Okay, a little explanation needed. Apparently, I can't keep to the First Person View for too long. So, when I do this:
-(Name)-
Then the scene is following that pony. If it says it's following Shadow Blaze, it'll be in First Person View. Otherwise, it'll probably be best to assume that it's third person.
DISCLAIMER: I only own Shadow Blaze. Although he may disagree with me on that... Can you own yourself without written proof of sale, or even a receipt?
Chapter 7
It was nighttime, and I sighed at the small amount of destruction. None of the buildings were harmed. That wasn't the problem.
Okay, let's back up a bit. This morning, Trixie showed up in Ponyville. I was late to the show, but managed to see Trixie call out everyone. Looking at Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all in various states of distress, I chuckled at bit. I didn't answer the challenge, but I heard Spike beg Twilight to do something.
I don't remember what she said in the show, but the only thing I got out of her was 'Not worth it', mainly because I saw that Trixie was staring at me, her face barely showing shock. She hid it well, but she couldn't hide it from me. I barely noticed Luna walk up to me, and then she gaped. "Princess Luna?!"
That was the first bit of genuine surprise from her. Several stared at her, then at Luna, who just looked around. "What?" was all she said.
Trixie just walked up to Luna, and the two just stared at each other for a full ten minutes in silence. There were three nearby Guards watching, ready to strike. Four Pegasi, Pinkie Pie, and three Unicorns outside the Guard were also ready to strike.
Trixie just stared before turning to the crowd. "That's all I can give you today, everyone. I apologize for the shorter than usual show, but this is a bit more important." She then turned to Luna. "Your Majesty, I would like to speak you in private, if I may. It is... personal, but involves you indirectly."
"I would at least want my personal Bodyguard to be nearby, just in case." Luna answered.
"Considering what happened last week, I don't blame you." Trixie replied. She looked at me directly. "Burning Clover says hi, by the way." And that lead to the three of us heading to a more secure location, which didn't really seem like it. A clearing that was about 30 feet wide.
"Princess Luna, I am honored to finally meet you. My name is Beatrice Lulamoon. Trixie is my stage name, and all most ponies know me as. I had heard of your return through rumors the last two weeks. I was hoping you were still here in Ponyville. I wouldn't be here for another 4 days or so, since I skipped a town to get here." Trixie started.
"The honor is mine, Miss. Lulamoon. Although, it escapes me as to why you skip a scheduled stop to see me here." Luna admitted. "May I ask why?"
Trixie, however, sighed. "The reason is... difficult to understand. Before you were supposedly unsealed, I was traveling alone, and had to set up a few wards at night. Several of them, however, never showed up as the original color. They were always a bright silver, and it confused me. They were normal under the Day sky and the Sun, but at night, which is the only time I actually needed them, they were also that silver color. I know the Nightmare Night legend, and I was wondering if you were somehow involved, either of you."
"Nightmare Night?" Luna looked at me in askance. I raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
"Formerly called Fall Harvest's Eve, Nightmare Night was introduced in order to get the foals out at night, and have some fun. It's based more around Nightmare Moon, and having fun while getting scared, and it's more or less a success. When you consider my presence in Ponyville, the fact that Nimmy showed up on the Summer Sun Celebration probably didn't register as a Mistake to the Ponies in town, since, and I'm guessing on this one, no one said you were a few months too early."
"They didn't, and now I'm seeing why. I'd like an in depth description later, though." She looked at Trixie. "If you would perform one of those wards, I would like to examine it. I am still recovering, I'll admit, although I am likely better than most would believe." That's an understatement.
Between me and Twilight, Luna's magical and physical recovery has practically shot through the roof. What should've taken about 10 weeks, 3 of which were me alone, she managed the other 7 weeks in less than one thanks to Twilight.
Also, thank Soa for Moondancer. Twilight stressed the breaks, each one 30 minutes long. "Also, if I cannot tell you why, I am certain that Shadow Blaze here can." I blinked, before giving Luna a deadpanned stare.
"You just love using me as a guinea pig, don't you?" I stated, my voice matching my look.
"Right now, your senses are far more refined than mine ever were, at a range that is twice that of my own currently." Luna countered. "If you cannot find it, then I have no hope."
I chuckled, and looked at Trixie. "Cast the ward, and let's see what we're dealing with here."
Trixie just stared, before shaking her head. Her horn glowed a pale blue with flecks of silver.
A Silver that both of us recognized. My senses confirmed this, and she cast the spell. The spell was a simple Monitoring Ward. Nothing to repel anyone, pony or no, but with the way it's powered, it's probably more of a trick than anything else. "This is it."
Luna stared a bit, before staring at me. "Did you pass on the Lunar Spellbook to anypony else and didn't tell me?"
"No, only Vinyl and Octavia." I stared at Trixie, who looked confused. "I'm about as surprised as you on this one."
"Lunar Spellbook?"
"Spells directly aligned with the Moon, and powered by it." I looked Trixie in the eyes. "I'll be honest with you, Bea. You mind if I call you that?" I paused for her nod. "Listen, Bea. The ward you use is a normal ward. However, it's not the spell that's causing the Change. It's your own magic."
"You were touched by the Moon some time ago, and I am unsure as to why." Luna admitted.
"I see. Well, this is better than I expected, though not as much as I hoped." Bea sighed. "Thanks for the help, I guess."
"Not so fast, Bea." I started. I have a few ideas that might help. "We may not know the answer, but I'm aware of a few that might shed some light on the situation." Luna and Bea stared at me.
Luna shook her head. "For some reason, this doesn't surprise me. You always seem to have an answer, Blaze."
I glanced at Luna. "I don't have the actual answer, just some really good guesses." I looked back Bea. "Bea, one of them is an Enhanced version of the Genealogy Spell. I can't cast it, but I do know someone who can. Of course, if you can trace your family line back to before Luna left Equestria after Nightmare Moon, then it might not be a problem."
"You believe she is descended from me?" Luna asked, slightly surprised.
I hummed. "It's possible. With your return, her Magic may be trying to absorb the Moon's Natural Energy in the air, seeing as it's no longer tainted." I looked at Bea, who shook her head.
"I don't know anything about my family. Both my parents died when I was young. Most of my skills are self taught, at this point. I've had to do some... questionable things to survive, I'm afraid." Bea shrunk a bit. "Please don't report me."
I chuckled. "Beatrice, you have nothing to fear. So long as you haven't killed anyone in the name of survival, I have no problems with you using... questionable means to get by. I'd do the same thing, to be honest. Thankfully, I don't have to." I sighed. "Anyway, I'm not sure if Luna is up to the spell yet, or even learned it since the spell itself was invented about 20 years ago, so it's fair game, at this point. If anyone in Ponyville knows, it'll be Twilight Sparkle. She's the librarian here, and also the personal student of Princess Celestia."
Beatrice blinked. "You're kidding me. Princess Celestia's personal student is here?!" Her voice held so much shock it was palpable.
