudgy purple and green baby dragon started climbing down the stairs to the main foyer. The dragon and alicorn had been together since the hatching of said dragon and as such their proximity will always remain close. 

"Hey Twi, you back?" the baby dragon replied. 

"Yes thank Celestia, that pony drove me crazy! Who does he think he is?" 

"Who are you talking about?"

"That, human? Yes, that human that recently arrived at Ponyville general. He was so aggravating it is as if-"

"He had been lit on fire?" Spike quipped, "Listen Twi, he is obviously agitated so of course he is going to be a bit rude."

"A bit rude?! Are you kidding? He was the most self absorbed pony I know next to Blueblood."

"Twi, if how you explained it to me was true, in the past two days he has been lost in an unfamiliar location with unfamiliar people, broken a leg, almost died of heat stroke, been lit on fire, discovered he had magical powers, and been knocked out just by being in the general area of Princess Celestia. Personally I am surprised he hasn't ripped his room apart with what he had been through."

"Yeah I get it Spike. I just, don't know he-"

BRRUUP!

Spike in that instance began to breathe fire like many of his species but with it came a letter that could only be sent via a spell from Princess Celestia. Twilight was quick to catch the letter while Spike took a few seconds to get his footing.

Without hesitation Twilight opened the letter and read the contents.

Dear Princess Twilight

While I must apologize for asking you to help me with this, I hope that you realize that it is the easiest and safest progression of actions. Following shortly will be a letter that I wish for you to deliver to the human known as James Taylor. This may be done at your leisure but I expect it to be done by midday tomorrow. Furthermore while I am sending an envoy to take care of James Taylor, I wish that you keep a distant eye on them and report if you believe it is becoming out of hand. As well I wish that you attempt to make James feel welcome in Ponyville and to receive weekly reports from my envoy.

Thank you for your understanding.
Your Friend Celestia

Twilight stood there silently when she finished reading the letter. The letter itself had two conflicting pieces of information and that was unlike the elder Princess. But the most intimidating part of that she had asked her to continue making contact with James. At this point that was like asking Fluttershy to harm an animal, not only not glib to work but also a quick way to get you heavily scolded at.

"Um Twi? Are you alright, Celestia sent another letter." Spike asked while holding the item of mention.

Twilight began to slowly pull the letter out of her assistants hands with her telekinesis. This was matched with a very cross looking face. "Sorry Spike but I'll be back." she said before beginning to trot off. Spike however grabbed onto Twilight's tail before she left the home.

"Where are you going? Are you going back to the hospital?"

"Yes, Princess Celestia asked me to go deliver this letter to James."

"Why don't I go deliver the letter for you?"

"What?"

"Yeah let me deliver it. I can look after myself and besides I doubt that you made a very good impression and I can give him a new perspective."

"You know Spike, that is quite wise of you. Alright you can deliver the letter, but I want you back in two hours, understood?"

"Absolutely!" Spike shouted before yanking the letter out of the hands of Twilight and sprinting out the door. Spike was ecstatic that he was going to meet someone of a totally undiscovered species. Not only that but the magical sensitivity is something he never heard of before and it very exciting. 

It was not long before he had reached the hospital. He had not been there very often and the look had a very imposing aura to it. This made Spike a fair bit more reprehensive about meeting James. However in his mind he was nothing if not Twilight's most faithful assistant.

When he entered the main waiting room there were few ponies there. That was to be expected when the closing of visiting hours is sundown. 

Spike walked up to the front counter and asked Nurse Redheart if she knew what room James was in. His answer however was cut off when him and Nurse Redheart heard a large bang from above them. "Hold on a minute!" Nurse Redheart cried as she ran upstairs to the noise. Spike in instinct ran up after her as fast as his legs could take him.

When the two came to the door, the door flung open and out came Doctor Stable. "Nurse please escort James Taylor to a new room while I get this sorted out." he said before walking out of the room and down the hallway.

When Spike and Nurse Redheart looked into the room they saw the devastation that was wrought. It was at that moment that Spike stepped forward at the being leaning against the wall on the other side of the room and said, "James Taylor, I have a letter from Princess Celestia for you."
> VII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isn't my life grand? I start in hell health wise, and proceed to get more and more complications. But this one takes the cake.

Broken leg: fine, I can deal with a cast and crutches for a few months. Intense fever: whatever just need to make sure I get proper air conditioning. Magical sensitivity: sucky but I can deal, I just have to try to stay away from magical hot spots. But... This! What is this? I kamehameha everything nearby? Launch fire from my pores?

Everything else had a nice consistent and scientific answer, I just had to adjust my point of reference a little. I can't wait to see how they choose to rationalize this one though.

"James Taylor, I have a letter from Princess Celestia for you."

And now a royal letter from Arch-princess Celestia. Well it can't get too much worse. "I beg forgiveness for my ignorance, but if I may ask, who and what are you."

"No problem, I'm Spike the Dragon." he said while puffing his chest out in pride.

"You are an actual dragon? As in hoarder of gems, killer of thousands, and those that breathe fire? Those dragons?"

"Well," Spike says while scratching the back of his neck, "I haven't killed anypony so far and I prefer to eat gems over hoarding them, but yeah I guess."

It was at that where I completely lost it. Now me like many am a huge fan of fantasy and one thing that remains almost unchanged in all of fantasy is that dragons are incredibly powerful. As well as that they really enjoy it when they get complimented and are far less likely to kill someone whom grovels at their feet. 

"Please noble dragon, I beg forgiveness on my part for lack of respect." I begged as I jumped on the ground in front of him.

"Please get up, you're embarrassing me. And besides I'm just a baby dragon." He said while trying to lift me off of the ground. 

"But you shall become a great lord of the sky and earth and it would be amiss of me not to treat you with the respect that you deserve." For those of you wondering I have no intention of getting a dragon angry at me for any reason.

"Mister Taylor, sir?" Nurse Redheart asked from behind Spike. "I believe that we need to bring you into another room for the remainder of your stay."

"Sorry but I think it would be better off if I stayed here." 

"Why on Equis would you want that?" Redheart remarked.

"Well I've made this bed so might as well lay in it." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Sorry, old proverb from my home. It essentially means I put myself into this situation so might as well deal with the consequences." I explained. 

"Well that is just ridiculous," Spike cut in, "This obviously was an accident so why would you have to deal with the consequences?"

"Who said I did this by accident?"

"If you did this on purpose then why were you sitting on the other side of the room like that?" Spike raised before crossing his arms.

"Well, um, well played good sir. Regardless this was the room that was given to me, and I don't even have a way of paying for that, let alone an entirely new room?"

"Well why don't you stay with me and Twilight? She is used to magical flair ups and we have plenty of space. And you won't have to worry about sleeping in a room with that." He finished by pointing to the broken window with an IV drip hanging half out of it.

"Spike while I do appreciate your offer, Twilight and I didn't get off on the right foot. In fact to the point where I doubt either of us could stand being in the same room as each other for more than a few minutes."

"Besides," Redheart interjected, "With how little we know about what is going on with your physiology I don't think placing you with the most powerful unicorn in history and a dragon that can breathe fire would be the best of ideas." 

"Yeah sorry about that Spike."

"Its no big deal, I was just thinking. Well good luck." Spike said before turning around to walk away.

"Hold up Spike." I said before he could make is exit. "Didn't you say that you had a letter for me."

Well for all of those wondering when a dragon facepalms it sounds closer to a whip crack than an actual slap. "Of course, sorry just  a bit distracted." He said before passing the letter over to me.

"No problem, and hey Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care and I'll see you later alright?"

"Cool." he said nodding before walking out of the room.

"Well that was polite of you." Redheart said after Spike left the room, "Almost uncharacteristically so even."

"He is just a kid, he doesn't deserve any of the crap I could give him." I responded before opening the letter.

The first thing I noticed about the letter was the fact that it  was closed like a scroll with a wax seal. This place is anachronism heaven with modern hospitals in one spot and a ruling class of Princesses that deliver the mail via specialized carriers and scrolls. Next thing was the neatness of the writing. The entire scroll was written in a flawless calligraphy that made it appear like they had spent hours just to write it. It was only then that I saw the writing and what it said.

Dear James Taylor,

As you are no doubt aware I have an envoy whom I have sent to help you adjust to your new surroundings of Ponyville. As per his request he has made it known that he wishes to meet you at his getaway home nearby and is making it fully opened to you and to make yourself as at home as possible.
Furthermore, make the hospital you are staying at currently know that any and all of your expenses shall be made out to the Royal Canterlot Treasury. 

Good wishes,
High Princess Celestia Solaris

PS: Attached is a note sent by my envoy which contains the address of his lodgings.

And indeed was attached a note, and that really was all that was. It contained the address and directions on how to reach it from Ponyville General. Also marked at the bottom of the note was all I could assume to be a name. I turned to Nurse Redheart and asked, "Excuse me, but how much do you know of this Blueblood fellow?"
> VIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Blueblood, thankfully I was able to get some information about him. Unfortunately it wasn't very good. At the very least though the information was consistent.

Apparently he is a self-centered, ignorant noble who goes around calling himself Prince. However, despite all of his terrible publicity he remains a major player in politics, more than likely due to his families tremendous wealth.

Regardless the Princesses trust him enough to be sent as an envoy, but it is also as possible that he is untrustworthy enough to be sent as a envoy to Ponyville.

I almost immediately checked out of the hospital after receiving the letter. The nurses and doctors argued though but as I put it do you want to put other patients right next to a guy who could blow them up by accident. The correct answer is not very much. 

I agreed though that I would make sure to do a check up in a couple of days just to be sure. They and I were also very thankful that the Princess was kind enough to pay for my hospital bill, though I don't think she knew that I had totaled the room. 

