"Hey, Silver Rush," said Rainbow Dash as she flew by. "Need any help with those?"
"Actually, yes," said Silver. "Could you grab that box of papers?"
It's been a few weeks since Silver Rush first came to Ponyville, and he was already moving in. After he got out of the hospital after the incident with Mane-iac, Silver felt like settling down a little, and Ponyville seemed like the preferable place. He'd designed and constructed a house similar to Rainbow's "Cloudominium" and sent for some of his things in Cloudsdale. Now came the long and arduous task of unpacking and actually making Ponyville his home. Luckily Rainbow Dash happened around the right time.
"Wow," said Rainbow Dash. "You sure have a lot of stuff."
"Yeah, I suppose so," said Silver, cracking a smile. "At least half of these boxes are notes. I really should go through some of these." As the last few boxes went through the doors, Silver pulled out a few sheets of scribbled notes and read through them. "I don't believe it."
"What is it?" said Rainbow Dash, setting her box down.
"These are notes from when I was trying to write one of my novels that I never published. The Mark of a Champion."
"Sounds interesting. What's it about?"
"It was supposed to be about a colt growing up in Equestria during a zombie apocalypse. I had a bunch of ideas for it but never finished."
"That actually sounds kinda awesome. Why'd you never finish it?"
"I blame laziness. If I don't write an idea down fast enough, I get bored with it and I never write it down." Silver set the notes off to the side and delved deeper into the box.
"Mind if I have a read?" said Rainbow, hovering over to the notes. Seeing this Silver snatched the notes off the table before she could grab them. "Woah! What was that for?"
"Sorry," said Silver. "Its just that I hate letting ponies read my work before its finished."
"Why's that?"
"It just fills me with anxiety watching them read. I prefer to let the finished product speak for itself." Silver placed the notes back in their box.
"Alright, that's kinda understandable."
"So…" Silver stood in the middle of the room fidgeting awkwardly. "Thanks for helping me with the boxes."
"You're welcome," said Rainbow. "I'm, uh, gonna head back to my place. Nice seeing you!" With that Rainbow Dash was out the door and off into the blue sky.
"Idiot!" Silver muttered to himself. "'Thanks for helping me with the boxes'? You couldn't come up with something better? Maybe make plans or something to talk again?" He was feeling something he'd never felt before, but he still wasn't sure what it was. He couldn't tell if it was something with Rainbow Dash or something that happened with Mane-iac. Thinking about this, Silver paused.
Could it really be possible? Silver thought to himself. He looked at one of the unloaded cardboard boxes nearby and outstretched a hoof towards it. Suddenly lightning shot from his hoof, striking and disintegrating the box in an instant. Silver Rush staggered backward, startled by what he'd just done.
"How?" Silver said to himself. "How could I just spontaneously gain powers?" But Silver knew exactly how. He'd even written out his theories in his journal at the hospital. He went through another one of the boxes and eventually pulled out the black leather-backed book.
"The powers that I've suddenly gained," he read, "have one of two origins. One: my new abilities may be the lingering effects of the magic Twilight Sparkle used on the Power Ponies comic book. Or two: perhaps the lightning strike all those years ago engrained something into me, and only arose when I was faced with that specific situation with Twilight and her friends. Or maybe even some combination of the two, I have no idea.
"I believe everything has for a reason, but why? Why would I gain these powers now of all times? What in Equestria am I meant to do?" That's when the realization dawned on Silver. As he read those words, Silver knew what he needed to do. Actually carrying out what he had in mind, however, would be the difficult part. First, though, he needed a concept. That's what he's best at.
"Are you sure about this?" said Rarity, looking at Silver Rush's sketches.
"I know it seems a bit unconventional," said Silver, "but I'm looking for function over fashion." Silver Rush knew what he needed to do, but he would need help with a few things first.
"Its just that this outfit seems so… so… plain!"
"Simplicity is what I was going for. And besides, the simpler something is, the more recognizable, wouldn't you agree?"
Rarity sighed. "I suppose so. Tell you what I'll do. I'll help you with this, but at least let me add a little flair to this. Deal?"
"Deal," said Silver.
"You want me to teach you karate?" said Rainbow Dash, slightly surprised by Silver's request.
"You're the best fighter I know," said Silver. "And if I'm really going to go through with my crazy idea, I need all the help I can get."
"Hey now, I never said I wouldn't teach you," said Rainbow, smiling slightly. "I'm just a little surprised you'd come to me first."
Silver smiled. "Then what are we waiting for?"
"An enchantment spell?" said Twilight Sparkle, confused on the subject matter as well.
Silver held up the finished costume that he'd commissioned from Rarity. "Just something to make it a bit more durable," he said. "Don't want the back to rip right when I'm in the middle of doing something."
"Does everyone else know about this?" asked Twilight.
"Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy were skeptical about this plan, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie seemed all for it."
"I suppose that fits their personalities. But I just don't see it," said Twilight.
Silver looked at Twilight. "I only gained these powers now for a reason. I just want to give back, be useful. Be a hero."
Twilight looked back at Silver, understandingly. She'd been in the same mindset as Silver before. Twilight's horn glowed with a faint purple light as she cast the spell on Silver's outfit. The outfit glowed as well for a few moments as well, not changing in appearance but changing all the same. When it was done, Silver thanked Twilight and went on his way.
Now, Silver thought, I'm ready.
End of Part 4