"She is. She is also helping me recover my Magical reserves. I am... not what I used to be, sad to say." Luna looked away.
"I'm an Orphan that travels to escape the Foster Care System. Anyone asks, I'll say my Parents let me travel to hone my skill. I've been a showmare for three years, using that excuse as a reason for any Guard that actually asks." Trixie admitted.
I nodded. "Good to know. This way, I can make sure it's covered up. By now, you're probably old enough to escape the notice of the Foster Care System, so it doesn't really matter anyway." I turned around, before looking at them both. "What are you waiting for? Let's go see Twilight. If she doesn't have the answer, then I don't know who will."
It took us a bit to get to the Library, and Spike answered. "Hey Shadow Blaze!" He then noticed Luna and Trixie. "Princess Luna." He stared silently at Trixie. "What's up?"
"We're here to see Twilight. Something came up, and I kind of need her help to solve it." I admitted.
"Oh. You need an actual Unicorn for Magic too, huh? Come on in." Spike let all of us in, and my wings glowed before the door glowed a bright Silver.
Spike gaped. "If you can do that, what do you need her for?"
"The Advanced Genealogy spell. The one that was invented about 20 years ago." Spike lead us upstairs, before we saw Twilight, who looked up, and saw the three of us.
"Blaze, Princess Luna," Her eyebrow raised a bit. "Trixie?" She looked at me. "Let me guess, there's something about her Magic that you can sense and you want my help to figure out what it is?"
"The question here isn't 'What?' but rather 'Why?' as in, 'Why does her Magic naturally produce a small amount of Lunar Magic?' and 'Why does it mix with her own Unicorn Magic so well?' for starters." I answered. Twilight just stared. "We need the Advanced Genealogy Spell. The one invented about 20 years ago."
Twilight looked between the three of us, before nodding. "I know the spell, but I've only practiced it once." She admitted. "I'm guessing the targets are Princess Luna and Trixie?"
"That would be correct, Twilight Sparkle." Luna answered. "It was Shadow Blaze's idea, and, while I do not recall ever giving birth, there are... many patches of memories that are missing."
"There was mention of a Stallion that might have liked her, but there was no telling what happened. Her next entry didn't mention him, and I don't have a name, either." I believe I know why, but the timing is really off.
Twilight just blinked, before nodding, and focusing her Magic. She muttered under her breath, before there was a Flash, which coated both Luna and Trixie. Twilight, Spike and I stared, until the glow dissipated. Twilight's eyes glazed over for a few moments, before they cleared. "Fifteen." She stated, before staring at Trixie. "There are 15 Generations between the two of you, what's more is: it's a Direct line. There's something else that may be of interest, though." She turned to me. "It said it was Nightmare Moon. Care to explain how that happened?"
"I'm not entirely sure. Many of my memories haven't returned." Luna admitted.
"And there's a point where a Stallion is mentioned, but after that, it just drops out. The Stallion is never mentioned by name, though. There's also a Three month gap in Diary Entries. Luna didn't know what happened, but by then, Jealousy had already set in."
"I don't remember ever getting Pregnant though." Luna pointed out.
"It's entirely possible that, with your return, the memory left when Nimmy was hit by the Elements again a few weeks ago." I countered.
Trixie choked a bit. "Nimmy?"
I shrugged. "What? Nightmare Moon is a bit of a mouthful. Nimmy fits."
The rest of the day had Trixie, Luna, Twilight and I having a bit of fun, after I took the ward on the front door down, of course. Then we all heard a roar.
One I recognized. "Looks like we've got a Minor problem."
"Minor?!" Trixie nearly shouted. "That's an Ursa Major!"
"Correction: Ursa Minor." I countered. "I ran into one once a few years ago. There are actually about three in the Everfree nearby. The one I ran into was over near Hoofington, I think. It was right after an earthquake."
"Wait a minute." Twilight stared at Trixie. "That story about the Ursa was true?"
Trixie sighed. "More or less. I actually turned it away, but it went into a rage right afterwards. Thankfully, nowhere near the town." There was a howl of pain, that caused us all to stop, and run outside...
Just in time to see the Ursa Minor fly past us creating a crater just outside Ponyville. While the three of them just stared at the Ursa, I looked to where it flew from. The Town Hall. Focusing on the Wards around it, I nodded.
The Wards I set up did their job. "We might want to take a look at the Ursa." The three turned to me. "It triggered the wards around Town Hall. I want to make sure that it's okay. Fluttershy would probably fly off the handle if it wasn't." With that, I took flight, and examined the area. Not much damage, if any at all. It's mostly from when the Ursa entered the town, which was minimal, and mostly on the trees and ground.
Then there's the crater the Ursa is in. Flying up to it, and staring it made sense. The Ursa was flung away from Town Hall. It's dizzy.
"Hey Twilight? You know how Raw Magic doesn't really affect Astral Type beasts? Of which an Ursa Minor qualifies?"
"Yeah, why?" Twilight walked up to the Ursa. "And what did this?"
"Remember the wards you said should've exploded after a year?" Twilight looked at me, then shifted between the Ursa Minor, the town, and me. "It got too close to Town Hall."
"Is it still stable? Because I still haven't gotten Shiny's analysis yet." Twilight replied. I simply nodded.
"Stable, and undeterred. There was no damage to the Wards, or Town Hall itself."
Twilight sighed. "Figures. I guess we should get this guy back to it's home in the Everfree."
I turned to the lip of the crater, and saw Fluttershy fly down. "Blaze, what happened?"
"Remember the wards I put up years ago?" Fluttershy nodded. "The Ursa Minor here? He tripped the ones around Town hall. From the looks of it, it seems like he's only disoriented. If the wards worked properly, that means he was annoyed, cranky, and wanted to know what woke him up from a nap."
"Do you know who it was?" Fluttershy asked, I shook my head. "Then I'll help get the big guy back to his home. Care to help?"
"Actually, no offense, Fluttershy, but I think that Trixie and Twilight would be better to go with you for this. Trixie has experience with Ursa, and Twilight is a General Purpose Spellcaster. Between the two of them, you'll be fine."
"Actually, I asked because the Everfree is more your territory, and several birds have said Infernal Blaze is still in the Castle Ruins." Fluttershy stated calmly.
I stopped for a moment. "Luna, care to go with?"
"I believe it best. Perhaps we can calm her down a bit faster." Luna answered. I turned to Fluttershy, and nodded. Twilight and Trixie worked together to carry the Ursa to the cave, while Luna and Fluttershy were lookouts.
I, meanwhile, was pouring my Magic into the air, and giving off a warning.
A Timberwolf walked up to us, before taking one look at me. The others stopped and looked at it, before it turned and fled. Fluttershy looked at me. "What? There's a reason I like this place. I'm more or less the King of this Forest. It's not as bad as the Iron Hills, but definitely is not as peaceful as Equestria." On top of that, none of the three have anything resembling what happens back on Earth, but there's no way in hell I'm saying that.