The trip through the town to my accommodations was a lot more relaxing than I would have thought, and painful. Turns out staying in bed for a couple of days with barely any movement tends to make your legs hurt if you go for a log walk immediately afterwards. But the sky, by gods the sky. It was so incredibly beautiful I could have never believed it. I know that while camping you can see the stars a lot better but nothing ever compares to looking at the sky when there is next to no pollution ever put into it. One of the strangest things was how closely the sky matched with the one from home. 

This has made me conclude that I must have been sent to an alternate dimension. I know crazy but hear me out here. From the constellations that I can see from here, such as the big dipper, Orion and his belt, and Draco, I can conclude that I am on the northern hemisphere. However there is no place large enough in the northern hemisphere besides Russia that would be able to hold a self contained society like this. But if the society was in Russia then why is their primary language English? Now how or why I got here is far beyond me.

And shut up I know being crazy is still a very real possibility.

It was only about a half hour of walking out the west of the town that I was able to arrive at Blueblood's get away home. It was a large two storied cottage with a nice overhanging balcony on the second floor. For the impression I got of Blueblood I thought that this place would have a lot more pomp and flair. At this point it felt like a large hunting cottage. 

When I entered it felt even stranger. The inside was reminiscent of a bachelor pad. The main room was standard fair with a set of sofas and chairs circled around a large fireplace. There was sport posters of a team known of the wonderbolts posted on one of the walls beside his fireplace with a photo of what looked like a football team sitting on the mantle. Next to the largest of the chairs and the large sofa there was what appeared to be a minifridge.

This can't be the same house of the infamous Blueblood. There must have been some mistake. I looked over the address and direction a second then a third time. Each time puzzled when I found that the answer was the same: this is the correct house. 

Maybe this house was his much earlier in life and he hasn't been here in years. In that case why are there no cobwebs or anything around. Well maybe they have a maid that comes by. But why? If they have a maid but don't use the house that they have cleaned what would be the point.

For whatever reason this house had to be here, I wasn't going to complain too much. After all a free bed when I had been unconscious for the largest part of two days was a warm welcome. The thing is I don't feel too good about taking another persons bed if they aren't even home. So whatever I doubt he would have too much of a problem with me taking the sofa.

The sofa and room were fairly warm and I got a good night's sleep.

What not everything I do goes down the shitter the moment that I get involved.

The next morning I awoke without much of a stir. As the warm sun drifted through the window my wake was soft and comfortable of a transition. This world must have some crazy air cause the moment that I got off of the sofa the first thing I wanted to do was go for a long walk. Then again I might just still be used to my camping trip where breakfast and coffee took a half hour to prepare even if you knew where all your supplies were.

The morning air outside was nice and crisp. With a soft scent of dew on the air that helped liven up the morning. As I walked into town all of the villagers were nice and polite bidding me "how you do"s and other niceties. If it weren't for the disconnect of being in a world where multicoloured ponies walked the earth as the primary species I would think this to be a utopia.

That is however, before you take the one exception into account. He was a tan stallion with brown hair and an hourglass for a cutiemark. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. The tattoos on the side of their but are known as cutiemarks and denote a pony's special talent. Now what constitutes a special talent it think they are still fuzzy on.

So I was walking around town enjoying the view when this earth pony makes a b-line straight for me. The moment he gets close to me he shoves me around a corner into an alley. Now it is still very bright in this alley so if he was trying to set a threatening mood he failed on that part. The strangest part is when he started talking to me.

"What are you doing here?" he prosecuted

Me standing there dumbfounded and confused I sputtered out a short, "What?"

"What are you doing in this dimension?"

Now this was confusing, I had never seen this pony before and here he was already with what seemed like irrefutable proof that I was from another dimension. "Wait, what? Who are you?"

"I said what is a human doing in this dimension?"

Wait a sec, he just called me a human. I don't think anyone else in this town knows what a human is let alone can recognize one on sight. "I have no idea, now who by gods are you?"

"The ponies here know me as Time Turner the clocksmith. You may know me already by my former tittle."

"And what would that be, Thor?"

"No, The Doctor."

Processing

Processing 

Processing

DING "Wait you're THE Doctor. As in time lord and last child of Gallefrey, that Doctor?"

"Yes now keep your voice down!" he commanded. For those of you who don't know, The Doctor is the main character on the longest running scifi television show, doctor who. He travels around time and space in a blue telephone box saving the universe from aliens. It is a lot better then it sounds.

"Wait how can you be here, you're fictional?" I questioned

"Hmm, you must be from one of those universes." he muttered to himself. "How much do you know of much do you know of multiverse theory."

"Um for every possible action there is a universe in which that option is taken." I answer. After all I know some science.

"Well that's wrong," Well apparently not, "Think of the multiverse as a set of carbon paper. When you write on the top level it transfers carbon down so you can transcribe the information for multiple people. The different levels are slightly different in specifics but all in all they are fairly similar. These individual levels are what are known as microverses. Getting this so far?" 

"I think, it would like be in a universe where JFK was killed with a bow and arrow in allowed to being shot. It is different but it is essentially the same."

"Yes, though often even less dramatic then that. Now there are also macroverses, where there was something different written on a different piece of carbon paper. Like the difference between your world and this one. While there are a limited number of microverses, there are many more macro. This being that when a choice in a microverses would make it split off too far from the original, the result becomes it's own separate macroverse."

"Alright Doctor, that is great and all and I really appreciate you teaching me multiverse theory, but you haven't begun to explain why."

"Of course not, I needed to teach you the basics before you understood. You see, going between microverses is a fairly easy task in the grand scheme of things, going between macroverses are not. It is in fact so difficult that I have only done it once successfully, and I have been trapped here aver since. Not that this place is bad or anything. But the question still remains how did you do it?"

"And as I told you before, I have no idea. All I know is at one point I was asleep in a car on my way back from a camping trip then I wake up with a broken leg in the whitetail woods."

"Interesting, you made no attempt to cross dimensions?"

"Nope."

"You have no recollection of the event?"

"Absolutely none."

"In that case, while I don't trust you per-say, I have no reason to further persecute you so. I hope it goes without saying that you tell no one of my past."

"Of course."

"Well then, Mister Taylor, I bid you adieu." 

He started walking of the alley with alot more grace then he did when he entered, that is for certain. Now I know what happened to me, but the how and why remain unanswered. Could be worse, he could have ended me like he has others who put those he cares about in danger.

I walked out of the alley a few moments behind Time Turner, with a purpose to get back to the cottage. While being unconscious will make time fly like nothing else, it does continue to make you incredibly hungry. So I started making my way back. 

Started and then got interrupted.

Again. 

This time it was by a large blonde unicorn with white fur. He stood at eye level, but turned his nose up at me anyway. "Ah, you must be that infernal beast known as James Taylor."

"Excuse me?!" Well that was straight up douchey. 

"I do say, let's return to our dwelling before you make a fool of yourself."

Oh no, this must be Blueblood.

Well crap, this is going to suck.
> IX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The door slammed behind me after Blueblood and I walked into the cottage. The ferocity behind the door did make menvery aware not to tick Blueblood off. 

"Sorry about that, you want a cider?" Blueblood called out as he walked directly into the kitchen.

"What?"

"A cider, a light alcoholic drink made from apples. You want some?"

"Excuse me?" 

"Please tell me they have apples where you come from. Or alcohol for that matter."

"Hold on a moment," I said waving my arms around, "Tell me, what is going on here?"

"I am asking if you want a drink. So yes or no?"

"No, I want you to tell me what this is all about!" Now I was getting quite agitated. 

"Are you talking about that infernal beast thing? Sorry just needed to keep up appearances."

"Wait, was that what that was all about? Appearances? What the hell for?"

He walked back into the room with two bottles of what I assumed was cider and sat down on the sofa. He then beckoned me to take a seat as well and placed one of the bottles onto a table sitting beside one of the chairs. After uncapping his bottle and taking a long pull he started to explain things.

"What do you know of Equestrian politics?"

"I know that you are ruled over by a group of four alicorn princesses, but that is all. What does this have to do with you being a dickbag?"

"Heh, dickbag, I'll have to remember that for later." he muttered to himself. "Well you see that isn't even as true as it would make you assume. While there are the four princesses that rule Equestria, they don't rule all of it. Not strictly at least. They have their hooves in international accords and matters of defense. While every city has their own ruling body that sets legislature for their individual regions. For example we have a mayor of Ponyville despite the princesses."

"You still haven't explained why you are an utter douchesnozzel."

"Getting there, getting there. While most cities have an electoral system for their government, Canterlot, the capital, is commanded by an aristocratic senate. Every major house gets one representative and if any other house wants to join they have to go through a long and tedious application process that normally gets turned down. As you can see this is a very exclusive system. As such those with large amounts of power tend to keep it for very long times.

"The Blueblood house not only is one of the longest houses to be in this senate, but it is also one of the few houses that can choose to ban or bring in another house on its own. As that goes that gives alot of power to my house. 

"And that would be alot on its own, but I also have the privilege of being in the top five most wealthy non-ruling families. Last but not least I have a greater connection to Princess Celestia than almost anyone else."

"So what does that mean, you have a large cheque book?"

"It means I have a giant target on my back. And I plan not to get a bolt in my back, so I need some safety measures. The princesses all have their incredible magic, and I have a facade of a dickbag as you call it. It makes anyone who wants to make a move on me either too frightened that I will levy all my resources to smite them, or view me as too ignorant to be any threat."

"A defense mechanism, that's why you have one of the worst reputations around?"

"You got it."

"Then why tell me all of this? Doesn't this ruin your reputation?"

He leaned back and good an incredibly long pull of the cider, almost finishing it. He then leaned forward and said, "I just spent twelve hours on a train after spending three days trying to secure an apple whiskey deal from Appleloosa. At this point I just want to sit back and relax. Besides, Auntie wants me to watch you and help you acclimatize for who knows how long and it would be alot easier we had each others trust." He ended with passing me the other cider.

Wow, that stuff was good, nice and sweet with a bit of tartness to top it off. It was quite a few minutes of us setting there before I broke the silence. "So Blue, how much do you know of Celestia?"

"Absolutely tons. Why didn't you meet her?" he wondered.

"Well I saw her, but she kind of knocked me out." I said rubbing the back of my head.

"What did you do?!" He asked incredibly alarmed.

"Nothing, literally. She walked in, said she needed to speak with me and her passive magic knocked me out."

"That's strange. What caused it?"

"Magical sensitivity."

"Odd. Anyway, the easiest way to explain her would be a large mother for a pack of dogs. She is incredibly caring and affectionate most of the time, but the moment you put her foals in danger. I would never want to be on the other side of her when she is angry I tell you that."

"What of the other princesses."

"Well the second eldest is Celestia's sister, Luna. While Celestia is akin to a dog, Luna is much closer to a cat. She has a much harder time coming out of her shell then her sister and is alot more likely to become skittish and run off if too many people approach her. However it is said that she is much closer to those she knows then one would expect.

"Next after that is Cadence. She is the oddest case of the princesses that is for certain. You see she isn't really even a princess of Equestria, she rules over the Crystal Empire to the north. She is often called the princess of love, and rightly so. She has a habit of being able to temper down even the harshest of situations. Of any of the princesses she is the one I would want by my side while brokering a trade agreement.

"And finally we have Twilight, whom if I was informed correctly you haven't made the best of impressions on."

"Yeah, well she kind of lit me on fire."

"And how on earth did she do that. Wait let me guess."

"Magical sensitivity." we both said at the same time.

"Of course. Well I really don't think she did that on purpose. If she did want to hurt you she would probably be alot more creative about it. And when it comes to being a ruler I have no idea what she will be doing, she only ascended recently. Well I've answered your question now why don't you answer one of mine, what do you know about your magical sensitivity?"

"Well not much. I thought that it would be fairly straight forward at first. Can't make contact with magic or suffer burns, but is countered by granting me a healing factor. I thought that would be alright, but then I got more symptoms. If I am even around too much magic it can cause me to pass out. Even that wasn't too bad, just meant that I had to live more akin to a hermit to avoid passing out while moving my fridge. 

"But them there is the, I have no idea what to call it, darkfire? Sure let's go with that. I have only done it once, but it was scary. That amount of power, the raw force. It was uncontrollable. And if it were just a blast wave that would be one thing, but it's not. It leaves behind indigo flames that touches everything but burns nothing. It looks demonic. I have no idea what caused it, I have no idea how to stop it, and worst of all, I don't know what will happen if I can't control it."

"Well I guess that is just something we will have to work on." Blueblood said before standing up. 

"What do you mean?" How the hell am I supposed to control something like that?

"Well to control it we need to recreate it. Come on, I know of a nice isolated spot that we can work on it."

"No way, I am not doing that again!" I said standing up and pushing away from him.

"Listen, James. If we don't work on you controlling your darkfire, someone is just going to get hurt when it goes off. Now I'm not going to force you, but I think it is for the best if we do this now rather than later."

I stood there crossed between two options. On the one hand I could just ignore the darkfire, but who knows who will get hurt if it goes off again. On the other hand if I work on controlling it, the darkfire could become even more powerful. If it becomes more powerful I have no idea what we would do.

"I guess you are right, Blue."

"Of course I am. Now follow me before it gets too late and everypony is wondering around."

Once more into the breach I guess.
> X
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You want to do WHAT?!" Doctor Stable yelled.

While we were going directly to Blueblood's isolated location, we quickly decided to go to the hospital to get that spell the Doc used on me. Needless to say he wasn't very happy about it.

"Come on Doc if we plan on recreating the incident we need to have that spell." I reasoned.

"No, you don't understand. Not only that it is a stupid idea to recreate that blast, but to use a diagnosis spell to do it. You would have no idea how to interpret the results."

"Sir, I have no intention of lowering myself to doing something as mundane as medicine. I am merely doing this to stop the infernal howling of this creature." Ah Blueblood, so lucky that I actually know what is going on with him or I would totally punch him in the face.

"Nope not going to happen. I will not condone the active attempts to recreate a dangerous magical mishap." Wow he was really steadfast on this.

"Mister Stable, while your attempts to retain your credibility are in fact admirable, if you continue to block our attempts at our course of action I will have no choice but to relinquish your medical license." Wow Blue, you really do like pulling your weight when you can don't you.

"You can't do that, nor would you."

"Mister Stable, there are many public hospitals funded by the Blueblood Foundation. And I doubt that the medical board would like to lose any of them over one doctor. So I shall ask you again, allow us to use the diagnostic spell."

Doctor Stable stood there silenced by what Blueblood had said. And I'll be honest, I have no idea if Blue would actually do it or not. The cold calculating finality of his voice made me question what was the facade, the dick Blueblood or the friendly one. "Fine, on one condition." Stable said

"What would that be?" Blueblood asked with a hint of disdain for Stable even disputing his descision.

"You let me come with you while you practice. I have seen the destruction that this darkfire can cause and I don't intend on allowing anypony to get hurt during it."

"No." Blueblood said.
"Fine" I said.

Blueblood glared at me when we both said the opposite thing at the same time. "Listen I was his patient and he has first hand accounts of all the incidents so far. If any other happen I would feel it to be a great boon to have him there."

"And I said no. Besides Mister Stable, what kind of doctor puts one patient over another?"

"All doctors put some patients over others, we need to in order to save lives. And besides we aren't talking about just a patient here, we are talking about my friend." Did he just seriously say that? Like really that actually got said?

"Fine, you can join us." Blueblood said before leaving the hospital.

"I'll just let you finish things up here while I wait outside." I commented before inching my way out.

"Alright, just don't do anything stupid." Stable replied before walking farther into the hospital to finish things up.

I walked outside too see Blueblood standing there by himself. I quickly checked to see if there was anyone nearby and I found there was none. "So what was that ab-" he began saying before I punched in the face. "What in tartarus?!"

I walked right up to him while he was standing up and hovered over him. Now while standing he comes up to eye level, he was still lower down and that gave me so much intimidation power. "You do NOT pull something like that again, EVER!"

He stayed there in a mix between mortified and insulted. "Look I got him to okay our exercise, I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is you not only threatened his job after a moments notice, but you also threatened to shut down multiple hospitals. You know how that would have played out?"

"Of course, that's why I did it, I knew he would back down."

"After what evidence, huh? As far as you knew he could have called your bluff and forced you to follow through with it to maintain your status. Now if you ever pull something like that again I will castrate you in public, do you understand?"

He stared at my face for a couple of minutes, probably trying to read me. "I never knew you could be so violent." he said with an edge on his voice.

"There is alot you do not know about me, we only met earlier today."

As far as one of us might have wanted this conversation to go, we got interrupted when Stable walked by us with saddlebags on and adjusting his glasses. "So where is this experiment of yours taking place, the Badlands?" Ah how I missed his sarcasm.

"No the diamond dog crags." Blueblood replied. This obviously threw the Doc for a loop as he seemed to recoil from this statement. "Don't worry to much, the diamond dogs have taken to avoiding ponies ever since the elements intervened."

"Excuse me, diamond dogs, elements, what are you guys going on about."

"I'll tell you, but lets walk while we do, its an hour away. The diamond dogs are a race of scavengers and miners." Blueblood said, "They have an insatiable hunger for gems off all kinds, even going as kidnapping ponies to do it.

"Which brings us to the elements, or the Elements of Harmony. They are Equestia's equivalent to a special ops team from the likes of the Griffon Empire and Zebricana. They are what the princesses send in when they need to take down the really big problems."

"Really big problems? Care to specify?" I asked.

"Gods." Doc replied.

"What, you have a spec ops team for taking down gods?"

"Not precisely," Blueblood interjected, "The elements aren't as much a team of highly trained specialists as they are the only ponies that can wield our most powerful artifacts. That is what the team is named after. Those elements have some of the most mysterious magical properties we know of."

"How so?"

"Well the elements seem like a wild card when it comes to what they actually accomplish." Blueblood answered, "Their first recorded use was against the spirit of disharmony, Discord, and it turned him to stone. The second was against the possessed princess Luna, Nightmare Moon, and she was sealed in the moon for a thousand years. When that time ended the elements were used on her again but this time purified her. We never know what happens when the elements are used but one thing is for certain, they stop the problem."

"So I know what the elements are, but how do they relate to the diamond dogs?"

"Wow he is clueless about Equestria, isn't he?" The Doc asked Blue.

"Yes he is. Well about a year and a half ago one of the elements got kidnapped by a group of them and got driven crazy by her, and I quote "the pony that makes the awful noises." Since then the pack that lives in that area does all it can to avoid other ponies."

"How did she do it, a banshee scream?"

"She whined."

"Seriously? All it took for a group of slavers was to whine? I wish issues were that easy to fix on our world."

"Indeed, the ease of that particular situation was admirable. If only life itself was that simple. But, alas." Blueblood finished. "Well we are here."

"Alright that means it is time to give this darkfire thing a shot." I said with resignation.

"Darkfire? Seriously?" Really Doc? That was what you have a problem with?

"Regardless it is time to give this a shot for better or for worse."

"But Darkfire, couldn't have come up with anything better?"

"Shut it."
> XI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So any ideas on how we are going to start this?" I asked.

"Well I have a theory." Stable answered, "If we think of your sensitivity like eating it can give us a good idea. You are used to eating very minimal food to survive, and you have a feast placed in front of you. Now naturally you eat your fill, but it leads to you getting an upset stomach and you stop eating. But if we force you to eat you will have to make room."

"Are you suggesting that we make Mister Taylor magically vomit?" Blue wondered, "If so that is revolting."

"Calm yourself Blue, after all this was your idea." I said. 