Earth and Humanity are fucked up, and I'm glad I'm here in Equestria.
Anyway, the trip to the cave that the Ursa was from was actually pretty quiet. I had to pull out a few Lunar Spells to keep it docile, before it finally fell asleep.
I noticed the Ursa Major stare at us as we put the Minor down, and I looked at her. "Sorry about whatever happened. I don't have the full situation, but your son came up to Ponyville and triggered one of the wards in place for defense. He should be fine in a bit, and with some rest."
The Ursa Major rumbled an agreement. "Oh believe me. When I find out who it was, they'll know."
The Ursa Major took her son, while I lead the others out. "So. That was a thing." I said, completely calm.
There was silence as they followed me. "The small one was a Minor, right?" Trixie asked. I nodded. "And the larger one was a Major?" Twilight nodded. "I'll have to revise my act then."
"Nah, keep it as is. Aside from Scholars, most aren't going to know the difference." I replied. "Seriously, unless you're planning to stick around for a while, you should keep things as is." I stopped as we reached town. "Although, from the looks of it you'll be here for a while." They all stopped, and looked where I was.
Trixie's Wagon was destroyed. "No..." Trixie whispered. She walked up to it, and just stared at it. Twilight walked up to her, and put a hoof on her shoulder. "You can stay with me until it's fixed. Maybe I can fill in a few holes in your Magical Education while we're at it. I'm already working with Princess Luna to get her up to speed, but she's progressing rapidly. I really don't think I'll need to do much else there. Speaking of which," Twilight turned to me. "I think we should give her tomorrow off, and let her try her hand at the Night sky again tomorrow night."
I raised an eyebrow. "I was expecting the offer for Bea, but not the suggestion for Luna. You sure she can handle it?"
"If what she did last week is any indication, then if she can't, she'll be able to pace herself. She's soaking the information I have up like a sponge. I didn't think she'd have been able to understand it all that fast." Twilight admitted.
"You... mean I can stay with you?"
Twilight nodded at Beatrice. "Yeah, I mean it. I have a spare bedroom over at Golden Oaks, and, so long as you help out around the place, you won't really have to pay for Rent. Princess Celestia gives all Librarians a stipend for their Libraries. I'm no different, and the Rent for the place comes out of that."
"Plus, I've been paying her to help Princess Luna to adjust to Magic in this Era."
"The Theory is actually simple." Luna admitted. "Understanding it is no problem for a Spellcrafter like myself. I created at least 30 spells before my departure from Equestria all those years ago, though very few can use them, even now, though none could back then. Using the more Modern Spells was a bit of a challenge at first, but honestly? Shadow Blaze was teaching me something much harder."
"And what would that be?" Trixie asked, somewhat sad. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Rainbow Dash come up to us.
"His personal method of flight." Luna answered easily. Dash and Twilight stopped and stared at her, before they both stared at me. "What?"
"You taught Princess Luna, but wouldn't even explain it to me?!" Dashie questioned.
"It is not as easy as it seems, Miss Rainbow Dash." Luna answered. "It is... difficult to maintain, even now."
"Yeah, though, for some reason Scootaloo can hold it for five minutes at this point." I added, causing Luna to stare at me in shock. "What?"
"A method of flight that, even at my current level, I can only hold for an hour at most as of last night, a nine year old filly can hold it for five minutes?" Luna questioned.
"Yeah, surprised me too, at first." No kidding. The ALO Wings take an absurd amount of Magic to make, and about half as much to maintain. Luna is getting there, but she's not used to them. I am, so I actually only use a small fraction of what they're using. "It's like Free form casting for a unicorn, unless I'm mistaken." Luna nodded. She knew the term, apparently. "Anyway, the reason why is because her wings were severely damaged, and the healing was botched. She'd had to make do with Weather Magic without flight. Her control over her own Magic is almost unbelievable at her age. On top of that, her reserves are close to about ten times that of most Pegasi at her age that I know of. At least they were about a year ago. The five minute mark was made about three months ago, though. I haven't timed her since we got word about the Summer Sun Celebration this year."
"Why haven't you ever taught anyone else?" Twilight asked, confused, as Bea just listened in. "I mean, sure, if what Luna is saying is right, then it takes a lot of Magic, but if a filly can manage it, I don't see why someone else can't."
"Luna needed it for a reason other than flying." I pointed out. That was true for the most part. She needed to use her Magic up a lot, and let it recharge. "Her Magical Regeneration Rate skyrocketed because of repeated use of it." I flared my wings out. "And the reason I taught Scootaloo is different. She has the same problem I had when I first started to learn how to fly. My wings just weren't strong enough to hold me." I sighed, before folding my wings in. "Scootaloo has that problem now, and my method, while unorthodox, worked for me. In many ways, it's working for her."
"Wait, if they couldn't hold you back then, how did you manage to fly ever since I knew you?" Dash questioned, as we walked over towards Golden Oaks, the pieces of Trixie's Wagon being carried in Twilight's Telekinesis.
"The Method was a long shot. I couldn't use my normal wings to fly normally because of it. So, I had an idea. Why not make myself another set?" They all stared at me. "Turns out it was better than I thought, if not totally exhausting at first. At this point, using them costs practically nothing to me. Luna is still using about half of the amount I started with. I've been using them for so long that they're my go to when it comes to flight. My wings ended up gaining strength while using them a certain way, which allowed me to learn the normal methods of flight, which, and I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, I kind of took from watching you every now and then. I use both at this point, but prefer my own. It makes aerial combat that much easier."
"Magical Wings for flight while you use your physical wings to actually cast spells and fight." Twilight muttered. "That's a dangerous combination if used correctly."
"Gilda knows that first hand." was my only comment, causing Dash to flinch. "Yeah, still not happy about it, but I'd be a hypocrite if I went off on you for it. I'm just glad she didn't get angry at Fluttershy." Luna, Twilight and Rainbow Dash all shuddered at the thought.
Trixie stared at me, before clearing her throat. "What does that mean?"
"Blaze here has a crush on Fluttershy."
"He punched Nightmare Moon somewhere around 160 feet when she hit Fluttershy with a spell." Luna stared at Blaze. She doesn't blame me or herself for that one anymore, thank Soa.
"I saw the reports on the Timberwolf Pack that attacked a group of foals on a Field Trip." Twilight added. "The pack of seven didn't last much longer than a minute."
Trixie gaped at me. "How powerful are you?!" I can almost hear her think along the lines of 'Why in Tartarus did someone like this want to be friends with me?!'
"I'd have to say pretty damn powerful. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not immortal, nor am I invincible. Far from it, unless there's something I don't know about in play." And I really hope there isn't.
Then again, I still have no idea who brought me here. On top of that, I can't seem to care about that anymore. "Compared to where I was born, though, Equestria is literally a breath of fresh air. Ponyville is more of a home to me at this point than my own mother was family."
"You never actually say how bad it is, and I have not yet tried to watch over the Dream realm." Luna admitted. "How bad was it there?"
"There was at least 50 deaths a day, from natural causes to... less savory stuff. Here in Equestria, one death a week is actually pushing it. Death doesn't show up that often. The Iron Hills, however, have deaths about three times a week, depending on the time of year. At least in the Iron Hills, it's actually allowed by Law. Where I was born? It wasn't."
The silence at that was palpable. "The Population there was over 6 billion, though, so many of those deaths went unnoticed. Twilight, Luna, you both know about Sombra and what he did. Back there? It was worse." Okay, so I was counting the entire planet, and the number was definitely undershot. That's all I paid attention to, sue me!
"How much worse?" Luna questioned.
"From what you put in your old journals about it? Somewhere around fifty times as bad, give or take. There were a few gems there, those who actually cared about others, but they were too few and far in between. Until I got here, I wasn't sure if I actually counted in that group." I sighed. "That's the main reason I don't want to go back. There's not enough keeping me there, and more than enough to keep me here."
"I can understand that, I guess." Trixie admitted. "You found where you belong. I'm still looking."
Rainbow Dash just stared. "Had you not been in Ponyville for a year longer than I have, I'm pretty sure most wouldn't take your presence all that well once they knew."
I shrugged. "It's in the past. I'm not there anymore, and I'm better off here than anywhere back there. I have a life, friends, two confirmed mutual crushes that I have no intention on following through on, one other crush that I'm not sure if it's mutual or not, a family that actually pays attention, and another friend that cracks reality with her mere presence. Honestly? I'm glad to live in Ponyville. It's my Home."
"What about your family?" Twilight asked. "I mean, surely you care about them too, don't you?"
I shook my head. "I do care, but, all things considered, if they knew how I was doing, I'd hope they'd be proud." I sighed before looking up at the night sky. "I'm strong, confident, and overall, I feel Alive. That's something I couldn't admit without lying back there. Now, I don't have to lie. It's all true." I looked at Luna. "And the sad thing is, I don't know who to thank."
Shit. I said too much. "Why do you say that?" Twilight questioned.
My silence was her only answer. "Blaze?" Twilight continued.
"Shadow Blaze." Shit. That was Fluttershy.
"I can't say." was all that I said.
"Why not?" Dashie was nearly glaring at me. "I mean, if somepony helped me then I'd want to find out and thank them."
"One, I haven't figured out who helped me. Two, I don't know why they helped someone like me. Three, even if they did send me here, why Equestria, of all places, which is practically the Polar Opposite of where I was born? If they could send me here, they could send me anywhere in the Multiverse. And Four?" I pointed at Fluttershy. "Pinkie Promise that I can't follow through on just yet without nearly going berserk. Anymore questions?" My voice was a little edgy. Trixie backed up a bit, not sure exactly how to react. Twilight and Luna stared at me, while Rainbow Dash gaped at Fluttershy.
"You got him to swear the Pinkie Promise?!" She shouted.
"Who swore the Pinkie Promise?" Wait, was that Rarity? I turned and saw said white Unicorn. "And Rainbow Dash, please, settle down."
"Fluttershy got Shadow Blaze to swear the Pinkie Promise!" Dash reiterated.
"That's no reason to-say what?" Rarity blinked, as the statement processed through her mind. "Wait. Fluttershy?" Said Pegasus shrunk in on herself. "Oh dear. Shadow Blaze, I assume there is a good reason for you using it?"
"The past that you're still guessing on." is all I said. Rarity went silent.
"Um... Rarity? What is so important about this one?" Twilight asked.
Rarity looked at Twilight. "I forgot, you haven't been told. Pinkie Pie has a certain type of Promise that is known to most, if not all of Ponyville. Break that type of promise, and she will go after you. It's the only time she is willing to actually hurt anyone, pony or no. Shadow Blaze, to my knowledge, has only given it once, and I just found out about it."
"I don't use that one without a good reason, and Rarity knows this." I looked at the others. "If you must know, whoever brought me here is the one that brought me to Equestria. I would never have gotten to Ponyville without their help, and I can't even thank them." I took a deep breath. "If you'll excuse me, I have to head home. Luna, we'll give you tomorrow off, and have you work on the sky tomorrow night. Remember to feel out your limits. This is a measuring stick to see where you stand. Get some rest tomorrow, feel free to sleep in. And relax."
Luna sighed. "Alright. Good night, Shadow Blaze." I walked off.
-Twilight-
Twilight just stared at me as Luna sighed. "Twilight, sometimes that Pegasus really worries me." Luna admitted.
"He worries all of us." Rarity added. "Princess Luna, do you recall when I said you could possibly help him about as much as he can help you?"
"I do, Rarity." Luna answered. "Why do you ask?"
"He helps and helps and helps, but he doesn't seem to realize that all his helping is hurting him."
"No." Everypony looked at Trixie. "He knows."
"How can you tell?" Twilight asked.
"It's in his eyes." Trixie looked at Twilight. "He doesn't feel like he deserves what few friends he has. More than that, he feels like he doesn't deserve friendship at all."
Rarity and Fluttershy are the only ones that didn't gasp at that. Twilight noticed. "You two don't seem surprised at that."
"Why do you think I visit his cottage every week, Twilight? He needs a near constant reminder that we are friends. That I consider him a friend, even if he doesn't think I should. At first, he put up with me, possibly knowing he wouldn't get rid of me easily. I know he enjoys our chats, but he won't allow himself to show it often." Rarity answered. "As to Fluttershy? I am not surprised she realized it. He is closer to her than any pony I know of."
"That's not why I know." Fluttershy admitted. "It wasn't when he hit Nightmare Moon a few weeks ago, either. I knew long before hand."
"How long have you known?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"About four years now. Blaze and I are friends, make no mistake, but he knows that we both have our own duties. He accepted me as a friend, because he couldn't bring himself to let him get closer than that. He told me as much. That's why we're only friends, and not a couple."
Trixie sighed. "Alright, out of everypony here, who understood his second reason? Aside from Fluttershy, who he probably told."
"Whom." Twilight corrected. Trixie stared. "and I don't know, though I have a few ideas."
"Couldn't tell you." Rainbow Dash.
"I am not sure." Luna.
"Only guesses, I'm afraid." Rarity.
"Well, unless I'm mistaken, you all do now. I told you, and Fluttershy confirmed it." Trixie looked off towards where Shadow Blaze left. "If he were suicidal, though, he'd probably get in fight after fight, instead of taking his own life. He'd make it so someone else took his. Even then, if any of his friends are saved by him sacrificing himself, he'll do it in a heartbeat. I can see that much. In his eyes, his life is not worth the lives of his friends."
The only one that didn't gasp at that was Fluttershy. Trixie was the only one who noticed. "I assume he told you that, as well?"