"Indeed."

"Alright so James, I'm going to reactivate the diagnostic spell and let's see what that does. Be aware though that this is likely going to hurt a lot."

"Noted, now let's get this over with." 

The spell started like normal with the uncomfortability I had come to expect from spells. Though luckily there was never that surge of pain that usually comes. Though the pressure was building and quickly. It came suddenly, and the release was just as quick though the affects weren't as I expected. Instead of a blast of fire and force my jaw lowered and I screamed. 

"RAINBOWS!" I said as a rainbow colored sludge poured out of my mouth. 

I was in shock up until I heard the laughing and a snake like being appeared from no where and said. "Hey Doctor, I think he may be a homosexual!"

"How can you tell?" Doc asked. 
 
Oh dear did he just make an internet reference? And his voice seems familiar. That response just caused the being to make his laughter even louder.

"Discord! What are you doing here?" Blueblood yelled at him. Wait they knew each other.

"Oh dear Blueballs," Blueballs eh? Will need to remember that one. "I am just here to see my new brother."

"What?" Doc and I called in sinc.

"Why you James I'm here to see you."

"Just who are you and how did you know that reference?"

"Reference?" Doc and Blue asked each other.

"Well allow me to introduce myself. I am Discord, former spirit of disharmony and master of chaos." he answered with a bow that resulted with his feet coming over his head as he floated.

"Well Discord, I am-"

"James Taylor the magic eater, of the planet earth. I do know who to are." 

"The magic eater? What in the world are you talking about?"

"You mean to tell me you have no idea what you got or why you are here?"

"None. Tell me."

"Well you two, I'm going to have to borrow James here. Be back in a jif." he said before snapping his fingers. Next thing knew I was in a void that had black and white patterns all about it.

"What am I doing here?!"

"Well I need to show you something. You are about to see what happened in the beginning of this world."

"This world?"

"Don't play dumb with me, that's my job. Besides I saw you have that talk with good old Turner."

"Different macroverse theory?"

"Exactly." 

He snapped his fingers and in the void two shapes came into being. They were one of straight lines and regimented shifts made of white. While another was formless, constantly shifting and black. "In the beginning there were two beings of absolute power, one was the rigid Creation, and the other the flowing Decay. They were the only beings for millions of years for the moment one attempted to create anything the other would destroy it. It was a long and soooo boring period.

"Creation though wanted more and started to build it's power greatly. Decay saw this and stated to build it's power to counter Creation. This continued for millennia as neither side would dare act in case the other was ready. This was a major mistake for both sides. After millennia of wait Creation released his power." At that moment the regimented being bursted apart quickly followed by the other. "You see that power that they built up, when they released it they both got torn to pieces. 

"In their wake however they had made to great beings, Faust and Death." I was then shown two more beings. one was a great alicorn with auburn hair and cream fur bearing a inkpot and quill for a cutie mark. The other was a bleach white stallion with no horn or wings with a black mane and a sickle for a cutie mark. "While Creation and Decay lost their bodies their energies continued. This would become the foundation for the Endless War. Uhg, what a silly name.

"In that first moment of being with a massive influx of energy Faust created Equis and all the life on it. Death countered by making age and disease. Over the millennia the great ones would either create new creations to do their bidding or bring others from other worlds to do that for them."

"And the Endless War? What is that?"

"Well, the energies of the original two were all that remained of them, they still had plenty of it. Whenever one side would gain an upper hand over the other, the losing side would attempt to reset the balance. However, they took very opposing styles to it. Creation would either make something or ascend something that already existed into higher status. That would be your Celestia and helements of armory. While Decay could only bring beings from elsewhere and give them a bit of a power boost or makeover. Makeover in my case."

"So that is what happened to me, I got torn from my world to be a servant of darkness?" 

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner! Tell them what they won Paul!" Discord shouted while pointing to... himself?

"With pleasure Discord! Mister Taylor has won, the option to be condemned to a life of misery, incredible magic powers and to be hounded by Celestia's cronies for as long as she sees fit. And thats not all! He also has the inability to ever return home, see another of his kind and immortality!"

"Wait immortality?"

"Well of course! You wouldn't think that Decay would allow his toys to stop working, actually you would but that's besides the point. I only know of one actual granting of immortality in recent ancient history, but that's because Decay tends to pick those who are already immortal. And just because you are immortal doesn't mean you can't be defeated or suffer a fate worse then death, King Somber can attest to that."

"Wow this is a bummer. Seriously how am I supposed to react to this?"

"Typically either go crazy or ignore it."

"Most of all why are you telling me this mister 'master of chaos?' I would expect this is a tad bit out of character for you."

"Because I find humans fun and it would be a welcome change to have someone that respects me that I used to look like."

"Used to... look... like. No way."

"Hmm?"

"You're Q aren't you?"

"Wait what?"

"Yes, you are Q! I thought your voice was familiar!"

"Q... I haven't heard that name in a long time." He said while slipping into a Jedi outfit. 

We just stood there in the void for minutes absorbing the information we learned. Me learning the reason for me to be here, and Q learning that there was someone who knew of him from before this world. I broke the silence however. "Hey Q?"

"Please call me Discord, I have spent too much time here to go back to my old name."

"Discord, if you ever want to talk, my door will be open."

"Thank you. Now let's get you back to your friends."

With a snap of his fingers I appeared back in the diamond dog crags. I immediately slumped onto the ground as Blue and Doc ran over to me.

"What happened to you?!" Doc cried.

"He told me."

"Told you what, praytell?" Blue asked.

"Everything."
> XII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How much do you know?" Blue asked me. 

"I know why I am here. I know why Celestia knew where I was. I told you, I got told everything."

"And why are you here?" Doc asked.

"Long story short, to be a servant of darkness." if he was drinking anything at that point he would have done a perfect spit take. "No I am not joking."

"That's insane! Why on Equis would you be a servant of darkness?"

"No idea, but hence here I am."

"I want you to tell us EVERYTHING you learnt. And leave nothing out." Blue commanded. 

I did as he said and repeated everything that Discord had told me. I did leave out the fact that he was Q out of respect though. If the way that Blue reacted to Discord earlier I doubt that they would react very well if I told them what Q did before he got sent here. Their faces were both stone cold as I relayed the information. For a moment I thought that they would both try to kill me the moment that I stopped talking.

When I was finished I waited for them to say something. It was a deafening few moments. I knew that I'd they wanted to they could have ended me right there and I couldn't have even hoped to stop them. But it was the Doc that was the first one to speak up. 

"So are we going to finish teaching you how to control yourself or what?" He said with a smirk on his face. We both stared at him dumbfounded. Personally if I just learned that someone who looked totally unlike anything I had ever seen before was brought to my world to bring chaos and death the last thing I would have done is help him do it better.

"Are you mad!" Screamed Blue. "After what he just told us we should turn him over to Celestia and be done with it!" seriously Blue? That seemed a little harsh, not that I blame him.

"Look at Discord, even though he was the biggest threat that Equestria had ever seen he has still reformed." Wait so the biggest threat to their safety just told me that I was chosen to bring despair to those around me and he is reformed? I would have hated to see him in his heyday. "The way I figure is we have a much better shot at making him good if we start now."

"Um you guys know that I can hear you right?"

"Yes." they both responded.

"If you want to give him the tools to bring Equestria to it's knees be my guest. I'm going back to my place. And you are free to come when you are done. You are still considered my responsibility after all." Blue said before stomping off.

We waited until he was out of sight before turning to each other. "He'll be fine right?" I asked.

"Probably just needs to blow off some steam." 

"I hope so. So what now, I don't think we want to try to initiate another one of those darkfire blasts again." He stated chuckling at that again. "And shut it."

"Well Discord called you the magic eater right?" I nodded. "If that is the case then you would more than likely need a way to find large concentrations of magic right?"

"Sorry, why?"

"A bat needs echolocation of find insects. Moss grows to get into the sun. Hawks travel to find more mice to eat. If magic is your prey then you would have been given some way to find it."

"Alright that makes sense. So what of it?"

"Well there must be a way to awaken it. And if we do then it is likely you will gain more control over your powers."

"What do you suggest?"

"Meditation. It opens your perception to other senses besides sight." 

"Have done meditation before Doc?"

"Once or twice, real trippy feeling."

"Alright this is as good as any idea."

I sat on the ground and crossed my legs like they show in most movies and closed my eyes. I sat there for a couple minutes without any real effect before the Doc chimed in. "Try focusing on a mental picture, I found that helps."

Mental picture, alright. I thought about sitting in the ocean up to my shoulders. The waves pushing in and out. The current making me sway. The peace and tranquility that came with it. Time had no relevance. And that it when it started. 

I started to see an outline to some objects nearby. I saw a light blue storm of dust swirl around the area. There was areas that the dust just floated past with no impact. It allowed me to see the entire terrain around me. I also saw the Doc there was a massive influx of energy that flowed around him and his horn. After watching this flow I opened my eyes. It remained. The flow of energy was everywhere. 

I looked around me and saw the energy that flowed into me. And I could release it. I looked sideways and held my hand out. I focused the energy wound me as a torrent of magic flooded into me. And then it released. A blast of darkfire came launching out of my hand. The force blasted a crater into the ground where it hit. That was the good thing. The bad was newtons law.

I got launched into the air a good ten feet before I hit the ground. Good thing the Doc wanted to come along. I don't know how long it was before I could think straight. 

"Comeon James, speak to me!" 

"Fuck newton."



It took a couple moments for me to regain my footing and go at it again. It wasn't to long until I could muster the arcane sight at a moments notice. The darkfire blasts however were much more tricky. I would try to make an outward blast and would be launched into the air. And would try a more localized blast and would be launched into the air. Newton was not my friend. 

I could not have been happier to have the Doc nearby and to have that new healing factor. I swear if I didn't have that healing factor I would probably have two more broken legs. The Doc stopped running over after the fourth try and I even saw him reclining on a beach chair near the end.

Though the time I spent was quite well spent. I might even be able to master it after a few more sessions. 

However I noticed something in the distance. I noticed a large cluster of magical energy approaching and approaching quickly. I was unsure of what was approaching up until it cleared the ridge. When it did I saw Miss Sparkle flying at me. She called out at me before landing. 

She approached me on the ground and said, "Mister Taylor, I need you to come with me."

"What do you need?"

"Princess Celestia would like to speak with you at Canterlot."

"No way, last time I saw her she made me pass out by being in her presence. Last thing I need is to be in the middle of the capital when I pass out."

"Mister Taylor, Celestia has authorized any force to bring you there. Please don't make me do this."

"So she's arresting me. Under what charges?"

"Mister Taylor."

"What, charges?"

"Please!"

"What charges!"

"She didn't say!"

I looked at the Doc and said, "Go back to Ponyville."

"What?"

"This is going to get ugly and I don't want you to get stuck in the crossfire."

"Please don't do this."

"I have no choice, you know what happens to those who Celestia views as a threat. They get sealed away for a thousand years."

"Mister Taylor, please come with me peacefully." 

"I won't."

"James don't do this."

"Go!" 

"You probably should, Doctor Stable, this is not going to be safe for others."

"I am not leaving, I'm going to stay-" Stable said before disappearing in a cloud of purple lights.

"What did you do to him?" 

"Teleported him to Ponyville, where he is safe."

"Thank you. I don't think you would happen to let this go and say I beat you in a fight, would you?"

"No, Celestia needs you at Canterlot and that is where you shall go."

"Pity, I am truly sorry about this."

"Same here."

"Hey Twilight."

"Yeah?"

"Think fast." I said before throwing my hands behind me and releasing a large blast. In theory it should throw me towards her and get me in a good grappling position. Unfortunately I forgot to take into account that she would have faster reactions then me and she dropped out of the sky and landed on the ground. 

I soared past her flailing with grace akin to a lizard in zero gravity. I impacted quite a ways past her and I think that maneuver stupefied her. I was quick to recover when I hit the ground, despite the pain and went for another shot. This time I leaned forward and shot a blast forward at her. Luckily for me she has a much slower reaction time when she is on the ground.

She got hit right in the midriff and tumbled away for a few feet while I got pushed back an equal amount, though I stayed on my feet for once. The darkfire flickered on her few for a few seconds as she stood up weakly. Press the advantage, I thought. I charged towards her and fired a series of smaller blasts that still kept me off balance but allowed me to continue moving. This would probably be a much smarter combat strategy then the large blasts, how did I not figure this put earlier. 

Right when the dark bolts were about to hit her I noticed a flicker around her and she disappeared with a pop. I looked around for her before I noticed the larger shadow hovering over me. Oh yeah, I thought, teleportation and flight. I quickly got hit by a large blast of purple energy from above. Man did that hurt, but at least it was a concussive blast. Twilight is obviously trying to make sure to keep me relatively unscathed. 

I quickly rolled away from where I was and started to zig zag around. Last thing I wanted was for Twilight to hit me with another blast.

"We don't have to do this!"

"Will you let me go if I stop?"

"Celestia still needs you to come with me to Canterlot!"

"Then you know my answer." I switched on my arcane sight momentarily after responding. I hoped that I could see when Twilight was planning to cast something before she did, but I got something better. When I looked at her I saw a huge current of magical energy in an up-current beneath her. That explains the flight, wings act as a magical channeler as allowed to standard lift. I prepared a counter to her by pulpit the magical current away from her and towards me. The energy flowed into me with intense fervor as Twilight lost all lift. 

I aimed a massive blast towards her as her horn lit up. I didn't know what she was planning, but there wasn't any other flux except for the energy around me. If this worked the blast would most definitely make Twilight think twice before they tell me to become arrested without cause. 

However it didn't happen like that. Instead of Twilight launching a blast towards me or teleporting away like I thought she would, she cast a defensive spell. A large pink shield that I had never seen before. The strangest thing though was she cast it on me. When I launched my final darkfire blast it rebounded in the sphere back towards me. The force crushed me. And that is all I remember before I blacked out.
> XIII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13

"Spike! Time to get up!" Twilight yelled up to her assistant in the late morning.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm up." He said as he walked down the stairs. "What time is it?"

"About noon, sleepyhead."

"You let me sleep in for that long? What's the occasion?"

"Figured you would want the sleep when you came back from the hospital. By the way what happened over there, you were kind of out of it."

"Oh nothing much. When I got there his room was totaled-"

"What!?"

"Everyone was fine, just a mishap. Though he did act strange when he found out I was a dragon."

"How so?"

"He kind of bowed before me and treated me like a princess."

"Spike, be careful, we don't want another birthday incident."

"I know Twi, but it was still kind of nice."

"What happened next?"

"Well he opened his letter and asked about Blueblood. Apparently he is going to be living at his house for a while."

"Wait he is going to Canterlot?"

"I don't think so."

"Why Spike?"

"I don't know, but he seemed like he was just going for a stroll around town, not going for a trip to Canterlot."

"But you aren't sure?"

"Twilight, seriously? Are you so untrusting of the guy that you think he is going to lie where he is going to live, even when he has next to no knowledge of Equestria?"

"Maybe, but nopony knows who or what he is. And we have even less of an idea of what he wants."

"Is happiness out of the question?" Spike asked deadpanned. 

"Ha ha, Spike." Twilight sighed and went into the kitchen. "Let's get you something to eat before you get too hungry."

"Thanks Twi."


Twilight started lunch for the two of them almost immediately after. The conversation was light between the two of them. For a while the day was calm inside the library. It was shortly after the meal while they were cleaning up that Blueblood crashed through the door. 

"What in Tartarus is going on here?!" Twilight shouted. 

Blueblood came screaming across the room over to Twilight before grabbing her shoulders and telling her, "I need to write a letter to Celestia."

"What?"

Blueblood pillaged drawers and desks for supplies. "I just found out that Discord told James that he was brought here to be an agent of Decay. Where is a stupid quill around here?"

"Decay? That is just an old myth. There is no way that is true."

"Aha, there we are," as Blueblood pulled a quill and ink pot off of a stand. "Regardless of it being true or not it does explain a lot." He ran over to the other side of the room and whipped a piece of paper off of another desk. "Personally I am more afraid of what will happen if he begins to act on that information." He began furiously writing on the piece of paper he had.

"Oh it can't possibly be as bad as you think it is." Spike interjected. "There is no way that he would want to harm anypony on purpose."

"Discord, the Nightmare, Sombra, Chrysalis, all servants of Decay from what I heard. If he is close to strength to anyone of those he will be a force to be reckoned with." Blueblood argued. He sprinted over to Spike and shoved the letter in his face. "Send this, now."

"Why should I?" Spike said hostilely. 

"Spike, listen to Blueblood." Twilight said calmly.

"Really? You want me to send you a letter now?"

"Correct."

"Fine, under one condition. You apologize to Rarity."

"Who?"

"The purple maned unicorn at the gala from a couple years back."

"And why would I?"

"Because you want to send this letter, and I won't until you agree to apologize."

"Spike!"

"I don't think James is a threat, but you do and you need to let Celestia know. And I will not send this letter until you agree to my terms."

"Fine, fine, just send the bloody letter." At that moment Spike blew his flames and sent the letter to Celestia.

"Done." 

"So how long do you think it will take for a reply?" Blueblood asked.

"Typically takes a few minutes." Twilight responded.

"So when are you apologizing to Rarity?" Spike said with a smirk. 

"Soon...?" Blueblood trailed off in response. 

"Spike seriously, not even going to wait a moment?"

"Well I don't see what the big deal is."

BRUUP!

A scroll dropped out of the air onto the ground. Before anyone else could grab it Blueblood had already opened it and was reading.

"So what does it say?" Twilight wondered. 

Blueblood's face dropped as he hovered the letter over to Twilight. "It's for you."

Dear Princess Twilight,

In response to this new information that Blueblood has no doubt transposed to you, I request that you attempt to bring James Taylor to Canterlot so I can speak with him. I leave the specifics up to you as Princess. I do however hope that you bring him with all due haste. Further more please bring Prince Blueblood with you on your return to Canterlot.

Princess Celestia,

"Blueblood, where was he?" Twilight asked when she finished reading the letter.

"He was by the diamond dog crags, when I left at least."

"Alright, I want you to stay here with Spike until I return."

"Why on Equis?" Blueblood responded.

"Because when I get back we are going directly to Canterlot. All of us." Twilight said before heading out the door and flying off.

It was a stressful hour that the dragon and unicorn were waiting. Spike could not stop pacing about what was going to happen. He had never liked it when something went on that he couldn't help with, but even worse when he was a burden. Blueblood on the other hand was sitting on a couch looking down. He was not sure of what he started and was afraid that he would end up paying the price. But it was his job to keep an eye on James and to report back to Celestia and this was what he was supposed to do.

After that time Twilight came back through the door carrying a limp body of James over her back. "Alright everypony grab your stuff, we are heading out."

Spike ran over to Twilight and looked at James, "By Faust, is he dead?"

"Spike language! And no he is just knocked out. Though I do need to keep casting a sleeping spell to make sure he stays that way."

Spike looked down at Twilight's side and saw a large bruise on one side and lots of scratches on the other. "Twilight! Are you okay? What happened?"

Twilight's horn lit up as it pushed Spike back a little while she responded. "I'll be fine just some scratches. Now hurry up we need to get a move on." 

"Princess, with all due respect, would it not be wiser to stay and rest, leaving him with me then it would be to over exert yourself bringing him to Canterlot?" Blueblood said as Twilight made her way to the door with James in tow. 

"Can you cast a sleeping spell on him to make sure that the train doesn't explode when he wakes up?"