"No. I can see it in his Aura." Fluttershy answered. "Anyway, I should probably get going. I have to get up early tomorrow anyway."
"Fluttershy?" Trixie started, causing her to look at the Unicorn. "You'll need to look out for him more than anyone else. If something goes wrong, and he gets into a bad spot, he'll need you. He may have found where he feels he belongs, but he needs to accept who he is, and who he was. Until then, it'll probably be a bad idea to push his past into the open."
Fluttershy nodded. "I know, Trixie. Don't worry. He has all of us to help if he needs it."
"And yet only two of you know him well enough to be able to actually help." Trixie countered, causing them all to stare again. "You and Rarity are the only ones that might be able to help if he goes from bad to worse. From what I see, though, you have the best chance."
"I'll do what I can." Fluttershy replied. "He deserves more than he thinks, but he has to accept his past. He still hasn't."
"And that is obvious to anyone who's been there." Trixie admitted. Fluttershy walked off after that, mostly in silence, but Rainbow Dash just stared. "I say he's got it bad, but she's got it worse."
"Oh no. He has it worse than her." Rarity replied. "He just hides it better." She glanced at Luna. "He hides his own emotions far better than you, Princess Luna. And that, more than anything, is concerning."
Luna turned and started walking back to Shadow Blaze's cottage. "Why do you think I worry about him?" was all she said as she walked away.
Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Twilight and Trixie just stared. Rainbow Dash sighed. "I'm gonna get home. It's kind of late."
"Sweetie Bell should be getting into bed soon, as well." Rarity commented.
"I'll show you where you'll be staying for the time being." Twilight told Trixie.
"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle."
As they went their separate ways, none of them noticed a star twinkling in the sky.
A star that no Astronomer had ever seen before, and thus, had the ones that saw it in a frenzy.
-Time skip-Shadow Blaze-
It's been three days since Trixie arrived, and Luna is definitely recovering faster than before. Shining Armor came down with a contingent of guards as well, to make sure everything was fine yesterday. I gave him the after action report personally.
Apparently, it wasn't Snips and Snails that did it. A Unicorn foal, specifically Ruby Pinch, tried a Teleport spell under pressure. She landed on the Ursa Minor's head. Needless to say, though, the ones that put her in that position were punished.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are going to be groaning for a few weeks. They would've been grounded, however, I saw an opportunity.
Instead of being grounded for a month each, they would both help the Apple Family with their farm for two weeks. Golden Coins and Filthy Rich were skeptical, but I explained to them what Discipline really is to a warrior.
I just didn't say it was a Warrior's Discipline that they'd be learning. Needless to say, they agreed. Applejack was asked to watch over them. Every day, after waking up, the two would be escorted to Sweet Apple Acres a full two hours before dawn, and help out until it was time to head to school, if there was school that day. Then return to the farm to help out until dinnertime. After dinner, which they would have with the Apples, they would return home to do schoolwork.
They'll be living the farmer's life for three weeks. That is their punishment. Either they gain a new found respect for hard workers, or gain a sort of confidence that they'd take years longer to get.
I also asked Applejack to push the two to their limits, alongside Applebloom. She needs the practice, and the two need some humility. Also, Shining Armor looked at the Wards I placed in person, with Twilight right next to him. His analysis of the designs were curt, strict and to the point. Twilight argued on a few points, saying that it shouldn't be possible to do it that way, but Shining pointed out the matrices involved, causing her own eyes to widen.
At the end of the explanation, Twilight probably felt like an idiot. Needless to say, she apologized to me.
Luna looked over the Wards with them, and nodded when she heard his analysis. It made sense to her, as well.
They left this morning, but here is the clincher. Princess Celestia was currently walking out of the Everfree Forest, right next to my house. "Princess Celestia."
"Sister." Luna and I greeted her.
"Luna. Shadow Blaze." Celestia nodded at us. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but it has been... rough."
I held up a hoof. "Say no more. I know how it is to lose control over yourself. Sometimes, ponies just need to let go." At her nod, I continued. "There's currently five Guards in town ready with your Carriage back to Canterlot. Sergeant Firewing is leading them. Shall we escort you to them?"
"If you please, kind sir." Celestia bowed slightly, causing Luna and I to chuckle, as the three of us walked into town, myself showing that I was ready for a fight. Seeing Celestia off was a thing to pass the time.
When Luna and I got back to the Cottage that night, she went up to the Balcony, and asked me to join her. When I did though, I was unsure as to why.
And I asked her just that.
"Shadow Blaze, I have been getting some... nightmares. They are not my own, but they are hitting me harder than they should." Luna explained. "I do not know why, though, as I have not entered the Dream Realm since my return."
I blinked. "And you think I can help?" This was new. Dream Interpretation is something I'm decent in, though Dreams in general is something I can't usually help with.
"I am unsure." Luna admitted, though hesitant. "However, I managed to discover just who those nightmares belonged to this afternoon. Just before my sister came into town." I blinked. That could mean way too many ponies, though they're all in Ponyville. "It is young Miss Scootaloo. They are her Nightmares. I have not dared to head into the dream realm, as it takes more out of me than the Night Sky. However, with some help, I may be able to help out."
Well, this makes more sense. My eyes, however, narrowed. "You want me to go into the Dream Realm to stabilize your power usage." It wasn't a question. By now, I knew her very well.
"I do, however, it is not because of the control. That I can handle. I would need more than the power I have access to right now, and you have more than enough on your own. It's also because you're close to her." Luna explained.
"You want me to supply the power?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not just share the power, harmonizing our Magics together to pull this off? Pool the Magic together in a 60-40 split, with me as the 60, and you also handling the control. We'll go in, help her out, and hopefully be back out before it does serious damage to my psyche."
Luna hummed a bit. "That is better than my plan. However, you need not worry about damage to your own Psyche. Whatever happens to you, if done with Lunar Magic, will appear on your actual body. At least, it does for me."
"Best be careful either way. Got it." I nodded.
I activated Silver Eyes, and faced Luna, my wings spread and glowing Silver. Luna focused her own magic, and our Magics linked up. "Bring your power down a bit." Luna did so, until I said, "Stop. Right there. Now, Stabilize." After a few seconds, the Magic glowed a deep purple. "Now!"
Luna cast the spell.
-30 minutes later-
Luna and I were huffing. "That... was... AWESOME!" Okay, that was the most EXHILARATING thing I've ever done!
Okay, I'm calmed down now. Although, there was one part that I definitely did not understand. Which is why Luna looked at me strangely. "Blaze... what was that form you took?" I let out a breath. Or not. "Shadow Blaze..."
"It was the form of a Human, before I changed into a Shadow Wolf. Then a Panther, and finally a Dragon." Of course, she wouldn't recognize the Dragon. She said so, herself. My grin, however, just stopped her from asking where the Dragon came from.
If any Yu-Gi-Oh! Fans are reading this: I turned into Light End Dragon. My personal Signer Dragon. It's the only Dragon Type Synchro Monster I used regularly.