"No?"

"Then let's go."

"What about me, Twi?" 

"You are coming too Spike."

The three of them made their way to the train station for Ponyville with little opposition. There was however a tan stallion with an hourglass cutiemark that shook his head in disappointment when they passed. When they got to the train station they did have a bit of a glitch in their plan.

"I am not allowing you on to this train with an unconscious beast on your back. No way, no how." The conductor argued when the three approached.

"Sir, please, do you even know who we are?" Blueblood commented pointing his hoof between him and Twilight.

"Don't know, don't care. If you have business in Canterlot and you want to bring this bloke along, you will need a royal order."

"Um...?" Blueblood wondered while looking at Twilight. "Sir, do you have any visual impairments per chance?"

"Nope, perfect vision. I get it checked every year too."

"That would be my fault," Twilight whispered to Blueblood, "I have an enchantment that prevents people from noticing my wings if they have not been made aware that I ascended."

"Why would you do that?" Blueblood asked in a matching volume. 

"I don't want to be worshiped at my every step, and this allows for those who do know not to think I am hiding anything."

"That is... Actually a good idea, but do you mind dropping it for a while?"

"It would take me far to long to reactivate the spell afterwards."

Spike sighed while rubbing the bridge of his nose and said, "Fine, I'll take care of this." He then stepped forward towards the conductor. "Good afternoon, sir. I believe we may have a bit of a misunderstanding."

"Oh really?"

"Oh yes. You see I am Spike the dragon, godson of Princess Celestia and personal assistant for the newest ascending Princess."

"So?" 

"Wow, he's dense." Blueblood whispered to Twilight.

"I'm more questioning how Spike learnt to talk like this." Twilight responded. 

Spike was completely ignoring them and continued talking to the conductor. "Well you see, I doubt that either of them would take very kindly to me being delayed in my attempt to bring this being to Canterlot by their request."

"Um..."

"So if you don't want to explain to two princesses why they had to wait, I suggest you let us pass." Spike beckoned the ponies behind him to follow. With a bit of apprehension they followed and the conductor let them past, though he definitely showed regret on his part.

After they arrived at the station platform and boarded the train for Canterlot, they sat down and started to relax.

"See, wasn't that hard." Spike said after reclining on a bench. "And you guys thought that he wouldn't let us by."

"Well, we still had several options if he continued to disagree with letting us by." Blueblood retorted, standing closer to a window. The train had yet to leave the station so needing to be safely secured was less vital.

"Blueblood, how can you say that? He was just doing his job." Twilight chastised. Twilight was sitting on a pair of conjoined benches with James slumped beside her. 

"Doing your job still doesn't condone ignorance."

"Speaking of which, how did you learn to talk like that? I doubt Celestia would have taught you that." Twilight directed towards Spike.

"From Blueblood a few years ago." Spike said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Twilight exclaimed. Blueblood began to fidget and become anxious at this line of questioning.

"You didn't think that I spent all my time with you, Shining, and Celestia, did you?"

Blueblood began to blush furiously as Twilight began to glare at him. He began to slink away before Twilight grabbed him in a telekinetic field. "What did you teach Spike?"

"ALL ABOARD!" the conductor cried, interrupting the interrogation.

"Ughh..." James mumbled and began to wake. The trio leaped back in shock and Twilight's horn began to light up with a spell.

"What are you doing?!" Spike objected while jumping in front of James.

"Putting a sleep spell on him again. There is no way that I am letting him loose in this car!"

"I would have to agree with Miss Sparkle-"

"Thank you."

"-here. But is there not another spell you could use."

"Yeah this must be doing something to him if you keep putting the same spell on him."

James groaned again and appeared to be almost awake, but he rolled over and appeared to be going back to sleep.

"Um... Twi?"

"Not me."

"Blueblood?"

"Not at all."

"So no need for the spell then?"

"I guess so." Twilight finished.

"I'm going to need you guys to leave the car though." Spike commanded.

"WHAT?" Twilight and Blueblood questioned in unison.

Spike began by shaking his claws in front of himself in defense before completing. "Listen, if he wakes up with either of you in the room he will most likely freek out and attack. If I am in the room, maybe I can calm him down and we can avoid this train exploding."

"Since when did you become such a diplomat?" Twilight asked.

"Around the time that I needed to keep track of the CMC, or when you flipped out about that letter. Don't know honestly, but the fact remains that you guys need to get out of this car."

Twilight leaned over to Spike and gave him a hug. "Alright I trust your judgement, but don't be afraid to call out if you need any help." Twilight released the hug slowly before turning to Blueblood and saying, "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Be careful." Blue said before following Twilight out of the car.

Left to his own devices Spike began by adjusting James into a more comfortable position. He was quite heavy in compared to Spike, but he had lifted heavier. James was moved from being slumped over the bench to lying down it with his feet off the end. 

It was about an hour later that James awoke on the train. 
> XIV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was early evening when I awoke.

Again. 

I really got to stop passing out all the time.

I woke when the sun in the west got low enough to glare directly into my eyes. I rolled over to get out of the sun and proceeded to roll off of the bench. When I finally got my brain to stop rattling around in my head, I got to look around at my surroundings. I knew that I was moving, and saw a large compartment that was empty of people besides me and Spike. He was looking at me and approaching when I was looking around.

"Hey, Spike, where am I?"

"You are on a train to Canterlot." He must of seen me look like I was about to leap out of the window because he waved his arms about and yelled, "Wait, it's okay."

"What on earth do you mean? Where the heck is Twilight?" I am not sure if I was scared or angry at her. He sat down beside me and took a moment to explain.

"Twilight is in the next car over. I figured that you would want her to be away from you when you woke up."

"That is Twilight, but what about me heading to Canterlot? When I get there chances are that Her Majesty Princess Celestia will hit me with the elements of harmony and lock me up for a thousand years."

"Well I doubt that, Celestia is a lot more reasonable than that. I don't think that she would condemn you without at least a trial."

"Did Discord get a trial? Chrysalis? Sombra. Nightmare Moon?"

"What do those guys have to do with this?"

"I am like them! We were all taken from another world and told to do evil!"

"Well, Discord got redeemed by Fluttershy." 

"Who?"

"Element of Kindness."

"Ah."

"Chrysalis invaded Canterlot and foalnapped a princess and her groom. Kind of a shut book on that. Sombra was attacking the elements of harmony, enslaving his people, and attempting to steal a magical artifact from the crystal empire. And Nightmare Moon was trying to freeze the planet by not allowing anyone to have access to the sun. So all in all I doubt you are actually anything close to them."

"Really? They were all huge villains weren't they."

"Huge villains."

"Well, now this is still kind of awkward. As far as black and whites go I am still a force of evil, you know that."

"No you aren't. Trust me, I have met evil. You are not evil."

"Some people are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them."

"What does that have to do with anything? It sounds like you just want to change the topic."

"I do."

"Well what do you want to talk about, we have a few hours left."

"Is there any chance of this train allowing me to go back without having to talk to the Princess?"

"I doubt it."

"So you're saying there's a chance?" Spike just leveled a deadpan look towards me, "or not."

"I don't see why you are so afraid of her, she is just a princess."

"Well look at it this way, you have a being that is more powerful that the rest of her race which themselves are all incredibly powerful, who can move the sun with a thought and you are wondering why she is a little intimidating?"

"Even that said, she has no reason to due harm to you. You have done nothing wrong."

"Have I though? I attacked a princess who was also her personal protégé after resisting being brought to her by royal command. In my home that would have been treason, high treason at that."

"So?"

"So? Do you know what the punishment for high treason is?"

"What?"

"Death." Spike's face blanched at that statement. I could watch as his posture deteriorated at an alarming pace. His knees buckled and he looked like someone had hit him with a sick stick.

"But there is no way she can..."

"She could, and she might."

"But there is no way she could justify it! No pony would let her go through with it."

"Who could stop her?"

"But what about the media?"

"What about them, an unknown being enters a small town close to Canterlot from who knows where, attacks and almost incapacitate the country's newest princess. This princess happened to be the only thing standing between the population and ruination on multiple occasions. And this being, is on the same power level as the causes of said ruination. There is no way that the press would vilify her, hell, they would probably commemorate her."

Spike slumped onto the ground and sat there staring at the floor. Everything in the room came to a silence after I finished talking. And Spike seemed to have been hit with a taser. He just stayed, unmoving for entire minutes. 

After a little while we heard knocking on the door to the car, "Hey Spike, you okay?" 

He moved slowly, looking at the door before standing and saying, "In here." 

Twilight opened the door to the car before slowly walking in with apprehension. "Is everything okay in here? It got awfully quiet for a while."

Spike spoke before I could. "It's okay, but you two need to talk. I'll be in the next car with the others." he said before walking past Twilight. "And be easy with him, please."

There was silence between us after Spike left the room. We walked up to each other and sat down on the benches beside each other. When either of us made a move the other would almost flinch away. And neither of us would even begin to try to make eye contact with one another. 

"Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"I'm scared." Those words coming out of my mouth surprised me slightly, mostly that I would just say it so simply. No metaphors. No snark. No depressing tangents. Just when out and said it. 

"What are you scared of?"

"Everything. I'm scared I will never see my family again. I'm scared I will hurt those that I care about. I'm scared that this will be my last day alive." I leaned forward and stared at my hands. "I never asked for this. I never wanted this. I used to be an average guy. Would go to work, hang out with my friends, read books, and just enjoy life. But no, that was too simple. Instead I had to be picked and dropped in a world that I knew nothing about, and knew nobody in. 

"And I get incredible powers which I would normally enjoy massively, if it weren't for the fact I have next to no control over it. What happens if I lose control. I already decimated a hospital room. If fiction was anything to go by then I'll just get stronger over time."

"Don't worry, it'll just get better." she said laying a hoof on my shoulder. "Trust me on this."

"How can I believe that? You never went through this. What happens if ten, twenty, fifty years pass and I lose control then? I could level a building, a block, or even an entire town!"

"I do know what you are going through."

"How? How can you possibly know what I am going through?"

"Because the day I met Celestia, I had a magical flareup. I unleashed so much magic that I turned my parents into potted plants and made spike thirty stories tall. If Celestia didn't intervene I may have leveled the capital by the time I was finished. I locked myself in my room for weeks after that, worried I was going to hurt somepony. It became so bad they had to have ponies teleport food into my room so I wouldn't starve myself."

"Have you ever had another outburst like that."

"Nowhere close to as bad."

Silence reigned again as we sat there. We both absorbed what the other had opened up to the other. Our closest moment was about how little control we had.

"What is Celestia going to do to me?" 

"I don't know, I'm sorry."

The rest of the ride was in silence. Twilight left about an hour after our conversation and I didn't talk to anyone else while the train was in motion.

We reached Canterlot at round eight in the evening. When the train reached the station there was a group of guards waiting there for us ready to chain my up and carry me off. Twilight flagged them down and instead she and Spike flanked me while waking with the guards staying a good step back from them. The guards were close enough to step in if it was necessary, but they made sure to give me my space.

The walk through the capital was a nice and long one. If I was being sent to my death it was nice to know that I could stretch my legs first at the very least. The atmosphere was nice though monotone. You could most definitely tell that this was the business capital. Most ponies on the street would be wearing high class dresses or suits. I most definitely saw a large number of both monocles and top hats on ponies as I walked by. They did give me long series of bad looks, but screw them.

Approaching the castle was a sight to behold. The magnificently tall spires. The bright brickwork. It was gorgeous. I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to be able to enjoy the castle as I was rushed into the primary court chamber.

There was a large number of nobles and guards stationed in the chamber. The chamber was large and mostly empty except for a gigantic throne on the opposite end. On it sat Princess Celestia whom immediately noticed out arrival. On that moment she stood from her throne gathering the attention of everyone in the court. 

"I apologize to you all for the interruption, but it appears that a prior engagement has arrived and must ask everypony else to leave for now. I will be back to assist tomorrow in all your issues. Again I apologize." It didn't take very long before it was just Celestia, me, Twilight, Spike, and Blueblood. Wait, when did he get here?

Celestia approached us after descending from the throne. I got very uncomfortable from her magic aura, but it was nowhere close to as when we first saw each other, and she made sure to stay a fair but farther away from me then one usually would. "I am sorry, but I need to ask you three to also leave. I wish to talk to James alone." I could watch all three of them begin to protest before Celestia shut them down. "Please do not argue, my little ponies." the three of them looked like they were trying to come up with something before looking at the level stare that Celestia gave before walking out of the chamber.

"Now, I must apologize for Princess Twilight's behavior, Prince Taylor."

"Well that's okay I kind of... wait what?"
> XV
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Prince?!"

"Yes, are you surprised?"

"Yes! Why would you expect otherwise!" I was pacing at this point. Here I was expecting to be put into prison for the rest of my life if I was lucky, killed if I wasn't.

"I heard you were smart so I believed that you would be able to put the pieces together yourself."

I thought for a few moments about what had transpired before before coming up with the answer. "I don't have much of a choice about this do I?"

"Not particularly, I'm afraid."

I sighed and slumped my head in defeat. "At least tell me there is a good tailor I can get a suit from first."

"Pardon?"

"I want to at least look good before our wedding."

She looked at me in shock. As her disbelief fell off of her face I could see it being replaced. Her eyes lit up, her mouth turned upwards in a smile and her head tipped forward before some sound escaped from her. I tipped in closer to try and hear what she was saying. As I approached her voice became more defined but remained unclear. It wasn't until I was a couple of feet away from her that I understood what she was doing. She was laughing. "What the hell are you laughing about?!" I was a little upset that she would be so willing to laugh a out something as serious as a forced wedding.

The laughing quieted as her face turned back up to look at me. Then the smile dropped off of her face suddenly. "Pardon me, I am a mite unclear of your language idioms, but are you serious?"

"Yes..." I began to feel like an utter fool as I realized that I must have massively missinterpreted what was going on. 

"If I may ask, why did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, your protégé first told you about me, in which you followed it up with sending your nephew to examine your suitor and have them live together for prolonged exposure. And when you had him talk to a literal god you found that he was close to your power."

"Well it couldn't be that..."

"And lastly you sent your protégé, who I am assuming is akin to a daughter for you, to bring him to your home. I doubt you would have said why to anyone why you wanted me here after all that would be a little awkward if you found that the groom was the last person to know about the proposal. And when he got here, you pushed literally everyone else out of the room so you could be together with him and then told him he was a prince."

She looked at me with a small amount of mirth, "Well, worst case scenario person, aren't you?"

I crossed my arms at her and said, "Lady, I just spent the entire train ride over thinking you would kill me when you I got here just for me existing."

"In that case you will probably be wanting some kind of explanation." she said before walking past me and out of the room. When the doors parted I looked at the others right outside looking at us. I couldn't read Blueblood but I could tell that Twilight had a look of relief and Spike a look of self satisfaction. "I would appreciate it if you all would enjoy the rest of your evening while I am with James and meet in the dining hall tomorrow for breakfast." I took the hint and quickly followed her while the others stayed where they were standing. 

We walked around the castle with bows by most of the staff wherever we went. There were a few who didn't notice our presence or didn't change their position like the guards and they did nothing at out passing. The rest gave quick "hey"s and nods at our passing in which the princess gave responds in kind. I could tell that these were those that either lived in the castle so the princess was just another resident or they had worked there longer than most and had built a friendly rapport with the princess.

After a few corners turned I became anxious again and turned towards Celestia. "Are you going to explain what is going on?"

She remained looking directly ahead and her mouth remained shut for several moments. That did not help my unease. I was about to ask again thinking that she didn't hear me before finally speaking. "In order for you to understand there must be something I need to show you first."

"And what would that be?"

"The past."

The rest of the walk was in silence as we descended deep into the castle. I have no idea how deep, but if I were to guess then we would have been close to the center of the mountain. The path down was lined with torches that were lit by Celestia as we approached them. The entire passage was carved in a dark stone that dripped water. It was wide enough that if Celestia were to open her wings to fly she could, but just barely. For the typical pony, like the guards above, I felt like two could stand side by side and it would just be a tight fit. 

We came to a widened section of the tunnel some way in. The chamber was large and smooth with dozens of ancient armour sets filling the room. They were large and bulky, but left almost no gaps or weak points throughout them. They also were coloured a dark purple that would stand more unnoticeable in the dark. The armours stood on individual platforms with a pool of liquid surrounding them all. It was the same liquids that dripped from the walls and had a mild purple colour to it. The other side of the cavern came narrowed again and there was a door a dozen or so meters down the hallway.

"The ancient sentry. Do you like how they look."

"Seem sort of useless down here, don't they?" She laughed at that retort. "What?"

"Useless are they?" She said standing in the center of the chamber. "Attention!" She shouted. At that moment all the armours had sprung up into a military attention position. The eyes of the armour glowed with blue flames and they each summoned a scimitar of blue fire to be held by some unseen force before them. "At ease." With that all the armours went back to their old standing positions.

"What was that?"

"The ancient sentry, a small army of magically animated armours. They guard this chamber for all time and will never break down from age."

"But what is so important that you have something like this here in the first place?"

"It is right over there." She responded while walking to the other side of the room. I was slightly more hesitant about walking through this cavern now that I knew what the armour was, but if I wanted answers I would need to go along with her.

She stopped a few moments later at a large stone door. It was carved with a sun and moon design at it's center with a hole at the center of that. There was remnants of colour left, suggesting that it used to have a more intricate design, but all  most of the colouring had been faded off so that the previous design was unable to be deciphered.

"I assume that Discord had informed you of our eternal nature?" she said before turning towards me.

"Yes...? What of it?"

"In the past we, my sister and I, had fought many foes that Decay had sent towards us. But there was no way to remove the person of issue. In turn we had discovered ways that allowed us to remove the power of the beings that threatened my little ponies. This then allowed us to much more easily deal with Equestia's threats."

"Are you going to do the same to me?"

"No, not if we do not have to. But you do have to understand what had come in the past." She leaned over to the door and stuck her horn in. The door lit up to this and began to open. Behind it was another large chamber. This chamber was lined in metal and held items on pedestals. A blue light lit the chamber from lines of magical origin. At the center of the chamber was a large vat of a purple liquid with tubes leading put of it. "I welcome you to the Vault."
> XVI
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I welcome you to the Vault."

I looked around the new room before getting significantly freaked out. The room was very intimidating, and while Celestia did call me a prince, she could have simply been doing that to lure me down there. I began to back away hoping to sneak out before she noticed. She did.

"Please, Prince Taylor, stay. I know you do not have much reason to trust me, but please understand that I brought you here for a reason." she said to me while facing me. I could see in her eyes a sense of softness as if she was trying to connect.

"I don't have a reason to trust you. You haven't told me anything, you had your student kidnap me, and now you brought me to the center of the mountain where it is being guarded by automatons with magic. I'm sorry, but when the god of chaos is more trustworthy than you there is something wrong."

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. Several moments passed before she opened them again and responded to me. "I'm sorry that I haven't given you many reasons to trust me, but you needed context for the reasons behind my actions. That is why I brought you here."

"You brought me a mile into a mountain, for context?!"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Same reason that Doctor Stable told you about his theories about your condition before treating you at all. It is so you can better come to grips with what this is all about."

I thought about that. It made sense, I didn't understand where my power came from and I was scared of it. I got explained about how it worked and I was willing to learn to control it. I didn't know if I was sane here and was told that I was in an alternate universe and I learned to accept this new world. Maybe her giving me context now will bring acceptance to something else. "Alright, I am ready to have you tell me what you needed."