Of course, giving Scoots a ride on the back of a dragon was probably the coolest thing about the changes. Of course, I burned every monster with light as a dragon. It was fun. "Hey Luna?"
"I am still wondering about the dragon, but even more so about what you called a Human." Luna admitted. And there it is. "The biggest problem, however, is that, once you became that dragon, I was no longer in control." I blinked. Okay, so that's worrying. "You were." That caused me to freeze in place. "How? The only way to do that is to overpower my will."
Thinking rapidly, I came up with a few ideas. "I was using more Magic than you, for one." I pointed out. "It's also possible that Scootaloo trusted me enough that, Dream or not, she wanted me in control, believing I could save her from anything. I was about 30 or so times as powerful as I actually am, too. That obviously is important. I can't pinpoint which was the cause, but those are the most likely ones."
"She didn't know it was you." Luna pointed out.
"Her mind probably didn't, but her Heart definitely did. I felt a boost from outside that I am positive wasn't you." I paused. "And there is no Magical Presence or Residue anywhere within 200 feet. Meaning, that boost came from Scootaloo. Whether everything was her doing, the process, or just me somehow overpowering you without realizing it, I don't know." Great, now that's going to bug me until I figure it out.
This sucks. "Well, I guess it's a sleepless night on my part tonight." Luna stared at me. "When I've got a problem on my hands, I have a small compulsion to figure it out. The more important the problem, the stronger the compulsion." I held up a hoof. "It's not a spell. More of an ingrained instinct that I've had for longer than I can remember." That's true, even before I came to Equestria. "And it's one I haven't been able to kick. Suppress, yes. Get rid of? No."
I walked back inside, and went up to a desk with a few reports on it. Looking over them, I sighed. "Something else wrong?" Luna asked, right next to me.
"A lot of things. The situation just now excluded, there's a whole list of things that are bugging me. The biggest one was mentioned earlier." Luna remained silent. "I've been wondering and trying to figure that one out for 8 years now. And yet I'm no closer to an answer."
"Perhaps you're looking in the wrong place?" Luna suggested.
"Maybe." I paused. "Or maybe it could be that I don't want to find that answer."
"Why not? Do you not miss your family?" Luna inquired. It was a good question.
"I do, but at the same time, what I said earlier still applies. If they saw how well I'm doing, and how happy I actually am here, they might just tell me to come back here, instead of staying there with them." I sighed. "Anyone I think of that I miss, their voice pops up in my head. They keep telling me the same thing: 'Keep going. We're rooting for you!' and I just keep on going. But now..." I trailed off.
"They aren't saying the same things anymore?" Luna asked.
"No, not that. I can't hear them anymore. When I do, I don't recognize the voices. I think that my memory of them is fading." I said. "That's the biggest part of the problem."
"Perhaps it is time for you to stop thinking on them." Luna suggested. "Move forward, like you told me. Like they're telling you, in fact. It's entirely possible that it's what you really need to do. Move forward, and open up. You've built a life in Equestria, and even found your place here. Why not just live it?"
I sighed and looked at her. "Because most of Equestria is the polar opposite of who I used to be. What I used to be. The numbers I gave earlier were just the ones I knew of. The full number was probably thousands. Daily. And that's the bad thing. I can't let go of who I used to be. I follow my heart, and it tells me I should never let go, but my mind wants me to."
"And you believe you cannot follow both?" Luna questioned. "Sounds like a double standard to me."
"Luna, it's not that simple!" I countered. "And besides, my past made me who I am. And Fluttershy practically fell in love with me. And yet I can't return the same feelings, even if I wanted to. My own fear won't let me!"
"Why? Why do you fear your own emotions?" Luna was starting to anger me. I really want to punch her in the snout right now. "What can they do to you that a blade cannot?"
"They'll make me destroy everything I care for!" I shouted. Then I stopped, and walked out onto the balcony. "I'm going out. Don't wait on me in the morning." I then took to the skies, and causing a Sonic Boom after 30 seconds. The resulting shockwave was a Navy Blue with Silver highlights. Any pony still awake in Ponyville probably saw that, but I don't care.
I'm too pissed off to care right now.
-with Luna-
Luna stared at the shockwave that Shadow Blaze created. "And he says that my emotions need fixing." She snorted. "If he turns hostile like that every time, then it's no wonder he thinks the way he does." She paused. "And it looks like Beatrice was correct. We'll have to fix that."
-with Rainbow Dash-
Rainbow Dash was looking out her window, when it happened. A Multicolored Shockwave. "Is that..." She trailed off, before she realized it. "Blaze... I should've known."
-with Fluttershy-
Fluttershy was about to get into bed, when it hit. "Oh no."
Gilda stared at the Shockwave. "Did Dash do that again? I could've sworn it was a different color, though."
"No, Gilda. That was Shadow Blaze." Fluttershy answered. "But how? I've never seen him go that fast without..." She trailed off. "Why is he so angry? Did Luna push the subject?"
"What are you talking about?" Gilda asked. "This doesn't make any sense."
"Shadow Blaze actually had a hard time focusing on one thing at a time. He gets around that by thinking of several things at once. You know how Rainbow Dash is, right? She's all over the place physically. Shadow Blaze is the same way, but in his Mind, not with his Body. He said it leads to problems focusing. The only natural exception is when he's extremely emotional. He told me he broke the sound barrier once before, and that it required so much focus, it would nearly be impossible to pull off. That kind of narrow minded focus, however, only ever comes to him when he's in a fight, or extremely angry. And if there was a fight, we'd still be hearing explosions."
"So, he's angry?" Gilda started, earning a nod. "Then I want to stay out of it. I've seen him calm. I don't want to be in his sights when he's angry."
"And for that, I don't blame you." Fluttershy replied. "Anyway, I'll need to calm down the animals. It wasn't as loud as Rainbow Dash when she did it all those years ago, but it definitely was loud enough to startle more than a few. Try to get some sleep, Gilda. He won't be back until morning, at the earliest."
"If he comes here, tell him I'm not here." Gilda shrunk in on herself.
"I won't bring you up unless he asks." Fluttershy assured.
-the next morning, Twilight-
"What is with those explosions?" Twilight asked, though seeing they were in the Everfree, it drew a lot of stares.
Mrs. Cake walked up next to her. "Good morning, Twilight." At that point, there was another explosion. Mrs. Cake looked at it. "Do you know what set Shadow Blaze off? I am afraid I can't figure it out."
"Wait. That's Shadow Blaze?!" Twilight was starting to hyperventilate. "How is he so powerful?"
"He's the only one strong enough to do this for over four hours nearly constantly." Mrs. Cake admitted. "As to how he is so powerful, I really don't know." She paused, and looked at Pinkamena. "Pinkie?"
"Blaze was pushed into an emotional corner last night. Princess Luna woke me up to tell me." Pinkamena answered. "The end result was a Sonic Rainboom." She then turned to Twilight. "She also said that Trixie was right, and that someone would have to fix that." The Unicorn stopped and stared at the Pink Pony. "She said you'd understand what that meant."
"This is bad." Twilight murmured. "What time was it?"
"Um... She said it was close to midnight. Why?" Pinkamena questioned.
"That was..." Twilight jumped up a bit. "Can you get Rarity and Fluttershy to Golden Oaks? It's important. Oh." She then turned to Pinkie. "No party for Trixie yet. It'll have to wait until Shadow Blaze calms down enough to attend."
"Oh. Good to know. And good thinking, but I don't think it'll do much good." Pinkamena paused. "Shadow Blaze won't be coming back until about three or four hours after the explosions stop. And it will probably take a few more hours before they do. Then we'd have to wait until he wakes up. It could be anywhere from 8 to 20 hours, actually."
"Wait, why that long after he's calm?" Twilight asked.
"Because he has to be recovered. And it was Fluttershy that did it the last two times." Mrs. Cake answered. "No pony other than those two ever go in, aside from Zecora, who lives there. She only goes in when she needs to. Shadow Blaze, however, considers it relaxing. He once told me it reminded him of home."
Twilight was in thought. "Pinkie, can you get the others? I have a bit of news, based on what you said, and it'll probably be a good idea for someone to get Princess Luna. She'll need to stay elsewhere until Shadow Blaze gets back. Especially since the Guards have already left."
Pinkamena nodded, before her hair poofed out, and she sped off. Twilight then walked off, meeting Rarity on the way, and side stepping the pink blur that passed by her once. Pinkie Pie is just that fast.
Once the two reached the Library, Twilight and Rarity saw the rest of the Mane Six, Trixie, Spike and Gilda were already there. "Pinkie, where's Princess Luna?"
"Right behind you." Princess Luna answered, causing Twilight to jump. Rarity didn't actually react. "Hello there, your highness." was all she said, before turning to Twilight. "Didn't you say you had something to tell us all, darling?"
"Yes, but I'll have to go over what Trixie said last night about Shadow Blaze."
"I was already on my way here to explain what I found out last night. I simply told Pinkie Pie last night, so she can be ready." Luna paused. "Shadow Blaze has taught me many things, but one thing stands out that applies here. Do not underestimate the power of unpredictability, even though a Chaotic enough Mind can match it. Pinkie Pie is Chaotic, make no mistake. However, she is also a Bearer of Harmony, which is confusing."
Pinkie Pie just grinned widely. "Chaos is fun! I just want people to be happy! That's what I use it for, after all."
"He told me as such." Luna admitted. "Anyway, he also told me of your Pinkie Sense. Impressive bit of Chaos Manipulation."
"It's just random." Pinkie admitted. "And only I have it. Pinkamena doesn't."
"Ah, the other side of you." Luna nodded. "Alright then, allow me to explain what happened last night." Luna then explained what Trixie had said. "This can mean many things, but there is a lot of wrong to be wrought from it."
"On top of that, you pretty much confirmed last night that he was still emotionally unstable." Trixie added. "If the explosion last night was any indication."
"It was a Sonic Rainboom, just different colors." Rainbow Dash explained. "I saw it first hand. Shadow Blaze is on par with me in speed. In fact, he's the only pegasus that I know of that can say that."
"Not without lying, at least." Applejack admitted.
"He is." Pinkie's hair flattened, bringing out Pinkamena. "Shadow Blaze is the only Pegasus in Ponyville and any village or town within 100 miles that can do so, aside from Rainbow Dash."
Everypony stared at her. "Pinkie Pie is the Party Pony. She is also the one that defies the Laws of Physics. Long story short, she rejected Reality and substituted her own. Me? I'm the one that stays in this one with Logic and Reasoning."
"Basically, you're the one Blaze likes, and Pinkie is the one that he hates?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Seems kind of wrong to me."
"He doesn't hate Pinkie Pie." Pinkamena, Fluttershy and Rarity retorted, before staring at each other. Luna cleared her throat. "I concur on this one. Shadow Blaze, while often angry, hates very little."
"I've never actually seen him angry." Twilight pointed out. "Well, except that time with Nightmare Moon, but given what happened, I'm not so sure that I blame him."
"Oh no, he wasn't angry." Rarity pointed out, causing everyone but Fluttershy to stare at her. She just stared at her hooves with a light blush. "Angry is too weak of a word to describe what he felt at that point. No word I can think of fits."
"Furious?" Twilight offered. Rarity shook her head. "Too strong?"
"Too weak." Rarity pointed out, causing Twilight's ears to flatten. "Princess Luna is correct in the fact that Shadow Blaze hates very few things, but is often angry. He can control himself enough to not let it hurt any pony, but there is a limit to that control. When he reaches it, he is often aware of it, and takes measures to ensure no one is in the crossfire."
"That's why the explosions keep going off." Fluttershy commented, still not looking at anyone else. "They're a warning to any pony to not go in that direction."
"Ah gotta say, though. For the last five years, Ponyville has gotten a lot safer, and he's been at the center of it all." Applejack mused. "Ah almost think that he's tryin' to protect the town from himself."
"From what I saw, that may not be wrong." Trixie admitted.
Fluttershy looked at Trixie. "You seem to be really good at reading other ponies. It's actually pretty impressive." Trixie blushed at the compliment, and muttered a 'Thanks'. "Shadow Blaze, despite not being a Unicorn, is actually highly talented in Illusions."
"I figured." Trixie replied. "Thing is, he's seen more combat than many Guards that I know of, and it hurts him. What I get off of him is mixed at best. Hay, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he's a Griffin that's trying to die, but can't bring himself to do it himself."
Gilda stayed silent, as everyone looked to her. "What? That's never happened before. Griffons are too proud for that."
"You don't think that he wants to die, do you?" Twilight asked, shock evident in her voice. "I mean, someone as strong as him..."
"I may be wrong, but it definitely looks like it."
Rarity and Fluttershy looked at each other. "I don't think he does." Rarity spoke, causing everyone to turn to her. "And I think Fluttershy agrees with me."
"I do. Shadow Blaze wants desperately to live, but all he can manage is survival." Fluttershy continued. "Princess Luna, that's one of the reasons that I had hope you could help him. Rarity and I are of the same mind here. He always did love the night sky."
"I know. He has had a few... rants, as he calls them. Many of them about the Night Sky, and how it is brighter and more beautiful than it is where he is from." Luna took a thoughtful pose. "Surprisingly, he never calls that place home. He only ever calls Ponyville his home. Not Equestria, not where he was born, not even the Everfree Forest. Just Ponyville."
"It's where he found himself." Trixie commented. "That's what it seems like, anyway. He'd probably die for this town. Not Equestria, not even Princess Celestia. Just this town. I haven't been here for a full day yet, and I can see it. They look to him as a Guardian. He sees himself as just that."