"Thank you. How many people did Discord tell you of them being agents of Decay?"

"Him, me, Death, and Sombra. And I got told of Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis by Spike."

Something about that seemed to have struck a nerve with Celestia, though she quickly recomposed herself. "Those have been the largest players of Decays work for certain, though there have been others. A couple of them had been The Smooze and a Lord of Time."

"Wait, the Doctor is an agent of Decay? But he was the protagonist!"

"Indeed he was brought here to be an agent of Decay, but he had been lying low since he got here and quieter still after we acquired his mode of transportation."

"You stole his TaRDiS?"

"We collected it and he made no major moves to reclaim it. We took that as it was not a major point of contention for him."

"Unless he didn't know you had it. So I hope you don't mind but I will be telling him such when I see him next."

"I won't dispute that. Not yet at least." Shudder. "Besides the Smooze, there are two things that they all have in common. Do you know what they are?"

I paused for a moment. "Well one is that they are all powerful, I would guess."

"Correct."

"But I am not sure what the other is."

"They are all masters of others from one time or another."

"Excuse me, could you paraphrase."

"They were all kings."

"Wait, no that can't be."

"Why not?"

"The Doctor is no king."

"But he had married a queen in his time and why would he call himself a Time LORD."

"Well what about the Smooze as you called him. If he didn't fall under this branch there has to be more exceptions!"

"The Smooze was a mindless form that absorbed magic and grew from it. In fact it is a sterilized form of it that protects these chambers."

"Are you saying that that purple liquid dripping from the walls is an agent of Decay?"

"A form of it to prevent it from growing and spreading."

"What of Discord? I don't think that he would ever be king material."

"He controlled Equestria before my sister and I were able to reoverthrow him."

"Death?"

"Lord of the Dead."

"Nightmare Moon?!"

She stopped and looked away from me. Something about Nightmare Moon was most definitely a point of contention when it comes to Celestia. However it was not a look of anger or hate, but one of shame. "Celestia?" I asked her. I did not want her to completely shut down on me here, not when she was in the middle of explaining things. I still needed to know what is going on here.

She sighed and responded to me. "Nightmare moon... was my sister. After the fall of Discord, my sister and I were placed into power. We had to have one of us awake at any point in time out of fear that we would be under attack again. To achieve this we each took half of the day under our control, I the day and her the night. As time passed with me being the pony in charge of the time all others were awake, they began to favor me over my sister."

She walked over to one of the pedestals. Inside it was a dark indigo metal with wisps of smoke coming off of it. "This created a divide between us and she became resentful. She became more and more secluded then she already was. One day she refused to lower the moon and I worried for her. I felt like some time would allow her to calm down so I let her be. A day had passed and she still refused to lower the moon, so I confronted her. I begged her to lower the moon and she refused saying 'There shall only be one princess in Equestria.' It was immediately then that she had given herself to a dark force and changed her into Nightmare Moon.

"I thought that she had become mad, and tried to reason with her, but she became violent and attacked me. While in the past I could have overpowered her easily, I was not a match for her that day. I had to resort to the elements of harmony, something that we had only used in the past together. I was so ashamed that I had to use them that I abandoned that castle and moved here. From the sight where great good resided with the Tree of Harmony, to here, the Vault."

"But that still doesn't explain why you called me prince or brought me down here."

"While I had moved the castle here, I refused to enter the Vault out of my shame. I had hoped that, like I had done in the past, of there was more rulers, we could be better interconnected. Able to take the slack of others when family or friends called."

"But you are still arch-princess."

"I had tried even ruling, and things more often then not ended in a stalemate of ideals. While I control the day to day goings of Equestria, the other rulers could easily supersede me."

"And the vault?"

"If what Discord had told me is correct, you will gain a much better understanding of magic than anyone, Princess Twilight included. There is great power resides here, and I hope that you can help us all understand it."

> XVII
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is too much."

"Excuse me?"

"First off, what the hell are you thinking."

"I am thinking that you would be a great asset to divulge these mysteries."

"And I think you are an idiot and put far too much trust into others."

Celestia stood facing me shocked. Hell I was shocked too, I just called one of the most powerful beings on the planet an idiot.

"What makes you say that?"

"How about the fact that you handed a guy who could be trying to kill you a loaded gun and asked him to tell you how it worked!"

"A gun?"

"Very powerful weapon from home. Do you have crossbows here?"

"Yes."

"Think that but it sends the bolt about three times as fast. And the bolt is as large as a peanut."

"Ah. Well your analogy does make sense, but the reason why I am giving this to you is because I trust you."

"Why in the world would you trust me?"

"I have been around for millennia. That makes you a very good judge of character."

"What about your sister?"

"Don't. Please."

"You trusted her and she turned into Nightmare Moon. Don't you think that you may not be the best judge of character?"

"And you think I do not remind myself of that every day? I let her down."

"And now you want to put the most powerful artifacts in the world into my possession? That's mad, and you know it."

"I want to gain an understanding of these forces. You are the best anchor I can see."

"Do you still not believe just how crazy this is? Fine." I walked over to one of the pedestals that held ribbons of a indigo metal. The metal continuously gave of wisps of a faint smoke. "What is this one?"

"The armour of Nightmare Moon."

"I assume that this probably made it very difficult to hurt her, magically or otherwise." A nod in response. "Imagine me being outfitted with such a thing. Not only massively destructive magics, but nigh invulnerability to boot. And this one?" I said while walking towards a slightly curved and red spike.

"The horn of Sombra."

"Ah, a massive power booster I would assume. This would likely make my powers something near unmatchable just by holding it, let alone if I found out its greater secrets. With just two of these things, the armour," I said pointing to the shreds, "and the horn," while slapping my hand on the case I could..."

I found myself in an endless while void. The only things in the void were a chess table and two figures of smoke sitting on either side of it. One was mostly shapeless, indigo coloured and had some motes of light floating through it to five it the appearance of the night sky. The other was a pure black but had a fully formed head that looked a lot like a pony. I could hear them talking, but I could not tell what they were saying.

I only had to approach them slightly before I got their attention. The indigo one spoke with a velvety feminine voice towards me. "It appears as though we have a visitor after all this time."

The black form condensed into a full pony in response to that. His coat was a dark grey with a grey crystal cutie mark. His eyes were a combination of red irises and the whites were colored green. He responded with a heavy and firm voice, like stern teacher or father. "If you recall this is my mindscape."

"Your point?" She replied.

"He is my visitor."

"And?"

"Begone, I wish to talk alone."

"What if I want to talk to him? Are you going to send me away after all this time."

"Yes."

"You dare-"

"Begone!" With a wave of his hoof the indigo being dispersed into a thin smoke before disappearing all together. With another wave of his hoof a large chair appeared on the other side of the table where the other was momentarily ago. "Please forgive my... compatriot. Why don't you take a seat."

I wearily took a seat in the new chair. It was soft and almost went to the point that I barely noticed it. "Excuse me, but what happened?"

"Oh, I just disconnected ourselves from her. With no connection she reverted back to her own place."

"While that is helpful, I was wondering a bit more about where we are."

He looked at me with the same level look, but stalled a bit before responding. "Tell me, do you know who I am?"

"Um..."

"Nothing, child?"

"Not particularly, no"

That made him smile. It was a smile of unbelievability and mirth. The kind that an older sibling might give you when they realized you forgot something crucial. "I am the once king Sombra."

Now I wanted to keep looking at him with well reserved reactions. But, instead I leapt backwards falling out of my chair. Sombra absolutely guffawed at my reaction almost falling out of the chair himself. He composed himself quickly, however, and when I looked at him the chair in front of me was standing back upright. "It's alright, you can take a seat, I won't hurt you."

I did not want to sit back down in front of him. While I did not know a lot about Sombra, I knew that he was major bad news. "Why should I trust you on that? You are supposed to be dead at this point."

"Not dead, merely... indisposed. And besides, you are the first being I have talked to in millennia besides the Nightmare. It would hardly be befitting of me to refuse hospitality even if I were capable of harming you in this situation."

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Regardless, I have spoken the truth in this matter."

I slid the chair back a bit further than it was before sitting in it. If things did get hairy I would want that split second of reaction time. "I noticed you only called yourself once being a king."

"Indeed. I currently hold no stakes in any sort of land, it would be false to call myself a lord, let alone a king. I guess I could call myself a prince, but that just makes me think of a whiney blond twat."

"Blueblood?"

"Who?"

"Never mind."

"It's fine. Though I have a question for you."

"Yes?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, James Taylor."

"While that is probably correct, that is not what I asked you."

"I'm sorry?"

"Names are relatively meaningless without any past knowledge of a person. You could have said 'Fibbity Wibbity' for all the relevance it has. So I ask you again, who are you?"

It took me a moment to think about what he was referring to. "A victim of Decay."

"I gathered that, though your use of the term victim gives me the interpretation that you too do not like your situation. But, one last time. Who. Are. You?"

"I am the Magic Eater."

"Ahh... so that is it." He said sliding back into his chair. I could have sworn he would be stroking a cat if he could. "I feel like we are quite lucky to have met each other."

"Why do you say that?"

"For what is to come."

"What is coming?"

"Darkness. Deep, all consuming darkness."

"Dramatic much?" I said chuckling.

What? He laughed at me earlier.

"This is no laughing matter. You will need help if we are to survive. And to do that we will need time. I may be locked here, but that needs to change."

"You just want to escape!" I yelled standing up.

"You do not understand!" He called out in a far more booming voice. His hooves slammed on the table in front of him. "There are reasons that I took up shop in the crystal empire! If you want my help you would be wise to take it. But, even then heed my warning. This great darkness will consume everything. If there is not cooperation between us all." He waved his hoof and said, "Begone." and I found myself back inside the Vault.