Fluttershy nodded. "But when he reaches his limits, there's a place right in his backyard that lets him cool off."
Trixie looked between Rarity and Fluttershy. "I do have a question though. Something about him is off. Something that makes him feel like... I don't know, but it isn't anything like a Pony." Everyone but Fluttershy stared at her in confusion.
Fluttershy, however, just locked up. Trixie noticed this. "You knew?" She asked, incredulously.
"I can't say." Fluttershy said, somewhat scared.
"Look, if you know, then why not tell us?" Twilight asked, confused. "I mean, I'm pretty sure that friends don't keep secrets."
"I can't say. I just know it's there." Fluttershy started, before she put her hooves over her mouth.
"Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash started, before she blinked. "Wait, this is what scared him practically into a coma, isn't it? You told him that you knew."
Everyone stared at her in shock. "What are you talking about?" Twilight asked. "That wouldn't make sense."
"No, it makes perfect sense." Trixie took on a thoughtful look. "In fact, he's probably trying to run away from his past. Whatever he was is weighing on him." She looked at the others. "That would also explain the third point. Whoever brought him to Equestria changed him into what he is. He's grateful, but he believes that he doesn't deserve it. Equestria is probably about as far from his previous home as possible."
"Polar opposites, is what he called it." Rarity commented. "He also said they were destroying everything for progress."
"Come to think of it, I think I remember him saying something like that." Applejack mused, before it hit her. "Yeah, when I first met him. He told me he was running from something, ah just don't know what. Can't remember that."
"All things considered, he's probably running from his past, but hasn't realized that he left it in the dust." Trixie nodded. "He needs help. Badly."
"Ah know ah asked this before, but I still don't understand why friendship isn't enough for him." Applejack pointed out.
"Friends and Family aren't close enough. He needs a wife. Preferably two, possibly three." Trixie thought for a moment. "If I'm reading into this right, four may be too much." Everyone stared at her. "What?"
"Why would he need more than one wife?" Luna questioned. "Regardless of the fact that he won't even think about romance, it goes against his own morals."
"Unless it's Fluttershy, or the Princess of Love, there's no one mare in all of Equestria that could handle him completely." Trixie explained. "The amount of Pain and Darkness in him is too great for any one Mare. Fluttershy might be able to handle it, but I'm not even sure on that one."
"That's one of the reasons we Friend zoned each other. He wasn't willing to risk it." Fluttershy admitted. "Do you really think it'll take another mare to help?" Trixie nodded. "Then this will be a problem."
"How so?"
"Because he doesn't believe in polygamy, even if he does believe romance exists." Rarity answered. "Even if he doesn't believe he deserves it, he'll only have one mare in that spot. As long as he gets one, and they actually make him happy, not just content, then I won't mind who it is."
"If they don't take advantage of him, then I won't mind if it's not me, either." Fluttershy admitted. "I even told him that, too. If he finds someone that actually makes him happy, then I will do everything in my power to make sure he stays that way."
"Even if it hurts you?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "I like him, don't get me wrong, but if he makes you cry, I'm going after him."
"I honestly thought you'd try to hit him anyway, after what he did to Gilda over there." Luna pointed out.
Rainbow muttered under her breath. "She won't let me."
Everyone just stared at her, and then at Gilda. "What? He challenged me, I lost. Nothing more to it. I'm just lucky he didn't want me dead. The way I see it, he beat me soundly in a fair fight. I've got nothing but respect for him right now." She paused as Rainbow Dash looked at her. "And maybe a little a fear." Dash nodded.
"Well, I guess that settles that." Twilight mused. "Anyway, how are we going to deal with Shadow Blaze right now? He's going off on practically anything in range, right now."
"Wait until the explosions stop for four hours straight, then I will go and pick him up." Fluttershy answered. "At this point, that's all we can do. When he finally wakes up, he may seem emotionless for a bit, though. Don't take it personally. It's only a side effect of what he's doing right now." There was a loud explosion that rocked the area. "That's definitely not good."
"I concur." Luna added. "The amount of emotion in that shockwave... How does he hold it all back?"
No one spoke. Even Trixie looked disturbed. "He may be worse off than even I thought." Trixie whispered. In the dead silence, everyone heard it.
'And that's what I'm afraid of.' were the thoughts of everyone else in the room, barring Gilda.
Gilda's thoughts were more along the lines of, 'Did I make a mistake asking him to be a yearling master?'
00000x00000
Okay, a few things.
Yes, Shadow Blaze has more than a few screws loose. He would admit it if asked, and so would I. Who doesn't, after all?
The scene when Luna closed in on him created a small block for me, though. It lasted about a day where I couldn't type anything. Keep in mind, Shadow Blaze is actually me. His reactions are my reactions, his feelings are my feelings. His problems are my problems. His skills (barring Pony skills, fighting experience and Magic in General) are my skills. His beliefs are my beliefs.
Next thing: Trixie. You're probably wondering why she's not a complete ass or a troll. That will likely be explained in full in a later chapter. If things weren't explained, the "Ursa Major in Hoofington" bit of her act was, in fact, Shadow Blaze's fault. In an earlier chapter, I mentioned the "Underground Sonic Rainboom" if you recall.
To repeat the result:
Earthquake
Cave in
Ursa Minor Attack
Trixie, being in town at the time, managed to redirect it. Her act exaggerated it a bit, but she did save Hoofington that day. Shadow Blaze just did the rest, and didn't let anyone know. Since no one knew that someone else was involved, she would get full credit for it, and it's actually a viable story.
Twilight's reaction to Trixie, however, isn't actually all that far off from canon, just for different reasons. If you can't tell, she is a bit more reserved, but has a sharper eye than in canon. This is more thanks to Moondancer than anyone else. Her friendship with Moondancer didn't just increase her skill and grades, but all her social capability, and confidence. What was actually going through her mind at the time, though, wasn't that Trixie wasn't worth the effort.
It was more along the lines of, "She has more than a few holes in her act, and needs some kind of formal training. She looks self taught, so she is actually pretty impressive, all things considered. Still, I shouldn't go up against her. It's just not worth it." That last sentence is all that came out though, leading to the mistake, as Shadow Blaze wasn't reading her mind.
That's what I was going for at least.
Also, the things I brought up about Earth, and how bad it is. I hate to sound like a Jedi, but it's more or less true, if understated. You just have to look at it from a certain point of view.
If you have any other questions, drop a review, or a PM. I'll try to answer them if I can. I respond to PMs often, though, and try to answer reviews. If I don't, then I wasn't actually asked a question, or did I have any real opinion on the review.
Just don't think I am intentionally trying to snub you. If I were, I'd tell you upfront in my own reply.
Until next time!
ALL HAIL INSANITY! ALL HAIL THE LOG! SOA BLESS YOU ALL!
And especially you, Ultima-owner! You're the only one that's reviewed so far, so thanks.